Centered on Taiwan-October-2023

Centered on TAIWAN

Hands-On Learning

Integrated Curriculum

Low TeacherStudent Ratios

Creativity-

boosting Activities

S.T.E.M-Fun

Cooking

Sensory Play

Arts & Crafts

Gardening Outdoor P.E.

Phonics & Decoding

BEYOND CLASSROOM

Gardening Field Nutritious Meal Plans Outdoor Playground

Swimming Pool

COVER IMAGE

Art by Qingqing Li ( 李青青 )

View from Danshui Red Castle

For more information, please go to our website at https://centered-on-taiwan.com

COT Team

FROM THE EDITOR

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

Goodbye September, Hello October

COT is now a digital publishing platform that allows you to share content in multiple ways. Discover and share our Taiwan stories in a more accessible way, anytime, anywhere.

Art, Photography and Writing Contributors

Susie Brand

Sammy Driessen

Lin Dejavu

FIG Four Pillars Athletic Foundation

Joanne Huskey

Rajat Subhra Karmakar Qingqing Li (李青青)

Katharine Osman

Tobie Openshaw

Jeffrey Schwab

Jessica Wang Simula

Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society

Lucy Torres

Margot Zhang

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!

Publisher Adam McMillan

Centered on Taiwan is a publication of the Community Services Center, 2F, No. 238, Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 6, Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan 111032 Tel: 02-2836-8134 Fax: 02-2835-2530

Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner.

COT publishes 10 editions in full, magazine format online with only 4 printed editions (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring) each year. COT is printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified 100% post-consumer recycled fiber. See the FSC rules mandates here: https://ic.fsc.org/

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

Mandy Wang McCarthy

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

Dear Readers,

October heralds the change of colours in nature to warm golden hues, with a light cool breeze that indicates summer is over. It is a time to celebrate with pumpkins and Halloween, among other things.

This month we bring you a diverse and delightful range of stories about Taiwan.

Indulge in an evening of sophistication as we bring together friends of The Center, community leaders and lovers of glamour for an unforgettable night at the Center’s Annual Auction Fundraiser Gala. We hope to see many of you there.

Take a walk down memory lane with Joanne Huskey as she reminisces about the years she spent roaming the island of Taiwan. The beautiful photographs supporting Joanne’s article are by another well known friend of the Center, Susie Brand.

Read Rajat's story about how an invitation to perform at the India Spring Festival 2023 led to the first-ever Indo-Formosan musical fusion, when a native Bengali singer collaborated with a Taiwanese indigenous singer. August 2023 marked the fifth anniversary of Taipei's first bilingual improv performance group, FIG, and Jeffrey Schwab takes a look at its past, present, and future.

Upcoming Center tours include a visit to The National Theatre and Concert Hall in Taipei, two prominent cultural institutions in Taipei, with Jessica Wang Simula as the guide. Join Lucy Torres on two different adventures: Weekend Keelung Islet Adventure and Jiufen Old Street and the North Coast.

For October 2023, Lutetia ART-at-TAC’s October art exhibition features Qingqing Li (李青青). This is Li’s first solo exhibition in Taipei.

For hikers and explorers, consider taking your next adventure with Park Bus. This organization takes all the hassle out of getting to trails that are not conveniently situated next to an MRT station or bus stop. Margot Zhang shares some very basic, popular and easy to cook Taiwanese vegetables with some useful cooking tips. Part 3 of Tobie Openshaw’s excerpts from the book Emergency Preparedness in Taiwan which is currently in production and will be available later this year.

Check out our website for the new Fall & Winter catalog that is now available online and at The Center. As a non-profit organization, the Center offers COT free for all, supported by those who can. Get in touch if you would like to advertise with us or become a sponsor for future editions.

Subscribe to the COT at this link and never miss an issue. https://centered-on-taiwan.com/

Happy reading!

Roma

Counseling Admin. Assistant

Accountant

Programs Manager

Events Coordinator

Communications

Mandarin Chinese Teacher

Systems Manager

Intern

Coffee Mornings Coordinator

Volunteers

Anne Cheng, Tom Cole, Mary Langerstrom

Ximena Lopez, Sofia Vintimila

Joanne Chua

Matina Chen

Monica Cheng

Lucy Torres

Sammy Driessen

Pia Munk-Janson

Gloria Gwo

Samson Assamnew

Lily Altamirano

Melany Zwartjes

Sophie Lin, John Imbrogulio, Jessica Wang Simula, Petra Yu, Szu-Han Wang, Miyuki Boice

Roma Mehta Editor coteditor@ communitycenter.org.tw

Katia Chen Graphic Designer katia@ communitycenter.org.tw

Naomi Kaly Advertising Manager naomi@ communitycenter.org.tw

CHINESE CLASSES

OCTOBER - DECEMBER

Monday and Wednesday mornings and evenings

Survival Chinese 1, 2 & 3

S ALL ABOUT FOOD

ober 6 ober 12 ober 13 ober 20

ober 31

From Market to Table

Taiwanese Dinner (Evening)

Incredible Indian Cooking

Italian-American Dishes

Little Burma Foodie Tour

TIME TO EXPLORE

October 3

October 19

November 2

November 3

Neihu Hills Hike

Jiufen Old Street

National Theater Tour

Silver Stream Cave Hike

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AND SIGN UP EARLY TO SAVE YOUR SPOT!

ARTS & CRAFTS WORKSHOPS

October 5

October 16

October 17

October 30

Tamsui Photography Walk

Playing with Photos

TASTER TUESDAY: Acrylic Pouring

Painting with Bubbles

J O I N T H E C E N T E R ' S

W h a t : A 1 3 0 k m c i r c u i t a r o u n d T a i p e i w i t h 8 s e c t i o n s t o c o m p l e t e

W h y : S h o w y o u r s e l f t h e m o u n t a i n s y o u c a n c l i m b R a i s e m o n e y f o r T h e C e n t e r

W h e n : T w o W e d n e s d a y s a m o n t h f r o m S e p t e m b e r t o D e c e m b e r

C o s t : N T $ 6 0 0 0

( T h i s i n c l u d e s s e v e n h i k e s a n d o n e b i k e t r i p a l l w i t h a g u i d e )

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n e m a i l c e @ c o m m u n i t y c e n t e r o r g t w

Community Announcements

Please join us for this year's Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society's Annual Remembrance Day

Again this year, the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society - with assistance from the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, is holding the annual Remembrance Day event on Sunday November 12th in the POW Memorial Park in Jinguashi – the site of the former Kinkaseki POW Camp.

The service will commence at 11:00 am and following the service those in attendance are invited to gather together for a picnic lunch in the local community center.

Chartered buses will depart from the east side of the Grand Hyatt Hotel - # 2 SongShou Road - at 9:15 am sharp, the cost for the bus is NT$500.00 and reservations are required. The buses will leave Jinguashi for the return trip to Taipei around 2 pm.

We require that everyone wishing to attend the event register with the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society directly by email only at: society@powtaiwan.org, including those arriving on alternate transportation. When registering, please indicate whether or not you will be staying for lunch.

The firm deadline for reservations is 5 pm Wednesday November 8th . Registrants must provide their full name and telephone number. Please book early to ensure that you will have a seat on the bus.

