普左傑實習心得09：公民會實習感想

 普左傑實習心得09：公民會實習感想

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

日期：2024年11月6日

很難講我在台灣公民參與協會實習的所有感想，所以我寫這篇文章來分享我在公民會所學。我很難想像只過了3個月而已！

 

對我來說，開始在這次實習並不容易。這是我第一次接觸到沒有人說同一種母語的工作環境。所以，我從來沒有體驗過完全用中文工作機會，確實是有語言溝通挑戰。但現在這種情況，也是意料之中的事。然而，在最初的幾週之後，我的中文開始有了很大的進步，我的交流沒有任何問題。

 

我在公民會的實習最終成為我在台灣學習的亮點。我很幸運選擇了一份不是只有整天坐在辦公桌後面的實習，而且有機會參加、學習和體驗台灣各地的許多不同的機會。從在新北市採訪里長談動物權利，到拜訪著名奧運選手紀政女士，參觀立法院，甚至去台灣最古老的城市台南，我感覺好像是以本地人的角度看和體驗台灣的公民參與。對一個美國留學生來說，是非常難得的經驗。

 

在這裡的這段時間裡，我確實學到了很多。從教育知識開始，例如了解台灣NGO的責任、台灣的公民參與歷史、台灣的動物權利等，以及獲得許多個人技術，例如公開演講、記轉錄、錄影、翻譯、新聞報導。更好的是，所有內容都是中文的！這不僅讓我進一步了解公民參與，也大大提昇了我的華語聽、說、讀、寫能力。

 

最重要的是，我在台灣期間在公民會遇到了一些最友善、愛心的人。儘管我最初對語言、文化、習俗等的不太懂，但我的導師非常支持我的學習經歷，總是熱情的教我更多！我開玩笑說他們成為我的“下午中文老師”，因為他們不僅教我與工作相關的知識，還教我台灣文化和日常生活的知識。他們甚至還教我很多關於不同台灣美食的知識！在台灣留學，家人遠在千里之外，很辛苦，但我很幸運，有那麼多老師們在這裡照顧我。

 

雖然我只是一個大學生，我知道在公民會的實習將是我一生難忘的經歷！我很期待下次來台灣再找你們。

Final Thoughts on My Internship at TCPA

It’s hard to fit all of my thoughts about my internship at TCPA into just one article! I have learned and experienced so much that it’s hard to process that it’s only been three months since I’ve arrived here. 

If I’m being completely honest, beginning this internship was not very easy. This was the first work environment I’d ever been in where none of us spoke the same mother language. So I’d never experienced working fully in Chinese before. There was definitely a language barrier, which resulted in some misunderstandings, but in this situation, it was definitely expected. 

My internship at TCPA ultimately ended up becoming the highlight of my semester in Taiwan. I’m lucky to have chosen an internship that didn’t just keep me behind a desk all day, and had the opportunity to attend, learn, and experience so many different opportunities throughout all of taiwan. From interviewing Community Leaders in New Taipei City about animal rights, to meeting famous olympian Chi Cheng, touring the Legislative Yuan, and even going all the way to Tainan, I’ve really been able to see and experience civic engagement in Taiwan from a local perspective, which is an incredibly rare experience for an American college student studying abroad. 

Throughout my time here, I have truly learned so much. Starting from educational knowledge such as learning about the functions of Taiwanese NGOs, civic engagement in Taiwan, animal rights in Taiwan, etc., as well as gaining lots of personal skills, such as public speaking, note-taking and transcription, translation, and journalism. Better yet, all of it was in Chinese! This has not only helped enrich my knowledge of civic engagement, but also vastly improved my Chinese speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities.  

Most importantly, I’ve been able to meet some of the nicest and caring people throughout my entire time in Taiwan here at TCPA. Despite my initial unfamiliarity with the language, culture, customs, etc., my supervisors have been incredibly supportive of my learning experience by always being eager to teach me more! I often joke that they have become my “Afternoon Chinese Teachers”, as they not only teach me things related to my job, but also about Taiwanese culture and daily life. They have also taught me a lot about different types of Taiwanese food! Being in Taiwan as a college student, it is hard when family is thousands of miles away, but I am so lucky to have our teachers to take care of me here. 

