[Oe List ...] Hummm that was not a comedy Gordon!

[Evelyn Philbrook via OE]

Dear colleagues,

When Gordon went to what was our local Netflicks shop here in Taiwan to 
get a cassette tape to entertain us, he would ask... what kind of video 
would you like? Invariably someone would say, "comedy" and invariably we 
would not get a comedy, may be a drama, an action, or I am sure 
something very entertaining, but not a comedy at all. Always a reality 
check... and so it goes Gordon and Roxanna... not a comedy, however, it 
did come as a mystery!

What do I remember when I came to Taiwan to find a job and see if we 
could all live in Taipei...I needed to find a job...and we would be here 
for three-five years?....

I remember the first week I was in Taipei in 1991, April. Gordon was 
there and I hear the strange whine and buzz sound in the morning of what 
I found out was the internet connection. We had that sound in Manila, 
and KL too, but not so regularly heard each day at the same time marking 
the day. There was the faint smell of sweet pipe smoke lingering on 
everything in your office. There was later to be a scale which, when you 
join weight watchers, helps you figure out how much you can eat, which I 
still have today. Peter Hu would rise every morning and go to the roof 
and do his exercises like a military man, even though he was a a former 
journalist and knew who most all of the people in town were, or could 
find out and spoke clear English. He ate raw vegetables he cut and 
placed in a bag in the frig that he ate each morning. There was an 
English radiocast on ICRT (International Community Radio Transmission?), 
"Shape the Future" or something, where Gordon's melodious voice could be 
heard daily with a quote for the day and a reflection on how business 
and leadership could relate to what was happening in the world and in 
their lives. There were books written by our famous author in residence, 
who would often on the street be asked for an autograph in a Chinese 
translated book, or the Computer Club, or American Chamber of Commerce, ...

Larry came to a Global ICA conference in 1990 to Taiwan.  It was held at 
the International Jiantan Youth Hostel across the street from the Grand 
Hotel and the multitude of morning exercising marshall artists on the 
mountain near the bridge and river. After that, Larry and Evelyn and 
Dick and Gail came to Taiwan in 1991... who knew how this set up a 
climate of new adventures...remember the 20th Anniversary of ICA video 
you created before you left? Larry says he has a copy on his computer? 
Must be on backpup.

Thank you Gordon and thank you Roxanna.

A fleeting memory of things gone by which are still emerging...

That summer I got two jobs teaching English at ELSI and another at a 
local bushiban...then went to TAS and got a job so I could go home for 
summer and then return in August from USA in 1991. Now I am with ICA 
again since 2006! We have been in Taiwan for 24 years.

Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook
Institute of Cultural Affairs: Taiwan

-- 
Facilitator and Social Artist
3Fl, #12, Lane 5, Tien Mu West Road
Taipei, Taiwan 11156
Tel:8862-2871-3150

email: joyful52 at gmail.com  or joyful at icatw.com
skype: joyfuleakp
Cell: 886926682821