Category: Taipei

Asian America redux

I love this article: Little Asia on the Hill. Author could’ve delved deeper into the themes more but I’m sure they will be thrashed out on the AA sites like Model Minority (aka Angry Asian Association). Every 15-20 years, this gets hashed out and the themes I argued years ago in the late 80s, early 90s is starting to come to play now. Back then I was the minority within the minority, but no doubt my views will prevail. It got me to reminisce back in the day when I crossed swords on Soc.Culture.Asian.American USENET group with the likes of Alan Hu (Stanford), Arthur Hu (AsianWeek columnist), Tim Lee, Wataru Ebihara (OSU/Ohio), JJ the curmudgeon from ATT Bell Labs (email address JJ!Alice@UUCP or something like that), George Wu, Andrew Chin, Gary Tse, Bryan Wu, Roger Tang (UWash aka Just a theatre geek), James Pak, etc.

Ah, memory lane.


 	


	





	

		
		
Happy New Year folks!
	


	
	
	

		
	

		
Back on-line…. actually B- and I went on a holiday excursion to Southern Taiwan.  Originally we were supposed to attend a wedding of one her B-‘s US friends in Neipu, Pingtung County. We took the train down to Pingtung City (屏東市) and stayed at Fu Guang Da Fan Dian (hotel) on Gong Yuan Rd. Train ride from Taipei Main station took about 6 hours and was really leisurely and smooth.  I like trains from my college days in Pgh, taking the Amtrak from Newark Penn Station.  I got a lot of reading done, enjoyed the views, and generally got my space to decompress and rejuvenate.


When we got there, it was chaos at the Pingtung Railway station.  Mass jam as everyone was coming and going all at once.  Found a helpful taxi driver who took us to the hotel. It was perfectly spotted thanks to one of my English students who grew up there and forwared the recommendation.  Fu Guang was next to the big park where they were going to hold the majority of the New Year festivities.  So we got to see from the 5th floor, fireworks which was pretty awesome :). It was also near the main drag of Pingtung which is a pretty small city, we walked from the hotel to the train station and saw the major shops and streets, night market etc.  There’s a nice big Sogo Dept store a couple of blocks from there as well.  B- and I spent coffee shop time there with our books and magazines reading.  So relaxing :).  I feel better going back to work tomorrow.


Anyways, 2007 is here and lots to do in the first three months.  Back to the war tomorrow but at least I got one reinforcement!


Be well all,

 	


	





	

		
		
HoHoHo!
	


	
	
	

		
	

		
Merry Christmas everyone… posting on X-mas even in Taipei.  Been a very busy week and holiday season.  Lots of people to visit and share with.  Involved with many a church activities as B- joined the community choir group.  They tried to rope me in but alas, I’m the grinch that can’t sing.


Did more shopping and walking around which made it a much nicer Christmas than 2005. Also, this year it seems that the retailers even got better at promoting it too. Spent a lot of $ on books and so it was very happy :).


Except for today and yesterday, weather was comfortably nippy to give it a nice wintery Christmasy feel and that was a nice touch. Tomorrow is a company holiday, but not an official government one. Officially, there aren’t that many Christians in Taiwan so there’s no reason to have it as an official holiday according to the gov’t. Inconveniently, Muslim Malaysia has Christmas as one of their official holidays.  Oops.


Any how, wishing you all a wonderful and safe Christmas and holiday season!


YC & B-