Everyone is welcome to join us for this year’s special event and we hope that many will come out to remember and honour those to whom we owe a debt that can never be repaid.

An Evening of Extravaganza Awaits!

Indulge in an evening of sophistication as we bring together friends of The Center, community leaders, and lovers of glamour for an unforgettable night. This event is a pivotal moment for us as we strive to raise funds to fulfill our mission of serving the international and third culture communities in Taiwan. With your help, we can create a lasting impact and bring about positive change where it is most needed.

When | October 27th

Time | 6:30pm - 11:30pm

Location | Mandarin Oriental Taipei

Dress code | Glitter Tie or Glamorous Evening Attire

The Center’s Annual Auction Fundraiser Gala: Glitz & Glamourhttps://communitycenter.org.tw/auction-2023/

SNEAK PEAK ALERT!

Get Ready for our Spectacular Auction Fundraiser!

Get ready to be dazzled! We're giving you an exclusive sneak peek into the incredible items up for grabs at our upcoming Auction Fundraiser Event. Prepare to bid on a treasure trove of unique and valuable items that promise to make this event unforgettable. Here's just a taste of what's in store:

1. A family documentary photoshoot with Cahleen Hudson to capture all your Taiwan memories

2. A 25-year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

3. An exclusive dinner at The American Club with 3 chefs

4. Private whiskey tasting tour

5. Dinner at one of the finest restaurants in Taipei: Smith & Wollensky

6. A vintage Japanese Obi

Link to Set Menu

https://communitycenter.org.tw/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Glitz-Glamour-Set-Menu-2023.pdf

Link to Vegetarian Menu

https://communitycenter.org.tw/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Glitz-Glamour-Vegetarian-Menu-2023.pdf

INDULGE IN A CULINARY JOURNEY AT THE ILLUSTRIOUS MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL

The evening commences with king crab salad, fig crystal ball, salmon roe, pumpkin, fennel puree and with edible golden sparkles. A symphony of flavors unfolds as the second course arrives - a herb chicken roll, enriched with truffle mashed potatoes and crispy potato chips. The intermezzo course, a refreshing sorbet infused with pineapple and lime cleanses the palate, preparing it for the pièce de résistance, U.S. prime beef tenderloin or Salmon with lemon leaf foam; or for the vegetarian, an eggplant with beetroot and wild mushroom sauce. For a sweet denouement, a grand finale of a Yuzu chocolate mousse tower, adorned with edible gold leaf and mango compote, culminates this extraordinary gastronomic experience.

CALL TO ACTION: BUY TICKETS AND/OR RAFFLE TICKETS

Secure your tickets for The Center’s Annual Auction Fundraiser ‘Glitz & Glamour’

You may reserve your spot by visiting our website, contacting our event coordinator at events@communitycenter.org.tw or come to The Center to buy your tickets. One ticket 4.800NT, table of ten 47.000NT.

25 PRIZES + A MYSTERY GOLDEN BOX

Do you want a chance to win some desirable raffle prizes? Enter our lucky raffle and have the opportunity to win big while also helping a good cause. You can buy raffle tickets at The Center or on the night of the event (Oct 27th)*.

*You don’t have to buy tickets for Glitz & Glamour Gala to participate in the raffle.

Your Ride to Get Outside

Are you keen to explore hiking trails outside of Taipei? Not sure how to get there? Having trouble persuading the family to join you? Parkbus is one solution. This organization takes all the hassle out of getting to trails that are not conveniently situated next to an MRT station or bus stop. In addition,

if the hike requires a permit they take care of that as well. You just hop on the bus, snooze for an hour or two and before you know it you’ll have arrived at the start of the trail. There’s always a guide on these trips but you don’t have to follow their pace if you don’t want to. Just make sure you are at the finish point in time for pick up. If your

navigation skills are not particularly great though, I would recommend sticking with the guide, then you don’t have to worry about where to go or whether you’re going fast enough, you can just relax and enjoy the scenery. At the end, you hop back on the bus and rest until you’re back at the starting point. If you live in Taipei, then they

TEXT: LUCY TORRES

PHOTO: DORY CHUNG

PHOTO: TAIWANOUTDOORS.COM/PARKBUS TAIWAN

offer a good selection of day hikes such as Pingxi, Caoling and Taipingshan, which all start from Taipei Main Station. However, they also offer day hikes from Taichung, Chiayi and Hsinchu. Their one and two night outings are also great options, with trips to Jade Mountain being the most popular.

In April I joined my first Parkbus hike, along with a couple of friends, and it was a pleasant surprise to find that Dory, one of the guides for Center hikes, was in charge. After a two-hour drive towards Wulai, we reached the start of the walk. The first 12 km was along a narrow road which is closed to traffic. The road accompanies the river all the way to the Tonghou trailhead, so it was a relaxing stroll with the sound of the burbling brook and a light breeze rustling in the trees. At the trailhead we stopped for a snack by the river and then set off on the more challenging section of the hike. The trail was not too steep, but with tree roots and some

narrow parts in places it did require more concentration than the road. It also meant the scenery was even more beautiful, with thicker forest, more vegetation and birds chirping. We stopped for lunch by the river where we could refresh our feet in the water. All in all, we walked around 20 km, ending up in Yilan county, where the bus was waiting to scoop us up and return us to Taipei.

In July I did the Fuba Cross-Ridge Trail

PHOTO: LUCY TORRES

PHOTO: LUCY TORRES

which was 22 kilometers of walking through a green wonderland. After a 3-hour drive, the last hour or more on a windy road going up and up, we finally approached Lalashan National Park on a narrow road lined with stalls selling juicy peaches and packed with cars. As it was Saturday morning and the school holidays, we left the bus just outside the park to avoid the queue waiting to get to the car park inside the park. We wandered through the park past some of the giant cypress trees and then out onto the trail. Six hours later we ended up in Fushan having passed just one other group of hikers. The noisiest encounter on our hike was the cicadas which reached a crescendo at about kilometer 16. Those creatures really can pump up the volume! The first 15km were along a fairly wide trail headed in a gentle downward direction enveloped in trees, including many large cypress. Some just shoot straight up to the sky but others have taken a more artistic direction with two trunks, a hollow inside, or branches that drape over the

trail. For the last 6 km or so, the trail narrowed with a drop on one side and a steep wall-like slope on the other. There were a few sections where there had been landslides, so the path was not so smooth and it required more concentration. The undergrowth was thicker too, making it even greener. Finally, we reached a small suspension bridge over a river where we could look back up at the hills around us and saw our driver waiting for us. We even had time to head down to the river to revive our feet in the clear, cool water before heading back to Taipei.

As the Parkbus motto says, this is ‘your ride to get outside’. I love the idea of exploring further afield than Taipei, but don’t always want to drive myself to a trail, especially on the weekends, when it can be hard to find parking or when it’s a long hike and I’m then too tired to drive home. This is also the perfect way to do trails that start on one side of a mountain and end up at the other, as there is no need to hike both ways. The added bonus is that it’s

safe as there’s a guide who knows the way. Plus, you don’t need to persuade reluctant family members to join youyou can go solo and make new friends along the way. Once you register for a hike online, they confirm your spot and keep you up-to-date on the progress of permits and any troubling weather reports. So, if you’re looking for an outdoor adventure check out their website now and see where Parkbus can take you.

https://parkbus.com.tw/C/us/home

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.

