Today I woke up in my warm bed in Penghu to the pitter patter of Taiwan’s infamous drenching rains. I should have known right then that the day would be off to a shaky start. The rain forced us to abandon our original plans as we made our way to the main island of MaGu from JiBei, the island where we were staying. On the larger island, we visited the PengHu Living Museum where we learned more about the people and past of PengHu. Incredibly modern, the Museum greeted visitors with pictures of the various faces of PengHu both young and old. Also included in the Museum was a small replica of an older PengHu village where it was great to see the older architecture of the time as well as its layout. It was also great to see a model replica of PengHu’s famous rock/coral fishing traps where fish are herded into enclosed areas near the shore where they can’t escape and fisherman can catch them with nets. Soon after, we boarded a plane for Taipei City where we saw some spectacular views of Taiwan at night from the sky in the company of some amazing people.
Daniel Chu
2010-07-30
2010-07-29
Motorycycling
Today, after group performance practice, some of us went to Gong Guan and then Le Hua Night Market when we realized all the Gong Guan was closed by eleven. The highlight of this night market trip would be riding on the back of Lev's motorcycle!! I was really sad when riding motorcycles didn't work out back at Penghu even though I was scared out of my wits to try it with a poor bicycle riding background.
Anyway, riding was really fun even though Lev got lost on the way for what he claims was the first time in his life.
The great part happened, however, on the way back. We pulled up to a stop light after I had just declared myself a motorcycle riding pro when a guy on another motorcycle pulls up next to us & taps Lev on the shoulder and asks "這是你的嗎? (Is this yours?)" Lev had just lost his phone and he was like uhhhh no BUT IT WAS MIIINE! I was in mini-shock and was like "Wahhh 真的是我的 (It's really mine)" and after quickly handing off the phone, he rode off to the left leaving Lev & me in the darkness silenced... YES IT WAS THAT COOL.
Also, motorcycles aren't allowed to turn left in Taiwan. HE TURNED LEFT SO GOOD. HAO SUAI.
I didn't even know I'd dropped my phone though I remember hearing something hit the floor and then seeing something fly back but I checked for my wristlet & in finding it in place, thought nothing of it. Lev also heard it & thought even less of it. But this dude ust pulled up, dropped a line, returned a phone, and drove off without a token of our gratitude. Dude I didnt know I was missing my phone, I have the luckiest life everrrr.
Anyway, riding was really fun even though Lev got lost on the way for what he claims was the first time in his life.
The great part happened, however, on the way back. We pulled up to a stop light after I had just declared myself a motorcycle riding pro when a guy on another motorcycle pulls up next to us & taps Lev on the shoulder and asks "這是你的嗎? (Is this yours?)" Lev had just lost his phone and he was like uhhhh no BUT IT WAS MIIINE! I was in mini-shock and was like "Wahhh 真的是我的 (It's really mine)" and after quickly handing off the phone, he rode off to the left leaving Lev & me in the darkness silenced... YES IT WAS THAT COOL.
Also, motorcycles aren't allowed to turn left in Taiwan. HE TURNED LEFT SO GOOD. HAO SUAI.
I didn't even know I'd dropped my phone though I remember hearing something hit the floor and then seeing something fly back but I checked for my wristlet & in finding it in place, thought nothing of it. Lev also heard it & thought even less of it. But this dude ust pulled up, dropped a line, returned a phone, and drove off without a token of our gratitude. Dude I didnt know I was missing my phone, I have the luckiest life everrrr.
2010-07-28
I'm not supposed to blog today BUT Lev came into my room a little bit ago and brought a baby chocolate cake and I happened to be on the blog and so he said I should blog and the least I can do when people bring me food is return a blog post.
So Taiwan culture has been intensifying in the area of mosquitoes. At last count, I had eighteen new mosquito bites today and I know I wasn't alone. However, we got some swords made out of popcorn stalks. I think.
The Hakka dinner we had tonight reminded me of the typical dinner I usually have when I come to Taiwan since my dad is Hakkanese. What I had thought was typical Taiwanese food turns out to be Hakkanese food. Fascinating.
Okay, I'm sorry I have nothing of interest to post. But I am surprised our trip is coming up so quickly to the end. I'm really tired and full of chocolate cake and will peace out for now.
So Taiwan culture has been intensifying in the area of mosquitoes. At last count, I had eighteen new mosquito bites today and I know I wasn't alone. However, we got some swords made out of popcorn stalks. I think.
The Hakka dinner we had tonight reminded me of the typical dinner I usually have when I come to Taiwan since my dad is Hakkanese. What I had thought was typical Taiwanese food turns out to be Hakkanese food. Fascinating.
Okay, I'm sorry I have nothing of interest to post. But I am surprised our trip is coming up so quickly to the end. I'm really tired and full of chocolate cake and will peace out for now.
