My Second Taiwan New Years Day
My Second Taiwan New Years Day
By Kevin Stoda
Last night, I took a free ferry ride over to Nangan Island and took in local New Years’ Eve festivities and foods. After the fireworks, I returned on the ferry around 12:30. as usual the Matsu islands are blowing cold air this season.. (Sadly, there is no snow although one hill on Beigan, Bi-san, rises nearly 300 meters.)
http://eslkevin.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/chinese-and-others-views-on-workweek-calendar/
This is actually my second New Years Day in Taiwan, though. In December 1992, I had bought a special round-trip ticket through AVIA Travel.
http://www.aviatravel.com/
For Christmas 1992, I was in Thailand. For New Years Eve, I was in Hong Kong. After midnight, I headed to the airport and on to Taiwan.
Alas, that year, from January 1 through January 5, 1993, the banks and most every business in Taiwan were all closed. This was prior to the weekend-day-off reform in the country, which I had referred to in yesterday’s blog, “CHANGING CALENDARS, CHANGING WEEKENDS, CHANGING CENTENNIALS.” At that time, Taiwan’s capital Taipei was a dusty industrial city with uninviting winter--and a population with next-to-no English language or other foreign language skills.
http://eslkevin.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/chinese-and-others-views-on-workweek-calendar/
Over those 5 days, I was forced to stay at the same hotel until I could find a bank open and money to exchange. The highlight for me was the nice priced Taiwanese food, especially the famous Chinese dumplings to be bought for a steal at the time.
SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER
It is evident to me that in the 17-year interim, Taiwan has improved environmentally as industry was moved over to China. Furthermore, a higher percent of peoples speak some English or some foreign language skills. There is also no longer a rally-around-the-wagon-fear-of-foreigners as was the case decades ago.
In fact, one reason I agreed to come to the most distant outpost of Taiwan—the Matsu Islands—this past year was because I knew that these marginalized peoples needed more opportunities to rub shoulders with foreigners here.
Alas, no one has come up to me and offered to teach me English here yet.. (Believe me I have hinted and been fairly direct about my interest.) I hope 2011 proves more fruitful in the area of my Chinese language acquisition (of mine and my family) because part of the process of “internationalizing”* a people is not to simply impart English skills but to conduct language and cultural exchanges on many fronts.
*Internationalization is the Asian approach to cross-cultural education. It is seen as an important area of educational growth currently in Taiwan and in neighboring lands.
By Kevin Stoda
Last night, I took a free ferry ride over to Nangan Island and took in local New Years’ Eve festivities and foods. After the fireworks, I returned on the ferry around 12:30. as usual the Matsu islands are blowing cold air this season.. (Sadly, there is no snow although one hill on Beigan, Bi-san, rises nearly 300 meters.)
http://eslkevin.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/chinese-and-others-views-on-workweek-calendar/
This is actually my second New Years Day in Taiwan, though. In December 1992, I had bought a special round-trip ticket through AVIA Travel.
http://www.aviatravel.com/
For Christmas 1992, I was in Thailand. For New Years Eve, I was in Hong Kong. After midnight, I headed to the airport and on to Taiwan.
Alas, that year, from January 1 through January 5, 1993, the banks and most every business in Taiwan were all closed. This was prior to the weekend-day-off reform in the country, which I had referred to in yesterday’s blog, “CHANGING CALENDARS, CHANGING WEEKENDS, CHANGING CENTENNIALS.” At that time, Taiwan’s capital Taipei was a dusty industrial city with uninviting winter--and a population with next-to-no English language or other foreign language skills.
http://eslkevin.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/chinese-and-others-views-on-workweek-calendar/
Over those 5 days, I was forced to stay at the same hotel until I could find a bank open and money to exchange. The highlight for me was the nice priced Taiwanese food, especially the famous Chinese dumplings to be bought for a steal at the time.
SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER
It is evident to me that in the 17-year interim, Taiwan has improved environmentally as industry was moved over to China. Furthermore, a higher percent of peoples speak some English or some foreign language skills. There is also no longer a rally-around-the-wagon-fear-of-foreigners as was the case decades ago.
In fact, one reason I agreed to come to the most distant outpost of Taiwan—the Matsu Islands—this past year was because I knew that these marginalized peoples needed more opportunities to rub shoulders with foreigners here.
Alas, no one has come up to me and offered to teach me English here yet.. (Believe me I have hinted and been fairly direct about my interest.) I hope 2011 proves more fruitful in the area of my Chinese language acquisition (of mine and my family) because part of the process of “internationalizing”* a people is not to simply impart English skills but to conduct language and cultural exchanges on many fronts.
*Internationalization is the Asian approach to cross-cultural education. It is seen as an important area of educational growth currently in Taiwan and in neighboring lands.
posted by Kevin Anthony Stoda at 3:34 PM
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