DOCSLIB.ORG

On TAIPEI GOING GREEN TAIWAN - AUGUST 2018 Vol

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
On TAIPEI GOING GREEN TAIWAN - AUGUST 2018 Vol Centered Vol. 18 | 10 AUGUST on TAIPEI 2018 TAIWAN - GOING GREEN A publication of the Community Services Center AUG 18 cover.indd 1 2018/7/25 下午9:43 AUG 18 cover.indd 2 2018/7/25 下午9:43 CONTENTS August 2018 volume 18 issue 10 CSC KIDDIES KORNER From the Editors 5 25 Places to Visit with Kids in Taipei (Part 1) 8 Center Gallery 6 Book Clubs: August 6 CSC Business Classified 30 ENVIRONMENT Do you love marathons? Consider a green one in the future 12 Taiwan National Clean Up Day: a Sweeping Success! 13 How going green can make you happy 15 Publisher Community Services Center, Taipei Editor Suzan Babcock CULTURE Co-editor Richard Saunders Ghost Month: A Holiday for Feeding Hungry Ghosts 17 Advertising Manager Naomi Kaly Magazine Email [email protected] Tel 02-2836-8134 Fax 02-2835-2530 COMMUNITY Community Services A Man and his Boat 18 Center Editorial Panel Siew Kang, Fred Voigtmann Living with the Heat in Summer: Top Tips to Survive & Thrive 22 Printed by Farn Mei Printing Co., Ltd. 1F, No. 102, Hou Kang Street, Shilin Expat Living 27 District, Taipei Tel: 02-2882-6748 Fax: 02-2882-6749 E-mail: [email protected] FOOD & DRINK Centered on Taipei is a publication of the Community Services Center, Three Idiots Toast & Curry 24 25, Lane 290, Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 6, Tianmu, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: 02-2836-8134 fax: 02-2835-2530 e-mail: [email protected] OUTLOOK When Someone You Know is Struggling 26 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! TRAVEL Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not Cloud Heart Falls 29 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/ www.communitycenter.org.tw AUGUST 2018 3 Aug 2018_p3-end.indd 3 2018/7/25 下午9:39 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 Gymnastics and Music Class Fun After School Enrichment Classes Go knowing Engaging Outdoor Playgrounds Mandarin Playgroups www.crownrelo.com/taiwan 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 4 AUGUST 2018 www.communitycenter.org.tw Aug 2018_p3-end.indd 4 2018/7/25 下午9:39 COVER IMAGE: Rice fields in Taiwan FROM Please send email submissions, comments, and feedback to [email protected]. THE For more information, please go to our website at EDITORS www.communitycenter.org.tw As another school year kicks off, welcome back to those who’ve been on holiday and for new arrivals to Taipei, a warm COT TEAM welcome from all of us at Centered on Taipei and the Community Services Center! Warm is a bit of a misnomer this time of year, as another Taipei summer is in full, sweltering flow, and even old hands in Taipei find it difficult to cope with at times. There are ways Suzan Babcock Richard Saunders Naomi Kaly KC to minimise the discomfort, though, and in this issue Kenneth Editor Co-editor Advertising Manager Graphic Designer Dickson gives us a rundown of ways to beat the heat. coteditor@ [email protected] naomi@communitycenter. graphicdesigntaipei. communitycenter.org.tw org.tw weebly.com With just another week or two before the kids go back to school, now’s the time to enjoy some quality family time together before the new school year begins. Taipei is a very child-friendly city, with, as Nick Kembel points out in his article this month, a wide variety of things to do and places to visit for families looking to keep their younger members amused. So Zee Dlamini Nomita Kavra Gupta Sydney Ko many, in fact, that the article in this issue is the first of a two-part Editorial intern Editorial intern Editorial intern piece. Nick will introduce another eleven ideas in September’s issue of Centered on Taipei. Apart from an obvious love of children, one thing newcomers WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS will soon realise about Taipei is that it’s an especially environ- Sue Babcock Joseph Reilly mentally-conscious city. In this issue, we’ve chosen the topic Maudie Brown Richard Saunders “going green,” and in these pages you’ll read about how Taipei Kenneth Dickson Julian Smith Emanuele Gelsi Shamistra Soysa citizens and expats alike are working to improve the island’s Leslie Grover Rosemary Susa environment. Christina Grunwuld Taiwan Adventure Outings (TAO) Surrounded by the ocean, Taiwan gets more than its fair Ryan Hevern Grace Ting Nick Kembel Three Idiots & Curry share of trash, much of it washing up on its 1,200 kilometers of Michelle Maude-Roxby