Taiwan OELP Day 4 Reflection

Gladys:

Today, we went to National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.

The guide talked to us about the different art pieces. She talked to us about the artist basic background, what method the artist used to paint the art piece, what kind of inspiration the artist got to paint the art piece, etc. I think after the visit to the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, I learnt how to appreciate art better and learnt more about the different types of art. I also noticed this umbrella lock before entering the museum and I thought it was pretty interesting as I never seen it in Singapore before. I think its a good invention so that the staff can have an easier time finding their own umbrellas.

Later on in the afternoon, we went to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.

This village was set up as another source of income for the aborigins. The theme park was set up so that people will be attracted to come to the village. The village is being set up in a way that in order to play the rides at the theme park, you need to walk through all the displays set up by the aborigins and as you walk, you will be able to learn more about their culture. I think it is a very sad thing that they have to set the village this way in order for the younger generations to learn the aborigine's culture but it was a really successful method. As I walk pass all those displays, I got to learn more about their culture and their way of life. They make great efforts in updating the amusement facilities and services to attract more people to the village to raise awareness about the aborigins among the younger generation. There was also this display at the village that I saw. I had the words "饮水思源".

I think they are trying to say that they are thankful of what their ancestors did in order for them to have such a culture and they will never forget. We also got a chance to see their aboriginal dance and some of us even got to learn this dance moves.

I think I had a lot of fun learning their culture and playing the rides at the amusement park. 

At the end of the day, we went to Fengjia Night Market. I was really happy as I finally got the chance to try some of their local famous food like 大肠包小肠 and experince the night market life.

The for some of the drink stalls, they would give out free samples in order to attract customers to their buy their drinks and I think this is a really good way to run a business. I think all the stall vendors in Taiwan are really polite, if youenter a stall and didn't buy anything, they will still say thank you for taking time to browse throught their stalls. I think this is something singapore should learn from Taiwan, shop assistants should learn to help promote their stall more instead of waiting for customers to come amd they should also learn to be more polite so that customers would like their service and return to purchase more goods from the stall. I also realise that many stalls in Taiwan sell the same type of shirts with the same prices in different stalls. This is so that customers don't compare the prices and buy the shirt from only one stall. They make all stalls have equivalent chance of selling their goods. I had a really great time eating their culinary delicay and experiencing the night market life, something I will never forget.

Claudia:
Today, we took the high speed train from Hsinchu to Taichung. After arriving at Taichung, we proceeded to the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Upon reaching the museum, there was a tour guide to bring us through the place and explain individually who were the artist of each of the artwork and what the artist meant to express through the piece of work. Personally, i felt that the experience was very enriching and interesting, i found it hard to believe that artists could express how they felt or what they were thinking about through such work of art and it wasn't something that anyone could achieve. I think that the tour guide played a crucial part in making our trip there a fulfilling one as without her explanations, we could not have figured out and understood the artwork and the trip there would be very boring.
In the afternoon, we went to the Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village. It was highly anticipated by many of us as there was a theme park inside the culture village and us being playful little kids, we definitely wanted to try out some of the rides!
We first took the cable car to the peak of the hills there and enjoyed the wonderful scenery from above. It was a much better experience than taking a cable car in Singapore as the scenery was a lot more beautiful and the cable car travelled higher above the ground(woop thrilling :D) Then, without hesitation, we dashed for the theme park and took a number of rides, namely the free fall and viking. We had a lot of fun and played til we almost puked, but then again i kind of regret not going to visit the aboriginal parts of the village more as those were the places where we could learn more about the aboriginals, instead of spending our time playing at the theme park. But after that, we went to watch a performance by the aborigines and we also participated and danced their traditional dance with them and that was an eye opening yet embarrassing experience as not many of us could dance very well xD
In the evening, we went to Fengjia Night Market and this was one of the places that i looked forward to going most in Taiwan. We tried many of the local taiwanese street foods, namely the glutinous rice sausage, the bbq squid and the nacho cheese baked potato!! The night market was packed with people and i guess that it is because the food at the night market is delicious and the prices are also very very cheap as compared to the food in Singapore. Also, many stalls gave out samples of their food and i think that this is a very good sales strategy because when people taste the food for free and realize how good it is and they will then go back to the stall to purchase it instead of having to wonder about whether or not the food will be to their liking.
Overall, i had a very fulfilling and fun day and i get to experience Taiwan more today!! :)

