A deep bow to the WOSonOS 09 Taiwan Host Team

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Fri Nov 6 14:48:40 PST 2009


Lisa - Having been a guest in Taiwan on several occasions, I am not
surprised with your rhapsody - And it is all true. If you didn't have a good
time - to say nothing of good food there -- you weren't there. And I wasn't
(there) - for which I feel profoundly bereft. But next year: In Berlin?

 

Harrison

 

 arrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

Potomac, Maryland   20854

Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

Open Space Training  <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com


Open Space Institute  <http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
www.openspaceworld.org

Personal website  <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com 

OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives
Visit:  <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

 

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 5:25 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: A deep bow to the WOSonOS 09 Taiwan Host Team

 

Now, a few weeks later, after resting and savoring memories...

WHAT an experience that was - to learn, share, explore, eat, laugh, walk,
share culture and eat some more during the WOSonOS 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan!

 

I learned so much about Taiwanese history, culture, and people, about the
marvelous Open Space work that is happening all over Taiwan, and about the
work of all the participants from all the countries.

It was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy old and new friends, and - as is
always the case in an international WOSonOS - to learn so very much from
people whose cultures, viewpoints and experiences are so different than my
own cultural experiences and ways of knowing.

 

This is why I save up my pennies (or Taiwan New Dollars) for attending an
international WOSonOS whenever I can - I learn more, stretch more, and soak
up more in an environment that is not like my own.

And can I just say? You fabulous Taiwanese colleagues have brought warmth
and hospitality, welcoming and ...okay, eating...to a level that I can only
strive to equal with visitors to my own country.

 

A few images from my visit and the conference:

 

- The Global Village Marketplace and Silent Auction tables - a tradition at
WOSonOS where we buy and sell wonderful items from our countries to raise
resources and awareness for the Access Queen (resource-sharing) Project -
was full of delights.  Postcards of Mark Pixley's cats (China), stationery
and linen napkins (India), handmade bag (Denmark), Pure Maple Butter
(Canada), silk scarf and crocheted purses (Aboriginal tribes / Taiwan), sea
sponges and bumblebee pins (USA), place mats (Philippines), fabric bags and
coin purses (Vietnam), artful file boxes and a butterfly bookmark (Japan),
jade and silver jewelry (Taiwan), a soft toy bear (Germany), and more.  Oh
yes, and: because of the amazing way people shop together in Taiwan, we
renamed it just for this conference: the "Talking Auction". (!)  All this -
plus the wonderful ET placed the money raised in a traditional red envelope,
to bring even more good luck.

- Another WOSonOS tradition: "International Suitcase Cuisine" - my favorite
moment was sharing tastes of good strong cheese (from Germany) with three
Taiwanese university students who had never tried cheese before. The sharp
taste and smell surprised them - oh the faces they made! And we laughed
because this sort of cheese is an acquired taste perhaps for many Taiwanese
- just like 'stinky doufu' is to some non-Taiwanese. Very similar - smells
strong, tastes great...

- Yet another WOSonOS tradition: Each year's WOSonOS Host Team has the
option to donate what they wish back into the Access Queen Project, after
all bills are paid.
I am delighted to announce that the WOSonOS 2009 Taiwan Host Team is
donating part of the proceeds from the conference back into the Access Queen
Project - continuing the tradition of 'paying it forward' for Askers at the
2010 Berlin WOSonOS.  AND: With part of the proceeds from the conference
they have created a local fund to support local / Taiwan-based Open Space
'practitioners in the making'.

 

So you see - our community's generosity and awareness for others is a seed
that grows into a plant, that makes seeds...that we plant in the ground
again..,to grow in more ways, as together we help those with lower incomes
learn in and about Open Space with us all.

 

Other images:

 

- Tasting every single kind of food my hosts introduced me to at the
fabulous Taipei night markets. Animal, vegetable, mineral. Sweet, savory, in
a soup, on a stick, in a cup.  Totally fabulous and interesting.


- Visiting the wonderful Museum of Formosan Aborigines - to learn about
tribal crafts, textiles, musical instruments, and pottery.


- Sitting for hours and hours at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park - having
interesting conversations with elderly men, being introduced to peoples'
dogs, laughing with babies, and being amazed at where I was


- Soaking in Laura Hsu's favorite hot springs spa, looking up at the stars


- Visiting the wonderful team at Compassion International


- Witnessing my colleague's enjoyment as volunteers from the community
offered complimentary I Ching readings and knife massages at the conference
(you'll have to ask Suzanne Daigle about that)


- Engaging in rich Open Space discussion about everything from using OS in
hierarchal / patriarchal / tribal cultures - to how we of different cultures
communicate in groups - even turning the mirror on the discussion dynamics
within our very conversation circles


- Strangers on the street missing their busses on purpose, just to linger
and share thoughts with us about Taiwan, places to go and enjoy, and
cultural exchange

 

A deep bow to you all, from Access Queen and from her close friend, Lisa
Heft...

 

 

Lisa Heft

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

Opening Space

lisaheft at openingspace.net

www.openingspace.net

 

Join me for the Open Space Learning Workshop

December 9-11, San Francisco

 

And the Open Open Space on Open Space 

(for those who already use Open Space) 

January 15-17, San Francisco

 

 

 

 

* * ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20091106/179ddcb8/attachment-0016.htm>


More information about the OSList mailing list