Post OELP activities

After the OELP, some of us decided to carry out activities related to the Taiwan trip. 

One of them was us trying to re-enact an earthquake scene that occurs frequently in Taiwan (especially after we had visited the 921 Earthquake Museum):

                                

Video Credits: Alyna Khoo

Taiwan Montage (Eng and Chi)

After the Taiwan OELP, one of the students, Yeong Ying Xue, was assigned a task to complete a montage which generally stated our thoughts about Taiwan. The montage has been featured in the school's newsletter 2013.

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​From 27 May to 1 June, a group of 23 Year 2 students from the classes 2C and 2G of Orange House embarked on an Overseas Experimental Learning Program (OELP) to Taiwan to increase their knowledge of the world beyond Singapore and also to experience firsthand the unique culture of Taiwan.
One of the highlights of the OELP was visiting Taiwan’s museums. We went to the National Palace Museum, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Sun Yat-sen Museum, Sung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines and the 921 Earthquake Museum, where we learnt about Chinese history, culture, and disaster management system. We also visited renowned attractions such as Jiufen Old Street, Ximending, Fengjia Night Market, and Shilin Night Market. For many of us, it was eye opening to view historical Chinese art treasures, to see the remains of collapsed buildings resulting from the 921 earthquake, and also to experience the vibrancy of nightlife in the night market.
Another major highlight of the trip were the two school immersions. We participated in Geography and National Defence lessons at Jian Guo High School, the most prestigious high school in Taiwan. We also had a first-hand experience of aboriginal culture at Wulai School, where we interacted with primary school students. Through both immersions, we made new friends and experienced what it was like to be a student in Taiwan.
Overall, it has been a fruitful and meaningful learning journey that has taught us to appreciate both Taiwanese culture as well as our own.

从五月二十七日至六月一日，二十三位来自中二C和G班的橙组学生参与了一项海外浸濡学习计划。我们启程到台湾吸取更多有关宝岛的知识，以及亲身体验台湾文化。
这项海外游学活动的行程之一，是参观台湾博物馆。我们参观了國立故宮博物院，國立中正紀念堂，國立國父紀念館，順益台灣原住民博物館和國立自然科學博物館九二一地震教育園區。参观了这些博物馆，我们对于中华历史、文化和防灾措施有更深的了解。对于我们而言，能亲眼看到历史文物，以及在921地震中被摧毁建筑的残垣败壁，是非常难得的经验。此外，我们也参观了台湾著名的景点，如九份老街、西门丁、逢甲夜市与士林夜市，感受到夜市蓬勃的生命力。
此行另一项令我们印象深刻的活动，是到台湾两所学校观摩。我们到台湾的重点学校，建国高中上了地球科学和国防课。我们在乌来学校也亲身体验了原住民的文化，与当地小学生打成一片。通过这个观摩活动，我们结交了新朋友，也当了几日的＂台湾学生＂，这是很新鲜的体验。
总的来说，这次富有意义的海外游学活动让我们获益不浅，它让我们学习欣赏台湾文化，也让我们学会珍惜自己的文化。

Overall Reflections

At the end of the Taiwan OELP trip, some of the students (Yeong Ying Xue and Ng Kwok Wing), have come up with a reflection pertaining to their experience during the trip.

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I feel that this trip to Taiwan has been an incredibly fruitful one. Being on my first trip overseas since entering River Valley High School, I felt quite a bit of apprehension at the start of the trip, as I didn't have an idea what to expect. I find that I have significantly increased my knowledge of Taiwan and world events in general, and also I feel that I have grown in a psychological sense.

This trip has really sparked my interest in foreign cultures and Chinese language. As we visited the Taiwan Public TV station, I found the fact that the show was presented in dialect to be quite interesting. It is something we never see in Singapore due to the Hakka community being a very small group of people. Furthermore, it has introduced me to how a television programme is produced from behind the scenes. When we watch television, we often only regard what is onscreen and forget that much more hard work happens behind the scenes.on the second day of our journey, I was not looking forward to the museums that we would be visiting, as I had little interest in Chinese artefacts and such. This taught me to be more open minded as I ended up enjoying the tours immensely, never to jump to conclusions as something may turn out very different from what it seems. From this situation I also figured that I was to be more appreciative of culture and tradition,for in this fast-moving modern world, it is crucial to stick to our roots.