After the inspiring speech from Stanly Yan, and the hotel with strange pole (which similar to college dorm- the green tile floor (= =”)….finally, I got one day to get rid of my dark circle @_@!!! Which was also the day Simon found out his “lovely” aboriginal Taiwanese girl. The National Museum of Prehistory was little disappointing, cuz the guide didn’t give the answer how people should react if they got bite by snake. ~”~
Way to get away from snake in Taiwan
1. You should have a umbrella or stick on your hand
2. Use your stick searching ground, let snake notice human is there
But if you get bite by snake than~~~????
Please give me an answer!!!!!!
The Glazed beads making was also different from what I expected. I saw how people made glazed bead in YiLan DIY center. However, I love sleeping hour during the long drive in Nan Hui Gong Lu except that I hit my head sosososooso hard on the window more than 5 times. I was so glad that no one saw me hit the window and the bruises.
A memorable thing in 7/25 is the girl night in our room; we had small birthday party for Kristine with little cute pudding cake. J Lo got his hot pink nail polish at that night.
July 28, 2010
Today, we went to visit the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan. I have learned that after more than thirty years of hard work, ITRI’s tra
dition of excellence in industrial research is entering a new stage of technological innovation and radical change. In the past, ITRI has attentively pursued the global industrial t
echnology current, learning and absorbing the worldwide standards. However, as consumer and business demands become more fluid and dynamic, ITRI aims to tackle the dem
ands by spearheading original and innovative industrial research, transfer of technology, and product developments, thereby proliferating domestic and international industries. Therefore, ITRI has three core objectives: “Industrial Technology Research”, “Method and Kn
owledge Transfer”, and “Derived Value-Added Methods”.
It is such a pleasur
e that we get to go and check at this place and the products that they made. I get to see so many amazing technologies that can help us lessen our expenses on electricity and some medical equipments that can help us easily gets the results. It actually made me realize and inspired me on getting to know much more about the coming up technologies.
Afterwards, I had a great experience making mochi and grinding the tea at Hakka Tea House. I love drinking the tea that we made this afternoon (it’s like a black sesame with a bit taste of green tea) and of course the mochi. I have this thing that I have to eat mochi everytime I come here to Taiwan. We don’t have great mochi taste back home. I was so excited and contented with the feeling of doing it (except that the place is full of wo
rms which I really ha
te it so much). I can see that everyone enjoyed making the mochi especially the first step which is grinding the sticky rice (If that’s what it is called J ) until it went totally they call it QQ so that the mochi will be perfect. It was ti
ring really. But after knowing that you made a great mochi just felt everything is worth it!!
I will be posting some amazing pictures from todays activities..
2010-07-27
OCAC 26 Jul 2010 | Simon Chen
OCAC 26 Jul 2010 | Simon Chen
After hearing many things about Penghu from uncles and aunties before attending this trip, I was well warned about the weather, specifically the blaring sun, at this time of the year. Despite the thick layer of sticky sun-screen I put on on the day, I became more worried about the boat cruise over the Taiwan Strait because of the circulating horror stories of people throwing up from sea sick. But with many pills, the group got there without upsetting their stomachs.
When arrived we were shown through a series of displays showcasing the unique styles of fishing adopted by the Penghu-ians. Using stones stacked in a certain way to trap marine animals - SMART! They call it - 澎湖吉貝石滬. How come I never thought of that? It's so obvious ^^ ... But to be honest, when we first arrived at the island the combination of the video presentation and air-con (or AC, as some of you call it) really put me to sleep. It wasn't until we got out into the water that I finally woke up and became to appreciate the scenery that I was immersed in, quite literally. I walked on the mass plane of shallow waters, finding ever-so -wonderful marine wildlife - some beautiful while others quite the opposite (most of you would agree that I'm referring to the sea cucumbers that squirt out water when you squeeze them, ha funny stuff), and mesmerised by the technique adopted by the Penghu-ians to catch fishes with their nets, not to mention the colossal scale of the 石滬.
Climbing and walking on the 石滬 was quite a mission. But it was worth the effort after reaching the fish-trap point where many fishes were pulled out of the nets. Gotta loved the Puffer Fish! So all in all, great experience! And it also made me realised how brilliant our ancestors are at making such a simple act of gather food into a breathtaking piece of art.
After hearing many things about Penghu from uncles and aunties before attending this trip, I was well warned about the weather, specifically the blaring sun, at this time of the year. Despite the thick layer of sticky sun-screen I put on on the day, I became more worried about the boat cruise over the Taiwan Strait because of the circulating horror stories of people throwing up from sea sick. But with many pills, the group got there without upsetting their stomachs.
