臺北市新住民專區網站英文版

My Multi-job Life (Feb. 2020)
By Huang Pao-yun



 
        When I first settled in Taiwan after marrying my husband, I worked two jobs at an English cram school and at a kindergarten. It is at those schools that I started to assimilate into the Taiwan society. At the time, I deeply felt how much importance Taiwanese parents have placed on English education for their children. When I worked with foreign teachers, I witnessed how lively and diverse a language class could be. When I was going through my young children education training, I was taught that when a mother takes care of her child by herself, the child will build a sense of security, healthy self-image, and positive life values. This lesson fully resonated with me and helped me made the decision to raise my own children at home.
 
    
 
    While taking care of children at home could be boring at times, it also comes with moments of joy and a sense of achievement. When you spend a good bit of time at home taking care of the children and elderlies, it is difficult not to miss the time when you had a career, and started to worry about the future. As a result, I started to pay attention to life-long learning and executed on it. The first thing I did was opening up my house to host a book club for moms, and a culinary and crafts exchange sessions. These events allowed my girl friends and I to encourage each other and grow together. Then I started reading stories for children at the school, and participated in classes including marriage classes, geriatrics, and counselling. I even got certifications for cooking, and baking. Furthermore, leading the youths in my church to personal and spiritual growth in the Sunday school also greatly expanded my world.
 
    
 
        In the past thirty years, the society of Taiwan has undergone a rapid change. The number of new immigrants are increasing sharply, the tide of globalization forced our environment, lifestyle, and value to shift from a Chinese culture centered perspective to that of a multicultural perspective. After my children grew up and become independent, I enter the work force once again. Now, I am working as an interpreter for the new immigrants, and teaches Malay in conjunction with the New Southbound Policy. I want to contribute everything I have learned in my native country and in Taiwan to the society.