Centered on Taipei April 2011

P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s C e n t e r

April 2011, Volume 11, Issue 7

The ImporTance of famIly

naTurally nanshIjao

successful parenTIng

earTh Day

WhaT Is WIne?

myrIaD approaches To mInDfulness

TasTes of TaIpeI aT galerIe BIsTro

lITTle Burma

CoVer Story

TaIpeI eye

Centeredon T A I P E I

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Apr_11_Cover.indd 3 2011/3/28 10:33:30 AM

3www.communitycenter.org.tw april 2011

5 lETTEr FrOM THE EDiTOr

6 NaTiONal CONCErT Hall aND THEaTEr april 2011 riCHarD rECOMMENDs

7 CulTural COrNEr The ImporTance of famIly

8 lET’s GO naTurally nanshIjIao

11 COMMuNiTy TaIpeI amerIcan school CalENDar OF EvENTs

12 OuTlOOk successful parenTIng

14 ENvirONMENT earTh Day

16 TaipEi uNCOrkED WhaT Is WIne?

18 OTT NEws BuIlDIng your resume, one VolunTeer opporTunITy aT a TIme

20 HEalTH myrIaD approaches To mInDfulness

22 TasTEs OF TaipEi galerIe BIsTro

23 THE CENTEr GallEry THE CENTEr's FavOriTE FiNDs

24 arOuND TaipEi TaIpeI eye

27 BOOk rEviEw room

28 GENEraTiON y ThIrD WorlD (WaTer) War

30 CHiNEsE kiTCHEN lITTle Burma

32 wOrD FrOM THE DirECTOr wOrsHip DirECTOry

33 COMMuNiTy GrOups

34 pOsTCarD pErFECT

conTenTs April 2011 volume 11 issue 7

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14

18

30

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COVER IMAGE:KATYA ILIEVA-STONE

Centered on Taipei is a publication of the Community Services Center, 25, Lane 290, ZhongShan N. Rd., Sec. 6, Tianmu, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: 2836 8134, fax: 2835 2530, e-mail: [email protected]

Correspondence may be sent to the editor at [email protected]. Freelance writers, photographers and illustrators are welcome to contact the editor to discuss editorial and graphic assignments. Your talent will find a home with us!

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner.

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“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

— Native American Proverb

Dear Readers,

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by the recent earthquakes and tsunami. The Center has published a list of organizations (page 19) that can be contacted to send aid and assistance.

While browsing through Facebook l came upon the photo of a friend who was at the anti-nuclear protest march in Taipei just last week. The photos were captioned ‘For our children's children’. It reminded me of the old Native American proverb above. Older communities understand this concept well and live their life in harmony with nature. Perhaps we too can learn from them.

When we began gathering information for our Earth Day feature, little did we know what an overwhelming response we would get. It has been heartening to receive so much support and information, much more than we can publish in one issue so we have decided to follow up with more stories in the following months.

One initiative that deserves special mention is A Billion Acts of Green, Earth Day 2011, which is a global movement for raising awareness. If you decide to join this movement by creating an event or making a pledge, we hope you will share it with us. We will publish our reader’s pledges in the May issue of Centered on Taipei. ([email protected])

We count on your support and contributions to make this magazine one that you would enjoy reading. As part of our efforts to continue informing our readers and ourselves of ways to love ourselves and our planet, we would like to request you to send us your stories on the environment, health and related topics.

If you would like to contribute to the magazine, whether with your creative writing or photography, please write to me ([email protected]). As always, we welcome your news and views. And don’t forget, The Center is a great place to drop by for a cup of coffee, browse the Gallery, meet people or get involved in community efforts.

With gratitude,

Roma

Community ServiCeS Center

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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 www.communitycenter.org.tw.

letter From the eDitor

Roma MehtaEditor

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Owain McKimmSteven ParkerMark PetersonRichard SaundersDenise ShepherdSunita Sue LongRosemary SusaNeil WadeKelly Young

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Centered on Taipei is printed on 50% post consumer waste content stock. We have also replaced the glossy laminated cover with a softer aqueous based resin coating which makes it easier to recycle. By committing to post consumer paper stock we support the market for recycled fibers and reduce environmental impact.Recycling paper uses 60% less energy than manufacturing paper from virgin fiber. "Every ton of recycled paper saves enough electricity to power a 3 bedroom house for an entire year." (http://www.greenseal.org/index.cfm)


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TICKETING OFFICES: • NTCH: (02) 2343 1647 • ERA: (02) 2709 3788

publication of the National Theater and Concert Hall schedule in Centered on Taipei is sponsored by Cathay life insurance.

For full details, please log on to the Culture Express website at http://express.culture.gov.tw or take a copy of the monthly program from Cks Cultural Center, available from MrT stations, bookshops and ticketing offices.

rIcharD saunDers

The heady passions of last month’s offerings at the Cks National Cultural Center have cooled somewhat, to be replaced in several of april’s standout concerts by the more poised sounds of Mozart, Dvorak and Beethoven. Two

great violinists, anne-sofie Mutter and reiko watanabe, are in town to perform classic works from the violin and piano repertoire, and a third, the amazing Hilary Hahn, plays Mozart’s Fifth Violin Concerto in an elegant program that also includes Dvorak’s charming Serenade for Strings and a Sturm und Drang symphony by Haydn.

More Mozart – the great Gran Partita for wind ensemble – crops up with a couple of very strange bedfellows in a frankly bizarre program that also includes Berg’s Piano Sonata (now that’s a passionate piece!) and the remote, other-worldly atmosphere of schoenberg’s notorious Pierrot Lunaire. it’s a brave and intriguing program, but it’s hard to see how many could enjoy an entire program composed of such profoundly different styles. The more intimate setting of the National recital Hall (on april 16th) is a good choice for this highly atmospheric music, but ignore the misleading program note (‘sit back and relax and enjoy the fleeting yet unforgettable beauty of music’) – this is an evening for adventurous listeners.

Most of april’s other programs are far less experimental in nature. prima ballerina irina kolesnikova and the rest of the st petersburg Ballet Theater dance Swan Lake at the National Theater between april 21st and 24th, and the very fine Chinese-american conductor lan shui leads a performance of rachmaninov’s wonderful, sadly neglected Third Symphony (one of his final works, composed in the usa in 1936), while the organ of the National Concert Hall gets an uncommon solo workout in a recital on april 27th, featuring a couple of warhorses (the perennially popular Toccata and Fugue in D minor, attributed to Bach, and vierne’s Carillon de Westminster, a favorite showpiece of countless organists, based on the instantly recognizable chimes of a certain clock tower in london).

More popular favorites are in the concert given by the Taipei symphony Orchestra, playing ravel’s Bolero and sibelius’s monumental Fifth Symphony. The highlight of the evening though may well be the D major Piano Concerto by ravel, composed for the famously fussy one-armed pianist paul wittgenstein. wittgenstein singlehandedly (so to speak) commissioned four or five of the last century’s classic works for piano and orchestra (apart from the ravel, Britten’s Diversions and prokofiev’s Fourth Piano Concerto were written for him). Best-known of all, the ravel concerto is one of its composer’s most distinctive scores, dark, jazzy and meltingly lyrical by turn, with an imaginative, almost miraculously showy solo part, considering it can be played by just five fingers.

Finally, this is a great month for latin-american music lovers. One of south america’s finest present-day conductors, uruguayan-born Gisele Ben-Dor, leads a performance of Dvorak’s most profound symphony, the tragic Seventh, and begins with two works that conjure up the argentinian landscape to perfection: astor piazzolla’s Concerto for Bandoneon (a type of concertina) and the popular dances from Ginastera’s ballet Estancia. lots more music by argenina’s best-loved composer of tangos can be heard on april 15th (piazzolla would have been ninety this March; he died in 1992). The composer’s Three Symphonic Tangos for strings are coupled with music for accordion, including his most famous piece, the very moving Adios Nonino.

national concert hall & Theater

april 2011

NATIONAL THEATER

Piaf, Une Vie en Rose et Noirapril 1-2

Fifth Ballet Star Galaapril 9

Kolesnikova and Saint Petersburg Ballet TheaterTchaikovsky’s complete Swan Lakeapril 21-24 RR

NATIONAL CONCERT HALL

Chen Ray Violin RecitalWorks for violin and piano by Franck, Bach and Wieniawskiapril 1

Matthias Kirschnereit piano recitalPiano music by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt and Chopinapril 2

Hilary Hahn and English Chamber OrchestraWorks by Haydn, Mozart and Dvorakapril 6 RR

Gary Graffman and Taipei Symphony OrchestraRavel’s dark, jazzy Left Hand Piano Concerto, plus Mozart and Sibeliusapril 8 RR

The Shimmery LatinLatin-American orchestral music by Ginastera and Piazzolla, plus Dvorak’s Seventh Symphonyapril 9 RR

Tango! From Paris to TaipeiTangos by Piazzolla april 15 RR

Hu Ching-Yun Piano RecitalPiano sonatas by Carl Vine and Beethoven, plus Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suiteapril 16

A Romantic Evening with ShuiConductor Lan Shui conducts Verdi and Rachmaninovapril 18 RR

Bruckner E minor Massapril 19

The Godfather of PercussionNationalistic orchestral showpieces by Bartok and Sibelius, and a percussion concerto by Milhaudapril 22

Reiko Watanabe Violin RecitalViolin and piano music by Beethoven, Franck and Janacekapril 23 RR

Midnight at Notre DameOrgan favorites by Franck, Bach and Vierneapril 27

Anne-Sofie Mutter Violin SonataWorks for violin and piano by Mozart, Sarasate, Debussy and Mendelssohnapril 29 RR

RICHARDReCommenDs

RR: Richard Recommends


CSC

NEW

SCorner Cornerultural CornerCornerultural ultural ultural ultural Amy's 台

灣

The importance of the family


THE CENTER'S COUNSELORS ARE HERE

FOR YOU

rDo you have issues with relationships,

communication, living in Taiwan, alcohol or drugs, depression, problems with children, or

cultural clashes...?

Our professional counselors are ready to help with any issues that you may have while living in Taipei. For more information regarding

our counseling services, call The Center at (02) 2836-8134 or (02) 2838-4947. or Email: [email protected]

家A

sk your colleagues what they did on the weekend, and most of them will probably tell you that they spent time eating and catching up with their family members. In Taiwan it is

indeed very typical, especially for married couples and those with children, to visit their parents every weekend. (Yes, that’s every weekend!). For many non-Taiwanese, this will probably seem a bit too often.

Interestingly, the character for family (家, jia) is formed by placing the ‘pig’ radical under the ‘roof’ radical. Taiwanese believe that family is a place where shelter is provided. In the old times, pigs were kept inside and were free to wander about the house. The pig also represents wealth for those living under the same roof, as the family shares living space and finances. The Taiwanese think of their family as an indivisible unit that prospers if functioning properly, while being equally capable of bringing ruin to all its members if not.

