Hong Kong immigrant becomes pillar of community on Nantou’s Bagua Mountain

Hong Kong immigrant becomes pillar of community on Nantou’s Bagua Mountain

2023-10-24

An immigrant from Hong Kong has become a pillar of the rural community on Nantou’s Bagua Mountain. Ip Ting Ting is a former social worker turned horticultural therapist. She and her husband run an herb garden and produce essential oils. Ip is most passionate about working with people, offering events, tours, job opportunities for young people, and trainings to help others create their own businesses. But moving from Hong Kong to rural Taiwan was not always plain sailing. We go to Nantou to hear the story.

A wide horizon ends in far-off mountain peaks. This garden is like an idyll in the clouds, cut off from the world. The aromatic herb garden on Nantou’s Bagua八卦 Mountain was once a secluded spot, but now it’s full of the sound of joyful visitors, thanks to Ip Ting Ting’s work.

Ip Ting Ting
Hong Kong horticultural therapist
This is called “The Herb of Youth.” It’s a Mediterranean plant. Legend has it that when the Empress of Hungary was in her 60s, she used this as a cosmetic, and then she was able to marry a prince in his twenties.

The spick and span garden was built brick by brick by Ip’s husband Wei Cheng-chuan. Before they married, the herb garden was used to create essential oils, and visitors were only allowed in at weekends. But when Ip moved to Taiwan in 2017, they opened up the doors of the garden to more visitors. Ip’s role is in essential oil sales and events management.

But when she first arrived on Bagua Mountain from Hong Kong, it was hard to settle in. It felt like the middle of nowhere.

Wei Cheng-chuan
Husband of Ip Ting Ting
She didn’t like the heat, the insects, the cold, the frogs, or any amphibians for that matter. I thought she would find her own way through it. I wasn’t too worried that she would find her way.

Ip previously worked as a social worker in Hong Kong. When she married Wei, and moved to Taiwan, it was hard to find work and farming didn’t suit her. But she found her footing when she qualified as an aromatherapist and horticultural therapist, and took the herb garden to the next level. She’s committed to revitalizing the local economy, and helps local farmers and women develop business skills, through purchasing contracts and job opportunities. She’s even offered trainings to support others towards financial independence.

Ip Ting Ting
Hong Kong horticultural therapist
What I want most, now, is to train up some young teachers, to get them really well trained in a professional knowledge base. I think my skill is in helping people.

Ip also employs university students in the garden, offering bed and board.

Ip Ting Ting
Hong Kong horticultural therapist
We give them an experience of coming to the rural village, and we guide these city youths to go out and serve older people in more remote places, to serve the community.

Ip’s love of serving and being part of groups has never left her since her days in social work. She wants to take great care of Bagua Mountain, and her own brilliance and commitment are the best assets to her company and the community.

This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund

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南投八卦山上香草飄香香港新住民葉婷婷成嬌點

2023-10-24

原先在香港擔任社工的葉婷婷，自從嫁來台灣後，協助丈夫經營香草花園，考上了芳療師與園藝治療師的國際執照。還投入地方創生，培訓在地農家及弱勢婦女，提供契作及工作機會，甚至開設培訓課程，讓當地婦女可以經濟獨立。來自香港城市的小姑娘，最終發揮所長在南投八卦山上發光發熱！

遼闊的山景，像是遺世獨立的世外桃源，南投八卦山上的香草花園，原本人煙稀少，卻因為葉婷婷，增加許多人氣。

[[香港新住民葉婷婷]]
“這是叫回春之草，在地中海的植物，在地中海匈牙利的皇后60多歲，相傳用了它的保養品之後，被一個20幾歲的王子娶了”

整齊的香草園，全都是葉婷婷丈夫一磚一瓦打造的，當時還沒結婚時，花園專責精油製作，假日才接待遊客，但自從2017年葉婷婷嫁來臺灣後，她開啟香草花園大門，負責幫先生行銷精油、帶領活動。

其實剛從香港嫁來八卦山時，前不著村後不著店，讓葉婷婷有點難適應。

[[葉婷婷先生魏正全]]
“(她)怕熱、怕蟲、怕冷啊、怕青蛙，兩棲類都怕，我覺得她會自己找出路，這我比較不擔心她自己會去找”

原先在香港當社工的葉婷婷，剛嫁來臺灣找不到工作，又當不好農夫，但她轉個彎，考取國際芳療師與園藝治療師執照，讓香草花園更上層樓。她投入地方創生，培訓在地農家及弱勢婦女，提供契作及工作機會，甚至開設培訓課程，讓當地民眾可以經濟獨立。

[[香港新住民葉婷婷]]
“我現在最想的是，我們可以訓練一些小老師，還有一些專業的知識層面，讓他們去熟練。我覺得，我的技能就是做一個幫助者”

葉婷婷也開放花園讓大學生來打工換宿。

[[香港新住民葉婷婷]]
“給他們來到農村體驗，然後也帶領這些城市的少年，去更偏鄉的地方做老人的服務、社區的服務”

愛服務、愛人群的社工魂還在，所以更用心，守護這片土地，把自己打造成最有特色的招牌，葉婷婷在臺灣的認真、投入，又是南投八卦山上的另一片美麗風景。

以上內容由《我們一家人》節目提供內政部移民署監製

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