coastline. Many locals and expats alike are, however, working Michael Mullahy to keep the island’s beautiful coast (and its enchanting inland landscapes too) trash-free, through regular cleanups. One such initiative is run by expats Ryan and Dustin of Taiwan Adventure Outings (TAO), and in this issue, Ryan reports on TAO’s second Pick COT up at: Uptown: Taiwan National Cleanup Day, during which a staggering four tons Community Services Center, No. 25, Lane 290, Sec. 6, of trash was cleared from a total of fourteen locations around Zhongshan North Rd. the island. It’s clear from the photos accompanying the National Sprout – No. 33, Sec. 7, Zhongshan North Rd. George Pai’s Beauty – No. 14, Tienmu East Rd. Cleanup Day, that the hundreds of participants in this year’s event had a good time and as Shamistra Soysa explains in her Downtown: Ooh Cha Cha – 207, Sec.2, Nanchang Rd. article this month, going green can actually make us happier! Sue and Richard Accountant Monica Cheng COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER Programs Manager Rosemary Susa Coffee Mornings Coordinator John Imbrogulio Cross-cultural Trainer Anne Jacquet 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 Shan Lee 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, Daniel Chan, John Imbrogulio, Director Adam McMillan Becca Kintzley, Anna Loose, Leslie McFarlane, John McQuade, Gloria Peng, Emmy Shih, Office Manager Grace Ting Hellen Soderberg Benefactors Counselors I-wen Chan, Katherine Chang, Hui-shiang Chao, Bai Win Antiques Jung Chin, Chiao-Feng Chung, Cerita Hsu, Carol Lee, European Chamber of Commerce Miranda Lin, Emilie Ma, Kuang-Shan Wan Grand Hyatt Taipei Premier Sponsors Consultants Wendy Evans and Michael Mullahy Concordia Consulting ICRT Counseling Admin. Joanne Chua San Fu Global www.communitycenter.org.tw AUGUST 2018 5 Aug 2018_p3-end.indd 5 2018/7/27 下午4:01 CSC A percentage of all proceeds of items sold at the Gallery will go AUGUST 2018 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. A JOINT EXHIBITION OF YOUNG TAIWAN ARTISTS SPONSORED BY BAI WIN ANTIQUES The Community Services Center is pleased to have on loan from Bai Win Antiques a unique joint exhibition of young Taiwan artists. YURIE’S ASSORTMENT OF SILK Please stop by the Center to view FLOWERS AND ACCESSORIES the paintings of Chen Ah-Kim, Yurie Asada meticulously selects all her Chen Shu-Hwa, Lee Fin-Lan, Tang silk flowers for her exquisite silk flower Shu-Hui and Wang Cheng-Chi. arrangements. She focuses on the concepts of “harmony” and seasonal flowers, which will complement any home or office interior. Accessory items include earrings, bracelets and necklaces for those seeking gifts for someone special. COFFEE GRINDERS AND POTS MADE FROM STAINLESS STEEL AND WOOD Enjoy your coffee the old fashioned way. Come to the Center and check out these lovely items for coffee brewing throughout August and September. Morning Book Club Selection One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. For meeting dates, times & location, contact Julie Hu at: [email protected] Evening Book Club Selection The Readers of the Broken Wheel Recommended by Katrina Bivald. For meeting dates, times & location, contact: [email protected] Taiwan is a perfect illustration of the saying that good things come in small packages. In comparison with more popular tourist destinations in the Far East, Taiwan is very modest in size, but despite its diminutive scale, the island has an astonishing amount to offer the curious explorer.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Muzha's Skyline Cable Car Muzha’S Skyline Cable Car a New Kind of Enjoyment to Tour Around Taipei by Iya Chen • Photos by Wang Neng-Yu
    OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Muzha's Skyline Cable Car Muzha’s Skyline Cable Car A new kind of enjoyment to tour around Taipei By Iya Chen • Photos by Wang Neng-yu hen Harry Potter first hopped on the train to Taipei City’s fi rst skyline cable car system Hogwarts, he couldn’t believe what he saw. With “It will be the fi rst skyline cable car system in Taipei City W the breath-taking landscapes whooshing before and the whole line, extending to 4.03 kilometers, will be his eyes, he stared at the magnifi cent views without blinking the longest in Taiwan,” said Chen Ya-huei (ౘฮᇊ), sub- and couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Taipei City has no magic, division chief of Taipei City Government’s Department of but soon will give all of us the same kind of experience. Transportation. The skyline cable car