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
