Centered on Taiwan - April 2023

Centered on TAIPEI

COVER IMAGE

Fu (福) meaning “Good Luck” by Tim Berge View more of Tim’s photos on IG @taipeilaowai

For more information, please go to our website at www.communitycenter.org.tw

COT Team

FROM THE EDITOR

Please send email submissions, comments, and feedback to coteditor@communitycenter.org.tw

Spring has arrived in Taipei. It is a season of religious and cultural holidays, festivals and celebrations – a time of rebirth, new beginnings and hope in all that is good. Regarding ‘new beginnings’, the Center celebrated the opening of its new location at 238 Zhongshan North Road, Sec. 6, Taipei with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. VIP guests Yvonne Kwauk, Andrea Wu, Jeffrey D. Schwartz and Director Adam McMillan did the official honors.

A time of remembrance and condolences – We were saddened to learn of the passing of Gale Metcalf, one of the founders of the Community Services Center. Gale and her husband Joel Wallach were the Center’s first co-directors from 1988 to 1995. Our condolences are being extended to Joel, family and the many circles of friends, here in Taiwan and abroad, whose lives were touched by Gail’s warmth and kindness.

Art, Photography and Writing Contributors

Astoria Café

Sue Babcock

Kyle Baker

Tim Berge

Bhupesh pal on Unsplash

Sammy Driessen

Dalia Figatner

Julie Hsieh

Featured Contributors

John Imbrogulio

Jitao

Jim Lade

Roma Mehta

Pai Su-yu

Agnes Pondaven

Prehi Palwe on Unsplash

Joseph Reilly

TAS

Grace Ting

Mayank Tiwari

Lucy Torres

Joel Wallach

Our theme for this month’s issue, “The Arrival of Spring”, includes photo essays, art and articles associated with her celebrated arrival. ICRTs General Manager, Tim Berge’s photo diary, “Jogging across Taiwan”, shows us some of his favorite earlymorning Taiwan runs. Just around the corner from the Center at Lutetia ART-at-TAC, a neighborhood art gallery, Jitao (Nate Navasca) and Kyle Baker present their exhibition viewers with two questions – in an age full of selfies and filtered ‘fast’ pictures, how do we find depth in images and how do we engage in what we see? Another exhibition to be sure to check out is Taiwan’s first Indian photo gallery, which is currently featuring 80 prints from India and Taiwan by well-known Indian photographer Mayank Tiwari.

Is baseball boring? Not according to Taipei’s baseball aficionado, John Imbrogulio. Unlike most sports, its pace is not as intense, thus allowing plenty of time for spectators to be outdoors in the fresh air, eating their favorite traditional ‘baseball food’, while having uninterrupted time and conversations with friends or family. Pai Su-yu’s article, “Qing Ming-A Time Honored Tradition”, highlights the origin of the Qing Ming Festival, how Tomb Sweeping Day, with its specific customs, became a part of this 2,500 year-old festival. Lucy Torres and Agnes Pondaven hold a conversation about raising awareness to climate change and a shared understanding of the challenge that climate change represents in their article, “Following FRESK”.

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!

COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER

The Community Services Center (CSC) is a non-profit foundation. CSC provides outreach and early intervention through counseling, cross-cultural education and life skills programs to meet the needs of the international community in Taipei. CSC offers the opportunity to learn, volunteer, teach and meet others. Check out our website www.communitycenter.org.tw and drop by The Center to chat with us about our programs. You can also email us at csc@communitycenter.org.tw.

Director

Office Manager

Counselors

Consultants

Counseling Admin.

Adam McMillan

Grace Ting

I-wen Chan, Katherine Chang, Hui-shiang Chao, Chiao-Feng Chung, Cerita Hsu, Lily Lin, Miranda Lin, Emilie Ma, Kuan-Shan Wan, Zoe Wu

Anne Cheng, Tom Cole, Mary Langerstrom Ximena Lopez, Sofia Vintimila

Joanne Chua

Lastly, our COT team, colleagues at the Center and members of the local and international communities that the Center serves would like to wish Grace Ting a fond farewell as she retires from decades of dedicated and professional service to the Center.

SueCounseling Admin. Assistant

Accountant

Programs Manager

Events Coordinator

Communications

Mandarin Chinese Teacher

Systems Manager

Interns

Coffee Mornings Coordinators

Volunteers

Matina Chen

Monica Cheng

Lucy Torres

Sammy Driessen

Pia Munk-Janson

Gloria Gwo

Samson Assamnew

Lily Yu Chi Lin, Zack Liu

Stephenie Meadows, Melany Zwartjes

Sophie Lin, Vivianne Ng, Bunny Pacheco, John Imbrogulio, Jessica Wang Simula, Yuk Lin (Jan) Tsang, Petra Yu, Szu-Han Wang

Suzan Babcock Editor coteditor@ communitycenter.org.tw

Jim Lade

John Imbrogulio Agnes Pondaven Lucy Torres Jessica Wang Simula

Dalia Figatner Julie Hsieh Tim Berge

Roma Mehta Co-Editor roma@ communitycenter.org.tw

KC Graphic Designer graphicdesign.taipei@ gmail.com

Naomi Kaly Advertising Manager naomi@ communitycenter.org.tw

Jessica Wang Simula

J o i n u s t o h e a r t h e s t o r y o f a b r a n d t h a t s e n d s T a i w a n s a u c e s a n d t a s t e s t o t h e w o r l d .

