Notes from Carol

Hi at last, I’m still trying to come down from today and yesterday….what an experience! Saturday Ivy met me at the Arena (new, gorgeous, and huge!) and I got registered, etc. and then she says to come with her because she is one of the board members of the Tai Chi Federation and sit with her on the dais! I tried desperately not to, but it was the only way she could explain things to me. Fortunately, I later realized no one could actually make out who you are from so far away, and the President introduced me as being from Germany, so I think I’m still incognito. The opening ceremony was like a small Olympic event with all the teams and contestants (except me, of course) marching in behind their country sign and assembling on the floor. The following hour and a half was devoted to a Taiwanese passion –speeches with loud reverberating microphones, LOTS of dignitaries, including the mayor of Taipei, who I got to meet, interminable comments by EVERYONE who could be remotely considered important and finally it got going with about an hour and a half of performances, both Chinese theatre and folk exhibitions, lots of great drums, etc.

Following a ubiquitous “bin dan” lunch, which is a cardboard box filled with a lot of things, recognizable and unrecognizable and a yogurt drink to calm your stomach, exactly 3 ounces of it, we were back for the Master Exhibitions and the beginning of the group competitions. This is when I realize the competition is not in a nice little room, you and the judges, but on the floor of the arena where there are 6-7,000 in the audience! It was fascinating to see the various forms demonstrated and I took lots of pictures and some videos. One master stood in one place, or sat in a chair and could literally “throw” attackers 15 feet away from him without any apparent movement of his hands or body. At one point, he did 3 at one time in opposite directions, and once, a line of 5 men braced against him in a line, every one of them went flying!! These masters are not young, but one of my favorites who did the old Dao Yin style literally floated to the floor held himself horizontally and floated back up again without so much as a finger to the ground!

After my return home Saturday, I completely melted down at the level of this thing, had a full-blown panic attack, couldn’t feel my hands, knees shaking, a total 61-year old mess.
Didn’t sleep, couldn’t eat breakfast, met Ivy at 7:00AM to warm up and dress, and just went over and over and over it to warm up. Finally, sheer exhaustion, I think, won and I got control of myself. We had to wait until all the men went in the event, so lots of time to worry, but still OK. Then…the big moment, Ivy had had to leave to teach in Tainan, so she arranged for a nice official to make sure I got to the appointed spot on the floor, and there it was. Not until then did I find out I wasn’t in a “Foreigner” category like I thought, but in my group was competing beside the last World Cup 42-Form Champion! It was way too late to flee, so just had to do it.

I forgot one small part (age and short-term memory –what a surprise!) but even though I have done it hundreds of times, I was so thrilled that I had held the big extensions, that I lost concentration for a split-second, and that is fatal. Overall, I think it was a solid C, but given my inexperience compared to the other competitors, I’m very happy. I don’t think I disgraced Ivy, and it was a “dancing bear” thing anyway. If I ever do it again, I think it will be much easier. I truly expected to just crash and burn on the difficult moves. Needless to say, I couldn’t even eat for about 4 hours afterwards, my knees starting shaking again after it was over, talk about adrenaline poisoning! Bill got the video…. A bunch of my Chinese tai chi class friends came down to cheer me on, which was incredibly sweet, and I got to meet people from all over. There were more than 30 countries represented and communication occurred in a whole lot of ways. It was so amazing to see people everywhere doing all these different forms and weapons and groups, at two times there were demonstrations of over 300 people all doing the same routine. My friend Kathleen and her friend Cecile, who is a Jamaican-born Canadian doctor (talk about your multi-cultural moments) did one of those, and were avidly following the fan events, which is their particular interest. There were fans, and swords, and staffs, and hand-to-hand fighting as well, so lots to see.

All in all, it was an unforgettable life experience, but I’m really looking forward to getting the play opened this week and a little more quiet appreciation of culture. It seems that the essence of tai chi is really not competition, but I have really learned that it is the practice of it, alone or with others, that makes you grow, your heart sort of “stretches” as you learn more and more.
Our Taiwanese friends had their baby 3 weeks ago and he is so much fun –almost as cute as a kitten!-OK, as cute! We’ll put a picture on the blog. Katrina is doing the traditional one month confinement. Her mother came from the south of Taiwan and she and the baby are staying in one of their apartments for 30 days. Roger goes home at night to take care of the two older boys. She cannot wash her hair, which is driving her crazy, use warm or hot water to wash, must eat special food which is catered in every day three times a day and just recuperates and bonds with the new baby. It is really a civilized custom and if modern moms want to do it and do not have an older female relative to take care of them, there are now special “maternity” facilities which provide all the services after the new moms leave the hospital.

Midsummer Night’s Dream just closed last night. The kids were just great. Shakespeare is always magic, nothing like getting the best material you can! Some pictures follow. I miss the fall colors but we are nesting on the porch like made, we just enjoy the fact that stuff grows so much longer here that at least I have something blooming most of the time! Leaves in colors would be very nice, though, everyone enjoy them for me!