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A publication of the Community Services Center Centered on TAIPEI Vol. 19|10 AUGUST 2019 2019/7/28 下午1:53 Save $200 with our early bird ticket deal! Join us for
a Wickednight out
The Community Services Center Annual Auction Dinner Tickets: $4,000 $3,800 through Sept 20 Table of 10: $38,000
Friday, October 25 The Grand Hyatt Taipei
Costumes optional but encouraged! Prizes will be awarded.
Aug 19 e .indd 2 2019/7/28 下午1:53 CONTENTS August 2019 volume 19 issue 10
CSC COMMUNITY From the Editors 5 Taiwan Continues to Clean Up Its Act 8 Center Gallery 6 Upcycling Lessons with TAO 10 Activity Highlights 7 Father Maol: A Source of Social Reintegration in Yuli 12 CSC Business Classified 21 ART & CULTURE Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Maybe a Hungry Ghost 15 Creating New Tea Treasures from an Ancient Tradition 17
Publisher Community Services Center, Taipei OUTLOOK Editor Suzan Babcock Co-editor Richard Saunders What do Dreams Mean? 20 Advertising Manager Naomi Kaly Magazine Email [email protected] Tel 02-2836-8134 TRAVEL Fax 02-2835-2530 What's in Yilan City? (Part 1) 22 Community Services Dongyin and Xiyin 25 Center Editorial Panel Siew Kang, Fred Voigtmann
Printed by Farn Mei Printing Co., Ltd. 1F, No. 102, Hou Kang Street, Shilin District, Taipei Tel: 02-2882-6748 Fax: 02-2882-6749 E-mail: [email protected]
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 fax: 02-2835-2530 e-mail: [email protected] 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 2019. 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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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 3 2019/7/30 午11:00 TIGER TOTS PRESCHOOL A LOVING PLACE FOR LEARNING
Crown’s service offerings include: Everyone needs • International & Domestic Shipments • Transit Protection to know why... • Pet & Car Transfers • Immigration & Legalization We’ll help your whole family • Home Search • School Search prepare for the big adventure. • Settling-in Services
PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN (LOCATED INSIDE TAS) Tel: +886 2 2719 2618 [email protected] 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 Go knowing Gymnastics and Music Class Fun After School Enrichment Classes www.crownrelo.com/taiwan 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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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 4 2019/7/28 下午1:49 COVER IMAGE: This month's cover is an abstract close- FROM Please send email submissions, comments, and feedback to up image of one part of a bamboo bench, [email protected]. taken at Pasongan Lookout, Taitung THE County by Kenneth Dickson For more information, please go to our EDITORS website at www.communitycenter.org.tw It’s that time of the year, when summer is on the wane and our COT Team thoughts are definitely wishing for the cooler temperatures of autumn. Here at the Center, we have been busily organizing and preparing for what will be an action-packed fall filled with new classes, Mandarin language learning opportunities with Gloria Gwo, trips, cooking sessions, DIY activities, the popular Suzan Babcock Richard Saunders Naomi Kaly KC Editor Co-editor Advertising Manager Graphic Designer ‘Welcome Back’ morning coffee get-together, hikes and our coteditor@ [email protected] naomi@communitycenter. graphicdesigntaipei. communitycenter.org.tw org.tw weebly.com annual fundraiser and auction dinner. Be sure to save Friday night, October 25th and join us for a fun-filled Halloween evening at the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Book early, by September 20th and get an Feature Writers early-bird special price. Autumn in Taiwan is a perfect time to go exploring, especially to areas that are not on the normal ‘tourist routes’. Richard Saunders, a familiar Taiwan adventure guru, has much experience in exploring Taiwan’s less trodden paths. This month, he Kenneth Dickson Ryan Hevern Michael Mullahy Tom Rook recommends a visit to the Northernmost Frontier at the northern tip of the tiny Xiyin Island and neighboring Dongyin Island found within the beautiful Matsu island chain. Be prepared for a laid- back and exceptional breath-taking experience with Nature, without the pressures of a big city. Richard Saunders Judy Tsui Ryan Hevern explains in his article, Upcycling Lessons with TAO, how he and other members of the TAO team conducted upcycling Writing and Photography Contributors activities for children at the Tinkerseeds Children’s Workshop. Carrie Allen Tom Rook They taught the children how to upcycle plastic bottles into flower Sue Babcock Richard Saunders vases and showed them the process for planting seeds within Kenneth Dickson Rosemary Susa Patrice Delmotte Pai Su-yu their plastic vases. Emilio Del Pozo TAO Tom Rook’s recent visit to Yilan (see What’s in Yilan City?) Ryan Hevern Grace Ting uncovered a host of small sites that reflect Taiwan’s history; the Michael Mullahy Judy Tsuei wooden houses and tranquil gardens of the Literary Museum and the Yilan Administration Museum are a few of the many.
