Venture to Erdenet City

Mongolia is a big chunk of land, 43 times bigger than Taiwan, 1,260 kilometers from the south to the north, 2,368 kilometers from the east to the west. Taiwan, on the contrary, is a small island, 394 kilometers from the north to the south, and 144 kilometer from the west to the east with a huge central mountain in the middle. For Mongolians, a 5 to 6 hours ride is a common occurrence. For a Taiwanese, the longest travel from head to toe of Taiwan in motion will be no more than 5 hours.

We left UB after a late lunch at Ku’Damm Club at 4PM Wednesday afternoon. Tugtaar was invited by Enkhee to be our driver and photographer. Enkhee told me that it would take 5 to 6 hours from UB to Erdenet City. The Road was not bad. I believed her because the road between the biggest city UB and second biggest city Erdenet City shouldn’t be too good. But within one hour drive after we left UB, we were riding on the dirt road with multimple tracks. The road was so bumpy. I felt that Tugtaar was riding his car, in stead of driving his car.

Imagine a full plate of two German sausages and a big glass of beer for lunch, stirring ups and downs in my stomach, I felt nausea at the back seat. Enkhee tried to feed me with oranges and yogurt to divert my attention. I was amazed at my ability to get off the car only once to take care of my biological needs. I kept thinking it was such a memorable journey that I wish I couldn't have to take for the second time. How I wished I could take the train back to UB from Erdenet City. It was no fun to travel in a hurry in a car for a long time in Mongolia without taking time to take photos of the vast steppe of beautiful Mongolia.

It was like forever before we finally arrived at the Erdenet Hotel in the dark. The beautiful Russian receptionist asked me to fill in a check-in paper slip, I couldn't decipher any cyrillics, in Russian or in Mongolian. I was told to write down my name and sign my name. When I got into my room, I found that I couldn't get any hot water. Enkhee told me that I had to drain the cold water in the pipe for a long time to get the hot water. I tried and I failed. It must have been quite a long while since the last costumer occupied my room.

Two Days Toastmasters Training at EMC

I didn't know that the two days trainings at EMC would be for two groups, senior managers for the first day and junior managers for the second day till I walked into EMC high-tech tell conferencing room at 7:30 Thursday morning. I was excited to hang up the banner of Grand Toastmasters Club and I was ready to give my best!

During the first day, we worked on tabletopics and prepared speeches in the morning. Everyone was excited to stand up and speak up at the learning laboratory of Toastmasters. After lunch I introduced the Toastmasters International followed by playing the videoclip of Toastmaster Dananjaya Hettiarachchi's World Champion of Public Speaking 2014 in Malaysia. Battuul Baljinnyam from Development Department volunteered to transcribed the speech and translated into Mongolian. After a full-day training (a two hours lunch break was cut short into one hour), a demo meeting agenda was prepared, featuring major meeting roles, such as Toastmaster of the Day, Timer, Ah-Counter, two prepared speaker, grammarian, all by senior managers and my myself as the general evaluator. We also had a club president and Sergent-at-Arms ready

At the beginning of the second day training, every participant was given a demo meeting agenda in hand. I coached the participants how to respond to tabletopics, we practiced telling jokes in public. Enkhee explained meeting roles of a standard Toastmasters meeting in Mongolian with the fastest speed she could have exerted her effort. Enkhee was a responsible person, she started translating Toastmasters material in Mongolian language before I arrived in UB. She translated meetings roles of a standard toastmaster meeting from District 67 website diligently. I also covered as much as the introduction of the Toastmasters International, before it was time we joined the opening ceremony of the Health Road. Can you imagine a road for cyclists in Mongolia? Yes, the 5.8 kilometers bicycle trail was made happen by EMC from EMC to the train station of Erdenet City. Erdenet City is rich because of the hardworking miners on 4 shifts twenty-four seven.

The demo meeting started from 2PM till 3PM. The Toastmaster of the Day did a fantastic job introducing all assignment takers. Enkhee took charge of joke session. Four volunteers shared jokes and the audience erupted in laughter after laughter. Two icebreaker speeches by senior managers were simply amazing. The tabletopics master was a senior manager. She called upon senior and junior managers to answer four tabletopics, what is the most common food, what is the age of the earth, what is your dream, what is the most memorable moment. All tabletopics speaker did outstanding jobs within the time limits. It was indeed a demo meeting with a big success. And I realized how much people enjoyed being challenged to perform to the best of their abilities. After the demo meeting, a few junior managers hung around for one more hours to understand the roles of club officers before EMC chartered a corporate Toastmasters club. It came across my mind that a mining company knows how to mine human talents in the employees while they mine the ores from the dirt.

