Day Three began on a bittersweet note, with us having to bid a heavy-hearted farewell to Love River Boutique Hotel, which we had called home for the past two nights. Oh well, all good things come to an end, after all, and the end of a chapter usually marks the beginning of yet another. We were headed for Taipei later in the day, which was a fact we were very pumped-up about. Before embarking upon our journey to the capital city of Taiwan, though, we still had a few places to visit in the lovely city of Kaohsiung. First up was our long-anticipated visit to the Tzu Chi Recycling Centre in Feng Shan.
The moment we disembarked from the bus, we were greeted by a friendly volunteer at the recycling centre, who readily offered to explain some basic aspects of recycling to us, such as the types of materials that can be recycled, and the sub-categories of every category of recyclables. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Recyclables do not only include paper, glass, and aluminium cans. All that she requested of us in return was for us to spread our newly-gained knowledge with our Malaysian friends and families upon our return to Malaysia. Wasn't that noble of her? We most certainly thought so.
Afterwards, we were shown how to disassemble an item (a Pringles can, in this case) and separate its components (cardboard, and the metal base of the can) into its respective category of recyclables. On top of everyday items such as Pringles cans, the highly adept volunteers at the recycling centre also disassembles computers and VCR tapes to obtain valuable recyclables, such as small bits of plastics and metals. These plastics and metals are then separated into their respective and numerous sub-categories, which is obviously a skill that comes with experience and lots of practice. Whew! Being a volunteer is not as easy as it seems!
After a brief hands-on session during which we were instructed to sort the recyclables at the centre into main categories such as paper, plastics, milk cartons, and metals, we were taken on a tour to the recycling centre's organic vegetable garden. The vegetables at the well-maintained garden looked fresh, healthy and crisp, which was no doubt thanks to the usage of the recycling centre's self-produced compost and bio-enzyme. We were given a tutorial on how to produce compost, and were given the opportunity to take a whiff of their bio-enzyme's scent, which was pleasant, thanks to their usage of citrus fruits. We were all shocked to hear that bio-enzyme could be drunk and applied to our skin, to heal minor wounds. I guess we do learn new things everyday!
The final stop of our tour around the recycling centre was its adjoining shop, selling products made using recycled items. Plastic bottles are reprocessed to make t-shirts, bags, shoes, socks, and even baby apparel. Due to the heavy reprocessing required to transform the plastic bottles into breathable fabric suitable for making clothes, these items do come at a heftier price tag, with a t-shirt costing around RM 50, but these items are fashionable, durable, and worth every penny. Key chains, candles, portable chopsticks, and even dried rice that cooks in water to make a complete meal were some of the many items sold in the shop, and unsurprisingly, our departure from the recycling centre was delayed due to our immense and overwhelming need to shop. Oops!
Our final stop in Kaohsiung was none other than NKNUSH, a place we had been looking forward to visiting ever since the idea for this Eco-Trip had been conceived. The charm and appeal NKNUSH holds was apparent from the very moment we set foot into the school. Young, elementary school children were seen playing the diabolo at the entrance of the school, and it was truly an adorable sight. We were immediately ushered into a room next to the Social Studies classroom, where we were treated to a lovely appetiser and lunch. After lunch, we then went into the Social Studies classroom to watch a video presentation on their school, before we were divided into two groups and shown around the school by students of NKNUSH.
Each group was assigned two tour guides, who not only showed us around the school, but provided some background information and fun facts on certain parts of their school. Our guides were pleasant and friendly, and were even willing to accommodate our requests for them to show us their canteen. They even brought us to an elementary school classroom, to point out the Russian foreign student studying in their school. The library, new science labs, rainwater harvesting system, as well as their mini recycling centre were some of the other spots we were shown. All in all, it was a very fun tour, not only because we were given the opportunity to explore a school in a foreign country, but because we got the opportunity to communicate with our peers in a foreign country. A memorable experience, indeed.
We were then brought into a conference room of sorts, where some students had been gathered to partake in a Physics presentation competition. The objective of the competition was to select a candidate to represent the school in a national science competition. Despite the fact that the presentation was in Chinese, meaning that most of us couldn't understand a word of what they were saying, the ones amongst us who could understand what their presentations were about found it highly interesting. Then, the time came for us to give a presentation of our own, on the Eco-Projects that we have carried out through TER. As a bonus, we even through in an Eco Music Band performance. We were all very thankful for their attention and enthusiasm in giving us their support throughout the duration of our performance.
We had to make a hasty exit after our performance, so as to stick to our schedule of arriving in Taipei by 7pm. After a 5-hour journey, we managed to reach Taipei on schedule, and were immediately whisked off for a delicious dinner in Halal Bismila Restaurant. We all agreed unanimously that it was the best meal we've had in Taiwan. After the memorably delicious dinner, we checked into the hotel where we would be spending our final night in Taiwan - Yeso Hotel. Exhausted after a long day of travelling, we fell into a long and fitful sleep soon after checking into the hotel, grateful for the soft, comfortable beds to sleep on.
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