When arrived we were shown through a series of displays showcasing the unique styles of fishing adopted by the Penghu-ians. Using stones stacked in a certain way to trap marine animals - SMART! They call it - 澎湖吉貝石滬. How come I never thought of that? It's so obvious ^^ ... But to be honest, when we first arrived at the island the combination of the video presentation and air-con (or AC, as some of you call it) really put me to sleep. It wasn't until we got out into the water that I finally woke up and became to appreciate the scenery that I was immersed in, quite literally. I walked on the mass plane of shallow waters, finding ever-so -wonderful marine wildlife - some beautiful while others quite the opposite (most of you would agree that I'm referring to the sea cucumbers that squirt out water when you squeeze them, ha funny stuff), and mesmerised by the technique adopted by the Penghu-ians to catch fishes with their nets, not to mention the colossal scale of the 石滬.
Climbing and walking on the 石滬 was quite a mission. But it was worth the effort after reaching the fish-trap point where many fishes were pulled out of the nets. Gotta loved the Puffer Fish! So all in all, great experience! And it also made me realised how brilliant our ancestors are at making such a simple act of gather food into a breathtaking piece of art.
Fritz's Group - 27th July 2010
Person A : Hi Five!
(Person B Reaches out his hand)
(Just as B is going to high-five Person A’s hand)
Person A : Squid! (and draws his hand back like a squid moving in the water)
(Made up by Eric and David)
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My day started at 12:00am.
I stood alone on the balcony and checked out the night scenery. It was spectacular! While watching the lights across the ocean, breezes caressed my cheeks. I felt refreshed. The wind kept blowing. I stood there, looking at tiny sparkles clumped together as if they’re scared to get lost or left behind.
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吉貝海灣、
馬公夜景、
放鬆心情、
順風而行。
吉貝海灣、
星星月亮、
凝聽海浪、
無暇「抬槓」。
吉貝海灣、
滿腦回憶、
遍地月光、
我
不再哭泣。
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Oh and happy birthday to my brother, Bryan! He’s 15 now :o)
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Nostalgia
这几天我受到了 counselors 喜欢说的: feel.
There were two moments:
1st Learning a sequence of movements from a master of 詠春 (Wing Chun) was amazing. It reminded me of the days when I used to practice Taekwondo and later on Hapkido. Martial arts is really an art, it demands so much control over your own body plus the discipline. The beauty of the movements added to the physical conditioning that this kind of sport gives you makes me consider getting back in the tatami...
Interesting fact about 詠春, its popularity is growing more than ever. People are even flying to Hong Kong to learn from the masters. All due to recent movies released about Bruce Lee's master, Ip Man and Ip Man 2.
2nd As Tiffany said: "Nature always wins." Penghu has won a part of my heart. Walking for the first time between coral reef and catching sea creatures with my own bare hands is practically a miracle in our urbanized life.
Memories of my childhood flashes back... going to the beach with my family and friends... and just being mind blown on how marvelous nature is. I also feel like sharing part of a song that my friends from Shanghai and I enjoy singing:
Over the mountains and the sea,
Your river runs with love for me,
and I will open up my heart
and let the Healer set me free.
I'm happy to be in the truth,
and I will daily lift my hands:
for I will always sing of when
Your love came down.
I could sing of Your love forever.
Yeh!
p.s. - pictures coming up soon.
There were two moments:
1st Learning a sequence of movements from a master of 詠春 (Wing Chun) was amazing. It reminded me of the days when I used to practice Taekwondo and later on Hapkido. Martial arts is really an art, it demands so much control over your own body plus the discipline. The beauty of the movements added to the physical conditioning that this kind of sport gives you makes me consider getting back in the tatami...
Interesting fact about 詠春, its popularity is growing more than ever. People are even flying to Hong Kong to learn from the masters. All due to recent movies released about Bruce Lee's master, Ip Man and Ip Man 2.
2nd As Tiffany said: "Nature always wins." Penghu has won a part of my heart. Walking for the first time between coral reef and catching sea creatures with my own bare hands is practically a miracle in our urbanized life.
Memories of my childhood flashes back... going to the beach with my family and friends... and just being mind blown on how marvelous nature is. I also feel like sharing part of a song that my friends from Shanghai and I enjoy singing:
Over the mountains and the sea,
Your river runs with love for me,
and I will open up my heart
and let the Healer set me free.
I'm happy to be in the truth,
and I will daily lift my hands:
for I will always sing of when
Your love came down.
I could sing of Your love forever.
Yeh!
p.s. - pictures coming up soon.
Culture everywhere ! (Tainan, with some days late)
We were at Tainan for 2 days, seeking for culture. The last day I went with Ji An (吉安) interviewing the director of an old style theater. A man really simple, who tries to share his passion for movies and for the old theaters. The way he talk about serving the customer first more than making great money, and the way he's doing everything according to that, is really touching.