Pick COT up at: Please make a point of dropping by the Center. Help yourself Uptown: to a fresh cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the warm atmosphere of Community Services Center, No. 25, Lane 290, Sec. 6, the Center. 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 Communications Morgan Loosli outreach and early intervention through counseling, cross-cultural education and Events Coordinator Jane Ogge-Cowan life skills programs to meet the needs of the international community in Taipei. Mandarin Chinese Teacher Gloria Gwo CSC offers the opportunity to learn, volunteer, teach and meet others. Check out Samson Debele our website www.communitycenter.org.tw and drop by The Center to chat with us Systems Manager about our programs. You can also email us at [email protected].
Volunteers Miyuki Boice, John Imbrogulio, Leslie McFarlane, Director Adam McMillan John McQuade, Sofia Vintimila
Office Manager Grace Ting Benefactors Bai Win Antiques European Chamber of Commerce Counselors I-wen Chan, Katherine Chang, Hui-shiang Chao, Grand Hyatt Taipei Jung Chin, Chiao-Feng Chung, Cerita Hsu, Carol Lee, Miranda Lin, Emilie Ma, Kuang-Shan Wan Premier Sponsors Concordia Consulting ICRT Consultants Wendy Evans and Michael Mullahy San Fu Global
Counseling Admin. Joanne Chua
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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 5 2019/7/28 下午1:49 CSC A percentage of all proceeds of items sold at the Gallery will go to the Center. Please remember that by displaying your items or shopping at the Gallery, you will be helping the Center to continue to provide valuable services to the international community. Gallery@CENTER
KRISTI THORNBURY'S PAINTINGS Kristi Thornbury has been a professional art teacher for fourteen years. Originally from New Brunswick, Canada, she taught Visual Arts in Toronto, Shanghai, then Taipei where she founded Yili Arts. Kristi draws inspiration from the natural environment and uses what she refers to as the five | senses observation practice to imprint to memory and later recall the 8/3 Saturday STUDIOS & WORKSHOPS “visual resonance” of a place. STJ acting workshop Kristi's watercolor painting of Taiwan depicts the lush greenery, crystal- 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM blue water and marks the counties around the island. 8/7 Wednesday | For more information about Yili Arts and its Art Parties, visit www. VISUAL ARTS PRESENTATION facebook.com/yiliarts or email [email protected] Penny Su Photography: Beauty is your name 女人您的名字是美麗分享會 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM 8/10 Saturday | WELLNESS Multimedia Event: Bloom Within 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM 8/9 Friday | VISUAL ARTS PRESENTATION RED ROOM & Camila Sáenz are looking for 5 powerful women 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM 8/11 Sunday | MULTIMEDIA EVENT 攝影師聚會 Filmmaker Night 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM 8/17 Saturday | STUDIOS & TOM ROOK'S TAIWAN MAPS WORKSHOPS Tom Rook's detailed maps and drawings will be on display through STJ acting workshop September at the Center. Tom enjoys exploring and capturing Taiwan's 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM urban landscape in great detail, for the maps act as a personal journal, 8/17 Saturday | SPOKEN WORD offering a means for discovery about a place and a way of recording 緣寄詩酒 Stage Time & Wine 111 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM changes in cities. 8/18 Sunday | WELLNESS Raja Yoga Meditation - Improving Concentration 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM 8/24 Saturday | Performance Arts 即興戲劇表演 Formosa Improv Group Performance 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM 8/30 Friday | MUSIC 紅酒爵士夜第二八場 Kind of Red XXIX 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM 8/31 Saturday | STUDIOS & WORKSHOPS STJ acting workshop FROM TAIPEI WITH LOVE 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Looking for perfect cards to send to your far-away friends? Come to Programs are subject to change. the Community Services Center to buy packages of ten cards designed Please check online for updates. www. by LINESBYLOES, delicately printed with cute drawings and personal redroomtaipei.com/events or Facebook: messages on thick white paper. redroomtaipei.
