By Hadis Tsai
Liu Shao-Hsiung, a graduate of the Department of Chemical Engineering, now works as a general manager for ASUS’s Vietnam branch. Recently he attended a tea party held at NTU, where he said laughingly, “I’ll never forget the first time I entered the job market, when my supervisor yelled at me in a pejorative tone, ‘You have NTU disease, don’t you?’ I was speechless.” More Than a Party The university authorities ended this symposium with a call for more dialogue between NTU and leaders from different business fields. NTU president Si-Chen Lee held an “Inquiry Tea Party” to welcome these leaders and to discuss the graduates from our university. Numerous directors thought it was incredible that they had actually been invited to complain about what they have long been fed up with. “They are absolutely brilliant, but I doubt they have learned anything about teamwork in college,” one director argued. “They have everything outstanding – a prestigious school background, impressive language proficiency, soaring aspiration – but their poor emotional qualities really frighten us,” another member added. Merciless comments relentlessly bombarded NTU’s image throughout the meeting. Several managers hit the nail on the head when they said of NTU students that they tend to live in their own superior world even after they graduate. As a rookie in the job market, they refuse to debase themselves to do the kind of trivial work that other college students are willing to do. They don’t want to play second fiddle to people with inferior backgrounds. They are too pompous to cooperate; they usually have admirable proposals but few of them are feasible. Champion or No? Faced with this blizzard of complaints President Lee continually nodded in agreement. Then he provided the latest survey on “The Students that 1000 Big Businesses Most Like to Hire,” in which Taida students won first place two years in a row, which was different from past competitions, where National Cheng Kung University always took the lead. But it was also reported that due to new additional assessment criteria this year (such as language proficiency and worldview) the survey actually favored NTU for the first time. SCIENTIFIC NAME: NTU Disease SYMPTOMS: Arrogant, bigheaded, refusing to cooperate, biting off more than one can chew Curable NTU Disease The truth is: NTU disease does exist. It’s a kind of superiority complex inside you and me. Though it’s hard to confess it, at least I think I have NTU disease to some extent. We tend to think we are the best students in Taiwan, so we deserve the best. Picture this: when we are reproached by our boss, we are inclined to grunt an apology or rumble to ourselves instead of reflecting humbly; when we first meet our peers we are prone to judge them by their backgrounds rather than by their performance, and this contributes to the image that NTU students have swelled heads and that they are unwilling to work with others. Regrettably, if we can’t admit it we will never escape this stereotype. If we won first prize in the survey only because of the new criteria I think we are not truly the champions. We need to understand that we are from the most reputable college in Taiwan but not necessarily the best students in the world. If we are prestigious but we are plagued, what does it really mean to be the top students of Taiwan? So I humbly hope that we, NTU students who believe ourselves to be the salt of the earth, can stop for a moment and think: not only about our praise but also our modesty and our compatibility with others.
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By Ligo Su
Jean-Francois Millet. Perhaps this name doesn’t strike you with vivid images or dramatic anecdotes like Leonardo da Vinci or Vincent van Gogh. However, Millet revolutionized the aerial perspective of da Vinci and inspired the humanistic compassion of van Gogh. And you can’t miss two of Millet’s most celebrated paintings in any art history textbook: The Gleaners and The Angelus. They are among the most valuable collections of the Musée d’Orsay and they have never left the museum since its foundation. Last December, the Musée d’Orsay decided to renovate the hall in which eighteen of Millet’s most representative paintings are exhibited. Museums and galleries around the world were all keen for the very first opportunity to borrow the Millet collection. Having worked with the Musée d’Orsay, our National Museum of History (NMH) also expressed interest. Ms. Shaw-Lan Wang, the media tycoon of United Daily News and the fashion magnate of Lanvin, who sponsored a previous collaboration with the Musée d’Orsay, also noticed her chance. Ms. Wang donated one million euros to help renovate the museum before the exhibition was granted to Taiwan. Working with a team from the NMH, Ms. Wang also had to convince the museum of the NMH’s professional capacity as well as the artistic literacy in Taiwan. To the world’s amazement, The Gleaners and The Angelus will both be lent to Taiwan, each insured for 100 million euros, or 4.7 billion NT. However, the chief curator of the NMH, Mr. Yung-Ch’uan Huang, aimed higher. “Taiwanese have seen countless masterpieces from all periods. Once you cultivate people’s taste, their appetite grows bigger,” explained Mr. Huang. “I asked the Musée d’Orsay to lend us their whole collection of Millet and other paintings of the Barbizon School.” Mr. Huang explained how bold it was not only to challenge the limits of a world-famous museum but also to shoulder the responsibility for more priceless paintings. Because of the humid summer weather in Taiwan and because of the long journey that the paintings must undergo, the Musée d’Orsay demanded higher exhibition standards, larger insurance coverage, and stricter transportation rules, all of which were agreed upon by the NMH and United Daily News. The museum granted the NMH their entire collection of Millet except for two paintings that are being restored. They’re also bringing forty-four other paintings from artists of the same school such as Corot and Rousseau, along with more than sixty old photographs taken in the same period. “This is beautiful. We are not exchanging anything with Musée d’Orsay and there is no official relation between Taiwan and France. However, mutual passion for the arts has realized this dream,” said Mr. Huang. “Beijing will hold the Olympics and Taipei will enjoy its own artistic feast. There is no competition but