A person’s identity comes from the family, or the ‘group’, that one feels part of. One’s ‘self’ can only be complete when living up to the expectations of the group (the family, the extended family, the community, colleagues and anyone who is considered part of the family, or part of the group). The survival and prosperity of the family takes precedence over individual interests. As a result, Taiwanese people care very much about what others say and think of them, both positive appraisals and negative criticisms.

Family ties are far stronger among the Taiwanese than in China, Japan, or Hong Kong. Parents raise their children, and in return children are taught to respect their parents and to take care of them when they grow old. Parents will do their utmost to provide the best education and living standards for their children, who are later expected to reciprocate, for example by buying a nice car or a house for their mom and dad. Placing the elderly in an old people’s home is seen as a sign of

disrespect.Taiwanese family members are not only expected to

provide emotional but also financial support to each other if needed. When one is in crisis he or she goes to a member of the ‘internal’ family first, and when in need of money, they are expected to help out. Family members are thus obliged to ensure the family is functioning properly.

When working in Taiwan, i t i s important to understand that the company is run by the same rules and is in fact run very much like an extended family. This phenomenon is probably stronger in Taiwan than in Hong Kong, Singapore or China. The top person in the company assumes a ‘leading-father’ role; he takes care of the employees not only by leading and mentoring, but also by caring for and protecting them like a father would in the family. A good leader is someone who gets the team of subordinates working harmoniously toge ther. He prov ides s tab i l i ty, s ecur i ty and advancement, and has the knowledge, skills and wisdom to resolve situations; quite often he is expected to have the ‘right’ answer to most questions; and he not only guides work-related problems, but also cares about the personal and family issues of each employee. He knows the age, education background, marital status, family dynamics of his team members and suggests a career path that’s most suitable pertaining to each employee. Employees look up to the top executives as mentors, and juniors respect and are absolutely obedient and loyal to their seniors. These close-knit ties in the work unit help to ensure the success of the business.

Taiwanese families regularly interact and socialize with one another. One’s life revolves around ‘family’; one can never separate one’s self from the family, the inside group nor the work unit. Family is both a home and the center of the community. It is the foundation of Taiwanese society.


LEt'S go

a walk in the hills above a Taipei suburbTExT & IMAGES: OWAIN MCKIMM

Naturally walk in the hills above a Taipei suburb

Nanshijiao

Nanshijiao generally gets ignored by anyone travelling to Taipei, and to be honest by anyone who lives in Taipei too. Labelled by one blogger as ‘out in

the sticks’, it doesn’t immediately strike anyone out for a daytrip as the center of all things fun. However, determined to find something good to say about one of the neglected MRT stops of Taipei, we set off early one morning to see if there was anything to see.

After wandering around for a while we eventually found, at the back of a lane, a map (uniquely, in English) for the Hongludi (烘爐地) mountain trail – a vast hiking network that stretches over the small nearby mountains, with a cluster of unique te mples tuc ked into the hillsides.

With the help of this hidden map, we devised a mini-pilgrimage, traversing two mountains and ending in the imposing Fude Temple (福德宮) perched 302 meters above sea level on the side of Nanshijiao Mountain and playing host to a 109 foot-high incarnation of the Earth God, Tudigong (土地公).

The trail begins in the middle of Jingxin Street (景新街) which can be reached from Nanshijiao

MRT station Exit 4 by taking a left along Xingnan Road (興南路), then following the street right for about ten minutes until you pass a group of ladies selling enormous vegetables. Here you’ll see a map in Chinese for the trail, and a set of rusty iron steps that will allow you to vault up onto the rickety wooden planks that serve as the start of the climb.

goaTs anD greaT VIeWs The f irst mountain to cross is Waiwazi

Mountain (外挖子山), a relatively easy climb spanning less than a kilometer (Fude temple is about 3.5 kilometers from this point) but with some great views of the city’s north and northeast areas. After climbing for a few minutes we came to a serene set of allotments which were filled with butterflies enjoying the sunshine, before coming to a shady grove filled with giant, gangly bamboo, whose boughs moved with eerie creaks in the breeze. Following the path brought us to what initially seemed to be a mountain shanty-come-bohemian commune, but at closer inspection turned out to be the odd combination of a cemetery and a vegetable garden. If you’re not bothered by this kind of thing you can skirt down between the tombs and fritter with the handfuls of cabbage white butterflies, which waltz about the vegetable plots placed strangely in the middle of the tombs.

Carrying on up the mountain, taking a steep left up some stairs rather than a level straight ahead, we suddenly found our path blocked by a herd of goats. This surprised us, but probably not as much as we surprised the goats, as after making a bit of a noise using a handy stick, the goats duly retreated to the ragged veranda of someone’s old house – presumably the goatherd’s.

After reaching the top of these steps we came to the first of many expansive views of Taipei. Views of the northern mountains, with Taipei 101 to the east, showed the city sprawling to the horizon, while following the path west and climbing to the top of a few boulders gave us another panoramic view of



Banqiao and Sanchong, pale and uncompromising in the midday sunlight.

clImBIng furTherDescending through an avenue

filled with hammock-like spiders’ webs just visible overhead as we passed, we could just see Fude Temple in the distance. And with hands covering our exposed napes lest one of the bigger spiders decided to try skydiving, we came out onto a road at the foot of another mountain.

Rather than turning right on this road and returning to Zhonghe, we decided to climb further, and were glad we did so because the next section of this hike is filled with interesting quirks and hidden surprises. We passed three enormous boulders with knife-like edges, which we balanced our way across, and after a short distance came to a viewing platform which revealed a stunning near-360 degree view of Taipei, from the winding Danshui River stretching to the north, all around to the Muzha hills and Xindian to the south. Undoubtedly the most complete view we had ever seen of the capital, it gave every impression of being endless, as if we were surveying the entire known world from some soaring Himalayan peak.

Upwards, we passed a small shrine to the Earth God surrounded by purple, tubular flowers, a run-down badminton court hidden away in a hillside cranny, and even a Thai-style pagoda containing dozens of different kinds of Buddha statues, from big gold effigies, to small, detailed carvings with painted marionette faces. The small left path here took us up to an elegant spire, which has a different Buddha for each weekday, placed in seven shallow alcoves. Careful not to disturb the meditating monk we stumbled on at the back of the spire, backtracked onto the path and took in some of the many rest stops full of Taiwanese people having a knees-up to some music, playing Mahjong or chanting scriptures.

We finally reached our landmark Guangming Peak (光明頂), which is a hilltop reached only after scaling a steep incline, and descended the equally steep opposite side, came to the final leg of the journey, about 30 minutes away from Fude Temple.

Bound for the temple, the path is now a series of dirt trails and steep steps flanked with bushes and bushes of red, tightly petalled flowers. These flowers can be used as a kind of hiker’s Mars bar, as you can detach the head and suck a few drops of nectar from the base, giving a sugary boost for the last half an hour’s walk.

The Temple of The earTh goDAt last we reached the temple. Approaching from this

direction prepare to be a little underwhelmed as the back of the complex looks more like a water treatment plant than a hub of Taoist devotion. However, moving further into the complex there’s an astounding viewing platform,

whose v iew spreads across an enormous stretch of the city and surrounding hillside. Arriving here at dusk is particularly recommended, as the lights coming slowly alive in the city while the nearby mountain sinks into darkness: a very powerful end to the day.

The area is cal led Hongludi, ‘cooking pot place’, because the three peaks to the left, right and rear of the temple resemble the three legs of a tripod supporting an old fashioned cooking pot, or kiln. The place was first recognised as a holy spot during the Qing Dynasty when an émigré from Fujian province began to pray for prosperity and safety over the land he had begun to cultivate nearby using three rocks to symbolize the Earth God. Later,

in 1952, a small temple was built, which steadily grew through the donations and labours of the locals into the grand mountain sanctuary that stands there now.

Skirt around to the back wall of the temple, and there’s a narrow, smoky passage which holds the three gods who are now worshipped there, along with a miniature flower garden decked with statuettes of legendary Chinese figures and deities. After squeezing through the cramped passageway and giving a respectful bow to the gods, we came out onto the temple’s very own food court, bustling with hungry worshipers and selling a tasty variety of sausages, fried noodles, stinky tofu and pig blood soup. We tucked into some pork ribs stewed in herbal broth,

南勢角 9www.communitycenter.org.tw april 2011



and after sating our hunger we went down into the temple proper. The temple here has a unique way of giving blessings which would be most appreciated by any visiting venture capitalists: a system called ‘big money exchanged for little money’ (大錢換小錢). Because the Earth God is also a god of prosperity and money, the idea is that you pray for lots of cash, and in return donate NT$10 to the temple. As a keepsake you get to take a NT$1 coin which you put into your wallet as a kind of ‘lucky penny,’ which will in theory attract more money to your coffers.

We made our way down through the impressive temple gate and the many steps to the base of the temple, where the towering statue of the Earth God himself was visible

in all its glory, lit up against the gray night sky, guarded by two fierce gold and green dragons.

There are two ways to get back into the city from here. One is to wait for a bus that arrives every two hours at the bus stop at the far end of the car park at the base; the other is to descend the stairs that cut a straight line through the long winding road down to the bottom of the hill. We found ourselves at the bottom of the stairs, with nothing really to indicate how far out of the city we were, but we walked for a few hundred meters and soon got to a main road where we caught a taxi to Xingnan night market (興南夜市) near Nanshijiao

station for only NT$80, where we stayed to do some much needed refuelling.

Owain is from the UK and has been living in Taiwan for a little over a year. He teaches English part-time, and studies Chinese at TLI language school . Email: [email protected]


Calendar of Events at The Center for April 2011

sunday, april 10th 7am

sanchong run

The Center running team inspired by the Marathon efforts of Rakesh Sinha last year are at it again. This time they will be running along the Sanchong River doing runs from 8km all the way up to 21km. If you want to enter the poll to see who is going to finish first go onto the website news section or look it up on events on Facebook or contact The Center!!

Tuesday, april 12th

csc Book club

This month we're reading Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill, based on the document The Book of Negroes, a document containing the names and the events surrounding the relocation of thousands of Black Loyalists to various British colonies during and after the American Revolutionary War. Come along and discuss this fabulously imagined historical narrative with us over a cup of coffee and a slice of something tasty. Contact [email protected].

EWCP is preparing to host the "Spring Stil lness and Movement Mountain Retreat" at a luxurious hot spring resor t on Yangmingshan, jus t an hour's drive from downtown Taipei, on the weekend between April 29th and May 1st. For details, schedules and pricing info for the retreat, and for any questions relating to the East West Culture Project and its activities, visit www.eastwestcultureproject.org, or contact its staff directly at [email protected].