Erdenet is the secondest largest city in Mongolia. It was heavily urbanized in the 80's with Darhan, the third larget city in Mongolia, north of UB. Unlike UB, Erdenet City still wears a Russian veil because of EMC. People lead less hustle and bustle lives in Erdenet city. EMC employees are smart, diligent, and friendly. I am appreciate of the generosity of EMC to cover the gasoline between UB and Erdenet and hotel accommodations for Enkhee, Tugtar, and me for four nights in Erdenet City. As promised, Battuul Baljinnyam gave me the full transcript in English and translation in Mongolian of Dananjaya Hettiarachchi's champion speech "I See Something" Monday, October 20th. The two Russian lunches at EMC Thursday and Friday were so delicious that I couldn't be able to have them elsewhere in the world. In fact, at the first sight of EMC's restaurant, it reminded me of a restaurant in Kiev when I companied Taiwanese health officials to deliver the humanitarian medicine to Ukraine in 1992.

From Erdenet City to UB

It was five below zero when we left Erdenet City Sunday morning. No soon than later when we left Erdenet City, Enkhee pointed to me wild geese winging their way south in the V-shaped flocks. It was phenomenal to me, an islander from subtropical climate. In Taiwan, we often see migration birds stop over to spend the winter and go north to breed in the Spring.

In order to avoid car sickness, I lay down in the back seat most of the time. The traffic was good and we moved at 100 kilometers per hour from Erdenet City till UB. But it took us one and a half hours for less than 10 kilometers on Sunday afternoon to compete with all cars coming back to UB. It was more tiring to sit in the car moving like a snail. There is a joke about the traffic of UB. A young lady walked on the street. A friend of hers drove pass and offered her a ride, but she replied she was in a rush. It is faster walk on foot than taking a vehicle.

Howdy UB

From Taipei to UB

It was an early morning flight from Taoyuan to HongKong. I checked in two luggages directly to UB successfully, maybe two or three kilograms overweight, but I got by, because I was going to UB, a remote city to most Taiwanese. Upon arrival at HongKong at 9:55, I saw my name on the sign, directing me to airline desk E1. At desk E1, I saw a long waiting line with one person taking care of six airline companies, including Mongolian airline. I was kept waiting for at least one and half hours before I got the boarding card.

I had to rush to the designated gate for my flight at 12:05. It's been a while since I last boarded Boeing 737-800. It felt transcending back in time watching the handsome Mongolian stewards demonstrate how to put on the safety vest in person. During four and half hours flight, I enjoyed every minute bird viewing the great landscape of China. I was excited when we flew over the Gobi dessert. I might be the only passenger on board who wished that the pilot would announce where we were, such as Yantzu River, Yellow River, Inner Mongolia, Gobi desert, while there was literally no entertainment on the airline. Maybe Chinese pilots would say something for the passengers while flying over China just like what American pilots would say flying from Los Angles to New York. For my next trip to UB, I wish to take Princess Cruise from Keelung to Beijing (Tianjin), take Trans-Mongolian train from Beijing to UB. When OM292 landed at Chinggis Khan International Airport at 16:45, I was so excited to see the grass blowing in the wind. I came to UB in time to see autumn withering leaves hanging on the trees.

Sweet Home away from Home

My eyes welled up with tears when I saw Enkhee waiting for me at the airport. Enkhee's company sent a car to pick me up at the airport. When I arrived at Enkhee's mother--Tsend Auysh's apartment, I saw a big crowd waiting for me in the living room. I was delighted to chat with them one by one, Tsend Auysh, Eegii (Enkhee's sister), Javkhlan (Eegii's son) and Poddle Tsagaanaa (wife of late Poddle Tobi). Before arrival in UB, Enkhee told me that her mom wished me keep my company while Enkhee had a full time job as the Administration and HR Director for one of the busiest companies in UB. I was happy to stay with a mother who knew everything about Mongolia.

Tsend Auysh wore her big smile on her face and told me that she wished she could speaking English. At 80 years of age,  Tsend Auysh was keen to learn new tricks. Without ado, I taught her 26 English alphabets and ABC nursery rhyme, she learned just as quick as a toddler! I can't give many thanks to Eegii for lending me her room, her bed, her computer. I can keep in touch with the world while away from home.