a celebration and sharing of arts.” Although the Musée d’Orsay is still skeptical about the artistic population in Taiwan, Mr. Huang is certain that more than one million visitors will attend the exhibition. “We have proven to the world our ability to hold such an exhibition. We will show them that we also have an educated people,” he observed. Mr. Huang thinks the size of a country can be decided not only by its population but also by its culture. Our land may be small but our minds surely aren’t. But why Millet? What’s so special about him? Some say his paintings marked a milestone in art history, some say his landscape captures the beauty of sunlight hues, and some say that his themes present the humility of peasant life. Mr. Huang is particularly interested in Millet’s subject matter, for the agrarian society in the nineteenth century also resembles Taiwan’s past. “Just as we work hard for the arts now, in the past we worked hard like Millet’s gleaners.” Only a couple of decades ago, Taiwanese were still striving to make ends meet, never foreseeing the material comforts we now enjoy. Taiwanese turned living rooms into factories and created miracles with their own hands. The paintings of Millet that feature peasants should remind the elderly of their past and educate the young about their history. Aligning with this theme, the NMH will display most of its permanent collection of mandarin history on the second floor. Moreover, a separate hall will be dedicated to the culture of early coffee houses in Taiwan. Old photos, antique furniture, and vintage paintings will accompany a café decorated in a mixed style of Japanese and European cultures. In the museum, visitors can look at the lotuses outside in the botanical garden while sipping their coffee. The National Museum of History seems quite ambitious. “This museum doesn’t have the biggest budget or collections, but its location, admission fees, and its size are accessible to people of every age and every walk of life,” said Mr. Huang. “However, our vision is not limited by our scope. Our publications and our exhibitions have won numerous awards. I believe that’s what our country should aim for, making the best out of what we have at hand.” Working with experts from France, Mr. Huang and his team have devised air screens, metal detectors, and thermal sensors to protect the paintings with the utmost perfection. For visitors’ convenience, audio guides have been prepared in Chinese, English, and Japanese. Moreover, the museum will open twelve hours daily from 9 AM to 9 PM to make sure this special exhibition won’t be too crowded. “For such long opening hours, we will work with the police and with security guards around the clock to ensure the safety of the paintings. No mistake is allowed to happen.” And we have more to look forward to from the museum. Towards the end of our interview, Mr. Huang informed me of an exhibition on Te-Chun Zhu, an 88-year-old painter from China who stayed in Taiwan for four years and then left for France. However, Mr. Huang kept the next event a secret. “You will know about it when the time comes!” he laughed. –Millet and His Time: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay will be held at the National Museum of History from May 31-September 5, 2008. –49 Nan-Hai Road, Taipei City (MRT Chiang-kai Shek Memorial Hall) –Ticket Prices: Adult 240 NT; Students 220 NT; Group Tickets: Buy nine get one free. Group tour guides available with advance reservation. By Sandra Bartelle
The Fanalei people are a fascinating group not only because of their long history, but also because of their deep-seated traditions. Of particular interest is an annual ceremony practiced by the Fanalei - dolphin hunting. This close-knit group kept many aspects of their cultural values and traditions, despite extensive influence from the West. Living on a small island on the outskirts of Port Adam, South Malaita, in the Solomon Islands, the Fanalei people live a life in harmony with nature, dependent on the ocean and the land’s natural resources for their livelihood. The people of Fanalei are commonly known as “Kirio People”. Kirio means dolphin in the local language which is a dialect spoken in the region where they originated. Roughly about 200 years ago they migrated from a part of a bigger island 200 miles up the coast. This can only be a rough estimate because before missionaries arrived in the region there is no written record of their movements; history is remembered by stories passed down through the generations. According to one story the further toward the south they moved the more dolphins they caught, and this is considered the main impetus for the migration. Today the people have settled on the island known as Fanalei Island, which was perfect due to their love of the sea. They are therefore given another alias, Saltwater People. According to legend the origin of dolphin hunting involves a Polynesian woman who came from Ontong Java Atoll which lies 500 km to the north, also a part of Malaita Province. She gave some of the villages magic stones that could be used to attract dolphins and taught two of the male villagers how to beat them under the water, creating a magical sound that puts dolphins in a trance and bringing them from afar. Two main reasons exist for dolphin hunting, one being the love for the taste of dolphin meat the tribe has acquired, whilst the other being the money that can be made from dolphin teeth. Dolphin teeth are a prized possession, not only to the Fanalei but also to most of the Province of Malaita. Dolphin teeth are shaped similarly to the teeth of many other mammals but are more exquisite with a finer quality. Girl’s jewellery is made from dolphin teeth, beaded with shells (beads) into necklaces, earrings and bracelets. The young men and their families collect teeth in the hope that one day they can use the teeth as bride price. Dolphin meat and teeth are used to form networks with neighbouring villages, and can be bartered for other goods. The dolphin tooth is worth more than just currency, they are a legacy that is passed down from one generation to the next. Dolphin hunting stopped around 50 years ago, it is unclear why, but it is suspected to be banned by Christianity because it was around this era that Christianity was introduced to the area. It was brought up again under the Masina Rule (a rebellion against English colonization) and now allowed by the Christian religion. When