2006-2007 Year

The academic year following our return from Taiwan was eventful. We spent August with family. I precepted (TA’ed) the course “World Christianity through World Literature” with my advisor in the fall. I worked through the last chapters of the dissertation, many of which I had been constructing in my head but now took form on paper. I was helped by several great archived collections on microfilm.

In February I also used money from a Kuyper scholarship to visit London, where I did research at the British Library, Oxford and the School of Oriental and African Studies at London University. The only real “sightseeing” was a play, a couple of museums, and a lecture by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.
In London by the library, with a red bus and Shakespeare in the background

In the spring I taught a one month class in Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing with my old study abroad program. It was a lot of fun and was a good crash course review of Chinese history. We visited the Beijing military museum, the ruins of the summer palace, the Sun memorial in Nanjing, and the site of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai. I liked the undergrads and learned a lot from them and from the experience.

My class outside the Beijing military museum

However, I had one key challenge: I left my laptop in the airport on the way to Beijing. I didn’t even notice it until I arrived. (I had been up late the night before packing after an interview and lecture in New York.) Emily rescued the laptop from Newark, where the airport sends all forgotten electronics. I, however, needed a computer to go with me and to finish the writing and edits on my dissertation. I ended up by a Cantonese brand cheap laptop, a HEDY (“Happy Every DaY”). I know—it’s not the catchiest title.


The dissertation defense itself was a good experience. I’m not great on my feet, and often find these to be challenging events. It was a nice committee: the three main members, two other historians from my department, plus an outside member who studies Chinese religions. Here’s the defense picture (just a little blurry):
The dissertation committee (minus one member) and Emily
With Chi-Yi (PTS choral associate, and the two ThM students)
PhD classmates, Sandy, John, La Seng, me, and Hyung-Jin--a fun group

Another joy of the year was that several Taiwanese students from Taiwan Seminary were around. Here is a picture of Emily and I with them:
With Yu-Hui, Emily, and Ma-li
Looking at a picture with Yu-Hui; mom and Emily in the background After graduation, with my advisor

At the end of the year we were scrambling for jobs. Emily worked part time at a library and was in coursework. I was lucky to receive the opportunity to adjunct, and over the summer I found a position TA’ing a course on Buddhism at the University. It would continue five years of financial scrambling, but it also kept Emily close to her school and gave us another year in the area. At this point, Taiwan was hoped for but by no means sure. We had begun talking with the school but knew it would be at least a year.

Walking at Graduation

Photos / Contact Info

I have some old photo albums online, including the 2005-2006 year in Taiwan, our trip to Hong Kong, a class I taught in China, and a recent course where we visited the UN.

I also have contact info for us in Taipei. Here is the English:

Taiwan Theological College
No. 20, Lane 2, Section 2
Yang Teh Highway, Shihlin 111
Taipei TAIWAN

And the Chinese:

蔡約拿
台灣神學院
111台北市
士林區仰德大道二段二巷20號

In the weeks to follow I hope to tell a bit about the last few years, our orientation and departure, and the work we will be doing in Taiwan with the Presbyterian Church USA, Taiwan Theological College and Seminary, and the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan.

Rebooting Seitzseeing

Emily with I-Hung, a friend in Princeton and Taipei

This blog dates back to 2005, as Jon began preparing to go to Taiwan. This is a new start to the blog (sadly, old blog was accidentally deleted). At the time, Jon was doing research on his PhD. He had an old friend, Chen Shang-Jen (below), who had worked with him at Grace Taiwanese-American Presbyterian Church. (Jon was the youth director for two years.) After some serious conversations he was invited by Taiwan Seminary to study and teach during the 2005-2006 year. Jon taught theological English, ecumenics, and mission. He also had the chance to develop his “church Chinese” and to get to know the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan.
With Chen Shang-Jen at a beach and at Taroko during an alumni trip, Aguust 2005

This blog was at that time primarily a travel journal. Jon was a hermit in the fall of 2005, writing two chapters and getting his first dose of serious teaching. Emily arrived on an especially beautiful week in January 2006. We had all manner of happy adventures on the beautiful island (Portuguese: Ilha Formosa), including trips to Taroko Gorge, a waterfall, Kending, Tainan, and elsewhere. Jon and Emily helped start an English service at Suanglien Presbyterian Church. Emily began intensive Mandarin at NTNU and worked with some SCILS grads in Taiwan.

With leaders at Suanglien, including Elder Chou and Pastor Chen

Emily samples some squidballs in the food court of Taipei 101

Many of those lost posts focused on what was new and different to them. They described the friendly family of “step dogs” who lived nearby and were affectionately named Scruffy, Tawny, Boy Dog, and Girl Dog. We were impressed by this pink Hello Kitty car, and discovered that there was a local Bow-Wow Meow-Meow store, selling pet memorabilia. We ate squid ball at Taipei 101, the world’s tallest building. We visited the Presbyterian Mecca of Taipei, Danshui, and saw this picture of the founding missionary in northern Taiwan, George Leslie Mackay. (Famous quote attributed to Mackay: “better to burn out than to rust out.”) We went to the Taipei Zoo with I-Hung, Shang-Jen’s daughter, and went to the Imperial Palace many times. Jon heard Jürgen Moltman, Michael Welker, Max Stackhouse, Moonjang Lee, and others speak at the seminary.
Taipei 101 is famous for its architecture, which resembles a pagoda or a length of bamboo

We dealt with some culture shock, but not as much as we expected. In some ways the hardest work was the involvement in a congregation, since this meant more direct interaction and shared decision making. Here we were challenged by competing cultural values. We also learned that the preferred way of resolving disputes in Taiwan is through meals. We ate a lot of good meals and learned a great deal from the leaders of the church. Taiwan has some of the best food in the world. Taiwanese noodle making leads, in my opinion, to an improvement on Italian food.

We visited Hong Kong for a few days. Jon did some research at HKU. We also shopped (but, being students, didn’t buy). We saw the world’s largest seated Buddha and ate great dim sum. We saw family members, including Jon’s cousin, Jenny, and Emily’s family. We stayed through June and July and enjoyed the heat of the city.

Emily walks a bridge on a trip to local waterfalls

This is our second go at Taiwan. For a while it didn’t seem like it would work, so we are glad that it reappeared. The wait was worth it and we bring a third member of the family with us, our son, Samuel. I have another degree, rustier Chinese and some more teaching experience. We have shipped a lot of books and clothes and electronics and hope to be stocked up for the start of classes. More news to follow! Jon, Em, and Sam