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Mo, Kao Wei (墨高瑋)
People ask what I did for summer. I tell them I taught English in Taiwan. Yet there is more to that answer than I care to reveal. I taught English for two weeks in the rural area of Dawu, Taitung. I taught English to my adorable kids who were willing to learn from a unqualified teacher. I taught English to experience the responsibilities of a adult guiding the next generation. But most of all, I enjoyed my stay in the rural town of Dawu. I loved my group of fellow college kids and we bonded everyday. We were never mistreated, dinner always had the freshest seafood caught during the day, and thankfully new AC units were installed before our arrival. Although we all hated our stay at the Chian Tan center for its strict rules, the countryside was a relaxing and beautiful change to the hard paced training camp. It was a fantastic escape from life in the city. On the day that we left, some of my kids came to see us off. Although it was hard to let go, I felt that it would not be the last time we would meet. I wish them all the best.
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Chen, Matthew (陳郁仁)
AID Summer has taught me multiple lessons. It wasn't the first time that I'd been away from home, but it certainly outlasted the last trip, which was two weeks long. A month away from home taught me that I make life how I choose to make it, regardless of the pseudo-structure the organization made for us. It was a time of freedom, but that came with a great cost. I calculated the risk of letting myself go, to the hivemind of group mentality. I made an identity for myself for this trip, not sure if I could ever retain any of my former self. And this long period of non-metacognition, of trying to fit in, and lack of reflection was what I felt to be an out-of-body experience, one made in a relatively safe space of being away from anyone (mostly) I knew. It was my chance to explore what I could be other than me. So no, I don't regret coming to AID. I took this as my personal experience, my rite of passage, the transition from sheltered school life to the unprotected independent life.
Teaching was the most fulfilling experience I've had in the longest time. Being able to watch development, despite the short time frame, is what brings this both selfish and selfless feeling to me. I feel like there was so much more that I could've done, because it is evident that the two weeks worth of tangible effort put into my students will quickly disappear. But I find me arguing to myself, "how much of an impact, or inspiration have I put into my students?" The ultimate question we are all asking is, did we make a difference? Perhaps we did. But if we didn't try, how would we ever find out?
Thanks to AID and everyone who made it possible.
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Lee, Carol (李潔)
Everyone's experience at AID Summer is different. For me, I had the time of my life every day I was there. When I applied to AID I didn't know that what I'd leave with would be lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories.
The first week I spent at Chientan Youth Activity Center was difficult, but fun. Waking up early every morning was tough, but all the new friends I made, the counselor I had, and my table teacher made it worth it. I had so much fun eating my meals and learning how to teach. Finishing the teaching plan was something that stressed me out immensely, but when my group A1-6 won a trip to Shilin Night Market, we knew everything we were doing was worth it.
Being in Chiayi at Liou Jiao Elementary School was amazing. I met so many new bugs on the first day I got to the school. My teaching partner and the others in my group lived at the school on the 2nd floor. I had a great time every day whether it was teaching the kids and then playing ping pong or going out to sing KTV during a typhoon day. Everyone at Liou Jiao made me feel so welcome and at home.
The kids were tough to teach. My teaching partner and I got the medium level kids and they also happened to be the naughtiest kids. Teaching them the first week made me feel exhausted, but by the second week I was used to the schedule, the heat, and the kids. Being given the opportunity to go to Taiwan and teach my kids for two weeks was an unbelievable experience. Leaving Liou Jiao Elementary School for the tour around Taiwan was so heartbreaking because I had really grown to love everyone that I had met in Chiayi.
Looking back at AID, I find that I will never forget when one of the shyest students in my class Maggie raised her hand to give a short presentation in English. I will never forget my teaching group, my teacher, and my students. This summer I truly had the time of my life.
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Chuang, Eric (莊尚樸)
I had the summer of my life at AIDSummer 2013. The people that I've met are definitely gonna stick around in my life forever. I look forward to going back to Taiwan next summer to visit, and I'm higly considering applying for this program next year. Great job OCAC!
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Lu, Amy (呂柏萱)
AID Summer 2013 was such a big part of my summer and really defined it. It was my summer after high school ended and college started, so I wanted to make it significant, and by being a part of the AID Summer 2013 program, I definitely had a summer worth remembering. I met so many amazing, talented people, taught smart, adorable children, went to beautiful, awesome places, and made many meaningful, unforgettable memories. Most importantly, I am grateful for all the life-long friends I've met through this program. Thank you, AID Summer 2013, for such a wonderful experience!