Coasting Around Northern Taiwan

There’s something about seeing the sea that gives me a holiday feeling. I think it takes me back to my childhood, when after a five-hour drive from Oxford to Cornwall, we would finally reach the top of a hill and glimpse the deep blue sea sparkling in the sun and we knew the holiday could begin. The northern coast of Taiwan has many different spots that you can visit, and every time I head there, when I see the ocean glinting at me, I still get that holiday feeling.

Baishawan beach is one of my favorites, as it’s a pretty, sandy beach and has Dazzlers fish and chips restaurant at the coast offering you a taste of Britain while you’re there. Fulong is another interesting beach, especially between June and October, when the sand sculptures are on show. It’s also a great place for activities, as the river inlet makes it an ideal spot for windsurfing and paddle boarding and there are hundreds of bikes to rent if you want to cycle along the coast. If you are something of a geologist, then there are a lot of interesting rock formations along the coastal road, with the most famous being Yehliu Geopark, but you should include others, such as Nanya rock. Of course, as an avid hiker, I can’t forget to mention hikes that offer sea views from famous trails, such

as Teapot Mountain and the historic Caoling Trail, to the more relaxed strolls around Bitoujiao lighthouse or along the Nanzilin Trail.

This October it looks like I’ll get the holiday feeling twice, as The Center is offering two tours on the north coast. The first one is on Saturday, 14 October, so it’s the perfect tour for the whole family. It’s a boat trip from Keelung Port to Keelung Islet, which is about an hour’s boat ride from town. Additionally, the boat passes along the Taiwan coast so you can see some of the rock formations from the sea, including Shen’ao, otherwise known as Elephant Trunk Rock. The boat then

TEXT: LUCY TORRES

Fulong sand sculpture

Strange rock formations

heads to the islet, where you disembark and spend a couple of hours exploring. The islet, as the name implies, is very small, and hilly. There’s a lovely walk to the summit to visit the lighthouse and enjoy panoramic views. The islet is covered in tropical vegetation with different flowers blooming at different times of year, with lizards, butterflies and spiders sharing the trail with you.

The second tour is on Thursday, 19 October and it offers a chance to visit the famous hillside town known as Jiufen. The Center’s private bus will drive us out to the coast, so we get a

chance to see the Yinyang Sea and the Golden Waterfall up close. Then we’ll head to the lookout, where you can get a bird’s eye view of the coast without working up a sweat. Finally, the bus stops at Jiufen. From here licensed tour guide Derek will give us a tour of the town, explaining its history. During the Qing dynasty there were just nine families living in the area. However, in the 1890s, gold was discovered in the vicinity and when the Japanese took control of Taiwan they started a gold mine, so the town grew rapidly to cater

Teapot mountain

Lighthouse on Keelung Islet

Nanzilin Trail

to the needs of the mine. The mine closed in the seventies and the town went into a decline until tourism came along and revived it. Now it is a favorite weekend haunt for many Taiwanese, who enjoy browsing the shops and eating specialty dishes such as taro balls,

fish balls and peanut ice cream rolls. If you would like to have that holiday feeling, then join us on one of these tours for some fun at the coast. With the options of boating and hiking or browsing and eating, I’m sure there’s one that would suit you.

https://communitycenter.org.tw/event/1152/keelung-boat-adventure/ https://communitycenter.org.tw/event/1153/jiufen-tour/

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.

Jiufen Keelung Islet

800 Zhongshan North Road, Section 6, Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan ROC 111-52

The National Theatre and Concert Hall: Taiwan’s Cultural Icon

The National Theatre and Concert Hall in Taipei are situated within the park that includes Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Liberty Square. The entire park covers a vast area of approximately 250,000 square meters in Zhongzheng District, on land that had belonged to the military and included a military dependents’ village. Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall, a striking structure in pristine blue and white, overlooks the entire park. In front of it and facing each other are the National Theatre and Concert Hall, prominent in red and orange, in the style of Northern Chinese imperial palaces. The grandeur of this civic space is to inspire awe and pride. It shows the nation’s growing confidence in the late 1970s and 80s.

The National Theatre and Concert Hall project was prompted by the death of Chiang Kai-shek in 1975. The government decided then that it was necessary to commemorate Chiang, but more importantly, these two prominent cultural institutions were part of the government’s “12 Major Constructions” which included projects to promote culture and the arts, such as libraries, museums and concert halls in cities all over Taiwan. Construction for the two performance spaces, commonly known in Mandarin as Liangtingyuan (兩廳院),

literally “two halls”, began in 1980. It was completed in 1987 with the official opening on 31 October 1987. Up until then, the biggest performing arts space in Taipei had capacity for only 500 people. Upon completion, the largest space in the National Theatre has a capacity of 1,498 seats, and the Concert Hall 2,022 seats, making it possible to host events on a scale not seen before.

The architect chosen for the project was Yang Cho-cheng ( 楊卓 成), whose previous designs included Grand Hotel and Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence. Nostalgia for and pride in Taiwan’s Chinese heritage is obvious in the design. The intricate and numerous architectural details are often direct references to classical Chinese culture. One example is the mythical beasts on the ridges of the roofs. These include a celestial man on a phoenix leading the pack, followed by a dragon, another phoenix, lion, sky horse, ocean horse and many others. These beasts are believed to fend off fire and evil, while bringing in luck and fulfilment. The iconic orange roofs are the largest glazed tile roofs in Taiwan. The National Theatre’s roof is covered by approximately 275,700 glazed tiles, and 243,000 pieces for the Concert Hall. These tiles were locally made, and laid by experienced craftsmen who had to

shoulder up to 48 kg of tiles up on the roof and lay them by hand.

Grandeur continues in the interior of these two buildings, with sweeping, curved staircases carpeted in red, and massive chandeliers hanging from ornate ceilings. Nevertheless, its functionality as a professional performing arts spaces that is vital to the entire project. Sound, lights, stage, seats and air conditioning were designed by a team of European and local experts. In addition, the interior is filled with public art pieces by Taiwanese artists, many with links to performing art. The total construction cost of the the two structures was over 746 million dollars, partly funded by donations from public and private institutions, local people and the

TEXT: JESSICA WANG SIMULA IMAGES: WEB

Taiwanese diaspora, showing that this was a project that ignited people’s imagination, and brought people together in their pride in national identity; and desire for a cultural icon at the time.

The first performances at the National Theatre and Concert Hall took place on 6 October 1987, but the official opening was on 31 October 1987, the anniversary of Chiang Kaishek’s death. As per the customs of the time, the audience and performers bowed to the flag and portrait of Chiang Kai-shek, and sang the national anthem together, before the performance of the evening proceeded. The National Theater showed Peking opera, Cai Wenji Returns to Her Homeland ( 新文姬歸漢 ), and the Concert Hall opened with a symphonic poem Ode to The Republic of China (中 華頌歌).