First Night in UB

I called Toastmaster Frank Goedekke, Jr.* as soon as I settled down at Tsend Auysh's place Sunday afternoon, October 12th. Frank invited us for dinner at Embassy Restaurant at 18:30, four of us, including Frank, Boyo--President of UB Toastmasters club**, Enkhee and me. Frank gave me two big plastic bags full of CCs, CLs, Leadership Handbooks, Toastmaster magazines, as he would be on his way back to the US in early November. I was grateful to Frank for his generosity to give me his Toastmasters educational materials in stock. We talked for 3 hours non-stop about Toastmasters movement in Mongolia. Frank told me how he chartered UB Toastmasters Club when he arrived in UB in 2012. He also started Toastmasters Gavel club*** for students in UB.

Frank was not interested in district contract, unless the club officers training could take place in UB. On top of that members wouldn't be interested in paying extra membership dues to support the district contract. Somehow in my mind, Frank might have the impression that I came to UB to persuade Mongols Toastmasters into joining District 67. But it was not purpose at all. I came to UB upon Enkhee's request to inspire more people to find their voice and to inspire others to find theirs through the communication and leadership training in Toastmasters.

I felt fortunate to dine with UB Toastmasters Club members on my first night in Mongolia. Frank paid the bill, to my surprise. After dinner, Enkhee and I walked home. I heard Enkhee coughing. She complained about the neighbors burning coal to warm up the house when it got cold. The smoke pollution became unbearable for many foreigners from October to November. In winter, the smoke from thermal power plants and cars on the streets made the air worse. Everybody wants to breathe fresh and clean air, but nobody seemed to take any initiatives to keep the air clean to live.

Sky Blue Monday

I can't wait to get up to see the nomad empire of eternal blue sky Monday morning, October 13th. After Enkhee left for work before 8, Eegii left for work before 9, Tsend Auysh and I enjoyed a pleasant and quiet breakfast together with lots of hand gestures, facial expression, and body language as communication tools. It took steadfast Tsend Auysh 15 minutes to finally figure out I needed milk for my coffee. Tsend Auysh first took out the honey jar in the refrigerator, then she showed many items I could possibly need before me, till she finally came up with a jar of cream power. It was fun for two senior citizens to learn from each other. We could do nothing but encouraging each other with big smiles on our faces.

After breakfast, I went to a bank in the neighborhood to change 100 US dollars for 185,000 Mongolian Tughriks. Then I went to Helmut Sachers kaffee owned and managed by Brigitte Cunning, a German lady in her late 70's. Brigitte updated me two hours straight about the recent ups and downs of urban development in UB, not to mention the air pollution, traffic congestion, and flooding when it rains. Multinational mining companies have been shut down. Expatriates have been sent home. Her bakery business has dropped 80%. She still made it with the support of embassies in her neighborhood. Nobody can afford empty tall buildings with the interest rate of mortgage loan at 14%.

I saw the opposite of UB. I saw the resilience of people in UB. I saw better infrastructures, higher buildings, more happy pedestrians on the street. I thought it would be the best time for Toastmasters trainings to make Mongolians be ready for the next economic surge in the next few years. After enjoying German Weißwurst with potato and cucumber salad for a late lunch at Brigitte's, I walked home with a cheerful heart. I even started to attempt crossing the street anywhere so long as I could follow the crowd.

The welcome dinner at home was famous Mongolian tsuivan, freshly handmade noodles stewed with beef, onion, carrot, bell pepper. Enkhee and Eegii came home early to prepare the sumptuous dinner. After dinner, we had sea-buckthorn juice for dessert. It was the first time I tasted sea-buckthorn juice, and I loved it because the rich contents of vitamine C. I felt younger and prettier after two cups of sweet and sour sea-buckthorn juice before I hit the sack.

National Center for Maternal and Child Health (NCMCH)

Upon the request of Dr. Shane Lin, I visited NCMCH (www.ehemut.mn) Tuesday morning, October 14th. I was received by Dr. Bayalag Munkhuu, MD, PhD, Deputy Director for Research, Training and Foreign Relations. Dr. Bayalag speaks impeccable English. She looks forward to joint research projects with MacKay Hospital. Then I visited ENT Department accompanied by Dr. D. Ariuntuya, an audiologist, who visited National Taiwan University Hospital for three months early this year.

NCNCH was built in 1930's. It is the oldest (biggest) governmental hospital of western medicine in Mongolia. NCMCH consists of research institute and 2 tertiary care hospitals (Children's hospital and Ob-Gy hospital with 680 budgeted beds). MCHCH has 1100 staff in 28 sub-special departments. The Research Institute started the medical gene project in 2013. The pilot study is expected to launch in Ulaanbaatar in 2016, and to be in full scale in 2020 with the support of Ministry of Health.