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Chiu, Sunny (邱雅平)
Honestly, my time at AID Summer felt almost like a dream: fleeting but wonderful. There are few things that put as much meaning and memories into a moment as attending AID did for me. If I were to list out he things I remembered most from my experience, my list would be filled with odd absurdities such as beef with sprinkles, bok choy, limitless card games, blue giraffes, the value of wifi, green oil, purple shirts in Seven Eleven, and, of course, the people. I'm not sure how coordinators of the program separated us into groups, whether it was by shared interests or hobbies or just by using a random generator, but I must say that their success rate was incredible. In the two weeks we spent at Houbi Elementary, I felt like my group had grown so close and shared so many secrets, moments, and memories, that it was hard to imagine life without them. There are no words to describe the way group began to mean family and teaching partner began to mean friend. And when it finally came time to leave the school and begin the tour, I looked around and saw so many close-knit groups that I knew the same thing had happened for everyone else as well.
But besides the happy bonding and the exciting nine hour lessons that will forever remain in my memory, the core of my AID experience happened in Tainan, at Houbi Elementary. When I first looked at the picture of Houbi that I had found on the Internet so many months ago, I had no inkling of the emotions and life I was going to experience there. I remember my first thought was something along the lines of "Huh, they have a cow picture on their gate." Yes, they had a cow picture on their gate, but they also had so much more. Whether it was running to class every morning in an attempt to beat the bell or getting scolded by my students for using the wrong y or furiously researching new games to make my class more exciting, my students made it all worth it. Teaching was an experience that took more effort than I thought it would and I often found myself done with my planned lessons around third or fourth period and planning out new lessons on the spot but it was also more rewarding than I could ever have imagined. I know it sounds kind of cliche to say that their smiles made it worth it, but my summer became our summer. Our bike trips to the tea shop. Our afternoons trying to teach/learn Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Our weekends playing basketball. Our memories. Our lives. And our experience.
And I think that really represents what I received the most from AID: connections and bonds tying people from different parts of the world into one huge unforgettable family.
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Chen, Frederic (陳秉健)
I had a great time at AID Summer. Although I was initially reluctant to join this program, I'm really glad I did because of all the fun experiences we had both with our fellow teachers and our wonderful counselors. Although the training week may have been a bit dreary, the night at Shilin definitely made up for it, and we were relatively well prepared for the two weeks we would spend teaching. My students were great, and it was good seeing how much our presence there affected their outlook on the rest of the world, outside the remote village from which they came from. The people were welcoming, and I felt very grateful to have been assigned to a location as good as Taiping Village in Chiayi County. The counselors were also excellent, as they were successful in playing the role of both friend and mentor, despite the lack of an age difference between the student teachers and them. They were willing to stay up long nights to keep us in line, and were more than happy to talk to us and explain all the places we went in a language that was foreign to them. For that I am really grateful. All in all, I had a wonderful time at AID Summer, and I would definitely encourage others to join. Though the program itself was well thought out, it was the people I met and interacted with that truly made this experience worthwhile.
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Wu, Mingche (吳明哲)
Five days after I left AID camp I finally broke and cried. I haven't cried like this since 8 years ago when I left Taiwan and immigrated to the States. It's surprising to me that one month in AID can bring me back to think Taiwan is my home, and Leaving AID felt like leaving home again.
That month was the best month in my life. Never have I once experienced so much in one mouth. I would have to say the best part in this camp was the people I met and the friends I made. Having a chance to meet and befriend people from all over the world is a rare experience for me, and I will cherish these bonds I make forever.
Being able to be a teacher really changed my view on leadership and taking responsibilities. I feel like this program really gave those kids an opportunity they do not have. By giving them the knowledge of a new language, their world view and horizon can be broadened, and their future more successful. Since we can't teach them everything in two weeks,we gave them the seed for future self exploration.
The last week's tour around Taiwan we fantastic, it really allowed me to see more sides to Taiwan than what I have known before. Also the volunteers and the counselors all had fun during the tour. We truly appreciate the Taiwanese Government for sponsoring this program to give kids like us a once in a life time opportunity.