the Fanalei people arrived in the region, they brought with them their customs and their traditions. Although not always peacefully co-existing with neighbouring villages, who share a similar heritage and common language, over time they have intermarried and are now accepted as if they had always been there. Their different customs and traditions may be admired in the region as exotic, especially for their facial tattoos, a higher bride-price, and most of all for their love for the sea. All the women’s faces and some of the men’s faces are tattooed, and this is usually done at a very young age without choice to the receivers. To the Kirio people, facial tattoos are seen as beautiful and enchanting. Facial tattoos can be found in many cultures throughout the Pacific, and even some aboriginal tribes of Taiwan. The designs of the Fanalei designs usually depict a part of nature, like the sun on the cheekbones, or a simple bird outline beside the eyes. The most common way to make facial designs is through a scarring method, unlike the black ink used worldwide. Scarring is done by first painfully cutting a design into the skin with a knife or other similarly sharp object and then lime – limestone powder made from sea coral, used daily to eat with beetle-nut - is rubbed into the raw skin to give the skin a scar. This is usually done to children of a very young age, so that the pain is not part of one’s memory. Bride price is a term used in everyday language in the Solomon Islands more commonly known as a Malaitan custom, always heard in advice to a love struck boy as “ Be careful, she’s Malaitan, it’ll cost you your arm”. With the Lau people from whom the Fanalei people originate bride price takes on a wholly different meaning, with one bride costing the equivalent of the price of a small house. There are different types of shell money for different regions in Malaita; Tafuli’ae is the most common currency. For a Fanalei bride, the traditional shell money “Tafuli’ae” is skillfully decorated with dolphin teeth. With Dolphin teeth being the desired bride price asked by the Fanalei people, bride price would likely die away if dolphin hunting were ever banned to them. In Malaita, there are five known villages that still continue the practice of dolphin hunting. Fanalei is the only village that still continues with this religious practice of catching up to 80 dolphins yearly. Hunting begins early in the morning before daybreak. All men who are physically capable would participate in the hunt. Fanalei men paddle their dug-out canoes out into sea and beat the “magical” stones under the sea to attract the dolphins. They then surround the dolphins and peacefully lead them back to shore, where the women and children wait in the village to help slaughter the dolphins and prepare the dolphins for drying, then the dolphins are burnt on hot stones and ready to be eaten. Though the killing may be considered brutal to outsiders, it is also fascinating how pods of dolphins are brought to the shore with skillful teamwork techniques, causing minimum fear to the dolphins. Today with the terrors of global warming, the people of Fanalei have more to worry about than how much fish one should catch for dinner. Since the early 2000’s, the sea has been slowly rising to the point where most of the villagers have been relocated inland, thus, there are few houses and one church left on the nearly deserted island. Universally, dolphins have played an important role in human culture and are loved as an animal symbolizing peace and bringing joy to those who have the opportunity of seeing one, whether in captivity or in the wild. Some species are seriously endangered and facing extinction. But to the people of Fanalei, dolphin hunting is a way of life, and is a cultural uniqueness that demands respect. By Allen Cheng
There are a lot of people who have heard the course title “journalistic writing” (or, every other year, “newsletter writing”) yet haven’t a clue about what it is or the courage to sign up for it. Being a merry, active attendant of the class, it’s hereby my duty to introduce it to those of you who are curious. The class has around ten people, including the editor in chief, Professor Michael Keevak. We strive to manufacture two issues of The Foreign Exchange per term. The course calendar mainly consists of four parts. First, people come to the class to sign up, the only way to get in. Then we are all given jobs (editor, layout, etc.) by the editor in chief. Then during the rest of the semester we work on the newsletter. When the term ends we have a dinner, sort of as a celebration and a testament to all our hard work. Fun, huh? The Foreign Exchange is made up of stories written by the class, and everyone is responsible for at least one story. However trivial as it may seem, coming up with a topic is not at all easy; you wouldn’t imagine the things I’VE been through to have this article done. I had some original paragraphs that preceded this one, but unfortunately they’re now in the trash bin. I myself would divide the production of an issue into four phases: The Brainstorm Phase: this is when everyone has to come up with ideas for their next article; unfortunately, when you come up with a bad idea, sarcasm is flung at you from every direction, especially from the EIC. The Editing Phase: this is the only phase when we actually write something. After we are finished, we send our files to our respective student editors, and then to the EIC. We also take photos for the cover during this phase. The Layout Phase: we march to the computer center and work on our individual layouts using Publisher. The layout staff comes up with a beautiful frame and they design the front and back covers of the issue. The Distribution Phase: after finalizing the layout, we send it to the printer to make 1,500 copies. The webpage staff updates our blog with our newest issue – digital edition. The marketing people send out information everywhere so people will visit our webpage, and the rest of us distribute hard copies on campus to those lucky enough to meet us Here’s a lot of job titles: Secretary The Secretary is one of the most essential jobs in the group. S/he is in charge of keeping our whole schedule in mind and has to e-mail everyone constantly to make sure that they get the latest information. In our case, Annie became like the nanny of the class. Humorous, friendly, and talented, she bonded nicely with everyone