Soft and warm alpaca wool connects us to the distant Andes Mountains. But do you know how the fluffy fleece taken from alpacas is transformed into yarn and then into various woven products? Two artisans from Japan will guide you through a soothing wool journey, using discarded alpaca fleece to practice hand-spinning and learn the art of making yarn. Come and take part in this healing experience with alpaca wool!

Date & Time: Saturday, August 2, 2025, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: Sousou Corner｜No. 4, Lane 16, Taishun Street, Da’an District, Taipei City
Instructors: Ayako Yoshida, Founder of MAITE & REIKOMONO, Spinning Artist

你知道台灣目前有多少邦交國嗎？答案是12個，其中多數來自全球南方、或過往所稱的「發展中國家」。雖然台灣在國際處境艱難不易，但仍透過許多計畫努力維持國際關係，對於經濟與社會狀況需要協助的友邦，台灣也發展出許多援助計畫。

台灣的外援計畫，始於1959年首批農業技術團在美國支持下派駐越南，而後擴及非洲及中南美洲，協助當地發展農漁產業、建造基礎設施，如今這些任務以「國際合作發展基金會」為與國際接軌的主要機構。但因維護邦交關係需要投入鉅額資金，中間一度被污名化為「金援外交」。

從網路或新聞上看到外援計畫的你，可能也有過以下疑問：究竟這些援助實際上是怎麼進行的？要援助什麼？援助的過程可能遭遇什麼挑戰、失敗了怎麼辦？以及最核心的問題：給了援助就能鞏固邦交或建立邦交嗎？

《到南方》講堂｜援助邦交國？外交官的中美洲前線告白

Together, we’ll learn the basic principles of spinning and experience the quiet joy of creating thread with our own hands—while imagining the rhythms of life in the remote mountains of Peru.

Our hands, often busy with screens and hard surfaces, will soften through gentle, unfamiliar movements. The skin—sometimes called our “second brain”—will awaken as we touch something soft and soothing.

Join us for a calming, tactile journey into the world of yarn, and discover a new way to connect—with materials, with distant cultures, and with yourself.

｜Date & Location
August 2 (Sat), 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Sousou Corner Flagship Store｜No. 4, Lane 16, Taishun Street, Da’an District, Taipei City

｜Workshop Highlights

Opening Introduction: An Overview of Peruvian Alpacas and Andean Culture

• The Andean way of life

• The role of spinning in daily life (with comparisons across different cultures)

Spinning Experience

• Introduction to tools

• Live demonstration

• Hands-on spinning session

Tasting & Social Time

｜Workshop Fee
Regular price: NT$1600 per person
Early bird (before Friday, July 25): NT$1380 per person / NT$2600 for two
Limited to 20 participants

｜講堂特製點心

1/24 週六加開場 邀請南南年菜主廚Sibyl，以世界料理的深厚功力，端出即將販售的世界年菜裡經典的拉美小點跟大家分享。

巴拉圭蘑菇起司玉米糕
Mushroom Sopa Paraguaya

類似牧羊人派，但頂層是甜玉米泥，包入牛肉、洋蔥、葡萄乾等內餡，是中南美洲經典療癒食物。

瓜地馬拉黑豆大蕉餅

Plantain Rellenitos

瓜地馬拉極受歡迎的街頭小吃，以當地主食鹹香綿密黑豆，配以炸大蕉為基底，混成難忘鹹香好滋味。

中美洲特選咖啡

｜Special Treats

Chicha Morada – Purple Corn Drink
A traditional and healthy Peruvian beverage made by simmering purple corn with pineapple, cinnamon, and lemon. Refreshingly sweet and tangy, it's rich in anthocyanins.

Causa Rellena de Pollo – Potato and Chicken Salad
Potatoes, a staple of the Andes, are combined with chicken and vegetables to create this classic and flavorful local dish.