Even though I am only a college student, I know that my internship here is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life! I can’t wait to come back and visit you all soon. 

普左傑實習心得08：去台南第二天的感想

實習心得08：去台南第二天的感想

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

日期：2024年11月5日

10月20日第二天，從早上八點參觀台南市各個古蹟（龍脈之旅）。

 

我們參觀第一個地方是台南著名的延平郡王祠。延平郡王祠建於大清帝國，奉祀台灣著名歷史人物鄭成功。我覺得最有意思的一部分是了解該祠的建築背景。由於該寺廟建造時受到了多元文化的影響，建築風格在台南是獨一無二的！不但包括台南閩籍的風格，也把日本建築風格跟台灣的結合起來。我從來沒看過那麼豐富的建築！

 

之後我們去參觀臨水夫人廟、北極殿、開基武廟等台南不同寺廟。在台南中西區逛街感覺好像處處都有寺廟。我在台北聽說台南是“寺廟之都”，這一天的行程確實證實了！對我來說，這個徒步旅行是一天中最令我印象深刻的部分。作為一個以前從未看過這麼多寺廟的人，走進所有寺廟並了解每座寺廟的歷史是非常有趣的。每一座寺廟都各不相同，都有自己獨特的建築和文化，真有意思！

 

到了每一座寺廟時，公民會辦公室主任周明琴（CHOU, Ming Chin）也當我和室友特別的導遊和“文化老師”。她特別介紹每個神的角色、文化背景和責任，也告訴我們她小時候去寺廟拜拜的回憶故事。她甚至教我們怎麼正式的拜拜！我為我的家人祈禱幸福安康。我真很感恩我在公民會的指導老師。他們不但在辦公室教我公民參與相關的事，也在辦公室外教我那麼多跟一般台灣文化、歷史、語言有關的事情！

 

儘管漫長而天氣炎熱的日子讓我有點累，但我很幸運能夠學到和經歷這麼多！不知不覺間，就到了高鐵站回台北。結束兩天台南的旅程！

Day Two in Tainan!

On our second day, we began bright and early with a morning-long tour of various historical landmarks throughout Tainan’s West-Central district. 

The first place we visited was the famous Koxinga Shrine. The Koxinga Shrine was built in the Qing Dynasty to enshrine Zheng Chenggong, a famous Taiwanese historical figure. I was interested in the architectural background of the temple. Due to the multicultural influences of the city when the temple was built, the architectural style is completely unique to Tainan, as it combines both Tainan’s Fujianese culture with Japanese architectural style. I have never seen such rich architecture!

Afterwards, we visited different temples in Tainan such as Linshui Lady Temple, Arctic Temple, Kaijiwu Temple, etc. When walking throughout Tainan’s Central and Western District, it feels like there are temples everywhere. There’s a saying that Tainan is the “Capital of Temples” and this day trip definitely confirmed it! As someone who has never seen so many temples before, it was very interesting to see all of  them and learn about their respective histories. Every temple is different and has its own unique architecture and culture, which is fascinating!

When we visited each temple, CHOU, Ming Chin, Office Director of TCPA, also served as a special tour guide and "cultural teacher" for my other American roommate and myself. She specifically introduced the role, cultural background and responsibilities of each god, and also told us her memories of going to temples to pray when she was a child. She even taught us how to ‘bai-bai’ formally! I am really grateful to have so many great supervisors atTCPA. They not only taught me things related to civic engagement in the office, but have also taught me so many things related to Taiwanese culture, history, and language that I continue to use throughout my daily life here in Taipei. 

Even though by the end I was definitely very hot and a little tired, I felt so lucky to have learned and experienced so much throughout this weekend! Before I knew it, I was at the high-speed rail station heading back to Taipei. A successful weekend!

