President-Elect Obama

I’m not much of a blogger as evidenced by my inaction on this site, but what better reason is there to write than President-Elect Obama? Anyway, please bear with my self-indulgence with this next post, and forgive my optimism—I just can’t help it.

[Written 11-05-2008]

So how can I write about this, genuinely, in a way that doesn’t echo all the noise of the pundits, news articles, and political blogs? What can I write that’s true? That really expresses the deep import of it all?

From the start of this year, I’d always said 2008 would be a big year—a year of big happenings and big changes. Why did I think this? I don’t really know… I guess because personally I was really ready for it, ringing in anticipation for it. My life was changing; my friends’ lives were changing around me; Taiwan (where I was living at the time) was majorly changing, the Beijing Olympics were coming up; the globalized markets bounced up and down like a yo-yo; and of course… there was the Election.

I know I have little to compare it to, but I feel in my gut that this decade, and this year in particular, marks a new and distinct direction, and it seems as if all of a sudden, a collective consciousness and mobilized will has gelled across the nation. 2008 is the new 1968.

On election night, I watched the results with my friends, some of whom I had canvassed with in Virginia a few times. In Ulah’s Bistro on U Street, cheers erupted at every Obama take. Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania. Tar Heels picked up a Senate seat with Kay Hagan. New Hampshire picked up a Senator too. Periods of electric enthusiasm peppered lulls of quiet(er) waiting and commercial breaks.

State after state announced results. CNN made projections, often—puzzlingly—only after 3%, 5% of votes had been counted. But hours after polls closed in Virginia, why wouldn’t they announce results in a state where so many of us had invested our time and hope? After polling so many points ahead, colored blue on so many electoral maps—could it be that Virginia would go red after all?

Waiting, waiting, waiting…

Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio

Finally,

Virginia

51% Obama
49% McCain

(The final count puts Obama at 52% with a 5 point lead, but these were the results at the time of CNN’s projection)

Virginia goes blue! President. Senate. Governor

We scream scream scream! Turns out, all our efforts had amounted to something. What we did really mattered, and mattered all the more for the small margin and nail-biting finish.

We are the momentum of a sea change in America.

But that’s not all. After Virginia, we still wait. … but for what? It’s clear Obama will win… unless McCain wins California… and Oregon… and Washington… and all the states in between. Even so, we cannot leave. It’s not enough yet, and so we wait.

As the final polls on the West Coast close, we count down as one, not knowing why we are counting—but even this was a small part of belonging to a something big, and it felt good to do it.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 …

OBAMA WINS THE PRESIDENCY!!!
11 PM EST

Shock!

So soon?!?


Jumping Screaming Hugging Crying

Our bodies cannot convey what we feel. They cannot move enough, do enough, release enough to express this great catharsis, months and months—maybe even years—in coming.

Jubilant, moved, and greatly relieved, everyone celebrates together. We’re strangers mostly, but tonight we are united and made familiar by hope and history.

We rush out onto the streets, grabbing, jumping, screaming, made heady with joy and relief.

We have taken back our country.

What we do matters. What we think matters. We have ownership of our democracy, of our government, of our country, of our future. We have taken back our country and things will never be the same. We will remember the power of our voices and move even greater mountains in the knowledge of this power.

There is nothing we cannot do if we try

That's the Way the Banana Peels

So the other week, I went to get some scooter maintenance. At the shop, the proprietors started making conversation, and inevitably came the fascination/incomprehension of "Wait... you're Taiwanese, but you're American? You speak Chinese, but you really speak English?" etc. etc.

Now, the woman of the shop is very typically Taiwanese, and instantly claimed to understand the entire situation, in a friendly and inclusive way that nonetheless brooked no dissent.

"Oh! You're a banana. Just like my friend's niece!" (A banana, if you don't know is yellow on the outside and white on the inside).

