Dec 18cover 2.indd 1 A publication of the Community Services Center Centered 2019 SPRING &SUMMER ACTIVITIES CATALOG INSIDE on DEC 2018 JAN 2019 Vol. 19 2018/11/27 上午11:24 | 04 Dec 18 cover 2.indd 2 2018/11/27 上午11:24 CONTENTS December 2018/January 2019 volume 19 issue 4

CSC COMMUNITY From the Editors 5 The Community Services Center’s 2018 Individual Center Gallery 6 Community Service Award Recipient – Kenny Cheng 8 Book Clubs: December 6 The Community Services Center Auction Dinner 9 Activity Photo Highlights 7 TAS - FRC Robotics Pioneers 12 Celebrating Indian Culture in Taiwan 7 TES - Students Reflect on the Meaning of Freedom 14 CSC Business Classified 34

SUPPLEMENT Publisher Community Services Center, Taipei 2019 Spring & Summer Activities 17 Editor Suzan Babcock Co-editor Richard Saunders Advertising Manager Naomi Kaly Magazine Email [email protected] DESIGN Tel 02-2836-8134 Fax 02-2835-2530 Design on a Mission - The Golden Pin Design Award 2018 21 Community Services Center Editorial Panel Siew Kang, Fred Voigtmann OUTLOOK Printed by Farn Mei Printing Co., Ltd. 1F, No. 102, Hou Kang Street, Shilin When You Lose a Loved One 16 , Taipei Love and Life 24 Tel: 02-2882-6748 Fax: 02-2882-6749 This Is Your Mind 26 E-mail: [email protected] Immersing in Mandarin 28 Centered on Taipei is a publication of the Community Services Center, 25, Lane 290, Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 6, Tianmu, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: 02-2836-8134 TRAVEL fax: 02-2835-2530 e-mail: [email protected] Sun Moon Lake 30 Hayouxi Hot Spring 33 Correspondence may be sent to the editor at coteditor@ communitycenter.org.tw. Freelance writers, photographers and illustrators are welcome to contact the editor to discuss editorial and graphic assignments. Your talent will find a home with us!

Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner.

COT is printed on FSC certified 100% post-consumer recycled fiber. The paper is certified in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council which promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. https://ic.fsc.org/

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 3 2018/11/28 上午9:51 TIGER TOTS PRESCHOOL A LOVING PLACE FOR LEARNING

Crown’s service offerings include: Everyone needs to know why... HAPPY HOLIDAYS We’ll help your whole family prepare for the big adventure.

PRE-K AND (LOCATED INSIDE TAS) TIGGER'S(PRE-2S), 2S AND 3S PLAYGROUPS (TIAN YU CAMPUS) North American Curriculum Gardening Qualified Instructors Fun and Educational Daily Activities Low Student/Teacher Ratios Field Trips Gymnastics and Music Class Fun After School Enrichment Classes Go knowing Engaging Outdoor Playgrounds Mandarin Playgroups

We’d love to introduce you to our diverse and incredibly special community of learners! Please call to arrange a visitation. CR ad Euroview AprMay.indd 1 22/3/2016 3:40:25 PM

TYPA MAIN OFFICE: (02)2873-1815 www.typa.org.tw

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 4 2018/11/27 上午11:16 COVER IMAGE: Formations at Haoyouxi Hot Spring, deep FROM Please send email submissions, comments, and feedback to in the high mountains of Pingtung County, [email protected]. in the far south of the island THE by Richard Saunders EDITORS For more information, please go to our website at www.communitycenter.org.tw COT TEAM Fall has turned into winter bringing cooler days and nights to the Taipei Basin, much to the relief of many long-time residents. This time of the year is also one of the busiest in terms of events. At the Community Services Center, we recently celebrated 31 years of community service, cooperation and collaboration with Suzan Babcock Richard Saunders Naomi Kaly KC Editor Co-editor Advertising Manager Graphic Designer the local and international community. Each year, the coteditor@ [email protected] naomi@communitycenter. graphicdesigntaipei. Community Services Center’s Steering Committee and communitycenter.org.tw org.tw weebly.com Foundation Board presents an award to an individual Feature Writers who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, service and commitment to the community. This year’s award recipient is Mr. Kenny Cheng, a man of vision and service. Also featured in this double issue of Centered on Taipei (COT) is a fun photo-spread of the Center’s 2018 annual auction and dinner. People are still talking about what Jim Klar Nick Kembel Peter Sutton Judy Tsuei a great time they had that evening and are urging the Center to repeat the festive ‘scary’ Hallow Eve costume WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS theme, next year. Taipei is a hub for design, talent and Sue Babcock Joseph Reilly activity. Dan Cunningham’s article, “Design on a Mission” Daniel Cunningham Richard Saunders Indian Cultural Committee of Taipei Beno Soares highlights young talented designers from the Taiwan Helen Gamble Rosemary Susa design community and the coveted Golden Pin Concept Golden Pin Design Award Peter Sutton Design 2018 Award. Richard Saunders and Nick Kembel’s Nick Kembel TAS Jim Klar TES enticing Hayouxi Hot Spring and Sun Moon Lake travel Satoru Kondo Grace Ting articles sound like perfect places to unwind, especially Lindsey Kundel Judy Tsuei Morgan Loosli Kuang-Shan Wan after a hectic holiday season. Oslofreedomforum Shyh-Shiun Jerry Wang Remember that the Center is here for you and that Priya Lalwani Purswaney there is always someone willing to have an interesting chat over a cup of steaming coffee or tea. With Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year wishes, Pick COT up at: Uptown: Community Services Center, No. 25, Lane 290, Sec. 6, Zhongshan North Rd. Sprout – No. 33, Sec. 7, Zhongshan North Rd. George Pai’s Beauty – No. 14, Tienmu East Rd. Downtown: Ooh Cha Cha – 207, Sec.2, Nanchang Rd. Sue and Richard

Accountant Monica Cheng COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER Programs Manager Rosemary Susa Programs Assistant Bunny Pacheco Coffee Mornings Coordinator John Imbrogulio The Community Services Center (CSC) is a non-profit foundation. CSC provides Cross-cultural Trainer Anne Jacquet outreach and early intervention through counseling, cross-cultural education and Communications Morgan Loosli life skills programs to meet the needs of the international community in Taipei. Events Coordinator Shan Lee CSC offers the opportunity to learn, volunteer, teach and meet others. Check out our website www.communitycenter.org.tw and drop by The Center to chat with us Teacher Gloria Gwo about our programs. You can also email us at [email protected]. Systems Manager Samson Debele

Volunteers Miyuki Boice, Riley Carbonneau, Judith Chou, Director Adam McMillan John Imbrogulio, Leslie McFarlane, Gloria Peng, Sofia Vintimila Office Manager Grace Ting Benefactors Bai Win Antiques Counselors I-wen Chan, Katherine Chang, Hui-shiang Chao, European Chamber of Commerce Jung Chin, Chiao-Feng Chung, Cerita Hsu, Carol Lee, Grand Hyatt Taipei Miranda Lin, Emilie Ma, Kuang-Shan Wan Premier Sponsors Concordia Consulting Consultants Wendy Evans and Michael Mullahy ICRT San Fu Global Counseling Admin. Joanne Chua

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A percentage of all proceeds of items sold at the Gallery will go DEC 2018/JAN 2019 to the Center. Please remember that by displaying your items or shopping at the Gallery, you will be helping the Center to continue GALLERY to provide valuable services to the international community.

EXHIBITION OF OIL PAINTINGS BY TAN KUI-TANG BOOK CLUBS SELECTION The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. For Morning Book Club meeting dates, times & location, contact Julie Hu at: mcelroy22000@ yahoo.com

For Evening Book Club meeting dates, The Community Services Center is once again pleased to have on loan times & location, from Bai Win Antiques an exhibition of beautiful oil paintings by Chinese contact Lauren at: artist Tan Kui-Tang. These brightly colored paintings are affordable and laurenmccarthy1011@ can easily fit with any décor. gmail.com

ANITA TOWN’S LOVELY CHERRY HILL ANTIQUES SCARF AND ORNAMENT COLLECTION

We are pleased to display a wide range of handmade Chinese DECEMBER EVENTS ethnic-style jewelry, featuring 12/1 -12/2 intricate knotting combined with Studios & Workshops XY BRIDGES : Soft Skills 101 Workshop new and old jade, cloisonné 10:00 AM ~ 12:30 PM beads, lapis, coral and other semi-precious stones. Other gifts 12/9 Multimedia Event on display include Chinese-style Filmmaker Night 6:30 PM~ 10:00 PM Anita Town’s Lovely Scarf and bags, placemats and coasters, all Ornament Collection will be perfect for gift giving. 12/15 Kids at the Center for pre-holiday STJ XXXI (31) 2:30 PM~ 4:30 PM shopping and gift giving selections. 12/15 Spoken Word Stage Time & Wine 103 PATRICIA KORTMANN 7:30 PM ~ 10:00 PM 12/16 Wellness BODY & SOUL w/ Anne 4:30 PM~ 6:00 PM

12/16 Hansraj Returns 6:30 PM~ 10:00 PM

12/22 Performance Arts FIG Formosa Improv Group 6:30 PM~ 10:00 PM

12/28 Music 10 AM - 12:30 PM Patricia’s jewelry designs have gained international recognition and acclaim. 11/30 Kind of Red XXIII 7:00 PM~ 10:00 PM Her work features one-of-a-kind signature pieces of the highest quality, in gold, silver Look us up on Facebook (redroomtaipei) and precious gemstones. and www.redroomtaipei.com

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 6 2018/11/27 上午11:16 COMMUNITY ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS We had a very busy fall semester at the Center. With so many newcomers our activities and tours were mostly full. Here are some photos that highlight some of the fun things we did.

Maria taught us how to crochet We learned how to make stir fry with Ivy Asma taught us how to make a delicious Pakistani meal

We learned how to use jiao bei (筊杯) We visited a fortune teller on the Asma taught us how to make a delicious with Jennifer at Xingtian Temple famous Fortune Teller Street Pakistani meal Celebrating Indian Culture in Taiwan

TEXT: PRIYA LALWANI PURSWANEY IMAGES: INDIAN CULTURAL COMMITTEE OF TAIPEI

his past November was a very busy month for Indians in Taiwan. It was a time when we celebrated one of our major holidays: , the Festival of Lights. This year, Diwali activities were held at in Taipei, T the National Tsing Hua University in , at the National Central University in Taoyuan, and in other Taiwan cities. Among the main features of Diwali are its beautiful and intricate floor drawings. These festive floor art designs, called rangoli, are created using flowers, grains, or colorful rice powder. In , they are only created for special occasions such as Diwali, or during religious ceremonies. These drawings have strong spiritual For additional information meanings, with auspicious benefits for everyone. about upcoming Indian Another Indian-related event in November was the 2018 Annual Indian Cultural events, see the Indian Festival, featuring musicians and dancers from India, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Cultural Committee of Taipei China and Europe. The festival’s highlight was a historic dance performance at the (ICCT) on Facebook. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, depicting important aspects of India’s spice trade.

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The Community Services Center’s 2018 Individual Community Service Award Recipient Mr. Kenny Cheng - A Man of Vision and Service

TEXT: SUE BABCOCK IMAGE: COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER

ach year, the Community Services Center’s Steering Committee and Foundation Board presents an award to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, service and commitment to the E community and to the Community Services Center. This year’s award recipient is Mr. Kenny Cheng. Mr. Kenny Cheng is a man of faith, personal vision, advocacy and community service. He is a gentleman whose profound acts of charity have influenced the lives of many, especially children with severe hearing loss. Life’s unexpected circumstances can also offer life-changing opportunities. When his second daughter, Alana, was diagnosed with acute deafness, Kenny and his wife, Joanna Nichols, traveled throughout the world seeking a cure. Their determined efforts to help Alana were rewarded when she was able to receive in Australia, a cochlear implant, along with Auditory-Verbal therapy. Alana was given the gift of speaking without difficulty, allowing her to lead a normal, active and joyful school life. In 1996, with the support of her husband, Joanna Nichols established the Children’s Hearing Foundation, a visionary decision signifying their commitment for improving the lives of other hearing-impaired children in Taiwan. The Foundation offered children opportunities to develop listening and spoken language skills through Auditory-Verbal therapy. Auditory-Verbal therapy is a highly specialized early intervention program, which equips parents with the proper skills to maximize their deaf child’s speech and language development. It stimulates auditory brain development and enables deaf children with hearing aids or cochlear implants to make sense of the sounds that are relayed to them by their devices. Once mastered, children are then better able to develop listening and spoken language skills allowing them to have the same and equal early life opportunities as hearing children. The Children’s Hearing Foundation’s team of audiologists and Auditory-Verbal

therapists have been able to provide in Mandarin regular checkups and weekly Kenny Cheng - Individual Community sessions for these children. Seminars, discussion sessions and parent support Service Award Recipient groups were organized putting into action a strong network system for the children undergoing Auditory-Verbal therapy and their families. The Children’s Hearing Foundation has steadily expanded since 1996 with learning centers throughout Taiwan; Taipei, , Yilan and at Chung Yuan Christian University, in Taoyuan City. To date, over 4,000 children and their families have been helped. Close collaboration with Chung Yuan Christian University and the Children’s Hearing Foundation has resulted in the establishment of a campus Children’s Hearing Foundation Research and Training Center. This campus center focuses on clinic-based training, teaching and research, a new milestone for Kenny Cheng and his late wife, Joanna Nichols’s legacy to bring hope to the hearing impaired children of Taiwan. Good leadership is the ability to inspire others, create positive energy and change. Mr. Kenny Cheng is one such leader who inspires others and helps them to lead better lives. He is a most worthy recipient of the 2018 Individual Community Service Award, which is given with sincere gratitude.

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 8 2018/11/27 上午11:16 THE COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER AUCTION DINNER October 26, 2018

The Community Services Center’s annual fundraiser and dinner was a perfect pre-Halloween event for spooky, creative and funny costumes, as well as a time to recognize great service and leadership. This year, Santa Fe Relocation Services Taiwan was recognized as a recipient of the Center’s Corporate Community Service Award and Mr. Kenny Cheng was honored as the recipient of the Center’s Individual Community Service Award. Donors, patrons, community members, volunteers, Center staff all came together to show their support of the Center and the vital services that it provides to the local and international community. This annual event is a major source of funding for the Center and was a great success.

