An information site designed to enrich the lives of children of English-speaking families in Taiwan. Making child-friendly events, spaces and activities more accessible for all.
The New Taipei City (新北市) Government is slated to launch a taxi
subsidy scheme for pregnant women registered in the city to save them
the trouble of taking public transportation to periodic prenatal
examinations, as part of its efforts to boost the nation’s dwindling
birthrate.
“Presumably starting from October, pregnant women
registered in the city will be eligible for 20 subsidized trips by taxi
during pregnancy, with an average subsidy of NT$200 per trip,” New
Taipei City Department of Social Affairs Director Lee Li-chen (李麗圳)
said.
This is aimed at a group a bit out of my audience range, but I think it's worth sharing, just the same. Here's a chance to win a working holiday in Taiwan. It's the usual "make a video, get people to vote" method.
Contest Outline：
1. Contestant Qualifications
Must be a youth from the 7 listed countries that have signed an
agreement to provide a Working Holiday / Youth Mobility visa with
Taiwan(United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan
and Korea.), and the youth must be qualified for the application
requirement.
2. How to apply
Please fill out the application form on our official website (http://youthtravel.tw/youthtrekker)
and attach a video link (video can be uploaded on Youtube or other
internet platforms, the length of the video should be in 1-2 minutes)
3. Registration period: today until October 8th, 2012, 12:00p.m. (Taiwan Standard Time)
4. Voting period: October 9th, 2012 until October 23rd, 2012, 12:00p.m. (Taiwan Standard Time)
5. Voting
An internet poll will be uploaded for voting. One contestant from each
of the seven eligible countries will be chosen based on their number of
votes. The contestant with the highest number of votes will be the
selected winners.
6. The uploaded video should be titled "Working Holiday in Taiwan", and
the content of the video should include a self-introduction and the
contestant's expectations of a trip to Taiwan. Using creativity to
perform the theme "Working Holiday in Taiwan", not limited to any type
of video.
7. The winners are responsible for their Working Holiday / Youth
Mobility visa application. For Working Holiday / Youth Mobility visa
application and regulation, please visit the official website of Bureau
of Consular Affairs:
http://www.boca.gov.tw/lp.asp?ctNode=783&CtUnit=80&BaseDSD=7&mp=2
Some time ago, I posted about the fabulous Lan Yang Museum in Wai Ao (a coastal town about one hour from Taipei). Wai Ao is a very popular surf beach. Breakers on the shore, undertow, and riptides, make it a bit like the beach I grew up with. It can be a lot of fun, but you have to try to make your kids aware of the power of the ocean and help them understand the concept of water safety.
We are now lucky to enough to have a lifeguard from the US with a fabulous surf shop, away from the real crowds of Wai Ao's "main" beach. My son got a lesson from Garrett a couple of weeks ago, and we have been back since to rent boards from him. The surf shop/hostel itself is very clean and well-organised, and I would be very happy to stay there with my children if the room was available.
Come out and bring the family on Thursdays and Kids 3-16 years old get 50% off on a bed.
星期四家庭日 3-16歲 50%折扣
加州海邊救生教練Garrett海洋安全常識免費小課程
Our surfing coach Garrett was a professional beach lifeguard in
California for 6 years and will be here to give some beach safety tips
on how to stay safe in the ocean.
我們教練Garrett (阿球)曾在加州海邊擔任6年救生員,
現在將提供免費的海洋安全小課程.
PLEASE HELP US TO SPREAD THE WORD TO FAMILIES!!
We remember being kids and enjoying the beach.
We would like to SHARE that experience with all the kids and teach them more about being safe on the beach and ocean.
I have been in Taiwan for two years and I notice people doing dangerous
things around the ocean because they don't have the proper knowledge
about the ocean many Americans learn as a child. Let's make the beach a
fun and SAFE place with learning, instead of being forbidden!!
**Tell them you read about this on my site, Kidzone, and get... the joy of knowing you've given me an ego boost.**
Be warned, boogie boarding is addictive! You may well end up like us, going out to the beach more often than you'd imagined possible in Taiwan.
I stole this from their FB page. I hope they can a website up soon!
衝浪背包客棧 We're a new hostel with a surf
school/bar/restaurant right on the beach in Wai-ao, Yilan county.
No. 236, Section 2, Bīnhǎi Rd, Toucheng Township
Mission
Coach
Garrett was born and raised in Ventura County, California. He came to
Taiwan and fell in love with it's beautiful beaches and culture. Surfing
in Taiwan is a quickly growing sport and our mission is to bring the
California beach spirit to Taiwan.
Rising Sun Surf Inn is
located right on the beach in beautiful Wai-ao township. Our hostel is
run by surfers who have spent their life enjoying the ocean and the
beach. We are providing an amazing hostel experience for travelers and
locals alike in a safe, fun and relaxing environment.
Description
***Surfing***
2-hour lesson with full day board rental --1500NT per person
2-day lesson (board rental and a total of 4 hours of lessons)-- 2500NT per person
Group lessons of 5 or more get a 10% discount
10% discount on lessons when booking a bed at the hostel
Coaches Garrett and Justin come from California and know GOOOOD Mexican
food. Have a blended ice cocktail on the patio or chill out and be lazy
in the AC lounge.
We are conveniently located on the coastal highway across the road from
the Wai-ao Train Station. Our beach front patio and ocean view rooms
overlook beautiful Wai-ao Beach. Train service is available directly
from Taipei and surrounding areas. There is free parking available 50
meters from the hostel.
There are many activities Rising Sun
offers. Surfboard rentals and lessons are provided by our international
staff with over 20 years of experience. Our shuttle van is available for
booking to cold springs in Jiaoxi (20 min. drive), paragliding off the
foothills of Wai-ao and landing on the beach (10 min. drive) and tours
to the Kamalan Castle and breathtaking views in the coastal mountains of
Wai-ao.
Animals Taiwan is inviting kids ages 6 to 11 to participate in a poster contest to celebrate the 2012 World Animal Day. Invite your friends, win great prizes and support the strays in Taiwan by creating a poster that expresses the theme “I am a stray and I can be your pet”
*Deadline is September 26th, 2012. *You need to enter through your school, so encourage your school to participate. (An English-speaking contact is needed, so this your chance to bring something new to your school!) *Limited to children aged 6 to 11 residing in Taipei. *Some nice prizes and a chance to educate kids about animals welfare.
If you are looking for a family doctor (or information about family medicine in Taiwan) and have someone who can read Chinese in your life, then this is a really useful link and website.
Not my usual kind of post, but I know how hard it is to keep up the holiday spirit in Taiwan if you miss the products when they come through! Last week, I noticed Costco has the big boxes of chocolate Christmas Tree decorations in already. I didn't see anything for Halloween yet, though.
I'm not sure if I have a place cockroach-free to keep them where they won't melt before Christmas, but if you do, go pick up a box!
Check out the September 2012 edition of Centered on Taipei magazine (pages 20-21) for my article about doula Angie Chang, and Serina Huang's perspective on gentle birthing in Taipei.
