While most people chose to spend their Lunar New Year break in the comfort of their own homes, the Kuo family opted to face the cold front that was engulfing the nation by cycling around the country in 12 days.
“When we were little, our parents took us on different excursions. Now that we are all grown up, it’s our turn to take them traveling,” said 22-year-old Kuo Shu-wen (郭舒文), the oldest of the four children.
The Kuo family was one of 10 groups sponsored by the National Youth Commission program to tour around Taiwan on a bike. The goal of the program is to help young people gain a more intimate knowledge of the country by exploring all its nooks and crannies, a commission spokesperson said.
At a press conference held yesterday to share their experiences, Kuo said the hardest part of their adventure was not riding uphill or speeding along in the chilly wind, rather, it was convincing their parents to join the trip.
“It took four months for my parents to agree to come, but it was worth it. The message we want to give is, while many young people nowadays have lofty dreams of saving the world, it is also very important to give back to the very people who raised you,” she said.
During the 12-day trip the Kuos visited their extended family around the country.
“We discovered many beautiful places that we had overlooked before,” she said.
A trio from National Taipei University decided to turn their trip into a humanitarian mission by delivering books to the children of various Aboriginal communities in the mountainous regions.
Chen Wan-hsien (陳婉嫻), a sociology major, told a press conference they were inspired by an American teacher known as “Teacher Daniel” who dedicated years of his life to teaching English to the children of the Atayal tribe.
It was said that Teacher Daniel rode 60km through the rugged terrain every day to reach the village.
For another group of four friends, the bike trip was a perfect opportunity to visit lesser known historical sites.
The foursome spent 24 days visiting 62 of the 100 destinations recommended by the Council of Cultural Affairs.
Some of the spots included an eye clinic in Luodong Township (羅東), first opened in 1949 by optometrist Chen Wu-fu (陳五福), who was inspired by Albert Schweitzer to provide inexpensive service for the poor.
“It was an amazing experience to see all the living heritage that Taiwan has to offer,” said Ma chien-hui (馬千惠), the only girl in the group.
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