As a result of how the National Theatre and Concert hall project was initiated, it is difficult to untether these two institutions from political controversy. Efforts to distance from the political era of Chiang Kai-shek are partly reflected in the renaming of the public outdoor area, which is now called Liberty Square to celebrate Taiwan’s successful transition to democracy. Yet, politics aside, the National Theatre and Concert Hall have never stopped being a venue for top performers to perform. These two institutions have witnessed the explosion of performing arts in

Taiwan, providing a platform for local artists such as the National Symphony Orchestra, the modern dance company Cloud Gate, the musical Ju Percussion Group; and theatre company Performance Workshop. Throughout the years, they have also attracted international superstars such as Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domigo, José Carreras, Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, AnneSophie Mutter, Itzhak Perlman, Berliner Philharmoniker, Martha Graham Dance Company, National Ballet of China, to name only a few.

Since the 1980s the performing arts landscape in Taipei itself has flourished and diversified tremendously with several major performance spaces

dotted around the city. Taiwan’s growing confidence in, and appetite for arts and culture, can be seen in the establishment of NPAC - National Performing Arts Center in 2014 by the Ministry of Culture. Under the NPAC umbrella there are several national flagship cultural institutions: National Theatre & Concert Hall (Taipei), National Taichung Theatre (Taichung), National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts, Weiwuying (Kaohsiung), and the National Symphony Orchestra. The National Theatre and Concert Hall provided many of the ‘firsts’ in Taipei’s cultural scene for both performers and audiences. Their establishment not only mirrored the nation’s growing prosperity and sense of identity, but also drove the growth of Taiwan’s cultural industries. The institution itself continues to evolve, maintaining relevance and connection to audiences in an ever more complex and competitive environment.

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.

The Community Services Centre will have a guided tour of the National Theater and Concert Hall on November 2, 2023

A FIG Tree Grows in Taipei

TEXT: JEFFREY SCHWAB

August 2023 marked the 5th anniversary of Taipei’s first bilingual improv performance group, FIG. Having weathered the COVID pandemic and 5 years of growing joys, the self-dubbed Formosa Improv Group (FIG) 福爾摩沙即興組合 continues to thrive and expand in ways that the group members never imagined when they first created the name in 2018, inside a Louisa Cafe at Da’an metro station. Like a wandering vagabond in search of their next meal, those who were there at the beginning were simply curious about the art form, a mish-mash of improv and language enthusiasts who wanted to get together and use improv as a way to have fun and make new friends. Whether it was outside of various metro stations, or even with a group of only 3 members inside of someone’s apartment, the “yes, and” spirit of improv led a nucleus of individuals to create FIG. Somewhere between a community group that performs, and a performing group that builds community, FIG has remained true to its roots and values. A learning organization that gives back to the Taipei community, two of their core values are to consistently look for new ways to build bridges and to say yes to new challenges for collaboration–all for the sake of strengthening the overall improv ecosystem in Taiwan. Let’s take a look at FIG’s past, present, and future.

THE ROOTS

Many of the members who make up FIG’s core group of mainstage performers never had improv experience prior to joining FIG. In 2018, the Taiwan improv scene itself consisted of fresh soil ripe for planting seeds. The bilingual improv community did not exist at all, and the English improv scene had seen itself come and go in fits and starts with Taipei

Improv, Sweet Danger, and Taichung

Improv (renamed Skits and Giggles–

check them out in Taichung). Taiwan’s longest-running professional improv group, with their own stage, is the fully Chinese-language group Guts Improv (勇氣即興).

After arriving in Taipei in 2018, co-founder of FIG Jeffrey Schwab knew that he wanted to create a sustainable bilingual improv performance group and community. Prior to moving to Taiwan, he had years of bilingual improv experience in Beijing as part of the English-language “Beijing Improv,” and

then its bilingual experimental-child, Bilingual Improv Group (BIG). Knowing the power and joy of bilingualism and community in improv, he set about gathering those who were curious and open-minded to experimentation and performance. Many of the original devotees came from Taipei’s Multilingual Café group and the theater community, as the participants were already comfortable with being uncomfortable in other languages, or on stage. Those interested in learning more about improv met once, and then twice a week to play games and learn improv skills. It wasn’t long until

Photo courtesy FIG

One of FIG's many family portraits. While some members have come and gone, the group continues to evolve with a strong, rotating cast of performers.

Photo by FIG member “Woody” (bottom right corner)

GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY

After FIG came together as a group, the growth accelerated and developed relationships with venues such as Oldie Goodie and Red Room (now relocated as Red Room Rendezvous) and settled into a long-term collaboration with the latter. It wasn’t long before the monthly shows at the Red Room saw packed audiences, and the group’s community workshops were averaging around 20 participants each session. Part of what made and continues to make FIG so sustainable is that leadership in the group is

shared amongst all group members in a rotational system. This system ensures that the group leads itself and group members not only develop performance skills, but also crucial leadership and delegation skills.

FIG has also made great efforts to expand on partnerships over the years. Since the pre-COVID days, FIG has consistently collaborated with improvisers passing through Taipei from Asia’s rich improv community. The group developed relationships and learned from mentors and partners coming from Beijing, Shanghai, and

a cohesive unit coalesced to form FIG, whose debut show took place in September, 2018. FIG would also continue to dedicate themselves to the community, by providing free bilingual weekly improv workshops.

Singapore, and later more globally. In 2019, members from FIG joined the Manila Improv Festival, sharing the stage with more than 60 teams. During the same year, FIG began a partnership with the stand-up comedy club, Two Three Comedy, opening with a sold-out show. Currently, FIG holds workshops there every Monday evening, and shows once a month, andalso performs seasonal shows at The Hive, Taipei’s premiere co-working space.

FIG welcomes members from the

community

to share their talents and lead as guest

improv

near and afar

FIG's open workshops continue to ignite energy and passion amongst the community. This picture features FIG member “J” in the foreground during a workshop that focused on rhythm and musical improv skills. Photo by Jazmin Sanchez.

Taken during FIG's opening show at the original Red Room, many of the audience members and community have continued to support and follow the group's growth and development from 2018. Photo by Tobie Openshaw.

facilitators for the Monday workshops. Almost 20 non-FIG professionals and artists have led as guest facilitators. During the pandemic FIG also cooperated with the China-based company, The Hutong, to lead online workshops for more than 300 students located all across China. In 2020, members joined a fully online improv festival hosted by Third World Improv. That same year, FIG hosted Taipei’s first improv festival and invited groups such as Ok Improv, Skits and Giggles, and Milu Impro Rehearsal Space to join in shows and lead workshops, as well as hosting online panels with improvisers from Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Manila. More recently, FIG built upon the relationship with Ok Improv to invite one of their members to direct the group in a performance.

BEARING FRUIT

As FIG celebrates its 5th anniversary, the group could not be in a better place. With new members joining each year, the talent pool continues to grow. In addition FIG has led private applied improv workshops for schools and organizations. Applied improv combines improv with professional and life skills such as team-building, trust, communication, leadership, listening, embracing failure, and innovation. FIG has cooperated with CET, Rotaract, Taipei European School, Taipei Municipal Binjiang Experimental High School, and Taiwan Next Generation to lead workshops and private shows. FIG’s branches continue to reach

towards the sky, and this September the group has once again taken to the international stage to join more than 70 groups for their return to the Manila Improv Festival. The group will return to Taipei bearing fruit, bringing more ideas, professionalism, and connections that can be shared with the Taipei community.