Hooray, I was invited by Dr. Bayalag Munkhuu to give a Toastmasters workshop for her staff for 2 hours next Wednesday after I return from Erdenet City. I shall introduce the Toastmasters International and have a hand-on workshop for participants to give short presentations during the Tabletopics training. I want the staff felt empowered in a friendly and supportive learning by doing environment.

Remarks:
 *Frank Goeddeke, Jr., DTM is a Toastmaster of significance in Mongolia. He was a member and officer of Rochester Toastmasters (Club #00004890) for several years before he joined the Peace Corps and came to Mongolia. Frank served as the Charter Vice President Education of UB Toastmasters Club as he thought that VPE was more important, being the only member who had ever been to Toastmasters before. Several members from Rochester TMC volunteered to sponsor a few select members like students who wanted to attend but couldn't afford it. Now some of these people (Rose, Anu, etc.) have finished school and are active members, are stepping up into leadership positions. Just seeing the improvement in members over time is amazing, Frank said. At first he was noticing speech improvements, which was really heartening. But then he started seeing people step up and be leaders. That was the best reward for him.

**UB Toastmasters Club is the second Toastmasters Club in Mongolia. It had the first meeting in March 2012, since then UB club got the Select Distinguished Club and the President's Distinguished Club awards. UB club was founded by Peace Corps volunteers (PCVs) with Todd Sanders the Charter President and Frank Goeddeke, DTM, the VP Education.

UB club still has its problems. It is difficult to keep a full schedule of three speakers at every meeting that show up. People show up late, because of just Mongolian culture. Saturdays are a bit difficult for time, too. But somehow, UB club keeps pushing enough people through to get enough speeches for the awards. Frank, a professor in management, told people to fix the important things, first, like for instance to get three speakers per meeting to show up for three months in a row, the philosophy he inherited from the club he belonged to in the USA, which has been around for something like 28 years. A good routine and tight ship. Another problem Frank has had is that organizational skills of newer members is not what he is used to seeing in the USA. Just the way people run organizations, make decisions, etc., is different in Mongolia. In many ways, Mongolians still run organizations like they did in the socialist days. But UB club members are catching on now. UB club is still fairly young, on average.

***Toastmasters Gavel Clubs are not required to have a minimum number of members. The Club Counselor (person in charge) must be a Toastmaster in good standing. Counselor must have completed at least 6 speeches. The sponsoring organization preferably a Toastmasters club makes a donation to help gavel club get chartered (about $100). After the gavel club paperwork has been filled out and submitted to TMI, the club counselor will receive a new club kit, including 20 CCs and CLs, a gavel, membership cards, evaluation forms. The meeting roles of a gavel clubs are Gaveliers (members), Ringleader (Toastmaster), Coach (Evaluator), Head Coach (GE), Inquisitor (Table Topics Master), Wizard of Ahs (Ah Counter). Chartering a Gavel Club could be regarded as the High Performance Leadership Project (HPLP) for Advanced Leadership Silver (ALS).

Mongols Toastmasters

Toastmasters in Mongolia Finale 2014.10.12~2014.10.26 李向慈Sherry Li, ACS Grand TMC

All things come to those who wait! 待てば、海路の日和あり。

I've been waiting, waiting, and waiting for the moment to return to Mongolia to complete the trilogy of Toastmasters in Mongolia.

The day had finally arrived. It was a lovely sunny Monday morning, August 25th, I received an email from Enkhee in Ulaanbaatar (UB) asking me to go to Mongolia again. She had friends in Erdenet City, second biggest one in Mongolia, wishing to learn communication and leadership skills from Toastmasters. Her company also invited me to conduct a half-day Toastmasters Training in UB. I was overjoyed and replied to Enkhee immediately that I was ready to be back in Mongolia.

三訪蒙古--皇天不負苦心人

重訪蒙古的想法一直到腦海的深處打轉, 不知何年何月才能完成蒙古三部曲?

八月二十五日（星期一）一大早，陽光普照，打開電腦看到Enkhee從烏蘭巴托傳來電子郵件，詢問我再訪蒙古推廣演講會的可行性。額爾登特礦商邀請我前往介紹演講會並培訓員工溝通及領導技巧，我二話不說，當下首肯。

Invitation from Erdenet Mining Company

In a week, I received an invitation email from Jagaa, Chief Finance Officer of Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC)* Tuesday morning, September 2nd, requesting Toastmasters training agenda for two days between October 6th to October 19th. Originally I planned to fly to UB via Beijing at the cost of NT$16,000, the most affordable price. I contacted my relatives in Beijing because I must stop over in Beijing for one night. I applied for my Taiwan Resident Passport from Mainland China only to know that the airline tickets were hard to get in early October, because of the national holidays in Taiwan and in China. In the end, I booked my ticket to Ulaanbaatar via HongKong at NT$21,697 departing for UB on October 12th, and returning to Taipei on October 26th. I applied for visa (US$40) to Mongolia at Ulaanbaatar Trade Office in Taipei with the barcode 30763997 from EMC.