in the class. She also displays a childish alter-ego sometimes and enjoys the dirt dished out by others. Editor It is common knowledge that where there’s a magazine there’s an editor. Although The Foreign Exchange is more of a newsletter, we still have those snobby, irritating people who red-mark everyone’s articles. Editors are responsible for filtering mistakes made by others in their paper before the EIC sees them. Editors literally do nothing most of the time but get a big workload just before publishing. This semester we have four editors, responsible for three classmates each. Different editors have different styles. Sophia, elegant and enthusiastic, spends quality time on editing which allows people to feel her effort dripping through the lines. Sandra focuses more on the literal value of the lines and provides insightful critiques. There’s me, who looks for grammatical errors and adds some personal touches. Then there’s the always hammered John; though seemingly nonchalant and detached, he always performs superior work and gets his job done on time though money is always bet that he won’t. Webpage We used to have a really old, shabby webpage that displayed all the current and past issues. After A LOT of effort made by the always lovely JC, we founded our current blog at http://ntuforex.blogspot.com/ in 2007. Not only does it show all our stories but pictures too! Rumor has it we have had five times as many hits on the photo album as on our stories. Copy editor Anybody who has any knowledge in journalism knows that a story is never completely free of errors, and it’s the copy editor’s job to iron them out. The copy editor receives original files from the authors and the layout staff respectively, and after a tiring procedure of comparing, our final issue is born. In Stephen’s case, he’s the one who came up with this position and has proved it useful. My story was saved thanks to him. “Everybody makes mistakes – Nobody’s Perfect.” Marketing Marketing is a new position created this term, and no one was really sure how it would work out. Luckily, after a long discussion about the job we decided that they should spend time spreading the word about our efforts. Hadis and Tanya worked on the BBS, promoting our last (digital) issue. Our blog got an outstanding 5000 hits within two weeks! Layout Layout is always the backbone of a newsletter. They make the mockup, design the front and back covers, and make contact with the printer. Our layout staff forms a little group of its own, with Ligo in charge of the main frame, while Grace edits images, and Ruby works her magic on things that I really don’t understand. Allen’s point of viewI myself find the class always a delight and recommend those who are interested in English to give it a try. Three hours a week with the same bunch of people really gives you time to bond; and in my case, I met more than people, I met personalities – in contrast with the short life-span of most activities on campus. You learn to read from different perspectives and deal with different situations, accompanied from time to time with laughter and hysterical moments. So come and join us! Or … at least pick up a copy and visit us online. By Tanya Huang
This is not only a piece of history but a fascinating story. The movie The Other Boleyn Girl, featuring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, briefly describes the story of the second wife of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn. In this two–hour movie, the actresses perform the war between two Boleyn sisters well. Natalie Portman portrays Anne, while Scarlett Johansson is Mary Boleyn. Both of the Boleyn sisters were picked by Henry VIII as his mistresses. Due to their different characteristics, the two sisters were lead to totally different fates. The obedience of Mary and the ambition of Anne were the strongest scenes in the movie. Additionally, the characters were successfully used by the director to present the contradictions between relationships and human nature. However, because the movie was an adaptation of a novel of the same title by British author Philippa Gregory, some people might doubt its factual history. Yet there is no denying that it is a splendid story about interest and sacrifice. To know more about this glamorous woman, Anne Boleyn, let us trace back to the beginning of her life. There is no definite date of her birth but it is likely that she was born between 1501 and 1507. Anne’s father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, was a courtier and a diplomat and her mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. Sir Thomas was sent on many diplomatic missions by King Henry VII and his charm won many admirers, including Archduchess Margaret of Austria. Therefore, she offered a place in her household to Anne. Anne made a good impression in the Netherlands with her manners and studiousness and lived there until her father arranged for her to become a maid-of-honor to Henry VIII’ s sister, the Queen of France. In France, Anne was the maid-of-honor to Queen Mary and then to Queen Claude. She studied French and developed a taste for fashion, which later proved to be of great value. Her education in Europe ended in 1521, when her father summoned her back to England. Carrying her father’s great expectations, Anne was sent to the court of Henry VIII as a maid-of-honor to Queen Catherine. At that time, Mary Boleyn, who was the wife of Sir William Carey, was the King’s lover. Anne made her debut at a masquerade ball in 1522, where she was described as charming, stylish, and witty. The elaborate dance she performed with several great ladies made her known as the most accomplished and fashionable woman in the court. She was even referred to as “the glass of fashion.” However, Anne was seldom thought to have conventional beauty. People said that her dramatic allure lay in her vivacious personality and her gracefulness. She was not only swarmed by young men but her taste also led to many trends among ladies in England. King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine had several children but only one daughter survived. That there was no male heir was of great concern for the king. Nevertheless, Anne considered this situation as her chance. The king married Anne in a secret wedding and she became pregnant soon thereafter. After Catherine was formally stripped of her title as queen, Anne was crowned Queen Consort. Anne gave birth