Now let's play a little game. I found that sorting my photos of Tainan... try to find out where I took them ! ^^
1) A little step forward, a great step for civilization.
Now let's play a little game. I found that sorting my photos of Tainan... try to find out where I took them ! ^^
1) A little step forward, a great step for civilization.
2) Keep the environment clean, raise the life quality
3) Small paper, great satisfaction.
ANSWERS in a few days ^^
Penghu (Connie from Hedy's group)
We’ve just gotten back to Taipei from two days in Penghu – at least in my opinion, one of the most interesting and memorable places so far on this trip. Although it rained hard on our second day here, I think the island had lots of new experiences to offer, particularly at the stone weir. Having never seen a fishnet in live action before, I enjoyed seeing the fishermen up close in their everyday activities and became able to appreciate their hard work and detailed knowledge of the waters. It was fun to wade through the waters and find different sea creatures. The barbeque was also a new experience in that we learned how to bbq different types of seafood (sometimes after making some embarrassing mistakes), plus most of it was quite delicious. By the end of our time in Penghu though, I was getting pretty tired of the unending amounts of seafood.
Another thing that struck me about Penghu was the scenery and atmosphere of the ocean at night (it wasn’t very pretty during the day due to the cloudy weather). My room happened to be right at a second-floor balcony, so I was able to enjoy the view and sounds of the ocean – one of the most peaceful sensations ever.
The second day was less exciting due to the unusual amount of pouring rain, but we were still able to visit a museum and a store of Penghu seafood specialties. Not as much fun, but still a good opportunity to learn more about the culture and products of Penghu.
Another thing that struck me about Penghu was the scenery and atmosphere of the ocean at night (it wasn’t very pretty during the day due to the cloudy weather). My room happened to be right at a second-floor balcony, so I was able to enjoy the view and sounds of the ocean – one of the most peaceful sensations ever.
The second day was less exciting due to the unusual amount of pouring rain, but we were still able to visit a museum and a store of Penghu seafood specialties. Not as much fun, but still a good opportunity to learn more about the culture and products of Penghu.
Penghu Welcomes you
Row row, row your boat, gently down the ocean, eventually we will end up in Penghu. Today, we took a not so bouncy boat ride to Central Penghu for some delicious traditional cuisine in a very old fashioned house. One thing unique about Penghu would be the fact that all the street signs were shaped like dolphins.
After lunch, we had to take another 10 minute boat ride to get to our final destination, Jibei Island. When we arrived, we went straight to their local museum, which was conveniently located at the docks. The museum showcased their old fishing styles, stony fishery trap, and it also included much information about the different fishes that can be found deep under the ocean.
However, the highlight of the day would be when we got to walk in the ocean to go to the stony trap set up in the ocean. The walk to the trap was one heck of a task due to all the pointy corals on the ground; many of us got injured due to the corals and the slipperiness, but all in all, it was all worth it.
After lunch, we had to take another 10 minute boat ride to get to our final destination, Jibei Island. When we arrived, we went straight to their local museum, which was conveniently located at the docks. The museum showcased their old fishing styles, stony fishery trap, and it also included much information about the different fishes that can be found deep under the ocean.
However, the highlight of the day would be when we got to walk in the ocean to go to the stony trap set up in the ocean. The walk to the trap was one heck of a task due to all the pointy corals on the ground; many of us got injured due to the corals and the slipperiness, but all in all, it was all worth it.
Peng Hu Day One
Today, we went to the islands of Peng Hu. We took a large boat to the main island and then proceeded to take a smaller faster boat to the island in which we were staying. Once we reached our destination, we quickly unpacked and visited the beach, and saw the rock fish traps. In fact, we got to participate in fishing. The following are some images from that beach.
Here is a video of the seafood dinner we had that night.