Photos by Sue Babcock. Beno Soares and Shyh-Shiun Jerry Wang

Dan Long, Adam McMillan, Lori Richardson Garcia, Raul Garcia Auction guests put in a song request with DJ Jayson Limmer

Fred Voigtmann – CSC Steering Committee and Foundation Board Chairman presenting Chris Collins Kitty Whiteford, Sue Babcock, Julia Ruggiere, Faye Angevine, Shan Lee, Karin Nystrom, from Santa Fe Relocation Services Taiwan with the Malabika Das, Leslie McFarlane Jeanette Cervell Community Corporate Service Award

Shihoko Hirata Chou and Jeff Chou

Robert Reed, Traci Demers Anna Chang, Rita Tsai Julian Thornbury

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 9 2018/11/28 下午12:16 Carly Bargiel, Jeff Mori, and Caroline Lay Ann and Jeff Lu David Blackman, Jennifer Blackman

Desta Selassie, Robyn Benedetti Annie Chong Shue, Mavis Ho, Katie Hwang, Katherine Chou, Helen Chow Parker and Grace Ting Morgan Loosli

John and Monica McQuade

Auction guests get down on the dance floor Michelle McKamy and Vince McKamy Carla Hitchcock

Tim Berge and ShaLi Tung Bruce Aitken, Reed Aitken Jack Whiteford, Louis Ruggiere

James Alden, Emma Alden Charlotte Grace Valentine Cindi Anderson Rebecca Lee, Jane Ogge

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Lynn Cinelli, Katie O'Rourke, Cheryl Lagerquist, Our fantastic team of volunteers Becky Maguire, Michelle Lawgun

Louie Silveira Cindy Teeters and Karen Moulton Rita Chuang, Al Chuang Hellen Wuod-Maggero Soderberg

Trudi Charlesworth, Mark Smith Simon Chang Terry Lagerquist

These ladies are wonderful supporters of the Center Daniel Chan Rosemary Susa & Bunny Pacheco

Samson Debele & Gloria Gwo Miyuki Boice & Joanne Chua Ann Lu and Monica Cheng

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FRC Robotics Pioneers Taiwan Regional FIRST Robotics Competition

TEXT: LINDSEY KUNDEL, TAIPEI AMERICAN SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IMAGES: TAS

aipei American School's computer science and robotics program has much to be proud T of in the last 12 months: more than 320 students were enrolled in 18 different courses across 29 sections. All robot design, construction, and project budgeting were student-led. TAS’s FIRST FRC and VEX Robotics teams both qualified for their respective world championship competitions, including 1st place wins at the Formosa Challenge, Australia Regional, and Hawaii Regional. But the most historic accomplishment of all has received the least attention – in part because the the opportunity to combine their teams is designing and building a years of hard work behind it have not learning in this way and decided to do functional robot from scratch without quite come to fruition yet. something about it. "[Angel] wanted to previous experience. In order to During the 2019-2020 school year, make it her mission to start promoting overcome this potential obstacle to FIRST Robotics Competition will host its STEAM around Taiwan as much as she recruiting new teams in Taiwan, Mr. first-ever Taiwan Regional competition could," said Fagen. "She contacted Fagen and the FRC team designed a in , thanks to the hard work and cold-called 60 schools" in order to robot that could be built inexpensively of current and former Taipei American explain to them why they should get by anyone in Taiwan. School robotics students and their involved in robotics. "We had seen American teams do instructor, Matt Fagen, the newly According to Fagen, Angel eventually this, specifically NASA's team, who built endowed Corning Chair in Robotics and wrote a letter to the Taiwan Ministry something called the EveryBot," Fagen Innovation of the Solomon Wong Tech of Education and city governor, which said. NASA's robotics team released Cube. received numerous responses of their robot plans on a website for free In order to make this dream a reality, support. so that anyone who wanted to could TAS robotics students had to find, "Now the Ministry of Education is build a competitive FRC robot. recruit, and mentor 22 other Taiwanese still consulting with her, calling her at According to FIRST Robotics, the schools on how to start robotics teams MIT, asking her about suggestions she EveryBot, with a final budget of $1000, and compete on the international might have for future programs." Other is an "affordable, robust, and simplistic" robotics circuit. governmental branches, including the robot that can be built with nothing Mr. Fagen credits TAS alumna and Central Taiwan Science Park and the but basic tools and items found in the current MIT student, Angel Hwang ('17), Southern Taiwan Science Park, have kit of parts purchased from your local with developing this goal three years committed to helping Angel's STEAM hardware store. ago. She, along with her teammates, mission. "We took that idea and said, ok, what thought that robotics competitions However, governmental interest and if we built a Taiwan version of that?" were an experience that all students financial support were not enough to Fagen said. should have because of the unique way guarantee an FRC robotics regional in Since Taiwan does not have the they blend book-learning with a more Taiwan. Mr. Fagen and Angel needed same parts available in all areas as hands-on approach. "TAS is unique to ensure that there would be enough found in the , TAS's FRC in that it has a two-sided curriculum. teams in the region to support a TAS team adjusted the EveryBot concept We have strong traditional programs application for an FRC Taiwan regional. to include parts that are manufactured in mathematics and physics, the book FRC regulations state that at least 15 and readily available in Taiwan. They side if you will, and we have the applied teams are needed in order to proceed then did a full design of this robot in a side, found in robotics and research." with an application, although more Computer Aided Design file, or CAD for His students, led by Angel H., noticed teams boost the application's status. short, that they shared with the Central that many local students do not have One major hurdle for new robotics Taiwan Science Park via the Ministry of

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Science and Technology. National Palace Museum with a TAS with the 2020 season. The next step in obtaining a local FRC student docent, Katherine Chen. Although Mr. Fagen is the Computer regional was to help train the recruited The NPM tour focused on available Science and Robotics department high school teams in how to build and technology during different periods of chair, incoming Tech Cube director, and operate the Taiwanese version of the Chinese art history. adviser for FRC robotics in the Upper "EveryBot" designed by TAS students. Dr. Bossi's trip culminated with a School, he is quick to give credit to In the spring of 2018, the TAS FRC team formal commitment ceremony. He others." It all stems from our kids' work, went to Taipei First Girls School to build signed a contract of intent saying that pun intended," said Fagen. "It all comes an example of the robot in front of a he would help Taiwan host a regional from our students’ work." live audience. After building it, they FRC competition in Taichung beginning then taught several local high school teams how to build it. "After the government saw that it worked, they invested the money to buy the parts for 22 robotics teams here in Taiwan," Fagen said. In a news conference in May 2018, after consulting with TAS students and staff, the Science and Technology Minister Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) said that his ministry is seeking a budget of NT$2 billion (US$66.67 million) over the next four years for the establishment of the robot production base, which will be called "the Maker Space." Taipei Metropolitan Area Other Areas After receiving notification of 4253 “Raid Zero,” Taipei American School, 7626 “NLHS” Taoyuan Municipal Nei governmental funding, from August Taipei Li Senior High School, Taoyuan 11-12, 2018 the FRC team then traveled 7526 “Welcome to team,” Municipal 6191 “RoboKryptonite,” Taipei First Girls south to Taichung, Taiwan to serve as Kaohsiung Senior High School, High School, Taipei instructors to all interested Taiwanese Kaohsiung robotics teams. 7527 “Kaohsiung power” 6947 “Savage Tumaz,” Taipei Fuhsing Zhongzheng Technical High School, "We taught 22 teams to build 22 Private School, Taipei robots over the course of two days," Kaohsiung Fagen said. "This means that we now 7069 “Taipei 101,” Taipei DongShan High 201900492 “Silaya” Science Park have 22 teams in Taiwan that have School, Taipei School, committed saying that they will take 6998 “NNKIEH” National Nanke 7497 “MARAHO” Taipei Municipal International Experimental High part in an FRC competition." ChengGong Senior High School, Taipei After recruiting 22 teams, the next School, Tainan step to securing an FRC regional 7589 “Li-shan blue magpie” Taipei 7641 “Normal Force” National competition was to convince Dr. Don Municipal Li-Shan Senior High School, Tainan Girls' Senior High School, Taipei Tainan Bossi, President of FIRST Robotics and 7551 “Extreme Mechanism” successful technology executive in his 201900511 “PCSH TEAM”, Banqiao, Taipei County Jhuci Senior High School, own right, that Taiwan was prepared to Zhuqi host a regional competition. According 201900497 “Fi-Lab” The Affiliated Senior 6083 “Overlooking,” Concordia to Fagen, Dr. Bossi had previously been High School of National Taiwan Normal Middle School, Chiayi invited to TAS with the expectation that University, Taipei Taipei American Students would be able 201900507 “HSNU” The Affiliated Senior 7130 “FABLAB MDHS,” Mingdao to recruit and train a sufficient number High School of National Taiwan Normal High School, Wuri District, Taichung of teams prior to his visit. "It was our University,Taipei way of holding ourselves accountable," 7636 “NEHSatCTSP,” National 201900402 “CHINGYU” Home School, Fagen said. Experimental High School at Central Taipei Dr. Bossi visited our campus on Taiwan Science Park, Taichung September 7, 2018. While here, he 201900481 “FORMOSAN SIKA” Heng Yee 7644 “CCHS” Home School, was able to tour the School's campus Catholic High School, Changhua City and Tech Cube, find out more about 7645 “NK MTC” Taipei Municipal Nangang the School's KA-12 STEAM curriculum, Vocational High School, New Taipei City participate in a roundtable discussion, and listen to several advanced student 7632 “An Kang Robotics Maker,” New Taipei Municipal An Kang High School, presentations. In addition to his work New Taipei City on campus, Dr. Bossi also toured the

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TES Students Reflect on the Meaning of Freedom

TEXT: HELEN GAMBLE, TES IMAGES: TES, OSLOFREEDOMFORUM.COM

“The secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage.” (Thucydides)

Taipei European School Students and Staff A man stands on the podium. With tears in his eyes he tells his story. It’s a story of unspeakable physical and emotional pain, of a boy growing up in North Korea, malnourished and Understanding and defining freedom can often be hopeless. The boy lives in a country where food, electricity, problematic. The definition of freedom is so broad, and and medicine are only for the privileged few. Yet to speak subject to so many individual interpretations, that even the about one's hardships can lead to imprisonment or death. Oxford English Dictionary struggles to define the notion in a Desperate, the boy attempts to steal some coal from a mine succinct manner. Amongst other things, it encompasses the close to his home, but passes out on a railway track due to power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants. It also his weakened state. He only wakes up when he senses a train means the absence of subjection to foreign domination or coming towards him, but by then it’s too late. The boy, only despotic government, and the state of not being imprisoned sixteen years old, loses an arm and a leg and very nearly loses or enslaved. It covers freedom of speech, religious and sexual his life. At the hospital, death once again comes looking for freedom, and the right to choose one’s leaders. him, as the doctors use primitive tools to treat his wounds The notion of freedom is something that TES students with no aesthetic. When the traumatised boy left the hospital, have often grappled with in class discussions and assemblies, he received no medical or psychological help. His country had especially those students who are studying for their abandoned him to his fate. International Baccalaureate Diplomas (IBD) in the last two Realising that he couldn’t go on living like this, the boy years of high school. In fact, the IBD expressly requires of decided to flee North Korea. With only one leg and the students both a commitment to global mindedness and the wooden crutches his father had crafted for him, the boy ability to tackle big issues. embarked on a 6,000 kilometer-long journey to freedom. The The subject of freedom was brought into focus at a unique boy’s name was Ji Seong-Ho. event that took place in Taipei on November 10, 2018. He is a man now. He’s been given prosthetic limbs, an On that day, over fifty students and staff from the Taipei education, and a reason to live. He stands on the podium and European School High School gathered at the Shangri-la Hotel swears he will never give up the fight to help free his country to attend the first-ever Oslo Freedom Forum event to be held from tyranny and oppression. As he raises the wooden in Asia. The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is a thriving global crutches that carried him across the miles, the audience rises. community of people united by the common vision of making They stand to award his courage, and to show solidarity for the world a more peaceful, prosperous, and free place. the fight for human rights in North Korea. They stand because The Forum brings together leaders in advocacy, business, they finally understand what it means to be free. technology, policy, philanthropy, media, academia, and the arts to share their stories and discover ways to expand freedom and unleash human potential across the globe. The Oslo Freedom Forum has evolved from an annual flagship event in Oslo that was inaugurated ten years ago, to include satellite events around the world, including New York, Johannesburg, and Mexico City. The decision to host Asia’s first Freedom Forum in Taiwan was no accident. Thor Halvorssen, founder of the Forum and a Venezuelan human rights advocate, referred to Taiwan as a country that has long been dedicated to upholding democracy. Living in a country like Taiwan, where we are fortunate to be able to enjoy many freedoms, including being able to live as we want, worship as we want, love whom we want, and vote for the government we want, it is easy to be complacent.

Human Rights Activist Vanessa Berhe Visits TES Following the Oslo We often take these freedoms for granted. For this reason, Freedom Forum (Pictured with the Head of the High School, Ms Sonya the opportunity to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum was Papps) an important learning experience for our students – one

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that brought into sharp focus the fact that not everybody the speakers on the podium. Their courage and bravery, their experiences the same freedoms that we do here in Taiwan. pain and suffering, but also their commitment, determination Indeed, in their latest published report, the independent and hope for the future were in evidence throughout the watchdog organization Freedom House has reported day. They provided the inspiration to act – to play one’s part that “political rights and civil liberties around the world in furthering freedom and justice for all. Freedom House has deteriorated to their lowest point in more than a decade reported that democracy is in crisis, stating that “the values in 2017, extending a period characterized by emboldened it embodies – particularly the right to choose leaders in free autocrats, beleaguered democracies, and the United States’ and fair elections, freedom of the press, and the rule of law – withdrawal from its leadership role in the global struggle are under assault. Most worrying of all for the future, many for human freedom.” Consequently, there has never been a young people, who have little memory of the long struggles better time to make our students aware of the struggles faced against fascism and communism, may be losing faith and by many in their pursuit of freedom. interest in the democratic project.” Speakers at the Taipei event included Cambodian human The is committed to reversing this rights activist and exiled opposition politician, Mu Sochua; disturbing trend. By exposing its students to guest speakers North Korean defector and activist, Ji Seong-Ho; Vietnamese who advocate for human rights, by offering co-curricular pop star and political activist, Mai Khoi; Egyptian actor, activities that focus on rights and free speech (such as model, and LGBT rights activist, Omar Sharif Jr.; China Model United Nations and Debating), and by introducing bureau chief and Asia correspondent for BuzzFeed News, topics that cover civil liberties and freedom, both within Megha Rajagopalan; Eritrean free-speech activist, Vanessa and outside of the classroom, the school actively fosters Berhe; Sarawak-born investigative journalist and founder of the attitudes of tolerance and respect that can transform the Sarawak Report, Clare Rewcastle-Brown; and Russian societies. Furthermore, the International Baccalaureate democracy activist and coordinator of Open Russia, Diploma Programme calls upon students to be risk-takers Vladimir Kara-Murza. The event also encompassed a Tech and inquirers; to be open-minded, reflective, principled, and Lab and Interactive Expo, workshops, and time to talk to knowledgeable; most importantly, it calls upon students to representatives of human rights organisations active in be caring. These attributes, so movingly demonstrated at the Taiwan. Oslo Freedom Forum, provided our students with a timely No one attending the conference could fail to be moved by reminder of what it means to be free.

