GYI 2015 Global Youth Institute 2015 in Taiwan

I suppose this is the true meaning of GYI:
A life-long friendship.

At the Dadaocheng Wharf in Taipei a few days ago, Dr. Tom Forsgren and I enjoyed some Taiwanese beer and a nice chat, catching up with each other. It’s been almost 10 years since last time we saw each other and 17 years since Dr. Forsgren’s last visit to Taiwan back in 2006.

In some way, GYI never disappeared, instead, it was deeply engraved on our heart.

We met as strangers. We grew as friends. We parted as one.

【Course Throwback 4 : 07/21 Taipei Walking Tour!!!】

We want to thank Taipei Walking Tour for showing us around Da-Dao-Cheng—a place full of the past stories of Taipei. We not only got a chance to visit the Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum and take a glance at different puppet characters introduced by the puppet master, but also walked through the Yong-Le Market, Xia-Hai City God temple and one of the oldest Watsons in town. While taking a sip of the herb tea and strolling along Di-Hua Street, our experienced tour guide Kay told us about the diverse styles that different buildings featured, including Baroque, Taiwanese, Postmodernism, Western…etc. We even got to walk in the oldest building ever built in Da-Dao-Cheng—the “Lin Wu-Hu Old House”, which is a tea-selling store now that gives free tours on a regular basis. Da-Dao-Cheng is now a mixture of the old and new culture, for example the URS127 (Urban Regeneration Station 127) is a building that was partly renewed, and is now aimed to promote the sustainable management of historic resources and spatial environment. The two hour tour was very informative, also by walking through the streets and corners, we explored the true Da-Dao-Cheng, and were amazed by how many stories it can hold!
THANK YOU AGAIN, TAIPEI WALKING TOUR!!! :-)

※If you are interested, more info can be found on their website:
http://www.taipei-walkingtour.tw/ #!home/cqql

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【課程回顧四：07/21台北城市散步】

我們想要謝謝「台北城市散步」帶著我們探索大稻埕－一個充滿舊台北故事的地方。我們除了參觀「林柳新紀念偶戲博物館」，欣賞師傅表演及講解不同角色的戲偶，還走經永樂市場、霞海城隍廟、屈臣氏大藥房等等。在享用青草茶的同時，我們步行迪化街，資深導覽員靜雲姊跟我們講解了迪化街最常見的四種建築風格－巴洛克式、後現代主義式、閩南式及洋樓。我們甚至走進了大稻埕最早的街屋－林五湖故居，這裡現在除了賣茶葉之外也會提供定期的導覽解說。大稻埕現在已經是個新舊文化融合的地方，像是URS127(都市再生前進基地127號)就是將舊建築部分翻修，成為一個新的文化空間，目前以促進歷史資源以及空間環境之永續經營為目標而舉辦各種活動。這兩個小時的導覽非常充滿知識性，而且經由腳踏實地的步行過大稻埕，我們得以更深入的探索，並深深著迷於這塊充滿故事的土地！再次感謝「台北城市散步」！:-)

※有興趣的朋友歡迎參考他們的網站：
http://www.taipei-walkingtour.tw/

【Course Throwback 3 : NTU Design Thinking Club Workshop!!!】
Thank you NTU Design Thinking Club for bringing us the amazing workshop on 7/17, after the whole day, it wasn’t hard to tell how much effort you guys put in to make this English workshop happen! :D We not only got to know more about the concept of “Design Thinking”, but also played a lot of interesting games and had a lot of fun!—a perfect timing to let all the GYIers to get to know each other better! From the examples of “the iron fish” and “watches designed for the blind”, we understood that the idea of Design Thinking is human-centered, and a lot of hard work and innovative thoughts are needed during the process of designing in order to meet the users’ needs—which is all worth it in the end, when that creativity actually makes the world a better place! :-) “The first follower theory” was also astonishing, because we witnessed how much a person can do by simply being the first follower of an idea that is crazy yet probably full of potential. Through the wallet-making activity in the afternoon, we got a chance to put the just-learned mindset into practice, and design a perfect wallet personalized for our partner. At the end of the workshop, we were asked to shout out what we have learned today; different students had different answers, which concluded the fact that Design Thinking is a mindset that can lead to a diverse outcome!
Again, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH

[Throwback Course 2 - Fablab Dynamic]
Hello GYIers! We heard that some of you already started school a few days ago, so hope everything is well at school and your lives! And here comes the throwback course 2, let's recall the beautiful memories together!
哈摟各位親愛的GYI粉絲還有GYI寶寶們! 聽說最近有些學校已經開學了呢!希望在學校還有你們生活的一切都好^ ^讓我們一 起回顧第二個課程-動態自造實驗室吧!

