Taipei American School | 800 Chung Shan North Road, Section 6, Taipei, Taiwan | blueandgoldonline.org | VOLUME XXIV, ISS. 06 | May 18, 2018
Class of 2018 gives back with the Gratitude Project
The class government officers of the Class of 2018 stands in front of the Gratitude Project’s Thank You board. [KEVIN LEE/THE BLUE & GOLD]
By Shereen Lee (‘19) This year, the Class of 2018 has continued the Taipei American School custom of giving back to community staff and teachers at the end of their high school career in an initiative called The Gratitude Project. The Project, first conceived in 2014, started when a student started a project called the Community Awareness Program as a way to honor the Taipei American School community. For a week, a group of about 20 students in their senior class took over cleaning duties in the Upper School on behalf of the janitorial staff, in addition to other sub-projects. The class also began the practice of sending handmade cards and presents to staff members at TAS, which later seniors also conducted. “The Gratitude Project has always been an initiative of
Keep in touch with the Blue & Gold!
the students,” said Ms. Nyoli Connor, a class dean for the Class of 2018. “It morphs with each class, so it is a sort of informal tradition.”
“The Gratitude Project has always been an initiative of the students,” said Ms. Nyoli Connor, a class dean for the Class of 2018. “It morphs within each class, so it is a sort of informal tradition.” This year, the Class of 2018 helped create small gifts for the
staff, gifting small plants and handmade cards to each staff member at TAS. In addition, as part of the project, the team newly created a bulletin board with pictures of Upper School teachers and staff members, thanking them for their work throughout the years. “Everybody contributed to this project of giving back,” said Janice Yang (’18), vice president of the 2018 Class Government. “ClassGov started planning a few months in advance, which involved designating times during our class night and in advisory sessions to work on the cards.” The project has not only been a way for seniors to thank visible members of the community who have helped them along their journeys, but also a way to recognize people working behind the scenes: staff members, such as janitors and bus monitors, are
instagram.com/
tasblueandgold
traditionally emphasized in the
“I loved the delivery part, and getting to see the staff’s happy faces,” said Janice. “I enjoyed going with friends to together give back to the people who helped us all throughout the years.” Gratitude Project. “Some students have been here since first grade, or kindergarten. So throughout those 12 years, or 13 years, there will have been people at TAS who really would have impacted their lives,” said Ms. Connor. “But we don’t always take the time to say thank you,
facebook.com/
tasblueandgold
and we also don’t see the people who do some of the
Carnival fun at Prom By Barron Tsai (‘19)
Taipei American School will be holding its annual Prom on May 18, located for the first time at the Mayfull Hotel in Zhongshan District. This year’s theme is “Carnival.” Prom will feature a bevy of carnival themed games, such as bean bag toss, claw machines, and a high striker machine. There will also be a raffle held at the event. Prizes include tardy-free slips, get-out-of-detention slips, teddy bears, and more. Furthermore, to enhance the student experience, there will be multiple photo booths, creating opportunities for students to preserve treasured memories with treasured people. The highlight of prom may be a fortune teller booth, featuring Upper School associate principal Mr. Andrew Lowman. About seven to eight years ago, Prom had a similar theme. Mr. Lowman thought that it would be interesting to incorporate a fortune teller at prom this year. Co-Prom Head Happy Moo (‘19) said, “The venue is beautiful this year,” she continues, “I really hope that students enjoy themselves. I hope everyone can take lots of pictures, play the games we organized, and get on the floor and slow dance!” Keanne Chang (‘19), also a Co-Prom Head, said, “The thing people will remember about the venue will definitely be the lobby as it has this amazing chandelier and staircase that leads up to the ballroom.”
Student written letters are delivered to recipients of the Gratitude Project. [JULIAN LEE/ THE BLUE & GOLD]
jobs that impact us so much. Over the course of the second semester, the seniors delivered these gifts personally to staff after months of coordination. “I loved the delivery part, and getting to see the staff’s happy faces,” said Janice. “I enjoyed going with friends to together give back to the people who have helped us all through the years.”
email us at
blueandgold@tas.tw
The Mayfull Hotel: The Mayfull Hotel seen at night. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIP ADVISOR]
youtube.com/
BlueandGoldOnline
2
the blue & gold may 18, 2018
A moment is more than enough By Janice Yang (‘18) You just can’t have everything. My emotional self would burst into tears at the unfairness, exclaiming, “Then why should I even try!” The romantic in me would sigh and claim that the stars have simply aligned. My inner scientist-philosopher will never get past my awe that the fact that anything exists is derivative of the rare occurrence of entropy-defying life. No matter the response though, truth is truth. You just can’t have everything. Sometimes this hits a little closer to home. Times of college decisions, heartbreak, regrets. Choices. Oh, the choices. Often, it’s just easier to do what they
say you should. They have lived longer than you have, know better what to do with your limited 24 hours. With your life. Alright, let them. Let your peers, let family, let society push you into areas of conventional success. Let them place you on a pedestal of exterior accomplishment, while you become the sole witness of your hollow tears, wondering on late Thursday nights, where did all those years go? Let them throw you onto a path of supposed excellence, only for you to fall, with half-grown wings outstretched, into what they then glance at sideways and call mediocrity. Because that’s what they told you
would be best for you, right? You can’t have everything. Sometimes this is a mere aphorism, sometimes a dose of warm comfort that eases inevitable pain, but sometimes a reminder of the other side of the coin. No one can have everything, but everyone has something. We have ourselves. We have this moment. We have our smiley freckles and clumsy bruises, our passions and aspirations, our perfect imperfections and oxymoronic contradictions. We have our fuzzy childhood memories and dumb embarrassing moments, our laughter and our tears. We have the freedom to think deeply
about where we want to be, then smile with no regrets if we try, completely change our minds, or fail. We have our own company. And hopefully, our own love. We also have this moment. This crazy, beautiful moment that is life. It’s all too easy to forget that we breathe. We breathe! We could blink three times if we wanted to, or raise our right hand RIGHT NOW because we can. And that we can create more beautiful moments with places and people we love, care about, or that simply spark our unexplainable curiosity. We can’t have everything. But if we put our minds, senses, and love to it, we can have more than enough.
[KEVIN LEE/THE BLUE & GOLD]
未來的世界是你們的 (The future world is yours) 作者 鄭老師 畢業代表你們已經長 大了，要成為大人了， 該為自己的人生負責了。 「不登高山，不知天 之高也；不臨深溪，不 知地之厚也。」在新的環 境中，要更發揮上天賦 予你的一切，嘗試認識自 己、改變自己。因為生 命就是一場挑戰自我的旅 行，不需在乎目的地， 但要在乎學會看見自己的 幸運，更要學會選擇自己 所愛、愛自己所選，才 能豐富人生的旅遊日記， 成就人生的最高境地。 老子說：「千里之行， 始於足下。」相信成大 事不在於力量的大小，而 在於能堅持多久，因為 人有無限的可能，只要常
By Ms. Amy Cheng
保一顆熱情正向的心， 就能盡一己之力；心一 旦穩定，路就會寬廣無 際，面對未來挑戰時， 才能讓自己無畏無懼。 一 生 中 ， 或 許 會 遇 到 許 多 令 人 憂 懼 的 時 刻 ， 但 … 願 你 們 都 能 愛 人 愛 己 ， 珍 惜 生 命 。 願 你 們 都 能 保 赤 子 心 ， 正 面 積 極 。 願 你 們 都 能 志 存 高 遠 ， 腳 踏 實 地 。 願 你 們 都 能 看 見 自 己 ， 活 出 美 麗 。 未 來 的 世 界 是 你 們的，而這將是你們 改 變 世 界 的 時 機 。 祝 福 你 們 順 風 如 意 ！
You are graduating, which means you have grown up and should take your future into your hands. “If you do not climb a high mountain, you will not comprehend the highness of the heavens; if you do not look down into a deep valley, you will not know the depth of the earth.” With a new environment comes an opportunity to showcase your talents, understand yourself better and pursue personal growth. Life is a battle for us to journey. Don’t worry about the end goal. Instead, focus on seeing yourself. Laozi said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Believe that accomplishing great things is not a matter of strength, but a
[CHARLOTTE LEE/THE BLUE & GOLD]
The half-life of memories is forever By Wesley Wang (‘18) It sucks that memories are so helplessly malleable. However, for the more extraordinary occurrences of life, a mere shift in mood could alter your perception of such memories to unrecognizable levels. A chemist might even compare these memories to radioactively decaying atoms– ever shifting in state, except for one critical difference: the half-life of memories is forever. In many ways we limit the combustion ignited by the single spark of a moment–a moment, nay, moments, that excite the mind to create a powerful memory. We cower in fear, unable to cast away the doubts that infect our resolve like a plague, forgetting that, however embarrassing the occasion might be, it would be but a humorous tale in remembrance. What we make of a memory is temporary. The [KEVIN LEE/THE BLUE & GOLD]
story it spins is lifelong. Why deny colors from splashing across the canvas of our lives then, if they be rich in tone and depth, their luster yet inchoate, but ink everlasting! Remove the impurities from the elements you choose to brew your memories with. Identify those who would befriend you only to raise their GPA, rather than foster emotional understanding, and filter them from your solution. Pay no heed to teachers who would dismiss you as “dishonorable” or “unadult like” rather than respect your integrity. And, for the sake of your concoction’s potency, never hesitate to throw caution to the wind and live moments to the fullest. Because the half-life of memories is forever. But grand and alluring moments do pass by in an instant.