SATORU KONDO exhibition

TAIWAN CHARACTER — Taiwanese Mascot photo exhibition Time: September 20 - December 20 Venue: Hua Shan Din by Cosmos Creation 79, Section 2, Zhongxiao East Road,

NOBODY — Ordinary people making the world Time: November 26 - February 20 Venue: Banqiao 435 Art Zone ( 435 Zhongzheng Rd, , New Taipei City (

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 15 2018/11/27 上午11:16 OUTLOOK

When You Lose a Loved One 2018/11/27 上午11:03

TEXT: KUANG-SHAN WAN IMAGES: WEB

For a long period of time, I didn’t before he or she dies affect the make any sense to you at first. It might know why I was still alive. I lost grieving process, but the nature of your be really hard to understand and find my passion to live. I was no relationship with them will also have meaning in it. However, even during the “ longer interested in the things an impact on your grief journey. There phase of darkness, life always provides I used to enjoy. All I hoped for was is just no “accurate” way to grieve, us some lessons to learn. There will that God would take me away as and this process cannot be rushed. No be times you are ready to look back soon as possible, so I could see her matter where you stand in this process, and reflect on what this huge loss has again.” Thus Mei, one of my very close the most important thing to remember taught you, and how it has shaped the friends, shared her grieving experience is allowing yourself to grieve, and way you are. Because of that, even Activities with me. Mei lost her sister in a car respecting your own pace. Give yourself though you may never truly get over accident; her sister was the only one a chance to let the pain out, and find a their death, you will find meaning, and who understood and supported her shoulder you can cry on, a friend who the strength to go on with your life. unconditionally in the family. “During can listen to you, so you will feel a little An unknown author once described daytime, I worked as normal, I ate and relief. Having connection with others grief in a wise and beautiful way: talked as normal, but when I was alone may also help you feel less lonely. “Grief never ends. But it changes. It’s a at night, all I felt was void.” Other than loneliness, feeling passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not Her experience reminded me of regretful and having guilt is a normal a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It a quote I once read online, “Grief is reaction when a loved one passes is the price of love.” Indeed, how deep like living two lives. One is where you away. You may wish you could have your hurt and sadness is tells you how pretend everything is alright, and said or done something differently. much you love this person. No matter the other is when your heart silently You may have all kinds of “if only’s.” what, your loved one will always exist in screams in pain.” At times, losing a Try not to blame yourself, and accept your heart. loved one may seem devastating, your limitations. Writing (or keeping a painful and as though you can never journal) might be a useful outlet to sort be healed. Of course, we all share out all the conflicted feelings, especially common ground when facing the loss of if you prefer to process inner thoughts 2019 a loved one, but not everyone grieves and feelings quietly. You can write Spring & Summer in the same way. Some may have the down the things you wish you could need to process their sorrow outwardly have told him or her. You could give K u a n g - S h a n W a n over and over again, while others may yourself some comfort by recalling the h a s a M a s t e r 's i n tend to hold all their emotions in and happy memories you and your loved Counseling and is a only deal with them in private. Some one once created together. Although licensed counselor in may be able to move on a little bit the memories may hurt you even more Taiwan. At the Center, more easily and quickly, while others at the beginning, eventually they will she works primarily with children and may dwell in the pain and struggle in remind you that you are loved and teenagers struggling with emotional a more complicated way. Not only will cared for. and behavioral difficulties. your temperament and functionality Losing someone you love may not

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2018/11/27 上午11:03 Activities 2019 Spring & Summer

www.communitycenter.org.tw DEC 2018/ JAN 2019 17 CE_Spring_2018.indd 1

Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 17 2018/11/27 上午11:16 18 DEC 2018/JAN 2019 www.communitycenter.org.tw

Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 18 2018/11/27 上午11:16 Welcome To The Center

December 2018 Registration Information Dear Center Friends, Advance registration is required for all Center activities. Registration may be When this catalog first becomes available we will already be into the month of December. We done by phone, email, online or in person. For online registration please go had a very busy fall here at the Center. It was so exciting for us to have so many newcomers to the Center’s website: http://www.communitycenter.org.tw come to join our activities. Payment is due at least one week prior to the start of any activity. Some We are very pleased to be able to offer you another great selection of classes and tours for you activities may require earlier payment. Should an activity become fully to join in the Spring/Summer of 2019. subscribed and a wait list created; payment will be due upon request. We cannot guarantee your place until full payment is received. In addition to some Center favorites, like our annual Chinese New Year trip to Di Hua Street and our hands-on dumpling making class, we have quite a few new instructors and activities to Cancellations introduce in 2019, of which we can only name a few: The Center reserves the right to cancel any activity due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen events. We make every effort to promptly • Thai cooking with Tanya Lockhart notify all registered participants. • A new hike to see the Tung Blossoms with Dory Chung • Flower Arranging with Yurie Asada Refund and Credit Policy • A trip to the Houtong Cat Village with Eddie Lai Activities cancelled by the Center: • A trip with Jennifer Turek to the Ling Jiou Mountain Monastery • Full refund will be issued. Refunds can be collected until the last day of • A visit to the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre with Diane Baker the semester. • Cancellations due to Taipei city/government closures, i.e. typhoon days, are exempt from this policy. No refunds or make-up classes will be Please don’t forget that whether you arrived last week or five years ago, the Center is here for offered. you if you need us. Behind all the daily learning and fun that goes on at the Center is the core of Activities cancelled by the participant: what we offer—our professional and confidential counseling services. • No refund will be issued. Class credit is available on the following terms: So, take a few minutes to look over the catalog and sign up for some class es and tours. You will o A full credit will be issued as long as the registration is cancelled at be so glad that you did. least one week prior to the first class meeting or actual date of the activity. After that time, we are unable to give credits. o Class credits may be applied to other Center activities within the current term or to the term that immediately follows.

Rosemary Susa Bunny Pacheco Grace Ting Center office hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm Programs Manager Programs Assistant Office Manager http://www.communitycenter.org.tw

P. S . Don’t forget to mark the dates of our monthly topic coffee mornings on your calendar. The No. 25, Lane 290, Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 6, , Taipei 11161 first one is on January 17th. For the remaining dates see our ad on page v of this catalog. Tel. 02-2836-8134 Email: [email protected]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 3 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Spring/Summer Activities at a Glance...

Dates Activity Course # $$$ Dates Activity Course # $$$

JANUARY MARCH Jan 14 to Mar 06 Survival Chinese I (Session 1) 37 $ 6300 and Sakura Blossoms: A Day Retreat at the Mar 04 24 $ 3400 Jan 14 to Mar 06 Survival Chinese II (Session 1) 38 $ 6300 Origin Yoga & Wellness Center Jan 14 to Mar 06 Survival Chinese III (Session 1) 39 $ 6300 Hiking Yangmingshan: Shengren Waterfall to Mar 05 Qingtiangang 8 $ 800 Jan 14 to Mar 06 Evening Survival Chinese I 40 $ 6300 Create a Beautiful Evening Bag Using Chinese 32 $ 3200 Beginning Chinese Study Group II: Reading and Mar 05 to Apr 02 Knotting Techniques Jan 15 to May 17 Writing Characters 41 $11300 Mar 06 to Mar 13 The Yin and Yang of Acupressure and Qi Gong 25 $ 1200 Guandu Temple: Seeking Wealth and Fortune in the Jan 15 1 $ 700 Year of the Pig Mar 11 to May 15 Survival Chinese IV: Beginning Conversation 44 $ 5900 Jan 15 to Mar 12 Open Level Yoga (Session I) 22 $ 4400 Mar 11 to May 15 Survival Chinese II (Session 2) 45 $ 5900 Jan 15 to May 17 Beginning Chinese Conversation II 42 $11300 Mar 11 to May 15 Survival Chinese III (Session 2) 46 $ 5900 Jan 15 to May 17 Intermediate Chinese Conversation 43 $11300 Mar 11 to May 15 Evening Survival Chinese II 47 $ 5900 Jan 16 to Mar 13 Yoga for Wellness (Session I) 23 $ 4400 A Movable Feast: A Foodie’s Tour of Old Taipei’s Mar 14 Wanhua District 9 $ 1400 Jan 17 to Jan 24 Chinese Paper Cutting 29 $ 1400 Mar 20 Longshan Temple and 10 $ 700 Jan 18 It's All in the Sauce 50 $ 1200 Mar 25 to Apr 01 Chinese Poetry of the Tang and Song Dynasties 33 $ 1200 Hike and Bike: Jiantanshan to Wenjianshan and the $ 800 Jan 23 Riverside Park Path 2 Mar 26 to May 14 Open Level Yoga (Session II) 26 $ 4400 Flower Arranging I: A Celebration of Chinese New Mar 27 to May 22 Yoga for Wellness (Session II) 27 $ 3300 Jan 24 30 $ 1600 Year Mar 28 Wulai Indigenous Mountain Tour 11 $ 2000 Jan 25 Tantalizing Thai I 51 $ 1200 "No I Won't and You Can't Make Me!" The Art of Mar 29 28 $ 800 Celebrating Chinese New Year: Di Hua Street 3 $ 700 Parenting: Communicating With Your Children Jan 29 Holiday Market Tour APRIL Jan 31 Chinese Lantern Painting Workshop 31 $ 1400 Apr 03 From Market to Table 54 $ 1600 Shi Dong Market Tour or "What is That Vegetable FEBRUARY Apr 10 12 $ 600 and How Do I Cook It?" The Culture of Tea: How to Select, Brew, and Drink Feb 12 Taiwanese Tea 4 $ 800 Apr 16 Hiking the Baoshan Trail to Elephant Mountain 13 $ 800 Feb 15 Delectable Dumplings 52 $ 1200 Apr 22 to May 06 Chinese Calligraphy 34 $ 2600 Feb 18 Shopping in Taipei: Carrefour Tour 5 $ 500 Apr 23 Flower Arranging II: A Burst of Spring 35 $ 1800 Sanxia Old Street, Temple and Indigo Dye Center Apr 25 Houtong Cat Village 14 $ 800 Feb 21 6 $ 900 Tour Apr 26 Very Vietnamese: Fried Spring Rolls 55 $ 1200 Feb 22 Perfect Pakistani 53 $ 1200 Bai Win Antiques Warehouse and Bali Stonecutters Apr 27 Tour 15 $ 1000 Feb 26 Ling Jiou Mountain Monastery 7 $ 900 Cracking the Code: An Introductory Tour of the Apr 30 16 $ 900 National Palace Museum

CE_Spring_2018.indd 4 2018/11/27 上午11:02 MAY Behind the Scenes Tour of the Cloud Gate Theater, May 16 20 $ 1100 "POW Tour: Tamsui May 02 17 $ 1600 In the Steps of the Men of Kinkaseki" May 17 Taiwanese Please: Easy Stir Fry Recipes 58 $ 1200 May 03 Tantalizing Thai II 56 $ 1200 May 20 to Jun 12 Summer Chinese Conversation 48 $ 3600 May 08 Hiking Tianshangshan: Viewing Tung Blossoms 18 $ 800 Healthy and Delicious: Family-Style Japanese Meal May 23 Cracking the Code: Deciphering Chinese Painting 21 $ 900 MARCH May 10 57 $ 1200 with Chirashi Sushi JUNE Yoga and Sakura Blossoms: A Day Retreat at the 24 $ 3400 May 11 Yehliu Geopark 19 $ 1000 Mar 04 Origin Yoga & Wellness Center Summer Chinese: An Introduction to Language and Taiwan Fiction Writers: The Works of Huang Chun- Jul 08 to Jul 31 49 $ 3600 Hiking Yangmingshan: Shengren Waterfall to May 13 to May 20 36 $ 1200 Culture Mar 05 Qingtiangang 8 $ 800 Ming and Yang Ching-Chu

Create a Beautiful Evening Bag Using Chinese 32 $ 3200 Mar 05 to Apr 02 Knotting Techniques Mar 06 to Mar 13 The Yin and Yang of Acupressure and Qi Gong 25 $ 1200 Mar 11 to May 15 Survival Chinese IV: Beginning Conversation 44 $ 5900 Mar 11 to May 15 Survival Chinese II (Session 2) 45 $ 5900 Mar 11 to May 15 Survival Chinese III (Session 2) 46 $ 5900 Mar 11 to May 15 Evening Survival Chinese II 47 $ 5900 A Movable Feast: A Foodie’s Tour of Old Taipei’s Mar 14 Wanhua District 9 $ 1400 Mar 20 Longshan Temple and Ximending 10 $ 700 Mar 25 to Apr 01 Chinese Poetry of the Tang and Song Dynasties 33 $ 1200 Mar 26 to May 14 Open Level Yoga (Session II) 26 $ 4400 Mar 27 to May 22 Yoga for Wellness (Session II) 27 $ 3300 Mar 28 Wulai Indigenous Mountain Tour 11 $ 2000 "No I Won't and You Can't Make Me!" The Art of Mar 29 28 $ 800 Parenting: Communicating With Your Children APRIL Apr 03 From Market to Table 54 $ 1600 Shi Dong Market Tour or "What is That Vegetable Apr 10 12 $ 600 and How Do I Cook It?" Apr 16 Hiking the Baoshan Trail to Elephant Mountain 13 $ 800 Apr 22 to May 06 Chinese Calligraphy 34 $ 2600 Apr 23 Flower Arranging II: A Burst of Spring 35 $ 1800 Apr 25 Houtong Cat Village 14 $ 800 Apr 26 Very Vietnamese: Fried Spring Rolls 55 $ 1200 Bai Win Antiques Warehouse and Bali Stonecutters Apr 27 Tour 15 $ 1000 Cracking the Code: An Introductory Tour of the Apr 30 16 $ 900 National Palace Museum

CE_Spring_2018.indd 5 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Arts, Culture & Tours in Taiwan The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description Arts, Culture and Tours in Taiwan Guandu is Taiwan’s oldest temple and is dedicated to Mazu, Goddess of the Sea. It is one of the Taipei area's most interesting Guandu Temple: to visit as it is built against a clif and features two caves; one of Seeking Wealth and 9:30am - Guandu MRT which extends quite far into the hillside and houses many deities 1 Tue Jan 15 1 $ 700 Jennifer Tong Fortune in the Year of 12noon Sta. Exit 2 representing the God of Wealth. Join Jennifer to learn about this the Pig fascinating temple, explore the caves, enjoy a beautiful view of the , and be one among the many seeking their fortune for the upcoming Year of the Pig.

