Respect and Denial

   As I was walking around the Presidential Palace, I came on two monuments by accident. One was the Memorial of the White Terror, and the Taipei 228 Memorial. I had no clue what these things were about, and when I read them, it made me very depressed, and ashamed, not for what I've done, but for what people have done, and how such things could be done. Let me explain...

   The Memorial of the White Terror is a tall pillar designed modernly, standing on a pool of water, surrounded by a white marble tablet. From 1949 - 1987 Taiwan was under a 40 year rule of Martial Law. And those who stood up for what they thought was right: for humanity, for natural rights, and for democracy, were arrested and killed mercilessly with their homes destroyed. It shattered families and put Taiwan into a state of a 40 year nightmare. The authoritarian government committed horrifying human rights violations and put hundreds of lives into martyrdom.
   However, with years of struggling, the authoritarian government dissolved, and democracy was established. And the new government of Taiwan vowed to never do this again. Democratic nations vow to uphold peace with a foundation of human rights and social justice. Just recently, the Memorial Committee for the Political Victims of the White Terror built this memorial as a reminder of history, and how its lessons can be used for the future.

   The second memorial I came upon that day was in the 2/28 Memorial Peace Park, which was situated in very close proximity to the White Terror Memorial. In relation, it is another memorial of the White Terror, but this one exhibits a closer look into the matter.
   As Japanese rule over Taiwan ended in 1945, the government was given to the authoritarian government. During this time, Taiwan was suffering from a serious inflation, causing unemployment, rising prices, and a series of crimes. Rice had inflated to 400 times its original price by 1947. Any goods that were produced were shipped off to mainland China to gain a profit, furthering shorting the Taiwanese of goods. Workers were stripped of their jobs. And the ROC military was in no order to keep peace, as the soldiers were un-orderly and corrupt, looting the people and causing havoc everywhere.
   On February 27, 1947, a Taipei patrol went to confiscate some contraband cigarettes. Furthermore, they took the cigarettes, the life savings of the person who had them, and cracked the person's skull. As they fled, they shot into the crowd nearby, killing a bystander.
   On February 28, 1947, the Taiwanese marched to the capital building protesting and demanding justice. However, the authoritarian government responded by massacring the crowd with massive firepower, killing 10's of thousands of people. This began the time of "The White Terror."

   Thinking about these memorials, and those horrible times, how is it possible that this even happened? How does power and the desire to control corrupt people? Don't people feel that pain in their heart? And how do those of a "right" heart defend themselves? Just to think of all those people suffering, knowing fully well of the risks, and yet still fighting for what they truly believe in. That's magical. That's admirable. That's amazing. 

   

   Yet, even today there is something which is not honorable. As I was leaving the area for the day, I noticed a procession of people advancing towards the Presidential building. A small truck led the way with megaphones, and a long line of people with signs followed behind. Of course I went to see what was happening. They made their way up to about a city block away from the building, but the police had surrounded them with barricades, and stood around them, keeping them from getting out of order. Ahead of the procession was a squad of policemen, ready to act if anything happened. 

   As I got into the crowd, I noticed that this was no ordinary crowd. It was a protest, a protest for the rights of the disabled. Many of these people were deaf and/or in wheelchairs. I saw one man with a breathing problem, as he was carrying around tanks of oxygen and nearly tangled in tubes. One person shouted, another translated into sign language, and the crowd would shake their hands (in sign language, the shaking of hands is their way of applauding). 

   Soon enough, a man with a distorted face with his head wrapped in bandages began a demonstration. Photographers stood by ready to take pictures. Some guys in wheelchairs wheeled up there, and amazing, got out of their chairs and stood on their hands, showing amazing upper body strength. They can do something, something amazing! I guess that was what they were trying to say.

   Of course, the only red head around for miles was definitely noticed, and people wanted me to take their picture and their signs. Even one person gave me her information! Haha. 

