Summary

In summary, the students have gained more knowledge about the history, geography and culture of Taipei, Taiwan in this trip through their visits to the:

·       Taipei 101 (Geography, Art & Design)

·       Toucheng Farm Resort (Culture)

·       National Palace Museum (History)

·       Taipei Discovery Centre (History)

·       Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall (History)

·       Yeliu GeoPark (Geography)

·       Chiang Kai She Memorial Hall (History)

·       Yingge Pottery Museum (Art and Design)

Their experiences have made them more aware of how Singapore relates to the world at large. They are generally grateful for the high standard of cleanliness (especially in public areas), safety and security in Singapore. They are also very grateful for Singapore’s favourable geographical location where it is less prone from attack by natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons.

After their visit to one of the orphanage in Yeliu, the students also realise how fortunate they are in Singapore with supportive parents around them all the time. They will show greater appreciation for their parents’ care and concern for them from now onwards.

The friendly matches with the different high schools have left a great impact to most of the students. Although the students did not win in their friendly matches, they realise the need to stay confident on court in order to maintain the focus to perform in their games. They have learnt what it takes to be resilient athlete, the importance of teamwork and the essence of good sportsmanship through these few matches in Taipei. These values will definitely bring them a long way in future!

Day 7 - New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum

Hello everyone!

We are almost coming to the end of our learning journey in Taipei, Taiwan. Today is the last day of our trip here and before we depart from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, we visited our last destination in the itinerary – New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum.

This place was opened in the year 2000, and showcases all the ceramic craftsmanship that has set Yingge apart from other towns in Taiwan for two centuries. The museum exhibits comprehensively cover the wide number of applications for which ceramics are used. The first hall features fine examples of exquisite vases, plates, and other ornaments and many of the remaining galleries are devoted to the history, production and use of ceramics.

 

We also have a chance to walk down the streets of Yingge Town and visit shops selling all kinds of ceramic articles. This also provides us with the last opportunity to get some exquisite souvenirs for our loved ones in Singapore!

Day 6 - National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall & National Taiwan Normal University

Salutation to fellow readers!

Today is the sixth day of our trip in Taipei, Taiwan already. We started our day with a quick stop outside the Presidential Office Building while on our way to the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.  Our tour guide briefly introduced the history of this place to us and the building was built during the period of Japanese rule of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945.

Next, we continued our journey and arrived at the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall where we learnt many things about Taiwan’s late President – Mr. Chiang Kai-Shek.

 

We witnessed the prestigious and intricate crafting of the memorial hall and had a better understanding of the underlying concepts of the design from our tour guide. The colour of the blue sky and white sun symbolize freedom and equality. The Memorial Hall is built upon three stories of broad and solid foundations that symbolize impartiality and righteousness. The octagonal roof design creates many men, motifs on the very top, symbolizing the "unification of Man and Heaven." The roof is fashioned in the form of the Altar to Heaven and covered with blue glazed tiles, reflecting the sunlight. The apex of the roof is gold in colour and culminates the upsurge glory. None of the other materials, such as the white marble, red cypress ceiling, and light red granite floor, have been tinted with artificial colours, thereby imparting a feeling of sacredness, solemnity, hospitality, and peace.

Mr. Chiang Kai-Shek was a Chinese military and political leader who led the Chinese Nationalist Party founded by Mr. Sun Yat Sen, for fifty years. He was also the head of state of the Chinese Nationalist government from 1928 to 1949. In this memorial hall, we saw many items which used to belong to Mr. Chiang and numerous paintings and photographs which depict the various stepping stones in his life. The historical tour around the memorial hall made us awestruck by his contributions to Taiwan.  He passed away on 05 April 1975 at 11.52p.m. due to a heart failure.

 A statue of Mr. Chiang Kai-Shek can be found in the memorial hall. Guards are made to stand still at watch for hourly shifts next to his statue. When the changing of guards commences, a particular ritual is done as a form of paying respects to the late President.

 Our highlight in the afternoon was our learning journey to the National Taiwan Normal University Physical Education Department, where we were warmly welcomed with their staff. We were served with healthy fruits as refreshment. We had a tour around the school compound and we were really impressed with the various school facilities. They had a 400m track, a standard indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, a judo room, two dance studios, and a hall that could fit in four volleyball courts altogether.

 After the school tour, we had a friendly sparring session with their students. It was really an enriching experience for all of us as they were definitely different from all other teams that we had played against previously. It was a mixed team and they were much older and taller than us. This gave them a huge advantage over us. Their height made it easier for them to block our attacks; hence it was much harder for us to score a point. Furthermore, they are able to engage tactical play effectively in their games. It was a learning point for us, to be more alert and more active on court. Even though we did not win any set, the score for each set were pretty close to each other. Most importantly, although we did not win, we put up a good fight against them and did not give up in any of the game!

Day 5 - Yeliu GeoPark & Minghu Junior High School

Hi everyone!