As we went to Jianguo High School for a school immersion, I realised that the Taiwanese had a greatly varied learning attitude and educational system as compared to Singapore. They were significantly more carefree, learning very independently. I feel that this should be what Singaporean students should learn from. Singaporeans are very competitive when it comes to academics, which may negatively affect some students, but if we had adopted the more laid back style of Taiwanese students, there would be a high chance that students will perform outstandingly, like those of Jianguo high school. This has made me more aware of the similarities and differences of our education systems, and further opened my eyes to the possible improvements that can be made to our Singaporean society so as to make it flourish to a greater extent.

Through the many night markets we have visited, I truly experienced the upbeat Taiwanese nightlife. This made me ponder why though I often visit  "pasar-malam"s, that I had never felt the enticing atmosphere of that I experienced in Taiwan's various famous night markets. Perhaps if is because of Singaporeans and their lack of ability to have a good time, or maybe just that Singaporeans are just never happy, as recents findings show. Although Singapore is greatly successful in many aspects such as tourism and economic activity, we aren't happy with our lives. Taiwanese always seem jovial and optimistic, though prone to natural disasters, maybe that is another learning point for all of us, that success doesn't determine happiness, and that our fellow citizens need to stop and smell the roses, to truly enjoy life instead of seeing it in a technical and mechanical manner.

By Yeong Ying Xue 

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Throughout the six days of the trip, I feel that I have learnt a lot. I've eventually realised that Taiwan indeed is a country rich in history and culture. Even though it is a small country, there are a lot of hidden 'gems', such as the aboriginal culture, its landmarks and complicated history.

On the first day, I was extremely excited for the trip since it was my first trip to Taiwan. Of course, I was not disappointed. I visited a TV station for the first time and it was very interesting. However, I feel that our behaviour was rather obnoxious as we were quite noisy. Other than that, I think that the day was fine. Also, we ate hot pot for dinner! It was super delicious and somehow I feel like eating it again... 

Then, the second day came. It was a long day. We went to two different museums and I certainly gained a lot of knowledge from it. I learnt about the national treasures of Taiwan and also about the aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. I never knew about certain practices of the tribes and I really gained a couple of insights from it. Then, we went to Jiufen Old Street, where we ate lots of yummy foods.

On the third day, we went on a school immersion at Jian Guo High School! The best thing about it was that Jian Guo High School is the top high school in Taiwan! I feel that the experience that day was quite impactful. First and foremost, this was the first time that I have visited an all-boys' school so I was naturally very excited. I have also learnt a bit of their history. In addition, they have regular breaks between lessons unlike in Singapore. After th visit, I think that students from Singapore should more outspoken towards their learning. For Taiwan, students are fairly more comfortable and fun to be with, and they are not afraid to speak out and do not feel awkward. Then, we went to Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum where we witnessed a puppet skit which I found very entertaining. We also learnt about the different type of puppets, and the puppet history of Taiwan. 

On the fourth day, we went to Taichung. Before that, we visited Wulai School which is located deep in the mountains just outside Taipei. I feel that this is a very meaningful experience as we learnt about the aboriginal language, dance and culture. Then, we took the high speed rail and visited Carton King where we were taught on how to make a simple paper windmill. We also bought loads of things there! 

On the fifth day, we visited 921 Earthquake Museum where we learnt about the dangers of an earthquake and also the causes of it. Then, we went to the Sun Yat-Seng Museum where we learnt many things, such as Dr. Sun Yat-Seng's life and his impact on China. 

Finally, on the sixth day, we went to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall which I then realised that it is located just beside the Sun Yat-Seng Museum. After that, we returned to Singapore. 

Overall, I feel that this trip is a very significant trip for me as I found out a lot more about Taiwan and it was definitely worth it to embark on this trip. 

By Ng Kwok Wing

Taiwan 1/6 (Day 6) Daily Reflection

I closed the door to my hotel room for the last time, with a quiet sigh and a heavy heart. Being the last day of our school trip to Taiwan, it was no wonder that everyone seemed forlorn at breakfast. Unlike previous days where I had dug in heartily, I could not eat a bite this particular morning.