隔週二的九月二日，收到額爾登特礦商財務長的邀請函，委託在十月初在該公司舉辦二天的培訓課程。原本打算訂由台北經北京飛烏蘭巴托，辦了台胞證，也連絡了北京當地的親結果十月初的機票是一票難求，只好改搭台北經香港飛烏蘭巴托的機票，機票錢從新台16,000上昇到21,697，雖然荷包開始吃緊，不過能搭蒙古航空，也是頭一的經驗又可促進蒙古產業發展何樂不為，稿定機票後隨即前往烏蘭巴托在台北辦事處申請商業簽證(US$40)。

Toastmasters International Area Z13 District #U

I informed Region 13 Advisor Kazuko Kawauchi of my Toastmasters trip in Mongolia and I sought for her assistance and advise to build Toastmasters in Mongolia in Region 13. I proposed Provisonal District 93 (Korea) help the development of Toastmasters clubs in Mongolia because of geographical proximity! Toastmaster Kawauchi answered me immediately about 3 Toastmasters Clubs in Mongolia in Area 13 of District #U. She told me that she would check with Toastmasters International for their clarification with respect to the clubs in Mongolia in view of the ambiguity regarding the jurisdiction of Region 13. Toastmaster Kawauchi is now responsible for 8 districts in Region 13. She will verify with Toastmasters International if District 67 is able to be involved with clubs in Mongolia.

The answers came fast from the headquarters. District 67 will not receive any credit for establishing clubs in Mongolia. If District 67 helps build a club or clubs in Mongolia, the individual that assists can possibly receive credit for either sponsoring, mentoring, or coaching the club but the district itself will not receive credit. No response was given about who is in charge of developing Toastmasters in Mongolia. Toastmaster Kawauchi told me that she is not allowed to help me promote Toastmasters in Mongolia. However, she personally appreciated my enthusiasm and passion to promote Toastmasters and help clubs in Mongolia. She complimented me for being a wonderful example of volunteer servant leader and she is proud of me.

Three Toastmasters Clubs in Mongolia

I contacted 3 Toastmasters clubs in UB listed on Toastmasters International homepage. Toastmaster Frank Goeddeke, DTM, Sergeant at Arms, UB Toastmasters Club, was the first to invite me to attend their meeting Saturday at 11:00am at the Institute of Finance and Economics. Frank also gave me his phone number in case I encounter trouble or get lost. MBC Toastmasters Club was the second to respond. The club contact person on the website is in maternity leave for a while. She referred me to President Namchinbum and club adviser Mrs. Ganchimeg Zagdaa. President Namchinbum wrote me that it would be a good chance for them to see me and he would let me know as soon as he talked to his colleagues. The third was Toastmaster Munkhbileg Janchivdorj, VP public relations of Toastmasters Mongolia Club. He wrote me on behalf of his president and invited me to join their weekly meeting on Wednesdays, on 22nd of October. Then to my surprise, President Namchinbum told me that they couldn't meet me because the head office had a sudden audit in their brewery.

Health Care Collaboration between Taiwan and Mongolia

Dr. Shane Lin, Toastmaster of Formosa club, Head of Pediatric Department, Mackay Hospital, is interested in joint research project on clinical genetics with professors or doctors from children's hospitals or pediatric department in any general hospital in Mongolia. He hopes that I could let them know about his research project and aims, bridge the collaborative relationship. Dr. Lin and I met  to discuss about the issues face-to-face over lunch at 12:30 at Mackay Hospital and gave me his business cards Thursday noon, October 9th.

Support from District 67

Right before my departure for UB, District 67 Governor Eric Liang mailed me two sets of the latest CC and CL manuals, 5 District 67 T-shirts, a dozen of Taiwanese flowery pencil cases for Toastmasters in Mongolia. He told me that whatever I do he would support me. I told Eric that I felt very excited to celebrate Toastmasters 90th anniversary with Toastmasters in Mongolia, Wednesday evening, October 22nd. It would be a great memory for me. I could still remember the fabulous Toastmasters cake at Entrepreneur Toastmasters Club's charter ceremony. Life is fantastic being a Toastmaster!