-James Hwang
2010-07-26
這一路
（Posted by HEDY 雙雙）
＝風花雪月請入內 流金歲月勿浪費＝
當我站在這裡的時候
我想，原來我不用四處奔波
去尋找足夠讓我活在當下的氛圍
當我遇見你們的時候
我想，原來我不用周遊19國
我在這裡等待，等待你們來遇見我 與 真台灣
日本茶道的『一期一會』
說的就是像我們這群從遠方而來的旅人們
不知何時還能再相遇、再舉杯
於是，主人都會用心的砌好每一壺茶
像我，每天都珍惜著即使已成為Routine小事
我珍惜著捕捉大家打拳跌倒的那個瞬間
我珍惜著開會打屁的時間
我珍惜著在夜市排隊買好料給大家吃的時間
我珍惜著Kristine出來抽菸抬槓的時間
我珍惜著早上與Kevin擁抱的時間
我珍惜聽見Lev說"耶"的時間
我珍惜著聽見J'Lo變成周杰倫的時間
我珍惜吶喊"乾杯"、"大家請往前"、"過馬路小心車"的時間
（唯一不能珍惜的只有睡覺的時間，哭哭）
因為這些我想要在這趟旅程珍惜的時間，會在我們嘻笑吵鬧的過程中靜靜的流逝
人生與奉茶的過程
我們行腳奔波、我們日曬雨淋
然後我們等待、我們靜心
我們再繼續展開可能只有這麼一次機會的旅程。
Hugs. =]
2010-07-25
Martial Arts... HOO HAH
Fun fact from the scavenger hunt that our groups did today: Chin Men Theatre is what inspired Ang Lee to become a director, which led to the production of marvelous movies that we have all watched and love today... "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Brokeback Mountain", "Sense and Sensibility", and the first version of "The Hulk". It was really interesting to take a mini tour of the theatre and imagine how such a site could have had a significant influence on an individual, who would eventually one day create well-known films that would spread from Taiwan to all over the world. Plus, it was fun getting some snapshots with the life-size cardboard cut-out of Ang Lee as well.
A little after the scavenger hunt and each group's presentation on what we saw and learned--shout out to our group (Fritz's group) for having the best presentation!!--we got the opportunity to experience a martial arts lesson. Although it was a tiny bit hot and sweaty in the gym (understatement of the year), everyone had great spirits and really enjoyed learning the different moves that made up the routine we were taught. There were about 30 moves, and we all did such a great job thanks to the teachers and the many, many repetitions we went through for each move. Not only did we learn the routine, but we also extracted lessons of precision and concentration.
Dripping with sweat, clothes soaked to the skin, we all proudly and confidently completed the martial arts routine one last time. And then rushed to the fans and collapsed on the floor. Soon after, the teachers went through the routine again, demonstrating how practical all the moves were as defense mechanisms. I don't think anyone is going to want to mess with any of us :) All in all, it was a great Taiwanese experience!
A little after the scavenger hunt and each group's presentation on what we saw and learned--shout out to our group (Fritz's group) for having the best presentation!!--we got the opportunity to experience a martial arts lesson. Although it was a tiny bit hot and sweaty in the gym (understatement of the year), everyone had great spirits and really enjoyed learning the different moves that made up the routine we were taught. There were about 30 moves, and we all did such a great job thanks to the teachers and the many, many repetitions we went through for each move. Not only did we learn the routine, but we also extracted lessons of precision and concentration.
Dripping with sweat, clothes soaked to the skin, we all proudly and confidently completed the martial arts routine one last time. And then rushed to the fans and collapsed on the floor. Soon after, the teachers went through the routine again, demonstrating how practical all the moves were as defense mechanisms. I don't think anyone is going to want to mess with any of us :) All in all, it was a great Taiwanese experience!
YAYAY CLOTHES FOUND!
Tiffany Hwang
Hedy
Aden had my cloooothes and I missed them so much and my life just got 92730424x better for the fact that my clothes have been located. I most missed my cool new yellow robot shirt from Yilan. However, they are now being washed and I am re-nervous that they are going to get lost again… crossing my fingers.
There’s very little to do around Tainan where we are. Headed to the Chin Men Theatre and the guy who showed us around was so kind. He gifted us little chunks of the old collapsed roof with identifying plaques attached, postcards, and a free movie. However, I don’t like seeing movies in theatre so I left to see what was around. Upon realizing that was nothing, I headed back to the hotel under the direction of a lady at the theatre. Took me like thirty minutes and a few repetitive walks up and down a few streets, but I made it hoooome.
Apparently, 珍珠 means the little baby tapioca balls in Tainan while it means the larger pearls in.. everywhere else. Unpleasant surprise of the day.
I have 92370 unanswered questions about the Chinese language. I’ve asked 2775293 random people these questions for their opinions but I’m missing something to create my own. I wonder if Taiwan will ever switch over from Traditional to Simplified Chinese, from Bopomofo to pinyin, what Taiwan’s version of Ebonics/slang entails, how people decide to switch from Mandarin to Taiwanese within conversations, whether and why the Taiwanese language is looked down upon by the further educated, and whether Taiwanese will die out as a language. I wish I understood Taiwanese.
Anyway, I AM REUNITED WITH MY CLOTHES! YEH!
Hedy
Aden had my cloooothes and I missed them so much and my life just got 92730424x better for the fact that my clothes have been located. I most missed my cool new yellow robot shirt from Yilan. However, they are now being washed and I am re-nervous that they are going to get lost again… crossing my fingers.
There’s very little to do around Tainan where we are. Headed to the Chin Men Theatre and the guy who showed us around was so kind. He gifted us little chunks of the old collapsed roof with identifying plaques attached, postcards, and a free movie. However, I don’t like seeing movies in theatre so I left to see what was around. Upon realizing that was nothing, I headed back to the hotel under the direction of a lady at the theatre. Took me like thirty minutes and a few repetitive walks up and down a few streets, but I made it hoooome.