matter of perseverance. All you need is a passionate and a positive heart, and you will be able to do your best; with a tranquil heart, your paths will be wide and limitless, and then you will face future obstacles without fear. In your lifetime, you will encounter times of fear. But... I hope that you will love others and yourself and cherish life. I hope that you will maintain a childlike heart, and be positive. I hope that you will aspire to live up to great ideals and achieve great things with sound judgement. I hope that you will see the beauty in yourself and live it out for the world to see. The future is yours; the time is now to change the world. I wish all of you good luck!
the blue & gold may 18, 2018
To seniors, from teachers
3
As the seniors prepare to depart for the next phase of their lives, three distinguished faculty members impart nuggets of wisdom for their journey ahead.
[PHOTO COURTESY OF TAS HR]
[PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. MATLOCK]
[PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. MAGUIRE]
Seniors, the world is your oyster Advice for seniors: Mr. Matlock Advice for seniors: Dr. Maguire By Dr. Catriona Moran Dear Seniors, When I graduated high school in 1980, my aunt Margaret presented me with a card that stated, “Congratulations Catriona. The world is your oyster!” However, never having seen or shucked an oyster, with or without a pearl, the meaning of this statement eluded me. So, I Googled it. (Just kidding, Google wasn’t invented until almost two decades later.) My library research indicated that this phrase was, like almost every catchy phrase still in use in the English language, coined by William Shakespeare in his play The Merry Wives Of Windsor. Falstaff: “I will not lend thee a penny” Pistol: “Why then the world’s mine oyster/Which I with sword will open.” So, while Shakespeare’s usage of the phrase may have related to material wealth, the phrase has evolved to include life’s richness, signified by opening the oyster to find the pearl.
You have the ability to achieve great things in your lives. My aunt’s implied message was that with the upbringing I’d experienced, a caring supportive family, an excellent education, and all of the opportunities I’d had, I could achieve anything I wished in life. I could pursue my dreams, my pearl, with confidence. Seniors, I’ve known almost 50% of you since Lower School and I’ve gotten to know many
more of you since. I have watched you grow and develop during your time at TAS. You are a multi-talented, academically strong, spirited, and caring group of young people. You have the ability to achieve great things in your lives. Our mission statement says that we prepare all students to “adapt and succeed anywhere in a rapidly changing world” but I expect even more from you. I expect that you will adapt and succeed in today’s world and that you will positively impact the world of the future. However, we cannot overlook what it takes to shuck. Oysters have sharp edges, as does the knife (or sword, in Pistol’s case). They are dirty and muddy, and until you learn the finesse of it, tricky to shuck. And, of course no oyster opens up and spits out polished pearls for you. So too in life, you may encounter obstacles. But as graduates of TAS, who have worked your way through so many years of challenging programs, you have what you need to succeed. Remember all that you have learned, and make use of it to pry your pearl from the shell. This June, we graduate from TAS together. I too will leave to pursue a new pearl in Vietnam. Like you, I will always hold the relationships and the experiences at TAS close to my heart. Just like you, TAS has shaped the person I am today. I have been very fortunate in my life since my high school graduation, and I wish the same for you. You are capable of great things and I hope you take advantage of the opportunities that life presents to you, and that you successfully overcome the challenges you encounter along the way. Class of 2018, the world is most definitely your oyster! Sincerely, Dr. Catriona Moran Deputy Head of School
By Mr. David Matlock Dear Class of 2018, What do you want to dedicate your life to? What makes you happy? In order to avoid the potential floccinaucinihilipilification of life, it is natural to seek meaning—and in my personal quest for meaning, I decided it would be helpful to explicitly articulate my philosophy of life. Too often, I made lifechanging choices based on an unarticulated, subconscious philosophy of life. Some of these choices led to joy, and others to shame and regret. I wanted a guide that would optimize meaningful choices in order to maximize my serenity and minimize any internal disharmony. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to choose a moral barometer that could help me make the best choices. After much trial and error, I decided to make a list of the values that were most important to me. Then, I realized the need to rank this list. The regrets and moral dilemmas I experienced were born out of having to make a choice between upholding one value or another. If I came across a fork in the road where I had to choose one value and ignore a second, I needed to know which meant more to me. There is a classic example of this kind of choice from utilitarianism. Imagine that you are a judge, and you have a defendant accused of a horrendous crime. You know that the person is innocent, but a verdict of not guilty would result in riots. The violence and looting from the riots would have a negative effect on a large number of people. Do you value individual rights more than the greatest good for the greatest number, or vice versa? I know what I would do. Do you? When I was in my early
20s, the top three items on my list were: (1) Find the special someone to share my life with. (2) Be a good moral person. And, (3) have a career that I am passionate about. I didn’t want to wake up each morning dreading going to work. I wanted a career that involved things I would naturally do, even when no one told me I had to do them. What does this order really mean? If there is a path that leads to a passionate career option but requires me to be immoral to get there, I would not follow that path because morality is ranked higher than a career. Over the past 20 years since I first made this list, I have made adjustments. I switched number one and two. I used to think that if you took everything away from me, I could still find happiness as long as that special someone was by my side. Now, I believe that I would not feel whole if I could only be with that special someone via an immoral path. I also made a slight but significant change of “the special someone” to “a special someone.” Moreover, I have learned more about myself over these years. It was not until I was in my early 30s that I realized I was an introvert and how that affected my choices. As a result, I added ‘me time’ to my list...I just don’t know its ranking yet. I hope that these examples demonstrate the relevance of partaking in such an activity. I encourage each of you to consciously define yourself. I recommend that you take the time to make your list of values and prioritize them. Don’t worry about the list being perfect. As you gather more data about life, it is highly probable that your list will need to be adjusted just as mine has been. Allow that to happen, and focus on always being honest with yourself.
By Dr. Brandon Maguire Dear Class of 2018, I could go on for pages and pages giving you advice for college. I could tell you to take all kinds of crazy classes that will be offered at different schools such as: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse— Disasters, Catastrophes, and Human Behavior at Michigan State, How to Stage a Revolution at MIT, or, the class I could probably teach, The Simpsons and Philosophy at UC Berkeley. But I am sure you will get that advice from plenty of people.