GYI went to Fablab Dynamic on July 20th in order to put our creative and innovative ideas into practice.
After listening to a brief introduction about Fablab, we were divided into four groups, and Regina, the co-director of Fablab, gave us a mission. She said, “Since you have stayed in Taiwan for a week, please try to solve the most irritating problem you have encountered!”
Perhaps it’s because the Taiwanese have already been accustomed to our life styles, so we couldn’t find any inconvenience. While they were puzzling over this mission, the foreign students came up with an idea immediately; they said, “There aren’t enough trash cans on the streets!” Not until that moment did we realize that there aren’t enough trash cans on the streets in Taiwan! Therefore, many students hit upon a creative idea called the “Flying Trash Can.” (When we need a trash can to throw our garbage, we can just send out a signal, then the Flying Trash Can will fly to us immediately!)
After brainstorming for a while, we used the 3D pen to draw our prototype out. Next, we made use of the 3D printer, laser cutter, and other machines to make the “real product” in practice. During the producing process, we have to be patient while communicating with other teammates. Also, thanks to the help from the staff in Fablab, if there weren’t for their help to teach us how to use the machines and discuss the design of the prototype together, we wouldn’t have been able to come up with a final product in the end!
At the presentation time, each group’s delegate shared with us their final product. Seeing their presentations such as the “Extensive Umbrella,” “Backpack Umbrella,” “The Monster Trash Can,” and the “Personal Cooler,” we knew that everyone can be a perfect maker!
To know more about Fablab, please click into this website: https://www.facebook.com/FablabDynamic?ref=ts&fref=ts

[回顧課程第二發-動態自造實驗室]
第二周的星期一，我們來到動態自造實驗室，發揮自己的想像與創造力，將想法實踐於生活之中。
在聽完執行長柏廷對Fablab的介紹後，我們分成四個組，著手進行我們的任務。Regina,也就是這裡的計畫接洽人，交給我們一個任務，那就是:「台北有什麼讓你覺得不方便的地方? 請發揮創造力改善它!」
生活在台灣的學員可能已經非常習慣，然而對外國朋友來說，異鄉生活跟在他們的國家實在有很大的不同!剛收到這個任務時讓不少台灣學生陷入苦思，然而，許多美國學員卻不約而同說道:「台灣的街道需要更多的垃圾桶!」深入了解，我們才發現，原來在美國的街道上，走十幾步就有一個垃圾桶，但是台灣與美國有著天壤之別，有時候你會從夜市把食物殘留的塑膠袋，抓在手上直到走回家才能丟在家裡的垃圾桶，因不少學員產生了創造「飛行垃圾桶」的想法，想丟垃圾的時候，發出訊號，垃圾桶就會飛來我們身邊。
一整天下來，各組的討論經歷了許多波折，從絞盡腦汁到素描出假想模型；從用3D立體筆畫出想像原型到實際做出成品，每一個環節都需要與團隊耐心的溝通，讓整個小組都認同實際生產的作品。當然，如果沒有這裡的工作人員在我們討論過程中適時的幫助，每個小組都會對做出實際的模型感到無限渺茫吧!
在最終的成果報告時間，各組發言人都炯炯有神地與大夥兒分享自己的發明，同時，看著學員做出的「延伸版雨傘」、「移動式冷氣空間」、「怪獸垃圾桶」、「後背式雨傘」等，也見證了柏廷一開始告訴大家的，每一個人都是厲害的自造者!

[Throwback & Supporting--Lukas Aey Magic!!!]