Apparently, 珍珠 means the little baby tapioca balls in Tainan while it means the larger pearls in.. everywhere else. Unpleasant surprise of the day.
I have 92370 unanswered questions about the Chinese language. I’ve asked 2775293 random people these questions for their opinions but I’m missing something to create my own. I wonder if Taiwan will ever switch over from Traditional to Simplified Chinese, from Bopomofo to pinyin, what Taiwan’s version of Ebonics/slang entails, how people decide to switch from Mandarin to Taiwanese within conversations, whether and why the Taiwanese language is looked down upon by the further educated, and whether Taiwanese will die out as a language. I wish I understood Taiwanese.
Anyway, I AM REUNITED WITH MY CLOTHES! YEH!
2010-07-24
首先，我的电脑只能打简体字。
Today's schedule included a visit to the 国立台湾事前文化博物馆 （National Museum of Prehistory） in 台东 （Taitung）, 小鸟不要来琉璃珠 (a handicrafts shop that makes glass beads and other traditional art), lunch, a four hour ride to 台南 （Tainan）, and dinner at Tainan.
I found the museum to be quite interesting as it solidified my understanding of Taiwan's geology and flora and fauna. The story of Taiwan's native forests parallels that of Hawaii, with the native vegetation in lower areas destroyed by human activity, leaving the higher, wetter areas partially intact. I also didn't know that Taiwan was colonized by large mammals during the Ice Age and that Taiwanese mammoths once existed.
I appreciated learning about Taiwan's aboriginal cultures in more depth at the museum than I had learned from watching the performances we saw earlier. It was interesting that we saw three different aboriginal dance performances during this trip, because each of them was performed by different ethnic groups and under different circumstances. As far as I can tell, the first was part of a commercial enterprise (the hotel), the second was organized to help aboriginal youths learn and not to showcase aboriginal art, and the third was organized to showcase aboriginal art (and presumably is a class the performers joined). I wish I could have asked the performers how they came to perform and what their opinion of performing because they are of aboriginal descent is . In a way, I wonder how they approach their identity as one of the aboriginal tribes. I could tell that most were proud to belong to their ethnic group, like the man at the hotel who showed us how to find flying squirrels using eyeshine. At the same time, Stanley Yen told the story of aboriginal youths who needed help to get motivation to improve their lives. (I hope I got the story of the 宝抱鼓队之鼓动青春 right.)
The glass-bead shop was interesting, but I didn't feel like buying anything and so decided to salvage my time by observing what kinds of patterns and colors the artists used.
The ride to Tainan was a long trip and everyone seemed tired, as this photo suggests.
Dinner tonight occurred at a roadside restaurant which had on display various marine invertebrates and mammalian organs. While such a display may incur disgust in a Western restaurant, it served as an attraction here. I liked the food, mainly because I always like seafood.
(All pictures have been shrunken from the originals.)The Last Day in Taitung Eleanor
Today, we left Taitung for Tainan, and our last station in Taitung was National Museum of Prehistory. Though, I’m a Taiwanese, yet I’ve never been this museum before. Hence, I treasured this opportunity very much, and listened carefully to the audio guides. Through the guides, I finally understood that I just knew little about Taiwan, but the visit to Prehistory Museum gave me the chance to get to know authentic Taiwan. Not only did I know the process of Taiwan Island’s birth but also those different aboriginal’s specific customs and traits.
In the past, I would think those cultures as unbelievable and weird customs. However, through the short introduction, I understood those habits and customs really mean something to their tribes and the Taiwan indigenous society. During the journey to the museum, the most touching part was the aboriginal dancing and singing performance. They showed their customs and traditions in the performance, which was simple but powerful. Those big smiles on their faces were the sign of their greeting to visitors. The performance showed not only their energy but also their spirit which was touching to the heart.
In the past, I would think those cultures as unbelievable and weird customs. However, through the short introduction, I understood those habits and customs really mean something to their tribes and the Taiwan indigenous society. During the journey to the museum, the most touching part was the aboriginal dancing and singing performance. They showed their customs and traditions in the performance, which was simple but powerful. Those big smiles on their faces were the sign of their greeting to visitors. The performance showed not only their energy but also their spirit which was touching to the heart.
OCAC 23 Jul 2010 | Simon Chen
From an interesting night stay at 花蓮布洛灣 with the impressive post-dinner performances, it was an early start to yet another tiring day. The first leg of the trip, interrupted by a quick photo shoot at the 東西橫貫公路 was a two hour bus ride that took various country scenery and landscapes - most notably the continuous mountain ranges. The road was straight and flat, and was honestly best enjoyed by a snooze.
