OELP reflection(Zijin)

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What does Taiwan mean to me before this OELP trip?

-I was unfamiliar with Tawian as I have never travlled there before and knew little about its culture as well as customary.The only thing that came to my mind was the Kuomintang(KMT) whom my elders like to mention,as the KMT once formed the official government( 國民政府）in mainland China before 1949. Since my elders were in People's Liberation Army ( PLA) who had fought against the KMT vigorously, I was influnced and amazed by how Republic of China was formed and within 40years  perished in the mainland.(KMT is still existing in mainland China together with many other parties but CCP is the most influntial and largest party) 

So,I went with my classmates to Taiwan which I think is the most meaningful and memorable one.

We arrived that Kaohsiung around 11pm.The secretory of our sister school came with a few stuffs to meet us there.We were warmly welcomed by them.I felt something different as this city that I have just landed on is unfamiliar to me,it's a totally new environment as I have tans of questions which its answers can only be found here,Taiwan.

This was where we stay,10 drums cultural village.It was a sugar factory drug the Japanese occupation which known to the Taiwanese as 日據時期. Taiwan were used as a supportive base for the Japanese military force in WWII. Hence many factories such as sugar factories were used to make chemicals used in weapons with many Taiwanese workers.The Japanese had occupied Taiwan for 51 years and their culture was instilled into Taiwan.

But how did the Twainese felt about this period under Japanese rule??

 That was the question I wonder the most.

After consulting the tour guide as well as the local students and adult,a few response were generated

1. Positive( people who felt positive is because Japan's occupation had really pushed the economy and social development in Twaiwan,It turned many fishing village into big morgen cities)

2.Negative( I watched a local movie,the theme was about People's life under Japan occupation,Most people were angry about the situation they were in because Japan import OPIUM into Taiwan, causing many problems among the Taiwanese and many believe that they were TAIWANESE a bit sad...as the Qing government had no other solution but gave it to Japan,hence people believe that Qing had abandoned them,and they must self-strengthen)

3, Okay okay ( not many people held this view as they cared for themselves such as wether the food is enough for my family or how much would I earn)

I wanted to know how does the locals view the KMT??

Before the trip I thought that all Taiwanese were the supporters of KMT but I WAS COMPLETELY WRONG.

Before the KMT even arrived Taiwan at 1949, there were already hokkiens made up of the most population,We chiang Kai shiek started his dictator rule, the whole island was under High Pressure.

Hence I have ask one of our fercilitators how to you comment on what chiang Kai shiek had done

" he is a dictator" was the answer.

Oops I was' not inside this photo because I went to the toilet...No...

Hahah by the way this is our big group and the pretty lady on your right is Ms Chua~

One of the memorable lunch was at a local Hakka restaurant.Singapore have Hakka also but is not so obvious as in Taiwan,hope next time can have some famous Hakka restaurant in SG and encourage more people to learn about Haaka culture and their food as well.

I should really mention this because this get me to Taiwan history once again~ I like History

This is the Confucius temple that we went and is the first Confucius temple in Taiwan 

Now there are some interesting things that others probably wouldn't notice 

Have you notice the names on the right side? They are ( 蔣中正,蔣經國，李登輝）

These people shows that the Confucius temple is a building symbolic power or rather an important place.Most of us didn't take it seriously and the tour guide didn't explain to us anything at all.But in ancient Chinese culture,when a new emperor was choosen by the previous one,he need to go to the Confucius temple for a commemoration.as the names mention,they are three well known leaders.From this we can also tell that how the Japanese had influenced this nation as well. 李登輝,いわさと まさお、IwasatoMasaohad studied in typical Twaiwanese schools during Japanese occupation,he could only speak Japanese and Hokkien but not Chinese. This shows that how Japan had influenced Taiwan younger generations to be more 'Japanese' during that time.

Inside the Confucius temple with wee lin and Joee~

Next is a very interseting restaurant that consists of many old elements that left many memories to elders 

First time saw this,but the words are more attractive,it's something like anti-communism in the 50-60s in Taiwan.This somehow shows that people were living under great even a normal facilities have politic slogans to remind people about third political stands.

Schools!

It's different from what we have in Singapore,the lessons that they had on that day was super fun and made me think about 应试教育，快乐教育 but feedback from students they will not normally have this kind of lessons...or it's just for showing?

Our facilitators and VP& Mr Ho

Our buddy brought us to a soya source factory,it's so peaceful here just like country side.The agriculture in Tainan is Great!as they have special ways to grow fruits,crops and the farmer who were onced believe to be of a lower social states but now became rich than the working class people.

Hence Taiwan had gone through great change in recent 20years and what we have experiment is just a little part of what this special place contains

But we will like to find out more XD