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The New Forensics and Political Science Department at Taipei American School

TExT: DONNA AuCIELLO

Wh e n A d a m Nelson joined t h e f a c u l t y o f T A S i n

August of 2010, he not only brought with him all his credentials and expertise as a teacher, a lawyer, and an award-winning forensic coach, but he also brought to the upper school the possibility of establishing a f i r s t - r a t e a n d b r a n d new Political Science and Forensics Department.

The depar tment wi l l become a reality at the start of the 2011-2012 academic year and will bolster previous efforts undertaken by all three school levels at TAS : at the lower school by the individual teachers in their classrooms , where ‘accountable talk strategies’ are practiced; at the middle school, where a Model United Nations Club is offered alongside public speaking and drama, and at the upper school, where for two decades a Model United Nations Club has participated in international competitions and electives have long been in place for IB Theater. Each of these established programs aims to develop and foster within our students a sense of confidence in their ability to think and speak confidently.

Adam presently teaches English, AP Government, and coaches the debating team at the upper school level. In his words, “We are ready to take our public speaking and debate curriculum to the next level. Students have been exposed to these skills in other classes, and we’ve already laid the foundation for an outstanding competitive and

co-cur r i cu la r fo r ens i c s program through existing debate, Model UN, and IASAS offerings, but we’ve reached a point where those offerings need to be built upon and expanded in order to allow our students to reach their full potentials.”

Joining Adam Nelson in this new endeavor will be present faculty member, Darby Benedict Sinclair, a graduate of Columbia Teachers College. Darby has coached the TAIMUN

Model United Nations program in the upper school for the past three years and was instrumental in initiating a middle school TAIMUN Conference. This conference provides seventh and eighth graders with the opportunity to practice their debating skills in anticipation of participating in future MUN Conferences. Participation in MUN provides opportunities for students to enroll in any of the four new courses to be offered in the Political Science and Forensics Department.

Both Darby and Adam share a desire to promote a student’s ability to speak publicly and to articulate an argument effectively. According to Adam, “Forensics as a discipline teaches students how to research and think about an issue, how to formulate an opinion on that subject, and how to express and defend that position. Specifically, it ensures every student will have extensive training and experience in public speaking, debate, and the kinds of research and preparation necessary to persuasively communicate and defend one’s ideas.”


With the recent media blitz surrounding Amy Chua’s Tiger Mothering Manifesto, parenting approaches have become all the rage. This got me thinking about successful

parenting and its definitions. The current popular dialogue has revived the stereotypical East/West parenting dialectic in which Asian academic success followed by economic prosperity is contrasted with the Western over-indulgence as a means to social and emotional well-being. It is unlikely either of these extremes is going to produce a well-adjusted, financially stable adult. While there are many different ways to successfully parent children, the best paths seem to navigate the middle way between these cultural extremes.

It is has always been my belief that if you raise one good kid, you may just be lucky. However, if you raise two good kids, you’re doing something right. As a parent of young children myself, I have looked to many of these successful parents in our community, who I’ve come to know in the past decade, in the hopes of gleaning some basic, guiding principles that transcend all manner of cultural and familial difference and which point to potential parenting universals. Through informal, longitudinal observations as well as through many direct conversations, I have come to realize that there are some common themes that bind these parents and their approaches. They set boundaries, they encourage balance and they are present for their kids. And ultimately, they help prepare their kids for the world.

seTTIng lImITs anD BounDarIesSetting up boundaries and expectations is one of the

most important responsibilities parents have in raising children. Many parents are afraid, particularly as their children enter the teen years, to establish limits or restrictions. Even with the inevitable slamming of doors, rolling of eyes, groans and resistance, teens continue to need adults to supervise, guide and restrict their child’s behavior, activities and friends. Mom and Dad need to be the voice that echoes in their head as they encounter life’s challenges and dilemmas. And more often than not, that voice will be saying “no”.

The parents I’ve spotlighted were all deeply involved in their teens' lives, knew their friends and where they were on a Friday night.

A common mistake parents can make, especially during their child’s teenage years, is to try to connect as a friend rather than as a parent. Oftentimes this approach is taken when teenagers naturally begin to seek greater privacy and control over their lives. This can be a challenge to parents who, just a few years before, were still trusted, pre-teen confidants. The problem here is twofold; teenagers don’t need more friends, they usually have plenty, yet they do still need a parent who can hold them accountable for their actions and responsible for their behavior. While this may not seem to be the most desirable role, it is the one they will thank you for playing as they mature.

Although they may resist, rebel and test the limits, they ultimately need and crave boundaries for they provide them with an essential sense of safety and security as well as assist and guide them to be the independent adults they so impatiently want to be.

gIVe Them free TIme Many of the parents I have spoken with stressed that

they felt it was important to provide their children with free time where they could explore their world and just ‘be a kid.’ With increasingly over-scheduled lives kids are losing the ability to be alone and make independent choices without the input of others; consequently this can lead to the inability to make decisions, stand up to negative peer pressure, as well as manage stress in the teen years. Spending unscheduled time is not wasteful, but rather is necessary for kids to think, create, learn and discover things for and about themselves. Kids need ‘down time’ not only to recharge but also to develop independence.

Children who are overworked and over-scheduled can fail to develop internal motivation to set and achieve goals they’ve established and accomplished for themselves. Children who are never given the chance to make meaningful choices and decisions in their life may become teenagers and adults who struggle with the choices and decisions they will inevitably face. Free, unstructured time offers children opportunities to make choices about what they will do. Without the unstructured time to begin with, children will struggle to develop creative capacity, a quality sought-after by colleges and companies alike.


successful parenting

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TExT: KRIS CARLSON


www.communitycenter.org.tw april 2011 13

Like creativity, crit ical social ski l ls cannot be memorized in a class; they must be learned through play. The key to gaining social and emotional knowledge is play and interaction with other children. While some may consider child’s play to be the very definition of superfluous time wasting, it is in fact the experimental laboratory where most life-long lessons are refined.

spenD quanTITy as Well as qualITy TIme WITh your chIlD

The time parents spend with their children is the most important and critical component in raising kids. These parents are at the play, the soccer game, the music or dance recital cheering their child on and taking an active and supportive role in something that is meaningful to their child. Consistent presence helps establish trust, confidence and emotional well-being in kids. And despite all they say about their desire for you to be elsewhere, the confidence they have to go off into the world derives from the security that comes from their deep knowledge that you are there for them.

While ‘quality time’ is a common phrase, the greatest guarantor of quality time is quantity. An hour or two on the weekend will not ensure that a meaningful connection or conversation will ensue. It’s like the lottery, the more you play, the greater your chance of winning. And winning, in this metaphor, is a moment or experience that adds a deep bond to your relationship. Kids will want and need to share their thoughts, fears and ideas

at unexpected times (while washing dishes, reading a bedtime story, waiting for a taxi) and the more time you are together, the greater the likelihood you’ll be on the receiving end of one of these moments. And with teenagers, these fleeting moments are like shooting stars - you’re lucky to catch one. It’s a teen’s job to push parents away, but it’s the parents job to come back, again and again and again, so that the one time they want to pull instead of push, you’re there.

Parenting is a full time job with no simple answers or instruction manuals. It doesn’t get easier as your child ages, it gets more complicated and the playing field continues to morph as your child’s hormones take over. You lose more and more control as your child enters the teen years so you need to find new ways of developing a respectful and trusting relationship, one where you as a parent are involved and engaged in your child’s life. And when in doubt as to what to do, look to those in your community who seem to know the rules and roles of parenting.

Kris Carlson holds two master's degrees in social work and one in international relations. She specializes in children, teens and their families. Kris has worked in Taipei for six years, both at TAS and The Center.



earth

day Earth Day promotes environmental awareness and calls for the

protection of our planet.April 22, Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson in

1970 to bring focus to the developing problems in Earth’s ecology and to promote a respect for life on Earth. It is currently observed in almost 140 countries in the world, where individuals and organisations perform acts of service to our planet.

Earth Day is an opportunity to make good choices for ourselves and for our planet. Learning about the products that you buy, and about the companies that produce them is one way to keep yourself informed and support those that support your values. Planning an Earth Day activity could be as simple as taking public transportation for one day; buying locally-grown produce; planting trees; starting a community garden; getting some friends together to clean up a beach or a park, or beginning a recycling program in your community or office. Keeping it simple and fun makes it easier to continue.

www.earthday.org

I’ve just returned from a two-day camping trip to the astonishing ancient tree grove clinging to the slopes of 1,700 meter-high Mt Beichatian (北插天山) in Taoyuan County. Here, in the foothills

of the central mountains, a cluster of vast red cypress trees have grown, undisturbed, for untold hundreds of years. The oldest giants are estimated to predate Christianity by several centuries.

Standing at the base of the Howei Ancient Tree, one of these majestic, 2,000 year-old creatures is a profoundly humbling experience. We may consider ourselves the dominant species on the planet, and perceive ourselves as capable of acts of greatness, but while standing under the benevolent, sheltering shade of this almost unimaginably old being, our actual insignificance in the grand scheme of things becomes obvious. This magnificent tree, (and well over a hundred others of a similar age spread throughout Taiwan’s central wilderness) will still be standing here centuries after we and our children are all gone.

We’re but caretakers charged with looking after a world immeasurably more miraculous and far more wonderful than the sum total of all our finest deeds, and the sooner we realize our place in it, the healthier we – and the Earth – will be.

Join our group, Taipei Hikers, and discover the beauty of Taiwan’s inspirational countryside for yourself, or take a look at some of the photos from past trips on my blog.Taipei Hikers: [email protected] the Beaten Track blog: http://taiwandiscovery.wordpress.com/

Richard Saunders

Designed by world-renowned graphic artist Ivan Chermayeff, the 2011 Earth Day poster is a rainbow, multi-lingual call for Earth activists to join A Billion Acts of Green® campaign. At over 44 million Acts, BAG is already the world’s largest environmental service campaign ever, and intends to collect one billion Acts before the Rio +20 Earth Summit in 2012! http://act.earthday.org

Earth Day 2011: a Billion acts of Green®

To celebrate Earth Day Alex and Harry from ICRT'S Dim Sum Cafe will be sharing some of their enviromentally friendly ideas and projects every Saturday morning from 10 to 11 am on ICRT.The ideas are based on the five elements: wood, fire, earth metal, water and also what to do with non-biodegradable things.

Tune in and check out the i r Face Book page a t w w w. fa c e b o ok . c o m /ICRTDimsuncafe. Get inspired and share your ideas.Dim Sum Cafe ICRT [email protected] a c e b o o k : w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m /ICRTDimSumCafe

iCrT'S Dim Sum Cafe

April 22, 2011



5 Ways to live Green in Taipei

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While there are many great resources in place to help you ease into this new life, the guide on how to do it sustainably has yet to be written. There’s no time like the present to start living more harmoniously with the Earth. Here are five signposts to point you down the green path.

Learn Chinese: There is an incredible wealth of local wisdom that can

only be accessed by the inevitable: learning Chinese. To live sustainably it is important to meet our needs locally, which will be enriched exponentially by being able to communicate with the locals.