After the two hour trip, we finally arrived at 花東秀姑巒溪, famous for its quick streams for white-water rafting (泛舟). We geared up with some heavy duty lifejackets and then hit the water. Initially, the water was clam and slow so we just paddled gracefully and enjoyed the massive stone cliffs on both sides of the river. But it was when we encountered our first fast stream that we realised how fun rafting could be. It was fast! It was wet! It was fun! With the occasional confrontation with other groups' boats and those in speedboats which invariably resulted in lots of splashes of water, we got through the first half of the paddling and was awarded with a lunch break. Second half was much the same with much more intense water splashes but ended up being pulled by the speed boats most of the way. It was still great though,
At night, we were very lucky to have 嚴長壽 to give us a little speech about his own success story. The philosophy of giving everything a go and being open to more options while not confined by what others think we should do was truly an inspiration. So overall, it was another day rich in Taiwanese-大自然 and culture.
After the two hour trip, we finally arrived at 花東秀姑巒溪, famous for its quick streams for white-water rafting (泛舟). We geared up with some heavy duty lifejackets and then hit the water. Initially, the water was clam and slow so we just paddled gracefully and enjoyed the massive stone cliffs on both sides of the river. But it was when we encountered our first fast stream that we realised how fun rafting could be. It was fast! It was wet! It was fun! With the occasional confrontation with other groups' boats and those in speedboats which invariably resulted in lots of splashes of water, we got through the first half of the paddling and was awarded with a lunch break. Second half was much the same with much more intense water splashes but ended up being pulled by the speed boats most of the way. It was still great though,
At night, we were very lucky to have 嚴長壽 to give us a little speech about his own success story. The philosophy of giving everything a go and being open to more options while not confined by what others think we should do was truly an inspiration. So overall, it was another day rich in Taiwanese-大自然 and culture.
White-water rafting in a foreign country? Check.
So this blog is actually for Friday, July 23rd....but we were all so busy celebrating Aden's 19th birthday and Kristine's 23rd birthday that I didn't have time to post it until now :)
Friday's most adventurous and most memorable event would probably be considered the white-water rafting on Siouguluan River. The majority of the people in the program haven't done this before, so it was very exciting for everyone. We split into four boats since each boat held eight to ten people. After getting adorned in water shoes, vest, and helmet, we went over safety and instructions, and then we were off in the water!
The waves and rapids were not as frequent as I would have liked, but they still did a good job of tossing our boats around and stirring up some screams and laughs. What caused even more noise from all the boats were the water fights among each other. As soon as one boat would drift closer to another one, there would be paddles and pails of water flinging, showering, and splashing water in the air at each other, without fail. A pail full of water dumped down your neck? Yeppers. A spray of water right into your face from a nearby opponent's paddle? You got it.
The exchanged attacks were relentless throughout the entire 4-hour ride down the river. One good thing about the constant splatter of water in the air was that it kept everyone nice and cool from the burning hot rays of the sun. Yet, this was also misleading to the amount of sun we all got, since later that day, every single person had pink arms and thighs. Lesson of the trip? We're all one boat and in it together; it takes every paddle to be rowing--and rowing together, that is, in a synchronized manner--in order to sail through the water. Lesson number two would be how to properly hold and launch the pail of water at the correct angle so that the water was actually reaching its intended target, and not the rest of your boat-mates (Most Improved Player goes to Luke!).
I'll wrap up the rest of the day real quickly. After rafting we were all pretty hungry from all the paddling and water fights so we picked up a quick snack of steamed bun with pork. Heading to dinner, we were in Yin-jie's part of town, and I was getting pretty excited for this restaurant with oyster noodle soup that she said was really good. Just one little problem... upon arriving into town, the restaurant was gone! So our alternative dinner option was McDonald's. Once we got in all 34 orders of burgers, fries, and McFlurries, we attended the He Hong-qi's and Taiwan Drum Crops' Youth performance. The aboriginal drummers not only held a good beat, but also danced with spirit and sang with beauty and pride. After that, we heard a mini seminar/lecture from Stanley Yen that was very inspirational, encouraging us to go out into the world and make a change based on whatever we're passionate about. Onward we go!
(Pictures to be uploaded later, as soon as we get a strong Internet connection)
Friday's most adventurous and most memorable event would probably be considered the white-water rafting on Siouguluan River. The majority of the people in the program haven't done this before, so it was very exciting for everyone. We split into four boats since each boat held eight to ten people. After getting adorned in water shoes, vest, and helmet, we went over safety and instructions, and then we were off in the water!
