Dallas, Here we Come! - 成大工程科學系畢業46年同學會

En Route – 10/16/2015

Ben, a reluctant window seater, took these remarkable aerial views of Washington DC on our American Airline flight.  If you follow the Potomac River along, you can see the white house, the Mall with Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Hill and of course, the landmark, Washington Monument all the way from Reagan International Airport.  It’s time for you folks to come in 2017 for NCKU World Class Reunion to enjoy our hospitality.  We all agree that the unspoken reciprocal relationship between us, there won’t have another 46th year class reunion. 

Dallas Bound – Photos From Above

Everything is really bigger in Texas.  Betty Li, my giveaway, Professor MinChiang Li’s wife gave me the photo of this Lone Star State comparing to the continent of Europe.  She found out that I just came back from Ben’s 46^th year ES class reunion from Texas.  It’s quite interesting that we would be locating ourselves in the country of Germany when we landed at Texas Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

 Speaking about the country, “Don’t mess with Texas” was a great famous quote from “Saturday Night Live” mocking George W. Bush’s debate with Al Gore in 2000.  

The history did indicate on March 2, 1836, Texas declared independence from Mexico after Texas Revolution War.   It’s very similar to the United States Declaration of Independence against Great Britain Government in the American Revolution War.   I wonder if the students from “Proud Texas” require studying the history of Texas and taking the pledge of allegiance and celebrate its Independence Day or not.  We will find out the answer one day from Wen Sheng, Pen Yuan and Shinyee.  All of them have children graduated from Texas educational system. 
   

Dallas-Fort Worth displayed its big, busy, rich, glitzy and Texan’s self-confidence among the impressive spider web freeways going in all directions.  The downtown gleaming skyscrapers were looming large in front of us. 

The impressive structure caught my eyes while leaving DFW Airport-永華, please clarifies more about this interesting art project or some kind of radar devices?

       
 The host, Dallas National Cheng Kung University Alumni Association picked this beautiful lakeside Hilton DFW Conference Center for the 10^th year NCKU World Carnival and 11^th year North America NCKU Alumni Foundation Conference.  It’s a little confusing for such complicated business functions.  We hope it will combine into one event one day.  

For some reason, Ben and I both were very happy to make the trip together.  World class reunion with 450+ alumni – young and old strangers, as far as Taiwan and Malaysian and as close as Houston neighbors – may not evoke much of emotional memories.  But the calling from Wen Sheng (詹文聲) and Yaung Hwa (盧永華)to host the 46^th year ES (Engineering Science - 工科系)

class reunion was as serious and earnest as ever. 

Please read Wen Sheng’s schedule planning for us.

Shinyee (張心儀) (71 FLLD - 外文)  
Te-Lin Yau (姚德霖) and his wife, Rae(蔡瑞華) (74, Chines- 中文),
Pen-Yuan(施本源), his wife Hsieu (王修), and
Frank Chen(鄭明泰) (66, Accounting-會統 ) and his wife Gwei Hsian (林貴香).  

Oct. 16 (Friday)

1.    Pick up Shinyee Chang from DFW Airport at 10:17am (UA1247)

2.    Pick up Ben and Janice from DFW Airport at 11:18 am (AA137)

3.    Leave Airport for gathering lunch and drive to Hilton Hotel after lunch

4.    Pick up Te-Lin Yau from DFW Airport at 4:21 pm (UA 294)

5.    6:00 pm: NCKU Alumni welcome party at Hilton Hotel (Austin Ranch at Hilton)

6.    PY’s family and Cheng’s family meet at the Hotel.

A Trip Together

Ben and I used to be so cooped up with our work as two well-documented workaholics.  Ben hates airplane ride, too much business trips during his "Intelsat" era burned him out physically and mentally.  There used to be a time when he would prefer driving long distance (8-10 hours) without letting me touch his steering wheel - my begging wouldn't help!  I enjoyed being a story-teller to relieve his driving fatigue and he loved it! 