Our meeting point of Jiantan MRT station is a very busy place, but right after we start on the Jiantanshan trail you will feel like you have entered a diferent world. From up on the mountain we will see Taipei 101, the riverside park, the Ferris wheel at Miramar, and a popular spot with locals called the "Old Place,” where people go to watch Hike and Bike: the airplanes taking of from Songshan airport. From Jiantanshan Jiantanshan to 9:00am - Jiantan MRT 2 Wed Jan 23 1 $ 800 Dory Chung we will then hike to Wenjianshan. It’s not high but also ofers good Wenjianshan and the 1:30pm Sta. Exit 2 views. The trail is moderate but with many stairs in some parts. Later Riverside Park Path we will descend down to the Dazhi area and rent U-bikes. We will bike along the river back to Jiantan MRT station. It’s a fat and easy ride. Bring your Easy Card to rent your U-Bike. Helmets are strongly recommended. Preregistration for U-Bike use is required before joining this trip. Wear proper hiking shoes with a good grip.

Macy's at Christmas. Harrods at Easter. Di Hua Street at Chinese Celebrating Chinese New Year! Join Ivy for our annual tour of the famous Di Hua Street Shuanglian New Year: Di Hua 9:30am - market area and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the holiday. 3 Tue Jan 29 1 $ 700 MRT Sta., Ivy Chen Street Holiday Market 12noon Sample some goodies and shop for traditional holiday decorations Exit 2 Tour and souvenirs. Included will be a quick walk around the fabric market, making this your one-stop tour of the neighborhood.

Drinking tea in Taiwan goes beyond just quenching one’s thirst. It is also a social and cultural activity, which can be traced back to ancient China and is embedded into the culture of the country. For the Taiwanese, tea culture includes tea production, tea arts and wares, The Culture of Tea: Daqiaotou traditional tea ceremonies and the social aspects of consuming tea. How to Select, Brew, 9:30am - 4 Tue Feb 12 1 $ 800 MRT Sta. Yasuko Hondo For those of us living in Taiwan, tea is often chosen as a great local and Drink Taiwanese 1 12noon Exit 1 gift to bring home to family and friends, but do you know what type Tea of tea to buy or how to prepare it? If not, then join Yasuko, a Taiwan Tea Master, to visit a local teashop and learn the proper way to select, brew, serve and drink Taiwanese tea. This class ends at the tea shop. Directions back to the MRT will be provided.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Teas included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [vi]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 6 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Arts, Culture & Tours in Taiwan The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

If you are new to Taiwan and would like some information about shopping for groceries, or if you have been here awhile and are still struggling to fnd the right ingredients for a favorite family meal, Carrefour then this informative tour is for you. The Center has partnered with Tianmu Carrefour to ofer you a chance to meet with the store’s import Shopping in Taipei: 9:00am - Store 5 Mon Feb 181 $ 500 Karine Lima team and visit their Tianmu store. Here’s what you will learn: which Carrefour Tour 11:00am Main Floor imported items are available in Taiwan; what local items can be Customer substituted for ingredients that are not available; information about Service Area organic and free-range products; Taiwan's food safety regulations; why the availability of some items can be so unpredictable; and, how you can go about proposing items that the store should stock.

Join Jennifer for an adventure to Sanxia, with its endearing old street and beautiful Zhushi Taoist Temple. Included in this tour is a visit to one of the town’s indigo dye centers where you will have the option Sanxia Old Street, Yongning 9:30am - of creating a hand-dyed item of your choosing (cost not included). 6 Temple and Indigo Dye Thu Feb 21 1 $ 900 MRT Sta. Jennifer Tong 1 3:30pm Explore Taiwan the way the locals do—using MRT and public bus. Center Tour Exit 4 Bring your Easy Card and a packed lunch. As many tasty treats and snacks are available to try, you may opt to enjoy some of the local cuisine available. This tour ends back at the Yongning MRT Station. The Ling Jiou Mountain Monastery is located on Taiwan’s northeast coast near Cape Bitou and Cape Sandiao. Sitting high up on the hill, the monastery ofers amazing views of the sea and coastline below. Starting from downtown Taipei, we will take the train out to Fulong and catch a shuttle bus up to the monastery to see a golden Songshan Ling Jiou Mountain 8:00am - Buddha, many stone statues, some temples and wander through a 7 Tue Feb 26 1 $ 900 MRT Sta. Jennifer Turek Monastery Tour 3:30pm forest of over ffty stūpas. We will enjoy a simple vegetarian meal at Exit 4 the monastery (not included) before making our way back to Fulong Station and Taipei (Songshan MRT Station). To ensure entry to the monastery grounds, please wear modest attire (long pants, no shorts) and be sure that shoulders are covered. Bring your Easy Card for the train ride. After taking the bus from the Jiantan MRT Station we will start this Yangmingshan hike at the Helan historical trail. Along the way we will pass Mount Gaoding, Mount Bei Wuzhi and Mount Shiti and arrive at the beautiful grasslands of Qingtiangang, aka Bufalo Meadow. Hiking Yangmingshan: Qingtiangang (at 800 meters plus) is a lava terrace, just east of 8:30am - Jiantan MRT 8 Shengren Waterfall to Tue Mar 05 1 $ 900 Dory Chung Mount Qixing, which was originally used for grazing cattle during the 2:30pm Sta. Exit 1 Qingtiangang Japanese occupation period. Subsequently, Taiwanese farmers would allow their water bufalo to graze there, but as the animals were needed less and less for farming, they were left to roam wild. After enjoying panoramic views and of course, the beautiful grasslands, we will take the bus back to Jiantan MRT Station.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [vii]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 7 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Arts, Culture & Tours in Taiwan The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

The city of Taipei ofers its residents and visitors an amazing array of food to eat. On any given street corner, lane or alley you will fnd a restaurant, food stall or market with delicacies to tempt your palate. But, with so much to choose from--where do you start? Well, how A Movable Feast: Longshan about with the Center in historic Wanhua, Taipei’s oldest district? A Foodie’s Tour of 9:30am - 9 Thu Mar 14 11 $ 1400 Temple MRT Ivy Chen This tasty tour with Ivy, our resident foodie, includes stops at a Old Taipei’s Wanhua 12:30pm Sta. Exit 1 selection of small shops, vendors, and eateries as well as at one of District the city’s oldest cofee shops. By the end of this tour you will be on your way to becoming a true connoisseur of eating Taiwanese! Cost of tastings included. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hearty appetite! This tour ends at the Ximen MRT Station.

We start this walking tour at Longshan Temple, which was built in 1738 during the Qing dynasty in honor of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. As with many Taiwanese temples, there are many other gods enshrined there. Traditional old streets, antique shops, and Chinese medicine shops surround the temple making the area great to visit Longshan Temple and Longshan due to its richness in folk art. From an old neighborhood to a newer 9:30am - 10 Ximending Walking Wed Mar 20 11 $ 700 Temple MRT Eddie Lai one, we will then stroll over to the Ximending Pedestrian Area, the 12:30pm Tour Sta. Exit 1 frst such shopping district of its kind in Taipei. It is often described by locals as the Harajuku or Shibuya of Taipei (two famous Tokyo fashion and entertainment districts). Back in the 1930's, Ximending became a well-known theater street and there are some famous historical sites to visit including the . We will end this tour at a famous old cofee shop located near the Ximen MRT Station.

Known for its hot springs, Wulai derives its name from the Atayal word Ulay, meaning "hot water." As the closest indigenous village to Taipei, it is uniquely accessible to visitors. We will spend the Corner of day in beautiful natural surroundings, in the company of a tour Zhong Shan Wulai Indigenous 9:00am - Tobie leader with deep connections to the area. Along the way we will 11 Thu Mar 28 11 $ 2000 N. Rd. Sec. Mountain Tour 3:30pm Openshaw gain an understanding of Ulay's indigenous people's history and 6 and Lane contemporary reality, its role in the time of the Japanese occupation, 290 touch on the efects the Han colonization had on the place and its people, and see how natural disaster has reshaped it in recent times. Cofee and a delicious indigenous lunch included.

Bright, colorful and noisy, the Shi Dong Market is the place for all Shi Dong Market your produce needs. Join Ivy and learn some helpful hints and tips Shi Dong Tour or "What is That 9:00am - on what to buy, where to buy it, and how to be sure it's fresh. Ivy will 12 Wed Apr 10 1 $ 600 Market Ivy Chen Vegetable and How Do 1 11:30am also show you how to select fresh fsh, seafood and other items of Entrance 2 I Cook It?" interest. Time permitting, this informative tour may include stops at various smaller area markets.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [viii]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 8 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Arts, Culture & Tours in Taiwan The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

This moderately strenuous hike begins at the Yongchun MRT Station and takes us up to the top of Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain) for some stunning views of Taipei city below. Led by Jennifer, the frst part of the trip is easy and ofers some very nice scenery of fowers, streams and rock clifs. But that is just our warm up. Starting from the Baoshan trailhead (about 20 minutes walk from the MRT), we Hiking the Baoshan Yongchun 9:00am - will climb up some stairs and work our way up until we reach the 13 Trail to Elephant Tue Apr 16 1 $ 800 MRT Sta., Jennifer Turek 1:00pm beautiful Tianbao Temple. At the temple we will be able to see a huge Mountain Exit 4 statue carved into the clif side. Then, we will climb some steep stone steps to the top of Elephant Mountain, catch our breath and enjoy a panoramic view of Taipei 101. We then make our descent down some very steep steps and walk to the Xiangshan MRT station. Sturdy shoes with a good grip are essential. A hiking pole may help with the steps. Bring water, snacks and sun/rain protection.

Built during the Japanese-occupied era, Houtong was once a rich coal mining town. During the 1990’s with the decline of the coal industry in Taiwan, the town also saw its own decline. About ten years ago one of the cat-loving residents started taking care of the town’s many stray cats. She posted photos on Facebook and created a sensation around Taiwan. Now, Houtong is known as the Songshan island’s ofcial cat village where more than 200 felines live happily 9:00am - 14 Houtong Cat Village Thu Apr 25 1 $ 800 MRT Sta. Eddie Lai with the town’s inhabitants. Taking advantage of the town’s newfound 2:30pm Exit 4 popularity there are now a nice selection of shops, cafés and relaxing places for tourists to enjoy in addition to some old, well-preserved mining facilities. Tucked into the hills of Northern Taiwan, Houtong is worth the trip for the scenery alone. Join Eddie for this fun day out of Taipei. Center staf recommend the cat-themed cofee, cream pufs and cupcakes from one of the local cafés! Bring your Easy Card for the local train ride to and from the village.

Join Faye, an old Taiwan hand and business woman, for a behind the scenes tour of the Bai Win Antiques warehouse where the real work of selecting, repairing, preparing and selling of antiques occurs. This is Corner of your chance to learn a lot about antiques, how to spot a reproduction Bai Win Antiques Zhong Shan 10:00am - versus a reconstructed piece, and what really is the diference. In 15 Warehouse and Stone Sat Apr 27 1 $1000 N. Rd. Sec. Faye Angevine 3:00pm addition to the warehouse, we will also stop at a nearby stonecutter’s Cutters of Bali Tour 6 and Lane showroom to see where they create beautiful stone entryway 290 guardians and dragons. Maybe you will fnd a pair that you will want to take home with you? Bring a packed lunch or choose to have an optional biàn dāng (lunchbox). We will picnic at the warehouse.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [ix]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 9 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Arts, Culture & Tours in Taiwan The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

Have you ever felt daunted by the thought of spending a day at the National Palace Museum? Do you fnd the myriad of objects and crowds at the museum bewildering? Join Bridget, who has a background in art history and is keen to share her passion, to Cracking the Code: The National unravel the mysteries of the NPM and help you to become an "old An Introductory Tour 10:00am - 16 Tue Apr 30 1 $ 900 Palace Bridget Chi hand" when guests come into town asking for a tour. This will of the National Palace 12noon Museum be an interactive visit to view some of the quintessential objects Museum that defne the museum. Bridget will also set the objects in their historical context, delve into the hidden symbolism of Chinese art objects and share some fun trivia about the NPM’s collections. Cost of museum admission and headsets included.

It is not a well-known fact, but in 1942, the Japanese began bringing Allied POWs (Prisoners of War) to Taiwan from Southeast Asia and Corner of held them under horrendous conditions until Japan surrendered POW Tour: Zhong Shan in 1945. The largest of the six camps in Taiwan was in Kinkaseki, 8:30am - 17 In the Steps of the Men Thu May 02 1 $1600 N. Rd. Sec. Michael Hurst today's Jinguashi. This fascinating, full-day historic tour will take us 3:30pm of Kinkaseki 6 and Lane from Ruifang to Jinguashi via Jiufen along the route taken by the 290 POWs and will include stops at the Gold Mining Museum (admission fee included) and the POW Memorial Park on the site of the camp. Bring water, a packed lunch and rain/sun protection as needed.