   And of course, it was a cloudy, cold, and rainy day, making the scene even more dramatic. These people standing in those conditions, protesting for rights. :( I asked my friend about this protest, and he said that he didn't have any idea that it happened. He also told me that the gay pride parade, the biggest one in Asia, which happened in Taipei, was not even broadcasted in the local news. He said that minority groups don't get the recognition they deserve. 

   That made me really sad, and disappointed. I can't even describe how much pain I feel for those who suffered, and for those who can't be heard. If democracies stand up for social justice and human rights, as the memorials say, then why don't these people even have a whisper heard? What is happening? That day made me realize: I want to work for humanitarian efforts. I want to help people become the best they can be, and fight for what is right. Look at what those hard-willed people achieved in the past. Hopefully, those same willed people can achieve even more. 

   Here's a little of what it was like: 

Gratitude

   For what it is, I have found that the Taiwanese are a very grateful people. It's in their culture, it's in their history, and it's in everything that they do. For example, whenever I walk into a 7-11 they say: "Welcome!"  and "Thank you for coming!" when I leave. After everything I do, they always say "Thank you" or "Don't bother" when I thank them. That is extremely powerful when you think about it.
In America, that doesn't really happen. I can't tell how many times I have been grateful towards someone in America and I have been blown off, as if I didn't matter to them, or to anyone. There are only a handful of people that I've met, those who I do not know personally (just strangers), who have given me their entire attention and who actually seem like I matter to them. I actually am really fond of those sayings I hear everyday. Sure we make fun of those sayings because it's fun to say, but really, it means a lot.
   Or countless times when I am in the market, or at school, or walking down the street, I am approached by the Taiwanese and I am thanked for being here! Why are they thanking me? I think that my professor, Hung-dah Su, answers the question quite well. He stated that Taiwan is an internationally "choked" country. Its politics are constricted by mainland China, its just a little guy in the whole of Asia, and according to my experience, not many people know what Taiwan IS (and I find that really fascinating!). They thank us for being here because we, even though we are just visiting or studying, are helping them become known in the world, which has been a struggle from the very beginning.
   While I'm on the subject of gratitude, there are quite a few memorials here in Taiwan that give so much honor to those who have done great things for the country. Those that I've visited were the Sun Yat-sen Memorial, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, and the National Martyrs' Memorial. These memorials commemorate great people, and before coming here I really didn't know anything about them, except for a few things. But truly, even by just seeing these memorials, you feel something.

   This is Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China.

   Chiang Kai-shek, the man who fought back against the Communist Chinese in support of Taiwan. He retreated, however, in the end, to the island with more than 2 million people, and all that was important to him.

   This is the National Martyrs' Memorial, in honor of those who died in fighting for the independence of Taiwan.

   These places were so extraordinary, it's just that when the Taiwanese visited these places they paid so much respect to them. Some even bowed. At every memorial they have guards stationed in front of the memorials, and a ceremonial "changing of the guards" happens every hour, showing great respect towards those. 

   I just really find it fascinating that they give so much respect to those who did so much for them. Without these people, Taiwan wouldn't be the country it is today. Look at how much these people sacrificed for what they truly believed in... I deeply respect them...

I Tell You The Truth...

   Truth: what is it? Now that I cannot define. It is impossible. No matter how much we ponder, research, or debate, we will only know theory, and/or partial truth. 

   Today, Raphael and I went into Shandao Temple, a buddhist temple, near the social science's campus. I had 3 hours after my first class and we, after lunch, had decided to chill in there. It is a really nice temple. In the front are three statues of the Buddha, and various items that go along with Buddhism. It's somewhat difficult to describe. But thank God that a picture is worth 1000 words. :) 

   And as we sat in this temple, away from the traffic and pollution outside, we started to talk. We talked for a good three hours in there, ranging from buddhism to judgement, and several topics in between. And that got us thinking: "What is truth?" 

