Bookmark and Share

January 2009 ESL Newsletter

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and welcome to a new month in Asia! We hope that you have enjoyed the holiday season so far. Most of you are probably gearing up for the upcoming Chinese New Year and some much needed vacation time. For those of you who have not made any plans yet, we have included some travel ideas around Taiwan in this month's newsletter!

Travel well!

The Reach To Teach Team

On Tap - Teaching English in Taiwan

Reach To Teach Events!

As many of you know, we had a great turnout for our Reach To Teach Christmas party! On Tap delivered great food and drinks all within a comfortable setting. Thanks to everyone that came and we are sorry we missed those that couldn't make it.

Our next event is a day hike up into Yangminshan National Park, located just outside of Taipei. We have hiked here before and were treated with some spectacular views of the city and surrounding area. The hike will be held at the end of January with more specific details to come in a follow up email. Hope to see you there!

Chinese New Year

Kenting, Taiwan - ESL Abroad Kenting, Taiwan

We all hope your enjoyed your first New Year's celebrations and welcomed in 2009 with style, but don't get too comfortable, Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Many of you will have vacation time and are not doubt planning some fun and exotic trips so we wish you all the best and safe travels!

For those of you staying in Taiwan but not sure what to do, we have put together a few travel ideas to encourage everyone to get out and see more of this wonderful island we now call home. Important note! Wherever you travel remember to plan ahead! Trains and flight bookings fill up fast so don't put anything off otherwise you will be spending Chinese New Year watching HBO and Star World!

Kenting

Alishan Mountain, Taiwan - ESL in Taiwan Alishan, Taiwan

Kenting is located at the extreme southern tip of Taiwan. It is famous for its beautiful beaches and great weather year round. This is one of Taiwan's most popular tourist destinations so if you do decide to come, plan ahead and book your hotel! Getting to Kenting has become quite easy and starts with taking the train to Kaohsiung. The HSR is the fast option, but costly. From there you can take any number of buses to Kenting that run back and forth very regularly.

Alishan Mountian

Penghu Island, Taiwan - ESL in Taiwan Penghu Island, Taiwan

Alishan Mountain is Taiwan's most visited national park and is not just a single mountain, but comprises an entire range along Taiwan's spine. The park is a hikers dream and holds some of Taiwan's most scenic views. One sight that cannot be missed is watching the sunrise over Yushan Mountain. It is definitely worth the early wake-up call. The best way to get to Alishan is to take a train to Chiayi and then transfer to the Alishan Forest Railway. This train departs twice daily at 9am and 1pm, so plan accordingly.

Penghu Island

Penghu Island is a beautiful and popular tourist destination off the coast of Taiwan. It is in fact an archipelago comprised of many islands most of which are easily reached. If you are looking for some serious beach time, this is the place to come! Flights leave daily from Taipei's Songshan Airport (not to be confused with Taoyuan International Airport!)

Taroko Gorge

Taroko Gorge, Taiwan - ESL in Taiwan Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

Toroku Gorge is an impressive 19-km-long canyon, situated along Taiwan's east coast. The Gorge is composed mainly of marble and granite. The name, Taroko, means the "magnificent and splendid" in the language of Truku, the aboriginal tribe who resides in the area. Getting there is quite easy and starts by taking a train to Hualien and then transferring to one of the many tour buses that can be found right outside the train station.

Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is famous for its clear, sparkling blue water set against a picturesque mountain backdrop. This is the largest lake in Taiwan and a traditional spot for newlywed couples to take their honeymoon. No trains run to Sun Moon so the best option is to take a bus which depart from Taipei Main Station four times a day.

Ballroom Dancing Lessions, Taiwan - ESL Abroad

Ballroom Dancing Lessons!

Our very own Megan Dupuy is like many of you an English teacher here in Taiwan. Outside of the classroom though, she has a huge passion for dancing that recently inspired her to begin offer dance lessons to those interested in Taipei.

This is a great chance to pick up a fun new activity and learn how to strut your stuff the next time you hit the dance floor!

You can contact Megan directly by phone at 0936 432 093 or by email at megandupuy@hotmail.com

Tastes of Taipei

Waterfront Resturant, Taiwan - Teaching English in Taiwan

This month in Tastes of Taipei we are leaving the city a little and heading north, all the way to Danshui. Many of you perhaps have been here already for a weekend excursion out of the city, but for those of you who haven't Danshui is very popular for its boardwalk market and ferries going to Fisherman's Wharf and Bali. It is also home to one of my favorite restaurants in Taipei, Waterfront.

Waterfront is superbly situated right next to the water (duh!) and offers a relaxed and comfortable setting to enjoy your meal. Weather permitting, the restaurant is completely open air allowing the full enjoyment of fresh ocean breezes coming in from the north. During the evenings a live musician is usually playing light jazz that is just loud enough to enjoy without being distracting. If you want the perfect experience, I recommend coming for a late lunch or early dinner to enjoy the sunset over the water while you eat.

The food is decidedly of Western fair mixed with Eastern spices, and is absolutely delicious. The food and atmosphere alone have kept me coming back and I have steadily made my way through the menu. The roasted chicken (NT$450) has become a personal favorite, while the pizza (NT$300) is an easy crowd pleaser and great for lunch. If you go with a large party I would heartily recommend buying the tall three-liter beer (NT$900) that is easy to share, and great on hot summer days.

Getting to Waterfront is easy enough and if you haven't been to Danshui before, you can turn dinner into a whole day excursion. Jump on the MRT on the red line and take it to Danshui Station at the very end. From there it is a straight 10-minute walk along the seaside boardwalk, but take your time and enjoy the busy atmosphere. For an easy reference mark look for the Starbucks, Waterfront is right after that.

Address: No. 229-9, Zhong Zheng Road, Danshui

Return to ESL Newsletters