Tianshangshan is 430 meters high and stretches across Sanxia, Xindian, and Tucheng. It overlooks far and wide and stands erect above all other peaks in the area. The area is famous for its glorious Tung tree blossoms that bloom from the end of April until early May, which we hope to see on this trip. The Taiwanese call it April or May snow Hiking Tianshangshan: Yongning because the falling blossoms that cover the area look like snow falling. 9:00am - 18 Viewing Tung Wed May 08 1 $ 800 MRT Sta. Dory Chung During this hike we will visit the beautiful Chengtian Chan Temple, 1:30pm Blossoms Exit 2 built by monks in 1951. It is a quiet and graceful place and a popular tourist spot. The hike is moderately strenuous with many stairs. The trail, paved with stone and wood is about 10K long (including 3K on the road) with 500 meters ascending. We recommend a reasonable level of ftness for this hike. Wear sturdy shoes with a good grip; bring water, snacks and sun/rain protection.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [x]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 10 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Hobbies & Skills

Arts, Culture & Tours in Taiwan The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

From the Songshan MRT we will take a local train to and then a public bus to the Yehliu Geopark on the northern coast near Jinshan. Yehliu ofers its visitors some unique rock formations like honeycomb rocks, mushroom-shaped rocks and the famous Queen's Head. There is a well-laid-out stone trail (about 1.5km/one way) that will lead us to the farthest and highest point of the cuesta (a kind of ridge featuring a stif slope on one side and a gentle slope on the Songshan 8:15am - other side). It's a pleasant walk with many bird species that you won't 19 Yehliu Geopark Sat May 11 11 $1000 MRT Sta. Jennifer Turek 5:00pm see in the city. After the Geopark, we will wander through the market Exit 4 where you can purchase some souvenirs or Taiwanese snacks. We will then take a quick walk along the water to see one more cool rock called the Camel Peak. We will return to the Geopark to catch the bus back to Keelung. If there's time, we will stop at the Miaokou Night Market area for some tasty snacks and treats before heading back to Taipei via train. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring your Easy Card for the train and bus. Entrance fee to the Geopark included.

Join Diane, who writes on dance and theater for the "", for a trip out to Tamsui and a backstage tour of the Cloud Gate Theater, the frst privately funded theater complex in the nation and home to Taiwan’s most famous dance company, the 45-year-old Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and its younger sibling, Cloud Gate 2. Behind the Scenes 10:00am - Tamsui MRT From the Tamsui MRT station, we will take taxis to the theater for a 20 Tour of the Cloud Gate Thu May 16 11 $1100 Diane Baker 1:00pm Sta. Exit 1 tour of the building, including studios and costume department, to Theater, Tamsui see how a concrete structure built in the 1950's as a radio station was renovated and expanded into a state-of-the art theater and dance complex. After the tour, there will be time for a cofee or tea from the on-site Starbucks café (not included) before heading back to the Tamsui MRT station.

Join Bridget in the painting galleries of the National Palace Museum where you will learn how to “decode” Chinese paintings and explain their unique attributes and meaning to others. After this tour, you will be able to “read” a Chinese painting in the manner of a connoisseur Cracking the Code: The National and understand what makes a painting valuable to amateurs and 10:00am - 21 Deciphering Chinese Thu May 23 1 $ 900 Palace Bridget Chi collectors alike. This tour will zero in on Chinese painting in greater 12noon Painting Museum depth than permitted by Bridget’s introductory tour to the NPM in April. For anyone who’s ever wondered about the allure of Chinese paintings, this tour is for you! No need to have attended the earlier tour; if you have time you can stay on afterwards and enjoy other areas of the NPM. Cost of museum admission and headsets included.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xi]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 11 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Family, Fitness & Health The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description Family, Fitness & Health

This open level class weaves a variety of yoga types in a non- competitive environment. Whether you're looking for improved fexibility, strength, and balance; clarity of mind; or a deeper spiritual Farès practice, this yoga practice may help you facilitate better overall Open Level Yoga Jan 15 to 9:30am - Ivonne Vidal 22 Tue 8 $4400 Academy wellness. Students can expect to learn how to coordinate movement Session I Mar 12 11:00am Pizarro Dojo and breath and to observe alignment cues. The instructor will offer modifcations to assist you in fnding effort and ease in the poses. Please bring a water bottle, mat, blocks, straps, and any other yoga accessory with you to class.

This Yoga for Wellness course will focus primarily on stress reduction and building inner resilience. Each session will bring forth information on how internally held trauma can impact body-mind-spirit balance alongside how yoga tools and techniques can be benefcial in transcending personal challenges. Sessions combine discussion, Farès pranayama (directive breathing techniques) and yin-yang yoga Yoga for Wellness Jan 16 to 9:30am - 23 Wed 8 $4400 Academy Malabika Das practice. Yin-yang yoga combines a fow of postures to build strength Session I Mar 13 11:00am Dojo and mobility as well as targets fascia in longer holds. This course is suitable for newer and regular practitioners. Those rehabilitating from injury or experiencing physical and mental disharmony should contact the instructor prior to registration to discuss compatibility. Please bring a yoga mat, two yoga blocks, a yoga strap, one large and one small towel, water bottle and an open curiosity.

Join the Center for our second yoga retreat getaway at the Origin Yoga & Wellness Center at Baishawan beach. The morning begins with a welcome tea tasting to inspire mindfulness and positive intentions for the day, followed by Yoga Asana, Pranayama and Yoga and Sakura Meditation. Participants can expect gentle movements, stretches and Blossoms: A Day breathing exercises suitable for all levels. We will indulge you with a 9:30am - Tamsui MRT 24 Retreat at the Origin Mon Mar 04 11 $3400 Lydia Chang gourmet vegetarian lunch and raw vegan dessert made with fresh, 2:30pm Sta. Exit 1 Yoga & Wellness seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. After lunch we will take a Center walk along a nearby trail to view the beautiful, but short-lived Sakura (cherry) blossoms that appear each year at the end of February/ early March to get closer to nature and breathe the fresh air. Round- trip transfer between the Tamsui MRT station and the retreat center included.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xii]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 12 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Learn Chinese/What's Cooking

Family, Fitness & Health/Hobbies & Skills The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected]

# Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

In this two-part course, David Edsall, Dipl. O.M. will introduce you to mindfulness and Qi Gong techniques that you can use in your daily life to keep healthy. In addition, you will learn acupressure techniques to The Yin and Yang of deal with a variety of common ailments and issues that many people Mar 06 to 9:30am - 25 Acupressure and Wed 2 $1200 The Center David Edsall encounter in their daily life. How to better deal with stress, insomnia Mar 13 11:30am Qi Gong and headaches are but a few of the issues that you will learn about. Much of the class time will be hands-on practice along with paired activities. In this way, you not only learn how to use these techniques for yourself but also how to apply them to help friends and family.

Farès Please refer to Activity #22 for course description. For TES families Open Level Yoga Mar 26 to 9:30am - Ivonne Vidal 26 Tue 8 $4400 Academy please contact the Center for special prorated fees for the Spring Session II May 14 11:00am Pizarro Dojo Break holiday.

Farès Yoga for Wellness Mar 27 to 9:30am - 27 Wed 66 $3300 Academy Malabika Das Please refer to Activity #23 for course description. Session II May 22 11:00am Dojo Good communication is an important parenting skill. Parenting is more enjoyable when a positive parent-child relationship exists. Whether you are the parent of a toddler or a teenager, good "No I Won't and You communication is the key to building self-esteem as well as mutual Can't Make Me!" respect. During this fun and engaging three-hour workshop Marie will 9:30am - 28 The Art of Parenting: Fri Mar 29 11 $ 800 The Center Marie Dancer help guide you to clarify your perception of your children's acceptable 12:30pm Communicating With and unacceptable behaviours; identify inefective parenting practices Your Children that lose our children’s respect and have them tune us out; and learn and rehearse two powerful parenting support techniques. Bonus advice: Two questions to ask yourself in the midst of a power struggle that work like magic. Hobbies & Skills Paper cutting, or jianzhi (), originated in China around the sixth century AD and possibly as early as the second century when paper was frst invented. Mostly done by women, this folk art was traditionally used to decorate people's homes for special occasions Jan 17 to 12noon - and festivals. Red is the most commonly used color indicating good 29 Chinese Paper Cutting Thu 2 $1400 The Center Nancy Liu Jan 24 2:00pm luck and prosperity. Also known as chuanghua (), which means "window fower," they are often hung on windows, door and mirrors. Join Nancy for this fun, two-session class to learn the ancient art of paper cutting and create some beautiful cuttings just in time to decorate your home for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xiii]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 13 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Hobbies & Skills The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

Do you love fresh fowers? Have you ever wanted to do more than just put them in a vase? If so, then join Yurie for a fun, hands-on Flower Arranging I: 9:30am - fower arranging class. Using a basket, fresh fowers and some 30 A Celebration of Thu Jan 24 1 $1600 The Center Yurie Asada 12noon traditional holiday decorations you will create a beautiful Chinese Chinese New Year New Year arrangement to decorate your home for the holidays. All fowers and decorative materials included.

Get in the Lunar New Year holiday spirit and come to the Center for a fun morning of Chinese lantern painting to create some lovely decorations to hang in your home. Jennifer will teach you some traditional designs but you can use your imagination and decorate Chinese Lantern 10:00am - your lanterns however you like. No previous painting experience 31 Thu Jan 31 1 $1400 The Center Jennifer Tong Painting Workshop 12noon required. This single-session workshop will ofer you some time to practice your design ideas on paper and then transfer them to your lanterns. Cost of all materials including two lanterns included. If you would like additional lanterns please notify the Center in advance and we can have them available to you at an additional cost.

This four-session knotting class ofers you a chance to create a beautiful, hand-made evening bag. Over the course of each class Naomi will teach you how to prepare the materials and produce the Create a Beautiful appropriate knots, which are reminiscent of macramé. Depending Evening Bag Using Mar 05 to 12noon - Naomi 32 Tue 4 $3200 The Center upon your past experience and skill, you may need to do some of Chinese Knotting Apr 02 2:00pm Watanabe the work at home in between each class. It is a challenging class but Techniques one that you will fnd rewarding when you have completed your own usable piece of art. Samples of completed bags will be available at the Center. All materials for the class included.

In this poetry seminar we will read and discuss select poems from the Tang and Song Dynasties. The Tang Dynasty was a time of expansion, foreign adventures and spontaneous feeling. In contrast, Chinese Poetry of the Song Dynasty looked inward, contemplated social duty, and Mar 25 to 12noon - 33 the Tang and Song Mon 2 $1200 The Center Constance Kuo appreciated the details of domestic moments. During both eras, Apr 01 2:00pm Dynasties poetry was considered the highest form of expression. Through our study of these poems, we will learn about the traditions, thoughts and desires of the Chinese people, which still resonate throughout Chinese and Taiwanese culture today.

This class is an introduction to the traditional style of Chinese writing using brush and ink. Jennifer will instruct you on the correct way to Apr 22 to 12noon - 34 Chinese Calligraphy Mon 3 $2600 The Center Jennifer Tong hold the brush and maneuver it to produce beautiful results. If you've May 06 2:00pm taken calligraphy or brush painting before, Jennifer will work with you to improve your technique and form. Cost of all materials included.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xiv]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 14 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Hobbies & Skills/Learn Chinese The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

This is our second fower arranging class this semester and this time Yurie will be focusing on spring. Using fresh fowers and a ceramic Flower Arranging II: 12noon - base Yurie will guide you to create a beautiful arrangement taking 35 Tue Apr 23 1 $1800 The Center Yurie Asada A Burst of Spring 2:30pm advantage of the amazing array of seasonal fowers available in Taiwan. Don't miss this chance to brighten up your home with fowers arranged by you!

In this seminar we will be reading select short stories from two nativist Taiwanese writers: Huang Chun-Ming and Yang Ching-Chu. Huang Chun-Ming’s work is considered a national treasure. He writes compassionately of the ordinary people and their search for identity. Writing with humor and at times sparking controversy, he describes Taiwan Fiction Writers: with dexterity the disparity between the native and the foreign. Yang The Works of Huang May 13 to 12noon - 36 Mon 2 $1200 The Center Constance Kuo Ching-Chu is a noted voice for the Taiwanese working-class. His Chun-Ming and Yang May 20 2:00pm nationalist sentiments led him to false imprisonment during Taiwan’s Ching-Chu White Terror. When the government fnally released him, he came out writing and became a voice for the voiceless. His stories describe Taiwan’s change from an agricultural colony of Japan to a modern industrial society. Many of his stories have aired on TV as Taiwanese dramas. Learn Chinese With Gloria Gwo

Would you like to be able to communicate with shopkeepers, taxi drivers and co-workers? Whether you've just arrived in Taiwan Survival Chinese I Mon & Jan 14 to 9:10am - 37 14 $6300 The Center Gloria Gwo or have been here awhile, this is the class for you. Learn spoken Session 1 Wed Mar 06 10:30am Mandarin in a relaxed and informal environment right here at The Center. Course materials included.

This course builds upon the skills learned in Survival Chinese I and ofers approximately 20 hours of language instruction for people who Survival Chinese II Mon & Jan 14 to 10:40am - would like to upgrade their basic skills and go one step further with 38 14 $6300 The Center Gloria Gwo Session 1 Wed Mar 06 12noon Mandarin. This class is also suitable for anyone who has taken some basic Chinese lessons and would like to continue with his or her studies. Course materials included.

This course continues our Survival Chinese series and covers Survival Chinese III Mon & Jan 14 to 12:10pm - advanced vocabulary and sentence patterns as well as conversational 39 14 $6300 The Center Gloria Gwo Session 1 Wed Mar 06 14 1:30pm practice. Prerequisites: Survival Chinese I and II or completed approximately 40 hours of language instruction.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xv]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 15 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Learn Chinese The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

Evening Survival Mon & Jan 14 to 6:30pm - 40 14 $6300 The Center Gloria Gwo Please refer to Activity #37 for course description. Chinese I Wed Mar 06 7:50pm

This full-semester class is a continuation of our Fall 2018 beginning writing program. In this class you will continue to learn about the root Beginning Chinese of each character and how the characters are built. As you progress Study Group II: Tue & Jan 15 to 9:10am - in your studies you will discover that learning Chinese characters 41 25 $11300 The Center Gloria Gwo Reading and Writing Fri May 17 10:30am actually helps you to improve your understanding of the spoken Characters language. Prerequisites: completion of our Beginning Chinese Study Group I class or an equivalent Chinese written language program. Course books to be purchased at an additional cost.

