Flgiht time 12:15 pM - 13:45 PM: Fly from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung (BR846)

Friday November 14th - Depart Taiwan via and return to Hong Kong
Depart Kaohsiung 16:40 PM; arrive Hong Kong 18:20 PM (BR849)

Total time - 3 hours

Plan

30 min activity

10 min rest

Activities

Papercutting

• 剪纸 (Chinese paper cutting)

  • Red square papers & Scissors

Origami

• Flowers, Swan, Butterfly

  • Square paper

Dancing

• Just dance or learn their traditional dance

Taichi

• Follow a video and learn yourself before we do it with the elderly: https://youtu.be/G5R44CPQf6Q

Board games

• Mahjong

• Poker

• 跳棋 Chinese checkers

• 五子棋 Gomuku

Ball games

• Create and design a ball game

Painting/drawing

• Any of your choice

• They live in the Taitung area of Taiwan, which is in the south -east.

Partners from the Elderly Care Center 文健站 are requesting that DC students prepare their scheduled plans for this day before the program so that staff can make sure they are suitable, double check equipment, etc. Here is the Jinlun Elderly Care Center Facebook Page so that students can get a sense of the space, community and common activities at the center: https://www.facebook.com/Jinlun.vuvu.Happy.place (song and dance video; exercise and dance lesson video; story-telling video). If you choose to incorporate DIY craft activities, it would be best for DC to prepare and travel from Hong Kong with any supplies needed. 

Below is a possible schedule plan (this is just an idea, so please edit as you/students see fit): 

9 AM - 10:10 AM

Group A - Activities in the indoor classroom space (10-15 students per group; approximately 10 elderly folks per group)

1. Self introductions and introduction to Discovery College and Hong Kong using PPT (30 mins) 

2. Interactive game or activity, such as DIY crafts, karaoke, language lesson, etc. in small groups (40 minutes)

Group B - Activities in the outdoor hall space 

(10-15 students per group; approximately 10 elderly folks per group)

1. Stretching in small groups (20 minutes)  

2. Gentle exercise routine in small groups (30 minutes)

3. Large group dance routine (20 minutes) 

10:20 - 11:30 AM

Groups A & B switch locations and activities 

11:30 AM - Lunch

* Note that 5 designated students will help prepare lunch in the kitchen space in the morning, and may be able to participate in the large group activities for a short period of time at the beginning, but should mostly plan to help with meal prep 

The elderly care center has suggested the below timeline for providing our plan for that day.

• 12 Oct. - DC provides a rough outline of the plan for review by center staff; feedback is provided to DC

• 28 Oct. - DC provides final plan (if any changes have been made)

• 4 Nov. - DC provides any files (music, videos, PPTs) so that center staff can prep these in advance 

We'd give students and chaperones 500 NTD cash each on the bus en route to Kaohsiung to pay for their own lunch at the food court and dinner at Liuhe Night Market (about 250 NTD per meal).

Coach bus drop-off/pick-up is available right in front of the mall and we'd continue on to the Sanshan Guowang Temple (三山國王廟) and Pier2 Art Center after, as discussed during the recce. 

Information about this festival https://spotlightaward.taiwan.net.tw/tourpage.php?tag=3&id=0a490b75-e5da-11ed-8672-506b8df65d5d

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10_rZgfvj9cdu8S73fkEPEYmrna2IRri6cI9cU4Cu35E/edit?usp=drivesdk

In 1969, we moved to Pingtung. I cried the first week after I moved there and missed my mother at night. When my children were sick, I asked my parents for help, and they always supported me in my life in Pingtung. After my father passed away, I moved back to Jinlun. In 1969, we bought a thatched house and lived with my mother. I made money by delivering the United Daily News, opened a karaoke bar on the road near the construction site, and took the driving test. I failed the practice test, but I was lucky when I took the test and passed it.

Later, I went to study nursing and did a week-long internship in Taichung, working as a temporary nurse at the Provincial Hospital and Mackay Hospital. After that, I rented a small apartment in Taitung, cared for mildly ill patients, washed dishes in a restaurant in my spare time, raised chickens, and delivered lunch boxes. I worked in schools and restaurants. Although life was hard, I was determined to make money. I used the money I saved to buy a van, which cost more than 800,000 yuan. Later, I realized that it would have been better if I had bought a house in Taitung. I have done many jobs, and I am not afraid of any hardship, because only hard work can make money.

When I was a child, I went to elementary school. I only remember learning my own name, but not much else. Later, my parents asked me to go to the mountains to help work, so I stopped going to school.

When I was young, my family introduced me to a man from another province. We got married and had four children. Now, the children have grown up and have families of their own. I am the only one left at home. My children suggested that I go to the cultural and health station and chat with everyone instead of just staying at home and watching TV, which will make my mind dull. Therefore, I often go to the cultural and health station to sing and dance with everyone.

