Bright sunlight bathed the fine morning that dawned on Than Hsiang Kindergarten. The weather was just right for the outing that was planned for the daycare children. They had been given the opportunity to pay a visit to the "VICO" factory in Mak Mandin.

At 9.00am sharp the 10 teachers busily ushered 50 excited daycare children onto the bus. In the midst of the anticipation we encountered one setback: we were unexpectedly caught in a heavy traffic jam along the Penang Bridge. With bumper to bumper traffic, the bus was slowed to a snail’s pace. As the driver drove, anxiously fighting for time, we decided that the best alternative was to contact the organizer. We managed to call him on the phone and explained the reason for our delay. Thankfully our host agreed to wait for our arrival. With Buddha’s blessing we reached our destination safely albeit 45mins late.

The security guard upon seeing us welcomed us warmly and proceeded to lead us into the Vico factory. Mr. Tahor, the personnel in charge gave us a guided tour of the factory. He proudly introduced the different types of packing for Vico products. Then he led us to an area where they performed the packing process. We came to know that the raw products used: chocolate + molasses + milk powder + vitamins = VICO. The children listened attentively and earned Mr. Tahor’s amazement and approval. To our delight, the children interacted and answered questions sincerely and humourously, drawing laughter from the teachers too.

After the tour ended, we paid a visit to the Butterworth Buddhist Association. When we stepped into the temple we were greeted by the sight of a Buddha image. The children automatically bowed and paid their respects to the image. Amidst the serene atmosphere, we took advantage of the surroundings to spend some time chanting the Buddha's name. That tranquil and refreshing experience marked the end of the day as we prepared to return home.

The day's outing turned out to be a success. The teachers were proud of the children and overjoyed to see that their efforts of teaching were not in vain. The children showed remarkable discipline and a respectful attitude and we consider this as another pleasant achievement for Than Hsiang Kindergarten.