This full-semester class is a continuation of our Fall 2018 semester conversation program. The focus of the course is to help you advance in your study of spoken Chinese. The class will also improve Beginning Chinese Tue & Jan 15 to 10:40am - your listening skills through the use of recorded materials. New topics 42 25 $11300 The Center Gloria Gwo Conversation II Fri May 17 12noon such as ordering food in restaurants, going to the doctor or dentist, and many other daily life activities will be introduced. Prerequisites: Beginning Chinese Conversation I or an equivalent program. Course materials included.

This full semester class is for those students who wish to continue building upon their Chinese conversation skills and learn new vocabulary to enhance their ability to communicate. Like the beginner Intermediate Chinese Tue & Jan 15 to 12:10pm - class, this class will use recorded materials and focus on a variety of 43 25 $11300 The Center Gloria Gwo Conversation Fri May 17 1:30pm topics and social situations. Whether or not you have studied Chinese at the Center or elsewhere, this may be just the right class for you to continue practicing your conversation skills. Course materials included.

This class allows students to fnish any course material that may Survival Chinese IV: not have been completed in Survival III and introduces a beginning Mon & Mar 11 to 9:10am - 44 Beginning 13 $5900 The Center Gloria Gwo conversation component to encourage daily and practical use of Wed May 15 10:30am Conversation the language. Prequisites: Survival I, II, III or an equivalent Chinese language program. Course materials included.

Survival Chinese II Mon & Mar 11 to 10:40am - 45 13 $5900 The Center Gloria Gwo Please refer to Activity #38 for course description. Session 2 Wed May 15 13 12noon

Survival Chinese III Mon & Mar 11 to 12:10pm - 46 13 $5900 The Center Gloria Gwo Please refer to Activity #39 for course description. Session 2 Wed May 15 1:30pm

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xvi]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 16 2018/11/27 上午11:02 Learn Chinese/What's Cooking The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

Evening Survival Mon & Mar 11 to 6:30pm - 47 13 $5900 The Center Gloria Gwo Please refer to Activity #38 for course description. Chinese II Wed May 15 13 7:50pm

This short, interactive course is for those who are still in Taipei after the ofcial Center programs have ended. In this class you will have a chance, no matter what your level, to use your spoken Chinese Summer Chinese Mon & May 20 to 10:00am - 48 8 $3600 The Center Gloria Gwo language skills in both the classroom and out and about in Tianmu. Conversation Wed Jun 12 8 11:30am We will visit local businesses, cafés and restaurants where you will put into practice what you have learned over this past year. All are welcomed!

This course is ideal for anyone arriving during the summer who Summer Chinese: would like to begin learning the basics of spoken Chinese as well as Mon & Jul 08 to 10:00am - 49 An Introduction to 8 $3600 The Center Gloria Gwo Taiwanese culture and customs. This fun, interactive mini-session Wed Jul 31 8 11:30am Language and Culture doesn't replace our Survival I class but will give you a head start in learning the local language. What's Cooking

The key to many a tasty Chinese or Taiwanese dish is in the sauce. In this class Ivy will share some of her special sauce recipes and 10:00am - demonstrate how to use them in a variety of dishes: Sesame Sauce 50 It's All in the Sauce Fri Jan 18 1 $1200 The Center Ivy Chen 12noon with Cold Dan Dan Noodles; Red Chili Oil with Wontons; and, Sweet and Sour Sauce (no ketchup in this class!) with Pork Tenderloin. Yummy!!

Thai food has always been a Center favorite and we are so glad to have Tanya joining our team of Center chefs this semester. In 10:00am - this tasty cooking class you will learn how to prepare Fried Fish 51 Tantalizing Thai I Fri Jan 25 1 $1200 The Center Tanya Lockhart 12noon with Sweet Chili Sauce; Green Curry Chicken; and Mixed Seasonal Vegetables with Garlic and Oyster Sauce. Isn’t your mouth watering just reading this course description?

At least once every year, Ivy shares some of her very popular Chinese dumpling (jiǎozi) recipes at the Center. This semester join her for this fun hands-on class where she will demonstrate two diferent types of dumplings. On the menu are the very traditional boiled Pork with 10:00am - 52 Delectable Dumplings Fri Feb 15 1 $1200 The Center Ivy Chen Cabbage Dumplings (shuǐjiǎo) and pan-fried Vegetable Dumplings 12noon (guōtiē), commonly know as Pot Stickers. Both will be served with her favorite dipping sauces and a tasty seasonal vegetable. With Ivy as your cooking guide you will be well on your way to making these tasty local treats for your family at home. Hăo chī!

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xvii]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 17 2018/11/27 上午11:02 What's Cooking The Community Services Center | Tel: 02-2836-8134, e-mail: [email protected] # Activity Day(s) Dates # of Sessions Time $$$ Meet@ Instructor Description

Join Asma for a delicious Pakistani meal that you will soon be able to prepare yourself to wow your family and friends. We start with Green Masala Chicken, prepared with green chilies and fresh coriander; 10:00am - accompanied by Muttar Pulau, rice cooked with peas, onions, bay 53 Perfect Pakistani Fri Feb 221 $1200 The Center Asma Ahmed 12noon leaves, cardamom and cumin; Tarka Daal, lentils infused with spicy oil; Tomato Bhujia, tomatoes cooked with chilies, onion seeds and curry leaves; and, a cooling Kachumer Salad. An amazing selection of favors and seasonings. This special cooking class begins at the Shi Dong Market where Ivy will show you how to purchase the best and freshest ingredients to Shi Dong prepare and cook four delicious dishes of the group’s choosing: one 9:00am - 54 From Market to Table Wed Apr 03 1 $1600 Market Ivy Chen chicken, one seafood/fsh and two vegetables (including tofu and 1:30pm Entrance 2 mushrooms). Then, stroll over to Ivy's house to create this wonderful lunch to enjoy together. Space is limited, so register (and pay!) early for this unique Center cooking class. Join Khanh for a fun, hands-on class and learn how to prepare Vietnamese-style Fried Spring Rolls served with a tasty dipping sauce. She will demonstrate a traditional Hanoi recipe that includes Very Vietnamese: Fried 10:00am - minced pork, carrots, mushrooms, green onion, glass noodles and 55 Fri Apr 26 1 $1200 The Center Khanh Phan Spring Rolls 12noon eggs. There will be the option to prepare a vegetarian version for those who avoid eating meat—still crispy and delicious! For those with a sweet tooth, don’t despair, Khanh will also prepare a tasty sweet corn and coconut milk dessert! Join Tanya for another tantalizing Thai cooking class to learn how to make everyone's favorite Pad Thai with Shrimp plus three North- 10:00am - 56 Tantalizing Thai II Fri May 03 1 $1200 The Center Tanya Lockhart Eastern Thai specialties: Papaya Salad (Som Tam); Spicy Pork Salad 12noon (Larb Moo); and Sticky Rice. In combination, these dishes come together nicely to create a tasty meal. Join Yasuko for a healthy adventure in Japanese cooking. Yasuko Healthy and Delicious: will demonstrate three popular family-style dishes: Pork with Ginger, Family-Style Japanese 10:00am - Ohitashi Spinach (poached with dashi) and Gomoku Chirashi Sushi. 57 Fri May 10 1 $1200 The Center Yasuko Hondo Meal with Chirashi 12noon When making Chirashi Sushi the ingredients, which include vegetables, Sushi shrimp, egg and pickled ginger, are scattered decoratively over a bed of vinegared rice. What a great meal to serve your family this summer! Ivy is back with another of her favorite stir-fry classes, the quintessential example of Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. Both healthy and easy to prepare, these are great dishes to serve your Taiwanese Please: 10:00am - family. We will enjoy Chicken with Soybean Paste and a tasty side of 58 Fri May 17 1 $1200 The Center Ivy Chen Easy Stir Fry Recipes 12noon Green Beans. Also on the menu is Fried Rice with Shrimp. Fried rice is one of those dishes when properly done is easy and delicious, but can also turn into a big mess in a pan. In this class you will learn Ivy’s secret to making perfect fried rice.

Transportation included Snacks, lunch or meal included Please check www.communitycenter.org.tw for the most recent updates. 2019 Spring & Summer Activities [xviii]

CE_Spring_2018.indd 18 2018/11/27 上午11:02 www.communitycenter.org.tw DEC 2018/ JAN 2019 19

Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 19 2018/11/27 上午11:16 — A-Rod, NY Yankees — Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers — Fred Couples, 2012 Senior Open Champion

20 DEC 2018/JAN 2019 www.communitycenter.org.tw

Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 20 2018/11/27 上午11:16 DESIGN Design on a Mission

TEXT: DANIEL CUNNINGHAM IMAGES: GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD 2018 KEY VISUAL

GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD 2018 EXHIBITION AT TAIWAN DESIGN MUSEUM

OPENS DAILY (EXCEPT MONDAY) FROM 9.30AM TO 5.30PM UNTIL JANUARY 13, 2019 $150 (GENERAL) OR $130 (STUDENTS AND CONCESSIONS)

The gallery space of Taiwan Design Museum is transformed into a bamboo labyrinth to highlight the importance of design for sustainability. The concept of the exhibition is “Nature Knows,” taking inspiration from cycles in the natural world, — A-Rod, NY Yankees and raising awareness of the environmental

— Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers cause among Taiwan’s design community. Visitors are invited to explore more than 100 of this year’s winning designs.

We’re coming into a paradigm shift. Linear consumerism has — Fred Couples, 2012 Senior Open Champion fueled the global economy for the best part of half a century, but resources are growing scarce and our planet’s ecosystems are breaking down because of it. This model, which values convenience above all else, is no longer sustainable. This paradigm shift towards sustainability is the inspiration behind the Golden Pin Design Award this winter. Masterminded by Keng- Ming Liu (founder and creative director of Bito, Taiwan’s leading motion design studio), the award aims to heighten our awareness of the relationship between design and sustainability. Everything we produce, from the most minuscule objects to our skyscrapers and cityscapes, should be designed to integrate within a sustainable cycle.

Keng-Ming Liu

Liu’s studio designed the award ceremony key visuals and sketched the award ceremony opening animation; all to reverberate his cyclic sustainability concept throughout Taiwan’s design community. “The cycle is the most original design of nature,” says Liu. “Everything has worked according to its principles for hundreds of millions of years. I hope to bring the beauty of nature to everyone.” Liu continues by describing the key visual (pictured), “The pin represents an organic ecosystem, containing an ocean, tectonic plates, plants to represent birth, and bones to represent death; symbolizing an endless cycle. Golden lava erupts with inspiration, signifying the innovative ideas that emerge from the Golden Pin Design Award.” From concept to completion, it took his studio nearly half a year to complete the key visual and opening animation. The whole thing had to be drawn by hand and edited in a 3D digital environment. Bito’s opening animation was unveiled at the award ceremony on November 29, and you can watch it online by visiting the Golden Pin Design Award’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.

www.communitycenter.org.tw DEC 2018/ JAN 2019 21

Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 21 2018/11/27 上午11:16 DESIGN

The Exhibition at Taiwan Design Museum

Liu also co-curated the Golden Pin Design Award 2018 Exhibition with architect Bird Hsu, and artists Lee Ming Teh and Tzu-Hung Yang. Together, they have transformed the gallery space of Taiwan Design Museum into a bamboo labyrinth, with a kinetic installation by WHYIXD at its center and Bito’s video art on the walls. The bamboo labyrinth will gradually decompose during the two-month exhibition period, turning from green to yellow, further reinforcing the connection to natural cycles and sustainability. In-between the installation and video art, more than 100 of this year’s winning designs are exhibited, ranging from lifestyle and technology products to graphic designs and architectural plans. Among them is WOWMOON by PiliWu-Design, which won the Special Annual Award for Green Design. This custom glassware collection is made from recycled champagne bottles and was designed especially for the Moon Festival celebrations at the Taipei W Hotel’s WOOBAR.

2017 TNH Center He-Ji Project

Also exhibited is the winner of the Special Annual Award for Social Design, 2017 TNH Center He-Ji Project by Plan b, Joe Fang Studio, and Fenko Catalysis Chamber. Journalists from Taiwan and Hong Kong were invited to take part in the project, discussing their shared regional As you stroll through the exhibition space, you are encouraged to imagine heritage in the context of rice. The how designers can change our world for the better. Social and environmental results of the dialogue were represented causes are a growing influence among designers who win the Golden Pin as an urban rice farm installation, and Design Award. The award seeks to highlight this movement and propel it culminated in a book made with the rice forward, helping Taiwan’s design industry excel in the twenty-first century, while harvested from the urban rice farm. protecting our planet’s ecosystems.

22 DEC 2018/JAN 2019 www.communitycenter.org.tw

Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 22 2018/11/27 上午11:16 DESIGN

Not Just Library 2018 Admission Ticket

Another Special Annual Award for Green Design winner is the Not Just Library 2018 Admission Ticket by Mistroom. These limited edition tickets are a prime example of up cycling in design, cut out from past editions of design magazines in the library’s storage. The designers refashioned 22 magazines, using 1,667 pages to make a total of 10,000 tickets. Their objective was to create a collectable ticket that library-goers will cherish, commemorating their visit to Not Just Library.

Daniel Cunningham is International Project PR & Marketing Manager at DDG Taipei, specialising in cultural and creative industries. He is the International Media Liaison of the 2018 Golden Pin Design Award and the Golden Pin Concept Design Award.