I could advise you to take care of yourself, get plenty of sleep, and avoid cramming for tests and exams, but you don’t listen to that advice here at TAS, so why would you listen in college? I could advise you not to be scared that this is a whole new adventure you are going on, and reassure you that it will be a lot of fun. But again, I am sure you have already been told this by someone. I could advise you to work hard and follow your dreams, but let’s face it—you are TAS students. You already work hard, and if I am to believe my students, you don’t get any sleep because you are working so hard so how can you dream. I could advise you to take care of yourself, get plenty of sleep, and avoid cramming for tests and exams, but you don’t listen to that advice here at
TAS, so why would you listen in college? I could advise you to try new games like live action role playing, bass fishing, or Quidditch. Yes, some colleges have Quidditch teams. But since you will be spending all your time studying, what good would that be? I could tell you to be honest, kind, respectful, responsible, and to show courage, but I already know you will most of the time. I could advise you that an Iron Curtain has descended across Europe from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, but Churchill already gave that advice in 1946. And let’s face it, Churchill may have saved Britain in WWII, but he was an imperialist and not kind to Britain’s colonies. So, remember this. The Simpsons is the best television show ever. The Rolling Stones are the best rock and roll band of all time. And if you are going to school in Boston, get your World Series tickets early— because the Red Sox are going to be world champs in 2018. In all seriousness, my advice to you is this. Go through life and be honest. Being honest will keep you happy. Be kind. People remember those who are kind to them. Be curious. Curiosity will lead you to wonderful places. And finally take chances. You never know what great things will happen if you just take a chance. Class of 2018 you are all amazing, unique, and special individuals who I have enjoyed teaching and getting to know these last four years. I am confident that all of you will go on to do things you are meant to do. Sincerely, Brandon Maguire, EdD Department Chair of Upper School History and Social Studies
BEHIND THE SCENES OF
BLUE & GOLD WRITERS PROFILE SOME OF THE CHARACTERS
sarah huang BIGGEST FOODIE By Catherine Lin (‘19) If she could choose only a single food to eat for the rest of her life, Sarah Huang (‘18) would choose fried chicken. “I grew up eating it, and there’s nothing more satisfying than smelling it and hearing the crunch when you bite into it.” Though Sarah’s large appetite has been a constant since her childhood, she only became a “foodie” after she moved to Taipei, which meant easy commuting and access to a wider range of cuisines. “I lived in suburban New Jersey, about 30 minutes out from New York City, until fifth grade, so most of the food I was able to try at the time aside from my mother’s cooking was either at restaurants, school, or whenever we visited New York.” Now, she often goes on “food adventures,” spending a day restaurant-hopping with friends. Once, she and her friends decided to eat their way from
Zhongxiao Fuxing’s SOGO to Taipei 101. Unsurprisingly, it did not go well. “Let’s just say that we barely made it one-third of the way, and I had to loosen the drawstring on my pants on the way home,” says Sarah.
FOR SARAH, FOOD ALSO SERVES AS A WAY TO CONNECT WITH FAMILY. For Sarah, food also serves as a way to connect with family members. In fact, one of her favorite dessert stores is the shaved ice shop Tai Yi (台一), where her parents went on many of their dates during their college years. “It’s particularly meaningful to our family,” she said. “Because we used to live two minutes away, we could literally go there every day during the summer.”
kevin yu & CUTEST nicole chang COUPLE By Charlotte Lee (‘20)
In the midst of college applications and junior year suffering, then-acquaintances Kevin Yu (‘18) and Nicole Chang (‘18) found that they had more in common than they had previously realized. It all started when Nicole happened to be touring one of the schools that Kevin also had his eye on: the University of Notre Dame. Like any good friend would, Nicole took lots of pictures of the campus and bought Kevin a T-shirt from the campus merchandise store. “I realized he was a pretty cool person,” Nicole said. Meanwhile, in the early stages of their friendship, Kevin said, “I wasn’t overthinking and thinking about dating. I just wanted to let whatever happens, happen.” The pair spent more time together through their overlapping extracurricular commitments, such as class government, TEDx. As May rolled around, Nicole made a bold move. At the time, Kevin had an obsession with Clash Royale, a multiplayer online battle game—so Nicole
messaged Kevin, “‘Do I have I have to compete against Clash Royale to be your prom date?’” Immediately, Nicole panicked, and almost resorted to turning her phone on airplane mode in fear that she had made a colossal mistake. “This was the make it or break it text, because if it goes badly, then that’s it,” she said. Luckily Kevin responded— “‘No, you’d win any day,’” he said. Staying true to his word, Kevin corresponded with Nicole’s sister and set up a promposal at her house, simultaneously meeting Nicole’s mother for the first time. “My mom loves Kevin because he’s such a gentleman, super hardworking, and takes care of me,” Nicole said. With the help of some recommendations from Nicholas Lin (‘18) and Isabelle Sung (‘18), Kevin and Nicole started a list of restaurants that they hope to cross off one by one together, which ranges from a local ramen store near the Shilin MRT station to Raw, a modern, Michelin-starred French restaurant.
Still, though, she regularly out-eats her parents and sister. “I think they share my enthusiasm for food, but they don’t really have the stomach to keep up with me,” she says. She has also attempted a number of exotic foods, from pig intestines to cow stomachs. After watching a K-drama featuring a tripe-loving main character, Sarah resolved to try it. “I didn’t really enjoy the smell, but the chewy texture is kind of like mochi, only rougher and saltier,” she said. However, her daring has its limits: She refuses to try chicken feet and abhors eggplant. As she plans to go to college in Boston, Sarah is excited for the opportunity to explore the food landscape of yet another international city. For the aspiring foodie, she has this advice: “Don’t be afraid of trying out sketchy places. Sometimes they sell the best local food for cheap!”
When it comes to choosing where to go for dinner, Kevin says that both of them play an equal role in the decisionmaking. But restaurants aside—and despite Kevin’s protests—Nicole said, “I wear the pants in the relationship. I’m more expressive and I talk a lot more. He’s more quiet.” “Kevin doesn’t like to show his affection, but he’s very caring. When I was stressed, he made me a stress package, he went out and bought some of my favorite foods, and he’s always looking out for me,” Nicole said. “Nicole’s way more hardworking, which I admire,” Kevin says. Even a decade later, Kevin imagines that Nicole will still be hammering away at her studies. “She wants to be a doctor, and that takes like 11 years. If she follows that path, then maybe she’ll be in residency in 10 years.” Although neither Kevin nor Nicole will be attending University of Notre Dame in Indiana this fall, perhaps the “luck of the Irish” played a role in bringing them together.
2018’S SENIOR SUPERLATIVES
BEHIND THE CLASS OF 2018’S YEARBOOK SENIOR SUPERLATIVES.
olivia liang MOST AESTHETIC olivialiangliang
FOLLOW
INSTAGRAM By Christine Lin (‘19)
2.4m likes olivialiangliang
Since her first blurry picture of Times Square from July 28, 2014, Olivia Liang (‘18)’s Instagram gallery has evolved from individual photos of objects and people into a themed lookbook of her life. An aesthetic Instagram feed generally entails an account user employing the same methods of color-coding or object placement throughout a series of photos. Many users with a feed post photos of the same color scheme or use the same filters and photo-editing settings on a series of photos. On May 1, 2016, Olivia posted her first set of three photos, in which she stands above the camera against shining clouds against with the herself in silhouette, all in an oversaturated filtered. “My first row of three-set pictures was taken by one of my friends during our independent expedition in the Swiss Alps. She was lying on the train rails, tak-
ing photos of the sky and I ran into her picture,” Olivia said. Each succeeding collection captures a particular memory, often from her voyages in Taipei City or abroad. Many rows consist of two nearly identical photos, followed by a third contrasting photo. Regarding this method of stylization, she said, “I like how this [format] creates the sense of motion and movement across the photos. It’s almost like a small section of a film strip.”
