Today was the first day we worked with the students at National Taiwan University! The first thing I noticed upon entering the campus was the vast amount of lush, green space that appeared in the various forms of plants, trees, bushes, and grass. It almost looked like a forest that had scattered buildings around it; making me rethink the ways in which I measure and regard spaces as nature-like.

Once we arrived at the Department of Geography, we partnered up with the other students from the University who are studying in the program. It was really nice to not only meet and talk to all of them, but to also learn about them and their experiences as students and, more importantly, people. We’re often diminished to being students in classroom settings, so it was refreshing to get to know the people we’re going to be getting to know while we’re here. We also had a fun game where we wrote down the first five things that came to mind when thinking about Taiwan and Seattle, which really helped to break down some preconceived notions we each had of each other’s countries and cultures.

Most of the Taiwanese students I talked to listed Starbucks and Sleepless in Seattle as two things that come to mind when they hear Seattle, which I found endearing and funny. Firstly, because they were aware Starbucks originated in Seattle (which I was not even aware of until I went to college) and, secondly, because their questions were based on this idealized of Seattle through its depiction in Sleepless in Seattle, which I myself have never seen. Although I’ve lived in Seattle for the last three years, I couldn’t even answer when I was asked whether the film was accurate (so I’m going to have to watch the film when I get back), and it was interesting to see the ways Seattle is perceived through an outside lens.

I was also surprised when Heui Ya brought up the fact that Seattle rests on a large number of tribal lands that belong to indigenous communities! The extent to which Americans are ignorant to the history and of other countries and function within a space of strict presentism, while other countries are not only knowledgeable, but are required, or forced, to learn the history of the United States is painfully ironic. I say this because I myself am not an exception, but recognize my own privileged positionality as an American citizen. But, I did have to explain that although Seattle is largely composed of indigenous lands, Seattle is largely white; as are most (superficial) “liberal” spaces are in Western Washington, and that most people of color experience gentrification at a painfully increasing rate, as do other marginalized communities, where they are not only being pushed to the margins, but outside Seattle altogether.

Next, we went on the very comprehensive University tour! Not only was I blown away by the very intricate ways the university bears the reminisces of Japanese occupation and China’s return as their colonizing power, but the way in which the University embraces and embodies this complicated history of influence; to the extent where the University itself isn’t restricted by its past, but uses it to navigate its future. As a university who embraces its historical imprint to create programs that are complex, unique, and strive to transcend and defy the oversimplified typification as simply a Japanese of Chinese University, but emerges, beautifully crafted, as authentically Taiwanese.

The tour was beautiful. I was convinced that the palm tree line that’s eerily similar to California’s palm tree-lined streets was the inspiration for the beautiful street, so learning that the palm trees represented the lined and fortified protection of their troops was very cool. It made me question my own western-centric view, especially because palm trees themselves are not native to California, but, yet, were the first thing I attributed them to when I saw them on NTU’s campus.

And everything at the University had a story, like a living tombstone, it had a long, deep history that’s determined to live, and I loved it! Along with the cultural taboos and long list of superstitions; ranging from the ritualistic ringing of the bell to the habitual breaking up of couples while watching their last sunset together, I realized I wasn’t simply encountering another university or education system, I was experiencing a culture. I was being introduced, immersed, to an experience, one deeply rooted in the lives of those that walk the campus every day. An inescapable and never-ending nexus of an experience, weaving us in as we spun further and further in.

After we finished the tour, we went back to the room to split into our groups and talk about topics in the context out of own countries. Ironically, our group was assigned higher education. But the conversation between Myself, Brandi, Shuo, and Tang on how higher education operates in the US and in Taiwan was glaringly similar. We all expressed the decrease and limited access to higher education; as an industry (not simply an institution- recognizing not only its commercialization but its feigned substance) that was made for those who had the time, the money, the connections- rather than a system that helped and profited all people. People who attend college attend because they can afford it, not because they are intelligent, not because they work tirelessly and diligently. It’s an economic venture, one that doesn’t even pay off for those who attend; because even though it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to get a well-paying job without a college degree, it’s also becoming an increasing struggle to find jobs post-college with the degree in the artificial fields college drags us through. Regardless, it was comforting to know this contradiction was not restricted to the US.

The four of us in the group were all social science or art field majors, and all of us talked about the danger of graduating with art majors because careers in these fields are (largely) disintegrating and are not enough to support ourselves. We talked about STEM, and the pressure to pursue the field as a promise, or at least more promise than Arts, of a secured job. I felt as though I was talking to any other English student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Arts at UW and it was nice to have a conversation with them, and it was crazy to think that although we live in vastly different places and have very different cultures, we’re really not all that different.

It was a great first day, and all the Taiwanese students were so sweet, welcoming, and very nice. I’m looking forward to the rest of the summer quarter.