After a dreary start to the day, we proceeded to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Watching the guard changing ceremony, I am very impressed by their highly- maintained discipline and ability to stop fidgeting. They were not distracted by the remarks of onlookers, and kept looking ahead. Their behaviour and movement are akin to that of animated toy soldiers. Moving only to breathe and blink, they become live statues until the end of their shifts. There, I filmed a video of the guard changing ceremony which certainly served as a good ‘souvenir’ for me to keep.

                               

Video Credits: Christine Ow

Heading to Di Hua Street, the guide there took us walking back and forth down the street, introducing various shops selling a variety of traditional goods and building structures of the old shop houses. I have to admit, the hot weather had taken a toll on me and feeling as if I was about to melt into a puddle with all the perspiration, I did not pay much attention to the guide.

When the guide led us to pose for a photo in front of a Chinese temple, it was greeted with much wild protests from some of my friends, who had different religious beliefs. If, say, you were a Christian, would you like to take a photo in front of a temple? This goes for any other religion. Empathizing with their feeling of having their religion disrespected, perhaps we should not intrude on such religious issues next time.

All too soon, we were on the way to Taoyuan International Airport. On the bus, our tour guide of 6 days dropped tears saying her parting words. Each of us signed on two gigantic, pink and furry rabbit soft toys with permanent markers. It was then that I realized I would miss Taiwan. I would miss the picture-perfect landscape, the delectable food, the fine weather, the bustling night markets and most importantly, the affable people. However, just as Taiwan has left us with unforgettable memories, we have left our footsteps on the streets, our cheers heard and our raucous laughter ringing. It is not wrong to say that we have made a mark on Taiwan too.

By Agnes Ho, edited by Ng Kwok Wing

Taiwan 31/5 (Day 5) Daily Reflection

This would be our fifth day in Taiwan.

Firstly,we visited the Longshan temple(龍山寺) located in Lugang.It is also the most well-preserved Fujianese style building of the Qing Dynasty in Taiwan. 

One of the most amazing structure is Bagua caisson ceiling (八卦藻井) above outdoor stage.It was produced to have better sound traveling and the caisson ceiling has a function to suppress evils and bring peace to the town. Pillars, gates, and walls made by stone are elaborate, especially dragon pillars in the front hall.It featured a dragon heading up and another going down,there were also a pair of two guardian lion statues near the entrance,one resting its paws on a ball,a male,another,on a cub,a female.

The temple had statues of the bodhisattvas at the back.The monastery actually had shifted from its original position as a result of the earthquake and had to be shifted back.

Then we went to the old market street,where we actually saw some of the old architectures being preserved.They used to cover the ceiling,and the residents cannot see the sky so they say 看不見天,and because the road was bricked,不見泥土.We were also educated a lot about the culture and history.We also saw the folk arts museum.

We learnt to appreciate the culture of Chinese,and explore the different folk takes.We also understood more as to why Lukang decline after the nineteenth century when it was one of the most important commercial centre.

Next,we visited the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan,which is dedicated to the 7.3 Earthquake that struck Taiwan in September 21 1999.This earthquake was one of the worst natural disaster in the century to have happened to Taiwan.

It is locate at the site of the former Guangfu Junior High School.There was a gallery which shows photos the destruction sites,the damage was high and devastating.There was also a part where it featured the soil mid-sectioned,where the tour guide explains to us the different parts of the soil.There were also booths set up that were interesting and includes diagrams and models to help us better understand the earthquake.

We also went past the destroyed classrooms and collapsed school building.We were also showed how Taiwan has taken measures to tackle against such issues in the future and to strengthened Taiwan's security.We also went to the room where we experienced a 5.0 virtual earthquake.One side of the room had safely measures and the other did not have any.We saw that the part with safety measures had all of the items still intact while the part with no safety measures had its items scattered.Before the 40 second there was a video showing the earthquake procedure and the aftermath.

