Topic: Taiwan’s Unique BetelNut Girls and the unique Role They Play in Today’s Society.
Speaker: Tobie Openshaw, a South African-born cameraman/photographer who has been working in video and photography for over 20 years. He has filmed and traveled in Africa, Europe, the US, Australia and Asia – from desert to city to jungle. Tobie has been living in Taiwan for 14 years and currently works at Taipei American School, producing video and teaching production.
Openshaw’s freelance camerawork for international channels includes National Geographic, Discovery and Al Jazeera. He is best known for his long-running photography work documenting the unique culture of the “Betelnut Beauties” of Taiwan. He and his work have been featured on numerous TV channels in Taiwan and abroad. The use of betel nuts in Taiwan dates back centuries; and while their use is prevalent in other Asian countries, Taiwan is unique for its marketing and sales.
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The meeting begins at 10 am. The meeting location is the restaurant 婷婷翠玉 at 174 AnHe Road, Section Two (rough translation of name is Tender, Pretty Green Jade). You will be able to tell the restaurant by the lace curtains on the window–it was used in a TV commercial a while back. (We will have the downstairs room–breakfast cost will range between NT$100 and NT$150. Everyone buys their own) Phone if lost 2736-8510.
Restaurant is between Far Eastern Plaza Mall/Hotel and HePing East Road–about a half a block north of the corner of HePing East Road Sec. 3 and AnHe Road. or a half a block south of Far Eastern Plaza on the AnHe Road side. Take the MRT Mucha (Brown) Line to the Liuchangli Station exit there, and walk west on HePing East Road 3/4 of a block till you reach where AnHe Road dead-ends into it.Then go north on AnHe Road; it is a half a block up on the west side of that street.
To keep abreast of the headcount for the 1st, please email Jerome Keating at jkeating@ms67.hinet.net if you plan to attend.
Further reading: Taiwan’s Betel Nut Culture Deeply Engrained