ESG News

Volunteer / Yu-Hsuan Chou

The sky over Miaoli was crystal clear that day, and the sunlight pouring over the taro fields seemed especially carefree, like a child finally getting the chance to head outdoors and explore.

At the Miaoli Ceramics Museum, we began with a pottery glazing activity, using iron oxide to add color and patterns to plain white cups. Every child eagerly picked up a brush and began creating. Their spontaneous drawings seemed to reflect exactly how they felt at that moment: expressive, curious, and full of anticipation. Even one of the quieter children told me that art was her favorite subject at school.

We also tried our hand at making handmade taro daifuku and harvesting taro from the fields. The children worked slowly and attentively, carefully shaping the taro paste into evenly sized balls as though each one were a small work of art.

In the taro fields under the summer afternoon sun, the children enthusiastically pulled taro from the soil. They were so energetic that they even finished harvesting our volunteers’ share. Watching their small figures working with such determination beneath the blazing sun brought warm smiles to the adults around them.

Of course, there were also unexpected moments along the way. Some children were reluctant to participate in the harvesting activity, while others showed clear resistance toward certain volunteers or, at times, behaved in ways that required guidance. Even during a single day, situations arose that tested our patience and ability to respond. Fortunately, the accompanying teachers were there to support us and help care for the children, enabling us to handle unexpected situations with greater confidence.

Although a volunteer’s primary role is to provide companionship and support, that does not mean accommodating every situation without boundaries. Through my interactions with these children, I learned not only how to communicate with them and better understand their world, but also, from both the children and their teachers, how important it is to help young people understand respect and appropriate ways of interacting with others.

The world beyond school is filled with people from different backgrounds, each with their own ways of communicating and relating to others. When one child spoke inappropriately, I therefore tried to respond firmly rather than simply offering gentle persuasion. I wanted her to understand why certain words or behaviors could be inappropriate, while avoiding either excessive accommodation or criticism without explanation.

Finding the right balance between empathy and principles is not always easy. Yet that challenge made the day meaningful in ways that went far beyond the warmth of the sunshine, the aroma of taro, or the textured surface of hand-painted pottery. The experience gave me valuable lessons about companionship, communication, and education. Perhaps that is also what continues to motivate me to sign up for volunteer activities time and again.