Overall,we learnt from this trip that we should always be vigilant and prepared and ready in case this kind of disaster occurs.We also learnt from this that other countries had helped Taiwan when it was in need and that a country needed to have relations to depend on when things like this happens.We have learnt to be appreciative and grateful Singapore does not experience such earthquakes.

Then,we went to the Sun Yat Sen Memorial hall which was located at Taipei.There is a huge statue at the main entrance to the hall showcasing Sun Yat Sen.There is also a guard changing ceremony that is a popular tourist attraction.The memorial hall displays Sun Yat Sen's life and has a multi purpose centre for the public as well.

We learnt of how great he was and his family background.Sun's legacy also resides in his developing of the political philosophy known as the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood,where scholars study and teach his material.

There is a painting of him in the museum,where it was said that his eyes would follow you wherever you walk,according to the museum guide.Interestingly enough,his portrait was on the Taiwan note.

We have learnt not to take Singapore's independence for granted and how Sun Yat Sen was a great and to a point,legendary figure in helping China's revolution and helping Taiwan with its reforms.

Lastly,we went to Shilin market.It was a crowded night market selling a variety of items.It is one of the largest and most famous night market in Taipei,which consisted of a goods section and a food section.

We got to see many of Taiwan's famous food and it was a delightful place full of atmosphere.The night ended mostly on a happy note.We had a rather fruitful day,and afterwards,we headed back to the hotel for one last briefing.

By Lee Yue Tong

Taiwan 30/5 (Day 4) Daily Reflection

Today was a fruitful day. We woke up early so that we could finish our schedule on time but were disrupted as we made a mistake of not being punctual. Hence, we were delayed. Then, it was time for departure! We took the coach to Wulai and after an hour of driving, we finally reached the school which was located just outside Taipei and high up in the mountains.

When we went there, we were greeted by a friendly member of the school, probably a teacher. He welcomed us with warmth and introduced us to the school. The school is rather interesting as it is an aboriginal school. Next, we were led to a classroom consisting of 10 year olds. They introduced us to the culture and history of their race, called the "Tai Ya" (泰雅族）. The children were very adorable and one could easily tell that they practiced very hard for the presentation. They were also very polite as they agreed to take some photos with us and some would attempt to keep a conversation with us.

Next, we learnt how to make bracelets according to the "Tai Ya"'s way of making it. When we finished it, the bracelet was extremely pretty and of course satisfactory.

Next, we had some performances and then we had lunch.

Lastly, we were taught some greetings in Tai Ya's language and then went back to the coach to go to the high-speed train station. When we reached there, we took the high speed train to Taichung. 

Then, after an hour, we were brought to Carton King, a place where paper models are made. We were also taught how to make a simple windmill paper model. 

After that, we bought several souvenirs and went for dinner!

After dinner, we visited Feng Jia night market. It was definitely not a disappointment! The night market was bustling with people and rows and rows of shops lined the streets. However, I was not really interested in buying things but rather in the food! One does not simply visit a night market without eating the food there. The foods in the night market were cheap and delicious. Oh the aroma! However, due to the time constraint, we only managed to buy a chicken cutlet but I was happy nonetheless. Finally, we returned to the hotel and retired to our rooms after debrief.

During the debrief, we talked about many stuff. Punctuality was emphasised during the debrief as some of us woke up late and had to delay the whole trip. It was as if we did not have any sense of urgency. Also, it was also mentioned that we should inform the teachers early when something is amiss. I believe that this is very important as it shows our sense of responsibility. We should always be alert and sense it immediately when something is wrong. Most of us would try to avoid being involved in such situations so that we will not be held responsible. I believe this is a common norm seen in RVians. From what I observe, many of us do not take initiative or help out one another, and I admit I do so sometimes as well. This is caused by not only the influence of friends but mainly parents. We should not just keep shut and ignore the situation if we know something is wrong. If not, this may cause a lot of problems such as the delay of the trip. Moreover, we were still not urgent even though we were already late. This made the teachers very disappointed and we seemed not to care. If we were a little quicker, we could solve the problem of being late, and yet we were not serious about it at all. This certainly reflects the morals of us students. 

We also discussed our thoughts on the visit to Wulai school. We talked about our first impressions before visiting and our impression after visiting. For me, I thought Wulai would be a very run down and backward as it is located deep in the mountains. Our tour guide also mentioned that students can take up to two hours to travel to school and most of them won't make it pass high school. This made me feel a little sympathetic for them. 

