Day Two

Jia Ru...Today, we were given an opportunity to visit a paddy field plantation. 



At the paddy field, we learnt many interesting facts about rice cultivation. Tapioca leaf is used to get rid of pests so that they do not damage the crops. After visiting the paddy field, we went to an oil palm plantation. 


We learnt that  palm oil can be used to make margarine and other household products. 

Oil palm plantation

Oil palm fruits

 

The massive number of  fruits on the ground clearly indicates that the fruits are ready for harvesting.

     

It can be used as fuel too

Despite the presence of mosquitoes we still learnt some interesting facts about fuel and oil palm plantation. 
After the oil palm plantation visit, we went to the Kampong Parit Penghulu for other activities. 
We learnt to weave a basket.







We prepared a local dessert known as 'Ondeh Ondeh' 
(Glutinous Rice Flour Balls with  Gula Melaka). 

 




Next, we played traditional games known as Tarik Upeh and the Top Spinning ( Gasing ). 

After these activities we had a simple 'kampong' lunch.
Although the weather was humid, we still continued with all the programmes in store for the day. We constantly hydrated ourselves by drinking more water.

Reflection: We learnt that the people living in the 'kampong'  (village) lived together as a community just like us in Singapore. The people here also respect nature and believe in self-sufficiency as they have small plots of land where they plant their own vegetables and fruits. We showed respect to all the teachers, guides and residents from the 'kampong'.  Moreover, by participating actively in all the activities that was planned for us, we learnt about the importance of teamwork.


Monisha- After lunch, we did 'ketupat' weaving and spent  about 15 to 20 minutes trying to learn how to make the 'ketupat'. 


It was a complicated process but through perseverance and guidance we were able to complete the task assigned to us. 




Next, we played a traditional village game known as Tarik Upeh. My classmates and I enjoyed ourselves by playing and competing with each other. 



After the game, we witnessed the process known as 'rice hulling'. We realised that this method requires a lot of physical labour and is time-consuming. Thankfully, we have machines now which perform the task faster compared to the process of involving physical labour.





Reflection: I felt that the visit to the paddy field made me understand the whole process of rice cultivation better. I realised that technological advancements in rice production have made it possible to minimise manual physical labour.