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Wu, Albert (吳冠賢)
I entered with a fresh heart and open mind, and AID and Taiwan blew me away once again in a typhoon of a fun-filled summer. Navigating through the hours of the schoolday with my class was challenging but always interesting, made possible only with the staunch support and resilience of my teaching partner and the sheer energy of the fiery, many-headed beast known as Class 3. After hours, the intensely relaxing yet uproariously fun times spent with my teaching group (who are intelligently witty, ardently social, entertainingly lively friends) etched deep, fond memories in my mind. My class! Rowdy, irritating, loud, hyper, terrible-yet enthusiastic, studious, cute and fun.
And of course, the culture of Taiwan- so friendly the people, so breathtaking the landscape, so fear-inspiring the insects, so delicious the food.
I would like to give particular thanks to my teaching group, my school's staff (especially our mentors, Kevin and Tony, and our host, Fran); the guidance counselors; the great people of AID; and my class for making this summer especially memorable!
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Leibson, Sarah (雷樂山)
Why Did You Come To Taiwan?
As we continued on the moss-stained stone steps up the mountain trail in 溪頭, one of my counselors asked me, “You’re not Taiwanese American, you’re not even Asian. But why did you come to Taiwan?” I simply responded, “I wanted to.” I wanted to go to Taiwan. I knew that I would love learning about Taiwan, making new friends, teaching English, playing games with my students, eating Taiwanese food, releasing a sky lantern into the puffy whip cream colored clouds, learning aboriginal dances, walking the schoolyard in a typhoon, and that I would want to go to Taiwan again. I came to Taiwan because I wanted to experience Taiwan and have fun teaching kids at the same time.
We reached a clearing in the sun-soaked trees and I remembered the experiences so far. I was intrigued with some of the lectures during training week, and was so excited to meet my students. When it was time to get on the bus to Yude Elementary School in New Taipei City, I lost a little excitement as we made our way through the ominous dark clouded sky. I was too affected by the weather. What if I couldn't teach these kids anything new? What if they don’t like me? What if they are troublemakers and I’ll have to use the classroom management tips we learned in the lectures? Is this going to be too much for me?
We got off the bus, grabbed our things, and walked down the alleyway to the front entrance of the school, the clouds managed to part. Suddenly, a rush of rather old looking Taiwanese children greeted us with brightly painted signs that read, “AID Summer English Camp Welcome!” Only until later did we find out that they were in fact not our students, but our school team. Some were our teaching assistants while the rest helped out in other ways with the English camp. I realized I wasn't in this by myself, I had my teaching partner, my teaching group, and a new group of people. It was no longer just going to be us eight Americans running four English classes by ourselves. Our team grew and it was now a small community effort. We spent our days working with our new group and visiting fun places on the nights and weekends with them. They were our new friends as well as our English students as we practiced English with them after classes.
Teaching was no easy business at the beginning; sometimes activities worked, sometimes they didn't. At the beginning we planned out a few different activities, but the one that was the most successful was writing stories. The students loved to write stories. My teaching partner and I focused on American holidays, and we would teach new vocabulary words, do an activity relating to the holiday of that particular day, and then the students would write about it. As they wrote, we went around and corrected spelling, grammar, and pronunciation. Once everyone had finished their stories, they read them to each other in groups, and each group would chose one person to read to the class. The activities were just as fun. Some of the most memorable activities were writing Valentine’s Day poems, telling scary stories, trick-or-treating, and designing paper Easter eggs. By the end of each day my teaching partner and I grew into “proud parents.” “Our students can write stories!” we boasted as we went around to everyone in the school and had them read our students’ masterpieces.
Although we were by far the most proud of our students, my teaching partner and I never took it as a competition between the classes. Instead we would all visit each other’s classes during breaks and lunchtime and get to know each other’s students. For example, I would get my hair braided by the girls in my class, Class A, in the morning, and when my hair got messy I would visit Class D where the girls in that class restyled my hair. Class A had a birthday party complete with cake and birthday songs with Classes B and C, and went to play soccer and dodgeball in the afternoon with Class D. Teaching was the best. Walking into class every morning and greeted by my students gave me more energy for the entire day than the three cups of green tea I had drunk before class started.
What did I learn from this experience? In one short week I learned how to teach English to elementary school children. In two short weeks I learned that I was able to teach my students new words, how to write stories, and about American culture and make it enjoyable at the same time. In three short weeks I learned how much I could miss a group of people who I had just met. In four short weeks I learned how easy it is to say hello, and how difficult it is to say goodbye. In a few short weeks I learned more about a place and about myself than I could have in a lifetime.
