So, yesterday evening's bash was quite a surreal event. To give you a sense of how the Taiwanese like to party take a look at this advertisement we walked by on the way to the banquet hall:

Apparently some people think the way to class up a wedding is to invite Hello Kitty to the reception.

The PTA party was not quite that extravagant. The new teachers did, however, get escorted down the red carpet and onto the stage where we were cheered and the paparazzi snapped photos. We were even given fancy fake leis to wear for the evening.

It was an evening of speeches and student performances, none of which anybody paid attention to. Everybody was chatting with each other and someone was making balloon weapons for the children so they were running round like crazy people having sword fights.

Some of the student performances were pretty impressive, especially anything involving a violin. The most jaw-dropping, however was the group of moms from Tainan (the next city north of Kaohsiung where some of our students come from). Imagine high heeled boots, black stockings, short shorts, glittery tank tops and flannel shirts. Then think Asian hip-hop music and you start getting the idea. Not your regular PTA fare you see around Simsbury. Surreal.

This banquet also included 10 course meal. The highlight was the fish:

There was a small fight at our table over who got the cheeks. Fish cheeks are, after all quite the delicacy!

The Tainan PTA puts on its own Christmas party and by all accounts it is not to be missed. I'll let you know.