D I S A S T E R P R E P A R E D N E S S

I N T A I W A N

J o i n u s f o r a t a l k w i t h T o b i e O p e n s h a w w h o w i l l p r e s e n t i d e a s a n d c h e c k l i s t s t h a t w i l l h e l p y o u t o b e b e t t e r p r e p a r e d i f a n a t u r a l d i s a s t e r s h o u l d b e f a l l u s

APRIL AT THE CENTER!

AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACTIVITIES

Wanhua Foodie Tour – 4:30pm

Tuesday, April 11

Stroll around the Wanhua area trying traditional snacks

Taiwanese Cooking – 6pm

Friday, April 14

Kung Pao chicken, vegetarian Pot stickers and Dumplings: the ideal after-work meal

Floral Painting – 5pm

Tuesday, April 18

A chance to experiment with different media: oils, watercolors and charcoal

Survival Chinese I – 5pm

Monday, April 10

Now’s your chance to start learning Chinese

Register online at www.communitycenter.org.tw, call 02 2836 8134 or email ce@communitycenter.org.tw

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Presidential Palace and Botanical Garden Tour

The Culture of Tea: How to select, brew and drink Taiwanese tea

POW Tour: In the Footsteps of the Men of Kinkaseki

Grand Opening

Congratulations to the Community Services Center for officially opening the doors of the new location. In 2022, they moved to their new location on Zhongshan North Road, No. 238, Section 6, Shilin District. On March 10, 2023, they had an exclusive Grand Opening party with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The Center's new location has two separate floors, the 2nd floor for a wide variety of cultural, cooking and craft classes, including Mandarin language classes, monthly coffee mornings and other community events. The 6th floor has been designated especially for the Center's counseling sessions and programs.

TEXT: SAMMY DRIESSEN IMAGES: COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER

From left to right: Yvonne Kwauk, Andrea Wu, Adam McMillan, Jeffrey D. Schwartz.

Thank You

Our Centered on Taipei (COT) team would like to express our sincere appreciation and good wishes to Grace Ting as she embarks on an exciting new life chapter – retirement. Her friendship and cheerful willingness to always help with each issue of COT has been an invaluable source of support to our team, the Center and to those who come to the Center. Grace, thank you for your hard work and dedicated service. You will be missed.

Taiwan 101: Essential Sights, Hikes and Experiences on Ilha Formosa by Richard Saunders

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.

The two volumes that make up Taiwan 101 are the perfect guide for exploring the very best of Taiwan: not only the island’s finest hikes, but also its best historic towns and cities, brightest traditional festivals, unique Chinese and aboriginal cultural riches, and its little-known natural wonders such as eternal flames, mud volcanoes and badlands.

Together, Taiwan 101 Volumes 1 and 2 present Taiwan’s finest attractions to anyone who wishes to get to know this island of kaleidoscopic charms, and comes with detailed information on getting around by public transport, and accurate GPS coordinates of nearly 800 fascinating places.

The Astoria Café and Bakery

Celebrates its 101st Anniversary of Cultural and Historic Legacy

TEXT: SUE BABCOCK IMAGES: ASTORIA CAFÉ

It was by sheer happenstance that I ended up standing with my nose pressed against the bakery window peering at all the western confectionary items on display and becoming hungrier by the moment.

With only a few NT coins and a onehundred NT dollar bill, I went inside. Several minutes later, I walked outside holding a bag of warm pastry and an invitation to go upstairs to the secondfloor café where I could order a cup of freshly brewed coffee to go with my purchase. Little did I know that on that warm sunny day in 1985, I was about to enter one of Taipei’s famous literary salons, The Astoria Café.

place for inspiration to happen. Coffee shops offer a relaxed atmosphere, good coffee and are frequented not only by the general public but by influential and creative individuals.

life and death. In 1959, he opened a little sidewalk book stall and began selling books outside the Astoria Café. His ‘sidewalk shop’ soon became a gathering place for well-known writers who in turn frequented the nearby Astoria Café. There they were received by its owner, Mr. Archibald Chien with kind understanding and a willingness to let them work, all day, if need be, over one cup of coffee. “Over the years, I’ve always felt I wasn’t just doing business with the writers who frequented the café, but also making friends with them,” Chien commented.

THE ASTORIA CAFÉ

The Astoria Café is a historic Taipei cultural landmark. Since the mid-1980s, it has been a notable gathering place for writers, poets, artists, musicians, actors, dance choreographers, highranking government officials, their families and international celebrities.

Located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei and situated directly across the street from the Taiwan Provincial City God Temple, on Wuchang Street, the Astoria Café is upstairs from the Astoria Confectionary Shop, which was founded in 1949 by Archibald Chien, George Elsner and several friends.

This post-WWII Astoria Confectionary Shop became an immediate success. In the 1950s, it was the only westernstyle bakery and the first to introduce ‘birthday cakes’ to Taiwan. If you received a birthday cake from the Astoria, it was quite a noteworthy occasion.