Hey GYI fan page followers, what's up? Remember at the welcoming party, Lukas from Germany did a fantastic magic show? We would like to say thank you to Lukas for his second magic show in GYI!! He told us about his dreams and he said that it was a pleasure for him to do magic at the GYI program for the second time. In November he has his first big show with big magic illusions on stage. You can be excited for the aftermovie and the pictures!! For now he needs everyone’s help to make his dreams possible, Facebook support is a really easy but important way to support him, please like and share his fan page :D !!! Last but not least, he wants to thank everyone in GYI who has listened to him and talked with him about his dreams, “these amazing people have made me strong and gave me energy to not give up on my dreams.” he told us. :)



[回顧與支持：Lukas Aey魔術]

哈囉大家好!! 還記得在GYI歡迎晚會的時候有個表演魔術的男孩嗎?他是來自德國的Lukas Aey! :) 我們很謝謝他已經在GYI表演第二年的魔術了!他跟許多學員分享了自己的夢想，也說能再次在GYI表演是他的榮幸。今年十一月，他將在德國初次登上大舞台，進行許多擁有酷炫效果的魔術表演，他說我們可以很期待表演後的影片和照片!!!不過現在他最需要的就是大家的支持，臉書支持是一個最簡單卻很重要的支持方法，請喜歡他的朋友到他的臉書粉絲專頁按讚和分享!!!最後，他說他很感謝GYI的大家聽他分享也跟他討論他的夢想，「這些很棒的朋友們給了我力量讓我更堅強，不去放棄我的夢想。」他告訴我們。 :)

https://www.facebook.com/lukas.aey.magic?fref=ts

Lukas Aey - Magic Life is a journey. Let's make it a magical one.

BOOKING: [email protected]

Hi GYIers!! Long time no see~~Hey we really miss you guys!! What are you busy doing these days after GYI? Remember what we did in the wonderful three weeks? Let's review some courses and activities!
好久不見呀各位GYI寶寶還有粉絲們!!營期結束兩個禮拜了呀~~很想大家耶!大家最近過得如何呀!為了不要讓感動消失，我們來複習一下我們三個禮拜做了哪些事情吧!
[Throwback Course 1 - Eco-Cha]
[課程回顧1-一口茶]

The second day of GYI, we left Taipei for Lugu, Nantou, which is a county famous for its tea, owning the biggest Tea Museum. After meeting up Andy, the founder of Eco Cha, we went to the urn chicken restaurant for lunch; this was the first time that international participants experienced eating at round tables with Taiwanese traditional food! However, we not only experienced the great cuisine but also had our first course ― “Redefining Agriculture.”

Eco-Cha is a tea company founded two years ago, its co-founders are Andy from the United States and Nick from Canada. They are dedicated to selling Taiwanese Oolong to the world such as selling tea to the headquarters of Google, and even to the Alps in Europe! Due to their belief, they cooperate with small-scaled farms because these farmers have the most investment and concern for their land and their produce, also because family-run farms who employ traditional hand-processed methods have less environmental impact.

When we were brought into the mountains and saw the tea farm covered in drizzle, the Germans couldn’t help but take lots of pictures. They said, “This is such a beautiful place, which is worth us taking a whole bunch of photos and share with our parents and friends back home!” On the other hand, the Americans came from Iowa, where there aren't a lot of tall mountains, the greenish tea farms on hills were new to them too, so the photo taking didn’t stop either. While taking us around, Andy introduced to us the procedure of cultivating and making Oolong tea. Understanding the complicated process let us admire Mr. Chen, the owner of the farm, who came along as we were looking around the tea factory. We realized that there is a production season for different kinds of tea, during those seasons, Mr. Chen and his team will work day and night to produce the best quality tea, but at other times, the factory is often not used and is at rest.

Leaving the tea farm for the Tea Association, we found that there are many tea-making tools and tea-related exhibitions: from tea dryer to tea pot, and from traditional three-section compound to the honor roll of tea competition. We watched a short film introducing Eco-Cha and we realized their spirit as well as their mission. Through this cooperation with Eco-Cha tea, we not only took a precious course but also experienced traditional Taiwanese tea culture, so we are grateful to Eco-Cha for accompanying us and sharing their valuable experiences with GYI!

Press a like on Eco Cha's page!
https://www.facebook.com/ecocha?ref=ts&fref=ts

GYI營期正式開始第二天，我們來到南投鹿谷鄉，鹿谷鄉以茶葉聞名，並擁有全台灣最大的茶葉文化館。和先前與我們接洽的Andy會合之後，我們首先來到甕仔雞餐廳，這是外國學員第一次體驗台灣傳統圓桌式合菜。然而，來到這裡，不只是體驗道地美食，我們還上了一堂很重要的課，就是翻轉農業!