Grow your own: You may have noticed: there’s no place too urban to

grow food in Taipei. Whether it’s ginger and [edible] bird’s nest ferns spilling out of window cages or foam boxes of greens lining an alley, the Taiwanese lead the way as urban gardeners. Try growing herbs, sweet potatoes (for leaves and tubers), edible amaranth, and bok choy in limited spaces. Another fun project is potato towers: plant sprouted potatoes in a rolled-down burlap sack, and add rich soil and roll the bag up as it grows. Keep moist but not soggy, and harvest a few months later when the leaves have turned yellow. Then brag to your friends how you grew potatoes on your balcony!

BrinG your own:B.B.C…. “B” for bags. bring your own every time. Just

remember to wash them fairly often!“B” for bottles. Stainless steel and aluminum bottles

are good, as well as the new BPA-free plastic bottles which can handle both hot and cold liquids.

“C” for chopsticks. Did you know that in 2008 about 1.3 million pairs of disposable chopsticks were thrown away every day in Taiwan? Get yourself a pair of portable reusable chopsticks (or spork if you prefer…) and simply wash them as you wash your hands.

own Less, share more: Many things we own spend most of their life unused.

If you have a car or bicycle that is not being used all the time, why not share? Talk with friends in your community and work out an arrangement that works for both of you. Another way to share is to give away things that you will probably never use. Check out the local Taipei City Freecycle group: www.groups.freecycle.org/taipeifreecycle. Also, go check out Taipei’s first Really Really Free Market: a new monthly outdoor event in Da An Park where everyone brings their unwanted goods to share. No selling, no barter: everything will be free. For more details, see www.reallyreallyfreeTPE.wordpress.com.

Get invoLved:Organizations:Taiwan Environmental Information Association, www.e-info.org.tw Tel: (02)-29332233 No. 38 Wanlong St. Wen Shan District, Taipei City

Wild at Hear t Lega l Defense Assoc iat ion (an environmental justice NGO), [email protected] Tel: (02)-2382-5789

Earth Passengers (a permaculture education NGO), www.earthpassengers.org Tel: (02)2935-0203 / (02)2935-6920

Taipei Botanical Garden, tpbg@tfri .gov.tw Tel: (02) 2303-9978. No.53, Nan-Hai Road, Taipei City

Taiwan Green Party, www.greenparty.org.tw

Homemaker’s Union Cooperat ive (HUCC), www.hucc-coop.tw

Taiwan Butterly Conservation Association, www.butterfly.org.tw

Plant markets and garden supply:J ia n Guo Hol iday F lower Ma rke t , every weekend, under the Jian Guo overpass. Neihu Flower Auction, open 4am-noon. 321 Rui Guang Rd. Neihu District Tianmu Plant Market, Wen Lin Rd. near Ming De Rd. , TianmuB&Q (British equivalent of Home Depot): Jihe Road, No. 258, Shilin District

text: Kelly young

Swiss chard, beets, let tuce, comfrey, parsley and peppers rowing on Tammy’s rooftop garden in Xindian.photo courtesy Tammy Turner and philip Diller.



We all love wine, but do we really understand what wine is? Sure, in its purest form, it’s grape juice gone ‘bad,’ but there are additional elements in even the simplest of wines. With

today's winemaking tools, you can be sure there's so much more to a bottle than fruit and time. While enjoying a bottle of wine can be simple, understanding wine (good wine, at least) can be quite complex. At its core, wine is composed of water, alcohol, aromatic compounds, acids, and tannins. Let’s take a look at what everything is and where it might come from. You may be surprised at some of the answers.

Grapes: Well, of course wines start with grapes, some even end with grapes, since the yeast needed to convert the grapes' sugar to alcohol is frequently found lurking on the skin of each berry. White grapes make white wines, of course; white grapes are usually green or yellow, and some are even pink or red. Few grapes actually have red flesh, so the color of the grape refers to its skin color. You can make white wines from red grapes, as well as Rose and red wine.

Yeast: Yeast cells turn delicious, sweet grape juice into wine. They eat sugar and produce alcohol as a by-product. Many vineyards use indigenous yeasts – those found on the grapeskins themselves – as each vintage can bring a different combination of yeast strains, which may allow for more distinctive and complex wines. Most wineries, though, use cultivated or commercial yeasts because they are efficient and tolerant of high-alcohol environments. When a wine has completed fermentation it remains cloudy and contaminated with dead yeast cells. Many different techniques are employed to clarify the wine (called fining, see below), including racking the wine (gently pouring off the clear wine from the dead yeast cells once they have settled to the bottom of the barrel. The remaining collection of dead yeast cells is called the lees.

Wines that remain on the lees for a long time, however, will take on extra richness and texture, with bready, biscuity aromas and flavors. This technique is employed to add an extra dimension to many Champagnes, Muscadet, white Burgundy and many other white wines. Some vignerons practice batonnage (stirring of the lees) in order to accentuate this effect.

Sugar: There will as a consequence be some remaining sugar in all wine. Even when the yeast’s work is unhindered, most wines still have at least 1 gram per liter of residual sugar, as some sugar compounds are resistant to the action of the yeasts. Clearly, the level of sugar in the wine determines how sweet it tastes. This is quite subjective, however, and even wines that taste very dry have some degree of residual sugar. Most dry wines have less than 2g/L of sugar, although levels of up to 25g/L may be present in wines which still taste dry due to the presence of acidity and tannin alongside the

sugar. The greater the amount of residual sugar, the sweeter the wine, moving through demi-sec (Champagne) and off dry wines (many German Rieslings) to the dessert wines of the world (Sauternes, Tokay, etc). Some of these have incredibly high concentrations of sugar – as much as 250g/L.

Alcohol: Alcohol (ethanol) is the product of fermentation of the natural grape sugars by yeasts, and without it wine simply doesn't exist. The amount of sugar in the grapes determines what the final alcohol level will be. In cool climates, such as Germany, where the vines struggle to ripen, sugar levels will be minimal with alcohol often only at 7 or 8% strength. In very warm climes, however, the final alcohol level will be determined not so much by the amount of sugar but rather by the yeasts themselves. Once the alcohol level reaches about 14% the yeasts can no longer function and rapidly die off. For this reason, wines with a strength of more than 15% are often fortified.

The conversion of sugar to alcohol is such a vital step in the process of making wine that the control of fermentation is the focus of much of the attention of the modern winemaker. Fermentation generates heat, and a cool, controlled fermentation will result in very different flavors in the wine (in particular, it protects fresh, delicate fruit flavors) when compared with wines where fermentation is allowed to run hot. Alcohol adds taste, texture and structure to wine.

Tannin: The tannins in a wine are derived from the pips, skins and stalks – as well as from oak barrels that can be used to age wines. The tannins give structure and backbone to the wine. They can be sensed by a furring of the mouth, or puckering of the gums. Tannins are of more importance in the ageing of red wines rather than white. The tannins act as a preservative, and as they fade over many years, the simple, primary fruit flavors have time to develop into the more complex flavors that are found in fine, aged wines. A level of tannins that is sufficient to provide structure, but not so obvious as to dominate the palate, is the ideal when a wine is ready for drinking. For this reason tannins are still important in red wines not intended for long ageing, as they give grip or structure to these wines also.

Acid: Acid is the part of wine that makes you smack your lips and leaves your mouth watering. It’s a vital component of deliciousness in wine. Acid naturally occurs in all fruit, and we know from making lemonade that there is a subjectively ideal balance that can be achieved between sweetness and acidity. Even in a dry wine there are flavors that we can perceive as sweet (alcohol also can give an impression of sweetness), so having the right amount of acid in a wine is crucial. Too little, and it will seem dull, flabby or perhaps cloying, particularly if it is a sweet wine. Too much, and the wine will be sharp, harsh and undrinkable. Higher acidity denotes a wine from a cooler region, such as Northern France, Germany or New

“Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.”

— Benjamin Franklin

What is Wine?

Mark L. Peterson

taiPei uncorked

The science behind your favorite bottle



Zealand. Low acid wines come from countries with warmer weather, such as Australia, California and South America. Grapes start out with primarily hard Malic and Tartaric acids, though many whites and most reds go through a secondary, bacterial fermentation (as opposed to yeast-driven) that converts the acid of green apples (Malic acid) to the softer acid of fermented dairy products such as yogurt (lactic acid). As grapes ripen, sugars increase and acids tend to decrease, so some winemakers routinely add additional acid to their wines. The most common acids used in acidification are Tartaric acid, Malic acid and citric acid. Some wines are also de-acidified by adding specific salts that can precipitate out tartaric acids.

Oak: Many wines are matured in oak barrels, and some are even fermented in oak. Oak from different sources (most comes from either the forests of France or America) will impart different characteristics to the wine, but in general oak maturation gives aromas of butter, toffee, caramel, vanilla, spice and butterscotch. French oak may give more buttery aromas, whereas American oak gives stronger vanilla and spice aromas. It all depends on how much oak is used, how much of it is new as opposed to re-used, how long the wine stays in contact with the wood, and whether the wine is merely aged in oak or whether the fermentation takes place in it.

Addit ives: This is the dirty truth about modern winemaking. There is a laundry list of additives, some with long historical roots, others recent additions to the winemaker’s medicine cabinet, all of which can be used to ‘improve’ wines. Of course you might ask yourself why wines need so much ‘improving,’ since for thousands of years folks have been making some pretty good hootch with just grapes and a bucket. Here's a brief rundown of what else might be lurking in your next glass of wine. Enzymes are added to fermenting wine to help prevent the growth of bad yeasts that can cause wine spoilage. There are even enzymes that improve the formation of sediment in young wines, allowing for better filtering, and thus leading to higher yields. Polysaccharides are added to promote the retention of color, tannin, and flavoring compounds extracted from grape skins. Gum Arabic is added to wine to lock in the aromatic compounds in a wine, but it also adds a richness to the mouthfeel, which has become its main propose. Sulfur products are used as a anti-oxidative preservative in wine. These are products that have long histories in winemaking, and are actually one of the wine additives that we’re seeing less, not more of, as winemakers develop a better understanding of what a sufficient dose of SO2 is.

Fining agents: Once upon a time wines were fined (think of it as filtering, but with the filtering drifting down through the wine as opposed to the wine being forced through a physical filter) with ox blood and egg whites. While egg albumin is still a common fining agent, it has been joined by things like bentonite clay, gelatin, and even silica. There is no actual residue left from proper fining, so don’t look for chunks in your glass (sediment in wines is something entirely different, and we’ll talk about that next time.)

Mark loves to hear from you with all your questions concerning the world of wine and spirits. Feel free to email him at: [email protected] or visit his informative site at www.vinvinowine.asia.


