Our wake-up call was at 3:30 A.M. so that we could join the monks and nuns of the Chung Tai Chan Monastery for morning prayer, which consist of ½ hour of chanting, ½ hour of meditation in lotus position and another ½ of chanting. It was a different experience, and everyone felt honored to be a part of it.
Breakfast followed, and then we were given a special tour of the monastery, which included parts not open to the public. Some of the team felt that it was a truly auspicious occasion.
We began a long road trip across the mountains that took us to a height of 10,000 feet above sea level. The roads were narrow at spots, and the vistas were breathtaking. The pictures hardly capture the beauty and grandeur. The team even had the opportunity to cross a suspension bridge over one of the gorge areas. Everyone did it!
We arrived in Hualien on the pacific coast and had a dinner of dumplings & beef noodles. Afterwards we attended a presentation of dance by the Aboriginal Cultural Center. JP was chosen to play the part of the groom in a reenactment of an Aboriginal wedding ceremony, and Lena & Jennifer joined in the dancing.
The Members of the 2008 District 7680 GSE Team are:
Team Leader: Rotarian Joni Stanley, a retired bank Vice-President
Team Member: Meredith Alm, Assistant Manager of Extreme Ice Center
Team Member: Jennifer Pearsall, Director of Charlotte Mecklenburg School System's English as a Second Language program
Team Member: Juontonio "JP" Pinckney, Foreign Exchange Analyst at Wachovia Bank
Team Member: Lena Warmack, Reporter for The Charlotte Observer
1 comment:
Love the pictures, but I'm not sure I could have put a foot on the suspension bridge-Vertigo! I can't wait to hear about the monastery-LOHAS is a concept I wish we had here in the states. Love you, Meredith, and missing you.
Your big sister
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