Month: September 2016

Advent Church, TaiwanLeave a comment

Advent Church Community Concert 2016 社區音樂會!

Catherine Lee

Our annual community concert at Advent Church last night to celebrate Mid-Autumn Moon Festival – and to give the local community a chance to come together to perform and celebrate. A great variety of choirs and groups and individuals as always, all wonderful!  We had all sorts of music, from musicals to pop to classical, from indigenous aboriginal to traditional Chinese, from ancient to modern, from Bunun to A-mei to Taiwanese to Chinese to Japanese to English, and everything in between….. loved it all! And the highlight is always the Bunun Church Choir who perform last, and they were wonderful … Continue reading Advent Church Community Concert 2016 社區音樂會!

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Taiwan’s North Coast Kite Festival 2016 @ Baishawan Beach 白沙灣, Shimen District ~ YES!

Catherine Lee

Kites, kites and more kites ~ amazing kites, beautiful kites, fun kites, crazy kites, stunt kites, home-made kites, kites of every kind and from every where ~ and all on show at Taiwan’s annual North Coast Kite Festival, held ever year since the year 2000 at Baishawan Beach in Shimen, just near Taiwan’s northernmost point and lighthouse. Happens also to be only 5 minutes on a bus from where I live ~ YES! Last year, this last weekend of September was Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and also a big typhoon was on its way, so although it was nice and windy … Continue reading Taiwan’s North Coast Kite Festival 2016 @ Baishawan Beach 白沙灣, Shimen District ~ YES!

TaiwanLeave a comment

On Typhoon Watch Again!

Catherine Lee

All Taiwan on Typhoon Watch again for the second time this Mid-Autumn Moon Festival as we batten down the hatches and wait for Typhoon Malakas to arrive, as it blows up the east coast of Taiwan tonight and tomorrow.  Lots of torrential rain expected in northern Taiwan.  As often happens, the day before a typhoon comes, the weather is stunning – with blue skies and fluffy white clouds…. Hope our papaya tree still looks like this in a few days time! Continue reading On Typhoon Watch Again!

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A grey Mid-Autumn Moon Festival @ Keelung!

Catherine Lee

A grey grey day in Keelung, on Taiwan’s NE coast, as always!  Grey city, grey weather.  But particularly so today as the country surfaces after yesterday’s Typhoon Meranti, and prepares for tomorrow’s Typhoon Malakas.  We’re in a kind of typhoon-sandwich…. Today is Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, the first day of a 4-day holiday weekend, when the moon is supposedly at its best and brightest all year ha ha ~ no sign of any moon round here!  It’s grey grey grey with rain rain rain and more rain! In Keelung today, my arrival coincided with the arrival of the huge Golden Princess … Continue reading A grey Mid-Autumn Moon Festival @ Keelung!

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Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com

Catherine Lee

Praying for southern Taiwan ~ and it’s gale-force winds and torrential rains up here too…. Hundreds of people have been evacuated in southern Taiwan as the island braces for the impact of the strongest storm of the year. Check out this CNN report… Source: Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com Continue reading Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com

TanzaniaLeave a comment

Natural Hazards, GIS and Disaster Management: Earthquake in Tanzania kills 10

Catherine Lee

Terrible news from Tanzania of a 5.9 earthquake on Saturday…. Excellent reporting of the earthquake on the following blog post written by one of my former students…. Source: Natural Hazards, GIS and Disaster Management: Earthquake in Tanzania kills 10 Tanzania needs our prayers… Continue reading Natural Hazards, GIS and Disaster Management: Earthquake in Tanzania kills 10

St. John's University, TaiwanLeave a comment

Freshers Week @ St. John’s University!

Catherine Lee

It’s that time of the year again, and we’re pleased to say we have well over 700 bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first-year students enrolled for St. John’s University for the coming school year, which officially starts on Monday September 19, after Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. 100+ of them are actually enrolled in the junior college program of St. John’s University, meaning they’re 15 years old, and opting first for 5-year junior college rather than senior high school ~ I’m so pleased that I met one, Jia-Yun who I recognized from my English Classes at our neighboring junior high school, Xian-Xiao! The whole … Continue reading Freshers Week @ St. John’s University!