   For some, truth is what you have grown up with. Some within the Christian church, as far as I know, and probably in many other faiths, attend their religious services out of tradition, culture, and respect. But they don't really go because they WANT to, they go because they are EXPECTED to. Now those two words are completely different! What really is inside a person's mind and heart? And if what is in their heart truth, at least to them, what happens to them? And even if they just do what is expected of them, what happens to them? (In the case of an after-life). 

   For example, we talked about truth and death. What if someone loved their god with so much a degree, but could not withstand the horrible degrees of the world, that they wished to end their life? What would happen to that person? Would they suffer for an atrocity against the beauty, dignity, and sacredness of life? Or, due to their belief, would they receive a paradise? Or nothing at all? 

   And with this, in other people's eyes; suicide is thought to be a very heinous sin. But, how can we judge what is sin? How are we capable of categorizing what is sin and what isn't? Isn't that the job of God or the gods? And if we are given the word of that which we believe, how can we so take it under our direction and power to establish right judgements against another? 

   And what is sin? What is truth? What is religion? Is it a philosophy or an action? Or is it neither? Is it required or optional? 

   We could have talked for weeks on these issues. And no one knows for sure. It is like in the Christian church; there are so many denominations and texts describing differences in God. But isn't God IT? Isn't God the ONE thing in this world that IS? How can we be sure we are right in interpreting what He wants us to know? 

   For centuries, no, for thousands of years people have debated these very issues; these very questions. And no one has come up with an exact answer. 

   Stuff happens. So what? Was it pre-ordained, or is that even possible? If it is possible, then how does free-will factor into our lives? If both are true, then what is the point of either? 

   I can't even write all of the questions that we asked each other today considering Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Atheism, and Agnosticism. I would probably have to write an entire series of books on just one question: What is truth? But, I don't even think that I would be able to answer that question, or anyone for that matter. 

   Why do we have these questions fill our heads? If we really are just a blink in the span of life, then why should we trouble ourselves with these questions? Or is lifetime just another part of the real lifetime that our souls take? Or are there even souls? Gah, so many questions! 

   But there was one thing that we agreed on: No one knows anything for sure, and even though we have so many questions, we just have to believe in what we think is right. Our lives are meant for figuring this stuff out. Of course we won't know it all, but what we seek we shall find. 

   For me, as a Christian, I seek what God truly wants of me, and of what He truly is. That's all I want to know. Isn't that what we should seek? That simple, yet complicated, truth? 

   It's harder than it sounds, eh?

Adventuring into the Language and Food

   That is probably the question that I've wanted to pose on people for, what seems like, the longest time. When I was studying Mandarin Chinese in Hawai`i, I excelled through the classes and really enjoyed the language learning process. I would think to myself: "Chinese is easy!" How now do I feel foolish. Mandarin is a very difficult language, not to mention it being on the most difficult languages on the face of the earth.
   Let me explain it: Mandarin is made entirely of syllables. And each syllable has its own tone. There are fives tones. Each syllable has a corresponding character, but the character/meaning of the syllable will change completely with different tones. For example, the word for "yes" (是, shi) has a falling tone. However, the word for "ten" (十, shi) has a rising tone. But this is when it gets difficult. Shi/是 can also mean "is." So when a native speaker is talking at a fluent speed, and I am trying to listen for each tone and connotation... you can see how it is difficult.
   But the language itself is so amazing! Just to hear people speak it makes me happy that I am here. For 8 years I have wanted to come here to learn, and finally I am here, and that is just remarkable to me.
I have been able to use some of the language: when ordering food, asking questions, greetings, etc. But even with language comes another very important part of the Taiwanese culture: FOOD.
   Lion's head, squid, frog legs, eel, stinky tofu, pearl tea, tripe, blood rice cake, tongue bake, etc. The food here is delicious, and never before have I tried so many different things that, to others might be disgusting, but truly are wonderful. Rice is made with everything, and there are so many different ways to cook it, even making it into noodles! It is so important to the Taiwanese culture, that even some local farmers pray to the gods before working with it; they care for it that much. Soups, dumplings, mounds of rice, fish, vegetables, tofu, and nearly everything you can think of. It's amazing!
   Even still, I have to order food in Mandarin, and it is only by the grace of God if the waiter/waitress knows English. Haha! Ordering food for me is more like: "Um, this... one. Yes." Of course I translate it, but you can get the picture. Hopefully once Chinese classes start, I'll be able to get back into things and just speak normally, like I used to.
   One adventure I had was when my friends and I were coming back from a day at the zoo, and we wanted to try this Burmese and Thai restaurant. One friend, Steffi, had ordered frog legs, just out of curiosity. And they delivered to us this medium sized plate with, I guess, cut up frogs legs with cashews and green peppers, lathered in peanut sauce. It looked delicious! Pretty soon, my other friend, Raphael, wanted to be adventurous too. So he grabbed a chunk off the plate and looked at it. "Wait, does this look like a face to you?" *ahem*. Of course that just grossed out another friend, Stephan. Haha! But I wanted to try it, or at least, some of it. And that some of it, would be the eye ball!
   Taiwan is quite the adventure, indeed!