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Building Your Resume, One Volunteer Opportunity at a Time

In the nomadic life of expatriates working overseas, many ‘trailing’ spouses have found they must sacrifice their own careers as they follow their

partners to far-flung destinations around the world. Thankfully, in this age of computers, it’s easier than

ever to telecommute and to access online employment resources. But for spouses and partners who are looking for local opportunities or who choose not to work outside the home while in Taipei, there is another way to stay viable in today’s workforce: Build your resume by volunteering in the local community.

Overseas Trail ing Talent (OTT) ‘s February l u n c h t i m e g a t h e r i n g i n Ti a n m u, ‘F o c u s o n Volunteering,’ highlighted just such opportunities available locally. As those in attendance learned, volunteering is a way of helping those in need in the local community and at the same time networking and building your own skill set. Guest speakers from a few local non-profit organizations presented information about their charitable opportunities. They included:

This organization was founded in 1987 to offer services for women and children who are affected by domestic violence and human trafficking. Speaker Kelly Wang is looking for a volunteer to help organize a ‘do-it-yourself’ bakery or cooking program, where victims could teach participants how to make local Taiwan specialty snacks. Other volunteer opportunities are available, too. Find out more online at www.twrf.org.tw.

This international organization operates in 121 countries and now has seven centers around Taiwan, including a residential rehabilitation center for youths and a homeless services center. Guest speaker Major Robert Duncan discussed volunteer opportunities at the Taipei centers. He is also looking for someone who might be willing to organize a fund-raising art auction for the organization. More information is at www.salvationarmy.org.tw.

This organization is dedicated to caring for people living with and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Taiwan and China. Guest speaker and full-time volunteer Hana Resari discussed opportunities to work with either adults or children at one of Harmony Home’s two Taipei shelters. Harmony Home’s website is at www.hhat.org.

Speaker Steven Parker discussed opportunities available at The Center, which was founded in 1987 to offer a variety of support services to the international community in Taiwan. At The Center, you can help out as many or as few days as you wish. You can teach a class, answer phones and emails, or organize an event or a regular outing. You can contact The Center at [email protected], or visit the website at www.communitycenter.org.tw.

Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation.

Salvation Army.

Harmony Home.

The Community Services Center.

The lady in the hat is Kelly Wang from TWRFHana Resari from Harmony Home discusses volunteer opportunities at February's OTT luncheon.

Major Robert Duncan from the Salvation Army discusses volunteer opportunities at February's lunchtime meeting.

TexT: Denise shepheRD images: OTT

Denise Shepherd is a member of the volunteer Overseas Trailing Talent organizing committee.

Brochures, power point presentations, information packets and additional information about

these organizations (and others) are available by contacting them directly.

You can also stay up-to-date by joining the OTT Facebook or Yahoo groups.

More information about Overseas Trailing Talent is available by

emailing [email protected].

ApRil 2011 www.communitycenter.org.tw18


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announcement from The center

We are all shocked and saddened by the horrific scene of earthquake and aftermath in japan. many people want to extend a helping hand to assist people affected by the disaster. We do not want to duplicate the good work already being done by other organizations; we would just like to provide the following information to help you make the donation.

reD crossJapanese red Cross societyhttp://www.jrc.or.jp/english/index.html

British red Cross http://www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now/Make-a-single-donation/Japan-Tsunami-Appeal

american red Crosshttp://newsroom.redcross.org/2011/03/11/disaster-alert-earthquake-in-japan-tsunami-warnings/

australian red Crosshttp://www.redcross.org.au/japan2011.htm

Canadian red Crosshttp://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=38380&tid=001

The salVaTIon armyJapan Disaster Fund - https://secure20.salvationarmy.org/donation.jsp

wOrlD visiON – Japan Quake rescue online donation (English)http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fi-payment.worldvision.org.tw%2Foffering.php%3Fop%3Dofferingitem%26orgid%3D143

united way of Chinese social welfare associationhttp://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Ftw.charity.yahoo.com%2Forg_project.html%3Forg_id%3D113

rotary international Taiwanif you are a rotary member check with your local club. rotary are running a number of events in support of relief work in Japan.

related articles with Japan Earthquake relief information

Japan earthquake and tsunami: How to help by lili ladaga (yahoo news)http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110311/wl_yblog_newsroom/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help

Japan Disaster relief: where to Give (abc News/international) http://abcnews.go.com/International/japan-earthquake-donating-relief-funds/story?id=13122660


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MYRIAD APPROACHES TO MINDFuLNESS

TExT: LAuREN MARK IMAGES: COuRTESY OF EWCP



MYRIAD APPROACHES TO MINDFuLNESS

Al t h o u g h t h e t e r m ‘mindfulness’ has come to permeate the front tables of many bookstores, and

has a rguab ly become the new ‘green’ of our inner worlds, what does this word mean, exactly? So often, our minds are racing with a million thoughts of planning ahead, processing emotions, and mulling over past events that we leave ourselves little space to step back and observe the subjectivity of our perceptions of reality.

A scriptural teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage personally endorsed by the Dalai Lama, Geshe Ngawang Dhargvey, writes, “Normally people are blind to their own shortcomings while the faults of others shine out clearly. But if you did not possess these same faults yourself, you would not be able to recognize them in others. If there are two pieces of fruit, one ripe and one rotten, and the person next to you takes the ripe one, it is only due to your own greed that you accuse him of being greedy and selfish. If you were unattached to the fruit, you would simply see him as having taken a piece of fruit.”

How often do we give ourselves the luxury of excusing our own less than ideal behavior by refocusing our attention on others’ annoying traits? You’d think we’d grow out of that childish, “But they were doing it first!” reflex, but sadly, world history and our own personal relationships prove that this is one habit that is quite difficult to break.

I t’s so easy to make excuses for ourselves by emphasizing our good intentions or by stressing the irrationality of another’s reaction, but where does this ultimately get us in the end? We end up making the same faux pas with others over and over again, and then wind up asking ourselves in bewilderment why we keep encountering the same sorts of irritating people as the years go by.

emoTIonal responsesI would say that observing comes

in at least two forms, as we all still view the world in the dualistic terms of self and other in our pre-enlightened states. It comes in the form of recognizing the part that our emotions play in our projections on any given situation, and in stepping back from within the thick of them to consider why the other person may be acting in a way that‘s making us annoyed.

When I argue with those I’m closest to and we start to travel down the road of blame, dredging up nitpicky past wrongs while hating ourselves for traveling down this well-trodden road again, if I manage to step back from my anger at their initial comment that sparked this flame and ask myself the neutral question, “Why are they acting like this? Surely they wouldn’t choose to be so infuriating and prolong a dysfunctional dynamic unless something else, like fear, is preventing t h e m f r o m a c t i n g l i k e m o r e reasonable human beings.” After

this thought occurs, I stop pushing, and start asking neutral questions to find out more about their situation, and without the counter-resistance, much like magic, the other people stop pushing too.

BroaDenIng horIzonsAs much as we would l ike to

believe that we are each the star in this drama called life, through watching our minds, we can broaden our gaze to discover that the stage is filled with countless individuals who all think that they too have been cast in the leading role. Once we see this, it’s easier to realize the impact that our actions have on others. It’s not just about me and the satisfaction or dissatisfaction that I derive from a social setting or interaction anymore, but about finding ways to make sure that everyone feels comfortable. Samuel Goldman calls this sort of awareness EQ, yoga practitioners call it Svadhyaya, and Buddhists c a l l i t w a t c h i n g o n e ’ s m i n d. Victor Frankl, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who is a Holocaust survivor and the founder of his own psychological approach, logotherapy, has an especially striking method to engender mindfulness in his patients. He encourages them to “live as if you were living for the second time and had acted as wrongly the first time as you are about to act now.” What could possibly be more mindful than recognizing the importance that every moment and every decision contain?

Lauren Mark is a long-standing member of the East West Culture Project (EWCP) (www.eastwestcultureproject.org), a dynamic center of cultural exchange and unique learning opportunities based in Taipei. Lauren is an itinerant English teacher, dancer and student of languages and Eastern cultural practices who is fortunate to have found a second home in Taiwan. She can be reached at [email protected]



22 MARCH¾2011¾¾ www.communitycenter.org.tw

On a lane off bustling Nanjing West Road stands a regal-looking three-story white and gray house. With its 1930s architecture

and osmanthus-filled garden, it looks quite out of synch with its neighbors, which stretch from trendy boutiques to hair salons to food carts selling xiao chi (Taiwanese snacks). This is the Galerie Bistro and this is where we will be gathering for our Tastes of Taipei dinner for the month of April.

The Galerie Bistro opened in mid-2008 and is the handiwork of Taiwanese food & beverage and design connoisseur Ely. She has very fond ties to the house that is now Galerie Bistro, as this is the house she grew up in. Her grandfather bought the property some sixty years ago.

The restaurant serves a wide selection of European and American favorites, ranging from pasta to steak and salads. Especially interesting is the selection of crepes with fillings that include garden vegetables in a b chamel sauce and wild mushroom with chicken. Another standout on the menu is the trio of hot panini sandwiches.

For the dinner on April 26th, Ely and her team will offer a set comprising soup, salad and for the main, a choice of the fresh catch of the day, oven roasted lamb chops, or a grilled 6oz filet mignon. Vegetarians can have the pasta primavera. Also in the set, which costs NT$1,100 per person, is dessert (which is a Swiss dark chocolate fudge) and coffee or tea.

A portion of the night’s proceeds will be donated back to The Center, so come support us and feast on some good food in the process. The restaurant requests that you please make your reservations before Friday, April 22nd. You can call the restaurant directly, or if you prefer, call The Center and we can make the booking for you.

at Galerie BistroTastes of Taipei

Tastes¾ of¾ Taipei,¾ April¾ 2011Date:¾ Tuesday,¾ April¾ 26th,¾ 2011Time:¾ 6.30¾ pm¾ to¾ 10.30¾ pm¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ Venue:¾ Galerie¾ BistroAddress:¾ 2,¾ Lane¾ 25,¾ Nanjing¾ West¾ Road,¾ Taipei¾ ¾ ¾台北市南京西路25巷2號 Phone:¾ 02-2558-0096¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ Website:¾ http://www.galeriebistro.com

TEXT:¾ SUNITA¾ SUE¾ LENG¾

Sunita is originally from Malaysia and moved to Taipei in 2008. She has worked as a journalist with The Edge Singapore, and now freelances with a business weekly. She loves good food and wine, hiking and dogs.