As the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan, the power of tribal leaders gradually weakened, and the youth center was disbanded. Many young people moved to the city to make a living and gradually became estranged from tribal culture. After the typhoon on August 8, some young people in the Jinlun tribe began to rediscover their close relationship with the tribe and gradually understood their responsibilities. In the process of disaster relief and reconstruction, more and more young people realized the importance of restoring culture and finding their roots. They re-established close relationships with their elders and learned traditional skills from them, such as traditional cooking, millet pounding, hair flower weaving, embroidery, pottery, beads, and glasswork, and began to attach importance to the "inheritance" and mission of culture. Therefore, the Little Youth Association came into being. I am also a returned youth, and I was deeply moved to see that the tribal youth have done so much work for the tribe. I am on this journey of inheriting culture and searching for roots.

I really like to play mahjong. After I retired, my life became a bit boring, so I would invite my friends over to my house to play mahjong together. Mahjong allows me to focus, and I can talk to my friends at the same time. Now I go to the Wenjian station every day. Sometimes during board game time, the teacher allows us to play mahjong together, which makes me feel very happy.

In 1990, I handed over the management of Xiangqi Beef Noodles to my son and retired in 2020 to begin a life in the community. One message I would like to share is: do not make excuses for not wanting to learn due to low education or other reasons. Maintain a learning mindset, but also learn to let go. Step back at the right time and give yourself a chance for a new life.

What I want to share with you is that no matter what kind of environment we are in, even if we have a physical illness, we should try to maintain a good mood, so that everything will become better.

qingThe millet harvest festival, called "masarut" in the Paiwan language, means "to pass a year" or "to cross over, to exceed." It aims to thank the gods for their care throughout the year and convey blessings for the new year. Traditional seasonal festival activities include hunting, storing this year's harvested millet, selecting millet for sowing, and tasting the new rice. Additionally, this marks the boundary between the beginning and end of the year.

Since the "Maljeveq Festival" is held every five years, each festival is very significant, embodying the meaning of reverence and remembrance.

When I was in second grade at Duoliang Elementary School, the distance between Duoliang Village and the school was quite far. During flag-raising ceremony, we were still on the mountain. I graduated from the ninth class of Binmao National School. At that time, we lived in the thatched house that we made ourselves. There was no running water, so we needed to go down to the village to fetch water and bring it home. After school, I also had to feed the chickens and pigs; my mother assigned many chores to me.

There was no vegetable market back then, so buying vegetables was very inconvenient. To be self-sufficient, we would go up the mountain to harvest food, mainly eating sweet potatoes and millet. On Saturdays, I had to grind millet for half a day, and my hands would get blistered. Commands from the elders at home had to be followed; otherwise, there would be punishment. In the evenings, the youth group would gather at the chief’s house, lighting a bonfire, and it was always very joyful during the millet festival.

In 2001, I handed over the operation of Xiangqi Beef Noodle to my son, and in 2020, I retired and began my life in the community. Currently, I take classes at the Community Health Station and the church's care center. I enjoy singing and playing Sudoku the most. I don't want to let my mind rest; I like to challenge my thinking. My Sudoku skills have reached a high level, and I look forward to more challengers.

I also enjoy handicrafts, such as weaving cotton products. Making hats, tote bags, and backpacks are among my favorite activities. My works are loved by many, and I often receive orders, which brings me joy and a sense of accomplishment.

At the Community Health Station, if there’s a need to sing traditional tunes, the teacher asks me to teach everyone, so I can also be considered a singing instructor. Since these are all activities I love, I am very happy every day.

We used the chickens we had to make fried chicken legs, the eggs from the hens to make soy braised eggs. We also made Abai (Paiwan rice dumplings) from our hometown and brought our own home-grown peanuts. These are all foods that my husband likes, and we made them so that he can hopefully feel our love through this. In the morning, we took the first bus to Hualien and arrived around 11o'clock. Everyone was able to enjoy a delicious meal and drink while meeting other guests, whose hearts also longed for their husbands as they were able to return home safely. This memory is still so clear to me, as if it happened yesterday.

Although my husband passed away early on, my children show filial piety (behaviour of children to exhibit love and respect for ones parents, elders, ancestors, representing their gratitude to their parents for their life, repaying and supporting them). This truly is a beautiful memory.

However, this piece of land was washed away in Typhoon 88. The hard work and happiness associated with that piece of land seemed to disappear with it, which made me miss it very much. This piece of land will always remain in my memory.

"We originally lived in Chulu, but because my husband's business was not good, his friend was in Jinlun. We decided to sell the house and land in Chulu and move to Jinlun to start life anew. At first, my husband recommended going to buy breakfast, and the business was quite good. However, over time, the situation improved. We began to grow many fruits, mainly relying on selling custard apples for a living. Now, although we are older, we still enjoy planting vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers. This kind of life makes me very satisfied."

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

When I was little, my mom always planted her favorite vegetables next to our house. We made many good friends at Dawang Elementary School, and looking back, my carefree childhood was truly wonderful.

Environmental conservation and protecting our planet

I originally led a monotonous life without clear goals and passions. However, due to Tzu Chi, environmental protection has quickly become my invigoration, changing my daily life drastically. Specifically, two years after arriving at the goal, I established an environmental protection centre in my hometown. I decided to do this as raising awareness is essential for environmental protection, especially in Jinlun, a tourist area. We must work together to preserve our environment and protect the earth.

Sam

政義

姊姊（政義‘s mom）

小偉哥

tjaiwan

saljeljeng

tamiku

Ulung

Vuvu

bebe