WHEN I SEE SOMETHING WITH A UNIQUE COLOR THAT CATCHES MY EYE, I CAPTURE IT IMMEDIATELY. Olivia finds inspiration in the colors that speak to her: “I’m really into exploring interesting colors and coordinating colors. When I see something with a
unique color that catches my eye I capture it immediately.” This interest shows in the distinct palette she chooses for each row of photos. As such, fashion plays a significant role in her lifestyle, as she dresses according to a color scheme she has chosen every day. She said, “A few sets of photos are dedicated to my favorite stores and designers such as Gentle Monster, Dover Street Market, and Comme des Garçons.” Since each row of “film strip” represents a segment from the past, Olivia could not choose a favorite. She says, “I think that each row reminds me of a certain past memory, of a certain place and time.” Olivia advises anyone who wants to start an Instagram feed to “be consistent with [using filters].” On a last note, she encourages users to be courageous: “Don’t be scared to spam your followers’ feeds though some would complain about it to you!”
morris yang MOST CHANGED By Vanessa Tsao (‘19) As a film enthusiast and a senior about to attend film school at New York University Tisch, Morris had discovered and developed his interests in high school. He says, “I changed in a lot of ways. I found my passion in filmmaking and music production and became a huge hip-hop aficionado. I also got a lot more friends and became more positive on my outlook towards life.” Pondering about his favorite films, Morris Yang (‘18) deliberated, before finally decides upon “Fight Club”, “A Clockwork Orange,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “The Room.” “A Clockwork Orange was what got me watching films in the first place,” said Morris, but he also added that these films have not only impacted him as a filmmaker, but as a person too. In freshman year, he was a student aid for film studies with middle school librarian, Mr. Peter Giordano, after he spent eighth grade watching films and talking to him extensively about films. His love for film only deepened when he joined the Upper School film production class. His passion for music
developed unconventionally, and the Morris in middle school would probably be astounded that his high school self loved music. He said, “In middle school, I hated music so much that I decided to do the Music Mix class in seventh and eighth grade.” Music Mix class was a way to fulfill the music course requirement without learning an instrument. But surprisingly, Morris ended up winning an award for it in eighth grade. In high school, he had not planned on doing music, until an unexpected offer changed his mind. “In sophomore year, my teacher, Ms. Jennifer Anderson, said there was a class created, Music Production, which was basically the Music Mix of high school. I joined with my friend and we’ve been in the same class for two years.” Hip-hop has also made a profound impact on Morris, even shaping his cultural identity. “Some hip hop artists like ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ and ‘The WuTang Clan’ helped with shaping my identity. At that time I didn’t feel proud of being Asian, but they had Asian cultural references in their music,” he said. He said
that the message these artists promoted was “be proud of your culture,” which helped him reflect and reconnect with his own heritage. “I’m from Taipei, that’s my roots, my heritage,” Morris said. Everyone has their “glow-up” moment, and so did Morris. He said, “I am completely different [from] how I was in freshman year. I used to be overweight and incredibly shy, but after a year of exercise and self-reflecting I became a healthy and confident individual.” He took fitness training in sophomore year, enjoying it a lot. He said, “I was the only one [in my class] who concentrated on working out, and I also extended my workout time into lunch. That’s two hours of non-stop exercise every other day.” But his hard work paid off as he lost 14 kilograms and experienced a significant boost in his self esteem. While reflecting on his high school experience, Morris described it as an overall time of personal growth where he learned new things, adopted new attitudes towards life, and flourished. “I’m really happy and proud of myself for that change,” he said.
6
the blue & gold may 18, 2018
POST-HIGH SCHOOL BLUES (AND GOLDS) The four graduating seniors of the Blue & Gold staff reflect on their years writing for the school newspaper.
on time.” H e recalled having feasts during layout sessions with nostalgia, “There was one layout day where we got really hungry, so Christine and Charlotte went to Sprout and brought back lots of sweet potato fries for everyone.” He will miss writing for the Blue & Gold, as it has given him opportunities to explore new perspectives and
ONG: STAFF RE K PO EY R RT D
A staff writer for the Blue & Gold for two years, Audrey says that being in the Blue & Gold helped her be more conscious of her surrounding community. “Through the lens of the Blue & Gold, I was able to look behind the scenes of students’ lives, teachers’ lives, extracurriculars, and school events,” she said. Little moments made her
ER
AU
Julian has been writing for the Blue & Gold for two years, serving as Opinions and Verdict editor this year. He loves working with fellow Blue & Gold staff members, saying, “My favorite part of being in the Blue & Gold was definitely how laid-back and friendly the working environment of the class is. I got to know a lot of people and bond with them through layout frantically rushing to get the paper done
B&G journey memorable, i n c l u d i n g listening to siblings Charlotte Lee (‘20) and Julian Lee (‘18) bicker to talking about journalism adviser Ms. Lindsey Kundel’s stylist dying her hair the wrong shade, and more. Writing for the B&G provided Audrey with challenges that she appreciates, as they
“My favorite part of being in B&G was definitely how laid-back and friendly the working environment of the class is.” Still, Julian enjoys the prospect of tackling new challenges as he moves on from high school.
helped her constantly test her own limits: “You have to do things that make you uncomfortable, such as approaching strangers for interviews, or attempting to rush someone for a comment because you have a deadline,” she said. She will miss TAS in general as well, saying, “I’ll miss being a part of the clubs that I’m a part of, like Athletics Council, but I’ll mainly miss all the school events like IASAS, dance productions and musicals.”
Being in the B&G helped Audrey be more conscious of her surrounding community. Though she will miss Taipei’s wonderful food and convenience, she looks forward to exploring Boston and its great food as she heads off to Boston University this fall.
A Blue & Gold staff member for two years and the Sports editor for one, Daniel Wang reflects on what he learned from the class, “I joined the Blue & Gold to write about sports, but I learned so much more.” He said, “I’m not really a creative person, but I learned how to design pages and write about way more things other than sports.” Daniel particularly enjoyed the nature of the class. He said, “I always loved how the class works. We get to write about what we like writing about, and one way or another, we find ourselves in the midst of a discussion or a debate about something.”
DA
topics in the community, as well as to make many friends. While he does not see himself pursuing journalism as a career, he said, “It would be an honor to continue writing for a college publication—although I hear those can be really hard to get into, so we’ll see how that develops.” He looks forward to attending Harvard University. “I’m really excited to take all the wonderful and interesting university classes, but also, I hope to learn from the diversity of college, get some hands-on experience, and figure out what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, because I really have no idea right now.”
“I’m not really a creative person, but I learned how to design pages and write about way more things other than sports.”
Kevin Lee felt like the Blue & Gold was a huge opportunity for him: “I’ve always wanted to be part of the media, and joining the Blue & Gold was it.” As a staff writer, the Blue & Gold offered him a space where he could have his voice heard, “whether it is to make the school a better place or to find new places to dine around Taipei, the Blue & Gold is a place where your opinions can be heard.” His time in the Blue & Gold taught him many skills from meeting deadlines to balancing writing and photography. “Both writing and photography are equally as important; there cannot be a great article without an eyecatching photo,” he said. The most enjoyable time he had was “making spreads and learning to come up with contingency plans if an article or
EWS/ SP OR NG:N A TS W L ED E NI
R ITO
N
PINIONS/VERD O IC E: TE LE
R TO DI
JU LIA
By Vanessa Tsao (‘19) and Kelly Phil (‘20)
Other than the class itself, Daniel said he will miss many of the activities he did at TAS. He said, “I’ll definitely miss traveling for IASAS and playing sports for TAS in general.” After living in Taiwan for 9 years, Daniel saidmm he will also miss “the convenience and the food in Taipei,” and continued saying: “It’s just so convenient and I love it here, I’ll definitely miss it when I leave.”
I n the fall, Daniel looks forward to attending Claremont McKenna College. Although he does not plan on pursuing journalism as a career, he said, “I think writing about sports helped me realize that I want to be involved in sports my whole life. Who knows, I might end up in sports business or back in journalism writing for ESPN.”