普左傑實習心得07：去台南第一天的感想

 普左傑實習心得07：去台南第一天的感想

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

日期：2024年11月4日

我10月19、20日跟公民參與協會理事長何宗勳、公民會會員們和數十名公民記者參加台南府城建城400年巡禮之旅。從參觀大博物館到好吃的台南小吃，這個週末真豐富！

 

在19日禮拜六，我們從台北搭高鐵到台南站下車，馬上去很有名的奇美博物館。奇美博物館算是全國最有名博物館。戶外的西洋古典建築外觀，和博物館著名西洋的畫和雕塑，這間博物館當成為台灣經典的亮點。我上課時好幾次聽過博物館的名字、歷史，可是我從來沒有機會去。到博物館時，我沒有發現博物館那麼大、建築那麼美！我最喜歡的部分是看到東西方樂器的展覽。透過揚聲器和螢幕現場管弦樂團音樂會的「走入管弦樂團」令我印象深刻。

 

 

吃完好吃自助餐後，我們去國立台灣歷史博物館。博物館不同展覽的內容主要是介紹臺灣歷史，包括台灣很多民族、傳統習俗、和自然環境歷史。還有台灣與不同國家關係、不同族群的文化，還有提到台灣透過歷史的語言、文化、美食改變。對我來說，我覺得這是那一天最有意思的活動。由於在上課時也學過基本台灣歷史和文化，我已經知道一點點，可是我從來沒有機會在現場看到關於台灣的歷史文物、雕塑蠟像、現場傳統音樂聲音等等。我認為雕塑蠟像令我印象深刻，因為感覺就像我處於雕塑所展示的歷史點。除了看古物，我也很感恩有那麼多會員們和公民記者渴望與我分享他們對這段歷史的經歷和回憶。所以，我一邊能看得到真正的古物，一邊能聽得到它們回憶的故事。我真很有幸運！這就會讓我更進一步了解台灣的歷史和文化。

 

回旅館休息後，我們再出去體驗台南街頭上的風格，找一個晚餐。雖然一般的餐廳已經關門，我和我室友終於找到一家擔仔麵的餐廳。由於這是我第一次過夜離開台北，所以不僅台南的特別美食很有趣，也能體驗和享受了台南晚上的感覺。最後，我們回旅館睡覺！

On October 19th and 20th, I participated in the 400th Anniversary Tour of Tainan Prefecture with HO, Tsung-Hsun, Chairman of the Citizen Participation Association, members of TCPA, and dozens of citizen journalists. From visiting great museums to delicious Tainan snacks, this weekend is truly packed!

On Saturday the 19th, we went immediately from the high-speed rail station to the Chimei Museum. Chimei Museum is considered the most famous museum in Tainan, and is known for its western art and architecture. I’ve heard that people from all over Taiwan come, just to see the art! When I arrived at the museum, I didn’t expect it to be so big! My favorite part was seeing the exhibit of Chinese and Western instruments. I was particularly impressed by the "walk-in-the-orchestra" exhibit, which gave museum-goers the experience of live orchestra concerts through speakers and screens.

After lunch, we went to the National Museum of Taiwan History. The different exhibitions mainly introduces the history of Taiwan, including Taiwan's many ethnic groups, traditional customs, and nature/environment. It also largely shows the evolution of language, culture, and food in Taiwan through history. Since I had gained a basic knowledge of Taiwanese history and culture in class, I already knew a little bit about it, but I had never had the opportunity to see a full on exhibit about it. In addition to looking at the antiquities, I was also grateful that so many members and citizen journalists are eager to share their experiences and memories of the history referenced within the exhibits with me. I was so lucky to have so many unofficial tour guides!

After returning to the hostel to rest, we went out to experience the streets of Tainan and find a place to eat dinner. Although most of the restaurants were closed, my roommate and I finally found a Dan Zai Noodles restaurant. Since this was my first time leaving Taipei overnight since coming to Taiwan, it was completely new and very interesting to be able to experience and enjoy the feeling of Tainan at night. Finally, we went back to the hotel to sleep!

