How a Bad Break-up Can Change Your Life

January 30, 2020 Film, Media, Surf, Water Sports Center

WAGALIGONG ON SET TV!

The story of boy meets girl

Boy meets Girl in college beach town, South Africa. Boy and Girl spend several wonderful years together, until Girl graduates, lands a decent job and elopes with her department manager. Boy is heartbroken. Boy books ticket to Asia to escape memories of Girl. Boy quickly forgets Girl even existed. Boy eventually settles down in Asian country, starts a family and opens a surf school. He names it WaGaLiGong, which in the local Taiwanese mother language literally means “I talk to you”, or “Now let me tell you something”. True story.

WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Old friends. From left – Kong Kiang’s younger brother, Xiao Ding, Kong Kiang, Xioa Q, Spider (aka Mars/Ax), Mark. Circa 2007

Set TV

Fast forward 15 years. Set TV , a Taiwanese media company which produces a lot of local and cultural content, made a short program about foreigners who have settled in Taiwan and made it their home. The section about WaGaLiGong starts at the 24:55 mark. Thanks to Set TV for the effort!

However, the question on our lips is: how on earth did SET TV get hold of those ancient photos of 22-year-old Mark? The producer really must have spent quite some time searching for those gems. Some of the photos used are from college days, circa late nineties! I’m talking pre-Facebook days. The fact that Set TV managed to dig up these old photos put a huge smile on my face.

WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Girl, Wallman and Boy
WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Clive Rogers, aka Wallman
WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Luke, myself and Jumbo (Warren Deyes)
WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Legends: Rishi Naidoo, Mark, Wallman, Murray
WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Jumbo and Pants
WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Sheri, Lisa, Mark
WaGaLiGong Dulan Surf Hostel Taitung Taiwan
Philippines, circa 2009