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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 6 2019/7/28 下午1:49 CSC AUGUST ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS The Center’s Survival Chinese lessons will begin again in early September. Gloria Gwo is the instructor for all of our classes.
Survival Chinese I 9th; 12:10 pm-1:30 pm Chinese is either not This is an intermediate Mondays/Wednesdays; 12 $5,400 necessary for their short time Chinese language course sessions This course completes our in Taiwan or just too difficult for students who have Class begins on September Survival Chinese series and to attempt. However, in this completed two semesters of 9th; 9:10 am-10:30 am covers advanced vocabulary course, Gloria proves both of our Beginner Study Group $5,400 and sentence patterns as well these misconceptions wrong. Course or already have a Would you like to be able as conversational practice. By teaching you about the foundation in writing and to communicate with Prerequisites: Survival root of each character and reading characters and wish to shopkeepers, taxi drivers and Chinese I and II or completed how the characters are built, continue their studies. Books co-workers? Whether you've approximately 40 hours of you will discover that learning not included in course fee. just arrived in Taiwan or have language instruction. Chinese characters actually been here awhile, this is the helps you to improve your Beginning Chinese Study class for you. Learn spoken Evening Survival Chinese I understanding of the spoken Group: Reading and Writing Mandarin in a relaxed and Mondays/Wednesdays; 12 language. So, don’t be afraid, Characters informal environment right sessions sign up for this full- semester Tuesdays/Fridays; 23 here at the Center. Course Class begins on September reading and writing class. sessions materials included. 9th; 6:30 pm-7:10 pm Prerequisites: completion of Class begins on September $5,400 our Survival Chinese series 10th; 12:10 am-1:30 pm Survival Chinese II Please see Survival I for course or at least 40-60 hours of $10,400 Mondays/Wednesdays; 12 description. Chinese language instruction. This full semester class is for sessions Course books to be purchased those students who wish to Class begins on September Beginning Chinese Study at an additional cost. continue building upon their 9th; 10:40 am-12 noon Group: Reading and Writing Chinese conversation skills $5,400 Characters Intermediate Chinese Study and learn new vocabulary This course builds upon the Tuesdays/Fridays; 23 Group: Reading and Writing to enhance their ability skills learned in Survival sessions Characters to communicate. Like the Chinese I and offers Class begins on September Tuesdays/Fridays; 23 beginner class, this class will approximately twenty hours 10th; 9:10am-10:30 am sessions use recorded materials and of language instruction for $10,400 Class begins on September focus on a variety of topics people who would like to Most people think that 10th; 10:40 am - 12 noon and social situations. Course upgrade their basic skills learning to read and write $10,400 materials included. and go one step further with Mandarin. This class is also suitable for anyone who has taken some basic THE CENTER NEEDS YOU! Chinese lessons and would like to continue with his or Do you have a skill or talent that you would like to share? Or have her studies. Course materials you found some great places around Taipei that you would like to included. take others to see? Then why not consider teaching a course or Survival Chinese III leading a tour for the Center in Fall 2019? If you are interested, Mondays/Wednesdays; 12 or would like more information, please contact Rosemary at ce@ sessions communitycenter.org.tw. Class begins on September
We are looking for volunteers to help with the annual Auction dinner and to contribute to our popular Silent Community Services Center Auction Baskets. If you like planning, promoting, decorating or Auction sponsoring events and have any time to help, we would love Save the date - 25 October to hear from you. Please contact the events team ([email protected]) to get involved.