Jing Yan:

We first went to the Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Some of the art pieces were gross and inappropriate for little children but i guess you have to look in the artistic point of view to appreciate their artwork. However, some of the other artworks were also very interesting and had deep meanings to it. I feel extremely thankful for the guide who explained each artwork to us as some of them were very abstract. I think i would not be able to understand the meaning of the artwork if she was not there. It was a great experience! After that, we went to the long awaited Aboriginal Village. We spent quite a long time there as we could take the exciting and thrilling rides there. Although it was supposed to be a village, there was an amusement park. It was a pity that the Aboriginals had to build an amusement park there to attract people to their cultural village. They could educate the younger generation to show that their presence was sigificant and they would have more people knowing about their culture. The free-fall ride was the most memorable. It dropped at the speed of 107 miles/h and my heart literally stopped. I think that it was a pity that the Aboriginals are an "endangered species" as i felt that they were interesting. The amusement park was also built to attract tourists/people to visit the aboriginal village. It was also an alternative source of income. However, i think it would not be too high as they had to split the earnings among many other tribes. We learnt some simple steps from the traditional aboriginal dance which were included in their performance and it was a joy to learn. 

A photo with one of the lead dancers

Learning the dance :D

At night, we went to fengjia night market. The store owners were all extremely friendly and helpful, helping us throw away our rubbish and allowing us to try samples of their food even though we may have no intention of buying them. This is one point the Singaporeans can learn from. We should all learn from their friendliness and initiative, which would raise the standards of the service we give to our customers. Store owners should all take initiative to approach their customers to provide them with answers to what they need. 

Kheng Lon:

Day 4
Today is the 4th day of our Taiwan Trip. After our breakfast, we brought our luggage along with us as we were staying at a different hotel today. I was quite reluctant to leave the hotel as I find this hotel spacious and unique. The trip to Taichung was nearly 2 hours! It must have been really hard on the bus driver. Along the way, the tour guide briefly explained to us the places that we are visiting today.

After a while we finally reached Taichung. Our first stop, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts!

The museum tour guide explained different art pieces to us in detail. We learnt about the history and how these art pieces came about. From the art pieces, we can learn and find out what the illustrator is trying to express. I find this very enriching as some art pieces reveal the histories of different place. I have to say the museum tour guide did a great job in explaining the different art pieces. I find this painting special as it was the work of a Japanese trying to paint a picture based on folk activities held during ghost festival in Keelung. Even though the artwork does not seem like much, it depicts the cheerful atmosphere from a Japanese point of view.

Afterwards, we made our way to Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village. We managed to experience some cable car rides. It was an amazing experience as we were able to enjoy the scenery from a frightening height. We laughed and chatted, having a great time. After the cable car ride, we were given free time to try out some of the rides in the amusement park. The rides were thrilling and our bonds strengthened as a class.

After a while, we returned to our meeting point to watch a performance by a aboriginal tribe. They displayed a culturural dance which captivated us for a long time. The aborigines  wore their tribal clothes which I find colourful and pretty unique. Some of us even got the chance to dance with them. They laughed and danced along with the aborigines. The dance had 4 parts and they learned them quickly. Even though I did not join them, I also had fun and cheered along. Afterwards, we managed to take some selfies with the aboriginals. After this visit, I find it very sad that amusement parks had to be built so as to attract tourists to learn more about the aboriginal tribes. The aborigines were trying to spread awareness about their culture, yet without the amusement parks, would tourists still continue to learn more about them? I felt very guilty as I think I should spend more time, learning their culture instead of having fun with the rides. After all, their culture existed a long time. It is important that we show our respect and learn some of the unique cultures.

Next, we made our way to Fengjia Night Market. We were given some allowance to spend. I heard that Fengjia Night Market is well-known in Taiwan. When we reached there, we can already see hordes of people. We then proceed to buy food for dinner. Even though most of the food were quite oily and unhealthy, they were surprisingly delicious. I guessed there is no harm trying different food once in a while. The chicken cutlet was huge and was one of the popular food in the night market. I tried one and find it really tasty. We even did some shopping in some shops. Some drinks  were really cheap. For example, they sold 1 litre bubble teas for only 45 ntd and they taste as good as the ones in Singapore! The vendors were very kind as they offered to help throw our rubbish. We shopped and ate along the way, having a wonderful together. Finally, it was time to go back and we returned to our new hotel.

