Culture Shock on a Stick: Adventure at Taiwan Yes Festival
If you were at a food stand advertising sugar-coated fruit on a stick, displaying pictures of red fruit, what kind of fruit would you expect?
When I bought mine, I thought I was about to bite into strawberries or cherries...not cherry tomatoes.
As my teeth broke the sugary outer shell, I remembered that tomatoes technically qualify as a fruit. It was culture shock on a stick.
I was exploring the Taiwan Yes Festival on September 23, 2023. It was held in a parking lot at Houston Christian University, a short walk from my dorm room. I decided to adjust to the whiffs of unfamiliar food and clusters of tents.
Approaching the ticket booth, I attempted to collect my tickets, which I had bought online. I did not realize I needed to purchase a whole batch (ten tickets), so I had only bought eight. I added two more tickets for $2. Each activity and booth charged tickets instead of cash.
Sweating from the September heat, I got myself a snow cone. The snow cone truck offered candy toppings, but I didn't get any.
Families enjoyed free rides from the high-water trucks brought by Harris County Precinct 4.
Rows of tents served items like boba tea, soft tofu pudding, and roasted corn.
The Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning had a booth that sold medicine in silk bags, fans, and tote bags to support their non-profit.
I was interested in one of Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning’s fans because of the heat, so I tried asking for the price. Because there was a bit of a language barrier, I was unsure which fan cost ten tickets and which fan cost five. I only had ten tickets at the time. I pointed to one, and they told me they would sell it to me for five. I did not buy it but ended up at another booth where I haggled because of the number of tickets I had left.
Not all booths have their prices listed. The booth where I purchased the sugar-coated tomatoes is an example. I was excited about my fruit stick, waiting ten minutes for a new batch to be done (unaware the fruit was tomatoes). I did not know the sticks cost five tickets instead of three. However, they took my remaining tickets at the booth and gave me my goodie because I had waited patiently.
Many booths attracted people using a prize wheel. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office booth offered different prizes.
Above is the prize I won.
I found a crowd gathering around this woman. I wanted to know who she was and why they were taking pictures of her with large press cameras. I also snapped a photo of her, thinking she must be someone important.
Well, she is. I later learned that this is Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
The Light and Salt Association’s booth offered free medical tests, spreading cancer awareness.
The Taiwan Black Bear booth was raising awareness about the Formosan Black Bear, which is in danger of extinction in Taiwan. They sold all sorts of black bear goodies, including T-shirts, wallets, and plushies.
The Taiwanese Heritage Society of Houston booth was bustling. The Heritage Society has a community center—open to anyone interested in learning about Taiwan—which offers a Taiwanese cultural library, culture exhibit windows, and more.
Above is the friendly mascot of Taiwan Yes!
And above is a way to literally beat the heat with water balloons and hammers.
Sweating, I wiped my forehead. I was worried I would catch heat stroke if I stayed outside any longer (despite cooling off with a snow cone). Other people were more prepared, wearing hats and carrying umbrellas.
I made my exit after an hour and a half at Taiwan Yes. According to the festival organizers, approximately 10,000 people attended.
Author and Photographer
Kirsten Passmore (bio below)
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