FIG tirelessly seeks more opportunities to grow, learn, and make connections with those who are seeking the “yes, and” spirit that everyone has inside. The group strongly encourages anyone who is curious about trying improv as a challenge to come out and join the Monday workshops or check out one of its shows!

https://www.facebook.com/FormosaImprovGroup

Jeffrey Schwab - A lifelong improviser with a passion for learning, Jeffrey works as the first Chief Learning Officer with a focus on cross-departmental development and building a learning organization that supports professional growth and a coaching culture. Originally from Lexington, Virginia, he has lived in Asia for the past 20 years (Japan, China, Taiwan). He has co-founded bilingual improv groups both in Beijing and Taipei and enjoys new improvised challenges. Jeffrey is accompanied in Taipei by his wife Mayumi and daughter Luna. Jeffrey is passionate about micro-adventurism, playing the banjo, and writing during his spare time.

FB:

Triumphant on the international stage, members of FIG take a post show photo after their performance at the 2023 Manila Improv Festival.

Photo by Annie Liu

FIG member Diana Liu during a Musical Improv workshop facilitated by guest instructor Holly Mak for the Taipei improv community.

Photo by Jazmin Sanchez

The First Ever Indo-Formosan Musical Fusion

How A Native Bengali Speaker Ended Up Collaborating With Taiwan’s Indigenous Music

For years, I have firmly held onto one belief: folk music stands as a singular bridge capable of uniting individuals irrespective of language, ethnicity, or cultural barriers. The captivating notion that two people who don't share a common language can effortlessly forge a connection through folk music is truly fascinating. An earthly melody somehow finds its resonance, traversing continents and linking hearts. How do I know this? Because I have witnessed it, I have experienced it. It was a mesmerizing experience, a thing of beauty that exuded a profound sense of peace.

In 2012, I embarked on a journey to Taiwan for my PhD studies, and today, I hold the position of a postdoctoral fellow. Apart from this, music is my passion and I am an avid follower and practitioner of folk music from Bengal. Alongside my fellow musician comrades, I have performed on this beautiful island over the years. Yet, amidst these memories, one performance remains exceptionally dear to my heart. The date is etched in my mind: April 16th, 2023. This was the day when the India Taipei Association orchestrated the India Spring Festival, and we presented something very special on stage: the first ever Indo-

Formosan Fusion Music performance; the combination of Bengali folk melody with the enchanting music of Taiwan’s indigenous tribes.

Before every gig or event, a collective brainstorming session with my musical companions is customary. It's during these sessions that we craft the musical narrative, select the songs that will resonate with the audience. This time, however, I harbored a desire for something unprecedented, something that would captivate all who bore witness. A dormant idea from the past

sprung to life within me. Me and my friend Tracy Fang, a brilliant dancer, singer, and a musician, had a plan to collaborate with Taiwan's indigenous musicians back in 2019-20. Although it remained dormant back then, the concept endured, rooted firmly in my thoughts.

In the early years of 2014-15, I was introduced to Taiwan's distinctive indigenous culture—a world brimming with tribes, their vibrant attire, delectable cuisines, and, of course, their soul-stirring music. Tracy and I had

TEXT: RAJAT SUBHRA KARMAKAR IMAGES: LIN DEJAVU

Mulinang Tangiradan, a native Paiwan singer and educator

Jim on the flute

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOasHfvTM6g

the privilege of participating in an event as members of an indigenous singing ensemble. That was the time I learned one or two songs from the Bunun tribe. Then, I learned about the songs of the Paiwan, Amis, and Rukai tribes. And definitely, they were beautiful. As I mentioned earlier, the connection, though mysterious, was undeniable. Now, let's turn our attention to 2023. The invitation to perform at the India Spring Festival stirred a strong belief—an assurance that the time was right for an Indo-Formosan fusion, an unprecedented collaboration. This event marked a significant moment, one of the first major Indian gatherings

after the pandemic pause. What better platform to showcase the blend of cultures?

So the plan was set, and now we need to find the right personnel. We knew the right person for it. It was Mulinang Tangiradan, a native Paiwan singer and Educator, who has worked tirelessly for the native Formosan culture. After several meetings, we chose a song— "Lalrualrumedhane'' from the Rukai tribe. Mulinang, unwavering, taught us the song's nuances, adding our harmonies. Learning it was amazing; its unique sounds and melodies left a lasting impression. The tune became a

MORNING BOOK CLUB

10:30-12:00, second Tuesday of the month., contact Julie Hu at: mcelroy22000@yahoo.com

OCTOBER 10

The Emptiness of Our Hands: 47 Days on the Streets by Phyllis Cole-Dai and James Murray 2004

JOIN THE NEW PAGE BOOK CLUB

Come join our monthly book club online or in-person every first Thursday of the month. Members get to submit suggestions and vote for the next read! And you can exchange books at our trolleys or online.

https://www.newpage.life/books or FB: New Page Books

constant hum, etching itself in my memory.

And here comes the tricky part. None of the Bengali folk songs I held dear matched the pitch and melody of the Rukai piece. Faced with this musical puzzle, I took matters into my own hands. Crafting a Bengali counterpart— "Jabo Kon Pothe," translating to "Which Path Shall I Take"—became my mission. With Mulinang and Tracy by my side, both versions were interwoven, and to my delight, they meshed seamlessly, conjuring a musical spell.

Completing the ensemble were fellow musicians: Ivan on guitar, Jim with the flute, and Eason on the cajon. Their skills were pivotal, rendering the fusion an orchestral masterpiece. During rehearsals and the climactic performance on April 16th, 2023, a tangible connection enveloped me. It was as if two distinct cultures had converged, birthing a harmonious blend. This experience reinforced the belief that, beyond borders and distances, we are all part of the same tribe, journeying from one place to another.

Rajat is a researcher by profession and a singer and writer by heart. Presently he is working in NTU. He is an avid practitioner of Folk music from Bengal and with his friends he has worked for 10 years to showcase the unique connection between India and Taiwan through folk music. email: rjtkarmakar@gmail.com

Fall & Winter Catalog

https://communitycenter.org.tw/what-we-do/activities/

2023 Fall & Winter Activities

The print version of the Fall & Winter catalog is available at The Center.

Left to right: The Urban Folklore group: Ivan (Guitar), Rajat (Vocals), Tracy (Taiwan moon guitar/backing vocals), Mulinang (Vocals), Eason (Cajon) and Jim (Flute).

Fond Memories of Isla Formosa –The Beautiful Island

Taiwan is on everyone’s mind these days. People the world over know about this island off the coast of China with its own model democratic government and vibrant free society. The fraught cross-Strait situation is the topic of conversation in coffee houses, bars, living rooms, schools, and businesses around the world. But this island remains a secret jewel with relatively few people actually visiting and seeing its stunning beauty and experiencing its remarkable diversity.

I lived in Taipei from 2004 to 2008 with my family. My husband was Political Counselor at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Our children

attended Taipei American School (TAS) where I served on the Board of Directors. I also volunteered as a Docent at the renowned National Palace Museum, where I learned about the rich history of Chinese art and culture, and wrote for Centered on Taipei (COT). This gave me the unique opportunity to discover new parts of this amazing island and meet so many people. I relished the opportunity to discover new facets of Taiwan and used every chance I got to turn my explorations into stories.