We sure had a spectacular time today in Taichung. Today was fun and enriching. On another note, I think that we need to be more considerate to the bus driver. For example, on our journey back to the hotel, one of us found a cockroach scuttling around in the bus. This was the result of us not throwing away our food wrappers and rubbish. The bus driver had to drive long distances but never once complained. I think we can do our part by clearing the rubbish and not make so much noise so that he can concentrate better. 

Taiwan OELP Day 3 Reflection

Kheng Lon:

Today we revisited Nationl Experimental High School after a hearty breakfast. However, we went to the international class this time. When we stepped into the class, I realized that the students are more well- behaved than the previous class we went to. They did not really interrupt the class but instead listen attentively. I was not surprised that they were able to speak both English and Chinese fluently as it was an international class. The teachers in our class are foreigners and we participated in some activities during lesson time, getting to know each other and make more friends. Their lessons are taught in English, instead of Chinese. During lunch, we put up a performance for the school. The audience was mostly made up of students and teachers. During the performance, we sang wonderful songs and some of us put up a magnificent dance performance. Even though the performance was well done, I still feel that we could have done better. It would be a good idea for us to rehearse altogether a few times instead of just assigning roles so that we can roughly understand how the performance is going to be, so that the performance will run more smoothly. Other than that, I think all of us did a great job during the performance. Afterwards, we attended the AP Biology. The students put up a slide show presentation on some marine life. I find that most of them speak eloquently and confidently. That is something we can all learn from. I think that their presentation is very informative as I get to know more about certain marine organisms. We even got to witness these marine creatures in a fish tank. We then proceed to make our way to play sports. Our group was to play basketball with the students. The students there are really good in basketball. They scored goals after goals and we did not even managed to score 1 point. However, it is not about the winning or the losing that really matters. What matters is the fact that we get to bond with the students there. Finally, it was time to go and we bade farewell. The students there were very friendly and I was reluctant to leave. After the two days in the school, I gained a deeper understanding between Singapore and Taiwan education system. From this school, I can find out the improvements our school needs and at the same time feel grateful for the things they did not have.

Next, we made our way to the glass museum. At the museum, we admired some masterpieces made out of glass. It was an interesting and wonderful experience. We even went to the souvenir shop to purchase some souvenirs. These were the highlights of the day and I hope that I can continue to learn more about Taiwan.

Gladys:

Today, we went to the bilingual department of the National Experimental High School. 

I think I had more fun cause it was easier to communicate to the students and for us to understand what the teacher was saying. I notice that the students participate actively in class activities and they give constructive comments that can help the class in studying. I think we should learn from them so that we can learn more during lessons. We also had the chance to play different sports and I managed to play basketball with some of the students. Although the weather was really hot and it was really tiring, I had a really good time playing and interacting with them. As it was our last day at the school, we had to put up a performance for them. At first i was really shocked when Mr Chua told us we were going to perform in an open space, but since everyone was going to perform together as a class, we managed to calm ourselves down. Although our performance wasn't that good, all of the students still showed support and applauded for us. I think I had learnt a lot of values and learnt how to appreciate Singapore's education system after having this immersion programme in Hsinchu. In the afternoon, we went to the Glass Museum.

 I was truly amazed by all the masterpieces displayed at the glass museum and I didn't know glass can also be made into a form of art. We also had the chance to go to the souvenir shop. I saw so many different kind of souevenirs made of glass that were really beautiful and had a really hard time choosing what I should buy. I learnt a lot from the glass museum and hope that I will continue learning new things from Taiwan.

Emily:
Today, we went to the bilingual department of NEHS. The lessons were better to understand as they were taught in English and the students were attentive in class. I also noticed that they would volunteer actively when the teacher asked for volunteers which is very big difference compared to RV students. It was also easier to talk to the students as they could speak very fluent English. During PE, it was very fun despite the sweltering weather as we had a chance to play basketball with the students there. After that, we had to prepare for a performance as it was our last day there. I felt that our performance wasn't that well prepared but the students seemed to enjoy themselves. We had a photo taking session after that and although I didn't take a photo with anyone, I felt happy that I was able to help other people take pictures.
After that, we went to the glass museum. It was really cool to see the amazing things people could do with glass and although I didn't buy any souvenirs from there, I learnt that creativity can be shown in different ways. I felt that today was a fun and fruitful day and I hoped that tomorrow would be the same.

