Cards from Taitung!

The cards have arrived in The Netherlands and while I am sure Martijn and Daphne are excited to see these cards, the kids in Taiwan are more excited to see their cards in The Netherlands.

A part of me feels that it is extremely important for any one, especially from a young age, to have the concept of "start" and "finish" in the sense that once you pick up a challenge, you put in all the efforts you can to finish it well. For me, it was important that these international meet events are not just one-off shows that could have been done for anyone. I think it will be far more significant if the kids can feel that they've established a relationship with the people who've put in the effort into showing them their worlds, and that these people indeed put in these efforts for the kids. Not just anyone, but them.

I think as kids, one can easily believe in everything that is told to them, like Santa Claus. However it is also easy to lose faith that magical things do happen, like Santa Claus. In this case, the opportunity to have strangers from all the way around the world wanting to share their lives with these kids is unlikely to happen else where. It is easy for them to think that these are videos that could have been made for anyone and sugar-coated to make them think it's for them. I think it is important that the kids understand that with efforts and good intentions, good things do happen.

And that's why I wanted to show this video, and thanks to Martijn and Daphne who share the same thought as I did. Technically speaking, the content of this video couldn't be more boring.... to those who are not involved. I mean, no action, special effects, not much dialogue or plot... just two persons looking at cards and saying "Wooo!" and "Ah!!!" But for these kids, it mattered. These students are asked to participate in countless competitions such as drawing and writing, but all they get is a notice that they've won. They don't ever get to see how their works are important or significant. So to them, this "victory" doesn't mean anything. Probably just a prize certificate and award money.

Since the beginning of the class, I was already learning a lot from them. So to explain a little bit for those who aren't familiar with Chinese New Year cultures, red packets are things adult give to kids during the Chinese New Year. These are red envelopes containing money. It represents good luck and well wishes. So kids love Chinese New Year because they get all these red packets as their pocket money although in most cases, the money end up with their parents.

In the city, when asked about how a kid will want to spend their bonus cash, most of them will say things like.... RC car, iPad, mountain bike, video games... But here, I heard things like a pair of new shoes, pay school fees and school excursion fees. None of these are things that city kids will ever have to worry about.

However, one thing that I am very sure and glad is that every one of these kid lives a happier life than any kid in the city, because they understand how to appreciate even the simplest live they have.

Photo Entry: It's GOLD!

There are two particular things in Taiwan that are plentiful to a ridiculous sense. The first are convenient stores. The others are temples.

Temples have become a trend in the past decade. It's like almost anyone can start a temple right out of their living room. With a temple, you can receive donations, and technically tax free. Of course, the donations cannot be used for private use, but it can be used for festivals, celebrations, worship ceremonies and such, which includes lots of food.

The definition of religion is subjective to the individual, but one of which is about power control. A smart guy will place himself under "god", and above everyone else. So everyone fears the "god", therefore has to listen to him because he represents "god". This power becomes the excuse for political and criminal leaderships in many cases in Taiwan.

Like those mega churches in the US, many temples are extremely wealthy. They build temples that are more like palaces using materials that rival 5-star hotels with "donation boxes" installed at every corner while thrash cans are hardly found anywhere. Imagine being that guy under this "god". He's in power of how these cash is spent.

However, the temple culture in Taiwan also brings lots of sights and sounds. Whether they are genuine or fabricated is one thing. It does brings festive spirit to the community, the crowd, the business and therefore the money for everyone else who is feeding on it. People like food stall owners, souvenir vendors, fruit and worship item vendors, and the local tourism in general.

So here's an example. This is one of the biggest temple in southern Taiwan. They recently expended its architecture, dedicated it to worship the all supreme god of all Chinese gods. The Chinese Zeus if you will. And guess what, it's made of solid gold.















There's an interesting part of the Chinese worship culture that defers from the west. Even if you don't have real money to donate to the temple, you can contribute fake money to the gods or the deceased. "Burning" is the sentiment for "mail" between the human and heaven/under worlds. When a family member dies, the living can burn paper houses, maids and servants and cars, planes or whatever you want him/she to enjoy in hell/heaven. The same goes with money. You can burn money to please your deceased loved ones and gods. Those with gold foils are for the gods. The silver ones are for the deceased. Of course, this fuels a different kind of treasury department. I wonder why the Jews haven't picked this up yet.... perhaps the living ones are too smart to waste their own cash on paper houses.

