taichung early days

the first few days in taichung. i have been so well cared for by annie and everyone else- it almost embarrassing. the apartment is the second floor of a 2 storey walk up inside the campus. i have been eating like crazy. the food is fabulous. at restaurants, at street corners, at night markets. the campus was built in the 1950’s, i m pei takes credit for it, but albert tells me that another taiwanese architect was actually in charge- and he showed me the book in his office- lovely lovely drawings. the campus is a mirror of an american campus through an oriental lens. the mall still has the library at the head, but the chapel is off-axis. the architecture school is a terrific series of terraces that rise with the classes. other buildings on campus are japanese influenced (or at least that’s what they seem to me) low rise rcc frames with brick infills on the shorter sides and glass opening onto courtyards on the other. wide verandahs surround the buildings where people are supposed to hang out. today was the official opening of the school and i was introduced to the assembly of teachers by prof lo. a ceremony that involved a welcome speech including a poem written by the new president of the university and then a roll call of all of us new teachers. later the school orchestra played a taiwanese pop song about the scent of flowers and two kids danced hip hop. my first class is tomorrow and i am feeling mildly edgy.