Big¾ turnout¾ for¾ Tastes¾ of¾ Taipei¾ in¾ March

A¾ whopping¾ 38¾ hungry¾ folks¾ turned¾ out¾ for¾ the¾ Tastes¾ of¾ Taipei¾ dinner¾ in¾ March¾ at¾ Abuê s¾ Brasserie¾ in¾ downtown¾Taipei.¾ ¾ Abu¾ ¥ ¾ as¾ the¾ owner-chef¾ William¾ Bu¾ is¾ affectionately¾ known¾ ¥ ¾ delivered¾ on¾ his¾ promise¾ of¾ a¾ special¾ night¾ of¾French-Italian¾ feasting.¾ ¾ Dinner¾ began¾ with¾ a¾ quesadilla¾ of¾ smoked¾ duck¾ breast¾ and¾ papaya.¾ ¾ This¾ was¾ followed¾ by¾pumpkin¾ soup¾ with¾ truffle¾ and¾ a¾ third¾ appetizer¾ of¾ ravioli¾ filled¾ with¾ chicken¾ and¾ spinach¾ in¾ a¾ spicy¾ tomato¾ sauce.¾ For¾the¾ main¾ course,¾ guests¾ chose¾ between¾ red¾ wine¾ braised¾ osso¾ buco¾ or¾ lamb¾ shank.¾ Both¾ portions¾ were¾ generous.¾

Rounding¾ off¾ the¾ meal¾ was¾ a¾ creative¾ dessert¾ of¾ mint¾ ice¾ cream¾ in¾ a¾ flower¾ pot¾ topped¾ with¾ a¾ dark¾ chocolate¾ cookie¾crumble.¾ ¾ The¾ vegetarian¾ menu¾ included¾ a¾ large¾ salad¾ plate¾ and¾ a¾ mushroom¾ pasta,¾ which¾ received¾ nods¾ of¾ approval¾but¾ not¾ the¾ rave¾ reviews¾ the¾ meat¾ dishes¾ got.¾ ¾ Our¾ thanks¾ to¾ Desta¾ Selassie¾ for¾ her¾ hard¾ work¾ in¾ putting¾ together¾ this¾event¾ in¾ support¾ of¾ the¾ Community¾ Services¾ Center.


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This bakery specializes in European-style baked goods. They have fantastic breads and cakes, and have cinnamon rolls to die for — all baked on site. There is usually someone there who can speak English and they offer excellent service. Worth a visit if you're in the area!

Whitney Bakery 820, Zhongzheng Road, Taoyuan City 桃園市中正路820號 (03) 3577955 www.whitneybakery.com

Do you need a vet in Dazhi/Neihu who speaks English and explains things to you in a way you can understand? And most importantly will treat your loved animal like a member of the family? Dr Lin and Dr Liang are my neighborhood vets at Well Seen Animal Hospital and have been taking great care of my dogs since we moved here. We just stop in when there is a problem and they take care of us professionally and compassionately. They are open every day but Wednesday, but in an emergency they have been there for us.

Check them out at www.wellseen.com.tw, email [email protected] or phone 8502-3725. Or just stop by (no appointment needed) at 34, Lane 672, Mingshui Road, Dazhi. 大直明水路672巷34號

Papa Poulet, run by Chris Bryant, is primarily a rotisserie that specializes in the humble chicken cooked to perfection. To accompany it there is a choice of sides from different European countries, and great desserts. Everything is homemade fresh and delicious!

Tel: 2831135716-2, Lane 76, Zhongcheng Rd. Sec. 2台北市忠誠路二段76巷16-2號[email protected]

RECOMMENDED BY KATH LIu RECOMMENDED BY JENNI ROSEN RECOMMENDED BY MANAV MEHTA

WhITney Bakery Well seen anImal hospITal papa pouleT

Picks, Finds, Secrets…..The Center'sThe Center'sThe Center's Favorite Favorite Favorite Favorite Favorite Favorite FindsFindsFindsFindsFindsFinds

oil paintings by ah-ping Wu – a Dancing soul from the Beginning

Ping is a local artist from Beitou who has dedicated herself to children’s art education for over three decades. In the exhibition, Ping explores the essence of life in a way that approximates a kind of Zen, freely and joyfully. Her paintings glow with a child’s heart, sentiment, thoughtfulness, and innocence.

ceramics from masterpieces merchandise A selection of beautiful ceramic items, such as business card stands, candy jars, vases and decorative plates from Masterpieces Merchandise in Yingge. Also included in this display are bracelets made from various types of stone beads.

grace’s polymer clay Polymer clay is a good material to create artworks that are colorful and durable. On sale this month at the Center Gallery, we have name card cases, bag hooks,

key chains, mobile phone chains, book marks, and necklaces for you to choose from. They make beautiful gifts for all occasions.

April in the Gallery features a collection of indigenous handicrafts and products from Tribe-asia and the Wildman Working house. Tribe-Asia was established in 2005 with the mission to help indigenous artists and artisans market their works internationally. WildMan Working House is a partnership between a Rukai artisan and a Chinese designer which began in 2000. The spirit of WildMan Working House is the achievement of a balance between innovation and indigenous cultural heritage. Products include jewelry and accessories made with traditional Rukai beads and shells. This workshop has also developed a method for producing wild boar tusks and deer antlers that closely resemble nature. On display are jewelry and accessories and decorative items for the home.

A percentage of all proceeds of items sold at the Gallery go to The Center, so please remember that by displaying and shopping here you are helping us to provide much needed

services to the international community.



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As you enter the lobby of the theater on Zhongshan North Road, Sect ion 2, you are met by beautifully

dressed, smil ing young people offering you a drink. Picking up the pre-booked ticket, head up to the first-floor lobby, where puppet demonstrations often entertain waiting guests. Then, about half an hour before the beginning of the performance, ushers ask the guests to head to the elevators; since the tickets have no seat numbers, if you want to get a front row seat you’ll need to be among the first in. However even if you don’t get a seat in the front, the whole theater offers very good views, and because of its small size you will see everything clearly no matter if you are on the first or on the very last row.

You know that you are about to see something very special because as soon as the elevator doors open,

you are surrounded by exotic color and music. Actors are putt ing their make-up or doing their hair, and musicians are singing songs or playing music, as if the show has already started. N o worries, a gentle voice will tel l you ( in English, Chinese and Japanese) the performance is yet to begin. My advice: Get to your seat, hold your breath and do not dare to blink. Because missing even a second of this magic is a loss.

Meet the artistsTaipei Eye Theater’s performances

usually consist of two parts, each around thirty minutes long, with a thirty-minute intermission. Each month the program changes, so you can either see acrobatics, or puppets, or something else equally fascinating in the f irst part. I t’s over in a heartbeat and then you’re invited to go to the lobby and meet the artists

— and not only meet them, but to learn how to pose like them, and even to sing or dance — while those same nice young people who met you downstairs offer to take your photo so you can pretend to be a star, even if for just a while. The half-hour intermission just isn’t enough to see it and experience it all.

T h e s e c o n d p a r t o f t h e performance is Chinese opera. But wait — this is not the endless, monotonous high-pitched singing which many non-Chinese associate with this type of art. Chinese opera at Taipei Eye is full of sweeping action with superb actors who do acrobatics, dancing, martial arts, and, of course, some singing. The costumes are a symphony of color and beauty, all made to the very last detail (believe me — I’ve examined them through my camera’s zoom lens!). All this is accompanied by beautifully played live music.

Taipei EyeA magical evening of color, beauty and smiles

TexT & images: KaTya ilieva-sTone


surprIsesThere are discreet monitors on

both sides which tell the story both in Chinese and English. But there’s no time to read (or else you’ll forget to read because you cannot take your eyes off the stage). Scenes change fast, and while you are still wondering how they managed to do one thing, on comes something even more daring and astonishing. At the end, arms are sore from clapping and it’s hard to stop smiling and even wiping a tear or two. I am always sad when the performance is over, but another surprise is waiting once you leave the hall doors — some of the actors who just performed on the stage are there to say thank you and bid you good-bye. You might think that they must be tired after those high jumps or fierce battles, but they

are there — all (sincere) smiles, all (sincerely) happy to be doing just that: keeping alive the traditional Chinese performance arts.

How many times have I been to the Taipei Eye theater? Two? Three? It’s hard to say. No doubt every time I have felt how much everybody related to this place loves what they do. And every time I have felt the very personal touch of all these people. You are not just a spectator, someone who buys a ticket. You are a friend.

Katya Ilieva-Stone is a US expat and has been in Taipei for 8 months. She is a former journalist who was born in Bulgaria. She has also lived in Nepal, Ukraine, and Afghanistan.


Taipei Eye theater is presented by the koo Foundation to promote Chinese opera and traditional arts in Taiwan. The theater at Cement Hall underwent renovations in early 2011, and reopened its doors in February with a newly expanded performance schedule. programs are now scheduled four days per week, with sixty-minute shows on every Monday, wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm (NT$550), and ninety-minute shows on saturday at 8 pm ( NT$880). For more information, or to book your ticket, go to www.taipeieye.com or call 2568-2677 (English spoken).


Room

TExT: KATH LIu

By Emma Donoghue

published in 2010

published by picador

isBN: 978-0-330-51992-2

The Josef Fritzl case shocked anyone who heard about it. The story of a father who had locked away his

teenaged daughter in a custom-built apartment in the basement of the family home and used her as a sex slave was nearly beyond belief. She fell pregnant eight times, although she lost two chi ldren: one to a miscarriage and one to respiratory disease. Her twenty-four year-long ordeal came very publicly to light in 2008, and I guess it's fair to say that a lot of us had been watching and waiting for some kind of literary response to this, a way of making sense of the darkness and the horror.

Although Donoghue's book is inspired by the events of the Fritzl case, she wisely steers away from replicating the exact circumstances. In this novel, the captor is not the father, they are not kept in a basement and there is only one child, Jack. And it's Jack who is the focus of this novel. He is five years old and has never been outside of Room, the modified garden shed in which they are held. In fact he has no concept of the outside world as his mother has chosen to not explain it. He thinks the entire world consists of this room, that the television channels are different planets orbiting the room and that his mother's captor, Old Nick, is the supplier of all things. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent that they need to escape. Jack's mother (Ma) realises that Old Nick is capable of far worse than holding

them here for the rest of their lives and hatches a plan, with the help of Jack, to get out.

This book captivated, repulsed and inspired me. All at the same time, all the way through. It's a car wreck story — you can't stand it but you can't look away and the whole time you're reading you have the knowledge that something like this really happened... it's creepy. The character of Jack is a completely believable portrayal, not only of a five-year-old child but of a five-year-old who has no concept of the outside world. His language reflects his worldview as he doesn't use any articles, such as 'the'. Room isn't 'the room' because to his knowledge there are no other rooms and so since there is only one, then there is no grammatical need to use articles. So everything is just Bed, Wardrobe, Skylight — capitalised as if there were only one of them like there is only one of Jack.

The part of this story that intrigued me the most was the relationship between Ma and Jack. As I'm now in the age range where a good portion of my friends are becoming parents, I regularly hear that all moms and dads need 'time off' to get some space away from the kids and to just relax — something I completely agree with — but imagine being in one small room with your child, 24/7 for years. Under these circumstances. The way in which Ma interacts with Jack, teaching him stories, making sure he gets daily exercise and love despite her circumstances, is one

of the most moving things about this book. I don't know if it's just because I'm around the same age as her character or if it's because I'm starting to think more seriously about becoming a mother myself, but I just couldn't help but wonder what on earth I would have done in her position. I have no idea and thank goodness I won't have to find out.