普左傑實習心得06：參觀立法院

 普左傑實習心得06：參觀立法院

日期：2024年10月15日

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

我10月15日禮拜二跟公民會辦公室主任周明琴（CHOU, Ming Chin）參觀了台灣立法院。我們一開始在導覽志工的帶領下參觀立法院，在那裡我了解了立法院對台灣的歷史的重要性。我們看過民進黨、國民黨和其他政黨不同的辦公室，也有機會看立法院的會議廳。除了了解立法院的重要性，我們也有機會了解立法院的歷史。現在的立法院大樓，其實在日治時期是台北州立台北第二高等女學校，當時的校舍主建築群已經被列為台北市市定古蹟，所以很多建築風格也受到「高中校園」的影響。我覺得很有意思。

 

參觀結束後，由於立法委員正在開會，我們在現場看到了會議情況。雖然一般討論的話題我聽不同，我覺得是個很難得的機會！在會議結束，立法院院長韓國瑜甚至用麥克風向我們台灣公民參與協會會員打招呼！

 

最後，我們很幸運有機會與立法委員辦公室主任賴秀琪喝下午茶，做一個小採訪。由於我在美國也認識一些在國會眾議院工作的人，我很好奇問關於在台灣政治界工作經歷的問題。這就讓我進一步更了解在政治界的工作人的教育和興趣經歷，也了解立委助理的日常工作責任。特別感恩賴主任的邀請和協助那麼難得的機會！

A Visit to the Legislative Yuan

On Tuesday, October 15th, I visited the Taiwan Legislative Yuan with CHOU, Ming Chin, Office Director of TCPA. We first toured the Legislative Yuan Building under the guidance of a volunteer tour guide, where I learned about the history and importance of the Legislative Yuan to Taiwan. We saw different offices of the Democratic Progressive Party, the Kuomintang and other political parties, and also had the opportunity to see the Main Conference Hall of the Legislative Yuan. In addition to understanding the importance of the Legislative Yuan, we also had the opportunity to learn about the history of this building. The current Legislative Yuan building was actually the Taipei State Second High School for Girls during the Japanese colonial period. Because of that, the main building complex is now an official Taipei City historic site. Interesting!

After the tour, as the legislators were meeting, we were able to see the proceedings on site in the Main Conference Hall. Although I couldn’t fully understand everything, it was such a cool opportunity! At the end of the meeting, the President of the Legislative Yuan even addressed and welcomed the members of the Taiwan Citizen Participation Association (us), how special!

Finally, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet with Legislative Assistant Ms. Lai. Since I also know some people in the United States who do similar work as Legislative Assistants for various national and state representatives, I was curious to ask questions about her experience working in Taiwanese politics. This allowed me to better understand the role and background of people working in the Taiwanese political realm, as well as the more general daily responsibilities of Legislative Assistants. Special thanks to Ms. Lai for inviting and helping organize such a rare opportunity!

普左傑實習心得05：參加公民參與協會的第三屆第六次理監事聯席會

 普左傑實習心得05：參加公民參與協會的第三屆第六次理監事聯席會

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

日期：2024年10月14日

在10月9日禮拜三，我參加台灣公民參與協會的第三屆第六次理監事聯席會。雖然這場會議的過程只有一個小時，我覺得這是個非常好的機會讓我了解台灣NGO的幹部開會過程和對社會的責任。雖然我以前在紐約的當地NGO也做過實習，我從來沒有機會參加理監事會議，所以這是一個很有意思的機會。

 

這場會議有四個部分：理監事推薦名單、章程修改、年度計畫討論、會員大會的安排。雖然有的的話題我聽不懂，我覺得他們討論的話題都有意思。在其他的NGO，我參加過他們的年度大會或認識他們的理監事。可是我從來沒看過理監事推薦過程，也沒看過安排會員大會的安排過程。

 

對我來說，當天最有意思的部分是看台灣NGO怎麼召開理監事聯席會議程序。由於我在台大的課程已經討論過辦NGO理事會議的程序，比如安排日期條件、議程通知、至少要幾位理事出席等等，我已經了解一點的程序。所以有機會在現場看到這個過程真是很有趣。

 

在正式會議結束以後，我也有機會跟公民會的理監事互相認識。這讓我更進一步了解每位理監事的教育和工作背景，此外也讓我了解他們如何對公民參與感興趣。

Attending TCPA’s October Board Meeting

On Wednesday, October 9th, I attended the regular board meeting of the Citizen’s Participation Association. Although this meeting lasted only one hour, I felt it was a very good opportunity for me to understand the governing process of Taiwanese NGOs and their responsibilities to the local society. Although I have interned at local NGOs in New York before, I have never had the opportunity to attend those NGOs board meetings, so this was an interesting opportunity.

