Lisa Mather
Social Coordinator for Taiwan
Lisa busy socializing
Hi everyone! I have recently joined the Reach To Teach team as a Social Coordinator, so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself.
I have been teaching in Taipei for just over three months and I’m slowly but surely settling into the city and making it my home. I’m not going to lie, the first month was challenging, overwhelming and at times very stressful. Trying to find an apartment in a city full of people who can’t speak your language, sorting out a bank account and a phone contract, learning how to get around, adapting to a completely different culture and trying to have some fun at the same time all proved to be a challenge!
There were times when I questioned my decision to move halfway around the world to a city I knew very little about while doing a job I had little experience in. However, three months down the line, I can assure you that the overload of emotions and moments of doubt are definitely worth it. I love my life in Taipei!
I teach in the afternoons and early evenings, so I have my days free to do whatever I want! I spend my free time exploring the city (and inevitably getting lost), reading in coffee shops, writing and sunbathing on my balcony (and inevitably falling asleep), wandering around taking photographs, forcing myself to try strange foods and writing the occasional postcard home. I’ve also just started taking Yoga classes. Life is good!
Then there’s the teaching… Again, I’m going to be honest. I initially thought that teaching would just be a job, a fun and easy way to fund my travels, however to my surprise it has become so much more than ‘just a job.’ The first couple of weeks feel a bit like you’re learning just as much as you’re teaching. As with any new job it takes a while to get the hang of it and to get confident in what you’re doing, however, the students certainly help to make this easier. They are definitely the best ‘work colleagues’ I’ve ever had! I feel that teaching has been a great opportunity for me to get to know some of the people who live in this country, making my time here in Taipei so much more than just a ‘gap year’ or a ‘travelling experience.’
Lisa loves Taiwan!
I have recently joined the Reach To Teach team as the new Social Coordinator for Taiwan, which means I will be coordinating get-togethers for our Reach To Teach teachers. I know how hard it can be to meet people and make friends in a big unfamiliar city, so these monthly events will not only give us all a chance to make new friends, but it will also give us a chance to have some good old fashioned fun! Whether it be white water rafting in the South, hiking in the North or simply a few beers in the pub, the main idea is for us to get together and let our hair down!
Lisa Mather