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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 7 2019/7/28 下午1:49 COMMUNITY Taiwan Continues to Clean Up Its Act
TEXT: PAI SU-YU IMAGES: TAO
ot too long ago, Taiwan was overflowing with garbage and wallowing in mountains of dumpsite trash such Nas broken furniture, rubbish, tires, chemicals and plastic waste. In 1993, fuels, rising global temperatures and Taiwanese elementary, junior and the trash collection rate on the island the excessive consumption of plastic senior high school friends, who still was only about 70%, and a few years products. lived in Taiwan. Within two days, she later, two-thirds of the nation’s landfills had organized an impressive group of were full or nearly full. Taiwan had PUBLIC AWARENESS - LOCAL volunteers, who traveled to Penghu become a garbage dump nation. COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER to clean up the beach. They picked up GROUPS STEP FORWARD over six tons of plastic trash. AN ABRUPT TURN-AROUND A few years ago, a friend of mine Today, Taiwan is considered a wanted to visit one of her favorite INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS REACH leader in the effective reduction of childhood beaches on Penghu island, OUT TO TAIWAN Congratulations to the plastic waste, thanks to its ongoing the Longmen Back Bay Beach, with Jane Goodall, during one of her elimination of single-use plastic her children. Several days later, she recent visits to Taiwan, praised the products, its recycling management and returned with a dismal story about nation's conservation efforts and garbage disposal projects, and strong how cluttered the beach was with remains hopeful for Taiwan. The Jane Class of 2019! community support. beach garbage, such as styrofoam, Goodall Institute of Taiwan and the So, what happened to bring plastic bottles, plastic flip-flops, medical Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots youth about such drastic changes in public syringes, plastic wrappers and other program, cooperates with other awareness and government policy junk. She was visibly shaken and Taiwan educational institutions and shift? Among other things it was citizen couldn’t understand how Taiwan could organizations to offer community and environmental advocacy groups, let this happen. service programs in environmental and the unmistakable signs of Taiwan’s Even though my friend did not have animal conservation. marine ecosystems collapsing due much time to spend in Taiwan, she One successful project, affiliated to human activity, the abuse of fossil immediately began to contact her with Chang Jung Christian University in Tainan, worked on improving a waterway and hiking trail that runs from Tainan City all the way to Yushan, the highest mountain in Taiwan. Additionally, the project targeted the removal of river trash, the improvement of other hiking trails and the planting of trees to replace those lost to industrialization. For Jane Goodall, community and citizen involvement is what makes a project successful. Getting people TAIPEI AMERICAN SCHOOL together for a common cause is the spark that unifies and fuels their www.tas.edu.tw
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passion for change. Nate Maynard, an environmental plastic waste. Keeping Taiwan beautiful, and consultant, and Mark Blackburn, In 2018, Taiwan’s policy to decrease their love of being outdoors were Director and Co-founder of Wraptie the giving of free plastic bags by two important reasons why eco- International. The discussion also pharmacies and food businesses friendly expats Ryan Havern and Dustin highlighted pro-active steps people showed a significant drop in the request Craft got together to form Taiwan can do on a daily basis to support a for plastic bags by shoppers. Adventure Outings (TAO) in 2015. Since healthier and cleaner environment, one This year in July a plastic straw ban then, they’ve organized hundreds being children’s education (see Ryan’s came into effect, and will be among of volunteers from the local and article, Upcycling Lessons With TAO, in the farthest-reaching of its kind in the international community to help clean this issue of Centered on Taipei). world. Now, major restaurants and up Taiwan’s beaches. coffee shops may no longer provide This past May, they jointly co-hosted GOVERNMENT SHIFTS IN ANTI- plastic straws to customers dining a public discussion about Taiwan’s PLASTIC POLICIES inside their establishments. local environmental challenges with Taiwan has become one of the world By 2020, single use items like plastic All Hands Taiwan, Ooh Cha Cha Hooch, leaders in curbing the production bags, disposable food containers, and use of plastic through bans. plastic cups, utensils, and straws will no Two years ago, eight grassroots longer be available to customers unless environmental NGOs, together with they pay for these single use items. the Taiwan Environmental Protection Taiwan offers a beacon of Administration (EPA), helped to environmental hope to other countries, establish a Marine Waste Management but it still has a long way to go. Platform with the specific purpose of phasing out single-use plastic products. EPA Minister Yang-Yuan Lee announced in the beginning of this year that there Pai Su-yu is an educator, author and will be a blanket ban by 2030, which ‘casual’ photographer, whose curiosity will lead to a significant reduction in for life keeps things interesting.