Last Wednesday’s meeting had four parts: organizing recommendation list of directors and supervisors, the revision of articles of association, discussion of TCPA’s yearly plans, and arrangements for the association’s general meeting of members in December. Although I wasn’t able to understand everything, from what I could understand, I thought the topics they discussed were very interesting. In other NGOs, I’ve had the opportunity to meet board members and attend the types of events they were planning in that meeting, though I’ve never had the opportunity to see the board members in action, as well as see how the events I’ve attended were planned. 

For me, the most interesting part of the day was learning the specific procedures of how Taiwanese NGOs hold board meetings. Since I’ve actually learned a bit about the procedures of NGO board meetings through my courses at National Taiwan University, I already know a little bit about the procedures. So having the opportunity to see this process live was really enriching.

After the official meeting ended, I also had the opportunity to get to know each of the board members a bit better. This allowed me to learn more about each member’s educational and work background, in addition to understanding how they became interested in the concept of “citizen’s participation”. 

普左傑實習心得04：參加「反對海上賽鴿」聽證會和說明會

參加「反對海上賽鴿」聽證會和說明會

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

日期·：2024年10月1日
 
在9月24日禮拜三，我跟何宗動（HO, Tsung-hsun）秘書長和動督盟的會員們參加中選會的「您是否同意禁止海上賽鴿」全國性公民投票案聽證會。我過去兩三禮拜都在閱讀賽鴿資料，所以當天已經了解賽鴿的問題，也聽得懂賽鴿的中文名詞。
 
我們到中選會的時候，我們以為要坐在聽證會的現場，但只能坐在旁邊的會議室看直播。所以，動督盟理事長王唯治（WANG, Wei-Chi）在現場寫陳情書抗議，而且我們都有簽名。我覺得這是「公民參與」最好的例子！
 
雖然我們只看直播，我們還能了解台灣聽證會的過程和不同人物對賽鴿的看法。我特別幸運能認識大部分的發言者，看他們在現場發言真的很厲害。雖然有時候我聽不懂，我對自己能聽懂的程度感到驚訝！
 
參加聽證真是一個難得的機會！我甚至在美國從來沒有機會參加「聽證」這類的活動，所以有機會來參加中選會的聽證會不但讓我了解這次聽證的內容，也讓我進一步了解台灣政府與公民的關係。

 
在9月28日禮拜六，我們跟禮拜二的參加者在NGOs會館的「反對海上賽鴿公投說明會-台北場」又見面了。我覺得禮拜六的活動很有意思。由於在聽證時有的發言部分內容我聽不懂，這場說明會讓我更了解禮拜二討論的事情。我們也有機會聽到一些團體與關心民眾對賽鴿的看法，也讓我對賽鴿的了解更多元。當天還有人帶鴿子到現場支持！
 
當時，何秘書長也突然讓我上台發言！我那時候真的很緊張，是個練習用中文公開表達的機會公。來台灣之前，我真的很緊張在公共場合說中文，更不用說在一般的公開場合。我在公民會實習不但幫我練習中文，也幫我提高自信！

 

我當天也邀請美國室友孔素（Sofiya）來現場參加。我每天回家一定跟我的室友們分享實習時做了什麼事，我很高興有機會能夠帶她來現場看公民會和動督盟的活動！

Attending the Legislative Hearing on Pigeon Racing

On Wednesday, September 24, I attended the Central Election Commission's legislative hearing on the national referendum on “Do you agree to ban pigeon racing?” with Secretary-General Ho and members of the Taiwan Animal Protection Network. I had spent the past few weeks doing research on pigeon racing in Taiwan, so I already understood the problems of activity, as well as the Chinese vocabulary to describe it.

When we arrived at the hearing, we thought we would sit at the hearing, but we could only sit in the conference room next to it and watch the live broadcast. Therefore, Wang Wei-Chi, the president of the Animal Protection Network, wrote a petition on the spot to protest, and we all signed it. Civic engagement at its finest! 