TAIPEI’S LITERARY SALON OF THE 1960S

Writing is often a solitary effort but it doesn’t require solitary confinement. Sometimes, you need to be in the right

The comfortable ambiance of the Astoria Café drew struggling writers and intellectuals of all forms. Some of Taiwan’s greatest writers, poets and artists including Chou Meng-tieh, Yu Kwang-chung, Pai Hsien-yung, Huang Chu-ming, Chu Ko, Chen Kun-Hou and choreographer Lin Hwai-min frequented the Astoria Bakery. Many of these patrons would linger with a cup of coffee, pen and paper, producing countess literary works.

CHOU MENG-TIEH

Chou Meng-tieh, born in Henan Province, was sent to Taiwan in 1948 due to the Chinese Civil War, leaving his wife, two sons and a daughter behind in mainland China. Before retiring from the army in 1955, Chou began writing and publishing poetry. His writings were often on the subjects of time,

In 1980, Chou won recognition for his work as the “Amoy Street Prophet” by Orientations , an American magazine, and was the first recipient of the National Culture and Arts Foundation Literature Laureate Award in 1997. Chou Meng-tieh died of pneumonia on May 1, 2014. Many famous writers, politicians and educators honored him with their tributes, including his closest and dearest friends from the Astoria Café.

SHIFTING TIMES

The 80s was also a period of unpreceded economic growth for Taiwan. It was a time of a flourishing economy and volatile stock market. The Astoria Café became ‘the place’ where people gathered to speculate and noisily exchange hot market tips replacing the literary patrons and salon atmosphere that it was known for. Finally, in 1989, Archibald Chien made the decision to close the Astoria Café.

The years passed. Then, a strange twist of fate occurred. A fire, which also caused damage to the café unexpectedly brought local neighbors and former Astoria Cafe patrons together in a strong show of support for Archibald Chien. They created a petition asking Chien to bring back and

revive the Astoria Café. They wanted to continue the Astoria’s cultural and historic legacy as part of their neighborhood legacy.

ANOTHER LEGACY CHAPTER BEGINS

Chien was greatly touched by this outpouring of support. In 2004, after a fifteen-year hiatus, Café Astoria re-opened its doors to the public complete with its original Europeanstyle lights, tables, chairs, service settings, including antiquities, library and history memorabilia corner. Together, he and his daughter, Karen Chien shared in the revitalization of the

Café Astoria

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 11:30-20:30, Fri-Sat 11:30-21:00

www.astoria.com.tw

and historic legacy is important – to respect their trust in us and our legacy. Legacies are powerful testimonials of the people that created them. They are also important benchmarks in time as to how an idea became a reality. This is why my mother and I want to honor my father’s dream to foster and preserve the arts and cultures of Taiwan.”

café securing its reputation as a historic landmark.

The Astoria Café and Bakery’s legacy continues. Karen and her mother, Chien Hwang Bi-hsia, the current owners, continue to work hard to ensure that the time-honored trust that has been given to their family by generations of Astoria patrons, including the local neighborhood’s business friends and their families is honored and respected.

Karen shares, “This has taken 101 years of nurturing and development. People respect us – the cultural community, the people living here and those who visit us for the first time. That’s why preserving our cultural

Suzan Babcock is a long-time resident of Taiwan. During her stay here, she has managed four successful careers in education, crosscultural relations and counseling, although being a mother has been her favorite.

2F, No. 5, Section 1, Wuchang Street, Zhongzheng District, Taipei Reservations: (02) 2381-5589

Taipei is a vibrant lively city with so many wonderful things to see and do. It has world class shopping and restaurants and the famous night markets. Millions of people come here to experience it and of course enjoy the good food! It’s returning to its old self now after the dark days of the pandemic.

Unfortunately, everyone doesn’t benefit from the prosperity. Hundreds of citizens live rough on the streets and have no homes.

What is being done to help these people and what more can we do?

In recent conversations with people working with the homeless in Taipei I learned some interesting things. Just as Taiwan and the world are coming back to life and normal, the homeless are also coming back again. Most facts and figures are “guess-timates” but it seems that there are more homeless. Maybe because it’s more difficult to find work or families and relationships have been under greater stress.

In Taipei and New Taipei, there are 3 government run shelters. Each can hold 200 to 300 people. Social workers and police meet prospective residents on the streets and see if they would be a good fit. A person going to live in a shelter must agree to be looking for a job or be working, to be actively engaged with counseling and other selfimprovement efforts.

These facilities and services are funded by a combination of government and private donations.

Some people don’t want to go into a shelter because it might mean relocation to another part of the city that they’re not familiar with or don’t want to be in. Some can’t work for various reasons but don’t qualify for disability benefits. Many people fall through the cracks as we say.

Homeless in Taipei

We can see many people sleeping outdoors and on the sidewalk. They have some blankets and cardboard boxes for a mattress. Sleeping outdoors presents many challenges. For example, how do you bathe and wash your clothes? Basic hygiene.

In February, 2022, Homeless Taiwan opened the Pon Pon bathhouse near Longshan Temple. I spoke to Meng Hsun Chiang who helps to operate the bathhouse. She tells me they have services for taking showers and fundamental hygienic practices. It’s also an opportunity to connect with the social services workers and discover other things that can help them. The initial plan was to serve 15 people a day. One year later, they are serving 60 to 70 people each day. They have plans to open another bathhouse this year and offer more services. It’s done on a budget of only 1.3 million NT per year. The funds come 60% from donations and 40% from the government.

