by William Chow and Ian Fan:
To kickoff our second to last day, our exchange group had an opportunity to see the southernmost point of Taiwan, but before that, we happened to see something essential to the country: the Kenting Weather Radar Station Central Bureau Ministry of Interpretations and Communications. The soccer (or football) shaped radar helps forecasters predict the upcoming weather.
After walking along a beautiful .5 km long trail we finally reached the southernmost point of Taiwan, which was an exquisite view of the vast Pacific Ocean. But just being able to see it wasn’t enough! We went up to the beach shore where we where greeted by the soft yellow sand and crashing waves in the crystal clear water.
After a quick bus ride we had an opportunity to attend Ping Lai High School, which is made up completely of students from Taiwan’s aboriginal tribes. We met so many amazing people, who were able to tell us everything about their daily lives. We started the experience off with a traditional dance performance from the boys, followed by the girls beautifully singing many of the tribes traditional songs.
But they weren’t the only students who got to show off their talents in the welcoming ceremony. From Vincent’s Tai Kwan Do, to Aida’s solo cover of All I Ask, to Ben’s hilarious magic, everybody in the building was wowed by all the performances. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to make our own symbolic bracelets, and finally, learn the basics of boxing from the school’s coach.
After sadly waving goodbye to our countless new friends, we headed on a 90 minute long bus ride to our final new hotel in Kaohsiung, where we were met by a delicious array of Taiwanese snacks. Finally, we went to dinner where we had the difficult choice between sweet & sour chicken, roasted pork, or steamed fish. With our brains tired and bellies full, we headed back to the hotel to prepare for our final day in amazing Taiwan.