Minzu Junior High School

Feeling refreshed, maybe a little bit more than desired courtesy of the rain, the class regrouped at the Taipei Municipal Minzu Junior High School. We were greeted with an astounding show of hospitality entailing tea, local treats, and Minzu specific gifts. After introductions, the school gave a presentation on the host of ways in which they put sustainability at the heart of their education practices. One of their examples included solving math problems outdoors as they relate to nature to help keep sustainability as a common focus despite a frequently unassociated subject matter. After learning a bit more about how sustainability has been integrated into the junior high school’s culture, from being literally centered around a tree to having a local nature icon for their mascot, the rain subsided enough to begin touring the campus and see first-hand what the administrators and teachers had been describing.

We went up to the rooftop first to see the garden which had undergone several iterations and was now reinforced and thriving. Maintained by the students throughout the school year, the garden is meant to provide hands-on experience and a direct connection between students and nature. We also saw hydroponics in action that involved the collection and reuse of rainwater to support the small scale growth of plants in the courtyard. The students from the school even presented to us throughout the campus about the various plants that they learned about and grew throughout the year. Following their presentations, I felt personally inspired to see such deep understanding of our place in the environment at such a young age. I feel as though this is representative of what a difference the normalization of an idea can make when embraced wholeheartedly.

Treasure Hill Artist Village

After bidding our farewells at Minzu Junior High School, we took a short walk to the Treasure Hill Artist Village, located along the Xindian River in Gongguan. Thankfully we were greeted with sunny skies, especially since the majority of the tour of the village took place outside. Our guide, Nick Kan, recounted the history of the site in tandem with his own experiences as an artist, sprinkling in plenty of humor as well. The site, originally a village, was scheduled for demolition to be turned into a park. People rallied to preserve the old style of architecture and village design, managing to establish the site as one of historical significance. It was in turn preserved by being turned into an artist community.

Today, the village hosts artists and their shows, though still functions as a place of living for families who were a part of the community long before its revitalization. Therein lies some conflict, where some may argue that the redefinition has brought the community new life while others may posit that it is alienating or detrimental to the pre-established people who called Treasure Hill their home long before the artists entered. This tension is one aspect to be aware of when admiring the communal gardens and unique aesthetic that may distract from the area’s complex history. Ultimately, however, it appears to be a thriving village that has found a new purpose as an inspirational and calming place in the wake of Taipei’s urbanization. They also have a great peanut flavored popsicle available in the gift shop.

Reflection

One of my key takeaways from Shin-Cheng Yeh’s lecture at the beginning of the day was that we must connect to the real world. I found this true time and time again throughout the day and our journey across Taiwan as a whole. The day’s trip in particular raised many questions, though it showed a wide range of ways in which environmental education can be applied as well. I found it an immensely encouraging excursion, leaving us with ideas about ways in which we might implement similar ideas in our own lives and communities, from environment-centric education to direct implementation of natural process in day-to-day life. I feel that one of the best ways to know how we should be dealing with environmental ideas is to see those ideas at play in our own lives, and these experiences served stellar examples of such.

Today’s very educational activities consisted of a lecture in the morning at National Taiwan University and then going to a guided tour of the National Taiwan Museum followed by a film presented by the museum.

Our lecture was on circular economy in Taiwan, presented by Grayson Shor and Ann Hsu from the Taiwan Circular Economy Network. If I’m being honest, I was not looking forward to this lecture. I was actually kind of dreading it. I am not a fan of economics. I took an economics class at the University of Washington and it was one of the worst and most boring classes I have ever taken in my 3 years of being there. But the lecture that Grayson and Ann turned out to be very interesting and I really enjoyed it!

The lecture started off with brushing up our understanding of the economic concept we all know, linear economy. Linear economy is the economic and industrial system which in integrated into the whole world. It’s the extraction of raw materials from the earth, using those materials to produce goods, selling those goods to consumers, and the consumers disposing those goods after use. But with our lifestyle of large consumption and disposing, it drains the limited natural resource our earth has to offer. This is where circular economy comes in.

Instead of products being discarded in a landfill when we’re done using them, a circular economy aims to eliminate waste and recycle the products. It starts with products being redesigned to be recycled, rather that the concept of planned obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is designing something with an artificially limited useful life, such as our iPhones. This way, products are designed to be used for years, only replacing parts that have wear and tear and putting them back out into the market.

The concept of circular economy is frustrating to me because it is such a simple and straightforward concept, but impossible to integrate in the real world. Big manufacturers are too focused on profit that designing something they know will need to be replaced is too much of a temptation than making products that last longer but require more time and money. Linear economy is also very familiar and safe, and companies don’t want to risk making less money and making the production process harder for themselves. People fear the unknown, and circular economy has not proven itself to the world yet that it works, but hopefully in the future this concept will be used more and maybe even replace linear economy.

