On Sunday, July 15, 2007, the Pu Tai students and staff went on a day trip! That is 12 classes, 12 buses ... big excursion!
We went to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Center. If you're interested in what it looks like or what it's about, check out this website:http://www.nine.com.tw/english/e-welcome.htm . The language installer pop-up will come up and you can click on cancel. Then you can maneuver through the site.
This culture center is 20 minutes from the school. It is build in to the side of one these gorgeous mountains that surround us. It's amazing planning and building! Pictures will be posted soon! 12 buses zipped through the small and narrow streets of two small cities and we arrived with 300 children and almost 100 staff...all wearing the pink-'salmon' coloured shirts! What a sight!
We took a gondola ride up to the top of the mountain with the students and proceded to wind our way down through the 9 different tribes that originated in Taiwan (which was formally called 'Formosa', the beautiful island). The students and us the teachers had to give presentations, which were prepared last week, on the different tribes. There were workers in costumes acting out how the tribes once lived and buildings, etc. to look through of their homes, etc.
The park them has a one hour show in an outdoor auditorium going through various tribal rituals and the show was fantastic!
Later in the afternoon, the Canadian teachers got to go their separate ways, from the students, to venture and tour the park on their own. We opted for the Amusement Park portion. We went on rides and shopped in the gift stories. It was a great stress-relief!!! However, we were surrounded by restaurants and yes...in the restaurants there was fried chicken, corn dogs, beer, etc...etc...and guess what?? WE COULDN'T INDULGE!!! As we are from a vegetarian establishment and representing their school, we had to follow those same rules. It was hurtful and we felt like we were being teased.
But still...It was a fun day! We honestly had a blast.
When we returned to our dorms, our Taiwanese volunteer-guide found a pizza place in Pu-li and we ordered their version of pizza!!!! What an eventful and exciting evening for us! We, of course, had to order vegetarian. That entailed no sauce, but with pineapple, corn, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, fake meat and ....................... CHEESE!!!!!! Oh! We have not had cheese since we left Canada! It was soooooooooooo good! Different, yes! But yummy! It actually tasted like a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. As well, the put tomato ketchup packets and salf/pepper mixture in the pizza box to go with it. To be honest...the ketchup really DID work! It was a great treat!
Till next time!
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