The waves and rapids were not as frequent as I would have liked, but they still did a good job of tossing our boats around and stirring up some screams and laughs. What caused even more noise from all the boats were the water fights among each other. As soon as one boat would drift closer to another one, there would be paddles and pails of water flinging, showering, and splashing water in the air at each other, without fail. A pail full of water dumped down your neck? Yeppers. A spray of water right into your face from a nearby opponent's paddle? You got it.
The exchanged attacks were relentless throughout the entire 4-hour ride down the river. One good thing about the constant splatter of water in the air was that it kept everyone nice and cool from the burning hot rays of the sun. Yet, this was also misleading to the amount of sun we all got, since later that day, every single person had pink arms and thighs. Lesson of the trip? We're all one boat and in it together; it takes every paddle to be rowing--and rowing together, that is, in a synchronized manner--in order to sail through the water. Lesson number two would be how to properly hold and launch the pail of water at the correct angle so that the water was actually reaching its intended target, and not the rest of your boat-mates (Most Improved Player goes to Luke!).
I'll wrap up the rest of the day real quickly. After rafting we were all pretty hungry from all the paddling and water fights so we picked up a quick snack of steamed bun with pork. Heading to dinner, we were in Yin-jie's part of town, and I was getting pretty excited for this restaurant with oyster noodle soup that she said was really good. Just one little problem... upon arriving into town, the restaurant was gone! So our alternative dinner option was McDonald's. Once we got in all 34 orders of burgers, fries, and McFlurries, we attended the He Hong-qi's and Taiwan Drum Crops' Youth performance. The aboriginal drummers not only held a good beat, but also danced with spirit and sang with beauty and pride. After that, we heard a mini seminar/lecture from Stanley Yen that was very inspirational, encouraging us to go out into the world and make a change based on whatever we're passionate about. Onward we go!
(Pictures to be uploaded later, as soon as we get a strong Internet connection)
2010-07-23
原住民原动力，源自何方？
彷如胡德夫常说的：
Standing on my land (站在自己的土地)
I feel like a stranger(我像个陌生人)
这片土地的主人，像是长在土地的千年根基，却找不到立足的土凷，
这不是命运，反而是无法运作自己的生命。
来自比西里岸阿美族部落的【寶抱鼓隊】，由部落一群小孩組成的樂隊。鼓聲中，孩子的節奏流淌在血脈裡，清脆的歌聲，像無瑕的原音，在律動裡鼓動着希望。
原住民，原动力，需要为而不有的有心人，更需要自力更生...
Standing on my land (站在自己的土地)
I feel like a stranger(我像个陌生人)
这片土地的主人，像是长在土地的千年根基，却找不到立足的土凷，
这不是命运，反而是无法运作自己的生命。
来自比西里岸阿美族部落的【寶抱鼓隊】，由部落一群小孩組成的樂隊。鼓聲中，孩子的節奏流淌在血脈裡，清脆的歌聲，像無瑕的原音，在律動裡鼓動着希望。
原住民，原动力，需要为而不有的有心人，更需要自力更生...
White Water Rafting!!!!
Today was a fun day with exciting and inspiring activities. White water rafting was filled with intense yet friendly water fight between members of different boats. I really enjoyed the competitive atmosphere between the different groups but not so much the physical exertion required to move the boat between the exciting parts of the trip.
The drumming performance given by the teacher and young student group are really impressive. It gives me a different perspective to music; before coming to the trip I was more used to listening to the western jazz style of drumming. However after watching the performance I realized how interesting and awe-inspiring Taiwanese Aboriginal style of drumming can be, I will definitely pay more attention to it in the future.
The final activity of the day was the inspirational speech by Stanley Yen. He really changed my perspective on passion and how to live life to its fullest. His speech leaves me with many things to think about in my own life. Today is definitely a day I would never forget.
The drumming performance given by the teacher and young student group are really impressive. It gives me a different perspective to music; before coming to the trip I was more used to listening to the western jazz style of drumming. However after watching the performance I realized how interesting and awe-inspiring Taiwanese Aboriginal style of drumming can be, I will definitely pay more attention to it in the future.
The final activity of the day was the inspirational speech by Stanley Yen. He really changed my perspective on passion and how to live life to its fullest. His speech leaves me with many things to think about in my own life. Today is definitely a day I would never forget.
Entre el amor y la emoción
嚴長壽，一位致力於保存和推展台灣文化的人物，傳奇性的英雄故事和有著一顆熱愛台真誠赤熱的心，是台灣文化發展重要的推手之一。在公益和文化當中他讓人感受到「一點點的愛、一點點的感動」，這樣些藝術文化才得以延續。
不管是個人、社會甚至到國家，都應該去加強他的文化素養及重視傳統的文化，但是現今的教育卻不是如此，而連我們身為台灣人都不去重視這個部分的話，那文化傳統要如何保存，如何走向世界國際，這樣怎麼還會有機會讓其他的人認識台灣，認同台灣呢？
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