FULL STEAM AHEAD TAIPEI AMERICAN SCHOOL www.tas.edu.tw

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 23 2018/11/27 上午11:16 OUTLOOK

with phrases such as “You don’t know what you’re talking about” & undermine your self-esteem and confidence. • Denying or “gaslighting” happens when your partner denies that previous events took place. They may express affection or make declarations of love and caring. This is especially crazy-making and manipulative, as it causes you to doubt your own memory, perceptions, and experiences, TEXT: JUDY TSUEI IMAGES: WEB Ultimately, you’ll find that your self-esteem is chipped away, causing you to feel guilty, doubt yourself, and absolutely distrust your own perceptions. he thing about life and love is But, here’s the bottom line: if you’re that it’s easy to lose yourself in wondering if your relationship is WHAT DOES AN ABUSER LOOK a situation that was seemingly abusive, it probably is. LIKE? T good at one time, only to find Usually, an “abuser” doesn’t look to find that your current relationship EMOTIONAL ABUSE IS HARD TO like the kind of person you’d expect. has actually become something so RECOGNIZE They’re charming, intelligent, and foreign to you, that you wonder how Emotional abuse is subtle and easy-to-get-along-with on the surface. you got to where you are now. surreptitious, convoluted and cunning. They’ll blame you, yet in such a way Recently, while visiting a friend who It’s distinct from physical violence, that makes you doubt the veracity of owns a resort in the , she which would be shoving, breaking and your interpretation of the experience. shared how one of her guests came into throwing things, cornering, etc. If you’ve been treated in emotionally the front office and after a few minutes Emotional abuse consists of speech abusive ways in the past, such as the of light-hearted conversation, quickly and/or behavior that’s derogatory, way you were raised, or in previous broke down to divulge that her husband controlling, punishing, or manipulative. relationships, it’s even harder to was repeatedly being verbally abusive Withholding love, communication, recognize. to her. support, or money are indirect methods Your partner can show up as self- Over the next few days, my friend of control and maintaining power. centered, impatient, unreasonable, hid this guest in the resort, as they Passive-aggressive behavior is a quiet insensitive, unforgiving, to lack arranged for a way to get her safely out kind of hostility. empathy, show jealously, or engage in of the country. “But,” she said sadly, Verbal abuse is especially subtle and withholding behaviors. Their moods can “I just saw that she’s back together insidious, because it can be indirect, shift from fun-loving and romantic to with her husband. This woman is a TED said in a loving voice, or even concealed sullen and angry. To maintain control Talk speaker, incredibly accomplished, as a joke. While threats, judging, of the situation, your partner may try super smart, and yet was intensely criticizing, lying, blaming, name-calling, to isolate you from your friends and emotionally abused for many years. She or raging are easy to recognize, the family. Or, they can punish you with was even on food stamps, because he subtler types of abuse over time are anger, silence, or both. wouldn’t leave her with a dollar for she just as damaging. What’s more, the person inflicting and her son whenever he went on long • Opposing is when your partner the pain may be extremely loving business trips. Meanwhile, her friends argues against anything you say, between episodes: they might make think she has a charmed life, because challenging your perceptions, you breakfast, leave you sweet notes, he’ll take her on magnificent vacations. opinions, and thoughts. or talk highly of you to friends. So, it’s Now, she’s back with him.” • Blocking is when your partner easier to forget or want to forgive your With over three million cases of switches topics, accuses you, or partner when they’re showing up in domestic violence reported each year, uses words that effectively cut ways where at your core, you feel as emotional abuse usually precedes you off from being able to express though something is off. physical signs of attack, yet it’s difficult yourself. to document and discern. So many • Discounting and belittling minimize ARE YOU BEING ABUSED? incredibly intelligent women (and or trivialize your feelings, thoughts, Usually, an abusive dynamic men) find themselves in situations that and experiences — it’s a way of intensifies after your partner becomes challenge their mental, emotional, and saying that your feelings don’t more assured that you won’t leave the spiritual health, without even realizing matter, or are wrong. relationship. This usually happens after how they got there. • Undermining and interrupting an engagement, marriage, or pregnancy.

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If you feel like you’re constantly even an influential sibling. conversation.” walking on eggshells, and needing It can be difficult to honor and The more you can focus on setting to adapt various aspects of your respect yourself and to maintain healthy boundaries, especially given personality or your life to fit your healthy boundaries when you’re in love that your partner may become partner, this is a sign of abuse. Engaging with someone, or you want to believe increasingly abusive, the more the in this behavior over time can lead in their very best selves. Yet, rather manipulation and abuse won’t be to anxiety, post-traumatic stress than continually feel guilty and blame effective. You need to focus on disorder, depression, inhibited sexual yourself, it’s time to confront your rebuilding your self-confidence and self- desire, chronic pain, or other physical partner. esteem. manifestations of symptoms. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling WHAT TO DO TO GET HEALTHY ashamed of what’s happened — YOU’RE LIKELY AT RISK FOR ABUSE Start by understanding that what instead, start seeking help with the IF… your partner wants most is to control support and validation a therapist or If you’re thinking, “I’m a smart you and avoid meaningful conversation. support group can provide. Get out woman! I’ve done a lot of inner work Emotional abuse is a tactic used to have and get talking. The more you hide, on myself! How did I get here?” but power over you, so if you focus on the the more the emotional abuse has the you’re not alone. content of what’s being said, you’ll potential to continue, so it’s vital you Upon retrospect, you might look likely fall into the same traps as before. start opening up to an objective point back now and recall tell-tale signs of Don’t focus on responding rationally, of view that can take you from where control or jealousy. You’re likely an denying accusations, or explaining you are now to where you deserve to extremely caring person, someone yourself, because all of these will lead be: loved and respected. who likes for others to be happy, to you losing your power. and potentially have had a hard time Try repeating back what your partner Judy Tsuei is a travel writer, setting healthy boundaries before. If says: “Are you saying you think I don’t life coach and mama who you’ve been in the relationship for know what I’m doing?” Then, you can empowers women to heal some time, there’s a likelihood that follow up with, “I don’t agree with you. and thrive by helping them you were abused by someone in your I know exactly what I’m doing.” to rewrite their personal past, though you may not recognize it You can also become more forceful stories into beautiful journeys of in this way — it could be a controlling by saying, “Stop it. Don’t talk to me heroines. Judy can be reached at: www. parental figure, an alcoholic father, or that way. I will not continue this wildheartedwords.com

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 25 2018/11/27 上午11:16 OUTLOOK This Is Your Mind How I Learned To Shut Up And Scrub The Toilet

TEXT: JIM KLAR IMAGES: WEB

I think this silence thing is getting to me,” I said. It was I admit I was concerned about the intensity. I’ve been to two days into my seven-day silent meditation retreat weekend retreats, but never seven days of such intensity – at Dharma Drum Mountain’s (DDM) sprawling campus hours of daily meditation, work practice, eating and walking “ nestled in the beautiful mountains of the Jinshan in silence. It was intimidating to say the least. District on Taiwan’s scenic north coast. Zarko Andricevic, The bus picked us up at on Sunday Dharma teacher for the retreat and a direct Dharma Heir of at noon. The sky was gloriously blue, dotted with puffy the DDM founder Master Shen Yeng sat before me, backlit marshmallow clouds during the drive to the coast. Check-in by two windows streaming sunshine on each side. His stark was easy and the air of anticipation was palpable among over silhouette, face wreathed in shadow, imparted a mystical 130 excited participants. The entire event was contained in presence. a single building. Living quarters, meditation hall, dining hall I explained to him that I’m a very verbal person. Deprived and outdoor trails for walking meditation. of conversation, my mind runs on overdrive - imagining At orientation they outlined the daily schedule: everyone’s lives from their appearance and behavior, inventing 4:00 Wake up, stretching, meditation, morning service entire life stories, a myriad of thoughts and ideas and images 6:40 Breakfast, free time popping into my head. “What can I do about that?” 8:30 Meditation, Dharma Talk from Zarko, walking Zarko leaned forward, his face half emerged from meditation, private interviews the shadows, he furrowed his brow, and said in a deep, 11:30 Lunch, work practice, free time resounding voice, “Congratulations. This is your mind. Your 13:30 Meditation, walking meditation, job here is to learn how to deal with it.” 17:00 Dinner & free time 18:30 Meditation, Dharma Talk from Zarko, Evening PRECIOUS RESOURCE Service Five months earlier, a friend had told me about the retreat 22:00 Lights out at DDM to be done in English and Chinese. As a morning meditator, I had been chomping at the bit for a deeper JUST SITTING experience, but my poor Chinese skills had prevented me Average days included four to five hours of sitting from doing so in Taiwan. I was living just minutes away meditation. That’s a lot of time spent on a cushion doing from one of the best-known Buddhist organizations on the nothing, which is exactly what you’re instructed to do in their planet, with 58 affiliates around the world and my lack of Silent Illumination technique. You train your awareness on language skills kept me from taking advantage of this precious “just sitting,” Thoughts, physical sensations, sounds and other resource. Finally, this bi-lingual retreat would afford me a things may arise, but when your mind wanders, you return to chance to dive into an infinitely deep pool. just sitting, aware of your body sitting in the space for forty minutes at a time. Paraphrasing Master Shen Yeng himself in his book The Method of No Method, you view distractions as you would clouds in the sky, merely observe them as they come and go of their own accord. Some days the sky is sunny, some days dark and stormy, but you know there is always a blue sky behind the clouds. Easy in theory, harder in practice, but definitely a worthy pursuit. The meditation hall, where the sessions were held, is pristine, austere, inspiring and beautiful with a large, elegantly rendered Buddha statue. Meals, eaten in silence except for affirmations of gratitude for their source and preparation spoken in unison, consisted of a delicious and healthy vegan buffet. Always rice, two to

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 26 2018/11/27 上午11:16 three entrees, soup and fruit. You’re assigned two bowls, chopsticks and a cloth for cleaning up. When you’ve eaten your fill, you pour a small amount of hot water into each, swirl it around and drink it. Now you’re ready to wipe your bowls clean and put them back in their assigned place in an orderly manner.

GLORIOUS DEPARTURE I was excited to receive my personal work assignment with visions of chopping wood, carrying water and maybe raking the gravel in a rock garden. Instead, I was assigned to clean the fifteen urinals and three toilets in the men’s restroom. Though a bit crestfallen, I did my best to do it mindfully every day. Knowing we were all on a vegan, high-fiber diet, I eyed everyone entering the restroom with suspicion. “Keep it clean!” I projected in their direction. Sometimes they did. Sometimes they didn’t. Morning and evening services were a glorious departure from maintaining the silence and quickly became one of my favorite activities. We weren’t allowed to talk, but boy did we enjoy chanting for the thirty minutes. In the expansive, high-ceilinged meditation hall, 130 voices soared nearly as high as our spirits. It always left me tingly, charged up and ready to hit my meditation cushion in earnest. In his first Dharma Talk, Zarko said a three-day retreat is actually more difficult than a seven-day retreat because it takes three days to get settled and then it’s over. I found it hard to believe, but it turned out to be true. In fact, five days into this retreat I became so comfortable that I forgot what day it was. It turned out that my mind did calm down considerably, and I even found myself “just sitting” a few times. At times, I couldn’t wait for it to finish, but when it finally ended, I was sad it was over and now I can’t wait to do it again.

Dharma Drum Mountain is holding another bi-lingual retreat March 2-March 9, 2019. The retreat is free of charge, but they gratefully accept donations. The deadline to apply is February 2nd. Submit your application at http://onlinereg.ddm.org. tw/2019_bilingual_retreat. I hope to see you there.

Jim Klar is an American Expat living in Taipei for the last 4 years. His passions include Buddhist meditation, cycling, martial arts, blues harmonica, studying Chinese and being a good father and husband. He sings and plays throughout the local music scene and can often be spotted on his bicycle high in the peaks of Yangmingshan National Park.

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Dec 2018_p3-end.indd 27 2018/11/28 上午9:50 OUTLOOK Immersing in Mandarin Our solution for something I found so difficult

TEXT: PETER SUTTON IMAGES: WEB

aipei is a wonderful place frustrating that there were no technical Listening Skills”. An online search to live but the most difficult solutions to help language learners for “Micro Listening Skills” has links aspect of living here for enjoy movies and TV shows created for to many articles which explain how T new arrivals is the language. native speakers. I thought that if I had teachers can set tasks designed to Chinese is rated by many experts as this problem, then so must many others help language learners improve their the most difficult language for native and we created Woodpecker Learning listening skills. Micro-listening is all English speakers to learn. The tones to solve this problem, not just for about getting students to replay, and and the writing system make it so much myself and learners of Mandarin, but listen again and again, to any sentence more difficult to learn than any other also for learners of English. they didn’t quite get until they fully important language. The other factor When it comes to advanced language understand everything that was said. that makes Mandarin tough to learn learning, the major market globally Linguists talk about the importance in Taipei, is that so many people here is English and Spanish comes second. to language learners of phonological actually have pretty good English, which There are very large numbers of decoding or parsing skills, which is the means you are not forced to immerse beginner learners of Mandarin but learner’s ability to interpret the sound yourself in the language. Yes it is not as comparatively few advanced learners, system of the second language and to good as Hong Kong or , but which means that there are a relatively make sense of what they hear. A crucial then Taiwan was never a British colony small number of products for advanced skill, is determining where each word either. You may be frustrated at times learners. Our app, Woodpecker, is one starts and ends, as a language learner but your friends in Japan, Korea and of the few apps for advanced Mandarin that cannot draw the boundaries China have even more difficulties when learners and I would like to explain how between each word they hear, will it comes to the English language skills of best to use it, to help you move on from interpret each sentence as a continuous the general population. your textbooks and enjoy TV and the unintelligible flow. A student may know After working in Auckland, , movies - like all your Taiwanese friends all of the vocabulary in a sentence, Singapore and Hong Kong, I moved tell you to. and how each word is pronounced in to Taipei where I worked in an office Our app is a browser for videos and isolation, but they are unable to decode where nearly everyone spoke good web pages, just tap on the characters the sound when it seems to “blend in” English but many documents were you don’t know and you will get the with the rest of the sentence. only in Chinese. With languages, you definition in English. All these words This is a particular issue when are only good at what you practice, and their definitions will be saved in intermediate learners start transitioning and in this environment, my reading your history so that you can review from their textbooks to material of Chinese characters improved much them later and even export them designed for native speakers. They faster than my spoken Mandarin. to make flashcards. We named our don’t want to waste too much time To improve my listening ability, I was company after the Woodpecker, since it fiddling with the controls of a media told to watch movies and TV, but that is persistent, as a language learner must player to go back and repeat content. didn’t really help because the dialogue be, tapping away at tree trunks, just as If they are unsure of the meaning was too fast, and pausing and replaying our users tap on a screen to learn, until of a character, or how it should be content was cumbersome. Even now, they achieve their goal. There are also pronounced, then it really reduces when I am watching a Chinese movie on three species of Woodpecker in Taiwan. frustration if they can get an instant a plane, whenever I pause the movie to There are also lots of little features answer to that question by simply read the subtitles, there is a bar which built into the app that make it easier touching it. The go-back-one-sentence comes up to obscure them. It is often so for a language learner to train their button and the go-back-five-seconds hard to go back one sentence to listen listening and their memory. The most button on the Woodpecker player, to just that one piece of dialogue again. important one is the “repeat one combined with the built-in bilingual And, on most devices, if you don’t know sentence” button. When you tap on dictionaries, enable the user to practise a character, you have to draw it on this button, the last sentence played is and enhance their micro-listening skills another device to get the pronunciation continually repeated. The purpose of in a much more effective way than and the meaning. I found it very this to help you enhance your “Micro before.