Homeless Taiwan also has 3 shelters that handle 10 people each. Two are for men and one for women. The large majority of homeless are men and over 70% are over 40 years old. As a person gets older it becomes harder to get a job especially one that requires you to be physically fit.

Of course, with hundreds of homeless people in Taipei, 30 shelter beds are just a drop in the bucket.

It’s a complicated issue. There’s also the temporary homeless. Some people lose their housing for various reasons and they do find housing again but might have nothing for a few weeks or months. There’s also domestic violence and abuse. There are services for this but it’s a very stressful situation and many people struggle and don’t know what to do or where to go.

Another solution is matching people

with appropriate landlords. Not every landlord wants to rent to someone who has been homeless but some are willing to do it. Homeless Taiwan works to find good matches and housing in this way.

Another interesting project run by Homeless Taiwan and Hidden Taipei is a walking tour given by a gentleman who was previously homeless. It’s done on a Saturday morning and takes two hours. He shows you the places in and around Taipei Station where he used to live and many homeless still do. The tour is in Chinese and English. I recently went on the tour for the second time. It’s really fascinating. I think it’s a good way for people to become more aware of the problems and understand the challenges better. Better understanding and awareness are steps to solving the problems. For more information about the tour see their website.

With more help, money and resources more can be done to help the people who need it. Perhaps someday we can provide housing for everyone. If you want to support the effort you can go to the website. Donations are greatly appreciated.

Homeless Taiwan: homelesstaiwan.org

Another non-profit organization working with the homeless is Do you a flavor: doyouaflavor.tw

James (Jim) Lade has worked with the homeless in Toronto and Vancouver Canada. He’s the author of Homeless Harry which is available on Amazon. He’s endeavoring to bring more attention to the homeless situation and encourage ways to help and house these disadvantaged people.

TEXT: JIM LADE IMAGE: WEB

Following FRESK

Climate Fresk is an NGO that was founded by Cedric Ringenbach in 2018. The aim is to increase climate change awareness and a shared understanding of the challenge that climate change represents. This is to be done through an interactive workshop.

France is the main driving force of this NGO with almost 30,000 facilitators and over half a million workshop participants so far. However, it is becoming increasingly well-known worldwide as there are now 6,000 facilitators in over 55 countries.

The workshops have been developed from scientific information taken from the IPCC reports. One of the main reasons for their success is that participants have to take an active role to understand the information presented and then work as a team to put forward workable solutions.

www.climatefresk.org

Agnes Pondaven is the Taiwan Coordinator of Climate Fresk and the CEO of Qualibri consulting. She's passionate about the environment and social responsibility and she puts all her positive energy into spreading the Climate Fresk dynamic around Taiwan. This is our chat about her experience with Climate Fresk.

Why did you join Climate Fresk?

In 2021, all my friends in France were talking about Climate Fresk, so I decided to join an online workshop in November and see what all the fuss was about. For me, it was a great experience and I decided then and there that I wanted to offer the workshops here in Taiwan.

What is the aim of the workshop?

The main idea is to increase people’s awareness of the problems surrounding climate change and plant the seeds of ideas for action. My aims as a facilitator are to ensure people have fun while learning something. I hope they will feel a sense of achievement at the end and be inspired to act.

What does the workshop entail?

I think it’s best described as a three-hour workshop to build a giant interactive puzzle that you have to work through. There are 42 cards and, through different stages, you work together to order them and discuss causes, effects and consequences. The group decorates the Fresk by letting its

TEXT: LUCY TORRES & AGNES PONDAVEN IMAGES: AGNES PONDAVEN & CLIMATE FRESK FACEBOOK

imagination run wild and gives it a title. At the end, there is a debrief where you discuss individual or collective actions to be taken to fight against climate change.

It can be done in person or online. The format can be adapted to suit all types of audiences: corporate, public institutions, schools, etc.

When you took part in the workshop, what actions did you come up with?

First, I registered myself for the Climate Fresk Facilitator Training!

Secondly, I calculated my individual carbon footprint to visualize the mix between what would be easy to implement and what would have the most impact. I bought quite a few vegetarian cookbooks and have tried a lot of new recipes since then. I decided to decrease our family’s meat consumption – especially beef. In terms of transport, we also try to walk, cycle and take the train rather than use the car where possible. However, the main change is in our consumption pattern and routine. Before buying something we will ask ourselves, Do I need this?

Do I have similar items? Where does it come from?

Have you had any surprises since running the workshops?

I love how, despite using the same cards, every workshop produces a different Fresk diagram and title. The titles range from the more obvious such as ‘A Human Problem’ to the very creative like ‘CO2 My Love’.

Also, we often have participants with different backgrounds and different levels of knowledge about climate issues, from those who know very little to scientists or teachers who have studied the subject. However, everyone learns something new in the workshop as it provides an overview of the whole issue and people have very different ideas, so it’s great.

Finally, people’s reactions at the end of the workshop vary a great deal. Some can feel a little down as they realize the size of the problem, others feel elated as they see solutions.

Are the workshops just for adults?

