Escorting Noémi to Taipei American School

Ken Bakken

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Computeres R-E-Z

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Bellingham, WA

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Final Reflection

By Ken Bakken November 8, 2009 -- 02:44 PM

It’s hard to believe that we have been home for a week, but the memories from our trip to Taipei American School (TAS) are still clearly etched in our minds. It was a once in a lifetime experience for Sally and me. From the moment that we arrived in Taipei to the time we were dropped off at the Taipei International Airport, we were taken care of by the TAS community. Our trip was unforgettable because of the tender loving care that we received from all the wonderful people who we encountered on our journey. So, it goes without saying, THANK YOU TAS for the wonderful experience that you ... more...

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Why this trip is so important.
By Ken Bakken October 28, 2009 -- 06:25 PM
Once again the students were blown away by Noemi’s presentation. Anyone who can hold the attention of middle school students for 75 minutes is truly remarkable. You could have heard a pin drop in the huge auditorium. A high school student made a card for her, and I wanted to quote part of it so that other Holocaust survivors may want to share their stories. "I hope that you enjoyed your trip to Taiwan. I grew up here, so this is my home, but my family is in Israel, and my father’s uncle was a Holocaust survivor as well; sadly he past away a year ago. He NEVER spoke about it, which is why I admire ... more...

Comments: 1 Last Comment By Barbara Bray October 28, 2009 -- 10:27 PM

Celebrate Life
By Ken Bakken October 27, 2009 -- 08:31 AM
Today Noémi spoke to the juniors and seniors. The students were again captivated by her story, but the students who spoke to Noémi right after her talk were much more emotional. Many told her how she had changed their lives, and hoped that some day that they would be able to inspire people like she inspired them. Both Sally and I were in tears after one of the young men spoke of how she inspired him, and how he wanted to demonstrate his respect for ... more...

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Sharing is Healing
By Ken Bakken October 26, 2009 -- 02:24 AM
Today Noemi gave her first talk to the ninth and tenth grade students about her experience of the Holocaust. Her message of hope, love, and understanding was warmly accepted by the students and staff of TAS. When she told her story to the 500 plus students, you could hear a pin drop. Later in the day, she met with two groups of students who were given the opportunity to ask her questions. The questions were fascinating. For me the most interesting question was: Do you hate the Nazis? She said that she did not hate them. She felt pain. "When you hate someone you ... more...

Comments: 1 Last Comment By Barbara Bray October 27, 2009 -- 09:13 AM

Finishing the Weekend in Taipei
By Ken Bakken October 25, 2009 -- 06:49 AM
Last night Pat and Robin took the three of us to the school’s production of the Pajama Game. It was simply spectacular! There were 100+ students and over 30 faculty involved in this production. The singing and choreography were excellent. Spending time at TAS really gave me a great feel of what this community is all about. Everyone was warm, welcoming, and everyone truly loves being a part of this community. We did a little sight seeing today and finished the day off with dinner Robin and Pat’s. They had an Italian dinner in honor of Noemi and they invited three other families from the school ... more...

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Exploring Taipei on Saturday
By Ken Bakken October 24, 2009 -- 12:40 AM
After sleeping for 12 hours, we finally have some energy! Today we met up with our friends Robin and Pat who helped arrange this once in a lifetime trip for the three of us. Everyone is excited to meet Noemi, and they are all excited about hearing her story. The TAS is having an international food festival today so we were able to meet several of the teachers and students who are a part of this wonderful community. The excitement of the students, staff and parents was very evident. They love this school! I took many photos today to show what we did visiting the school and the jade and flower ... more...

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We arrived!
By Ken Bakken October 23, 2009 -- 04:37 AM
After leaving Seattle last night, actually 2 AM Thursday morning, we arrived in Taipei at 5:45 AM Friday morning. We had a great flight, but were extremely tired. After a short nap we put away our clothes and met Noemi for lunch. After lunch, John Vander Boom, an associate principal at TAS, took us on a tour of the National Palace Museum. There is a special exhibit on display called Harmony and Integrity: Emperor Yongzheng and His Times. This collection is on loan from mainland China. This is the first time this collection or any collection from mainland China has been shared with the ... more...

Comments: 2 Last Comment By Ken Bakken October 23, 2009 -- 03:50 PM

Our bags are packed and we are ready to go!
By Ken Bakken October 21, 2009 -- 11:53 AM
The day is finally here for our journey to Taipei! Noemi is excited about the trip as are we. We take off from Bellingham this evening at 7:30 and then take off from SeaTac Airport at 2AM tomorrow morning (Thursday). I’m not a night owl, so it will be a challenge to stay up that late. We are taking EVA Airlines which takes us from Seattle to Taipei; it is a 12 hour nonstop direct flight! The Taipei American School (TAS) has been great to work with in coordinating all of the arrangements of the trip. This type of trip would have been impossible for a public school to get arranged and funded in such a short ... more...

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Leaving in about a week for Taipei
By Ken Bakken October 12, 2009 -- 03:03 PM
Next week, my wife Sally and I are escorting Noemi Ban to the Taipei American School in Taiwan. Noemi is my daughter-in-law’s grandmother. At 87 years young Noemi has more energy than I do. She has told her story of survival to thousands of students all over Washington State as well as other parts of the country. The purpose of my blog is to give you updates about our journey together. I am also working on a project called Noemi Ban’s Journey to Taipei American School; this site will serve as a resource to help you learn about her s tory and her trip to visit Taipei American School. The Taipei ... more...

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