to a daughter called Elizabeth on September 7, 1533. However, the king and the new queen were not pleased with their married life. The king still continued his frequent infidelities and Anne reacted with tears and rage to his mistresses. After a miscarriage in 1534, the king lost his passion for Anne and thought of her failure to give him a son as a betrayal. The end of their royal marriage was on the very day of Catherine’s funeral. In January 1536, when Anne recovered from her last miscarriage, the king declared the invalidity of their marriage and soon moved his new mistress, Jane Seymour, into new quarters. Anne was arrested and taken to the Tower, where she was accused of adultery, incest, and high treason. Many people were involved, including George Boleyn, Anne’s brother. Anne Boleyn’s story is outstanding material for all forms of entertainment. She has also attracted composers such as Gaetano Donizetti, who wrote an opera named Anna Bolena. Saint-Saens’s Henry VIII is also based on her story. There is a recent TV series called The Tudors that depicts the English society of the time in great detail. If you are interested in her story, these can provide you with more information. by Wendy Lin
Imagine yourself actually meeting the people living in these conditions: 1) More than one billion people live on less than $1 a day, and 238 million of them are young people. 2) There are 115 million children who do not attend primary school, and three-fifths of them are girls. 3) 15 million children have lost one or both of their parents to AIDS, and 860,000 children in Sub-Saharan Africa lost teachers who died from AIDS. Becoming a volunteer overseas allows you to see for yourself. In recent years more young people in Taiwan are volunteering in Malawi, Ghana, Thailand, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Panama, and many other countries around the world. They help teach Chinese, English, public health, and important ideas that empower the poor, women, and children. Some help out in clinics, and some assist in building up case studies of patients via computer systems. This summer I volunteered in Myanmar for the second time. People know that Myanmar is a place where protesting monks are shot by the military government, and where massive foreign aid after a disastrous cyclone that killed more than 150,000 people was rejected. Pleople warn me that it must be very dangerous, so why take the risk? The Red Cross Society of Taiwan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have refused to support the volunteer group that I organized because they believe it is unsafe to visit Myanmar this year. But why would they consider Myanmar a dangerous country for volunteers? They tell you that after the cyclone an epidemic will break out, and the entire country will be affected with disease. But is it true? My volunteer group has been preparing for three months and we want to know the real reasons for preventing us from visiting the country. We consulted many experienced non-governmental organization workers as well as locals to ask what the situation was really like. And fortunately, we learned that the cities we planned to visit were far from the cyclone-hit areas. Yet on a deeper level we don’t want to lose the chance to help the people in Myanmar. Last summer, we visited some very poor monastic schools in the rural areas of Yangon, and I cannot forget how the teachers and students welcomed us. Their willingness to share their stories with us made us feel how close we were, even when we didn’t speak the same language. Finding the human connection, as I call it, is the reason we should volunteer abroad. It’s about giving, and the giving is mutual. Most volunteers believe that it is impossible to change the lives of the poor. But I believe that volunteering is a chance to share, and that interaction is an inspiration that grows as we experience more. We will never know what it will become in the future. We have also visited many overseas Chinese schools, whose aim was to pass on Chinese culture. We designed activities to tell students about emotion, relationships, basic health, and how to make plans for their careers. These Chinese communities are very much like Taiwan 20 or 30 years ago. We were treated with absolute sincerity and with great affection. I felt as if I was living in the world of Anne of Green Gables, in which Anne became a teacher in a beautiful place like Prince Edward Island! Volunteering should be about understanding and sharing with the people you meet. It is only through contact that you can know what you can give to each other. Volunteering overseas gives you culture shock to re-examine your own life, and it gives you a chance to make changes. Aside from what the mass media tells us, you can see the world for yourself, and start to map the world in your own perspective. By Sophia Jy Chen Lin
The once- upon- a- time fairy tale no longer begins with a beautifully charming young ladyprincess who makes the prince fall in love with her with her rosy cheeks and watery blue eyes. That is all too shallowvery shallow and out of dateobsolete. We all know that a relationship based solely on appearance cannot hold out for so long. Therefore, the writers for Taiwan’s “notoriously famous” idol dramas have different ideas. To make this love-of-a-lifetimeonce-in-a-lifetime love creditable, this girl has to be very special. She can’t be stunningly beautiful (of course the actress herself is always attractive) because since this guy is such a prince charming, he’s ALREADY besieged with femme fatale girls. Instead, the girl is usually in these situations: poverty (the most common status, although she could be wealthy at first but then must go through bankruptcy with absconded or otherwise missing parents), or illness (either an intermittent condition such as asthma that gives her attacks from time to time, or an almost incurable one, usually a heart problem). Nonetheless, but no worries, any illness will be cured after she meets the guy; he will look through all the medical books and find a cure for her. And if the poor girl has to go through cancer, it always comes after she finds her true love. Other situations might be stupidity (compared withto her future genius boyfriend), having sick or no parents, or having awful rustic country manners. Situations vary from one to another, but in every idol drama the girl is always in an inferior situation situation which