I have two different sets of cards. So I can run a workshop for adults or children. What I want to emphasize

FRESK WORKSHOP at the Center REGISTER

is that the time to act is now. Many people say ‘this would be great for the kids’ and I agree. However, we also need today’s parents to act now and instill new habits in their children, so that taking care of the environment is the norm for them when they grow up.

Is special training involved to lead these workshops?

Yes. I completed the facilitator training online in December 2021 and led my first workshop in January. I held it at home with friends and family and it was a success so then I continued with other groups. After about six months I started doing corporate workshops as well. I have now facilitated more than 30 workshops and completed the required training to teach others to be facilitators. So, if you want to become a facilitator here in Taiwan you can train with me!

Who is part of the team in Taiwan?

Climate Fresk has been running with enthusiasm and energy in Taiwan since 2022. The team here consists of several junior facilitators, a few experienced ones and myself as a certified trainer. We can conduct workshops in French, English and Chinese. We have organized monthly workshops for the general public, universities and high schools and administrators as well as companies from various sectors. Now that we are able to train future facilitators, (known as Freskers) we have already held our first training of 2023 and enabled students from NTU to join the community of Freskers in Taiwan.

Lucy Torres is the Programs Manager at The Center and enjoys organising different activities and events that cover topics from Taiwanese culture to environmental awareness.

Holi Hai!

TEXT: ROMA MEHTA

Holi celebrations in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Photo by bhupesh pal on Unsplash

Holi signifies the advent of spring and is related to the harvest season. Celebrated throughout India, it falls on the day after the last full moon in the Hindu lunar calendar.

There are many stories associated with the origins of Holi, but for most, it is a time to celebrate the joy of life and nature’s abundance, with bright colours and festive foods. Today, the shops sell powdered colour in a range of bright colours, but in the olden times gulal was the only colour used during Holi. Gulal is a red powder made from roses and carries the fragrance of the flower. People wear white clothes to convey purity and also because colours just show up better on white. It is an auspicious time to cleanse oneself of past mistakes, forgive one another, and embrace new beginnings. This is a day when old and young, rich and poor all come together to celebrate love and equality.

STORIES ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF HOLI

Lord Krishna was dark skinned and would often complain to his mother about his skin tone compared to that of fair Radha, his consort. His mother responded by smearing gulal on Radha’s face and that is one of the reasons for the practice of applying colour on people during Holi.

As stories go, this one is the proverbial good over evil version. Prahalad, son of the demon king Hiranyakashyap, was devoted to Vishnu, the preserver. The demon king disapproved and tried to kill Prahalad

several times but was unsuccessful. The king’s sister Holika, also a demon, being gifted with the power of being immune to fire, walked into a raging fire carrying Prahalad with her, trying to kill him. However, the gods removed her powers because she had used them for an evil purpose. She was the one who burned and turned to ash, while Prahalad was unharmed and protected by Vishnu, the preserver. This is why one day before Holi, bonfires are lit as a symbol of good triumphing over evil.

FESTIVE FOODS

Food and drink selections during Holi include sweets like Jalebi, a crispy

and crunchy dessert dipped in sugar syrup and saffron; Malpua , a sweet deep-fried pancake dipped in sugar syrup; and Thandai, which translates to cooling off, a cold milkshake prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, watermelon kernels, rose petals, pepper, poppy seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar. Thandai has this complex layering of spices and floral notes that tastes of the changing season, the end of winter and the start of summer.

Holi celebrations in India.

Photo by Mayank Tiwari

Photo by Maxime Bhm on Unsplash

Thandai and Holi colours.

Photo by Prchi Palwe on Unsplash

LATH

MAR HOLI

As the story goes, Lord Krishna from Nandgaon visited his beloved Radha in Barsana during Holi. When he applied colour on Radha's face in jest her friends took offence and drove him out of Barsana with lathis (bamboo sticks). Every year, Barsana recreates this incident during Holi. Men from Nandgaon visit Barsana fully prepared

with shields and protective gear, and tease the women by singing songs and jesting with them. The women chase them away with colours and lathis. The unlucky men who get into the hands of the women of Barsana are made to wear female dresses and dance in public.

In West Bengal, the festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha and marks the last festival of the year as per the Bengali calendar. Dol Jatra is celebrated by throwing ‘ gulaal ’ or ‘ aabir ’ on others and by singing and dancing.

In Punjab, the Sikhs celebrate a three day festival called 'Hola Mohalla'. At Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, attendees camp out for a week enjoying displays of fighting prowess and bravery, and

listening to kirtan, music and poetry. This year’s #Taipeiholi2023 festival was organised by the BKMT (Bhartiya Kar-Seva Mandali Taiwan 在台印度服 務團), a group of ‘sevadars’ meaning a group of volunteers who do service for the community by arranging Indian festivals like Holi, and other cultural gatherings.

BKMT restaurants: Mayur Indian Kitchen, Moksha Indian Restaurant, Spice Shop, 3 Idiots, 3 Wishes, Out of India, Tandoor, M&M Curries, Desi Spice, and Chilliesine.

Roma is a creative consultant, visual artist and event organizer. She enjoys organizing events and workshops that foster cross-cultural expression.

Lath Mar Holi. Photo by Mayank Tiwari

Photo by Sue Babcock

Photo by Sue Babcock

Baseball is Boring

Baseball is boring.