I'd wanted to read this book ever since the 2010 Booker Prize longlist came out and I heard about it on the Guardian Books Podcast. I was pretty disappointed when it didn't win but it's safe to say that this is a book that is hugely successful, and deservedly so. It gives you so much to think about and genuinely changes your perspective on the world by giving you the opportunity to see life through the eyes of Jack. This was one of the top three books I read in 2010 — I really can't recommend it any more highly.

K a t h L i u i s a n avid reader and a founding member of the CSC Book Club who believes h a p p i n e s s i s a good book, good coffee and good friends.

Like books? Check this out:http://kathmeista.blogspot.com/

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TExT: LEAT AHRONY

In the winter, its warm ripples embrace your icy skin. In the summer, its crisp refreshing rings cool your boiling body.

You can survive without food, but you can’t live without water. Our planet breathes powerful waves and towering glaciers, but of the Earth’s water supply, how much fresh water is readily available to humans? Only 0.02%.

Drip. Drip. Drop. Drop. Splash! The clear teardrop makes its landing, decorat ing the metal s ink with precious beaded crystals of H2O. One after the other, they land, until a puddle forms. Now zoom yourself out from this unique molecular structure, and look at the bigger picture. Water leakage happens more often than we think.

I ask myself time and time again: when we will learn to appreciate these droplets that just so happen to be the key to survival?

My heart races with the running water next door. I toss and turn in bed, trying to block out the sound, but it is extremely difficult with paper-thin walls. Must she turn the tap on FULL volume? Must she leave the water running when brushing her teeth? I want to scream, “turn it off!” I want to get out of bed to stop this ridiculous wasting of water, but I know my mother will scold me. My parents warn that I am becoming an environmental fanatic, but I just refuse to listen.

While my father washes the dishes, I reach over and turn down the level of water.

“Save water Dad. You don’t need the tap on full.”

“Why do you have to do this every time? Can’t I wash my dishes peaceful ly without any of your interruptions about saving water? We have so much rain here in Taiwan! It is okay to waste a little.”

“And if everyone thought like you, what do you think will happen? What if all the rivers on Earth run dry? ”

“That won’t happen. That is impossible.”

“Are you so sure? When millions across the world already have to walk miles barefoot to collect a jug of semi-clean water? A jug containing the equivalent amount of water you use for showering in one day?”

“Okay, well, when you put it that way....”

“What about Israel Dad? If you go and live there one day, will you continue being wasteful? Israel is an arid country. The government is forced to produce expensive fresh water by desalinating salty sea water. Every drop is precious.”

“Well, that is another story. Here in Taiwan, water is abundant. We can afford to waste a little.”

Must humans be so selfish? Must humans be so careless? Must we wait till the last second when the entire world will fight over the very last drop of water? For the last century,

everyone has been saying “it’s okay to waste a little….” But is it really?

My father continued to wash his dishes, with the tap running on full.

When resources are r i ch and plentiful, conservation just doesn’t cross our minds. It isn’t until we see the end of the road that we realize, oh, I guess this resource wasn’t going to be abundantly available forever….

We see this situation happening with almost every single natural resource. Oil used to be cheap, but when prices rose, humans began to conserve. Governments created laws restricting companies from producing inefficient (oil-hungry) vehicles. As housewives calculated monthly gasoline bills, they thought twice about driving to a nearby grocery store. Oil was once abundant. Water was once plentiful.

Water i s d i sappear ing before our very own eyes, at a terrifying rate. And all this is due to the greed of humans, and lack of care. My parents are rebuked by me constantly for not conserving water, but they still don’t listen! To them, I am like an annoying mosquito. I may be an annoying mosquito to them now, but in ten years, they will see that I am right.

No one is fighting about Gucci, Chanel, or Jimmy Choo, but everyone is fighting for the control of a river or lake. When oil became less abundant, prices fluctuated crazily like a roller coaster. When water becomes scarce, a war will break out; starting to conserve now would prevent this from happening in the future.

If water becomes expensive, you will wash your car with a bucket and not a hose. You will fix the water leakage in your kitchen. You will take shorter showers. Humans are beginning to feel the effect of their own careless mistakes, but other more unfortunate communities have

Third World (water) War



been struggling to survive for quite some time now. Our mistakes have endangered the precious wildlife.

Without H2O, there will be no reason to take your children out to see the bright red salmon swimming in rivers. What was once running with fresh crystal-clear water would be a dried-out piece of land. Without H2O, there will be no luscious ripe apples to pick from trees. There won’t be any trees at all! No insect will crawl. No snake will slither, and no bird will fly. Earth will be deserted. Imagining this gives me goose bumps, and knowing that this could happen scares me to death. The Dead Sea is running dry. Aquifer levels are falling due to the extreme pumping of water. The world is reaching nearly seven billion people, and yet we are still blind!

Wake up! Forge t about o i l. Forget about looking good in the mirror. Stop wasting. Stop growing water-hungry crops such as cotton in bone-dry areas. Everybody is busy. Everybody has challenges and difficulties, but this is a global crisis!

B u t, h o w e v e r p o w e r f u l o n e person’s voice is, it will not suffice. I can complain every day, but the old habits of my parents will not go away. But you, you, and you! We can all speak out together, if we can all drive towards a better future, the pressure will be on, and change will be in the air.

I know I can’t change the world, but I believe in changing the young, and the ones that our futures lie with. If parents, teachers, governments, and schools pay more attention to environmental issues rather than political ones, maybe there will still be hope. Maybe people will use water more efficiently. Maybe water consumption will be greatly reduced on a global scale. Maybe efficient ways of irrigation will be implemented throughout countries. Maybe if we bought water-saving washing machines and dish washers, our water bills will be significantly reduced. Maybe, if companies and governments were smart enough to increase water prices, humans will be forced to conserve.

There are so many solutions, so many ways that can prevent our taps from running dry. The only challenge is enforcing, initiating, and actually doing it. It annoys me when people say “conserve! reduce! reuse!” and yet, they use ten paper towels to dry their hands. And they leave the tap running in the bathroom.

When we wake up in the morning, we still have water to brush our teeth and flush our toilets. But one day, the tap will run dry, and a war will break out. Unless, we do something now.

Drip. Drop. Drip. The watery tears ran down the wall.

Drop. Drip. Drop. There wasn’t any water left to run down the wall.

I don’t wish to have a water war; a third world war is not necessary, but a change in our old ways is a must. Old habits may die hard, but this cannot stop us from trying. It’s very simple: save it, or lose it.



Contact:Jenny WangRobert Liu

Danny Shih

Tel: 02-2836-1000 Fax: 02-2831-9942E-mail: [email protected] DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL

text & Images: Ivy Chen

Si t u a t e d a r o u n d H u a x i n m a r k e t a n d i t s neighbourhood, near Nanshijiao in the southwest Taipei district of Zhonghe, Little Burma (or

Myanmar) has its own exotic atmosphere, language, food, and festivals. The community is made up of two large-scale immigrations of overseas Chinese originally from Burma, arriving in the 1960s and 1990s.

Burma is influenced by China, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Laos. The attraction of visiting Little Burma is not only to experience the exotic culture, but also to taste food with exotic flavors and shop for exotic ingredients. You may find food, books, newspapers, and DVDs from the above-mentioned countries there.

The main street in the area, called Huaxin Street (華新街), has shop signs in Burmese characters. Walking on the street, you will smell curry, shrimp paste, and the scent of sour, pungent foods from door to door, giving the area the feeling of traveling somewhere out of Taiwan, especially if you visit on the weekend. April is an especially good time to visit: Burma’s New Year celebration (the water festival) is held on April 10th from 8 am to 2 pm this year.

To get to Little Burma, take the MRT to Nanshijiao station, leave by exit 4, turn right onto Xingnan Road, Section 1, and follow it for about 15 minutes to the intersection with Huaxin Street.

Little Burma 緬甸街 [miandian jie]

Food SpeciaLtieS:Exotic groceries & eateries : Huaxin Street and Lane 79, Xingnan Road, Section 2.Fresh herbs: Huaxin market (華新市場), on Huaxin Street.

Some selected dishes: Rice noodle soup (粑粑絲(粉條))Curry noodle soup (咖哩麵)Fish stock noodle (魚湯麵)Yellow split pea cake salad (豌豆涼粉)Noodle salad (雞絲拌麵)Green papaya salad (涼拌青木瓜絲) Chicken curry (咖哩雞)Samosa (炸咖哩餃/豌豆炸餅)Naan (南餅)Paratha (巴拉他)Yellow split pea dip (黃豆泥)Indian tea (印度奶茶)



CsC BusiNEss ClassiFiED

haIr DressersporT

eDucaTIon BeauTy

acTIVITy fIrsT meeTIng DaTe TIme

Chi Gong 2 Apr 11 10:00 AMChinese Calligraphy Apr 11 12:00 PMSurvival Chinese 1 Apr 11 9:00 AMSurvival Chinese 2 Apr 11 10:30 AMWulai Waterfall & Aboriginal Village Tour Apr 12 8:30 AMTai Qi 2 Apr 12 9:30 AMEasy Yoga 2 Apr 12 7:00 PMBelly Dancing 2 Apr 13 10:30 AMKindermusik I 0-18 months Apr 14 9:15 AMChinese Medicine Health Secrets Apr 15 12:30 PMBeijing & Shandong Cuisine Apr 15 10:00 AMThe "Key" to Computer Word Processing Apr 19 12:15 PMEating Dim Sum Apr 20 11:30 AMPublic Speaking Apr 21 12:00 PMLin Family Garden Apr 28 9:30 AMKorean Cooking Apr 29 10:00 AM

To sign up, please call The Center at 2836-8134 or 2838-4947

April 2011Center Courses



agape3F, 21 ChangChun road, Taipei, TaiwanTel: 2598-1009 (office)[email protected]

anglican episcopal churchChurch of the Good shepherd509 ZhongCheng rd., shilinTel: 2873-8104, 2882-2462 www.goodshepherd.com.tw/english/

calvary International Baptist church21, yangDe Blvd., sec. 2, yangmingshanTel: 2831-3458 Fax: 2838-5792

church of jesus christ of latter-day saints5, lane 183, JinHua streetTel: 2321-9195, 0939-687-178

city revival churchB1, 210, ZhongXiao E. rd., sec. 4Tel: 8921-8250 Fax: [email protected]

friendship presbyterian church5, lane 269, roosevelt rd., sec. 3Tel: 2362-1395

grace Baptist church90 Xinsheng s. rd., sec. 3Tel: 2362-5321 ext. 135

jewish communityFor information call ahrony yoram on 0939-763-135

living Word churchB1, 304, shiDong road, shilinTel: 2834-6549

mother of god catholic church171 Zhongshan N. rd., sec. 7, TianmuTel: 2871-5168 Fax: 2871-7972www.geocities.com/[email protected]

new apostolic church2F, No. 5, lane 39, keelung rd, sec. 2, Taipeiwww.nac-taiwan.org, [email protected]

new life International seventh-day adventist church4th Fl. Health Center- Taipei adventist Hospital424 Ba De rd. sec. 2, Taipei 105pr. robbie Berghan 0958-732-704www.nlisda.orgemail: [email protected]

oasis Bread of life christian church10F, #55, ZhongCheng rd, sec. 2(Dayeh Takashimaya, Tian Mu)Tel: 28310299 Fax: 28317214http://www.oasis.org.tw email: [email protected]

suang-lien presbyterian church, english ministryZhongshan N. road, section 2, Taipeiwww.slpcenglish.org