Jing Yan:

We went to the school today again and put up our performance that we spent quite awhile to practice. We were pretty nervous and awkward with them as there were many Taiwanese students sitting on the floor watching our performance. I danced along with 5 other people and sang together as a class afterwards. It was entertaining. Some of the Taiwanese genuinely enjoyed our performance and i was very grateful.  We also studied with the bilingual students. They spoke to us in English and lessons were taught by foreign teachers. We also attended the AP Biology lesson where elite students gave us a presentation of their coral reef tank. There were many species of marine life such as the clownfish, shrimp, sea urchins etc. I felt that this was very useful in studying the marine life as there was a life specimen.

During PE lessons, i realised the students did not have to change to any specific sports attire and was quite surprised. It would be great if we could wear whatever we want for school. At the end of the visit to the school, there was a miniature farewell party and we could pass the gifts we made for our Taiwanese buddies and take photos with them. I did a card and gave them a postcard with the Singapore Skyline in it. Some of them also added us on Facebook so as to keep in contact. We were all very happy and enjoyed ourselves for the past two days. After that, we took a group photo which included everyone with their buddies and we boarded the bus to the Glass Museum. We saw many art pieces of different artists and they looked beautiful. There was also many painting made of glass and were very cool. I bought a glass dice pig there for display in my house too!

Claudia: 

Today we visited NEHS again and it was the last day that we would be there. It was slightly different from the previous day as we went to the bilingual classes instead. The classroom environment differed from the regular classes, the atmosphere was more tense and less relaxed as compared to the regular classes and the students were much more attentive and less disruptive. The students here could speak both Chinese and English fluently which was not surprising as they are bilingual students. After speaking to some of them, i found out that their classes are somewhat similar to ours, the only class which they spoke in Chinese was Chinese lessons and the other lessons were all in English. After a few hours of lessons, i came to a conclusion that our lessons in Singapore are pretty similar to the bilingual classes in Taiwan and differed alot from the regular classes in Taiwan, in which both has its good and bad points. The regular classes were more relaxed and the students seemed to enjoy school a lot, having lesser homework and tests but having to enjoy lessons and have fun more, while the bilingual classes were more task oriented and students had to study to prepare for tests and exams but this allows them to adapt to a more stressful environment and work under pressure. 

After lessons, we put up a performance of multiple songs as a farewell gift to the students in NEHS. I didn't participate in performing but instead was responsible for taking photos during the performance. I watched from afar and personally felt that even though the performance could be improved, i could tell that 2L was putting in a lot of effort to perform. Many of us have stage fright and are very shy but we still put up a performance for a large crowd and i think that the effort is commendable! 

Overall, in the past two days in NEHS, i have learnt a lot and sort of experienced the education in Taiwan, i made many friends and genuinely enjoyed the short time there. 

We also went to the Glass Museum in the evening, there was an exhibition of glass art work from a specific artist there and i was truly amazed by the intricate glassware that was created by the artist. The glassware were all very beautiful and there was also a souvenir shop there even though i didn't buy anything as the glassware were pretty pricey.

Taiwan OELP Day 2 Reflection

Gladys:
  Today we went to National Experimental High School at Hsinchu Science Park.

We were being allocated to different classes to learn and understand their education system. There were many differences in how the students study in Taiwan. Chalkboards are used as whiteboards for teachers to teach students. Students start class from 745 till 4 30 in the afternoon, thus there is a 30min break in sch after their lunch and everyone needs to sleep so that they have enough energy to listen in class in the afternoon. I also realise that they have an extra 10min before every next lesson, this is to allow students to have enought time to go to the next classroom and reduce loss of time in lessons. 

Students are allowed to eat in class and they usually eat 便当, that will be delivered to their classes. They would pour all of their leftovers into a bin and wash the box of the 便当 before throwing it into a bin in their classroom. I find them very eco friendly as they have practices of washing recycable stuff before recycling them. Later in the afternoon, we went to the Science Park Exploration Museum.

The guide was showing and explaining to us the different things the company created. There were many interesting inventions they made and I really learnt a lot from the museum.