歡迎到來臺北 (Welcome to Taipei)

   What shall I say? I am in Taipei, the capital city of the Republic of China. Does that sound as amazing to you as it does to me? Taipei is a huge bustling city, filled with heavy traffic, thousands of pedestrians, crowded markets, and a haze of pollution. But, through all of that there is a culture. A culture very different from mine.
   Culture: what is it? It is that which we live by: our traditions, our routines, our way of living. I am here to discover it, to hold it, to know it. Hopefully, within a year's time I will be able to achieve that goal. But as anyone knows who has travelled abroad, or even to another state, there are cultural changes that jump right in front of your face and shock you.
 
   The Republic of China is in the Tropic of Cancer. The weather is very hot and humid, ranging from 74 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees. And I can tell you, I have probably put out enough sweat enough to fill a bathtub and then some. And I thought Hawai`i was hot! Air-conditioning and fans are my new best friends. But until I become accustomed to the heat, it will probably be winter by then.
   There are a bunch of little things that really strike you as "You're not in Kansas anymore" kind of feelings. The first full day I was here I decided to take a walk through the city. The buildings are all packed together tightly, each using as much space as possible. If that means expanding nearly over the entire side-walk, then it is. The awnings to the buildings are very low to the ground, and I often find myself bending down or ducking in order to avoid hitting my head every three seconds. And usually from the on-ings you can find an array of signs, bottles, or other items that are suspended. I almost walked right into one of these the other day!
   Mopeds are the thing here. Unlike in the United States, where nearly everyone has a car, here everyone has a moped or a bike. It's crazy to see dozens of people fly past you on mopeds like it's nothing; weaving in and out between cars, trucks, bicycles, and other mopeds. I find it amazing that I haven't seen or heard of an accident yet.
   The food is another thing that is amazing! But that which is quite familiar, and to my surprise, was the numerous 7-11's around the city. But they are quite different! Manapua, or 包子 (baozi), an array of teas, along with the number of tea eggs, and nearly anything and everything else you could think of that is quite popular with Asian culture can be found in these stores. However, everything is in Chinese characters, so that poses a problem to me as of yet!
   The first day though, held another surprise for me. On that random street that I was taking a walk on, I came upon a motor-bike. It wasn't a motorcycle or moped, but it was like a three-wheeler that you see old people riding around towns who collect cans. But on the back was stacked numerous bags of garbage; nearly 12 ft high! At first I just walked past, until I heard a voice from behind. I turned and it was a short old lady who was sitting on the bike. So I walked over to her, and through a series of groans and moans, I figured out that she wanted me to start her bike for her! Even though I had no clue about these kind of things, I hopped on anyways and gave it my best try. It was operated by a foot lever. Every now and again my foot would get stuck and she would quickly free my foot. But eventually I got it started! Huzzah!
   But still, with all of the amazing sights and unusual happenings, jet lag has got the best of me.
   I can tell this will be a very interesting year. And to the best of it, Taipei!