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We have over 12,000 subtitled videos hear Taiwan’s most famous figures use of the “repeat one sentence for Mandarin learners and if you have from the arts, education, science button” until they understand all the friends that are learning English, then and politics speaking on their chosen dialogue. we have over 200,000 videos for them. topics. As well as the Chinese subtitles, The Woodpecker app is free to The videos are all classified by topic most of these videos also have English download and free to use. We have and they are all listed in channels and subtitles. In addition to the Traditional in-app purchases for additional content playlists. Character subtitle stream found on but most users should find the free You can use TED Talks to improve the YouTube channel, we also provide version has all the content they need. your Mandarin. TED is a nonprofit a simplified Chinese subtitle stream in Please try it out. I would love to get devoted to spreading ideas in the form the Woodpecker app. Hear the founder your feedback. of short, powerful talks. All over the of Cloud Gate Theater, the Mayor of world, students of English listen to TED Taipei and Taiwan’s only Nobel prize Talks, partly due to their interest in winner and really be able to understand the content but also to improve their what they say! Match the sound of Peter Sutton is the co-founder listening skills and to understand how their words with the characters on and CEO of Taipei based English speakers behave in an English the screen and learn the meanings of educational software company speaking environment. TED Talks the ones you don’t know. It can really - Woodpecker Learning. come with subtitles in English and, be a revelation when you make these He is also a director of the thanks to crowdsourcing, also in many connections and improve your micro Australia and New Zealand Chamber other languages, enabling learners of listening skills. of Commerce which is proud to sponsor English to really understand content Our second playlist for Mandarin the Community Service Centre through designed for native speakers. Learners learners (out of the 95 available) is a its annual Melbourne Cup Charity of Mandarin have the same opportunity short drama series called “The Bar”. It is Lunch. The posts on the Community to improve their skills with the talks in dialogue in a bar, between two people Service Center’s Blog now feature Mandarin available from TEDx’s locally which is not too hard to understand Woodpecker’s Click to Translate service. run communities in Taiwan that run but still interesting in its own right. This Just click/tap on the button to turn on TED-style events. is my personal favourite for advanced the feature and from then on, if you On Woodpecker, the first listing in language learners. When friends ask for don’t know the meaning of a word, just our channels and playlists is a selection recommendations of what to watch, I tap on it and the definition will appear of our favourite TEDx Talks. You can recommend this series, and frequent in your language.

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Sun Moon Lake Planning a Visit to the Jewel in Taiwan’s Crown

TEXT & IMAGES: NICK KEMBEL

un Moon Lake is Taiwan’s until I admired the lake from higher hotels. It also has some nice paths and largest lake and, with six vantage points, like Wenwu Temple, lake views from the shore. million visitors a year, also Cien Pagoda, and the Sun Moon Lake Most buses arrive at and depart S one of the country’s most Ropeway, that I finally got it. from just in front of the Shuishe popular scenic attractions. The Sun Moon Lake shore has been Visitor Center. There is no ticket The Lake’s attractions, which include inhabited by the Thao aboriginal tribe window; to get a bus from here you Wenwu Temple, the Sun Moon Lake since the Qing dynasty. Today, the just show up and get in line at the Ropeway, and Formosan Aboriginal Thao, who mostly live in the lakeside right time. The bus around Sun Moon Culture Village, draw in tour group village of Ita Thao, number less than a Lake also begins here. masses, but it’s easy to enjoy a pleasant thousand members, making them one The Starbucks in Shuishe offers and crowd-free stay with a bit of of the smallest of Taiwan’s officially decent lake views from its patio, and advance planning. recognized aboriginal tribes. you can also appreciate the lake from Below I’ll share my favorite things to You can’t swim at Sun Moon Lake, nearby Meihe Park or the Shuishe Pier. do at Sun Moon Lake and help you to unless you come for the Sun Moon There are many restaurants in town, plan your trip. I’ve been to Sun Moon Lake International Carnival, especially on the main road and near Lake six times in my ten years in Taiwan, one of the largest swimming events the Shuishe Pier, with an emphasis on so apparently I have a soft spot for this in the world, which takes place every Taiwanese cuisine and seafood. tourist magnet! September. The Sun Moon Lake area Shuishe is also the starting point of is also famous for producing the best the annual Sun Moon Lake swim. WHY IS SUN MOON LAKE SO black teas in Taiwan, which you can POPULAR? enjoy at the Antique Assam Tea Farm. ITA THAO: MY PERSONAL FAVORITE The simple answer to this question Overall, I think it is the natural beauty, Ita Thao (Yida Shao, 伊達邵) is the is that Sun Moon Lake is incredibly aboriginal culture, ease of access, and of other main tourist village on Sun Moon beautiful. Surrounded by the western course developed tourist infrastructure Lake and is located on the southeast foothills of the Central Mountain Range, that make Sun Moon Lake so popular. shore of the “sun” part of the lake. The the 748 m above sea level lake is a gem actual aboriginal village, which you in Taiwan’s mountainous crown. It is SHUISHE: THE MAIN TOURIST probably won’t even see or notice, is (somewhat) shaped like an adjoining VILLAGE located just above the tourist village. sun and moon. Shuishe (水社) is the main tourist Personally, I prefer the vibe at Ita The first time I stood on the shore center on Sun Moon Lake, located on Thao to Shuishe, even though it is still of the lake, I didn’t quite see what the northwestern shore. It has a great entirely tourist oriented. There are the hype was all about. It wasn’t choice of mid-range and high-end more guesthouses than resorts, the

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flavor is more aboriginal, and there is greater access to the waterfront, with a nice collection of boat docks that you can walk on. Ita Thao is the end point of the Sun Moon Lake swim, and within walking distance of the Sun Moon Lake ropeway. The best thing about Ita Thao is its great food stalls and night market. From the bus stop, follow the main street all the way down to the pier. The street is packed with shops and restaurants, and becomes an atmospheric night market in the evening. This is one of the most accessible places in Taiwan to try aboriginal specialties like boar meat, bamboo tubes of sticky rice, and millet wine.

10 THINGS TO DO AT SUN MOON LAKE both civil and marital affairs. Originally two temples stood at the side of Sun 1. Take a Boat Across Sun Moon Lake Moon Lake but were torn down when This is one of the most popular things dam projects caused the lake level to to do at Sun Moon Lake. An all-day rise in 1919. The new temple was built pass costs NT$300 and includes the in its present location in 1938, and then three main piers (Shuishe, Ita Thao, rebuilt and expanded in 1969. Xuanguan). 3. Nine Frogs Stack 2. Wenwu Temple Halfway between Wenwu Temple and The view from just above Wenwu Ita Thao, there’s a pullover on the lake Temple, with the temple’s orange side of the road for Water Frog Head roofs in the foreground and lake in the Trail, an easy boarded trail through background, is the most iconic view of bamboo forests to a dock on the lake Sun Moon Lake. where you can spot Nine Frogs Stack, 4. Sun Moon Lake Ropeway This large, imposing structure is a statue in the water that is used to This cable car is probably the most built in the palace style of northern measure the lake’s level. popular Sun Moon Lake attraction, but China and is guarded by two enormous Tour buses don’t stop here, so it’s that doesn’t mean you should skip it. vermillion lions. In Chinese culture, a good place on Sun Moon Lake for a Even with a large number of visitors, Wenwu temples house gods related to quiet, scenic stroll with no crowds. the lines move quickly. We visited on a weekday, arriving the moment they opened, and there was hardly a line. The views over Sun Moon Lake during the ride are nothing short of breathtaking. There’s no view once you arrive at the top, so you can either head right back down, or continue on another ropeway down into the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. A round trip costs NT$300, and rides are included if you buy an entrance ticket to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. Opening times are 10:30 am - 4 pm (weekdays) and 10 am - 4:30 pm (weekends and holidays). You can walk from the pier in Ita Thao to the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway in about fifteen minutes along a pretty lakeside path.

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5. Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village 7. Ci En Pagoda 10. Ride a Bicycle or Scooter around The Chinese name “Nine Tribes Continuing past Ita Thao village, the the Lake Culture Village” (九族文化村) next point of interest, and another of The road around Sun Moon Lake has harks back to a time when only Sun Moon Lake’s most iconic sights, been called one of the top ten most nine aboriginal tribes were officially is towering Ci En Pagoda, visible from beautiful cycling routes in the world. recognized in Taiwan (today, there are many points on the lake. There are multiple places in Shuishe sixteen). The 43-meter-high pagoda was town where you can rent bicycles, I honestly wouldn’t really recommend commissioned by former president expect to pay about NT$200 for two coming here. We went because I Chiang Kai-shek for his late mother in hours, or double that for a high quality thought it might be fun for my kids. 1971. It’s a 570-meter walk up stairs Giant bike, e-bike, or scooter (which The amusement park section is nothing to reach the pagoda from the car park, is around NT$400 per day, and can special. The park is really spread out and but it’s definitely worth the climb for usually be rented here without a proper requires tons of walking, and doesn’t the incredible, panoramic view of Sun license). have many facilities. Moon Lake from the top of the pagoda. The aboriginal section covers a large hill and also takes quite some time to 8. Xuanguan Temple & Wharf GETTING TO SUN MOON LAKE cover. It does however offer a decent The furthest you’ll likely get from Generally, budget about three hours chance to photograph aboriginals Shuishe (unless you cycle or ride all to get from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake, dressed in traditional costumes and the way around the lake) is Xuanguan 1.5 hours to get from Taichung, and watch song and dance performances. Temple & Wharf. three hours from Alishan. If you really want to experience The highlight for me was seeing Lalu aboriginal culture, I’d suggest the more Island, which is just offshore. There Bus 1833 goes from Taipei to Sun humble (and legitimate) Thao Tribe is also a famous tea egg vendor by Moon Lake. Alternatively, you can Performance Center (below), and if the pier. Sun Moon Lake is known for catch the HSR to Taichung, then the you want rides, there are many better having really good tea eggs, which are Sun Moon Lake shuttle bus, which amusement parks in Taiwan. stewed with giant mushrooms among also stops at Taichung train station the Assam tea leaves and spices, and and other points in the city. 6. The Thao Tribe Performance Center this stall apparently has the best ones. A small center in Ita Thao village is You can save some money by getting trying hard to preserve and promote 9. Try Stand Up Paddleboarding a Sun Moon Lake Pass. There are several options, including the shuttle the customs of the Thao people, one To make up for not being able to bus from Taichung and a variety of of Taiwan’s smallest tribes. Only a few swim at Sun Moon Lake (unless you activities at the lake. elders still speak the Thao language, come for the annual mass swim), and their customs are in danger of perhaps you can try SUP! dying out. No experience is required, kids can One of the special features of Thao even do it, and there are morning or Nick Kembel has been culture is a kind of music called chu yin, afternoon options. But for the most living in Taiwan for 10 or ”pestle sounds,” made by pounding serene experience, go for the dawn years and is the author large pestles into mortars. The Thao experience, when the lake is at its of Taiwan in the Eyes discovered it in past times when they calmest and none of the tourists are out of a Foreigner. Find more of his work at found that pounding different materials yet. You can reserve a spot on Klook. www.nickkembel.com produced different sounds. You can watch performances of the music at the center today. Daily performances take place on weekdays from 11 - 11:40 am and 3 - 3:40 pm (except Wednesdays). On weekends performances are at 11 - 11:40 am, 3 - 3:40 pm and 5 - 5:40 pm. Donations are appreciated.

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RICHARD SAUNDERS EXPLORES TAIWAN'S LESS-TRODDEN PATHS

Hayouxi Hot Spring

TEXT & IMAGES: RICHARD SAUNDERS

ayouxi Hot Spring perfectly illustrates how Taiwan constantly rewards and H surprises the explorer who gets off the beaten track and searches beyond the island’s well-established attractions. Indeed, until Hayouxi was usurped in my affections by the dramatic (and even more remote) Lulu Hot Spring in Taitung County, I thought it was one of the most stunning places in Taiwan. The rocks of this kilometer-long gorge of hot spring activity are clothed in a variety of beautiful mineral-and-bacteria-painted colors in many shades of red, orange, yellow, green, grey and brown. Hot spring bathers may be disappointed – the only hot springs in the gorge are a couple of small showers and tiny

pools, but those incredible colors, the beauty and ruggedness of the scenery, and the impressive remoteness of the place, make visiting it an unforgettable adventure. Hayouxi is only accessible for about three months each year, from late January to mid April; the rest of the year the river (which must be forded about twenty times en route to the hot spring) is far too deep and fast flowing to cross. Hayouxi Hot Spring lies about twelve kilometers upstream from the small Rukai aboriginal settlement of Dawu in Pingtung County. The walk up to the hot spring is a lengthy 12-kilometer trudge, and unless you take one of the jeeps that now whisk tourists most of the way there during the short visiting season, you’ll spend a lot time of wading through thigh-deep water. You’ll also need two days for the trip, camping the night beside the waterfall just below the start of the hot spring gorge. Eleven miles into the trip, the gorge narrows, and those who took the jeep (which is not recommended, as the vehicles are damaging the environment) have to get off and wade upstream for the last kilometer.

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Soon, a very attractive waterfall plunges down the side of the gorge on Richard Saunders is a trained classical the right. At the next corner the first musician and writer who has lived in Taipei signs of hot spring activity appear, and since 1993. He has written several books for the following twenty minutes, until (available at the Center and in bookshops a small waterfall blocks further access, around Taipei), including Yangmingshan: there’s a succession of breathtakingly the Guide (a complete guide to the National colored rock formations created by hot Park on Taipei’s doorstep), Taipei Escapes I spring water trickling out of the cliff and 2, which together detail sixty day trips faces on either side. and hikes within easy reach of Taipei city, and The Islands of Taiwan, a guide to If you make it, be sure to camp the Taiwan’s offshore islands. His latest book, Taiwan 101: Essential Hikes, Sights and night, and pay another visit early the Experiences around Ilha Formosa, is out now. next morning (before the sun starts shining directly into the gorge) when the For more details, see http://www.taiwanoffthebeatentrack.com/2017/04/19/ rich colors of the mineral-stained rocks taiwans-wild-hot-springs-vii-hayouxi-hot-springs/ seem to almost glow. CSC BUSINESS CLASSIFIED

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