Today is our fifth day in Taipei and we visited the Yehliu Geopark where we had the time of our lives. This is truly a park of natural wonders: rocks carved by wave-cutting and weathering over years and years were formed into shapes resembling figures that are real. The most famous one is of course the Queen’s Head, among other “statues” that are named the Fairy’s Shoe, the Mushroom Rocks, the Tofu Rocks, and the Elephant Rocks, along with many interesting potholes. The view there was indeed magnificent we enjoyed the strong sea breeze blowing at us.

Our tour guide highlighted that these rocks were initially formed 4000 years ago as a result of earthquakes caused by the constant movement of tectonic plates. In fact, that was also how Taiwan was formed! It was really an eye-opening experience for us to learn so much about how nature can do its part to form a country. The forefathers of Taiwan were also very smart in transforming this venue into a famous attraction so as to promote tourism in the country.

This trip to Yeliu Geopark allowed us to gain insight into the formation of this sea-erosion landscape. We also learnt about how different factors such as wave attack, rock weathering, earth movement and crustal movement all contribute to the formation of such a rare and stunning geological landscape.

After lunch, we made our way to the second school in our itinerary - Minghu Junior High School for our friendly game with their volleyball team. When we arrived at the school, we were greeted with very warm welcome from their school leaders, teachers and students. Their volleyball team members were clapping for us the moment we stepped off the bus. We felt very welcomed into their school environment.  

We proceeded to the hall for our warming up and very shortly, our competition began. In comparison with Ta Kuan Junior High School, this team is very strong in both their attack and defense. Gradually, we were able to figure out a tactical play to counter their strengths - tipping balls and jumping over the block, and we steadily moved up in our points. Although we only won 2 sets out of 5 sets, the scores for each set were very close to each other. Overall, it was a very good game and we displayed the true spirit of perseverance. We learnt the importance of not giving up easily and be intimidated by the lead in scores when faced with a stronger opponent. We need to be confident with our own abilities and be able to play steadily in our games.

Day 4 - Taipei Discovery Centre, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, Ta Kuan Junior High School & Ximending

Welcome to Day 4 of our amazing trip at Taipei, Taiwan!

In the morning, we went to the Taipei Discovery Centre where we learnt more about Taiwan’s history and its origins. The trip was quite enriching and we also watched a short film in the discovery theatre. It is a theatre with rotating screen, somewhat similar to our Omni Theatre in Singapore. It is different from other theaters because it is an anthropocentric and dynamic theater reflecting daily life. The films were very interactive and allowed us to gain insight of Taiwan’s history and cultures.

 Next, we visited the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. When we entered the main entrance of the memorial hall, we saw the huge statue of Mr. Sun Yat Sen and the guards around it. Every hour, there is a formal changing of the guards, which is a popular tourist attraction. The guards are much disciplined and did not move an inch until the glorious ceremony of changing shift took place. We leant from the tour guide that the guards have to undergo training for 3-6 months before perfecting the drill with extreme precision.

In the afternoon, we went back to Ta Kuan Junior High School for our second friendly game with them. We had something different for warming up this time round. Instead of the rigorous physical training done previously, we played some fun ice-breaker games with them. All of us partnered with the players from Ta Kuan Junior High School and had a really enjoyable time with the games. We went into the indoor court after the games to warm up with each other for competition proper and begin our friendly game. It started off much better this time round as we were better prepared and more familiar with the way they played. It was an eye-opening experience for us as we move away from the conventional game play adopted by volleyball teams in Singapore and gain more insights and wider perspective on tactical game play in volleyball. We hope to master their adaptive style of playing in future and also impressive discipline in the team as they adhere to the strict rules that have been laid down for them.

Although we only know our “buddies” from Ta Kuan High School for a very short time, we established good friendship with one another. We exchanged contact details before leaving the venue with a very heavy heart. It was a saddening sight to see them waving frantically at us and making hearts with their hands until we all lost sight of each other.

The last activity for the night was a trip to Ximending, a bustling night market that was filled with people of all ages. In comparison with Shilin night market that is more famous for their local products, Ximending is the source of Taiwan's fashion, subculture, and Japanese culture. Personally, we preferred this night market as it is more organized, trendier and more things for us to look at. Tonight, we did not return to the hotel by our tour bus but had the experience of taking their public transport, MRT instead.

Please remember to look out for more of our photos at: http://www.dropshots.com/psyang#albums/

Day 3 - Chiang Kai-Shek Residence Park, National Palace Museum, Ta Kuan Junior High School & Shilin Night Market

Hello! Today is the third day of our stay in Taipei and we begin our day with a nice sunny weather. We visited the Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Park and the National Palace Museum in the morning. In the afternoon, we had our friendly match at Ta Kuan Junior High School before proceeding to our final destination – The Shilin Night Market.

Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Park

To kick start our day, we went to a well-known park in Taipei filled with fresh air and beautiful greenery. This park has a collection of flowers and is very special at this time of the year due to the presence of different species of chrysanthemum from all over the world. We were able to witness magnificent views from mountain tops to the riverside. In addition, we were also introduced to the history of this area, formerly the residence of Chiang Kai Shek and Madame Chiang. Chiang Kai Shek planted many tall trees surrounding his residence to prevent assassins from spotting the place and subsequently attacking him. 