Warm Hugging at Dallas Fort Worth International 

Airport

The big surprise was to see Wen Sheng, Yaung Hwa and Shinee, my college roommate were already waiting at the baggage carousel when Ben and I came down from the escalator.  Three Texans – Dallas and Houston!  Wen Sheng, smiling and a bit pale and fatigue, probably from sitting long hours in his office cranking up papers all years while Yaung Hwa, bearing a striking resemblance of that strong, tough, and loving Miss Ellie, the southern matriarch of the Ewing’s family from The Dallas, soap opera during 1970s.  She recognized me immediately and hugged me warmly.  I still had hard time to picture her with gray-hair and dark face from the relentless sun exposure in her hey farm.  Imagine Shinyee had never seen both of them before in school and she could mingle with them quite well like ES family.  It’s a mind-melting moment of joy.  Three hours of flight in the morning was no big deal at all.

The Decision Maker – The Man Who Holds the Steering Wheel

        
 Wen Sheng pulled up his minivan in front of Olive Garden Restaurant before Yaung Hwa had suggested something else for lunch.  He’s probably ahead of us thinking about the airport pickup Te-Lin and Rae from Oregon at 4:00 p.m.  We’re running a bit late.  The meal was Italian family style, from the famous bread-sticks, lasagna, pizza to all kinds of cheeses mixed dishes – Parmesan, my favorite, but, Wen Sheng was no fan for that!  Yaung Hwa claimed matter-of-factly that she once had 9 bread-sticks on her record.  Wow!    Wen Sheng ordered a chicken dish without cheese while we dived into the second large bowl of green salad.  It was all friendly chit-chat like long lost friends until the little green Texas stink bug wiggled out in my spoon.  That was the high-light of our lunch.  The manager apologized immensely offering us free deserts or anything he could to maintain the reputation of Olive Garden.  We just declined politely with our old-fashioned non-western culture.  I’m sure the manager knows how to take care of his business.  

Austin Range – Texas-themed Welcome Party

From the outside, this large party venue is across from the horse ranch with the faint smell of horse manure that brings life back to the Texas country.  Behind the spacious party room are the jogging trails, outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts facing a beautiful water fountain blended in the surrounding lake.  I took the early morning jog around 6:30 a.m.  I finally know the name of DFW Lake Executive Conference Center.

Shinyee & I dipped in the pool a couple of times-daily exercise

Unfortunately, the audio sound system was poorly equipped inside.  The announcer’s voice bounced back and forth on the microphone amid the humming noises of the crowd.  We could barely hear a thing.  But the informal BBQ Texas style – beef briskets, potatoes and corns boasted the true hospitality of the host – Dallas NCKU.  We understand how difficult it was to organize such a big event and we were very appreciative that the alumni were quite entertaining.
  

We found ourselves celebrating and exchanging the story lines among our friends.  Through the pages of photos, we shared the long-forgotten images. Some faded, some gone.  We have revealed in each other’s success, like Yaung Hwa’s big hay farm after her retirement.  We also shared the lessons of our failures.  Hope we will be bonded again one day in DC soon.  

A Time to Remember

江國富 (86工科),姚德霖,張清評,黄秉驥 (76 工科 ), 詹文聲 - the back row

蔡瑞華(74 中文),盧永華(70 會統) - the front row

NCKU-DC 成大 - 華盛頓 DC 校友會校友 & 蘇慧貞校長

69 成大工程科學系 - 四大金鋼 - 施本源,詹文聲,張清評,姚德霖

69 成大工程科學系四大金鋼, + 兩小鐵漢 (86 江國富,70  黄秉驥)

Behind every successful man, there is a strong, wise and hardworking woman -

蔡瑞華,盧永華吳玉琴,王修,林貴香

I introduced my roommate, best pale, 張心儀, to her Lockheed Martin's coworker,
施本源.

A team of husband and wife as lovers, couples, kid's Ma & Pa, working partners and what else? - FRIENDS!
According to the book, "Rhett Butler's People" by Donald McCraig, a sequel to "Gone with the Wind" -
"Sometimes more than we care to admit, the inconsequential decisions change our lives forever."
Agree or Not?

施本源 shared his newly-found stories with 張清評 while 詹文聲's still searching for his - a bit too late?

成大華盛頓 DC 校友會校友 held the business meeting with 蘇慧貞校長 regarding 2017 site