Kheng Lon:

Today was our second day in Taiwan. The day did not start off well as I forgot to charge my phone. So, I was not really able to take pictures. In the morning, we made our way to the National Experimental High School located in Hsinchu. We were greeted warmly by the secretary of the school. Soon afterwards, we went to different classes based on our CID groups. When we stepped into the classroom, we heard loud noises coming from the students. Here are just some of the differences the students are compared to Singaporean students.

1) The students do not have to wear school uniforms unlike us. In my opinion, I think that the school uniform is very important. It gives us the sense of belonging in the school and give us the identity as students. The rules in NEHS probably did not require them to wear the school uniform.

2) Coming to rules, there is a major difference. The school rules there were not as strict as the ones in Singapore. Students were able to do almost anything they want, which includes sleeping in class, playing their phones or talking among themselves even when the teacher is speaking. The teachers did not really bother to do anything but carried on with their teaching. Students are allowed to keep long hair or even dye their hair. Compare it to Singapore, Singaporean students were not as carefree. They are required to cut their nails, hair and obey to the strict rules. 

3) Learning style: The students there are mostly energetic and lively. When the teacher asks a question, they respond instantaneously with enthusiasm. However in our school, when the teacher sometimes ask a question, we may not raise our hands to answer the question as quickly. Our teacher has to call register numbers in order to answer the question. So, this is one point we can learn from the students.

4) I also realized that the school emphasizes strongly on recycling. There are many different labelled bins such as : trash, recycling and leftovers in the classroom. Students are required to dispose accordingly. I think this is actually a good idea as it encourages the students to go green. In our school,  we do not really take this seriously and throw all our rubbish in a rubbish bin, sometimes ignoring the recycling bins around us. We should really learn from them and take recycling seriously so that we can all do our part in saving the environment.

Overall, the students there are quite friendly and easy to talk to. I could not wait to go to this school again tomorrow. Our next destination is the Science Park Exploration Museum. At the museum, the tour guide explained to us many interesting technologies. We came across a wireless scanner, many specialized speakers, a mini laptop which can also be used as a tablet and much more. We spent lots of time, trying out the different amazing technology and had a splendid time. The guide also shared with us many interesting facts. Finally it was time to go and we reluctantly left. The dinner we had was delicious, especially the crispy prawn and some vegetable dishes. Our behaviors was better today as we tried our best not to talk when the tour guide is talking. However some of us, including myself were lethargic and already starting to doze off. I think that we should all sleep early so that we will have sufficient rest and not feel so tired the next day. I hope that the rest of the days we spend in Taiwan would be just as great.

Claudia:

Today was the first time we stepped into the National Experimental High School, my first impression of the school was that it is extremely large, having seen the school campus from afar on the bus. Only later on then i knew that the campus accomodates to 14 levels of students, a vastly different amount as compared to RV's 6 levels of students which is in my opinion already considered alot of students. I was very surprised when i knew that students at the school start attending NEHS when they are 6 years old to when they are 18 or 19 years old, they spend most of their school life in NEHS instead of going through Primary/secondary/JCs which is the case in Singapore. 

We were warmly greeted by the department heads of the school and also, there was an led screen showing words of welcome in chinese. After a brief introduction and speech by the secretary of the school, we were split into our groups to attend lessons wifh different classes. 

Upon attending lessons at the classes, i noticed many differences between NEHS and schools in Singapore, the most noticeable one being that they are not required to wear a uniform everyday, only friday which to us RV-ians is TGIF and we would dress down on friday. There were girls in short shorts, guys in the jerseys of their favourite sports teams and people who wore band tees, personally, this allowed me to easily differentiate between students and also be able to know more about them without even speaking to them. 

Also, the students were very lively, even to a point where i could not really adapt to their noise and energy level, i expected that the teacher would respond negatively but i was extremely surprised that instead, the teacher did not scold them but instead would joke around with them. The classroom atmosphere was extremely jovial and was not in the lest way stressful. Through the noise, the students also participate actively in class, competiting against one another in answering questions, sometimes that we RV-ians do not always see. After speaking to the students, i came to know that their workload was not as heavy as compared to us and also their weeks were not packed with tests and CCAs. Their school rules were not as strict as singapore's, when the teacher is teaching, students who fall asleep or speak loudly to other students in class do not get caught and face consequences unlike us who may be "rewarded" with a CMD. They also did not emphasize alot on attire and grooming, unless in Singapore where we have attire checks. In a nutshell, instead of the stressful, competitive environment that i expected to see, i was taken by surprise by their carefreeness and fun-filled environment. 