Congratulations to the Class of 2019!
TAIPEI AMERICAN SCHOOL www.tas.edu.tw
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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 9 2019/7/28 下午1:49 COMMUNITY Upcycling Lessons with TAO
TEXT: RYAN HEVERN IMAGES: TAO
e had the pleasure recently of visiting Tinkerseeds Children’s Workshop (創想種子 W美語) to teach the children there how to upcycle. What is upcycling?, you may ask. Well, upcycling is the action of taking something used or discarded, and giving it new purpose. You can upcycle wooden pallets to create furniture, or old clothing to become mats, rags, decorations, etc. There are plenty of ways to upcycle unwanted items for your home!
WHAT DID WE DO? Because we are constantly cleaning the beaches and forests in Taiwan, we thought it would be nice to put to use the plastic bottles we find around the island’s shorelines and forests. We taught the children how to upcycle plastic bottles into flower pots. Through the help of the school teachers, the children each brought a plastic bottle that had been used at home. Using those plastic bottles we taught them the process of how to plant a seed. First, we cut a hole in the bottle and filled it with soil. Then, the students poked holes into the earth with their fingers and dropped seeds in. Next they watered the seeds and showed off their children on the importance of nature, project. The students took the new environmental conservation, and flower vases home to water and record creative thinking. With over four the progress of the flowers. years’ experience We believe instilling a love and ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES living and leading care for nature and our environment If you or your school would like TAO adventures in in children is crucial. Without an to come by and teach the children Taiwan, Ryan is admiration and appreciation for our about the environment around them, a passionate adventurer, nature environment, there will be no one to how to protect it, and how to love it, photographer, and naturalist. protect it when its beauty and rights we offer many school outing options! are infringed upon. Please get in touch: contact@ Through both literally and figuratively taoutings.com planting seeds, we look to educate
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Father Moal: Source of Inspiration for Social Re-integration in Yuli
TEXT: KENNETH DICKSON IMAGES: KENNETH DICKSON AND PATRICE DELMOTTE SAINT ANDREW MISSION Saint Andrew Special Education ur Island Exhibition, featured in the May 2019 issue of Center in Yuli works with about fifty Centered on Taipei, was a recent art photo exhibition held by residents, many of whom need long the photography group Taiwan Exchange Photo Club (TEPC). term care for their specific disabilities. We organized the exhibition to raise funds to support the Located in Yuli, it forms the core of the Ocharitable work of Father Yves Moal in Yuli, Hualien County. mission with residential facilities, sorting On the weekend of June 29th~30th, participants from the TEPC exhibition areas, community areas, and a chapel. traveled to Yuli to witness for ourselves his life-sustaining work and hand When we arrived, residents were singing over the funds that we'd raised. Benoit Girardot, Patrice Delmotte, Patrick their hearts out in the large hall on the Drouet, Judy Chen (陳豐崒), and Kenneth Dickson all descended on the Karaoke machine. We were warmly Saint Andrew Special Education Center & Mission in Yuli to discover what greeted by them all, as was Father Moal, the mission is all about, and Moal's plans for the donations. There we were before they headed off for showers and warmly welcomed into the family by Moal, residents and volunteers alike dinner. for lunch, dinner, and a detailed tour of all the facilities. Father Moal has worked as a missionary for the people of Yuli for over YI FENG GARDEN CARE HOME forty years, focusing on helping the physically, mentally, and socially- Situated in Fuli Township nearby, this challenged residents of his community. His efforts to care for and help is a brand-new care facility designed to these members of society live meaningful lives have earned him nationwide meet the needs of the elderly members recognition in the form of a Presidential Culture Award and more recently, in his care. Moal has labored intensively Taiwanese citizenship. in creating Yi Feng Garden, so that the During our visit, Moal explained the scope of the programs. The work physically and mentally-challenged can has developed into a number of specific social action programs that find a home once they grow old and no address various community needs. They all share the common theme of longer have family members to care for re-integrating residents and workers into society. Patrice Delmotte, founder them. Over four years in construction, of TEPC, describes these social action programs as "not a source of income, the Care Home is now almost finished, but a place of re-integration and welcome." but much remains to be done before the facility receives its first residents.