I also felt that I should appreciate my learning environment more instead of constantly complaining about unnecessary things. During the visit, I realised that actually the children weren't so unfortunate after all. They were content with what little they had and this made me feel very touched. I feel that if we were content with how much we had, our lives would be much more thrilling and happier. The children were also very polite and weren't as naughty as children I see in Singapore of the same age. This made me feel a little embarrassed as our society seemed to be more uncivilised. Then, we talked about our behaviour in Carton King. Though it wasn't very obvious that I did not notice it, our behaviour wasn't really good. We did not follow the group accordingly and left a lot of gaps in the middle, and we were also very slow in our movements. We also should give more respect to the teachers as most of us ignored their attempts to make us quicker. 

Then, we discussed about the night market. However, it was not about our behaviour but rather about the reasons why night markets in Taiwan are so successful. The teachers did not mention anything further and they left us to think about it. Personally, I think that Taiwan night markets are so successful because they provide more variety of things like all kinds of food, clothes and etc. the items are also very cheap and reasonable. Whereas in Singapore, the 'night markets' consist of common things, like burgers, phone covers, etc. Moreover, the prices are not far off cheaper. The Taiwan night markets are also more successful as the sales people are more active as they will try to attract people. 

All in all, I feel that our behaviour today was not really good and we could improve further. I think that we should be more alert, have a sense of urgency and listen to teachers seriously. We should also be more active such as taking initiatives instead of not caring about anything. Nevertheless, I think that we indeed have the potential to improve and do better.

By Ng Kwok Wing

Taiwan 29/5 (Day 3) Daily Reflection

In the morning, we headed to Jian Guo high school for school immersion program. I felt that this experience was very special and through this, I have learnt more about Taiwan’s education system. Firstly, when we reached the school, the secretary of the school welcomed us warmly and introduced their school by showing us a video and I was impressed by their school’s achievements. He later took us to the room filled with the school’s history and background. Even the bricks and glass windowpanes are proofs of the school’s history. I think it is important to preserve the school’s history as students can know their school better and maintain the standard or do even better.

Following that, he introduced us to the school library and other facilities available in the school. Students in Jian Guo were given much freedom and one of the student leaders, who was with us all the time, mentioned that they will decorate the statue (at the front gate) to something in the cemetery for their gradation ceremony. It shocked many of us that they were allow to do such things. We also saw many students studying in the library or playing on the basketball court. I think that their students done well in both academic and sports, which our school aims to achieve. I guessed they managed to do so due to their study attitude, which we should learn from them. 

During the two periods of lessons we had with the students, I had gained many learning points from them. For example, during the geography lesson, upon given the instructions, students would carry out immediately without the teacher repeating again. Unlike them, I felt that many students in my class always need teachers to repeat their instructions, which will probably annoys teachers a lot and also waste lesson time. Also, when the students were having their presentation during the next lesson, they were confident and the presentation was intriguing and easy to understand. Without any scripts, the students managed to explain to the audience clearly and fluently, which we can see that they understood the content. I think their presentation skill was something that we should learn and improve.

 During the whole time in Jian Guo, their students took initiative to talk to us and were very friendly. However, most of us were shy and only during lunchtime, we started chatting and also talked about their education system. All in all, we had fun in Jian Guo and also learnt a lot from these seniors. However, what we had shown in the school had disappointed our teachers. After what the teachers had said, I felt ashamed of being a RVian who should have be able to show confidence and knowledge when I was in the Jian Guo. I had gained insight about being a good leader and hope we would have a chance to travel with the teachers again to show our improvements. 

We went to Xi Men Ding and Eslite Book Store in the evening. We went shopping and bought souvenirs for our parents. Indeed, we were able to be taiwan is a result of our parents' support. Without them, we would not have this opportunity to be in taiwan and expand our horizons of the world. All in all, today was another tiring yet full-filling day. I was elated being able to be in this taiwan trip and learn so much new things.  

By Zhang RuoLin, edited by Zhang RuoLin and Ng Kwok Wing