I’m a baseball guy and engage a lot of folks that aren’t aficionados, and they dismiss the game I love with that criticism. I’ve thought a lot about why they feel that way.

One category of people that say it’s boring are those that have had a bad experience or a poor first impression, and are turned off forever. A common cause is that they had kids that played in the outfield and didn’t get a ball for two hours, while the pitchers walked 5 (10!) batters in a row on a cold March afternoon. Another reason is that they were taken to a game at some point by someone that couldn’t make what was happening in front of them come alive.

Another class are people that play or follow other sports and know theirs is the best. Gonna raise my hand here and say that I’m guilty as charged, with the qualifier that I have and currently follow/play/coach all sorts of other sports. I even paid for the Hurling streaming package for a season after visiting Ireland a few years ago. As a large consumer of sports, those folks

that claim their sport is less boring have never really learned the intricacies of baseball and sadly, probably never will.

The third group of the ‘boring baseball’ types are those that follow no sports at all.

Baseball is like all other sports, but the action might not be as intense. I don’t like to blame the ubiquitousness of mobile phones for shorter attention spans, but baseball requires patience. Kind of like watching a rose grow and bloom. Some might counter that it is like watching paint dry, but when that paint is administered by a Monet or Picasso? I bet there isn’t a single person reading this that doesn’t think they could be more patient.

Baseball is like other sports in that the beauty of the game is marveling at the athletic prowess displayed and knowing that it took decades of devoted practice to turn natural physical gifts into feats of strength and grace that look effortless. You name me another sport where throwing/ hitting something going 90mph (150kph) starts every play. And then the action starts.

Baseball is like other sports in that going to a game is an experience. If you go to a baseball game expecting to be thrilled every minute, then you would find it boring. If you want to go to an event where you can talk with a friend, spouse or child for three hours without being interrupted by the aforementioned mobile device, where you can sing some songs, eat and drink stuff that’s bad for you but is still delicious anyway, do so in the open air with green grass spread out like a carpet in front of you, a baseball game has all of that. You are so lucky to be in Taiwan as you can sample a night at the ballpark with local flavor. The game on

TEXT: JOHN IMBROGULIO IMAGES: TAS

the field is the same, but what happens in the stands is unique and wild. Every player has a song and every fan of the home team not only sings along to each song, but also has a synchronized dance to go along with it. The crowd is also made up of a larger percentage of women and girls than you’ll find anywhere else. So many nights start out with us in a section with locals and we kind of keep to ourselves, but by the end of the game, we are all sweaty and smiling and laughing together. Feels like you are part of something bigger than just a game.

Once you learn a little bit about the game itself, you will find that the

action on the field isn’t boring at all. Every pitch, every sequence of events, positioning strategy, which players are on the field and who is lurking for an opportunity in the dugout, the direction of the wind…it is endless. Once you start to see some of it, the world of baseball opens up like the door of Dorothy’s farmhouse into Oz.

Baseball is like other sports, but more so.

That is what happens to us baseball types. We get hooked and it is part of our lives forever. If you fall in love with a baseball person, you have to know that you will share that person with baseball every day of the year, forever.

But here is the thing...if a baseball person falls in love with you, they have seen all the little things that make you who you are and have decided to be all in. They marvel at your hitting mechanics that have you hitting over 300 and still notice the little tweaks you experiment with in your swing in an effort to make it just a little bit better.. They have the patience to wait while you get yourself ready to pitch cause the payoff is always worth it. They understand when you make an error and will pick you up with a pat on the back and tell you to go get the next one cause they not only know you will, but that they need you to be confident and strong as you make the team better when you are. Sometimes they make a bad call, and the argument gets so

heated that you get thrown out of the game, but there is another game tomorrow and we are gonna share the field again. Best of all, they will be a fan of yours for life. Even when you’re in a slump, sometimes for a whole season, they are gonna keep coming out to root, root, root for the home team.

If that’s boring…

The entrance to the exhibit

John Imbrogulio is the Centered on Taipei Magazine’s Chief Baseball Correspondent and a longtime coach of the Taipei American School Tigers baseball team.

The Purple-Leaved Tree

I guess they had been right.

I guess the world had been right.

In the end, I really was nothing. Like that small tree, the one in the shadows of the red-brick house nearby, the one who refused to grow into the light. The one that never grew.

After making that realization, it all made a bit more sense. Just a bit. A small pinprick of light in the darkness that threatened to consume me. But, looking closer, the light wasn’t really light. Just another obstacle that wanted to make things harder.

My feet caught on a vine and I stumbled forwards, looking around wildly for something to grab onto. Something to support me. But there were none.

At the last second, I threw my hands out and broke my fall. Yes, that was right. No one was there to support me but myself.

And I wasn’t even sure if I could or wanted to support myself. It was like yelling into a void of darkness, yelling so loudly my throat felt raw and scratchy, so loudly yet to no result. It didn’t matter how loudly I yelled. No one heard.

Just another crazy kid , they muttered, walking away as quickly as they could, trying to avert their eyes. Then I’d see them go over to their fancy cars and relax into the backseat, hands lazily reaching for a box of hundreddollar chocolates, before they drove away. It’s okay, my brain always tries to tell me. Someone else will help you

Shut up, brain.