Fr. Moal's new Care Facility in Fuli Group shot at the Anders Center with TV star.
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THE RECYCLING PLANT and fruit will all be grown in their own The Recycling Plant is the center composted material using no pesticides of Moal's efforts to improve Yuli's or other harmful chemicals. environment, create a reliable work Future plans include manufacturing environment, and generate additional natural composting material, expanding revenue for all the social action the range and quantity of vegetable programs. Many kinds of garbage are production, and rearing egg-laying collected from drop-off points around chickens. The composted materials, Yuli for transporting and sorting into vegetables, and high-protein eggs will saleable and recycleable containers at be primarily used for their own needs, the Center. Pre-loved items are available but the excess will be sold on to organic for resale in the Recycling Center's new farms, stores or restaurants in the local store, including clothes, books, and area. other household items. Yuli residents In short, Moal's mission is to build recycling facilities donate their unwanted goods here for a virtuous cycle in Yuli that reinforces this purpose. the importance of local actions for Bulk recycled materials are then sold the benefit of local people and the on to upstream recyclers. The Recycling local environment. In a throwaway Center is staffed by day-release single-use society, Moal's ambitions to patients from the neighboring Yuli bring people together through love for Veterans Hospital, recently released each other and for the Planet Earth are prisoners who are re-integrating back divinely inspired. into the community, and those who So the Our Island Exhibition is only might otherwise be homeless for a very small step in helping Moal's various reasons. social action programs. The important question for all participants, visitors ORGANIC FARMING and readers is, of course: How can we The Farm is the latest venture continue to help Father Moal so that in creating a sustainable and even more people can benefit from the environmentally friendly source of social and environmental goals of his fruits and vegetables. The vegetables work?
Organic farm panorama
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FATHER YVES MOAL
Father Yves Moal has worked as a missionary for the people of Yuli in southern Taiwan for over forty years. He was recently rewarded for his dedication and service with the Presidential Culture Award. He still serves his parish and residents in Yuli to this day. You can find his centers via the links below. Connect with St. Andrew community via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anders/ Website: http://www.hlandrew.bexweb.tw/
TEPC TAIWAN EXCHANGE PHOTO CLUB
A monthly meeting of photographers founded by Patrice Delmotte in Taipei that discusses a selection of photographs submitted by participants. It welcomes constructive criticism and advice on technique as well as art. Every two years, the group organizes an exhibition of the photographers' works to raise money for deserving charities and causes in Taiwan. OUR ISLAND EXHIBITION To find out more, join the group at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEPCpatrice/ OUR ISLAND Exhibition was a charity photo exhibition of work by photographers who love Taiwan. All profits are used to support the work of Father Moal's St. Andrew Foundation in Yuli. The Kenneth Dickson has been an active member of exhibition ran from May 11th to May 23rd, 2019 at several photography groups, including TEPC, for Jazz Image Gallery, 2F, 431 Bade Road, Section 2, the past couple of years. He loves Tamsui for its Taipei City. Purchases that support Father Moal's cooler evenings, warm evening golden hours, and work can still be made online at the website: http:// a gentler pace of life. It's a great place to discover www.tepc.club/. Taiwan with your camera!
