“Third week in a nutmeg: School Field Trip – Presentation at Alian Elementary – Visiting Alian Junior High twice – Swimming Class - Church Dancing Lesson – Tea Times - Sightseeing Tainan – Global Village Day”
When I skimmed
next week’s schedule I already realised that there’s a busy week ahead – and it
really turned out being a busy one but in a nice kind of way!
On Tuesday whole
“Fu An Elementary School” went to the industrial park of Tainan for this year’s
field trip. Cathy, the English teacher and I accompanied the first and second
graders with whom we first determined the pH- value of diverse liquids (e.g.
liquidated baking powder) by means of the colour change of indicator dyes.
After that we went to a museum and were introduced to the earth’s history
regarding its flora and fauna and geological progress. We finished our stay at
Tainan’s industrial research institute with a visit to a small farm. The
students were taught about the animals’ habits and needings and got the
opportunity to feed them afterwards.
After lunch
break the whole school went to an astrological observation centre where we were
introduced to the astrological and physical discoveries of the 20th
century and watched a 3D movie. A bear and a penguin travelled into space to figure
out why the sun doesn’t shine for half a year on the North Pole.
On Wednesday I
was invited to “Alian Elementary School” to give a few presentations about my country
and myself. (Fun fact: the students already knew about myself that’s why everybody
greeted me by my name whilst passing the class rooms.)
The morning
passed by quickly and soon I was picked up by the Junior High School director
and Allen, an English teacher. Together we had lunch at “Alian Junior High
School” and took some pictures with the principal. I talked to some first
graders during their breaks and enjoyed tea time at the office. Moreover I got
to see the final rehearsal of the puppet show and received the information that
they are invited to Germany to present their show in a couple of month!
On Thursday
there was the weekly swimming class at school and in the evening Carol, my host
sister’s former baby-sitter asked me to join her for the church dancing class
after dinner. – And I was amazed! First I thought about old women tap-dancing
but it actually turned out to be an extremely challenging sequence of dancing
moves accompanied by modern Taiwanese music. Later on we did some stretching
and I watched the ladies performing their choreographed dance.
On Friday
afternoon I was invited to the Junior High School again and observed and
English lesson. After that I introduced Allen to the weightlifting class and
wished the team good luck for their competition in Taipei on the weekend.
I finished the
day with my host family going out for tea time and also got a cake for free
from the cafés owner.
On Saturday we
went to the morning market for breakfast and did some grocery shopping for the
German food paradise court for Sunday’s Global Village Day. Furthermore we
visited my host mum’s family in Tainan and her sister took me out on a
motorcycle trip through the city visiting Giang- Gong Temple and Fort
Provintia. After an incredible dinner at their parents house we went to the
mall, did some shopping and I prepared the German potato salad after my
grandma’s prescription…
The Global
Village Day was a nice day to get to see all the AIESEC members and EPs again
and with some elementary students we played some games, did DIYs and enjoyed
the international food paradise within our culture sharing presentations.
Even though
there are only seven days in a week I was able to enjoy all the different
activities to the fullest! It was tough but I can’t even wait for the following
week to start.