HOWLAND Asian visitors marvel at us

The visiting Asians were surprised to see the Niles school mascot, a dragon.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- The Asian culture that traditionally cares for the elderly through the family structure is looking at this country's system of treating seniors.
"The elderly are more independent," observed Roxy Ming-Kai Hsieh of Taipei, Taiwan, a member of a Rotary Club exchange study group.
Hsieh is among four young adults who will end a one-month stay here April 28.
Hsieh and Sam Ming-Kai Liao, 27, said Monday that they are impressed with this country's elderly population.
Their comments came after learning about township government in Howland and the services it provides.
Because of Social Security, public assistance and pensions, they said, senior Americans are not only more independent than in Asia, but also do volunteer work and use computers.
"They are more self-sustaining," Hsieh said, noting the public assistance program in Taiwan isn't as comprehensive as it is in the United States.
Risk to elderly
Although Asian seniors depend more on their families, there is a risk involved.
Some children of the elderly in Taiwan aren't responsible and don't take care of their parents as they become older.
"We feel pity for their parents," said Hsieh, a government worker who assists the unemployed in getting jobs.
Liao, a software engineer, is on his second U.S. visit, having been in Texas for his employer, Aiptek Inc., an electronics firm. This is Hsieh's third visit, including a vacation in Las Vegas. But he likes the exchange program much better than a work-related visit because he has a chance to get involved in the daily life of an American family that hosts him.
The four got a glimpse of the education system Thursday with a visit to Niles Middle School.
Hsieh and Liao said the group was impressed with principal Robert Marino, who knew the name of each pupil.
In Taiwan schools, they noted, pupils remain silent when the class is asked a question because of the formality and because they don't want to give the wrong answer. They also bow to their teachers after class.
"We show our respect for teachers," Hsieh said.
At Niles, they found students waving their hands to answer a question, even if they didn't know the answer.
Dragon symbolism
One of the aspects of the middle school that drew the visitors' astonishment was the Niles mascot, a dragon, painted on the gymnasium wall and floor.
In the Orient, the dragon signifies royalty, supreme power, wisdom and strength.
The group also was surprised to see the number of talons on each of the dragons' limbs: There are three per limb on the floor painting and five on the wall.
They pointed out that Chinese dragons have five talons; Korean dragons have four, and Japanese dragons have three.
Marino explained that the floor dragon was taken from a Welsh crest and the one on the floor he designed when he was principal of Edison Junior High School along with his assistant at Edison, Jodi Riedel.
yovich@vindy.com