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Aug 2019_p3-end.indd 14 2019/7/28 下午1:49 CULTURE Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Maybe a Hungry Ghost
TEXT: SUE BABCOCK IMAGES: WEB
t’s that time of the year, when WHAT DO YOU FEED A HUNGRY hungry ghosts once again make their GHOST? appearance in Taiwan. Each year, Hungry ghosts are said to have they leave the land of the dead and enormous stomachs, thin, reed-like Iwander the earth beginning on the necks and tiny mouths. No amount of first day of the seventh lunar calendar food is ever enough for them: no matter month for thirty days. This year’s Ghost how much they try to eat, they are Month and the Hungry Ghost Festival always hungry. This is why shopkeepers, will begin on Thursday, August 15th. business owners and neighborhoods set up special tables outside their WHO ARE THESE HUNGRY GHOSTS? establishments during Ghost Month and In Taoist tradition, it is thought that the Hungry Ghost Festival. They want the special category of hungry ghosts to ensure that these wandering hungry are the souls of individuals who have ghosts will have many delicious foods experienced an unpleasant or violent to choose from, and not be tempted to death, or who committed evil deeds bother the living. during their lifetime. Such deeds include Popular outside table settings for murder, stealing or sexual misconduct, hungry ghosts range from long banquet which Buddhists believe stem from tables, overflowing with elaborate the emotional underpinnings of greed, edible delicacies, to a single foldup table ignorance, anger and desire. Therefore, covered with simple foods. Among the hungry ghosts may be the spirits of offerings are some of Taiwan’s most people that always wanted more than delicious fruit (such as pineapples, they had when they were alive and guava, mangoes, bananas), a roasted never appreciated what others did for duck or chicken, popular snacks, them. So, their life in the afterlife will be vegetarian dishes of tofu, steamed the same, filled with discontent. vegetables, rice, or snacks, and small Many relatives lost patience with packets of juice, along with a six-pack or such people while they were alive, often two of Taiwan beer. disowning them. So, when the souls of these disinherited individuals are SPECIAL GHOST MONTH CUSTOMS annually released from the underworld Each outdoor table has a special for a month, they come back as incense pot, in which are placed unhappy, dissatisfied, hungry ghosts ignited sticks of burning incense after looking for fulfillment in the land of the prayers are offered for the souls of the living. wandering ghosts. Stacks of golden-
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colored paper money embossed with bid the ghosts a safe journey back vermillion Chinese characters are to the underworld. Since ghosts are burned in a special container. As the attracted to water, they will know that ashes from the paper money rise, it is it is time to leave the land of the living. thought that they will be transformed In several places around the island, into money for the afterlife bank such as Keelung, small lanterns in the accounts of departed souls, including shape of lotus flowers are lit, put onto those for hungry ghosts. paper boats and then gently placed In ancient China, ghosts or good into the water. As bystanders watch the brothers (the polite way to refer to all lanterns drift away, they are carefully ghosts) were taken seriously. Because watched. When a lantern’s candle is of this belief, many ghost-prevention extinguished, it is a sign that the ghost practices and taboos sprung up, and might follow you home. Don’t whistle following it has reached the other side have continued to the present day. or hang wind chimes near your home at safely. The living have secured peace Going swimming during ghost month this time of year. The musical sounds from the attentions of the hungry is a strong taboo. This is because of are a sweet-sounding invitation for ghosts for another year. the enormous need that water ghosts a ghost to find you. Hospitals and have for taking the souls of the living. operations are to be avoided. Hospitals There are zillions of Ghost Month are popular gathering places during stories about people that ignored this Ghost Month for ghosts waiting to take Suzan Babcock is a long- taboo, only to be found washed up a soul. time resident of Taiwan. somewhere or floating face down in a During her stay here, swimming pool. BIDDING HUNGRY GHOSTS she has managed four Another taboo is that a person FAREWELL successful careers in should not stay out too late at night, As Ghost Month and the Hungry education, cross-cultural relations and because of the number of wandering Ghost Festival draw to a close, people counseling, although being a mother ghosts and the possibility that one flock to harbors, rivers and lakes to has been her favorite.
Tel:8145-9007 Ext. 1115 E-mail: [email protected] www.taipeieuropeanschool.com www.facebook.com/taipeieuropeanschool
The Taipei European School consists of 1,700 students aged 3-19 from over 50 nations, and offers curricula from the U.K., Germany and France. Classes start from nursery level and continue all the French German British Primary British Secondary way through to our fully accredited International Baccalaureate High School Programme, with our Section Section Section & High School Section graduates continuing onward to top Universities across the world! For more information, please visit our website or contact the Admissions Office.
16 AUGUST 2019 www.communitycenter.org.tw