Photo Entry: Sun Flowers

Photo Entry: Random Macros

Photo Entry: Calves

ZhangYuan Winter Movie Camp 樟原寒假電影營

For the winter break, we were invited back to Zhang Yuan Elementary School to organize a portion of their winter break study camp. Just like the last time, it was all up to us on what we want to do. However, we only have three days to organize the workshop, so we went for the easy option.

The easy option meant that the students will create content that they are already very familiar with - Their school and community.

The goal of this workshop was for the students to create a short video that helps outsiders get a sneak peek of the community, almost like a teaser of a movie, with a twist of including original plots to help make this introduction video more interesting. So just like the summer camp, the students were split into groups of 4 members. They will decide which parts of the community or school they will be filming, create a story around it as well as craft their own lines. We will help translate some of the more important lines into English as well as helping them hold the cameras.

This workshop, compared to the summer one, is much less elaborate due to the time constrain. We didn't have an opening presentation. We did not make a intro video to show them what we were expecting. We just showed up, told them what we are going to do and got right on it. It was also because almost all of the students had been in our summer camp before, everyone knew what to do. We crafted worksheets to help them organize their thoughts and they knew exactly what to do with them. Again, there was plenty show of leadership from each group, and unlike the last round, every group was energetic and ready to run with their stories.

I am constantly impressed by these students in Zhang Yuan. They have no fear of speaking English, whether or not they are saying right. Some of them can even write as I spoke, which is rather rare for students in this part of the country. It made my job a lot easier, because not only can they grasp the English translated lines quickly, they are able to help those who are a bit slower.

All of the kids are out going, so the performing part is a no brainer. This was our concern the last time because we have never met them before, not knowing if they are camera shy. It turned out that most of them can't wait to get in front of the camera, and this confidence was what made this three-day workshop so successful.

There were many learning moments, and time for laughter. And that's the point. Everyone should be having fun, genuine fun, from kids to the adults. It should then exist as a form of memory that they want to relive in again. I hope this experience is something that they look forward to again, and me too.

這次的寒假跟暑假一樣,到樟原國小辦活動。雖然跟上次一樣由我們自己安排及設計活動內容,時間卻從五天變成三天,所以我們把活動簡化。

這次的活動還是以內容的創造為主,而主題是學生們已經非常熟悉的社區和自己的學校。

學生的任務是拍攝一部介紹自己校園和社區的短片,好讓外人能夠簡單有趣的認識樟原。不過為了要讓影片增加趣味,也讓學生們有更大的創意空間,學生也將以短劇的方式間接介紹內容。學生也如上次一樣分組進行,並自己決定要介紹學校或社區的哪個地方或項目,自己編排故事,人物設計和臺詞。我們也會幫他們翻譯臺詞,把重要的段落以英語呈現。

跟暑假的活動比起來,這次的簡單多了。少了開場的活動介紹簡報也沒有製作範例的短片。就在我們簡單的介紹活動目的後,學生們很快的就進入狀況,開始編導,對話設計等等。大家都已經參加過上次的活動,所以每個人都駕輕就熟,而進度比我們想像得快。我們也如上次一樣準備了一些能夠幫學生們整理思緒的問答卷,好讓他們能夠更有效率的運作。而他們也展現出領導能力,很有活力的執行自己編出的計劃。

從上次的活動,樟原的學生表現出的能力一直讓我覺得很驚艷。不管會不會,大部份的學生不畏懼講英語,有些甚至有很不錯的書寫能力。在東部的偏鄉學校,這是很難得的。不止如此,程度好的也很主動幫比較弱的學生,這也讓我們的工作簡單許多。

這裡的小孩都很活潑外向,所以在鏡頭前表現不是個問題。之前我們以為有些學生會卻場,所以用玩具來代替親自上場,不過小朋友的自信十足,是我們太多心了。

在這整個過程中有很多學習的時間,也有很多歡樂的片段。這也就是此活動的目的,每個參與的人都歡樂,不管大人小孩,都能夠把這個回憶帶回家。我希望這是個他們會懷念的經驗,也是我往後可以再重溫的經歷。









































And last but not the least, the movie and blooper!!!

當然不忘最終的作品和幕後花絮!!!