Taipei holiness church(Charismatic international service)Every sunday morning at 10.45am with pastor sandra Ee5F, #107 Nanking East road section 4, TaipeiTe: 27123242

Taipei International churchMeets at the Taipei american school800 Zhongshan N. rd., sec. 6, TianmuTel: 2833-7444 Fax: 2835-2778www.taipeichurch.org/ gateway.htm

TaIpeI jeWIsh serVIces sheraton Taipei Hotel12, Zhongxiao East road, section 1, TaipeiTel: 2592-2840, Fax: 2594-3892 E-mail: [email protected]

Transforming faith church (f.k.a. Bread of life christian church)5F, 295 ZhongXiao E. rd., sec. 4Tel: 8772-2207 Fax: [email protected]

Worship Directory (For full details of services please refer to Taipei living or contact the church organization directly)

“I was in Hong Kong recently; part recreation, part work, part in a quiet place just catching up on

those things that we don't seem to be able to do in our own houses. And then “Japan” happened.

8.9 on the Richter scale, fires, a Tsunami, and a potential Nuclear meltdown to boot. Kind of

made everything I was doing feel like I was talking about what dessert I was going to have with someone

who hadn’t eaten for two weeks. But then I thought, you know, it’s the ordinary things that keep us going.

When I have faced the worst moments in my life it has been the mundane that has been my savior; making a

sandwich, going to work, cleaning the house. And they don’t come much more mundane than my ordinary

life…so I will keep living in the same way. And I will do it for Japan, for Australia, for New Zealand, for

Libya, for the Congo, and for anywhere else that they are going through things that I can only imagine.

In extraordinary times the world needs more of us to just be ordinary…and whilst I have occasional

illusions of being something exceptional (mainly thanks to my mother’s encouragement of my every small

achievement) I am powerfully aware of my ordinariness. But for now, in this time, ordinary is what the world

needs. For once my mediocrity is a reason to celebrate!

Live well. Be kind.

Steven Parker

Director, Community Services Center

Word from the Director



Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 2836-6994 [email protected] http://www.aataiwan.atfreeweb.com/english.htmAl-anon (English speaking) [email protected] Française de Taiwan 2364-8833/ 2364-1919 [email protected] www.alliancefrancaise.org.tw American Chamber of Commerce 2718-8226 [email protected] Club in China 2885-8260 www.americanclub.org.twAmerican Institute in Taiwan 2162-2000 www.ait.org.twAmnesty International 2709-4162 [email protected], www.aitaiwan.org.tw Australia & New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (ANZCham) 7701 0818/ 0922 109 089 [email protected] www.anzcham.org.twBritish Chamber of Commerce 2720 1919 www.bcctaipei.comCanadian Society 2757-6977 www.canadiansociety.orgChristian Salvation Service 2729-0265 www.csstpe.org.twCommunity Services Center 2836-8134 www.communitycenter.org.twDemocrats Abroad (Tammy Turner) [email protected] Dutch Speaking Association (VNT) www.vntonline.orgEuropean Chamber of Commerce 2740-0236 www.ecct.com.twGateway 2833-7444 [email protected] Institute 2501-6188 www.taipei.diplo.deGerman Trade Office 8758-5800 www.taiwan.ahk.deGoethe-Institut Taipei 2506-9028 www.goethe.de/taipeiIndians' Association of Taipei 2542-8091 [email protected] Community Choir 2533-4272 [email protected] Leche League (Breastfeeding Support) www.lalecheleague.orglé the francophone [email protected] , http://thefrancophone.unblog.fr/ Lions Downtown Club Taipei, English speaking (Peter Wu) 2701-1811 www.tapeidowntowntw.lionwap.orgOasis Youth Group 2831-0299 Overseas Trailing Talent in Taiwan [email protected] Youth Group 2833-7444 www.paradymeyouth.orgPOW Camps Memorial Society (Michael Hurst) 8660-8438 www.powtaiwan.orgRepublicans Abroad Taiwan [email protected] District Office 2882-6200 www.sld.gov.twSpanish Chamber Of Commerce ( ) 2518 4901~3 www.consuladoentaipei.maec.esTagalog Hotline 2834-4127 [email protected] International Women’s Club 2331-9403 www.tiwc.orgTYPA (Taipei Youth Program Association) 2873-1815 www.typa.org.tw

sCHOOls Dominican International School 2533-8451 www.dishs.tp.edu.twGrace Christian Academy 2785-7233 www.gca.tp.edu.twMorrison Academy 2365-9691 www.mca.org.twTaipei Adventist American School 2861-6400 www.taas-taiwan.comTaipei American School 2873-9900 www.tas.edu.twTaipei European School 8145-9007 www.taipeieuropeanschool.comTaipei Japanese School 2872-3833 www.taipeijf.org

spOrTs Biking Site in Taiwan http://www.cycletaiwan.com/Hash House Harriers 0952-025-116 www.chinahash.comInternational Golf Society of Taipei www.taiwan-golf.comScottish Country Dancing (May Chen) 2706 3179 [email protected] Women’s International Golf Group (TWIGG) 2691 5912 [email protected] Tai Tai’s Women’s Touch Rugby 0981-180-020 [email protected] Taipei Baboons Rugby Club - Taiwan 0952 67 1995 [email protected] Shebabs Women’s Touch Rugby 0913-602-071 [email protected]

Argentina 2757-6556Australia 8725-4100Austria 2712-8597Belgium 2715-1215Belize 2876-0894Bolivia 2723-8721Brazil 2835-7388Britain 8758-2088Brunei 2506-3767 Burkina Faso 2873-3096Canada 8723-3000Chad 2874-2943Chile 2723-0329Costa Rica 2875-2964Czech Republic 2722-5100Denmark 2718-2101Dominican Republic 2875-1357El Salvador 2876-3509Fiji 2757-9596Finland 2722-0764France 3518-5151

Gambia 2875-3911German Institute 2501-6188Guatemala 2875-6952Haiti 2876-6718Honduras 2875-5512Hungary 8501-1200India 2757-6112Indonesia 8752-6179Ireland 2725-1691Israel 2757-9692Italy 2725-1542Japan 2713-8000Jordan 2871-7712Korea 2725-2324Malaysia 2713-2626Mexico 2757-6566Netherlands 2713-5760New Zealand 2757-6725Nicaragua 2874-9034Nigeria 2757-6987Norway 2543-5484

Oman 2722-0684Panama 2509-9189Paraguay 2873-6310Peru 2757-7017Philippines 2723-2527Poland 2757-6140Russia 8780-3011Saudi Arabia 2876-1444Senegal 2876-6519Singapore 2772-1940Slovak Republic 8780-3231South Africa 2715-3251Spain 2518-4901Swaziland 2872-5934Sweden 2757-6573Switzerland 2720-1001Thailand 2723-1800Turkey 2757-7318United States 2162-2000Vietnam 2516-6626

OrGaNiZaTiON TElEpHONE wEBsiTE/EMail aDDrEss

COuNTry rEprEsENTaTivEs iN TaiwaNCOuNTry TElEpHONE COuNTry TElEpHONE COuNTry TElEpHONE

CommuNity groupS

a commercial office and a Spanish consulate



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Ear cleaning at Longshan Temple


Not only has the executive Centre in taipei 101 created such an environment, they have tried and tested it. the idea is working so well that the Hong Kong-based Business Centre has opened a new Centre in taipei’s the Far eastern Plaza.

the concept is called a serviced office. The Executive Centre provides you with everything you need to run your business. your Herman Miller office furniture, Cisco IP phone and reception services are all included in your monthly license fee.

As a client of the executive Centre you will share everything except your actual office with the Centre’s other clients. the kitchen facilities, i.e. refrigerator, microwave, hot water machine, Nespresso machine, and tables and chairs are for everyone’s use.

the copy center, with the latest technology rented by teC, is available for client use on a pay as you use scale. Pay per use printing is proven to cut down on wasted printing and paper usage.

the utility, water and building

maintenance services are shared by all the businesses operating within the Centre and the charges are included in the leasing cost.

Saving on air travel is also an important environmental step to a healthier world. Video conferencing is available at teC for both in-house and external clients.

Not even human resources are wasted with this business model. TEC has a team of five receptionists that take care of all their client’s administrative needs and the executive Centre’s cleaning personnel take care of everyone’s maintenance needs.

the executive Centre in taipei 101 has sixty offices and is often fully occupied. there are presently forty businesses sharing the common elements. that means forty businesses are sharing office elements that with solitary traditional office space end up being underutilized and wasted.

Now that taipei 101 has taken measures to qualify under LeeDS standards as a green building, this concept of sharing office facilities reaches another level. So now the forty businesses that are currently the executive Centre’s taipei 101 clients are being helped by the building to save even more of taiwan’s precious resources.

the executive Centre is Asia’s leading serviced office provider and along with helping businesses in taiwan work towards a healthier environment, they also operate 34 Executive Centre locations in fifteen other cosmopolitan cities throughout

Asia. Clients of the executive Centre in taiwan also have access to the facilities of the executive Centre in other countries.

TEC can also create virtual offices for their clients. the executive Centre gives you a mailing address and phone number in the country of your choice, where they have a Centre. the telephone is answered by the executive Centre receptionist with your company name then forwarded to you wherever you may be. your mail is also forwarded from the Centre to your physical business address. With this service, you have just created a branch location of your business, in another country, without leaving a single carbon footprint.

When it comes to green office services the executive Centre is leading the way. they have added to the concept of ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’ the idea of ‘sharing’ to save energy, space, time and money for their clients. If you’re curious about this service and how it works, the executive Centre team is happy to provide tours of the Centre on an appointment basis.

how “green” Is your Workplace?

So you recycle, you turn off the lights and the air-conditioning when you leave a room and you ride your bicycle to work. you’re feeling pretty good about yourself, environmentally speaking. So what happens when you arrive at the office? For most of us our green way of thinking slides right out the window the minute we sit down at our desk. Did you know there are new and innovative ways to conserve workplace energy, while still having all the luxury one could need?

Heidi Gallant is Business Development Manager for The Executive Centre and a Board Director for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Taipei. She can be reached at 2 8758 2732 or [email protected].

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Centered on Taipei April 2011