While living in Taiwan, United Airlines’ Hemispheres Magazine asked me to write the article “Three Perfect Days in Taipei” for the series that greets

TEXT: JOANNE HUSKEY IMAGES: SUSIE BRAND

Jiufen, one of the most touristic spots in Taiwan, is surrounded by green mountains with breathtaking views.

The lantern festival during Chinese New Year at the Grand Hotel

The Taipei Confucius Temple in Datong District, Taipei

you in the pocket of your airline seat every time you travel United. They dispatched a photographer from National Geographic to photograph the places that I included in my article. I escorted him to the hot spots of Taipei – the night markets, Taipei 101, the Grand Hotel, we ate jiaozi at Din Tai Fung, sipped tea at several high end tea houses, and visited Buddhist temples. But it was in the mountains around Taipei, where he said to me, “This is the best kept secret in all of Asia! Why doesn’t anyone know about it?”

So let me tell you some of my discoveries, which hopefully you have already uncovered yourselves, but if not, it is time to start!

Let’s begin with the basics. The people of Taiwan are its treasure. In all of my travels (and I have lived in eight countries and visited dozens more), the Taiwanese people are the most courteous, welcoming, generous people I have ever met. There is a strong traditional Chinese culture from both the earlier cross-Strait and the post Civil War China-wide migrations, modulated by vestiges of indigenous aboriginal and Japanese colonial cultures into the unique cultural blend that is today’s highly cosmopolitan Taiwan. Taiwan people are both polite, respectful, and welcoming, which is quite unique these days. They tend to be somewhat conservative in their lifestyles, hard working, and honest. My husband and I found Taiwan a wonderful place to

raise teenagers because the island is so safe. The kids could roam quite freely without us worrying all the time. They came home on their first day at TAS exclaiming, “Mom, you won’t believe it, but it is cool to be smart here!” The tradition of working hard and honoring ancestors is alive and well here.

I wrote one article for COT entitled, “Only in Taiwan” about the many times people in Taiwan went out of their way to be kind and helpful. It seemed to happen daily. Like the taxi driver who drove back to TAS and delivered my son’s mislaid shoes to his classroom. Or the complete stranger across a crowded street who saw me getting drenched and ran across to offer me shelter under her umbrella. Or the shopkeeper who ran to catch me and give me the correct change that I had left at her register. Or the neighbors who invited us for beautiful Chinese dinners on our arrival. Or the taxi driver who helped me find a wild boar to photograph for our Year-ofthe-Pig family Christmas photo. These acts of kindness were legendary and made living in Taiwan a delight.

I wrote about the hot sulfur springs and wonderful spas in the hills and mountains around Taipei. Taiwan’s spa culture grew out of the Japanese communal “au naturelle” bath tradition, though in Taiwan this is done separately for men and women. This can be a bit awkward for westerners at first, but the Taiwanese people are welcoming and make it easy to acclimatize, with their

relaxed communal attitude, I explored every type of spa and hot spring, from fancy high-end spas with multiple baths, lounging areas, tea served on the side, fountains and steam baths; to natural pools of every temperature set in valleys or on mountainsides with steaming waterfalls flowing down. Most people know about the spas in Beitou, but there are many, many others to find. If you haven’t tried it, you are really missing a special treat of living in Taiwan.

Another treasure of Taiwan is the mountains themselves. Towering over Taipei is, of course, the magical mountain Yangmingshan with its myriad of walking trails and spectacular views. My favorite spot was Qingtiangang, where I would begin by honoring my ancestors at the small Buddhist temple

Yangmingshan Falls

The Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival, popularly known as the '10,000 People Sun Moon Lake Swim Meet' started in 1983. This annual event is held before and after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

at the trail entrance, then walk with my little cocker spaniel to the peak of the mountain and peer down at the city of Taipei on one side, then jog to the other side and sit and gaze meditatively out over the ocean. Many days, I was the only person there. I have found few places as magical as that.

Beyond these, the options for exploration and adventure are limitless: go to the quaint village of Zhuzihu in the springtime with its rolling fields of white calla lilies; or to Xiaoyoukeng where steaming sulfur

water flows from the mountain; or climb Qixingshan (Seven Star Mountain) with its expansive views, or drive over the mountain to the lovely beach town of Jinshan where you can surf the waves, or to Yehliu with its strange rock formations. Further afield you can visit the historic mining village of Jiufen with its pottery shops; or travel South to the towering mountains of Yushan and Alishan, where you might think you are in Austria; or visit the beautiful Sun Moon Lake with its crystal clear waters. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The options are literally endless in Taiwan.

My husband and I discovered remarkable tea houses scattered all through the mountains around Taipei, some exotic, some traditional, some hanging off cliffs, others in terraced rice paddies, but all mesmerizingly wonderful!

My family and I remember Taiwan with such fondness. Taiwan is a unique place in this world, truly a “beautiful island.” The world prays for its safety. There is so much there to protect. I am grateful for the years I spent roaming the island of Taiwan, which I will always hold dear in my heart.

Joanne Grady Huskey is co-founder of Global Adjustments, Inc. (India); American International School of Chennai (India); I LIVE 2 LEAD Young Women's International Leadership Program. International Director of VSA Arts at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Her books include The Unofficial Diplomat, Make It In India, iCAN: A Young Woman’s Guide to Taking the Lead, Growing Up Grady, and her first children’s book, Christopher & Caroline in Kenya.

Ms. Huskey has been published in the Washington Post, Newsweek, Foreign Service Journal, State Magazine, Hemispheres Magazine, and Centered on Taipei. For her work in women’s leadership, Ms. Huskey was honored as 2014 Purpose Prize Fellow by Encore.org and was awarded the "Points of Light Award" by Secretary of State James Baker for her work in the Asia-Pacific region. As part of the US Diplomatic Service, she lived in China, India, Kenya, and Taiwan. She has a Masters degree from Harvard University.

She lived in Taiwan from 2004-2008 and served on the TAS School Board, and was a docent at the National Palace Museum.

Susie Brand is a Swedish photographer who has always loved and been interested in photography. With her family, she has lived an international life for the last 32 years, and developed her skills and interests in the medium. After analog photography courses in the UK and digital photography at the New York Institute of Photography, Susie has worked as a photojournalist and as an event and food photographer. She had a photo exhibition in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2019, which was very wellreceived. She has resided in Switzerland since 2010. It is in the moment of capture and in the creative process where she finds her passion. Her focus is on photography as an art form.

www.susiebrandphotography.com

IG: susiebrandphotography

Yehliu Geopark

The sandstone here is subject to erosion and weathering, forming shapes that have been given names such as Queen's Head (女王頭), Fairy Shoe, Beehive, the Ginger Rocks, and the Sea Candles.

Eating Vegetables in Taiwan

Eating vegetables, especially the green ones, plays a fundamental role in the Chinese daily diet.

In Taiwan, there are so many vegetables that you have probably never heard of before, such as water spinach, pak choi, young sprouts of sweet potatoes, sponge melon, bitter melon… Those vegetables are often cooked, served hot or at room temperature, there are relatively fewer presented in salads.

