The temporary grandson was assigned to carry the luggage.
Yesterday, thirteen student volunteers from Taipei - Xiaojun, Junjun, Xiaowei, Youfu, Yushi, Xiaoshu, Yikuai and others - returned to Taipei. This group of middle and high school students from different schools in Taipei, ever since they came last year to help in Grandma Miko's sweet potato field and Meihua Mama's peach orchard, have never stopped missing Hualien, and some even told their teacher that their birthday wish was "to go to Hualien!"
After a year of fundraising and preparation, Teacher Shujun and seven other teachers finally brought them to Hualien again. Over this past year they have helped Bazi in Taipei many times, taking part in selling ginger, selling corn, the foot-washing sports day and many other things.
They had hoped to go to Meihua Mama's home to pull weeds and to help Grandma Miko dig sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, more than half of Meihua Mama's peach orchard had already dropped its fruit, and because falling rocks had blocked the Luoshao road, orders from the kind companies Honghui and Chiao Kuang University of Science and Technology, who had offered to help, had to be refunded. We truly thank the many caring organizations and kind-hearted people for their patient waiting, and we are sorry for their disappointment. As for Miko, because the weather was too hot, she suffered heatstroke several times and was hospitalized. These two grandmothers and mothers whom everyone misses have been hit even harder by the abnormal climate, but whenever they hear about the situation of other farmers, they also sigh and say how hard it is! Yet they never complain about heaven or blame others.
In short, this group of enthusiastic volunteers came to Hualien in the first week of summer vacation. They kindly call me Brother Huang, carry their own luggage to the office, and no longer need staff to guide them. They are my young friends.
Xiaojun naturally became my "ground organizer," and I heard that before coming, some classmates who had never been here before complained that having to help farmers during vacation would surely be exhausting. Xiaojun and Yushi became summer warriors, constantly encouraging everyone and giving them the courage to move forward amid their conflicts.
But everyone did not know that this summer camp was actually arranged by me as a "have a really good time" trip. I know deeply that they had been looking forward to it for a whole year before they could finally make the trip!
Our summer plan was to divide the team into three small squads: two squads lifting luggage on morning and evening shifts, and one squad going out to have fun and serving as the cooking squad. Xiao E, Xingxing who was about to leave the job, Jinhui who had just arrived at the office, and veteran volunteers Wenxian, Xinyun, Huimei and the whole office all pitched in to support their plans. Only Bazi, who was about to enlist in the military, stayed in Taipei to deal with the ginger and pumpkins.
On Monday, the two teachers plus Xiaojun, Youfu, Yushi, and three members of the Hsinchu family who joined at the last minute - Xiao An, Xiao Yi and Brother Hao - along with Jinhui, Wenxian, Xinyun and me, all went together at 8:30 to Hualien Railway Station to lift luggage.
The funny thing was that after a week of coordination and communication, phone calls, personal visits, official documents, registration forms, and asking legislative caucus offices for help, the people at the railway station still knew nothing about the luggage-lifting matter. Fortunately, the station staff at the rear station were very familiar with public-interest organizations, and when they saw that I was leading the team myself, they welcomed us warmly. So everyone arrived smoothly at the platform and lined up to practice, "Hello, is there anything you need help with? We'll help you lift your luggage" - it really sounded like McDonald's line, "Welcome."
At 9:15, just after we had awkwardly practiced four or five times, the local train from Yilan pulled into Platform 3, which has no elevator. Watching the train come in, everyone indeed got excited and shouted the slogan loudly, "Do you need help? We'll help you lift your luggage," while waving the poster they had stayed up late the night before to make, "Temporary Grandchildren Who Lift Luggage." The "temporary grandchildren" must have astonished everyone with their sudden appearance.
Haha! There were actually fewer than twenty people on that train, and most were middle-aged, looking like cement factory workers coming to work or just getting off work. Everyone waved their hands, and nothing happened.
Right after that, we went down to the underpass, because Platform 3 was soon to have another Juguang train heading to Taipei. With the first experience behind them, Xiao An, Youfu, Yushi and Xiaojun from Hsinchu Senior High no longer needed my guidance. They lifted an elderly woman's luggage and a young couple's baby stroller, and people began to understand what these young people were shouting about. Then people started coming to take photos.
And so, with the third train and the fourth train, the whole team got busy.