system, extending Travelers to Taipei City will be shuttling between the lush into the mountainous areas of Taipei City’s Muzha District, valleys and green mountains in little white jewelry boxes while has six intermediate terminals, with only four stops allowing taking a bird’s-eye view of Taipei City’s splendid landscape or passengers to hop in and out—Taipei Zoo, Inside Zoo, Zhinan being dazzled by the sparkling stars in the sky. Temple and Maokong. The Taipei Zoo Cable Car Station is These little white boxes are Taipei City’s new skyline cable about 500 meters away from the Taipei Zoo MRT Station and cars. is always considered by many travelers as the best starting point to launch their Cable Car Journey from.
    [Show full text]
  • 10 Reasons for Learning Chinese in Taiwan
    10 Reasons for Learning Chinese in Taiwan An Excellent A Perfect Place Environment for High Standard to Learn Chinese ͜ of Living ͙ Learning Chinese ͠ Mandarin Chinese is the official 35 Mandarin training centers Taiwan’s infrastructure is advanced, language of Taiwan. The most in Taiwan provide high quality and its law-enforcement and effective way to learn Mandarin teachers and facilities, a variety of transportation, communication, is to study traditional Chinese high quality courses for students of medical and public health systems characters in the modern, Mandarin all levels of proficiency, and small are excellent. In Taiwan, foreign speaking society of Taiwan. classes. Most importantly, outside students live and study in safety of class, you will be immersed in and comfort. Chinese language and culture. Don’t miss it! A Repository of Test of Chinese as a ͚ Chinese Culture Foreign Language ͡ (TOCFL) The National Palace Museum Available has a great collection of artifacts Scholarships ͝ The Test Of Chinese as a Foreign spanning the history of Chinese Language (TOCFL), is given to civilization. Taiwanese Opera and To encourage students from international students to assess Glove Puppetry, and aboriginal foreign countries to learn their Mandarin Chinese listening culture, add to the cultural Chinese, the government provides and reading comprehension. richness of Taiwan. Nowhere will two scholarships. In addition, See p.10-11 for more information international students find a better some Chinese learning centers place to experience and learn about provide scholarships. Chinese culture. See p.6-7 for more information Work While ͙͘ You Study Learn Complete, A Free and While learning Chinese in Taiwan, Traditional Chinese Democratic Society students may be able to work part- ͛ Characters ͞ time.
    [Show full text]
  • Phase Concept for Mudflow Based on the Influence of Viscosity
    Soils and Foundations 2013;53(1):77–90 The Japanese Geotechnical Society Soils and Foundations www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/sandf Phase concept for mudflow based on the influence of viscosity Shannon Hsien-Heng Leen, Budijanto Widjaja1 National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Department of Construction Engineering, No. 43 Keelung Road, Section 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan Received 22 November 2011; received in revised form 4 July 2012; accepted 1 September 2012 Available online 26 January 2013 Abstract The phase concept implies that the state of soil changes from plastic to viscous liquid as a function of water content. This principle could be used to interpret the behavior of mudflows, the most dangerous mass movements today. When Typhoon Jangmi hit northern Taiwan in 2008, a mudflow occurred in the Maokong area as a result of the high-intensity rainfall. This case was studied using three simulations, each with a different water content. Based on the mudflow classifications, the primary criteria used in this study were flow velocity and solid concentration by volume, while the major rheology parameters directly obtained from our new laboratory device, the flow box test, were yield stress and viscosity. The results show that the mass movement confirmed the aforementioned criteria for mudflow when the water content reaches or exceeds the liquid limit. The flow box test can determine the viscosity for both plastic and viscous liquid states, which is advantageous. Viscosity is important for explaining the general characteristics of mudflow movement because it controls flow velocity. Therefore, the present study successfully elucidates the changes in mudflow from its initiation to its transportation and deposition via a numerical simulation using laboratory rheology parameters.
