'Video Game Live' concert

The world famous Video Game Live has arrived to Taipei again on the 20^th of February. Basically, this is a creative concert event by a professional orchestra which performs video game music from the ‘old school’ to the newest pieces. The audience can watch how the tunes of each game match with its video graphic animation on the enormous screens. These game visuals are all synchronised in amazing cuttings to the music, giving an extraordinary show with all the effects, fireworks and interactive parts. I’m not a video game fun as only a few games could engage me in my ‘lovely childhood’ for shorter times but I thought it’s going to be fun so I came along with many students from the dorm, even though that was a quiet chilly night (around 13 ^oC).

The event took place on the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (which one of my favourite places in Taipei). It was really not only for game fanatics but everyone could enjoy it who likes just a little bit what a classical orchestra can provide within a show like this – actually those members were the best in Taiwan. However, I’m pretty sure that many of the Taiwanese people came along with concrete expectations about games. They were crowing like this “Final Fantasy 7!!!!!!!!!!!” and “Diabolo-diabolo-diabolo!!” –yeah, this is video game fanaticism…:) Anyway one the interactive part was quiet funny, when a local guy from the crowd went up to the stage and played a “fight against the aliens” retro style game with the curiosity that his move on a lateral line directed his spacecraft on the screen. completely crazy…

At the end as the crowd was cheering, everyone held up some mobile, digital camera, PDA or other electronic devices to say thanks for the show by imitating the feeling which was trendy in the ‘60s-‘70s by using lighters. This concert was really a lot of fun, I knew that people go crazy for video games in Asia but I didn’t expect that they do this much. All the people were so excited from the beginning and they were so happy when one of their favourites appeared on the screen. I’m sure that it was also a good sign for the video game industry that supports the word tour of this team that the new games which they showed us will be popular here and that Taiwan is still a potential target.

Some more picture about the concert in my Picasa.

Settling down in Taipei again

I’m posting my first note after 2 weeks from my arrival to Taipei because there were so many things happening recently. During this time I tried to put myself back onto the track where I was before I left Taiwan on the 1st of January to go back to the UK. I would say that the time between my leaving and returning to Taiwan (mainly January) was a nice winter holiday but most importantly a useful lesson… whenever you come to the decision to leave a nice place behind for a while always think twice whether you really want to do so! I managed to correct my mistake by an extraordinary and quite lucky turn. Anyway I’m very glad that I can be here again! (for some people I caused a little shock with my surprising return…I'm sorry for them) ;)

So firstly I’d like to share what I’m going to do in NTU (in academic terms). Of course I continue the Mandarin course with the same class but from now on we are on the 2nd level!!! (I think I can be proud that I passed the 1^st level by 85%, right?) My business courses will be ‘International Business Strategy’, ‘Operations Management’ and my third course is ‘The Political Economy of Southeast Asia’ –which takes place in the Social Science campus which is away from the main one, but I will write about it later.

I live in a different dorm than last term; it’s called Guo Qing International Student Dormitory just at the opposite side of campus. This one has better social life than Prince House because there isn't any separation of girls from boys which makes it a friendlier place. However, it’s not as comfortable as Prince House was and the rooms here are for 2 persons. But I’m very lucky that I’ve got a really cool roommate form Poland, his name is Adam. He studies Finance and starting Mandarin as well. By the way there are 3 other Polish students came with him, so I guess the Taiwanese exchange is getting popular in Poland as well. Apparently, we have a very common cultural heritage because the Polish Żubrówka (you should be familiar this vodka already if you have ever met with Polish people) is excellent with my Hungarian Pick szalámi (similar but better than sausage)! Also this accommodation is free for me as I’m from Sussex… :) so I can save a lot of money which is quite important regarding my travelling plans in the summer…

Other important news is that I got back my good old scooter which is a pleasant gift for my stay in Taiwan again from a local friend. So I’m getting from A to B in the fastest possible way in Taipei! Although, I have to get used to the crazy driving habits again. In Taipei there is no respect for others on the roads, if you can’t assimilate to their driving style you fall…pure survival…! :)

In Jioufen, day 2 - smothered in fog

Next day we got back to Jioufen because I felt that the mission is not completed if we don’t climb the mountain which has one of the most amazing views to the ocean. I was happy not to see too many tourists, but on the other side we had to face to a nasty fact: it was extremely foggy! You can see on the pictures that the within sight was not more than 10 meters. But of course it didn’t discourage us from climbing the mountain I spotted yesterday. So it was basically a serious stair climbing tour as the path is all the way up built out with stones. But climbing 300 m’s (from the level of 300 up to about 600 m’s high) in 90% humidity is not an easy job. At the first resting place I developed a new martial arts –just to warm up – which utilise the bamboo as a serious weapon. We climbed almost the whole way in fog but as we were about to reach the summit we got some sunshine and from the summit we could see some of the mountains and how the clouds passed through the ridges. So somehow our effort against the elements was honoured what made us happy.

Pictures >>> Picasa