EE: STAFF REPO L N RT VI ER E K
photo had to be replaced.” He said, “The adrenaline of working to meet the deadline drives me to be a better journalist.” He will also look back fondly on humorous memories: “Underclassmen asking for my charger every class...and redesigning the whole layout
three days before print.” As Kevin heads off to the University of California, Riverside, he will appreciate the memories he made here. “I will miss being in a family where we help each other when needed. In the B&G, we always have each other’s back,” he said.
7
the blue & gold may 18, 2018
“Tiger Marriages” : Alumni share their post-high school love stories
Cynthia and Alfred attend the annual Ivy Ball for Ivy League school alumni. [PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN WOO]
By Anya Lai (‘19) Imagine marrying the person you never spoke to on the school bus. This is Cynthia Hsu (‘91) and Alfred Woo (‘89)’s story. Cynthia and Alfred met through a mutual friend after they both finished college. Alfred said “I knew she was the one I was going to marry” right after they re-met; they got married the next year. They have come a long way from high school, where they knew of each other because of IASAS sports but rarely
talked. Although a debate on whether or not they should fly in an expensive photographer to document the wedding was hard to overcome, Alfred and Cynthia have been married happily for around 18 years now, with many happy memories of sharing breakfast at their favorite Jewish deli after a run in Central Park. Both of them have never thought of marrying someone from Taipei American School; however, they encourage continuing highschool relationships in college as it
is “great to find your partner so early.” Lauren Woo (‘20), daughter of Cynthia and Alfred, does not entirely agree with this. “I don’t think it’s realistic because I have seen so many long-distance partners fail, and people also change a lot as we grow up.” Despite this, Lauren is always eager to share her parents’ love story. Her younger siblings, Emily Woo and Renee Woo, will be transferring to the class of ‘24 and ‘26, respectively, next school year.
Justin and Antoniette pose for wedding photos on June 2, 2016. [COCO LEE/THE BLUE & GOLD]
Justin Cho (‘11) and Antoniette Chang (‘11) first met in Mrs. Ether Wong’s eighth grade math class. They started off as classmates who occasionally spoke to each other to ask what the homework was, but their occasional interactions grew into a friendship that eventually sparked the relationship that still exists today. Though high school sweethearts are often stereotyped as having perfect relationships, Antoniette admits that the couple faced obstacles along
the way, especially while maintaining a long distance relationship after high school. She said, “Although we were lucky and were only two hours away by bus and train between New York and Philadelphia, it was hard to get used to seeing each other only once or twice a month from almost every day in high school. We had to find a way to continue living our own lives while still being there for one another when needed.” Throughout their long distance journey, being
dependable for one whilst pursuing their own interests has been a prominent theme of Antoniette and Justin’s relationship. After eight years of dating, Antoinette and Justin got married during the summer of 2016. Eager to share their experience, they comment on how high school sweethearts are a “relationship that takes years to build,” and is different than all others. “You’ve seen each other go through life and grow into adults. This person has accepted and loved you at every stage of your life unconditionally.”
Going solo: Alumna backpacks through Europe
Marching on: alumni serves nation through military service
By Barron Tsai (‘19)
By Vanessa Tsao (‘19)
Early in her senior year, Cherice Tsai (‘17) stumbled upon a community of female solo-traveling YouTubers. She was intrigued by their experiences acclimating to foreign locations. By the end of her senior year, Cherice had decided to spend the few months she had before university started in Australia backpacking through Europe. “It just seemed like such an empowering and challenging experience that I wanted to indulge in,” she says. When she boarded the flight to her first destination in Europe, Rotterdam, she was not sure what to expect. She did not think she would be able to do it: visit 17 unfamiliar cities with just two backpacks. Those feelings of uncertainty soon fell away to excitement. Over the course of her travels, she met a breathtaking assortment of people from different ages, backgrounds, and countries. Regardless of differences, Cherice says, “Being a traveler brings everyone together.” In Paris, she met five young men who had just quit serving for the French Foreign Legion, the branch of the French Army open to foreign recruits. For one night in Paris, as the lights of the Eiffel Tower blinked in
the distance, the boys revisited their homes in spirit—Poland, Miami, South Africa—and told her stories of their times in the French Foreign Legion. In Rome, she met Marcello, an Italian man “who drove to show [Cherice and a group of fellow backpackers] overlooking the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.” In Bratislava, Cherice met Diedre, a South African, who “explained to [her] the pronunciation of the
She did not think she would be able to do it: visit 17 unfamiliar cities with just two backpacks— those feelings of uncertainty soon fell away to excitement. alphabet for Afrikaans [while] in
a bomb-shelter cafe.” In Zurich, she met German Rita, “who was so excited to share her experience completing a mindfulness workshop in zurich.” In Prague, Cherice met
Tamar (Tom), an ISM graduate from the Class of 2017—and then promptly met another IASAS alum, from ISKL. In Germany, she met Ralf, who exclaimed, “We’re neighbors! I work in Hong Kong,” and then had a “conversation about the ethics of self-driving cars, robots and philosophical thought experiments that relate to his work as a software engineer and with robotics” with her. In Bruges and Rotterdam, she enjoyed the company of Kevin, a Dutchman “who tirelessly explained his passion for movies, for stoicism and for self-improvement.” Though the experiences she enjoyed and people she met were wide and incredibly varied, all of them truly broadened Cherice’s perspective on the world. As she says, “Even in the mundane everything things you encounter, you learn things you didn’t think you would.” Looking back, Cherice says, “I would absolutely recommend solo backpacking. Even for those studying in the United States, if the experience puts you a year behind your peers, it’s still worth considering: if you make good use of the time, it can be such a rewarding experience that you cannot get from studying and socializing in a college setting.”
While most envision military service as a dull, tough cycle of daily physical training and military drills, alumni Gerald Foo (‘16) who is currently serving in Singapore, has an unusual duty: tracking down those who do not turn up for compulsory National Service. “This job is probably as interesting as clerical jobs get in the army,” Gerald said. Now in his eighth month of national service, Gerald works with the brigades and military police to track down those who do not attend national service. But first, he has to get through a grinding morning of physical training. On easy days, he and his fellow servicemen go for a near 5-kilometer run, then run through some “army staples” such as pushups and sit-ups. “On hard days we do some form of interval training like sprints and more strength exercises,” he says. Then they wash up and head for lunch, which they call “chow,” before Gerald heads off armed with house visitation reports. “I head towards the houses of AWOL servicemen around Singapore to ask about their whereabouts,” he said. Contrary to popular belief, his role is not to arrest these servicemen. “I perform reconnaissance
on these houses to determine if there is a need for the military police to be involved.” As daunting as this task sounds, most of the time when he informs the servicemen or their family members about the consequences of AWOL—
“I sympathize with most of these AWOL folks, as they’re most from broken families, or just struggle to put bread on the table.” which ranges from fines to detention barracks—they seem concerned but courteous. “However, I have definitely encountered disgruntled servicemen or family members who raise their voices at any mention of a charge. In short, if the servicemen cooperate, we need not waste resources sending the military police over,” Gerald said. He described one memborable visit: “Once, I arrived at a serviceman’s house
to find an open door, and he was sitting on a black couch watching TV. I recognised him from the photo,” Gerald said. “When I asked for him, he replied with a spontaneous ‘Not home!’ I asked him again if he was sure, to no avail,” said Gerald. Gerald emphasizes that he had nothing against these AWOL servicemen despite some of their attitudes toward him. “In fact, I sympathize with most of these AWOL folks, as they’re most from broken families or just struggle to put bread on the table.” Reflecting on his national service experience so far, he did not expect that his commanders would be this nice. “Most understand that service is mandatory and cut us some slack, at least for my unit,” he said. He also saw national service as a good time of reflection for him, allowing him to decide what he is truly passionate about in life. Since he does not get to choose who he works or lives with, Gerald had to learn how to work with different people. He said, “They may be an unreasonable officer, a serial molester or a 22-yearold with a Masters from Oxford, all of whom exist in my camp alone, which keeps things interesting for sure.”