    [Show full text]
  • 122630406898202.Pdf
    EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION Taipei, a City That Never Sleeps metropolis of international caliber, each year Taipei joins the great global celebration A of Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The joyful sounds and smells and sights of boisterous celebration fill the entire metropolis. As “Merry Christmas!” and “Happy New Year!” greetings resound, the distance between Taipei and the world noticeably shrinks. City nights sparkle with light, splendor, action, and vitality, greeting visitors from overseas with a warm Taiwan- style embrace, and inviting them to personally experience the wonderful, action-filled “City That Never Sleeps” (臺北夜未眠)! In this issue, we bring you to the city’s frontlines for fashion. We bring you “Taipei’s Manhattan” (臺北的曼哈頓), the Xinyi Commercial District, a grand bazaar home to upscale department stores, the massive exhibition halls of the Taipei World Trade Center, chic restaurants, sleek theaters, steamy nightspots, and many other examples of the international- caliber voguish vanguard. Here is a veritable pleasure vault of shopping and leisure- entertainment stimulation. Taipei 101 and the eslite Xinyi flagship bookstore, the largest bookstore in this country, are just two of the numerous iconic architectural sirens that draw you in with their magnetic allure. Within Taipei 101, you’ll find OTOP, a hall selling and displaying the finest of Taiwan’s regional handicraft and food items; here you will find the quintessential “flavors” of this land, a perfect place to pick up Taiwan mementoes and gift items. In this issue, we also prime you with details on the myriad Parade Carnival (遊行嘉年華) and New Year’s activities in December, both organized by the Taipei City Government.
    [Show full text]
  • Ryan Mcginness 100 Drawings for the Taipei Dangdai Paintings Drawing 1: Face Tattoo
    Ryan McGinness 100 Drawings for the Taipei Dangdai Paintings Drawing 1: Face Tattoo. Drawing 11: Handle of a Ritual Knife. The Atayal tribe is known for using facial tattooing and teeth filing in coming-of-age initiation rituals. The facial Bronze knives were a treasure of the Paiwan tribe. They were a sacred item and were representative of posi- tattoo, in Squliq Tayal, is called ptasan. Only those with tattoos could marry, and, after death, only those with tion and status and only to be displayed during the once-every-five-year ceremony. tattoos could cross the hongu utux, or spirit bridge (the rainbow) to the hereafter. For the female, tattooing is done on the cheek, typically from the ears across both cheeks to the lips forming a V shape. Drawing 12: Paiwan Comb. Flattish and decorative treatment in woodcarving allows an art style in which void spaces are filled in with Drawing 2: The Taiwan Grand Shrine. various designs. It was the highest ranking Japanese Shinto shrine in Taiwan during Japanese colonial rule. Among the 66 official- ly sanctioned Shinto shrines in Taiwan, the Taiwan Grand Shrine was one of the most important, and its eleva- Drawing 13: Heavenly Red Tangerine. tion was also the highest of the shrines. A sphere, about the size of a tennis ball with protruding spikes, that is thrown upward and caught with the body to inflict cuts in the skin. The object was used in bloody rituals in Taiwanese temples. Self-mutilation to Drawing 3: Spin Top. please the gods is considered an honor and a duty.