Although we only watched the live broadcast, the experience also allowed me to learn about the process of legislative hearings in Taiwan and the opinions of different people on racing pigeons. I was extremely lucky to have already met most of the speakers testifying, and it was really cool to watch them speak live. Even though there were times when I didn’t fully understand what they were saying, I was surprised at how much I understood!

What a unique opportunity it is to attend a hearing! I have never even had the opportunity to attend a legislative hearing in the United States, so having the opportunity to attend the hearing of the Central Election Commission not only allowed me to understand the content of this hearing, but also allowed me to better understand the relationship between the Taiwanese government and its citizens.

On Saturday, September 28, we met again with Tuesday’s participants at the “Policy Briefing” from Tuesday’s hearing, held at the Taipei NGO House. Since I did not understand some of the speeches during the hearing, the event gave me a better understanding of the matters discussed on Tuesday. We also had the opportunity to hear the views of some other activists and concerned citizens on racing pigeons, which also gave me a more diverse understanding of the different perspectives people have on the issue. Someone even brought their pet pigeon to the scene that day to support!

At that time, Secretary-General Ho also suddenly asked me to come on stage to give a speech! I was really nervous at that time because I do not have much experience with public speaking in Mandarin, and I had not prepared anything. Before coming to Taiwan, I was really nervous about speaking Chinese in public, let alone public speaking in general. My internship at TCPA has not only helped me practice Chinese, but also helped me improve my confidence!

I also invited my American roommate Sofiya to attend the event that day. Having already told her so much about my time at TCPA so far, I was very happy to have the opportunity to bring her to see TCPA’s activities in real time! 

普左傑實習心得03： 閱讀賽鴿資料感想

 閱讀賽鴿資料感想 

  日期：2024年9月16日 

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

賽鴿是一個鴿子飛行速度的賽事。本來是歐洲特典文化，後來傳到亞洲。長期，台灣的「賽鴿」造成很多問題。賽鴿讓數百萬隻鴿子死於海上，而政府卻沒制定新法律和政策來阻止。在過去12年以來，國際動保團體與台灣動物保護行政監督聯盟和其他動保團體舉辦不同活動、發布不同文章為了反對海上賽鴿。

我來台灣之前從來沒聽過「 賽鴿」，所以何宗勳秘書長（HO,Tsung-hsun）給我介紹的時候真不知道賽鴿是什麼！我沒有發現「pigeon」的中文翻譯是「鴿子」，而且不明白賽鴿是如何進行的。雖然賽鴿源自歐洲後傳入亞洲，最近也不流行，尤其是在我住的紐約。在有的美國郊區的賭場旁邊有賽馬場（跟香港的賽馬一模一樣）。在賽馬比賽中，人們投下了很多錢，但他們對待馬匹並不好，所以當我了解賽鴿運動時，我覺得這聽起來很相似。但我了解的越多，我就越了解賽鴿運動的危險性。

我了解到，在台灣，人們在賽鴿比賽上每年投注上百億賭金，然後他們所投注的鴿子幾乎全部死掉。這不僅是保護動物的問題，也是賭博危害的問題。

當善待動物組織（PETA）等較大的國際組織試圖透過調查揭露、製作公益廣告和廣告來宣傳賽鴿的危險時，政府拒絕讓他們在桃園機場等大型公共場所張貼廣告。

十二年來，台灣動物保護組織一直在關注與反對海上賽鴿運動。儘管賽鴿運動的統計數據很危險，但有一段時間政府幾乎沒有回應。

最近，動保團體透過跟總統建言、發動公投，讓更多人知道海上賽鴿運動危險性與殘忍，這讓越來越多的人認識到與之奮鬥的重要性。最後，台灣中選會將於9月24日舉行禁止海上賽鴿聽證會。來決定是否通過這個公投提案。

Learning About the Dangers of Pigeon Racing

Pigeon racing is an event where people bet on the speed of pigeons completing a course. It originated in Europe and later spread to Asia. Recently, "racing pigeons" in Taiwan have caused a lot of problems, as dangerous conditions have caused millions of pigeon deaths, yet the government has not enacted new laws and policies. Throughout the past 12 years, the Taiwan Animal Protection Monitor Network and other animal protection groups have organized different activities and published different articles to oppose racing pigeons.