CLASS OF 2018 COLLEGE DESTINATIONS:
NEW SCHOOL, NEW HOME, NEW LIFE
As the year comes to an end, the CLASS OF 2018 prepares for their next journey to continue their passion in various fields. Below is the list of the college destinations.
WEST
EAST
Brigham Young University-Idaho: Aidan Chiles Brigham Young University-Utah: Brandon Chen California Lutheran University: David Mizukoshi California Polytechnic State University: Audrey Tsung Chapman University: Claudia Sheng, Tiffany W. Chen Claremont McKenna College: Daniel Wang Minerva Schools at KGI: Oliver Feuerhahn Santa Clara University: Elsa Lee, Isabelle Sung, Paul Huang Stanford University: Alex Huang UC Berkeley: Candice Lee, Marina Chang, Sarah Chin, Wesley Wang UC Davis: Carolyn Sui, Clarence Abrena, Jeremy Mindich, Max Lin UC Irvine: Cassandra Yeh UC Los Angeles: Dale Hsu, Melody Chen, Tiffany Chiang UC Riverside: Kevin Lee UC San Diego: Eugene Kao UC Santa Barbara: Monica Fan, Stephanie Wei UC Santa Cruz: Derek Shieh University of Northern Colorado: Adam Maston University of Oregon: Leon Yang, Rigel Anestos, Trinity Chang University of Southern California: Amanda Tsai, Austin Huang, Bethany Lai, Jonathan C. Huang, Justin Chang, Simon Oh University of the Pacific: Leigh McLellan University of Washington: Cynthia Yeh, Kristy Lee, Vivian Chien, Yvonne Hao Utah State University: Renon Barlow
Babson College: Keanu Leibowitz Boston College: Ryan Suen Boston University: Audrey Kong, Brandon Kao, Edward Ang, Koichi Yang, Raymond Jiang, Sarah Huang Brandeis University: Ray Chiao Bryn Mawr College: Serena Yang Carnegie Mellon University: Ashley Shu, Jonathan K. Huang, Natalie Hon, Robert Yang, Sean Chen, Thomas Chen Columbia University: Brian Kuo Cornell University: Ashley Lin, Collin Chen, Daniel Lee, Jonathan Hsu Curtis Institute of Music: Rachael Lee Fordham University at Lincoln Center: Matthew Chen Harvard University: Julian Lee Johns Hopkins University: Julia Lin Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Janice Yang Middlebury College: Claire Moy New York University: Brent Lin, Dennis Hsu, Eliot Wang, Justin Wu, Katherine Hsu, Kayleigh Chen, Lauren Lin, Li-Chun Pan, Melody Lo, Morris Yang, Sam Silveira, Sharon Chang Northeastern University: Dylan Lu, Garett Huang, Kevin Yu, Nicholas Lin, Shantih Whiteford, Victor Chang, William Li Parsons School of Design, The New School: James Lien Pratt Institute: Ashli Huang, Claire Young, Huan Hsu Princeton University: Gene Chou Simmons College: Melody Tuan Stony Brook University: Brian Hsiao Syracuse University: Alexander Dong, Andrew Chen Tufts University: Kelly Hsu University at Buffalo: Christopher Liaw University of Pennsylvania: Florence Liou Wellesley College: Annabel Uhlman, Chansie Yang, Jessica Wegner, Nicole Hang
SOUTH College of William & Mary: Austin Curtis Duke University: Justin Pei, Justin Yang, Yichin Tsai Emory University: Allen Huang, Emily Wang, Joseph Pogue, Ryan Sun, Stanford Chuang Rice University: Catherine Yeh University of Alabama: Nick Kash Vanderbilt University: Aire Wu, Scott Kang Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: Kurt Peng
MIDWEST Case Western Reserve University: Timothy Fuh Grinnell College: Becky Roffler Loyola University Chicago: Krysia Yeh Northwestern University: Jerry Zhang Purdue University: Ethan Hu, Jack Chen, Philip Hsu University of Chicago: Laura Chen, Niralee Shah University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Andrew Lin, Ariel Lin, Melissa Pai, Phoebe Chen, Sujin Park University of Michigan: Christine Lu, Kerry Lee, Raymond Ku, Tiffany Chen, William Chen University of North Dakota: Chloe Shu University of Notre Dame: Daniel Lin, Rose Hsu Washington University in St. Louis: Bryan Lo, Nicole Chang
OTHER Singapore Armed Forces: Benjamin Loo, Zheng Yuan Mor
PHOTO BY KEVIN LEE (‘18)
INTERNATIONAL Beijing Film Academy: Johnson Thai Hosei University: Jing Tang Imperial College London: Joshua Liu London School of Economics and Political Science: Shuhei Omi Polimoda University: Jollene Liu Queen’s University: Evan McFarlane University of British Columbia: Christine Chen University of Edinburgh: Brian Kim, Christine Wan, Colin Huang, Yvonne Wei University of Hong Kong: Audrey Tei University of New South Wales: Riya Parmar University of Toronto: Iris Liu, Jacob Lin, Matthew Yang, Theodora Tang, Yale-National University of Singapore College: Andrew Li, Ruchel Phua
NO RESPONSE GIVEN Catherine Teng, Christy Cheung, Erica Liu, Erina Sawa, Henry Lin, Hubert Elly, Janet Hu, Juliana Aung, Juliane Chiang, Justin Bao, Kein Yamada, Kevin Yi, Michelle Lai, Mika Chao, Olivia Liang, Peipei McMahon, Roslyn Lee, Sharon Chou, Soozie Choi, Tarun Ramachandran, Vincent Chen, Whitney Tran, William Wu
the blue & gold may 18 , 2018
SENTIMENTAL STORIES
9
By Charlotte Lee (‘20) and Julian Lee (‘18) PHOTOS BY KEVIN LEE (‘18)
As the Class of 2018’s seniors prepare to leave Taipei American School behind, we asked them to share the memories that shaped their time here, from lower school to senior year. These stories range from the life-changing to the just plain funny, and encompass everything in between. All of them, though, represent what has made the last 12 years unforgettable.
Ethan Hu
Shantih Whiteford
Lessons about lying
Fourth grade friendship
“One day, in Ms. Balshaw’s first-grade class, I was singing this song, and it included the word ‘kill’,” said Ethan Hu (‘18). Ms. Balshaw sent Ethan to see Lower School principal Mr. Rick Rabon, who gave him a letter of apology that he had to take home and ask his parents to sign. That would have been the end of the business, except that 6-year-old Ethan chose to keep the letter tucked away in his backpack and never showed it to his parents. To his surprise, the next day, Ms. Balshaw
asked to see the letter as his pass to recess. “I just wanted to go play at recess,” he said. “So I lied and told her it was signed.” “But she made me show her...and it was empty. She sent me back to Mr. Rabon, and instead of getting in trouble for saying ‘kill,” I also got in trouble for lying to teachers.” Ultimately, though, the whole fiasco turned out to be much ado about nothing. “I was really scared,” he recalls, “but surprisingly, my parents weren’t even mad.”
Nicole Hang
Showing love through candy As Nicole Hang (‘18) reflects on her middle school days, the main thing she remembers is how supportive friends were of each other. On the day of the biannual candy gram distribution, she received over 50 candy grams from her friends. “People didn’t mind spending money on others just to show how much they appreciated each other. That year, I sent probably like 50 [candy grams] too...But I didn’t mind because I wanted to show my friends that I loved them.” Over half a decade later, inevitably, friend groups changed.
“It’s kind of sad, in a way. I think the transition between middle school and high school is that we all found our different groups of friends. Everyone has their own cliques, so I guess then you spend money on your own group of friends.” Students no longer buy bags of Tootsie Roll Pops and Twix bars to express their appreciation. Instead, she said, “A lot of times we have lunch with each other. We take the time out of our day...and talk to each other about serious and interesting things That’s how we show we love our friends.”