The day's experience was a good one as i made many new friends, conversing to them in not only chinese but also english as they take up english classes. They were very curious about how our school life was and asked us many questions, We were sharing our own personal school experiences with each other and comparing the differences. Overall, it was an eye-opening experience for me and i look forward to attending lessons at NEHS again tomorrow. 

Emily:

Today we went to the National Experimental High School. Their school is really big but given that it has to accommodate people from the ages 6 to 18 or 19 years old, it isn't that surprising. However, their campus is huge compared to RV and they have quite a lot of facilities. The teachers their welcomed us warmly and after a brief introduction, our group went to our first class, led by our buddies.

The first difference I noticed was the timetable of the class. They all have standard 50 minute classes and between each class there is a 10 minute break for the students to travel to their next class. I find that very useful and I think that our school should have that too, so that if we need to go to another venue for our next lesson, we would have time to travel instead of eating into our lesson time and cause the teacher to dismiss us late for our next class and therefore continue the cycle. Their timetable also include a 1 hour lunch break for the students which comprises of 30 minutes of lunch and 30 minutes of nap time. If the students do not want to take a nap, they can roam around the school or eat outside. I find the nap time quite useful as most of us sleep quite late every night and the nap time might make us more refreshed for lessons in the afternoon.

The second difference I noticed was when lessons started. The students don't pay much attention in class and are generally very noisy and loud. Although our class might be very noisy too, we stop when our teacher scolds us. However, most of their teachers do not care and simply continue teaching; those who want to listen can listen and those who don't can continue to talk among themselves.

At lunch time, we ate in class and chatted with some of the students there. They were surprised that we don't have nap times despite on days when we could only leave school at 7pm due to CCAs. They were also surprised that our CCAs are 3 hours long and that we have CCA about 3 times a week. They only have CCA twice a week and for 2 hours only for each session. After we finished our lunch, the students told us that we had to recycle our lunch boxes. I was surprised that Taiwan was so eco friendly and that the students actually recycle after eating. When the next lesson started, I was surprised that the students are allowed to eat in class.

After a few more lessons, our group had to split up and join other classes as our class had a test coming up. At the other class, w had a little Q n A session and we found out that the class did not have to greet the teacher unless the teacher requires them to. We also found out that they weren't very strict regarding their behaviour in class and their attire.

Today was great as I experienced how its like to have every lesson taught in Chinese. I also made a few friends and I can't wait to go back again tomorrow.

Jing Yan:

We went to the Hsinchu Experimental High School today and attended a few hours of lessons with the Taiwanese students. We experienced the way how the students were taught and their way of life. It seems to me that the Taiwanese do not think that Singaporeans were good at the Chinese language as they asked us if we understood what they were saying. Its a pity we give them that sort of impression and i hope we would do better in the area of Chinese language. The Taiwanese students were extremely conscious about recycling and there were very few waste bins. After lunch, we had to pour away the waste food into a bucket and wash the containers before throwing them into the recycling bins despite the hassle. We should learn from their actions and help with the reducing of greenhouse gases. After the visit to the school, we went to the Science Industrial Park and learnt about the different types of technology that Taiwan has and the products they had produced using those technology. It was extremely interesting and we were all awed by the products. There was the super loud speakers, prosthetics and microchips etc. This showed us the advancement of Taiwan technology and I feel that Singapore should progress even further and look into these type of technology, enabling us to lead more convenient lifestyles etc.

Taiwan OELP Day1 Reflection

Gladys:
  Today was the first day we were in Taiwan and there were many difference between Taiwan and Singapore. The language the locals speak here are Chinese while  our first language in Singapore is English, so we need to learn how to adapt to their language. The currency is different, so I'm still not very familiar on how to use NTD. Taking the bullet train was a new experience. It was similar to Singapore's MRT however, it moves at a faster speed, the distance between each station is longer than Singapore's MRT stations and standing wasn't allowed in the bullet train thus everyone had their own seat unlike in Singapore's MRT, where you had a choice of standing or sitting. When we were in the restaurant  for dinner, I noticed something new that I had never seen before. It's a mini lift where the restaurant owners installed and a trolley can be placed inside with plates of food on it so that food can be served on the second level. I thought it was pretty interesting and a good invention to save time and bring convenience to the waiters in the restaurant.