    [Show full text]
  • Local Information
    Local information Wikimania 2007 Taipei :: a Globe in Accord English • Deutsch • Français • Italiano • 荳袿ᣩ • Nederlands • Norsk (bokmål) • Português • Ο錮"(顔覓/ヮ翁) • Help translation Taipei is the capital of Republic of China, and is the largest city of Taiwan. It is the political, commercial, media, educational and pop cultural center of Taiwan. According to the ranking by Freedom House, Taiwan enjoys the most free government in Asia in 2006. Taiwan is rich in Chinese culture. The National Palace Museum in Taipei holds world's largest collection of Chinese artifacts, artworks and imperial archives. Because of these characteristics, many public institutions and private companies had set their headquarters in Taipei, making Taipei one of the most developed cities in Asia. Well developed in commercial, tourism and infrastructure, combined with a low consumers index, Taipei is a unique city of the world. You could find more information from the following three sections: Local Information Health, Regulations Main Units of General Weather safety, and Financial and Electricity Embassies Time Communications Page measurement Conversation Accessibility Customs Index 1. Weather - Local weather information. 2. Health and safety - Information regarding your health and safety◇where to find medical help. 3. Financial - Financial information like banks and ATMs. 4. Regulations and Customs - Regulations and customs information to help your trip. 5. Units of measurement - Units of measurement used by local people. 6. Electricity - Infromation regarding voltage. 7. Embassies - Information of embassies in Taiwan. 8. Time - Time zone, business hours, etc. 9. Communications - Information regarding making phone calls and get internet services. 10. General Conversation - General conversation tips. 1.
    [Show full text]
  • National Chengchi University Proposal for Ho-‐Chi-‐Min City
    National Chengchi University Proposal for Ho-Chi-Min City High School Students 2018 Summer Short-term Program July 5 – July 19, 2018 Office of International Cooperation (OIC) National Chengchi University Taipei, Taiwan January 11, 2018 Introduction National Chengchi University (NCCU) is located on a lush, spacious campus in the hills outside of Taipei. NCCU was founded in 1927 in Nanjing by President General Chiang Kai-Shek to cultivate political leadership and a strong civil service to modernize and govern China. The Chinese Civil War forced several relocations before being re-established in Taipei, Taiwan in 1954. Over the past 90 years, NCCU has developed a strong reputation for excellence in the Humanities and Social Sciences, and is currently also renowned as a center for research and instruction in Business Management and International Relations. The university also boasts Taiwan’s leading departments in Asia Pacific Studies and Mass Media & Communications. In Social and Political Sciences, NCCU is a peer of the Science Po (Paris Institute of Political Studies), France and the London School of Economics (LSE). NCCU alumni include 230 Republic Of China ambassadors, and two former faculty members have become Taiwan’s president. The University’s College of Foreign Languages & Literature offers advanced instruction in 26 world languages, and three outstanding research centers focusing on China, Taiwan, and international relations engage in path-breaking research. NCCU seeks to cultivate in its students the qualities of leadership, cultural and legal literacy, altruism, and international vision. Students learn to understand and embrace a range of cultures and values. Following university’s motto, “Fraternity, Devotion, and Sincerity,” NCCU students and faculty strive to serve society, facilitate national development, and enhance human well-being.
    [Show full text]
  • Creative Taipei
    Old Buildings, New Cultural & Creative Arts Market Browsing and Handcrafting! Oct. – Dec. 2016 No.5 Creative Markets Nostalgia Antiques Theme Streets Taipei Visitor Information Centers Taipei Main Station Add: 3, Beiping W. Rd., Taipei City (southwest area of Main Hall on 1F) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2312-3256 Songshan Airport Add: 340-10, Dunhua N. Rd., Taipei City (Arrival Hall, Terminal 2) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2546-4741 MRT Taipei 101 / World Trade Center Add: B1, 20, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Taipei City (near Exit No. 5) Station Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2758-6593 MRT Ximen Station Add: B1, 32-1, Baoqing Rd., Taipei City (near Exit No. 5) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2375-3096 MRT Jiantan Station Add: 65, Sec. 5, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City (near Exit No. 1) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2883-0313 MRT Beitou Station Add: 1, Guangming Rd., Taipei City (left side of station entrance) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2894-6923 Miramar Entertainment Add: 20, Jingye 3rd Rd., Taipei City (in rear of fountain plaza, 1F) Park Visitor Center Tel: (02) 8501-2762 Add: 6, Zhongshan Rd., Taipei City (near the Beitou Garden Spa) Plum Garden Visitor Center Tel: (02) 2897-2647 Maokong Gondola Maokong Add: 35, Ln. 38, Sec. 3, Zhinan Rd., Taipei City (near exit of Maokong Station) Station Visitor Center Tel: (02) 2937-8563 Add: 44, Sec. 1, Dihua St., Taipei City (inside URS44 Dadaocheng Story House) Dadaocheng Visitor Center Tel: (02) 2559-6802 Creative Taipei - Beautiful Living Mobile Visitor Information Service Service Starting On-Site Time Service Starting On-Site Time Hours Point Guide (10 min.) Hours Point Guide (10 min.) 11:00- Exit 1, MRT Shilin Official 11:00- Exit 5, MRT Taipei 101/ 13:00 Taipei's diversity and beauty is part of its citizens' everyday lives.