Eco-Cha(一口茶)是在台超過25年，來自美國的Andy與加拿大人Nick於兩年前創立的小型茶葉公司，將台灣小農自產的烏龍茶，推向全世界，賣向了阿爾卑斯山，甚至邁進了Google總部。他們與小農合作，反對大廠商大規模採收而導致沒有品質保證、良莠不齊的茶葉；此外，他們也講求在茶葉培育過程不可對環境帶來太大的影響。

當遊覽車把我們載進山區，見到被霧濛濛的細雨覆蓋的茶園時，德國學員不禁拍了好多張照片，他們說:「這個地方好美，值得拍很多很多照片回家跟家人朋友分享!」而美國學員來自五大湖附近，沒有高山的地方，許多學員第一次看見巍峨的山脈和青翠的茶園，也不禁興奮得猛按快門。Andy邊講解邊帶我們進入茶園，他介紹烏龍茶的培育及其製作過程，聽了以後讓人對眼前的陳大哥，也是茶園的主人真是欽佩不已!

離開茶園，我們來到茶葉文化館，在這個地方擺有各種與茶葉相關的器具和展示品，從茶葉烘乾機到茶壺、從傳統三合院到茶葉比賽的榮譽榜；在這裡我們還看了一口茶的介紹影片，透過影片我們清楚了解烏龍茶的製作過程以及茶農對自產茶的敬業精神。透過這次與一口茶的合作，我們不僅上了一堂珍貴的翻轉課程，更體驗了台灣道地茶文化，也謝謝一口茶願意花時間與我們相處一個下午，將寶貴的經驗分享給GYI學員!

來follow一下一口茶的粉專吧!
https://www.facebook.com/ecocha?ref=ts&fref=ts

GYI 2015 Taiwan Farewell Party

GYI 2015 Taiwan x Formosa Youth Choir!
Musical feast by Formosa Youth Choir with an Iowan conductor who happens to be a close friend of Susan. What a small world!!

Map for lunch around Paper Museum this afternoon.

Thanks everyone for coming to the welcoming party!
Something we would like to remind you again:
1.Please do bring your unbrella or raincoat
2.Remember to bring your international student ID card with you tommorrow
3.We will meet at the NTU Public Health Building at 7:30 tomorrow
(address:台大公衛大樓 100台北市中正區徐州路17號)
4.There is a to-bring list in the handbook, make sure you brought all the things!

Good night and have a nice dream! See you tomorrow!

Hey everyone! It's finally ONE DAY countdown!
In fact, speaking more accurately, we will meet each other after 18 hours!
All participants have already arrived in Taiwan by this time, and their host families have already picked them up.
We hope everyone will stay along well with your host families, but if there were any conflicts, please do tell the staff!
Are you too excited to fall asleep? Why not press a like on our post as well as GYI page?

In addition, we would like to inform you of a fantastic tea-related contest; please click into the website and check it out!
Of course, we will also announce this contest again after GYI starts, can't wait to see all of you!
Eco-Cha contest website: http://eco-cha.com/blogs/news/35157828-eco-cha-and-gyi-taiwan-tea-photo-contest


嘿! 各位GYI粉絲及學員們!!我們再過18小時就要見面啦!
今天所有國際學員都已經順利來台了，熱心的接待家庭以及工作人員接機辛苦啦!
希望大家跟接待家庭都相處得愉快，但如果有任何衝突也別忘了可以跟工作人員講喔!
你現在是否因為太過期待而睡不著呢? 不如順手幫我們的貼文以及粉絲專業按個讚吧!

除此之外，我們也想通知大家一個很棒的茶葉相關競賽，贏的人有獎品可以拿喔!
想知道更多的話，就請點入以下網址: http://eco-cha.com/blogs/news/35157828-eco-cha-and-gyi-taiwan-tea-photo-contest
當然，我們在營期開始之後也會再跟大家說一次遊戲規則，期待明天見到大家!

Eco-Cha and GYI Taiwan Tea Photo Contest! Hey GYI Taiwan! We're really happy we have the chance to meet you and show you around tea country while you're in Taiwan! While in Taiwan you'll notice that tea is everywhere, not just on the farms! From traditional to modern, tea is deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture. By discovering more about tea…

Welcome to Taiwan!!! Take a good rest tonight and I will see you guys tomorrow. 1 day until GYI 2015 officially started!