National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum was originally established as the Palace Museum in Beijing's Forbidden City but was later expanded and removed to Taipei in 1965. It is currently a major guardian of the Chinese artifacts and Chinese cultural items in Taiwan. It displays the world’s greatest and rarest collection of traditional Chinese art crafts and historical documents and these priceless treasures include ancient Chinese paintings and archeological ornaments, ceramics, jade and scriptures. There are more than 70000 items on display and many of them originated from Beijing’s Forbidden City. The national palace museum truly reflects the rich cultural heritage of Chinese civilization and ancient Chinese culture.

After our visit to the museum, we have learnt much valuable historic information which cannot be found in our history textbook, such as the extraction of jade. When extracting jade, it is a matter of luck, because not the entire rock will be filled with jade. Even though the surface may already be lined with jade, but the inside of the rock may not be completely filled with it. Hence it is a matter of luck and dependent on our courage to take up the bet. Furthermore, this visit made us realize the importance of preserving our past for the benefit of the future generations. This is because understanding the rich history of a country will enable us to develop a stronger sense of belonging in our country.

Ta Kuan Junior High School

It is a local high school in Taipei and we played some friendly games with their Girls’ Volleyball Team. We started by joining in their various warm-up exercises. The players were very friendly and they willingly paired with us to teach us some of these exercises. During our short breaks in between exercises, we exchanged conversations with one another and we managed to find out more about their lifestyle in school as well as the number of academic and training hours per week. It was through such interaction that we got to know each other better and thus new friendships were forged. We began our match soon after the warm-up activities. Some of the players may be younger than us, but they were a strong team for us. We played a total of 3 sets but did not manage to win any of the sets.

The scores were: 1^st set: 13-25, 2^nd set: 22-25 and third set 23-25.

We might be disappointed with the results but were able to get over it very quickly. Most importantly, we felt that it was a good and meaningful play because we have learnt a lot about ourselves from today’s game. In the first set, we had a shaky start as we were still adapting to the new playing environment such as the cold weather and the new court. However, we managed to improve on our scores and catch up in the subsequent sets. Through this game, we learned the importance of being flexible in our playing styles so that we can adapt to different new game situations effectively. The games also reflected the importance of perseverance as we could still be struggling after our 1^st set without this imperative value in us. We have another match with Ta Kuan Junior High School again tomorrow and hopefully we are able to improve on our weaknesses and take down at least a set!

Shilin Night Market

The Shilin Night Market is very popular night spot amongst locals and tourists. It contains mostly food vendors and shops selling other nonfood items such as clothing. It was definitely an experience to remember as Singapore does not have such cool night markets. We get to observe how the street vendors operate and were able to practice the art of bargaining here! The food was extremely good, especially the famous chicken cutlet, the bubble milk tea and the mango snow ice. Such a venue is rarely available in Singapore hence it was an eye-opening experience for all of us.

More Photos at Dropshots!

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Day 2 - Toucheng Farm Resort & Orphanage

The second day of our trip began with a memorable visit to the Toucheng Leisure Farm. The expansive farm is situated mainly on a mountain slope featuring bamboo groves and a wide variety of trees and fruit orchards. Wild chickens, geese, ducks, pigs, goats, and other farm animals as well as a wide variety of flowers and plants can be found on the farm. The farm offers various activities such as fruit and vegetable picking, fishing, and shell hunting, allowing visitors a personal experience with the fascinating rural lifestyle.

Firstly, we were introduced to various traditional toys mainly made out of bamboos, and were engaged to make our very own ones through hands-on activities. The process of making the toys was challenging as we were not familiar with the tools and materials provided. However, with much patience, we still managed to overcome all odds and completed our unique toys eventually.

Next, we proceeded for an enriching tour around the farm under the guidance of a local farm guide. We were able to experience the beauty of Mother Nature, which rarely exists in urbanized Singapore. The farm guide provided clear and interesting information about the area and through this experience, we learned more about environmental sustainability, the importance of environmental protection as well as more ecological ways of living to lead a healthier life. We feel that there are a lot of things for Singaporeans to learn from the locals at the farm. Although the standard of living and quality of life in the farm is not high in comparison with one in a city such as Singapore, the locals are willing to put in extra effort to minimize any negative impacts of the environment. We need to really heighten our awareness for environmental protection in Singapore!

Our final activity stretches our creative mind to design our very own Toucheng T-shirts. The process involves the dye-printing of maple leaves freshly plucked from the farm. With our creative hands and imagination, we transformed our white T-shirts into different Picasso-like outfits.

Our next and final destination for the day was the visit to a local orphanage. The care-taker of the orphanage shared some stories about the children with us. Most of their parents were left with no choice but to send them to the orphanage. The children’s stories made us appreciate kinship and that we are fortunate enough to have a complete family with parents who are always there for us. Although the children are away from their families, they still live each day to their fullest and maintain a positive attitude towards life. The selflessness of the founder instills the value of empathy in us and made us realize the importance of helping others. Without needing to be rich, we can still do our part in helping the less fortunate and make the world a better place for everyone.                        

Thats it for Day 2! Stay tuned for more updates!