    [Show full text]
  • 3. Study Chinese in Beautiful Taiwan
    TABLE OF CONTENTS 02 10 Reasons for Learning Chinese in Taiwan 04 Getting to Know Taiwan 06 More about Taiwan History Climate Geography Culture Ni Hao Cuisine 08 Applying to Learn Chinese in Taiwan Step-by-Step Procedures 09 Scholarships 10 Living in Taiwan Accommodations Services Work Transportation 12 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) Organisation Introduction Test Introduction Target Test Taker Test Content Test Format Purpose of the TOCFL TOCFL Test Overseas Contact SC-TOP 14 Chinese Learning Centers in Taiwan - North 34 Chinese Learning Centers in Taiwan - Central 41 Chinese Learning Centers in Taiwan - South 53 Chinese Learning Centers in Taiwan - East 54 International Students in Taiwan 56 Courses at Chinese Learning Centers 60 Useful Links 學 8. High Standard of Living 華 10 REASONS FOR Taiwan’s infrastructure is advanced, and its law-enforcement and transportation, communication, medical and public health systems are 語 LEARNING CHINESE excellent. In Taiwan, foreign students live and study in safety and comfort. 9. Test of Chinese as Foreign IN TAIWAN Language (TOCFL) The Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL), is given to international students to assess their Mandarin Chinese listening 1. A Perfect Place to Learn Chinese and reading comprehension. See p.12-13 for more information） Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Taiwan. The most effective way to learn Mandarin is to study traditional Chinese characters in the modern, Mandarin speaking society of Taiwan. 10. Work While You Study While learning Chinese in Taiwan, students may be able to work part-time. Students will gain experience and a sense of accomplishment LEARNING CHINESE IN TAIWAN 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Office Buildings Converted Into Hotels Taipei Q2 2015
    DTZ Research PROPERTY TIMES Office buildings converted into hotels Taipei Q2 2015 This quarter, grade A office rental remained stable in most projects, but new buildings nudged the citywide average rent up to NT$2,490 (US$83) per ping per month. The completion of Union Recreation Building raised the vacancy rate by 0.9 17 July 2015 percentage points to 9.8%. Due to strong demand from tourism, many old office buildings are being converted into hotels. Contents In the industrial sector, because of limited new supply and easy access by public Economic overview 2 transport, vacancy rate in the Xihu Section held steady at a low level. Tenants Office 3 requiring large areas or whole buildings for headquarters purposes had to search in Wende and Jiuzhong sections. Rental is expected to continue to rise in Xihu Retail 4 Section, but will remain flat in Wende and Jiuzhong. Industrial 5 The outflows of real estate investment by insurance companies and property tax Investment 6 reforms kept the market on edge. The investment volume in Q2, excluding land transactions, had a steep dip to the third lowest point since the financial crisis of 2008. The market slowdown is expected to have an impact on the already low transaction volume later this year. Figure 1 DTZ office index (2006 – 2016F) Author 250 Wendy Hsueh 200 Head of Taipei Research +886 2 8788 3288 150 [email protected] 100 Contacts 50 Andrew Ness 2015F 0 2016F 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 2006 2011 2014 Head of Greater China Research +852 2507 0779 [email protected] Office Rent Index Office Price Index F=Forecast Fergus Hicks Source: DTZ Research Global Head of Forecasting +44 (0)20 3296 2307 [email protected] www.dtz.com Property Times 1 Taipei Q2 2015 Economic overview Table 1 Taiwan's GDP in Q1 2015 increased by 3.37% year-on-year (y- Economic indicators o-y) to NT$4,131.39 billion (US$130.8bn) (Table 1).