Victor Chang A courtside miracle Joining the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools basketball team as a freshman is rare. Winning the tournament altogether, at home court, is truly an experience to remember. Victor’s first ever IASAS game was against the International School of Manila. “I almost crapped myself,” Victor said. “Everybody was looking at me and expecting me to contribute. I remember there was a section of people watching—some people from our grade— Keanu, Oliver, Simon, some
“At first, when I went into fourth grade, of course I was nervous—because the first day of school is always nerve-wracking,” said Shantih Whiteford (‘18). “But then I saw our classroom, and it had these colorful rainbow strips hanging down from the door. And our teacher, Mr. [Rock] Hudson, was super friendly and he had a really shiny bald head.” Fears soothed, Shantih also found out that her best friend, Adra Kreiling, was in her homeroom, and the two soon formed a tight-knit friend group
with a few boys from their class. “We met every single day during recess at the blue bleachers next to the Upper Field to play,” Shantih said. “We used to catch lucky bugs and race them. We hung a water bottle from the top of the bleachers—back in the dark days when the school still used plastic water bottles. The brand of the bottle was Whistler, and so we called ourselves Club Whistler.” While Club Whistler was long since disbanded, its fourth-grade memories still remain with Shantih to this day.
ZY Mor
Motivation for transformation
When Zheng Yuan Mor (‘18) was a freshman, he was stick-skinny. Over the course of his sophomore year he transformed to a strong 85-kilogram powerlifter. “I was watching this TV show where the main character could not do anything, and he kept losing to the bad guy. I thought what if that was me, what would I do? I said ‘Nothing.’ Because I’m small,” he said, reflecting on his prelifting days. “The first day I went into the gym...I was waiting for the benchpress, and there was
this senior using it for straight up 30 minutes. So I asked him, ‘Hey dude, are you done?’” To ZY’s surprise, the senior started swearing at him and told him to go away. Then, one of his friends pulled him away and said, “You know, ZY, in the gym, the biggest guy can do whatever he wants.” From that moment on, ZY decided, “If that’s the rule, then I’ll be the biggest guy.” ZY started lifting every single day. And eventually, his clothes that used to hang loosely off of his body became tight.
Thomas Chen
A rollercoaster to remember
teachers. I know Mr. Ross Olson was definitely there.” As the team made their way to the finals, Victor was prepared to settle for silver. Victor said, “They had a timeout and they had the ball. I was so scared that we were gonna blow the lead. When they missed a shot and we did win...the first person I grabbed and hugged was Joe Meng. He was one of the guys that I was closest to. I remember going under the bridge, getting into the team huddle, and coach making us Nae Nae as a team.”
Leading up the final day of Spirit Week, Thomas Chen (‘18) had already led the Class of 2018 countless times in their trademark “Rollercoaster” cheer. The “Rollercoaster,” an idea Thomas initially discovered for Field Day, features 200 seniors throwing up their hands, swerving in their seats, and screaming in exhilarated unison, as if riding a rollercoaster. As the assembly drew to an end, halfway through the sophomore Airband performance, the sound system malfunctioned. “The seniors felt kind of bad... we love the sophomores. We
decided to show them some love.” So Thomas decided to start up the cheer, which he describes as “iconic,” one last time. “The juniors joined in, and then the sophomores joined us,” Thomas said. “Three grades did it together, and I thought: ‘You know what, why not let the freshmen hop on the train?’’ So, Thomas jogged into the center of the gym and turned the entire Upper School into his personal “Rollercoaster.” “I waved my hands one way, and everyone went that way. I think I’ve developed a taste for power,” Thomas said.
11
the blue & gold may 18, 2018
From Pokemon to penguins: revisiting memorable trends By Kelly Phil (‘20) and Kevin Lee (‘18)
Trends come and go, and whether they are embarrassing to look back on or worth bringing back, they have helped shape our school experience. They form the backbone of our pop culture, and we will look back on them with fond nostalgia after we graduate. So, without further ado, we revisit and rate the excitement surrounding the popular trends that defined our early years.
We used to wish that Pokemon would come to life from trading cards. On July 6, 2016, Nintendo made those childhood dreams come true by releasing the augmented reality game, Pokemon Go. Featuring over 200 Pokemon, as well as the incentive of collecting candies to level up, friends competed to “catch ‘em all.” Across Taipei, crowds stampeded when rare Pokemon appeared—yet the game seemed to die out as quickly as it popped up.
Silly Bandz, colorful rubber bands that twisted into a variety of animals and figures, were all the rage in lower school. They enabled us to trade squirrels for dinosaurs, and alligators for Christmas trees. Nobody was immune from the Silly Bandz craze: we strove to see who could wear the most ridiculously unnecessary number of bands on our arms. The most iconic pack was the Under the Sea Pack with the ultimate prizes of seahorses and dolphins.
The Cat’s Cradle is one of the oldest games in history. Players take turns trying to manipulate a long string into new patterns, competing to see who makes a mistake first. This game became ubiquitous in Taipei American School’s classrooms and hallways throughout our lower and middle school years. It seemed as though everyone developed their own unique strategies and used any chance possible to host impromptu tournaments.
Before Fortnite and Clash Royale, Club Penguin was the go-to game of TAS students. For many, it was the first online game they ever played. As we explored Club Penguin’s world with the personas of our penguins, we bought adorable puffles and decorated our igloos, while playing rock paper scissors to try to defeat other players at the ‘dojo.’ Although the game was discontinued in 2017, it will always remain a source of happiness from our childhoods.
[ETSY]
In middle school, you were not considered “cool” unless you had a black Beats By Dr. Dre headphone case dangling from your laptop. The minimalistic design, combined with the endorsement of celebrities, meant that everyone was scrambling for a pair. Beats Solo HD came in white, black, and red, but if you wanted to maximize your cool factor, you would sport the higher-end Beats Studio, which were even bulkier and offered noise cancellation.
Cat’s Cradle
[TOM’S GUIDE]
[ELECTROTECH]
Club Penguin
Beats By Dr. Dre
[KIDSPOT]
[DAILY BRUIN]
[VALOSO]
Silly Bandz
Pokemon Go
Zipper lanyard chains
Zipper lanyard chains were something that no wrist or backpack in the lower school could be seen without. As many experienced students received multiple requests from their friends to make bracelets from strands of plastic zippers, these types of chains soon shot up in popularity. Many students turned to YouTube for tutorials on how to master the most difficult of patterns and used those honed skills to create beautiful chains for their lucky friends.
“A Quiet Place”: a horror film lacking in horror By Tyler Chen (‘21)
In a post-apocalyptic world where talking can get you killed and humans are no longer at the top of the food chain, “A Quiet Place” features a family fighting to survive. John Krasinski both directs and co-stars in the horror film, along with his wife, Emily Blunt. Krasinski plays Lee Abbott, a father trying to protect his family from terrifying, blind monsters hunting humans exclusively by sound. The unique idea to set the movie in silence
emphasizes the atmosphere of constant fear that the Abbott family lives in. The movie begins with the family walking across a bridge, as Beau, the youngest of the three children, turns on his toy, which emits a burst of sound. Immediately, all the other members look towards the source of noise, covering their mouths and struck with fear. The silence throughout the majority of the movie provides added thrill during the rare occasions where sound is used. Despite the novelty of silence and heart-wrenching fear, the beginning acts of “A Quiet Place” start off too slow.
By spending too much time trying to develop a relationship between the audience and characters, the movie sacrifices some of the suspense that makes a horror film enjoyable for audience members. As a horror film, “A Quiet Place” falls short—but as a familial thriller, the movie breaks new ground. Within the realm of fear, the movie incorporates timely themes of family and survival, exploring the extremes a person will endure for their family. In arguably the most intense scene in the movie, Evelyn Abbott, played by Emily Blunt, attempts to give birth in
a bathtub without making any noise. It explores the mother’s maternal instinct to protect her child, as she is unwilling to scream despite her tremendous agony. However, the same novelty that grabs an audience member’s attention also inhibits the audience from fully connecting with the characters. Although the audience feels empathy for the family’s situation, the connection between the characters and the audience cannot fully form without speech. The family communicates through sign language, which causes the dialogue to become too slow for
[PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES]
the audience to connect with. Overall, “A Quiet Place” intertwines the themes of family and fear—and ultimately, is a
remarkable story about family that unsuccessfully attempts to push the boundaries of the horror movie genre.