No one ever will come to help me. It’s final. Thinking things will get better won’t ever make them actually get better. Wishing one day someone will offer a hand to grab onto, a lifeline that would never be thrown for me to catch. One that was always too short to reach.

A sea, one of inky darkness. Drowning. Trying to call out for help as my throat was filled with the rushing water. Coughing and sputtering, trying to grab onto someone’s hand to be let into a boat and be saved.

Dalia Figatner attended TAS from KA-4th Grade. She is currently in 6th grade and resides in the US. Dalia received an Award of Merit at the 2022-2023 Washington State PTA Reflections Art Program for Literature, Middle School Division, with her short story “The Purple-Leaved Tree.” The theme for this year’s Reflections Art Program is “Show Your Voice!”

A short walk. It was a short walk back to the abandoned garden, the one where dozens of lush trees grew on their own, treasuring every drop of rainwater they lived on, growing tall and green, not afraid to let themselves be seen. I walked past them, not sparing them a glance. My gaze was fixed on the small, shadowy one, the one that refused to grow out into the light, the one that was too sure it would get burned.

I agreed, as I stared at the stumps of the trees that seemed to be multiplying over the days.

Sitting in the shade, trying to hide. The world was cruel. Never getting anything from trying to be strong, getting out of the shadowy place that was your comfort zone, the place you were so sure you had to stay in.

But over time, as I visited the garden that seemed to be slowly dwindling to nothing, I began to notice things. Noticing how the small tree’s leaves started to stretch for the sky, thin branches supporting its leaves better than ever, how it began to grow tall and strong like the others. The big tree now, I supposed. The one whose leaves stayed the gloomy shade of purple, permanent scarring from that shade. That shade that would conceal you, the shade that will never let you grow to your true potential.

So when that day came, that day when the purple-leaved tree was the last tree standing, in that little abandoned garden where I’d heard they planned to build a new apartment, I darted back to the garden, to see the people in bright orange uniforms that stood near that tree, who had finally grown big and tall, people near that tree with their gleaming axes, and something inside me snapped.

I remembered the phrase I’d always looked at and sighed, since it had seemed impossible for me to be able to do it. Show your voice.

I ran forwards, yelling at them to stop, coming out of that small shady spot near the red-brick house.

If I’m going to show my voice, be seen, be heard, then it’s going to be now.

Julie Hsieh is an artist and founder of Yuan Ru Gallery. She has a background in medicine and the vocal arts. In “Dance of the Purple Forest,” as in many of her artworks, you can sense the rhythm of her creation and positive, healing energy.

TEXT: DALIA FIGATNER

ARTWORK: DANCE OF THE PURPLE FOEST BY JULIE HSIEH

Lutetia ART-at-TAC April Exhibition 4

April 7 - May 1, 2023

Jitao & Kyle Baker: A Two-Person Exhibition

In an age full of selfies and filtered “fast” pictures, how do we find depth in images? How do we engage with what we see? Lutetia ART-at-TAC invites you to consider these questions with our April 2023 exhibition of works by Jitao and Kyle Baker.

Jitao, or Nate Navasca, is FilipinoAmerican and grew up in Virginia. He worked as a graphic designer but decided to devote most of his time to art after moving to Taipei in October 2020. Working primarily with portraiture, one of the oldest and most intriguing artistic genres, Jitao’s oil pastel portraits are intricate studies

of texture, form and colour. The rich textures and intense colours, which can only be fully appreciated when viewed in person, are an antidote to the smoothed out portraits on screens that inundate contemporary life. Rooted in realism without aiming to be realistic, Jitao’s paintings oscillate carefully between representation and abstraction.

His portraits of strangers capture the likeness of his subjects but with an imagined narrative or emotion. The emotions are suggested by the bold colours and vigorous oil pastel marks, but this process is “much more a work

of fiction, rather than trying to portray a moment in time,” said Jitao.

By contrast, when painting selfportraits or portraits of his wife, Jitao paints a moment in his life - the moment when the reference picture was taken, and the moment when the painting is being made. As the subjects remain the same, the changes in mood and the painterly qualities make very interesting comparisons for the viewer as they engage with the paintings.

Nashville native Kyle Baker’s works are also rooted in realism, as he captures the “cultural story” of places he visits. Using graphite and charcoal

TEXT: JESSICA WANG SIMULA IMAGES: JITAO & KYLE BAKER

on paper, his drawings depict everyday street scenes (one recalls the kind of transitory and lively scenes seen in Dutch genre painting) packed with details carefully and appreciatively observed. For this exhibition Baker presents three depictions of everyday life in Asia. Objects and people are semi-cropped out of the considered composition, creating a sense of immediacy and emphasising the artist’s position as an unobtrusive observer, a contemporary flâneur. The drawings not only show careful renderings of light and dark (chiaroscuro), but also present textures beautifullybe it wooden floor, textile or hair. Furthermore, audiences in Taiwan will undoubtedly appreciate small details of Asian life that make the depictions authentic and familiar.

751 Wenlin Road, Shilin Dist., Taipei

Opening event on Friday March 3, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. All welcome.

