The End of the Festival and Morning Miracles
August 1st.
The epic three-day festival has finally come to an end.
If I had to sum up my feelings in one sentence, it would be: I had no idea a world this peaceful and happy actually existed. I definitely want to come back to this town and this event. It was truly a life-changing experience.
Why did it move me so much? Let me walk you through today's events to explain.
Woke up at 8:30 AM. First mission: hit the bank.
But right before I got there, I bumped into a guy named Jack, who belongs to the Toraja ethnic group. This was my very first time meeting a Toraja person! (I was secretly hoping to meet someone from this group since yesterday, so I was beyond hyped.) Apparently, they have a deep-rooted history in Tawau.
Hitting the Venue... and Making My Stage Debut?!
At 1:00 PM, I finally headed into the festival venue.
There were two stages—a massive main stage and a smaller one. At that time, the smaller stage was hosting traditional dances from various ethnic groups.
Things were running a bit behind schedule, so I only managed to see about four or five groups. But then, the most unbelievable thing happened.
While I was watching the Timorese stage, they suddenly invited me up: "Come dance with us!"
(Wait, seriously!?) Before I knew it, I was pulled onto the center of the stage. There was a huge crowd watching, and my heart was pounding out of my chest. But honestly? It was the most fun I've had. We didn't need words; the shared energy of the dance was more than enough.
Real Guns and Colorful Cultural Booths
After recovering from my stage debut, I explored the other booths.
At the Bajau booth, they showed me their unique music and dances.
Then, I stopped by a police booth and they actually let me hold a real gun. Unlike the movies or video games, a real firearm is incredibly heavy—probably 1.5 to 2 times heavier than an airsoft gun. It gave me a weird sense of reality.
I bought a cool neck strap for my passport holder and continued my food tour.
I tried a delicious local snack called "Curry Puff" at the Kaili booth
and then wandered over to the Bulungan booth. Their setup was themed around traditional weddings, bursting with this gorgeous, eye-catching yellow color.
The highlight of the afternoon? I miraculously bumped into the sweet Bisaya auntie who had invited me to her booth two days ago! Why does reuniting with locals while traveling always feel so heartwarming?
I eventually gravitated back to the Timorese stage. The energy they bring to their dances is just off the charts. They don't just dance; they communicate through it. It was mesmerizing.
The Chaos of the Night and the "Plus One" Philosophy
By nightfall, the venue turned into absolute chaos.
There were so many people that you literally couldn't move. A casual 5-minute walk took a mind-blowing 30 minutes! (Lol). I gave up trying to go anywhere else and just shuffled back and forth between the venue and my hotel. I ended up getting some takeout for dinner and eating in my room.
Even in that crazy crowd, I bumped into people I knew, took a bunch of photos, and had incredible conversations.
This experience in the small town of Tawau has become a lifelong treasure.
It was a priceless three days—not a single second was wasted.
What amazed me most was the "Plus One" kindness of the people here.
For instance, if I just asked to take a quick photo with someone, they'd unexpectedly offer me free food or go out of their way to help me. Whenever you interact with them, they naturally give back a "Plus One" of kindness that exceeds all expectations.
If everyone in the world could share this "Plus One" mentality, regardless of their background, the world would undoubtedly be a much better place. This small town taught me that.
Thank you, Tawau.
I will absolutely be back. To all the amazing people I met—see you next time!