After the tour of exhibit, we walked across the street to another building that’s part of the National Taiwan Museum to watch a documentary called “The End of the Line”. The documentary, by Rupert Murray, examines the devastating effects that overfishing has on the world’s fish populations and the coming extinction of bluefin tuna. Overfishing is mainly being blamed for our overconsumption for fish, followed by the military grade techniques to find fish and wipe out their populations. While I do agree with the film that we need to consume less and be more sustainable with our fishing abilities, I do think that the film used scare tactics a little bit too harshly. Scare tactics are often used in documentaries to scare people into make a difference, but I think with The End of the Line it made it sound like overfishing is too far gone to be fixed and that the next generation won’t be able to enjoy sushi like we do.

I thought today was a really interesting day. Between the lecture, museum tour, and the film I felt that we learned a lot on Taiwan’s sustainability and how both Taiwan and the rest of the world still has room to improve.

Today was the last day of the first week as well as our first field trip. We gathered at the station, as usual, and took around 30 minutes to ride on the MRT to Beitou. The MRT is actually a very simple and convenient method of transportation for people in Taipei City. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Beitou is the hot springs, which we got to learn a lot about.

Before getting to learn about the natural hot springs that Beitou is known for, we got to visit the Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch, which was absolutely gorgeous both inside and out! The aesthetics of the library create a relaxing and welcoming environment, unlike any library I know, including the Suzzallo Library at UW. Suzzallo is a very aesthetically pleasing building, but it’s not a green building unfortunately. The Beitou library, on the other hand, is a green building due to its water and energy-efficient structure and design. The building collects rainwater which is later used for the bathrooms and the roof contains solar panels to meet the electricity needs of the building. Learning about this building reminded me a lot of the Bullitt Center in Seattle, which is a great example of a green building that meets the many requirements to be considered a “living building.” With this in mind, we got to walk around the library and explore before moving on with our tour.

We continued our day by walking around the rest of the Beitou District which covers part of the Tatun Volcano Group and the Guandu Plain. The diversity of landscape contributed to Beitou’s special features. The volcano brought abundant natural resources to Beitou and created the famous hot springs from the Japanese era. The source of these thermal valleys is mainly “white sulfur” which is located around Liuhuanggu and Longfenggu. The thermal valley that we visited this day was a jade-colored pool of water which stays at 90 degrees Celsius. As we approached the pool of water, we felt the steam rising from the surface. In this hot and humid summer season, we started to perspire like pouring rain. Hearing stories from the NTU students, I discovered that people could make their own steam egg in the pool; however, someone fell in that cause a deadly accident, so it’s not allowed to do that anymore. All around the valley you could see the array of private hotels and spas, attracting tourists from all around. There was even a public one around, but we didn’t have our suits with us to go in! It’s said that the water contains radium that has healing effects on people’s bodies, so no wonder people go in them even in hot weather like the one we experienced this day.

After walking for a couple of hours around the thermal valleys, we headed to the third stop on our full-day field trip. As soon as we got to the Guandu Nature Park, we immediately knew that we were in for a long afternoon full of learning and intense humidity. The wetland park we visited was very hot and sunshine intensive because of the lack of shade. Everybody was hanging on the thread of passing out from such intense sunshine. As we finished applying our bug spray and sunscreen, we were greeted by our tour guide who gladly walked us through the park for the rest of the afternoon. We got to learn so much about the importance of wetlands, which fit perfectly into our theme of Taipei as an eco-city. Throughout the week, we learned that an “Eco-City” is a standard by which cities fit the criteria of being environmentally friendly while still preserving cultural and societal dimensions. The wetland park we went to is located north of Taipei City. It’s quite interesting, because not every city in the world is equipped with a wetland reserve such as this one. Wetlands serve as biodiversity hotspots and natural water purification sites, which is why it’s so important to preserve them. Throughout our visit we saw an array of species including elephant beetles, snakes, different bird species, and five water buffalo, it was really amazing to see these species in their natural habitat.

After the wetland, we went to a documentary museum of Director Chi Po Lin. At Director Chi Po Lin’s museum, we saw a lot of amazing pictures of the mountains of Taiwan. We also got to see a lot of film pictures of Chi Po Lin. I was very touched by the museum and the documentary we saw, especially the broken gear that crashed into the bushes from the air strike that killed him. I was very tangled with the topics of environmental problems in Taiwan, because Taiwan is a small island that needed its economy to be energized, but economics needed something in exchange. Exporting cement needed us to exploit the mountain and cut it apart in order to extract the minerals necessary for the cement industry. What we learned is that because Taiwan was facing economic pressure, environmental protection was not a top priority, which is why the vast development destroyed extensive areas.

To finish off our day, we headed over to the Damsui Market next to the Chi Po Lin Museum which hosts some old street foods from earlier times in Taiwan. This market is yet more evidence of how Taipei City preserves its old culture due to food being such a big cultural component.