If you are a newbie to Chinese cooking, visiting a local market and trying to buy some local vegetables could be quite confusing. I’m sharing here some very basic, popular and easy cooking vegetables with some useful cooking tips.

Water spinach

This long stem green vegetable is usually stirfried in a wok with chopped garlic and some red chili if you like it spicy. The cooking time, for all the other green vegetables, is very short: around 2 minutes is enough.

Born in Beijing, Margot was introduced to the secrets of tasty Chinese cuisine alongside her mother and grandmother. She did her first jiaozi (dumplings) and her first dough for bao there, where she learned all the gestures and tricks, as naturally passed from mother to daughter.

Since her arrival in France, she has taught Mandarin in several French universities. In 2008, she created a blog to share her simple and authentic cuisine and quickly established herself as a reference in Chinese cooking within the French-speaking blogosphere.

Margot is also the author of several Chinese cook books, dating back to 2015. Now back in Asia, she continues her professional activities around writing cook books, hosting cooking classes and consulting for professionals.

https://recetteschinoises.blogspot.com/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/recettesdunechinoise

IG: margotzhang

Pak choi 青江菜 (Qing Jiang Cai )

It’s a little green vegetable, a member of the cabbage family. The most popular way of cooking is cutting them into small pieces and stir-frying with some garlic and hot oil in a wok. Also, you can just boil them in salted water (1-2 minutes), to make a salad with a classic dressing sauce (recipe at the end of the article).

空心菜 (Kong Xin Cai )

TEXT & IMAGES: MARGOT ZHANG

Taiwanese round cabbage

(Gao Li Cai )

This round Taiwanese cabbage, grown in high altitude, is extremely juicy and crunchy. The popular way to cook it is to tear the cabbage leaves into pieces by hand and then stir-fry it with garlic, and/ or with some dried tiny shrimps (Sakura shrimps 櫻 花蝦).

Chinese cabbage 大白菜

(Pe Tsai )

A versatile vegetable that can be used for different types of cooking: stir-fried, stew, soup, salad, or can be fermented for kimchi.

How to cook the green leafy vegetables

In Asia, we are very fond of green leafy vegetables 綠葉菜 such as spinach, pak choi, water spinach, amaranth leaves, and sweet potato leaves. After removing wilted or damaged leaves, we wash the vegetable briefly. Then we cut them by separating leaves and stems. Since the leaves are getting cooked only for several seconds, we always add the stems in the wok at first.

The cooking is extremely simple and quick by using a wok or a sauce pan. To make your dishes a success, remember to prepare all the ingredients in advance because once you turn on the heat, you will cook straight away and all the cooking will last for only 2 or 3 minutes, sometimes even less.

Cooking green leaves vegetable step by step:

• Pre-cut the vegetable into pieces, separate the leaves and stems;

• Chop the garlic, the green onion or the ginger;

• Put all the ingredients within easy reach in front of you: soy sauce, oil, salt etc…

• Preheat the wok without oil with high temperature, once the wok is hot, add the oil from the border;

• Add the chopped garlic, keep cooking for 15-30 seconds, add the stems, going on for around 1 minute and put in the green leaves.

• Once the leaves are getting soft (it takes only a few seconds), add a little bit of soy sauce, a small pinch of salt and some white pepper or some sesame oil for example.

• Turn off the heat immediately.

The cooking temperature is generally high and the cooking duration is extremely short.

If you want an even lighter meal, you can just boil the vegetable for 1-2 minutes and serve it like a warm salad with a classic dressing.

Recipe of a basic dressing sauce:

For 4 portions

4 tsp of soy sauce

4 tsp of black vinegar

4 tsp of sesame oil (or olive oil if you don’t have sesame oil)

1-2 tsp of sugar or honey

Mix all the ingredients well and serve.

You can use this sauce for dumplings , dipping, salad or noodles with some sesame paste.

Long aubergine 茄子 (Qie Zi )

The long and thin shaped aubergine is a very appreciated vegetable in Chinese cooking. Due to its thin skin and tender flesh, it takes less time for cooking than the western classical aubergine.

The most common way to cook it is stir-frying, with garlic, green onion and soy sauce. The cooked aubergine is juicy, tender and melts in the mouth. Accompanied by a bowl of plain rice, this makes a simple but delicious meal.

Lutetia ARTat-TAC

6th October 2023

The Catcher with the Lines: Qingqing Li (李青青) Solo Exhibition

For October 2023, Lutetia ART-at-TAC is proud to present The Catcher with the Lines: Qingqing Li (李青青) Solo Exhibition. This is Li’s first solo exhibition in Taipei, even though she has been very active in the Taipei arts scene since moving to Taiwan in December 2020. Often sketching on-site at music and other cultural events, Li’s abstract and figurative paintings exude the energy of the sights and sounds she captures.

AChinese American, Li was travelling in South America with her Taiwan-born partner when Covid hit. They moved to Taiwan in December 2020 and have been settled in Taipei since. As a new resident in this city and a fan of live music, Li started drawing a neighbourhood community band. She then ventured out to musical events at one of Taipei’s arts/community hubs, The Red Room. Encouraged by the positive feedback, Li started contacting various music events organisers, asking for opportunities to draw on-site at their musical events. At these events, Li uses fast yet eloquent lines to capture not merely the likeness of these musicians, dancers and passers-by, but also their internal energy, attitude and presence. The artist is an urban observer. She captures with her work those who are in the spotlight, as well as those who are neglected but need to be seen. Citing the book Charlotte’s Web - Li describes herself as Charlotte the spider, using her thread/lines to tell others what she sees in others, the unseen.

Li’s expressive and empathic style continues in her architectural and abstract paintings. The importance of likeness gives way to musicality and movement. Lines curve, planes overlap, Li’s interests in music becomes apparent in the joyous rhythm manifest in her architectural paintings. Often it is as if her buildings dance on canvas.

It is quite easy to imagine Li the observer wandering around Taipei city, soaking up the atmosphere, drawing chance encounters. Yet different from a 19th century flaneur who is disinterested and critical, Li engages,

TEXT: JESSICA WANG SIMULA IMAGES: QING QING LEE

participates and connects. According to Li: “I see my quick sketches as presents to all the musicians/performers in return for their wonderful musical presents. I would go to them after their performance with my portraits of them … and talk to them or take selfies.”. The events she attends with her drawing kit give her a sense of belonging. She says: “my connection with musicians and my neighbours and many other street artists could never be so deep had I not done these works and approached them and started a conversation.” This ethos of connecting through art is precisely what drives Lutetia ARt-at-TAC and makes her an absolute joy to show.

The Catcher with the Lines: Qingqing Li (李青青) Solo Exhibition opens on Friday October 6th, 5:30 - 8:30pm at Lutetia TAC Store (751 Wenlin Road, Shilin District). We hope you will join us to experience the joy and musicality of Qingqing Li’s art.

Follow our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lutetiaartattac/ for the latest news and links to artists.

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.

For further information, contact: Naomi Kaly

naomi@communitycenter.org.tw

Cellphone: +886 979 802 184

The Girl Raising a Racket in the World of Tennis: Maddie Jessup

Once the game started, the rest of the world faded away and Maddie Jessup only focused on the tennis ball and winning. This was the qualifying match determining if Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) could get promoted to Group 1 at the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup. Although Maddie did not expect to play the final double match that day,

she ended up winning and securing her team a place in next year's tournament.