gives room for allows the guy to come to her rescue. However, these miserable girls all follow the Disney prototype — innocent as Snow White and emotionally strong as Cinderella — combined with characteristics of a modern womaen: independent, self-sufficient, and while everything is crumbling falling apart around them nothing can ever take away their perennial smiles, their unrelenting passion for life, and of course, their fierce persistent belief in true love. This is what makes her stand out from from all the other superficial bimbos beleaguering the handsome guy, and what makes this affluent, usually a spendthrift, charming “prince” give her a few special glances and eventually fall insanely in love with her. Now, here these dramas follow the great Pride and Prejudice plotline, where, no offense to Darcy and Lizzi fans, the girl ineffectively fights off her destined true love for a while, but alas, in vain, for they are not meant to be together. However, Taiwan’s idol dramas pick up where P&P’s ending has left off, and here is where all the icky factors come into play. Hemingway has pointed out the obvious: all sunshine without shade, all pleasure without pain, is not life at all. Therefore, the shade and pain come in the forms of illness, bankruptcy, former jilted lovers, or anything that compels the guy to make a clean break with the girl. Supposedly, the girl should be strong enough to get over this little break-up, since she has just come through so many calamities with steely resolve, remember? Unfortunately, her true love has transformed her into a dependent, “can’t-live-without-him” girl who might still have steely resolve, but it is a resolve solely on winning him back despite all the cruel things he has said to ward her off. Thus, our little heroine waits outside his house in the pouring rain without an umbrella, chases his limousine at the risk of having another heart or asthma attack, goes to his family meeting or press conference declaring her love yet earns even more venomous insults; it has all become a little unbearable to watch. But what about the guy? He mercilessly shuts the door or asks the driver to drive on while maudlin tears trickle down his cheeks. But what can he do? He can’t give her happiness anymore! While the storyline seems to be hitting a dead-end, some miracles, or deus ex machina will certainly come into playcome in to their rescu, and after a few blocks of slow-motion running or rushing to the airport on the guy’s part, the story resolves as the two love birds find themselves in each other’s arms, kissing fervently, swearing that nothing will ever separate them again. Yeah, well, it’s all very romantic, yet it is also a chimera with regard to the story itself and to the way the girl is depicted. She is a ridiculously monstrous combination of an innocent, fragile “little-boy-baby-face” and a pure noble Agnes, who, metaphorically at least, has an enormously strong heart. Why are female characters always so fragile and inferiorabject? Why does the formula always haves to be some combination of thegenius doctor and stupid nurse, the heartthrob superstar and the pedestrian defected girl, or the charming prodigal multimillionaire and his poor thrifty steadfast classmate? Because otherwise there would be be no room for a heroic masculine rescue. But why does the girl need to be rescued? And even if she does, can’t she just rescue herself? For the most part, in real life prince charmings rarely come; waiting for them to set us free is far less realistic and efficient than saving ourselves. Who says girls can’t be as smart and as strong as men are? Girls can ride the white horse, too. Well, obviously, the writers of Taiwan’s idol dramas don’t see it that way. They not only make the girl weak, they also try to make her as innocent as possible. She must represent a “pristine wonderland” where every man is dying to go and also dying to protect. Ok. This girl who is absurdly innocent to the extent of stupidity does need men’s protection. But what happened to the the girl who used to be so brave that nothing could ever knock bring her down? Unfortunately, after her “true love” rampages into her life, causing her irreparable damage, she’s that once strong superwoman is gone. What’s left is a miserable needy pet that depends on her boyfriend for everything. Her former personality has disappeared so completely it makes people wonder whether the writers suffer from amnesia. Perhaps they want to have the girl repeatedly show that the love is so profound that he is indispensable to her. However, this argument proves untenable, since in reality no one “can’t live” without somebody. Losing a lover can be hard, but we always find a way to go move on until another prince charming comes along. Waiting in the rain until he changes his mindturns back? Have some dignity! I know what you are thinking, “Jeez, that girl is wreckage. I am definitely not like her.” Although you watch these idol dramas all the time, you think you are lucid enough not to be influenced. However, these idol dramas are actually magical and powerful enough to find a way to sneak creep into our minds and influence brainwash us. We have all secretly thought that the cutest guy in class is in love with us but now he’s just pretending to be aloof. Then, strolling under the moonlight, we’ve wished this most “perfect guy on earth” would unexpectedly hold our tiny little hands in the dark, or even better, push us violently against the wall, followed with an incendiary kiss. When we are pining for them in the middle of an enervating lecture, we expect them to “coincidentally” text us a passionate love message. After a few years, we would like to find a wedding ring in a neatly decorated cake in a fancy restaurant. At last, despite all the scars and wounds from previous relationships, we still want to believe that true love exists and that it will find a way to come to us, someday, one day. Does all of this rings a bell? Yeah, it all happens in idol dramas. It’’s fine to have a nice little fantasy, but in at the end of the day, just remember to come back to Earth and realizeknowing that anybody can be a princess, but not everyone has to be. And being a princess, you can still slay your own dragon, dream your own dream, and set yourself free. By John Yuan