Remarks: 
*Erdenet Mining Company (EMC) established in 1978 with 6000 workers at present, is one of the biggest Ore mining and Ore processing factory in Asia. EMC was established in accordance with an agreement between governments of Mongolia and (former) Soviet Union. It started its operation in 1978. There are youth group, women's group in EMC. A women's leaders club was established in 2013. 

The Biology of Emotion

Human beings are designed (evolved) to be emotional creatures of love, joy, pleasure and play. The emotional brain is our limbic brain. It has a series of small control centers reponsible for different moods and cross-wired with one another. Our emotions and moods control our bodies through chemicals, adrenaline, cortisol, serotoninm!

Being profoundly visual animals, human beings read hundreds of subtle signals, body languages, hand gestures, flickers of facial expression. Millions of mirror neurons in limbic brain pick up emotions of others and mirror them. Emotion literally precedes thought at the neural level. A positive emotion generates a positive thought which loops back through the limbic system to generate a positive feeling. By reaching out to good stimuli: exercise, decent sleep, rational diet, love and play, we create positive emotions.

While troubled with our emotions, we need to have the courage to make space for our emotions and have the wisdom to pursue what we care about even when our mind says no. When we have doubt about ourselves, keep in mind "Never mind our mind". Shift our focus to a bigger picture, have peace in mind. Write is out gives me pleasure to express my feelings. Peaceful movement, such as relaxed stretching, yoga, tai chi, are helpful to keep our mind in peace.

Another way to gain balance and stability in life is to focus on the center of gravity, the geographic middle of our physical body, a spot an inch or two behind and two or three inches below the navel. Imagine drawing in all scattered energy and concentrating it at the gravity center. Focus the energy at the gravity center for a few minutes till life is in balance.

About Judgement

To the question of your life, you are the only answer.

To the problems of your life, you are the only solution. --Jo Coudert

I throw temper tantrums when I'm judged in public. My emotions get the better of me. Managing my feelings when I'm judged by others is a challenge. I need to be able to name the emotion, accept the emotion, express the emotion, and take care of myself. When I'm able to manage emotions, I shall have peace in mind.

Nobody likes to be judged. On the contrary, everybody has a tendency to judge people around us.  All-or-nothing thinking is the tendency to judge things in extreme or "black-and-white" categories. It is irrational, because in reality things are never completely one way or the other. Judging others doesn't make us any better than them; it doesn't make us right and them wrong; it doesn't make us more valuable and them less valuable. All judging does is make us feel temporarily (and falsely) better about ourselves. I need to learn not to judge others. I need to learn to tolerate the distress being judged by others.

In order to manage emotions, we need to be master two skills, being effective and acting opposite to the urge. In stead of acting from the emotional self, acting on an urge, doing what feels good rather than what's good in the long run, we should act from our wise self, assessing what we can do to get our needs met. Let our reasoning self think about the fact and our wise self figure out the goal.

Acting opposite to the urge lets our wise self see what our morals and values are and what are in our best interest. Think opposite, or in a nonjudgmental way. Avoid adding fuel to the fire. In stead of calling others "mean", it is better to say something like: She betrayed my confidence, and I'm hurt and angered by her actions. Using I-messages help us express how we feel without making other fell that they are to blame. Learning to use I-messages in stead of you-messages is a simple but important way to improve our communication skills.

In Toastmasters, we learn to manage our emotions in a more proactive way. We stand up and speak up to build confident in ourselves and to help ourselves by helping others!

Mindfulness Skills

The only way to have a friend is to be one. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

On the first night on Sun Princess Wednesday evening, September 24t, I burst into anger at dinner table. I snapped at (lashed out at) my lady friends of the same table, at Marquis Restaurant on Deck 5-Plaza.

I know my weakness. I can't control my temper when I'm criticized in public. Without any constraint, I backfire instantly. I don't deserve the treatment while I'm serving others to the best interest for all. Why am I challenged? Why am I bullied? Why do I have a public humiliation?

I left the restaurant alone after dinner, took a walk on Deck 7-Promenade. I was all alone. It was a rainy, windy, and chilly typhoon evening when I saw the pilot boat left Sun Princess at sea. When the light of the small boat floating on crashing waves faded away in dark, I was so frustrated that I felt like jumping into the sea, like the protagonist of the seventh night in Ten Nights of Dreams by Natsume Souseki.

