Yesterday was the 101st anniversary of the Republic of China's founding. All the Fulbrighters were invited to attend a reception at the Taipei Guest House (臺北賓館). Most of the guests were foreign and local officials. The president and the vice president of Taiwan were both there, so we Fulbrighters were pretty low on the totem poll. Nonetheless, I got to shake hands with the vice president.
There was music, wine, and food. Tables and tables of Taiwanese food,
Chinese food, as well as Japanese, French, and Indian were spread out
across underneath tents outside. In addition to eating mini quiche lorraines, people-watching was one of the best parts of the reception.
There were men and women dressed in all kinds of clothes: black suits,
cocktail dresses, flowy Hollywood gowns, qipaos, and even a sari or two. Reporters flocked around the most high ranking figures. Men in black suits with earpieces held the small crowds at bay. Somehow though, I managed to get close enough to take a photo of President Ma Ying-Jeou.
My favorite part of the reception was the performance by a children's choir. The children were members of the Paiwan aboriginal tribe from southern Taiwan. They sang traditional Paiwan folk songs. Taiwan Today covered the group's development and success. I was even able to talk to them for a little afterwards and we got a photo together.
