When the board of the Taiwan Centre for Mandarin Learning in Ireland (TCMLI) exhausted many venues in Dublin trying to host their 2nd open day without much luck, they put on their innovative hats and turned a conventional event with a single venue hosting to a multiple venue treasure hunt to celebrate the mid-autumn festival with a twist!  This event of course would not be possible without the sponsorships of the Overseas Community Affairs Council in Taiwan and the Taipei Representative Office in Ireland.

The treasure hunt started at the Masonry where the TCMLI classes are held. The first two tasks were rather challenging where participants were asked to find the answer from Taiwan at a Glance booklets provided by the Taipei Representative Office in Ireland.  Then, they had to have a dance off with the Third Prince in order to get the clue for the next location.  Some tasks were completed effortlessly with some photo clues but some required more effort to get the delicious Taiwanese treats at the end.  Participants not only learned about Taiwan, poetry, tongue twisters and how to type in Mandarin, but also gained knowledge about the history of Dublin along the way.

The Ambassador of Taiwan said: “Treasure hunting is reflected in four ways of learning, which require the heart, the eyes, the mouth, and the hands. There is a Taiwanese proverb saying, literally translated as "the big-eyed bride finds no stove", and vividly describing the embarrassment of being blind at the heart. Through these interesting activities, we are reminded of the importance of holistic learning”.  Zoe, one of the treasure hunt participants said: “My friend and I enjoyed today’s mid-autumn festival event a lot. The treasure hunt gave us some insights of both Taiwanese and Irish culture in a fun way. The organisers are very friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. The event was well organised and ended with the perfect combo of bubble tea and traditional Taiwanese bun.”

The treasure hunt attracted over 150 people and lasted over three hours.  Evan Furlong, the main organiser, would like to express her endless gratitude for the generous volunteers, Hungchuan Huang, Aileen Lin and Wisely Gu.  The board of Management Dr. HsiaoPing Hsu, Syueping Ma and Tina Jan, the photographer Rayhsuan and the Irish dancers Scott and Niall for their indispensable help.