Jing Yan:

Today did not start out well because i forgot to bring my earpiece. In Taiwan, i was not used to hearing other people speak in Mandarin. However, i soon got used to their accents. We had our first attempt to buy items with a different currency in convenience stalls and thankfully, it was not very difficult to handle. Taking the bullet train was also entertaining despite the fact that where we were supposedly sitting was taken by someone else. I found the bullet train similar to those of Japan's. During dinner, Gladys and I were fascinated by this mini elevator which transported the tray and food up and down the first and second floors of the restaurant. We both felt it was extremely unique and a great idea. The food at the restaurant, especially the salted egg tofu and the meatballs were really good. Although we did not learn anything significant today, other than the fact that bee hoon and meatballs were the local specialities, i am sure the next 6 days would be extremely enriching and we would learn lots more about Taiwan's culture.

Emily:
Today was a fun day and as it is only the first day, i hope that the rest of the trip would be as fun too. The airplane food was surprisingly good and 7-Eleven in Taiwan is amazing. Although it wasnt my first time taking a bullet train, the train ride was still interesting. The food we had for dinner was a little disappointing though as the bee hoon was a little bland but the tofu was nice. Our behaviour wasnt good today and we were very noisy throughout but the teachers were still nice enough to give us free time after our debrief. I hope that tomorrow we would be better behaved and that our teachers would give us more free time.

Kheng Lon: 

Today was the first day of our OELP trip to Taiwan. The weather in Taiwan is very hot, similar to that in Singapore. I realized that not many people speak English in Taiwan, mostly speaking mandarin. After placing our luggages in the coach, we went to take the bullet train. The train journey was amazing as we got to eat some snacks and enjoy the scenery outside. However, the situation was not so good in the bus. While the tour guide was talking, most of us were chatting and doing our own things, ignoring the tour guide. The tour guide was frustrated as he could not get our attention. I regretted my inconsiderate action as I was not showing any respect to the tour guide who is already in his 50s. I hope that all of us can learn to be more respectful when someone is talking so as to create a good impression. Overall, I enjoyed myself today. 

Claudia: 

It is the first time i'm in Hsinchu and it is vastly different from Taipei. We did not really do much apart from traveling and it has been an exhausting day. The 7-11 in Taiwan has a wide variety of food ranging from tidbits to meatballs in soup and it is very large, which us very different from Singapore's which usually only sell some tidbits and daily necessities. Also, the people in Taiwan are not well versed in English and I had a pretty hard time conversing in Chinese to everyone I see as I've been too used to speaking in English. I feel like our behaviour today was not appropriate as our noise levels were too high and also we weren't attentive to the tour guide and that is something we will definitely improve on. I hope that the subsequent days would be more exciting and rewarding.

One child policy

Definition of 'One-Child Policy'

The 'one-child policy' is a policy implemented by the Chinese government as a method of controlling the population. The one-child policy was introduced in 1979 in response to an explosive population growth, and mandated that couples from China's Han majority could only have one child. This was intended to alleviate the social, economic and environmental problems associated with the country's rapidly growing population.

Government family planning services became available as a contribution to maternal and child health in China from 1953. As the result of falling death rates, the population growth rate rose to 2.8%, leading to some 250 million additional people by 1970. After a century of rebellions, wars, epidemics, and the collapse of imperial authority, during which the annual population growth was probably no more than 0.3%, such an expansion was initially seen as part of China’s new strength. 

Allowing more couples to have more children now should boost consumption almost right away for goods like infant formula, food and clothing, and education services. Shifting China’s export-driven economy further towards consumption-led growth is one of the government’s key economic goals.

China’s cultural preference for boys meant that, for many years, parents used various ways to avoid having a daughter, including abortions of female fetuses and even infanticide. That meant that many more boys were born than girls; in 2004, the highest year on record, 121  boys were born for every 100 girls. As a result, by 2020, there will be between 30 million and 35 million more Chinese men of marrying age than women. Removing the one-child policy won’t change the cultural preferences, but may ease the pressure on parents if their first child is a girl.

However, if there is no one-child policy the people would have more children and this would lead to many problems. There would be more competition for the children and reduced job opportunities. There are more than 1.3 billion people living, working and building families in China. With such a high population, china needs to control the rapidly increasing population size so as to avoid the problem of over-population. 

In conclusion, we agree with the one child policy as this controls the overall population of China, ensuring that there will be no food shortages and to avoid over-population.