Jessica Wang Simula was born in Taiwan but has lived in six different countries since adolescence before relocating back to Taiwan with her family over three years ago. Having worked in the arts in Shanghai and London, she is interested in how the arts can start new conversations, build communities and connect people.

Lutetia ART-at-TAC

Mayank Tiwari

COVID Eyes

Since its inception in 2019, COVID has affected many people and while people in Taiwan were lucky enough that their government took the best measures to prevent it from spreading, businesses definitely were affected. I have seen empty restaurants and shops. I took this shot at a night market in Changhua city where an old lady was trying to sell dumplings, barely managing to keep her mask up as it is a new normal for everyone now.

Taiwan’s first Indian photo gallery was inaugurated on the 12th of February this year. This marks a turning point in the patronage of Indian arts and culture. Mayank Tiwari, an Indian photographer living in Taiwan, together with Mayur Srivastava of Mayur Indian Kitchen (MIK), worked together to create a permanent gallery at the MIK-11 Taoyuan branch. The gallery offers visitors an immersive experience, while showcasing the best of Taiwan and India through the eyes of photographer Mayank.

“Having their own permanent gallery is probably the greatest achievement of any photographer and I am grateful to Mayur that he made that dream come true for me. I am thankful to everyone who came to support me and appreciated my work. This day will always be memorable for me.”

~ Mayank Tiwari

Under a million stars

An 1800 KM car ride from my home to this place called Kaza in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the birthday of my wife under the million stars was all worth it.

TEXT: ROMA MEHTA IMAGES: MAYANK TIWARI

The exhibition is currently hosting eighty prints of Mayank’s photographs from both India and Taiwan. The visual experience is a wonderful fusion of the two cultures, bringing to light the richness and diversity of both countries. His subject matter covers landscapes, architecture and culture.

Mayank has been a professional travel photographer for seven years and has been featured on National Geographic, and HIPA amongst many notable publications. He has also had the opportunity to work with prestigious brands like Boeing, Oneplus, Vistara, Taiwan Tourism, and the Tripoto community to name a few.

His travels have taken him around the world, and his aerial photography offers a unique perspective of the places he captures on camera. He is an advocate of using photography as a tool for promoting cultural exchange and understanding, and he hopes to continue to use his craft to bridge the gap between people from different parts of the world.

This gallery symbolises a celebration of cultural diversity and is a testament to the strong ties between India and Taiwan.

Mayur Srivastava (founder and CEO of Mayur Indian Kitchen), who changed the Indian culinary landscape in Taiwan, believes this will be a new beginning of exhibiting Indian art in Taiwan and hopefully many more artists would like to come forward to showcase their art for the Taiwanese audience. This gallery will allow people to appreciate Mayank’s art and relish Indian delicacies at the same time. Mayur runs the biggest chain of Indian restaurants in Taiwan and the Taoyuan branch is his 11th branch with a dedicated gallery space on the second floor of the restaurant.

Tiwari can be found on Instagram as Makclickz

Mayank

Give me yellow

A one-of-a-kind celebration where devotees throw turmeric powder over Sri Keloba Rajabau Waghmode, known as the ‘Baba’ who sits under a Banyan tree, to worship him. Shri Vittal Birdev festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Vitthal Birdev Maharaj, who is considered to be a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.

“Photography has always been my biggest passion and I am thrilled to have an opportunity to share my passion with others.

I sincerely hope the gallery will inspire people to travel and explore the beauty and diversity of my two homes, India and Taiwan.”

~ Mayank Tiwari

Cloud falls

A majestic view of the coastal mountains in Yilan county is mesmerizing. Low-lying clouds give the impression of a waterfall.

Road in the paddy green

The incredible landscape of the southeast side of Taiwan offers a distinctive combination of plains and mountains. The paddy fields in the Brown Boulevard area of Taitung county are a major tourist attraction.

Colors of Chanthu

Taiwan is known for its typhoons which sometimes lead to disaster. However, during my stay in Taiwan since 2020, Typhoon Chanthu was probably the strongest one. Even though it didn't cause any major damage, it painted the sky of Taipei with a colorful sunset. I was lucky enough to witness and capture that magical evening.

Gateway Shines

This ancient marvel in the commercial capital of India Mumbai is a major tourist destination. There are ferry rides from Gateway of India to nearby islands. I took this shot before the ferries started moving during a golden light.

Tim Berge Jogging across Taiwan

For me, jogging is the best start to the day — to get the blood flowing, and free your mind to contemplate and plan the day ahead of you. No matter where I travel in Taiwan, I’ve discovered that jogging always gives me a vantage point like no other.

Kaohsiung

is a city which has enjoyed a metamorphosis these last two decades. No longer a dirty industrial center, but a vibrant city which is now fully developing its majestic waterfront.

TEXT & IMAGES: TIM BERGE

Luye, Taitung County.

Clean air, blue skies, and roads for running that never seem to end, and are always bidding me to keep going.

Hualien harbor, tempting me to just fly away.

I’ve learned when I jog to always keep looking up. Many treasures hiding above us.

Tainan.

Red Vespa in back alley. Love the color. Not too far from the Tainan Confucius Temple, a doorway bidding me to enter. But dare I?

If possible, get a macro lens for your phone, or just use the built in close up function. Many common things are very small.

Photo by Tim Berge

Kaohsiung Harbor