Then I found myself seven stories above the forest floor. We had reached the Skywalk. As my teaching group and I pondered what it would be like to zip down the edge of the bridge with the escape ropes, I remembered why I came to Taiwan. Because I wanted to.
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Lee, Matthew (李祖佑)
Going into this program I had previous experience tutoring and teaching in math and physics. However this experience I had proved to be nothing after taking on an entire class of kids. Running my class was one of the most difficult and frustrating things I have had to go through. However it was also one of the most joyful moments being able to see the education system in a different perspective and share my love for knowledge with others. I have been able to gain insight into the minds of my former teachers as to why they love their jobs so much even though there are so few rewards. It is the children and the relationships that you can form with others that are truly meaningful and why teaching is such a rewarding job.
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Chen, Iris (陳芷珊)
I hadn’t expected much at all going into this program; I believed that it was just another summer camp, a way to fill up my last summer before college. Since I have a younger brother who just turned 8 years old, I believed that teaching would be painfully difficult as I imagined that all my students would be exact replicas of my sometimes annoying brother. However, I will not deny that this past month has been a fantastic new experience for me. Unfortunately, the first week at Chientan did not meet up to my expectations, as we had classes from morning until night and very little free time, as well as spotty wifi, while there I met my amazing group mates that I was to be spending 24 hours a day with for the next month. However, when we arrived at the school, we were warmly welcomed by our future TA’s with signs and posters. These people became not only our TA’s, but our close friends. They helped us in maintaining classroom control if the students got rowdy, and translated for us and the students if need be. Our students, who were excruciatingly shy and unresponsive at first, in time proved to be extremely playful and competitive, enthusiastic and adorable. I only wish that we could’ve spent more time with them, teaching them more English and playing games with them, making flashcards together, and showing them new aspects of American culture while they share their Taiwanese culture with us. All the students, teachers, and TA’s that I spent every day with at Yude Elementary have made such a lasting impression on me; I hope to never forget them. AID Summer 2013 has given me so many lasting memories that I will forever cherish, and I hope someday to return to Taiwan and visit my students and the friends that I’ve grown so close with during this program. Thank you AID!
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Wang, Juliann (王秀齊)
I will never forget this summer. During the first week, I kept wondering why we needed to prepare so much. I thought teaching English for two weeks would be a piece of cake. I was proven wrong the very first day we met our students. Teaching the kids was a difficult task but I wouldn't have changed a thing. The students were so respectful and welcoming. They were all so cooperative and involved with our lesson plans. It was difficult at times but the kids were so patient and I am so thankful I got to meet such a bright group of kids. Teaching that class for 2 weeks was one of the most rewarding things I ever took part in. After just 3 days, I was getting thank you letters from the students. They were folded into the cutest little origami hearts and placed into handmade envelopes. They taught me more than I could have ever taught them. When it came time to present my farewell speech to the students, staff, and local radio station, I was overwhelmed with nervousness and it didn't quite hit me that we were saying goodbye. 10 minutes after the speech, when it came time to return to our classroom one last time and say goodbye, I couldn't hold back my emotions and starting crying. The kids starting crying too. That moment was what ensured me that their two weeks spent with us were not a waste of time. Though they will probably forget the lessons we taught, the difficulty of saying goodbye meant that they grew attached to us. The kids that I spent only 2 weeks with hold a special place in my heart. I will never forget this summer and the memories that I had. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will forever be grateful for.
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Lau, Joanne (劉亮彤)
AID Summer program was the best decision I made. I can't believe how many people I met and how many new experiences I've gained. Although the first week of training was tedious and tiring, I definitely learned a lot and applied that knowledge to my teaching. Teaching week was definitely unforgettable. On the first day, the children were obnoxious and hyper, an instant recipe for disaster. In addition to that my teaching partner and I were not getting along well for the first week. However, as the week passed and my teaching partner and I starting communicating more, teaching at DaHu elementary became memorable. As the children grow closer to you, you begin to gain a new perspective on their lives, and realize how fortunate you really are for your life, for me, my life back in the states. They really look up to you like an older sibling, always asking you about your life in the U.S., or asking you to constantly play with them. It was extremely draining, mentally and physically but so worth it. The tour week was the best week. We were able to meet up with our old pals from training week and share our never ending stories about flying sticky balls or painful water balloon fights. The last day of AID was sad but happy, we were parting ways but we all have gained a new insight and perspective in life. Thank you AID for this unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
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Chou, Karen (周可竹)
Before I left for Taiwan, I had a vague idea of what my AID experience was going to be like, based off the advice of my older sister, a former AID volunteer. But once I began training week at Chientan, I could tell there was so much more in store. From the first week at AID, I met incredible people from all around the globe, creating bonds between my roommates, my teaching group, and I. True, the long lectures held daily were a bit tedious and boring, but several of them helped me get ideas on making English learning fun and easy for the schoolchildren.
