Showtime!

I'm noticing a new habit of watching more movies than normal since arriving in Taiwan.

Then again, arriving in Taiwan wasn't normal, why should anything else be?

I have been able to come up with a list of excuses though.

1. It's convenient: movie theaters are easily found and generally staffed by teenager's whose high school English is fresh; Blockbuster is on my block, same rules as back home.
2. It's cheap. New releases are NT$70--a little over $2--and movie tickets are the same.
3. Mega dose of standard American English whenever I want.
4. I can sniffle, cough, and guzzle electrolytes while still doing something other than work, or thinking about work.

Now, #3 might seem to be contrary to my cultural immersion nature but there is a more fiscal reason for it. I'm being paid to teach American phonics and speak with my lovely California accent. I am also surrounded by New Zealanders, Australians, and Canadians--not to mention those who have time to do Mandarin immersion and have entirely jumbled accent--who teach American English, but fall back in to dialect as soon as students aren't around. Being the language absorber I am, watching movies is a painless way to remember that "school" and "book" don't have the same vowel sound.

There is also an added entertainment value watching English movies in a foreign country. They don't dub here, just in case you aren't assuming that already, so the bulk of the audience is reading streaming Chinese characters. Laughing 5 seconds before everyone else in the theatre and being fully justified is a rare joy. Especially when it seems like everyone else laughs harder because they now know what you were laughing at.

It is a bit awkward when you as an English viewer laugh at an obvious comedic element and no one else in the theatre follows you, even after the 5 second delay. But, you just shrug and have to assume cultural differences. It's also a bit awkward when you have to constantly refuse the "this-is-not-a-suggestion" recommendations from the Blockbuster staff. They are very perturbed that I don't rent any romantic comedies, I think I'll see if I can placate them by renting the new Pride and Prejudice. Yes, I'm giving in, for those of you who know I'm a staunch BBC fan, and Keira Knightley just makes me go "eh."For the rest of you, you're now informed. (I watch Pirates for Johnny Depp and no one else!)

To track my progress, I'm adding a list of the movies I've viewed while here. The title of this blog is in honor of my father. The movies listed should in no way reflect on his excellent up bringing. :D

And, scene.