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Published: June 27th 2007
Legislator Bi-khim Hsiao
The Congresswoman is in the middle of the group. She is right about my age, I understand. Today we had five meetings. Five meetings does not sound that daunting, but the formal meetings with the other activities including meals add up to days that are so exhausting that I can recall few days during the legislative session when I was as completely worn down as right now. I'll feel better when I sleep and a lot of it is the humidity that this desert boy will never get used to - even as humid as it is in Central Texas in the summer.
I don't feel sick, but no one else in the group is sweating like I am. It's kind of gross; I think I'd be able to tell if I had a fever. I guess this weather just gets to me.
Today we met with the following: Legislator
(Congresswoman) Bi-khim Hsiao; John Deng,
Chief Negotiator of the Office of Trade Negotiations; Benjamin Liang,
Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mark Tan-sun Chen,
Secretary General of the National Security Council; and Chia-lung Lin,
Secretary General of the Democratic Progressive Party.
Unfortunately, some of the most interesting places we go will not allow cameras - the American Institute did not allow them and the Presidential Palace
Hsi-wei Chou, Taipei County Governor
Unfortunately, got no great pictures of him... did not allow them for our meeting with the Secretary of the National Security Council.
Looking at the list of meetings we have been having, you might think it would be easy to pick out which would be the most interesting. Every single meeting we have had has been informative and captivating, but some people we meet with impact us more than others.
Some of it has to do with the time of day we meet them - end of the day we are all zombies. Some of it has to do with our own backgrounds and what each of us find interesting; some of it has to do with the age of the person we are meeting with in relation to ourselves.
But I would have to say that the meetings we left when I heard the most colorful comments were not the ones you might expect. They were the Governor of Taipei County - maybe we'd call him a County Judge - and the young Congresswoman we met with this morning.
More than anything, this might reveal our - well, i'll just speak for myself - my underlying and unintentional biases. Those two individuals
Benjamin Liang, Minister of Foreign Affairs
This was taken after an incredible, multi-course lunch at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. are young, charismatic, and U.S. educated. I think I just found more in common with them in ways that were not outwardly quantifiable.
Interestingly, those two particular individuals belong to the primary political parties in Taiwan who oppose one another. And more than once we have heard comments from residents of Taiwan about their star status and bright futures in politics in this country.
Our draw to them, though, makes me wonder how much we are missing due to our innate tendency to seek out those most like us. And i find it entirely possible that some of the qualities that most draw us to those individuals could potentially repulse voters native to Taiwan. But from everything I can tell, these two, young politicians are representative of the future leadership of Taiwan in energy level and political sophistication.
(I will write more in your afternoon - I have got to get some sleep. I have a lot more about today to write about...)
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sylvia
non-member comment
You look busy....and a little tired....but not sweaty!! Your days sound pretty full....when is play time?? We'll treat you to Matt's when you get back....Nothing much going on here except we are expecting Noah's Ark to arrive on Lake Travis any day now!! Unbelieveable rain we are getting and we have days to go with more rain! Have fun....S