    [Show full text]
  • Midsummer Taipei – Cool Mountain & Water Touring
    Jul. - Sep., 2016 No.4 Taipei Visitor Information Centers Taipei Main Station Add: 3, Beiping W. Rd., Taipei City (southwest area of Main Hall on 1F) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2312-3256 Songshan Airport Add: 340-10, Dunhua N. Rd., Taipei City (Arrival Hall, Terminal 2) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2546-4741 MRT Taipei 101 / World Trade Center Add: B1, 20, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Taipei City (near Exit No. 5) Station Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2758-6593 MRT Ximen Station Add: B1, 32-1, Baoqing Rd., Taipei City (near Exit No. 5) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2375-3096 MRT Jiantan Station Add: 65, Sec. 5, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City (near Exit No. 1) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2883-0313 MRT Beitou Station Add: 1, Guangming Rd., Taipei City (left side of station entrance) Visitor Information Center Tel: (02) 2894-6923 Miramar Entertainment Add: 20, Jingye 3rd Rd., Taipei City (in rear of fountain plaza, 1F) Park Visitor Center Tel: (02) 8501-2762 Add: 6, Zhongshan Rd., Taipei City (near the Beitou Garden Spa) Plum Garden Visitor Center Tel: (02) 2897-2647 Maokong Gondola Maokong Add: 35, Ln. 38, Sec. 3, Zhinan Rd., Taipei City (near exit of Maokong Station) Midsummer Taipei Station Visitor Center Tel: (02) 2937-8563 Add: 44, Sec. 1, Dihua St., Taipei City (inside URS44 Dadaocheng Story House) – Dadaocheng Visitor Center Cool Mountain & Water Touring Tel: (02) 2559-6802 Travel Information Services On July's blazing days, everyone gets busy looking for ways to beat the heat. Fortunately, Taipei Citizen Hotline: (Outside Taipei City, please dial ) 1999 02-2720-8889 Taipei offers many spots for visitors to cool down and experience the "refreshing" side of Taipei Travel Net: travel.taipei, Presents travel information on Taipei City in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and city living.
    [Show full text]
  • Asian Cities Report Taiwan Retail 1H 2015
    Savills World Research1H 2015 Taiwan Asian Cities Report Taiwan Retail 1H 2015 savills.com.hk/research savills.com.hk/research 01 Asian Cities Report | Taiwan Retail GRAPH 1 Retail sales F&B Retail sales growth rate by sector, 2009– The steady recovery of the Taiwanese The increase in food and beverage 2014 economy in 2014 resulted in an (F&B) revenue is another strategy for increase in retail sales of 3.9% department stores to improve sales. Department stores Supermarkets Convenience stores Hypermarkets year-on-year (YoY), especially in car According to the latest MasterCard 10% sales. Total car sales in 2014 reached survey, the average Taiwanese 9% 400,000 units, rising 12% YoY. One- consumer spends NT$5,280 per 8% third of these were imported vehicles. month on dining out, an increase of 7% It is believed that the growing trend 6% YoY, ranking them fi fth for this 6% in car sales will continue in 2015. It spend in Asia Pacifi c. They prefer to 5% is noteworthy that since 2013, luxury eat in food courts or restaurants in 4% and sports car brands have been department stores, with 86% of them 3% expanding aggressively. Instead of having done so in the past six months, 2% setting up shop in the city centre, particularly as food safety problems sports car brands such as Lotus, 1% cause a lot of concern in Taiwan. As Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche, illustrations of this trend, F&B sales in 0% 09 10 11 12 13 14 have preferred to set up showrooms ShinKong Mitsukoshi grew by 20% in science parks to target tech in 2014 and the proportion of sales Source: Ministry of Economic Affairs, Savills Research & Consultancy millionaires and young entrepreneurs.
    [Show full text]