On the first day, the second day and the third day, they met Hsiao Bi-khim in casual clothes, an elderly woman who gave everyone cookies, young couples also carrying lots of luggage and babies, passengers chasing after trains, people coming from Yuli, returning to Taitung, and traveling by bicycle. Everyone became familiar with the situation at Platform 3, and also learned that Hualien Railway Station uses an elevator that breaks down often and takes a long time to repair. Because Platform 1 had posted a notice: "Elevator out of order, estimated repair time July 28."
In short, lifting luggage is very busy and very tiring. Later, Chen Yi-an, a student from Hualien Senior High, and Zhang Chunhui from Guofeng Junior High had to run up and down the stairs seven to eight times per train, which shows how important the platform elevator is.
Xiaofu said he really missed his grandpa, but unfortunately he could not see him. Weiwei said his girlfriend loved him very much, and they would love each other for a lifetime, unlike adults who change all the time, and that he wanted to exercise often so as to stay away from asthma.
Yushi and Xiaoshu did not dare speak, but besides being very serious about lifting luggage, they finally also said to passengers, "Welcome to join us, everyone come lift luggage together."
Xiaojun finally understood that his task, besides lifting luggage, also included boosting the morale of the whole team.
Yifeng, who had been admitted to Kainan, and everyone else who was about to return to school for summer tutoring, all knew that lifting luggage was a sports meet of love as a relay. They were going back to school to invite classmates to lift luggage at Taoyuan Station, Hsinchu Station, Taichung Station, Tainan Station and Taitung Station.
Everyone also agreed to invite Chou Mei-ching, Tsai Ing-wen, Chen Shih-hsin and her taekwondo students, and on August 26, the last Sunday of summer vacation, everyone would go to the railway station to help grandparents who were traveling far lift their luggage.
Everyone hoped that such a good-person sports meet would cause many, many escalators to appear in Taiwan's railway stations, making it convenient for grandparents to go out.
This week, they laughingly said that they had truly become other people's "temporary grandchildren."
To reward the volunteers for their hard work, the teachers thoughtfully let them look at the sea to their heart's content, and they even went to Qixingtan three times, one of which was at night!
They also went to Squad Leader Tian's home in Ruisui to scrub the moss off the pomelo trees, and went to the evening market to hand out peace mantou.
In the last ten days of August, they were going to come again.
Volunteers who have not yet made up their minds to lift luggage should hurry and contact Bazi. Bazi is about to enlist in the military, so please do not treat him to meals; help him lose weight instead - lifting luggage is a good method.
If it is inconvenient to appear in public, please help share the luggage-lifting Facebook page set up by the students, forward the email, or go to the Good People Hall office to do administrative work.
This summer vacation there is a good-person movement that belongs to teenagers: lifting luggage.
Everyone's help is needed.
A progressive Taiwan should also have at least decent railway stations.
This is something the Railway Bureau cannot do alone; it needs the government to make up its mind and make things convenient for the people.
Legislators, the Minister of Transportation, and the president mired in storm can all do it.
Relay Units
NTNU Affiliated Senior High School, Peili Home, Hsinchu Xiangshan Senior High School, Xiao An Family, Siwei Senior High School, Hualien Senior High School, Guofeng Junior High...
Everyone please sign up to take part, which means calling Xiao E at 02-23223923. For local actions, we will help you contact the Railway Bureau.
If you come to Hualien, we will arrange food and lodging for you.
Let us act together!
Luggage Lifting FB
http://www.facebook.com/groups/114243315387120/?ref=ts
This activity is now spreading through relay connections. We hope that through this good-person sports meet, the government will reflect on how outdated and inconsiderate Taiwan's public transportation is.
Companies, institutions and schools are welcome to join in the relay. The last Sunday of August is said to be Taiwan's Grandparents Day. Let us do something!
Come join us~Spring belongs to good people!
Rongdun [email protected]
Hualien County Youth Public-Interest Organization - Shanzai Shop - Taipei Good People Hall
No. 8, Fuji Road, Hualien City / 03-8463995 Rongdun [email protected] Sponsorship fax 03-8463996
2F, No. 6, Lane 18, Section 1, Hangzhou South Road, Taipei City / 02-23-223-923
Guo Zongdi (Bazi) [email protected] / Dabao [email protected]//Xinying [email protected]
Shanzai Shop http://www.sungrow.com.tw/
Hualien County Youth Public-Interest Organization http://www.youth-volunteer.org.tw/Qingxiu Temple http://www.heritage.org.tw/