Success Club's Installation Party 2009

Success Club is unique. It's one of the most vigorous clubs in Toastmasters in Taiwan. The average age of the club members is 70+. The newly installed President Chen is 84. The regular club meeting takes place at Taoyuan Elementary School. Aging is not intimidating. It is the key to Success.

The Installation Party of Success Club 2009 was memorable. Division J Governor Tu, Shin-Chun and I were only two guests from Taipei. Followed by a short installation ceremony at 12 noon, a boisterous Karaoke party began non-stop till 5PM. It was not an ordinary karaoke party, but a singing contest of duet, triplet, quartet, quintet, chorus, so many outstanding and talented tenor, bass, alto and soprano singers were uncovered.

The venue of Installation Party was eye-opening. It was a secluded bamboo cabin in the Happy Village in Taoyuan. From the street, we could hardly discern the hidden heaven from a small stainless door. After stepping up to the second floor, the whole karaoke lounge was covered entirely with bamboo ceiling and walls, very cool in summer!

For Chinese, the essence of party is about eating the good food with family and friends. The Installation Party of Success Toastmasters Club was no exception. From finger food, main dishes, desserts, fruits, sweets, the tables were piled up with 蛋捲、仙貝、雞蛋糕、一大玻璃甕的冰糖蓮子雪蓮、一大盤涼拌黃瓜、一大盤海蜇皮、一大鍋炒米粉、炒飯、炒麵、糯米油飯、燒酒雞、魚丸湯、紅龜粿、草仔粿、飯後才端出時令水果，西瓜及蓮霧。All dishes were prepared by club members. Less than one third of the food was consumed at the party. Two thirds were packed for members to take home.

Taiwanese women are invincible. The bamboo karaoke lounge is owned by Toastmaster Hidemi's older sister as a side business. She also owns a wholesaler of Rice Tamale. Being a gourmet, I didn't hesitate to savor the famous rice tamale wrapped by Hidemi's lovely sister. I ordered two dozens (pork & sweet, half and half) to take home. With the leftover and a box of egg rolls from Immediate Past President Emily Yio, I took away 10 kilos of food, enough for the rest of the month. Many thanks go to Division Governor Tu to help me carry my bag of loot back to Taipei.