Can’t stand the heat any more? Still wrestling with the sweltering sun? We know you just want to dip down and kick back in the water. Let The Foreign Exchange take you to the “cool” spots to get all refreshed! You’ll be amazed by what enticing water activities our lovable island has to offer. Be amped up for water fun and give yourself a cool summer. When speaking about water activities, Kenting is always the place that comes to mind first. Apart from its celebrated beach and tropical climate, Kenting is without question the Mecca for extreme water sports enthusiasts. Don’t presume these activities are just privileges of foreign countries. In fact, Kenting has a whole package of world-class water sports ranging from banana boating, jet-skiing, motor-boating, to parasailing…you name it! Kenting has gained tremendous popularity and over the years tourists flood into Kenting for a cooling-down getaway. Fancy sipping a Blue Hawaii by the beach while the breeze caresses your hair as you are sunbathing in your bikini? Can’t settle your wild instincts until you ride on a motorboat and feel the speed and the splash of water? Obviously, you should book your ticket to Kenting right away. For the northern shore, Jin Shan is probably the most renowned attraction for hardcore surfers. Located near Keelung, Jin Shan’s coast is not as sandy as down south but mostly rocky. Still, there are some places for surfers to swing their stuff. During surfing seasons, surfers from islandwide gather at Jin Shan for the big waves. Innumerable clubs have been founded to record and forecast the waves for surfers’ information. As a result, Jin Shan has become not only a surfers’ playground but also their paradise. Even if you are new to surfing, don’t worry. Besides professional coaches, most veterans are glad to share tips if you just ask. Pick up your surfing kit and come to Jin Shan if you dare to ride the waves! The off-shore islands are also high on the list for summer trips. Green Island, once a place designed to keep prisoners, is now a thriving attraction for its abundance of natural resources and water activities. The most enjoyable itinerary would not be complete without the island’s world-famous seabed hot spring and snorkeling. Green Island boasts spectacular underwater scenery. To witness the beauty of coral reefs and the vitality of sea life, don’t miss Green Island. Isolated and secluded, Green Island creates relaxing and undisturbed leisure for people who need to be away from the hustle and bustle. Counting the stars and listening to the waves to fall sleep is not a fantasy on Green Island. Last but not least is Peng Hu, which was recently established as a National Scenic Area. It is well-known for its extraordinary basalt terrain. Peng Hu will wow visitors with its grotesque rock formations and volcanic landscape. If you have a chance to visit Peng Hu, you have to sample the local specialty – cactus ice cream. Besides the pristine sea water and shiny white sand, Peng Hu has retained its small-town touch with traditional buildings of old times. The townspeople are genuinely hospitable. With its subtropical climate and distinct surroundings, you may, for a split second, have the illusion of vacationing in some exotic island country. Most importantly, primitive and unindustrialized, Peng Hu has the most stunningly beautiful beach you will ever find in Taiwan! Can’t hold your excitement any more? Still obsessing over your summer plans? If you are tempted to visit these places, check out the following information for your reference to schedule a “hot” trip. These websites provide recommended itineraries, contacts for local B&Bs and hotels, and transportation information. Kenting: http://www.fun-ez.com/index.html Jin Shan: http://www.surfingshop.idv.tw/ Green Island: http://green.taitung.gov.tw/index.asp Peng Hu: http://green.taitung.gov.tw/index.asp By Wei-fan Yang
If you are interested in teaching literary Chinese to non-native speakers this article can probably give you some help. Nowadays, there are more and more people learning the methodology of teaching Chinese as a second language, in order to meet the current craze for learning Chinese. Most of these teachers, however, cannot teach literary Chinese not only because it is difficult but because the methodology does not tell them how to do it. I would like to share with you my recipe for success. First, you have to teach your students how to distinguish the parts of speech for each character and to understand its meaning, for each character is a fundamental unit that constitutes a complete sentence in Chinese. When explaining, for example, a sentence from The Analects “子曰學而時習之不亦說乎” you first need to tell them that the sentence is a rhetorical question indicated by the character 乎. You then have to teach them to distinguish the part of speech for each character in order to clarify what the sentence means. According to the example above, 曰 (to say) 學 (to learn) 習 (to practice) are verbs; 子 (Confucius, often translated as The Master) is a proper noun; 而 (and then) is a conjunction; 時 ([if you have] an opportunity) is a conditional adverb in Chinese; 之 (things [you learn]) is a pronoun, and so on. In this way, it would be much easier and more effective for a non-native speaker to master the language structure. Second, you have to then teach them to distinguish unique expressions and Chinese idioms from a long (or if you prefer, lengthy) sentence, so as to avoid misunderstanding in reading literary Chinese, which is a common mistake even for a native speaker. Take 忘懷得失以此自終 for instance. Albeit 忘 (to forget) and 懷 (to remember) are supposed to be two verbs with opposed meanings, the two characters in fact only means: to forget. As a result, it should be read as 忘懷得失 (to forget what you get and lose). In addition, 忘懷得失 turns out to be a Chinese idiom used by writers in later dynasties and thus should be noticed by a learner. Third, you then need to tell them how to identify clauses in a sentence, for most works in literary Chinese are not punctuated except for modern versions. Again, take 子曰學而時習之不亦說乎 as an example. There is a convention that as long as 之 functions as a pronoun in literary Chinese, it would be the last word of a completed clause. In addition, like English, 曰 (to say) can be added a completed clause. Thereupon, you could easily identify the whole sentence as follows: 子曰:「學而時習之,不亦說乎?」 (The Master says: “Is it not pleasant to learn and practice things [that you have learned] [if you have] an opportunity [to do so] ?”) Fourth, you need to tell your students that memorizing every sentence or article read in literary Chinese is compulsory. Don’t think I’m being cruel, for I always ask my student to memorize what he reads in classical Chinese prose. In fact, the aim of memorizing is to familiarize students with structures and styles in order to improve their ability. Once students know more about literary Chinese, they can read, write, and enjoy more Chinese literature, and be a student and even a master of Chinese literature, Chinese history, or Chinese philosophy. Of course, before teaching non-native speakers literary Chinese you need to be familiar with these sentence structures, grammatical rules, and allusions yourself, which vary according to different conditions, places, and dynasties. Familiarizing yourself with Chinese literature is also necessary. Visit Amazon if you need a literary Chinese handbook for reference. I also recommend that you buy an authorized dictionary to look up words you don’t know. As for preparing materials, you can select some chapters from classical Chinese prose, drama, and fiction, such as The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, Book of Han, and Classics of Change. In this way, your students won’t have to scratch their heads when they encounter a sentence in literary Chinese. I am hopeful that more people will teach literary Chinese as a second language. Post your questions or share your experiences of teaching literary Chinese at http://ntuforex.blogspot.com/. By Lu Kuan Chung
Have you ever wondered whether your bike is really faster when you race to your next class only to find all the parking spots taken? Bicycles, of course, are our intimate friends on campus. But their size and the weight, no matter how compact, always take up a lot of space. Is there a better solution? How about a unicycle! It’s so simple and small that you can take it anywhere. Who’s riding one now? If you asked me who rode a unicycle twenty years ago, I would certainly say “weirdoes.” However, nowadays unicycles are not just for clowns, acrobats, or weirdoes. Today, a lot of those who ride are daring children. There is a recent trend of learning to ride that has come from Japan. Most unicycle clubs are founded at schools and special teachers are recruited to teach children. A lot of children think it is cool to ride a unicycle – not just roller skating or skate boarding – and schools also encourage children to join in. Also, in July 2006, twenty or so children from Hualien’s Faith and Love Academy successfully completed a trip around Taiwan made only by unicycle. It took them twenty days to finish the 1000 km journey. They were so determined that even a typhoon wasn’t able to stop them. What is more surprising is that they had only started learning to ride six months before. A touching book and documentary of their journey was also released. Some advantages Parents let children take unicycle courses because they have found many advantages. It enhances children’s sense of balance, gives them confidence and courage. It is more difficult to ride a unicycle than to roller skate or to ride a conventional bike. In the case of a unicycle, there is only one point of balance and if you want to sit on it, the only way is to keep moving. Unlike bicycles, which require balance of the left side and the right side, unicycles require balance from all parts of the body. Therefore, learning to ride a unicycle includes learning good gestures. Also, unicycling, like other sports, is a challenge. Children who are able to master the unicycle will be confident about themselves. Since few people know how to ride a unicycle it gives them a sense of pride and it will help them to overcome other challenges in the future. Children who have become unicyclers can also feel a change in their social life. They meet friends from different places and also form very close relationships through the training. Because the beginner course is not easy, they have to practice a lot to succeed. Only those who have tried will know what it is like to be beaten again and again and finally win. Some tricks Unicycle competitions are taken very seriously, including single, dual, and group performances. The flexibility of unicycles makes it possible to have many basic elements, including circling, spinning, and jumping. Video records of student performances can be breathtaking. The music and the movements all blend together into an enjoyable art work. Some elementary school children are able to pull off extremely complex tricks, taking advantage of their body size. From time to time the participants may fall off, but the most important thing is to get on again as soon as possible. Sportsmanship is emphasized more than perfection. Of course, unicycle tricks at the circus are even more thrilling. I remember seeing two acrobats ride on one unicycle, and a clown throwing bowling pins while riding one. Sometimes entire clown dramas can take place on unicycles with seemingly impossible chase scenes. My experience on a unicycle When I first saw a unicycle, I thought it was a bike partly stolen. And my friend Betty described it as “the remains of someone’s bicycle after a car ran over it – maybe two cars and a truck.” But there I was, on the stage of the old gym at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday with the Juggling Club. At first I couldn’t even learn their easiest trick – to throw two balls continuously with one hand. I tried to learn other tricks while waiting for the unicycle guy to show up. Finally, he appeared with a unicycle as tall as my waist. It was very simple with one wheel, one pole, one seat and two pedals. After some adjustment to the seat, I tried to climb on. I failed the first time when the unicycle suddenly fell forward and hit the floor with a huge sound. But that didn’t stop me. With my right hand on a low shelf and my left hand on my friend’s shoulder, I managed to stay on with 90% of my weight on my hands. My arms weakened. My friend suggested that I should really sit on it, so I did. The unicycle started spinning and I grabbed my friend’s shoulder. Both of us screamed. It was truly challenging simply to sit on a unicycle. However, the practice was fun. In the end my friend and I were both able to stay on for about two minutes. It was such a challenge! Now you know what I’m going to do during the summer! |
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May 2024
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