The seventh night's dream begins with the dreamer finding himself on board a large ship and does not know where the ship is headed. The dreamer faces a sense of being completely lost as he didn't know where the boat was headed or when he would be able to get off. The dreamer contemplates on jumping off the ship into the sea instead of staying on the ship due to his feeling of being lost. Nights pass and the dreamer becomes even more unhappy as the other passengers seem to have forgotten that they were on a ship. Finally the dreamer decides to kill himself. With no one around one night, he jumps into sea, but regrets it immediately.

Luckily, I came across many new books about stress management at Taipei City Library after I got home. I realize that the peer pressure with friends stress me out. And I need to manage fight-or-flight response skillfully when I feel threatened. I need to learn to ride the wave of life, imagine the water calm and still deep below the strongest of storms with huge crashing waves.

Mindfulness is about slowing down, seeing things clearly, and paying attention moment to moment to moment. We notice what is happening, as it is taking place and we are more aware of our body, our emotions, and our thoughts, to live in the present moment. We use five senses--sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell--to notice our body and surroundings in order to bing ourselves into the now. And, I accept all of my emotions!

THE GUEST HOUSE
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
--Rumi

Practice mindful STOPPING before action or reaction in stressful moments.
1. Visualize a stop sign.
2. Check in with body, from tips of toes, move upto the top of head.
3. Breath in one, breathe out one, for a count of ten breaths.
4. Bring in air through a small hole at the top of the head, let breath move through the body and release it through the tips of toes.

Get the facts!
1. Say, "Stop it!" to yourself.
2. Think positively. See other sides of the story rather than focusing on what you "think" you know.
3. Realize that not everyone thinks as you do. Seek out the facts before you react.
4. Ask yourself, "Am I jumping to conclusion?"
5. Ask for the truth.

Thought Stopping
1. Notice the thought that causes anxiety
2. Picture a bright red stop sign
3. Exchange the anxious thought for a peaceful thought
4. Say the peaceful thought in your mind
5. Keep the peaceful thought till the anxious thought is completely gone

 "Mile by mile it's a trial; yard by yard it's hard; but inch by inch it's a cinch." -Anonymous

Treasure Islands on Sun Princess

There is a saying, "nobody is an island." Being born an islander,  I say, "everybody is a treasure island." That was what I believed before I embarked upon Sun Princess Wednesday, September 24th. Ahoy, Matey, here I come. Yo Ho Ho~

Chinese believe that it takes a decade of cultivation to ride on the same boat, whilst, it takes a century to share the same pillow. When fate brings us together, we cherish every encounter and embrace the relationship. With 2000 treasure islands (staff and passengers) on Sun Princess, I wish to know as many of them as possible.

pAt the first sight of Sun Princess docked at the Kobe Wharf, I fell in love with her beauty immediately. Sun Princess, built in 1995, is a magnificent lady of 77,441 tons, measuring 261 meters from stem to stern, 32 meters in width, 15 stories in height, 1,011 rooms for 2,022 passengers.

Sun Princess made the news in October, 2007 as the largest ship to ever cross beneath the Sydney Harbor Bridge while entering the harbor for the first time, with a vertical clearance of approximately 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) to spare at low tide.From 2012, Sun Princess started her first World Cruise.Being recently renovated in August 2013, Sun Princess looked classy in her way in interior and Captain Diego Perra was newly appointed from June 2013.

Immediately after all passengers were on board, we were requested to participate in muster training of emergency response. From Room 525 on Deck 11-Aloha, Irene and I joined residents in line, followed directions of musters diligently through various emergency exits to designated positions. We learned to put on life vests timely and properly. It was an important lesson for All to be able to survive at sea just in case of danger.

I made it a habit to read the Princess Patter--the Daily Guide to Life At Sea, before I went to bed. I wanted to attempt all activities and classes, including dancing, cooking, cocktails, not to mention the Grand Casino. In my dream, I looked forward to the refreshing morning, the relaxing afternoon, and the enchanting evening the following day. It was fun and exciting to make acquaintance with different people brought together by the love of traveling by sea. Ninety percent of passengers on board were from Taiwan, as Sun Princess was a charter cruise by Taiwanese businessmen. Princess Patters were readers friendly. They were printed in traditional Chinese characters. All announcements on board were bilingual, both in English and in Mandarin.

Due to the outrageous service charge, rate at 100 minutes for US$69, I didn't spend a penny on internet. In Taiwan, I could get a rate at US$3 for five hours! Who bothered to sit in front of computers while plenty of food and drinks were served on board, plus many interesting outdoors and indoors activities waiting for fun loving people!