I had never heard of "racing pigeons" before coming to Taiwan, let alone knew how to say it in Mandarin, so when Secretary-General Ho Tsung-hsun introduced it to me, I had no idea what he was talking about! Although pigeon racing originated from the west and was then introduced to Asia, the activity is rarely seen in the US, especially in New York where I live. So, the more I learned, the more I understood the dangers of pigeon racing.

I learned that in Taiwan, pigeon racing is an issue that relates not only to animal protection, but also to the dangers of gambling. Over the years, both millions of dollars have been spent on the activity, alongside millions of pigeons being killed. 

Taiwanese animal protection groups have been campaigning against pigeon racing for over twelve years. Despite the dangerous statistics of pigeon racing, for a while there was little response from the government. When larger international organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) tried to promote the dangers of racing pigeons by producing public service announcements and advertisements, the government refused to allow them to post advertisements in large public places, such as Taoyuan Airport. Recently, there has been an increase in investigations into the dangers of pigeon racing, which has made more and more people aware of the importance of fighting against it. Most recently, the Taiwan Central Election Commission announced that they will hold a hearing on banning pigeons on September 24th, which I am very excited to attend. 

 

 

普左傑實習心得02：拜訪台灣重要瑰寶紀政女士

拜訪台灣重要瑰寶紀政女士

日期：2024年9月7日 

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

紀政女士是台灣著名的奧運田徑運動員。她曾經當過三屆立委，現在也是台灣總統府國策顧問及臺北市政府市政顧問。

我9月7日禮拜六跟台灣公民參與協會和何宗勳理事長與他的公民記者學生們參加八里拜訪紀姐。當日的活動包括採訪、午餐和討論。由於這是我第一次來八里，當地的風景讓我印象深刻。我天天平時就在台北市中心上課、吃飯、逛街等，所以我很感恩有機會來台北從來沒去過的地方。

 

雖然我的中文水平真不完美，在採訪中對我有最深的影響的部分是討論今年台灣在巴黎奧運會。大家都知道在今年奧運中，主辦方不讓台灣代表團用台灣的名字、國旗和國歌。甚至我在美國同學平時討論這話題。在討論這話題方面，紀姐那麼強調說台灣就是台灣，不是“Chinese Taipei”（中國台北），也說她會發起2028洛杉磯奧運台灣正名運動。由於她在奧運和政治方面已經做出很多貢獻，我真很期待看將來的正名運動。

 

最後，紀姐請我們吃超好吃的甕仔雞（也教我台語怎麼說）。在聚會中也有很多機會認識跟多公民會會員和公民記者。我們聊了許多話題，不但讓我練習國語，而且也讓我更進一步了解台灣各種方面的文化和歷史。公民記者，他們也採訪我！我心裡很緊張，但我講中文時感覺到自信也進步更多。

 

對我來說，整天活動都很豐富，我回到家的時，我的室友還沒起床。那時候我真想到，沒有其他的美國留學生有我那麼幸運的機會！真感恩公民會給我那麼多機會體驗和瞭解台灣人的公民參與經歷。

Visiting Former Taiwanese Olympian and Activist, Chi Cheng

Chi Cheng was the first Taiwanese female Olympic gold medalist, with her sport being Track & Field. After her retirement from sports, she has served many roles in the Taiwanese government, and now continues to run her own foundation in Taipei. 

On Saturday, September 7th, I went with the contingency of TCPA members and Mr Ho’s student journalists to visit Ms Chi at her home in Bali, for a daylong schedule of events, which included a welcome ceremony, an interview & discussion with Ms Chi, and a large lunch banquet. As we arrived after an hour-long bus & train trip, I was already in awe of the peaceful scenery of Bali, which contrasts my otherwise busy days living and going to class in Taipei’s City Center. 

As I am not a native Mandarin speaker, I was definitely not able to understand the entire interview happening. However, the part that had the deepest impact on me was the discussion of Taiwan’s representation at this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. Everyone knows that the fact that Taiwan was stripped of its name, flag, and national anthem made international headlines. Even my friends and classmates back in the US were discussing it. When Ms Chi began discussing it, she emphasized her anger at the fact that Taiwan is Taiwan, and that there is no such thing as “Chinese Taipei”. At the time, she also announced that she will be launching a campaign to correct Taiwan’s name at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Given her incredibly extensive background in both sports and politics in Taiwan, I am incredibly excited to see where this movement will go. 