YEAR IN REVIEW
As summer vacation nears, now is the perfect time to look back on everything the TAS Upper School student body has accomplished and experienced together. Here is a roundup of the major events on the calendar during the 2017-2018 school year. TEXT BY CATHERINE LIN (‘19). PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHEREEN LEE (‘19), JAKARTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, TAIWAN YOUNG-STUDENT PHYSICISTS’ TOURNAMENT, AND MS. CAROL YOUSSIF.
OCTOBER
IASAS SEASON ONE
AUGUST NEW TRANSGENDER POLICY At the start of this school year, the administration introduced a new policy for transgender students, including official definitions of pertinent terms, antibullying policies, and privacy guidelines. Though the administration is currently not aware of any gendernonconforming students at TAS, the new policy was intended as a proactive measure to ensure and demonstrate the school’s inclusiveness and respect for transgender rights.
CANVAS REPLACED BLACKBOARD LEARN Within the past five years, TAS has transitioned from HomeworkNow.com to Blackboard Learn, and this year, to Canvas. The platform came with new features such as the gradebook, the calendar, and the discussion boards.
SEPTEMBER MAWI ASGEDOM VISIT
Push your turbo button! On Sept. 7, motivational Mawi Asgedom returned to TAS for the second time with catchphrases and jokes in tow. He spoke about his personal experience as an Ethiopian refugee and his insights on achieving both success and wellness, which inspired a fundraiser for the Selamta Family Project, a nonprofit organization working in Ethiopia.
FIELD DAY On Sept. 22, the Upper School student body participated in Field Day. Seniors won, while juniors placed second, sophomores third, and freshmen fourth. With seniors dominating event classics like Number Wave and freshmen bucking tradition in gray, this year’s fun-filled Field Day provided a great start to the school year.
“TWELFTH NIGHT” From Sept. 28-30, students performed “Twelfth Night,” a 1980s Miami rendition of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. Full of sly Shakespeare references, over-the-top hairstyles, enthusiastic lip-synching, and romantic shenanigans, the play had the audience in stitches, all the while having fun playing with its dual Shakespearean and 80s inspirations.
From Oct. 13-15, cross-country, soccer, and volleyball athletes represented TAS at their respective IASAS championships. The boys cross-country team medalled for the first time in 11 years, clinching a bronze. The girls team placed fifth. The girls soccer team won their second consecutive silver medal, while the boys team ended their 16-game losing streak with a bronze. The boys volleyball team won the silver medal, while the girls won their second bronze medal in a row.
“ANASTASIA” From Oct. 25-28, students performed “Anastasia.” The production, set in early 20th century Russia, told the legend of the princess Anastasia, who is said to be the only member of the Romanov royal family to escape execution after the Communist takeover of the country. Throughout the show, the dancers incorporated both Russian ballet and contemporary dance to portray the twists and turns of Anastasia’s journey.
NOVEMBER INTERNATIONAL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MACHINES COMPETITION
The TAS iGEM team won the Grand Prize at the competition’s showcase in Boston from Nov. 9-13. Their project this year focused on removing nanoparticle pollutants from wastewater, intended for implementation at wastewater treatment plants. The team successfully applied engineering principles to biological systems, manipulating DNA to solve real-world problems.
DECEMBER FITNESS CAFE CLOSED The Fitness Cafe closed for the construction of an indoor hallway connecting the Upper School Information Commons with the new Tech Cube building. The eatery will likely reopen at the same location once the hallway is completed in January 2019.
FROLIC
On Dec. 17, Upper School students attended the Student Governmenthosted dance Frolic, with its jazzy atmosphere, a theme of “After Hours,” and a new venue. This year’s StuGov created an engaging night with new and returning elements like drink mixing tables, raffle tickets, glow sticks, photo booths, blackjack tables, and superlatives.
JANUARY JACOB SOLL VISIT
In January, Jacob Soll, a professor of history and accounting at the University of Southern California, visited TAS as the Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholar. Beyond visiting numerous classes during his stay, he spoke at a schoolwide assembly about the importance of accounting in governance throughout history and in the present day.
IASAS CHESS On Jan. 27, six players and two alternates represented TAS at the IASAS chess tournament. The competition, organized by Jakarta Intercultural School this year, was held online. Though the team was mostly composed of firsttime participants, TAS won second place.
DAN-EL PERALTA VISIT
From Jan. 31-Feb. 2, classics professor Dan-El Peralta visited TAS as the Stanley ‘88 and Annabelle Ko Classics Visiting Scholar. He spoke to students at a schoolwide assembly about the history of citizenship. Peralta’s interest in citizenship is rooted in his background as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S.
FEBRUARY
IASAS SEASON TWO
From Feb. 1-3, swimming, basketball, tennis, touch rugby, and rugby athletes represented TAS at their respective IASAS championships, with TAS hosting touch and rugby. The boys swim team won gold, along with individual medals in four events. The girls placed fourth, breaking both TAS and IASAS records in the process. The girls basketball team won their second consecutive gold medal, while the boys team earned third place. The boys and girls tennis teams each placed fifth. At home, the girls touch rugby team achieved a bronze, while the boys earned fourth place.
SPIRIT WEEK From Feb. 5-9, the Upper School student body participated in Spirit Week. Seniors won, while sophomores placed second, juniors third, and freshmen fourth. This year’s Spirit Week saw a stunning sophomore Airband performance that wowed the audience, and the nostalgic senior class video had many in tears.
IASAS MATH
From Feb. 5-9, students took the American Mathematics Competition exam. Besides being the qualification exam for the American Invitational Math Examination, the AMC also doubled as the IASAS math competition, which compares the sum of the top five test scores of each school. This year, TAS won first place.
MARCH IASAS CULTURAL CONVENTION
From March 1-3, speech, music, art, drama, and tech delegates represented TAS at their respective IASAS Cultural Convention events, with TAS hosting music. For forensics and debate, TAS students placed in the finals for extemporaneous speaking, original oratory, and impromptu. Meanwhile, dancers performed their self-choreographed piece “Falling,” and drama delegates performed an adaptation of the novel “Of Mice and Men.”
SANDRA CISNEROS VISIT
From March 19-23, renowned author Sandra Cisneros visited TAS. At the schoolwide assembly, she read her short story “Eleven” and excerpts from her book “Caramelo.”
TAIWAN YOUNGSTUDENT PHYSICISTS’ TOURNAMENT
From March 16-19, two teams of five students participated in the Taiwan Young-Student Physicists’ Tournament, a physics debate competition. One team won first place, and the other won seventh place.
APRIL IASAS SEASON THREE From April 12-14, golf, badminton, track and field, and baseball athletes represented TAS at their respective IASAS championships. The girls and boys golf teams won their fourth and third consecutive gold medal respectively. The girls badminton team also won first place, continuing a 14-year streak, while the boys team earned a silver medal. The boys baseball, girls baseball, girls track and field, and boys track and field teams all placed fifth.
FIRST ROBOTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS From April 23-30, the FIRST Robotics Competition team traveled to Detroit for the World Championships. They reached the quarterfinals of their division and won its first elimination match at the World Championships for the first time in seven years.
ARTS FESTIVAL CONCERT
FINALE
On April 21, TAS orchestra and choir students performed in the arts festival finale concert, Music Through the Ages. Their guest conductor was Richard Gill, the Joanna Nichols Performing Artist in Residence and a multipletime visitor to TAS.
TASMUN
From April 28-29, TAS hosted its annual TASMUN conference. Over 500 participants from both around Taiwan and abroad simulated the United Nations.