Being surrounded by an army of servants, I never felt bored for a second. Staff on Sun Princess in different uniforms (white, red, green, blue, flowery) provided instant services at hand. I enjoyed three most luxurious dinners with the best services ever from Alan and Alex at Marquis Dining Room on Deck 5-Plaza, and two extraordinary and exquisite breakfasts served by Worawut Pitaksakseree (Woody) at Regency Dining Room on Deck 6-Emerald.

Woody is from Thailand with a southern Chinese heritage. He knew all tricks to make golden ladies laugh. We were the last table to leave Regency Dining Room Friday morning. It was after 10 when we were still sitting by the window entertained by Woody. Saturday morning, we arrived at Regency before 6:30 to be the first group of customers. Woody served our table upon our request with a big sunny smile on his hearfelt face. In addition, I made hundreds of friends with more than 20 staff on board, Chris, Lucy, Lynn, Ted, Tina, Massimo, Thai, Delong, just to name a few!

Sunset Friday afternoon and sunrise Saturday morning were memorable. Irene and I got up one hour earlier to see the sunrise. The smart phone woke us up the Japanese time, instead of Taiwanese time. I took the chance to enjoy a cup of chocolate in tranquility at International Cafe' on Deck 5-Plaza while waiting for dawn. Suddenly the sky turned from dark to bright, Irene and I rushed to Deck 14-Lido to take the first glance of the rising sun upon the vastness of the horizon and the turtle island in Yi-land. The sun was huge and red. A bright new day began!

While I felt sad to leave Sun Princess with the disembarkation tag (Navy/Azul 3) on my luggage, I was happy to be home. It was the first time ever I had the inbound by ship stamped on my passport. The moment I arrived home, I added the website of Princess Bridge Cam--Live from the Sun Princess, as my favorite site. I can track my Sun Princess anytime with just a click on my desktop.

Taipei Fringe Festival 2014

A clown is an angel with a red nose--J. T. "Bubba" Sikes

It was the third year straight I joined Taipei Fringe Festival. The opening ceremony was held at Daan Forest Park Saturday afternoon, August 30th. I participated in Fringe hair-cut and clown make-up for a change.   After a cheerful opening ceremony, I rode my scooter back home with my clown face. Charlie Rivel said, "Every human being is a clown but only few have the courage to show it," I didn't have any difficulties putting on the exaggerating make up, as I'm used to a white face as a Japanese dancer and Peking Opera singer.

The art of clown is more profound than we thik...It is the COMIC mirror of tragedy, and the TRAGIC mirror of comedy--André Suarès

The Cup of Humanity

Summer is coming to an end. Golden ladies seized a moment of the floating life to enjoy a Zen cuisine at Shi Yang Wednesday, August 27th.

After reading the “Book of Tea” written in English by Okakura Kakuzo, I was happy that golden ladies were seated in a secluded environment to experience the life of simplicity, inspired by tea.

There are seven chapters in the book of tea, the Cup of Humanity, the Schools of Tea, Taoism and Zennism, the Tea-Room, Art Appreciations, Flowers, Tea-Masters.

The more I read the book, the more I appreciated the life of simplicity and the taste of humanity in a humble cup of tea prepared by Tea Masters with their heartfelt respect for each encounter.

Drinking coffee is my daily routine, but drinking tea is a ritual. No wonder it is called the tea ceremony, to celebrate the harmony of body and mind in individuals and the harmony of human beings in the nature.

Summer Social Swarming

At 3PM, I was notified during my afternoon reading ritual at the back veranda of a beer party for golden ladies at 6PM at the Central Market on Chang-an East Road Sunday evening, July 6th. Without much of any hesitation, I jumped at the chance to indulge myself in beer and laughter on a cool summer night. It turned out all golden ladies were successfully mobilized within a short notice!

Most golden ladies are taking club officers roles 2014-2015. Two golden ladies are serving club EVPs, including Linda Tseng of Excellence and Trini Ding of China. Three golden ladies are serving club PRVPs, including Kate Hsu of Prestige, Pamela Yang of Galaxy, and myself of Grand.

Aging is never a problem for golden ladies Toastmasters. Aging is not about getting old but wise. No time is better than now to learn from the basics to enjoy learning by doing! Life is fun when we strive to learn!

Joint Excellence and NTUT Toastmasters Clubs Meeting

Upon the request of Linda Tseng, EVP of Excellence Toastmasters Club, I participated in the Joint Excellence and NTUT Toastmasters Clubs meeting Tuesday evening, July 1st.

Linda is one of my dear golden ladies Toastmasters friends. With her in charge of Excellence Toastmasters Club, I'm sure there will be plenty of refreshments during the intermission.