Bingo! It's like my whole life suddenly became clear. It was so simple really. Then she continued to explain to me, very authoritatively, what that meant, what her friend's niece is like, what America is like, and how Chinese-Americans find and adapt to Taiwan. Apparently, sometimes they can't actually read Chinese, much less write the language (despite being Chinese--for shame!) and are quite helpless--practically little children who rely on the guidance of others, but at the same time making good money at English cram schools (by the way, how much money do I make anyway?). Essentially, it was concluded that her friend's niece and I must be the same person.

Anyway, after a long and amusing, if somewhat awkard exchange along these lines, my scooter was ready. On my way out, in the brusque Taiwanese manner of impressing gifts of food upon guests, friends, anyone you meet, the woman insisted that I take a bag of bananas with me. After all, I'd never had proper Taiwanese bananas like these before (she was sure). After the perfunctory 'no no, I couldn't, don't trouble yourself' routine I accepted the bag and promised to come back everytime my scooter broke down.

In the end, I decided there was a nice symmetry to this gesture. Now just to confound the issue a bit, these special Taiwanese bananas are larger than normal and--interestingly, they have these dark red-brown lustrous peels. But of course they are still white on the inside. Maybe this is all just to say, though they may be special and Taiwanese, but in the end, it's still just a banana.

It's Not All Fun and Games

There are those moments in the classroom that you're just not really ready for, especially if, say, you're not actually trained as a teacher. Those expected roadbumps aside, there are definitely some cultural gulfs as well.

For example: Every Monday, I ask my kids what they did over the weekend. Today, one kid comes in and tells me that this weekend she went to her school (something people do often here on the weekends to use the fields and courts and things) with her dad and brother to play. Her dad was playing basketball with some other guys including a few high school students. One of the kids (18 yrs old) elbows him in the face and pisses him off, so her dad punches the kid (who is now on the ground) multiple times so hard that he breaks his own hand and has to go to the doctor. My student obviously thinks the whole thing is wildly entertaining, giggling through the whole story, expecting me to laugh, which I do not. I have a great poker face, but I couldn't help but be clearly disgusted. Basically, a 40-yr old man beats an 18 yr-old kid in front of his two children, and his daughter thinks the whole thing is funny and then justifies it to me by saying that her father was really angry.

The Taiwanese are truly unparalleled in healthy anger management.

My Tet in the 'Nam

For those of you who didn't know--I spent Lunar New Year in Vietnam. I spent about 5-6 days in Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon, and about 5 days in Da Nang (China Beach) and Hoi An. It was an absolutely fantastic trip, and I don't really have the words for it. There are too many things to say and too many stories to tell that I don't think I'm going to try. Enjoy the pictures (sorry there aren't too many people shots--I was traveling alone for awhile), and I promise, next time we meet, I'll regale you in person. In the end, all you need to know is that you should go. Check the sidebar for pictures! And Chuc Mung Nam Moi (Happy New Year!) And that picture is of me squeezing into a tunnel in Cu Chi. It was small.

Welcome to the New Year : Holidays in Taiwan

Since last time, I have three big events and three big albums.

(1) Christmas show at school.
This was an insane amount of work but it was also really really fun. It's the most arts and crafts and singing I've done in a long long time. I'm thinking... summer camp? And it had that feel too. Tons of fun for me and the kids. Also, I couldn't have been any prouder of my kids. They really delivered the kids and were absolutely fantastic. Check out the pictures--they were super impressive.

(2) Christmas itself was a minor production. It's not really celebrated in Taiwan, and I didn't have time off. In fact, I worked an extra 10 hour day that Saturday before (Christmas show). But, one really cool thing: Two guys from Chapel Hill came to Taiwan and stopped in Hsinchu to visit. I didn't know them that well before, but we had an awesome weekend, where I introduced them to the joy of Taiwanese pubs, country scooter rides, and the local hospital. Let's just say there was a minor scooter accident and a few stitches. Not to worry, it was cool. Health care in Asia is extremely efficient: minimal paperwork, wait time, fees--all the things health care should be. Though it was funny when the nurse looked at my friend Josh who had a gaping gash in his chin dripping blood and told me, "Please ask your friend where it hurts." Anyway, thanks for coming David and Marc! come again anytime. There's plenty of room.