18-year-old Maddie, the junior player, along with a group of four others from the Taiwanese team participated in the Kuala Lumpur Billie Jean King Cup this year. “The junior is there for the easier matches and to fill in here and there if the other players get tired… so I wasn’t expecting to play as much as I did.” But

when two of Maddie’s teammates were unexpectedly injured, she was required to step up and play for them. Out of the eight matches Maddie played, she won all but one. She competed in both singles and doubles and won a crucial 6-3 7-5 victory against Erin Routliffe, a New Zealand player.

Tennis has been a part of Maddie’s life since she was three years old. She began playing matches nationally for the United States and went on to play her first international match in France at nine years of age. Now, tennis is Maddie’s passion and professional goal. She chose to be homeschooled for most of her high school years so

TEXT: KATHARINE OSMAN IMAGES: 李琢 FROM THE FOUR PILLARS ATHLETIC FOUNDATION

that she could focus on attending tournaments and getting recruited to a university team. Although she was bombarded with recruitment phone calls and emails, the decision to commit to Princeton at the age of 16 was a “no-brainer” for Maddie since the team felt “like a family” to her when she visited the campus.

This year Maddie and her mom made the decision for Maddie to gain Taiwanese citizenship, a stressful, threemonth process, and begin playing for Taiwan. Even though Maddie has a Taiwanese passport now, growing up in the United States sets her apart from her teammates and players in Taiwan culturally. But in the face of this transition and acclimation, Maddie stays positive and emphasises the bond between herself and her teammates and the friendships created under the

pressures and anxiety of matches. “It was uncomfortable at first but when I came here and started meeting people, I could see that they started warming up to me. I understand that they see me as an outsider and I get where they're coming from. Once I started talking to people it felt more comfortable and like home. Especially after I went to the Billie Jean King Cup with the other girls, they were super welcoming and helped me out. It felt like a really close community in Taiwan and that's something you don't get in the United States.”

Many posts and articles highlight Maddie’s multiple victories and achievements and she acknowledges that it may seem all sunshine and rainbows, but it is not. “Every day I am tired, every day. It is a love-hate relationship. A lot of the days I have

to force myself to get up and go [to practice] because most days you are not going to be like ‘Oh, I want to go train’.” Maddie’s practice schedule includes every day except Sunday. She practices in the mornings and in the evenings to make time in the middle of the day for school work. When asked what gets her through such a gruelling routine, Maddie says “Working towards something and striving to become a better version of myself are what motivate me.”

When it comes to her future goals, Maddie’s eye does not leave the ball. To “break the top 100 in the Women’s Tennis Association Pro and play the Grand Slam” are two of them. Having played all the junior Grand Slams besides the US Open, Maddie recounts playing beside inspirational players and recognizes the hard work and effort required to achieve her own long-term goals. She stresses that “it’s baby steps; the short-term goals are the ones that get you there”.

With Princeton on the horizon, Maddie is nervous but also excited for the future. While describing a coach and team that felt like a family to her the last time she visited the campus, the smile doesn’t leave her face.

Katharine Osman is an aspiring journalist and passionate writer keen on reporting and investigating an array of topics.

Emergency Preparedness in Taiwan Emergency Evacuation Plans Part

w

(This is an excerpt from the book EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN TAIWAN which is currently in production and will be available later this year. Here, the authors have given us some useful tips for preparing for an emergency.)

CASH IS KING

You can think of cash as your Swiss Army knife. With it you can buy food, water, a room for the night or a bunk bed for a month. You can buy suitable clothes and footwear, a ride on a train, bus, or car; you can purchase a scooter or bicycle or even an old car with it.

Tier 1. PANTS (with pockets and a belt)

At any time, day or night, with my pants on or within reach, I will have a multitool/knife and a lighter on me. My phone, wallet and keys are similarly on my person most of the time. So if disaster strikes, at an absolute minimum, I will have these things.

Tier 2. EDC (“Everyday Carry”) Backpack

Your daily necessities, wallet with ID and cards/cash, flashlight, some meds, etc.

Tier 3. VEST

The next tier would be if I throw on my multi-pocket vest. It has basic medical supplies, snacks, a small bottle of water, a raincoat, a multitool, and a flashlight. (I would say that a flashlight really should be on the first tier, but I still need to figure out a non-bulky way to carry one on my belt that will also protect the light from scratches and dust.)

Tier 4. BACKPACK

A proper Bug-out Bag with all the goodies.

Tier 5. CAR: pack gear, food, tent, etc.

Tier 6. BUG-OUT SPOT

This should be as fully stocked as is practical with the items you need to be sheltered, warm (or cool), watered, fed, and comfortable as you wait out developments.

Plan on THREE WEEKS without resupply if bugging out. That should give you enough time to get an idea of which way the conflict is going and to plan further steps. During that time you should try to resupply. If roads are open and the situation is stable, you may return to your house to pick up more things.

FIRST AID

As a society, especially when under attack, we all have a responsibility to help our fellow man. Being equipped – mentally as well as in terms of equipment – means that in a disaster situations you can help to save lives; be they your own life, your loved ones’, or your fellow citizens’ lives.

Every household should of course have a first-aid kit that contains the usual band-aids and headache pills, but to prepare for a major disaster, you need something much more serious and specific. A couple of band-aids and some

TEXT: TOBIE OPENSHAW WITH JOHN GROOT IMAGE: WEB IMAGE

So what do you carry on you; what do you take with you? I think of it in terms of tiers.

antiseptic cream is not going to help much if you are faced with a casualty that is spurting blood from a severed femoral artery.

While standard first-aid training that focuses on sprains and fractures and things like heat exhaustion is a very valuable start, I really recommend that you get yourself trained by an organization that teaches things like wilderness first aid or military first aid.

COMMS IS KEY

Expect disruption of cell phone/ internet connection due to the system being swamped in the wake of a disaster, destruction of infrastructure, or simply a widespread power outage. If connection is spotty, send duplicate text messages on LINE, WhatsApp, Telegram, email and phone texts. These apps will save a message and send it anytime the service becomes available.

Note that call boxes still exist and landlines are in fact designed to route traffic around breaks in the network. So: get landline numbers for primary contacts.

Set up a group message on SIGNAL, FB and LINE, and an email group so that you only need to type once to send a message to many people.

Note that SIGNAL and TELEGRAM are phone messaging services that offer encrypted messaging that are more secure than other popular messaging apps.

USE SATELLITE COMMUNICATOR OR SATPHONE IF AVAILABLE

Getting reliable information is always a problem in a disaster situation. Listen to ICRT (100.7MHz) and local stations, watch TV for news broadcasts, and pay attention to social media and phone apps. Numerous apps sprang up in Ukraine to let people know where services were available, where attacks were happening, what areas to avoid, where to donate supplies, etc.

Tobie Openshaw is a South African documentary filmmaker/ photographer based in Taipei. He experienced the 9/21 earthquake of 1999 and produced eyewitness reports on disasters such as Typhoons Morakot and Soudelor, and the Tainan apartment building collapse of 2016. He is a founder of the “Taiwan Disaster Preparedness/Bug Out Group” on Facebook.