Lastly, Ms Chi took all of us out to a delicious lunch banquet near her home. I was able to try many different Taiwanese delicacies, including Weng Zai (urn-roasted) Chicken, which I was also taught how to say in Taiyu. At this banquet, I was also able to chat with other TCPA members and reporters, which not only allowed me to practice my Mandarin, but also allowed me to better understand various aspects of Taiwan’s culture and history. After interviewing Ms Chi, they then surprisingly interviewed me–in Mandarin! I was so nervous, but it definitely helped me to improve my confidence with public speaking. 

While I had such an interesting day, by the time I got back to my apartment, my roommate still hadn't woken up! It was at that time that I realized how lucky I am to have such a unique opportunity interning at TCPA. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned, and it’s only been a few weeks!

普左傑實習心得01：新北市採訪動保里長郭仁澤

新北市採訪動保里長郭仁澤

日期：2024年9月3日 

作者：普左傑 Isaac Platt Zolov

郭仁澤先生是新北市新店區小城里的里長。他很特別是在動保方面做社區服務。他幾年前成立新北市的「愛心認養小棧」的動物中繼站、已經幫助幾百隻小動物。在台灣動保方面，郭里長在2021年的時候也榮獲了台灣動物保護行政監督聯盟主辦頒發「友善動物傑出村里長獎」。我在9月3日禮拜三去新店參加他的採訪。

由於我在紐約已經跟一些本地市議員和州眾議員做義工和實習，我已經對於了解不同地方的當地政治很感興趣。所以，我去見郭先生之前特別期待。一來因為從來沒有認識台灣政府議員或社區里長，二來是因為我在美國也沒有認識一位對動保很感興趣的政府議員。

我9月3日禮拜三跟何宗勳（Ho,Tsung-hsun）秘書長和他的兩位公民記者學生一起去新店區採訪和錄影。這個經歷是很難得的機會！這是我第一次到新北市了解台灣的最基層地方官、也認識公民記者和他們做那麼專業的拍攝及錄影。

我那一天最喜歡的一部分就是看郭里長的日常生活的責任。雖然我們來主要的原因是採訪他，我們也看到他在新店區社區中的日常職責與互動。我們去找拍影片地點的時候看到郭里長和社區人員居民親切的打招呼、看他辦公室裡的不同社區資源、也甚至看到「愛心認養小棧」養的小貓咪！這真正讓我了解里長對社區的重要性，也讓我很期待有更多機會認識更多里長們的經歷和責任。

Interviewing New Taipei City’s Neighborhood Representative, Kuo Jen-Tse

Kuo Jen-Tse is the Neighborhood Representative of Xindian District in New Taipei City. Within his role, he has a particular focus on community service through animal protection. He established the  "Love Adoption Inn" (an animal “halfway house”) a few years ago, and has since helped hundreds of small animals. Mr Kuo also won the Outstanding Animal Protection Village Leader Award in 2021. On Wednesday, September 3rd, I followed Mr Ho and his two student reporters to visit Mr Kuo to film an interview. This was the first time I went to New Taipei City to get to know Taiwan’s local officials, as well as citizen journalists and their professional shooting and recording.

Ever since I had volunteered and interned with some local City Council members and state representatives in New York, I’ve become very interested in learning about local politics and civic engagement in different places. Therefore, I was very looking forward to it before going to see Mr. Kuo, as I had never met a Taiwanese local representative, and furthermore had never met a representative in the US who has done so much for animal rights. 

My favorite part of the day was watching Mr Kuo’s daily responsibilities. Although the main reason we came was to interview him, we also got to see his daily responsibilities and interactions in the Xindian District community. When we went to find the filming location, we saw Mr. Kuo greeting community residents cordially, got to see the different community resources in his office, and even got to meet the kittens raised by the "Love Adoption Inn"! This really helped me understand the importance of the neighborhood leaders to the community, and left me looking forward to learning more!