(3) New Year's in Hong Kong--

don't know why I didn't think about this before I went, but Hong Kong was insanely crowded. Like... I've never known such a thing. We basically flew to Hong Kong to stand in lines for three days. You might think I"m exaggerating, but I promise, I"m only a little. Even for the actual countdown, we were in line. That said, Hong Kong was impressive in its social organization and cleanliness. Special Economic Zone is right--hardly mainland China. Anyways, it was a really fun couple of nights, and we met a bunch of er... overly-friendly Englishmen, Germans, French, a Swiss, and an awesome Filipino bartender. The view from the top of Victoria Peak is also too unbelievable for words and the pictures hardly do it justice. If you can... go to Hong Kong and see it for yourself. Just a word of caution--the lines are killer long.

OK--enjoy the pictures everyone! And hope 2007 is off to a smashing start for all of you.

Keeping up with the Joneses

(Jackie's last name is Jones)

So my birthday has 3 chapters. We'll start at the beginning.

Chapter 1 --Taipei

We drank, we danced, we stumbled home. There are some great picture sequences including one where Andy keeps telling me to lick his tongue and I try desperately to push him away. Even better, is the 21 kisses I received from complete strangers in the club--count them, there should be 17 smooches from strangers and 4 from people I actually know.

Chapter 2 --Filipino Magic Raver Party Disco 2000

It seems like we always end up at the Flying Pig, which only happens to be the filthiest of expat bars. But on this particular Sunday, the Filipinos rented it for their only day off (Filipinos in Taiwan are a bit like indentured servants, but I don't think the labor movement's really caught on in Taiwan yet...). Anyways, long story short, we danced with a bunch of Filipinos as part of an elaborate good-bye to three foreigners leaving the same week. Opportunely, the Filipinos also sang me happy birthday. The picture is of me perched on Dave's shoulders watching the 'Sexiest Couple' Dance. It was pretty out of hand.

Chapter 3--Sida, 105

No birthday is complete without cake smashed in your face. This was my 3rd birthday cake in the space of 3 days (my adult class surprised me with cake and flowers, my boss bought one, and Sida bought one), which by any measure is a bit much, but I suppose I didn't eat much of the last one. And I got a sweet hat. This also marks the only time this teacher's gone out hard on a schoolnight...

All in all, this was the BEST birthday I've ever had, mostly because it's the only one where I've actually seen friends. In previous lifetimes, December 19th has always hit Christmas season and people scatter. But Taiwan doesn't celebrate Christmas so my friends here pretty much didn't have a choice.

Stay tuned for my Christmas in Taiwan. Our school put on a huge Christmas production, and I am immeasurably proud of my kids. On a more social note, 2 Chapel Hillians visit Taiwan, and I would like to say it was quite memorable. Let's just say that we all ended up in the hospital on Christmas Eve.

Jackie turns 24... er I mean 23... or is it 32?

What a night. I had to string together 3 cameras just to piece together the whole story. Here are some excerpts from a drunken email Jackie wrote at 10 am the next morning… yes she was still drunk.

“I got a lot of cake in my face and then I ate it too.”

Jackie and I must have danced on the pole at the Flying Pig at least 4 times… and I’m pretty sure it was voluntarily. Same email, Jackie writes:

“my oroom mates are sleeping and I cna't lslepp, fuck those workds are spelled ewrong. fucking computer, type good ok ma…I may have had a microphone and the dancd flppr. What was I even doing? I definitely had a pole and I was defnitely dancin g on the pole, but i think I lost my new bracelet. it was here, with my arm, but where did it go?”

Also, Jackie took a full-on stage dive. Thank God it was onto Patrick’s back.


This weekend—let’s see if I can keep up with my own birthday celebration. Who knows, maybe I’ll speak in a British accent all night again… I learned all sorts of crude English slang that I’m told I should never repeat.

--Lastly, pictures are updated. I don’t even remember taking so many…