Once my teaching group and I headed to Song May Elementary in Chiayi County, it was time for action. Throughout the two weeks of teaching, I experienced lazy teaching partners (mostly the boys), ant infestations, sleeping at 1 AM or later, a typhoon, and tons and tons of workload required for the AID website, for the principal, and for our classes. Every day when the bell rang at 3:50 PM, school was over for the kids, but not for us, the teachers. We had to continue slaving away at grading papers, uploading files, and prepping for the next day, but at least our principal was there to support us, buying us drinks and snacks, giving us counseling and moral support. I am extremely appreciative of our principal, who was like a mother to us, because I have heard stories of the other supervisors at the other schools, some who weren't welcoming, and others who were a little bit too touchy. Over the course of the two weeks, everyone's stress mounted but in the end, we finally pulled off the closing ceremony and that was the end. My teaching group and I left Song May in tears, waving good-bye to our students through the bus windows.
Tour week passed by quickly, and too soon, it was time to say good-bye to all the friends I had made. In my entire AID experience, the moments and the people that will stick with my forever are from the teaching period, because in those two weeks I became close to so many people, learned many life lessons, and felt so many emotions. I know that I will not forget the memories and friends that I have made at AID for a long, long time.
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Tao, Albert (陶弘力)
It was really a life changing and eye opening experience at the junior high in which I taught. with little experience or material, my fellow teachers and I strived to teach and communicate with the kids to.the best best of our abilities while having fun with them at the same time. We discovered the struggles that came along with the responsibilities of teaching, even though we were far from full-fledged teachers. the two weeks of teaching allowed us to take a peek into our students' lives and realize how privileged we were. So many memories were created as our group bonded over the difficulties we faced as student teachers living in a rural area away from the luxuries we were blessed with in America. So many more memories were created in Chientan as we got to know the other volunteers, counselors, and teachers of AID and their different quirks, personalities, and backgrounds. I stepped into Chientan on the first day expecting nothing like what was thrown at me in the following weeks to come. Countless good times and an irreplaceable experience come back with me as I return to my home in America. 2013 was easily my most memorable, eventful, and best summer yet.
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Chi, Regina (祁化瑋)
I taught first and second grade children at Chung Wen Elementary School. My students were relatively loud even though a select few students were quiet at times. I thought that overall, the students, staff, and teachers bonded very well over the two weeks of teaching. Even though there were conflicts in opinion at times, everything was resolved in the end. We sometimes had a difference of opinion with both the teachers and the students. But with a very mature and responsible attitude, all if not most of the problems were gradually resolved. The weekends were pretty fun and our weekdays were packed with work. Students were really rowdy and troublesome because there were considered to be pretty young. I honestly had to use a lot of Chinese when trying to teach the students because if I tried to use English, I wasn’t getting anything across to the students. However, as time went on, the Chinese that was used in the classroom steadily decreased. The students picked up on the grammar pretty quickly and were memorizing patterns. However, there lingers in their spoken language an accent that many Taiwanese people have as well. I do have to say that the spoken word can’t really be taught within two weeks. Overall, the AID experience was really enjoyable. The last week of tour was fun, but I thought that a vice would be that there were often times in which we either had too much free time or too little free time. So it would be a great change if the times were a little less strict and binding. Another thing is that when the central and the southern tour came together for the last few weeks, the planning was not very good because as the last bus of the central tour, we did not get to see a lot of the things that other groups got to see—mainly because we were always the last group to check out the scenery or monument. Food was decent although there is clearly room for improvement for better food quality and choices. I am very content with this trip and I think that this has definitely been a life-changing experience.
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Ju, Evaline (朱品涵)
I characterize myself as a typical introvert, labeled with the personality type ISTJ. I greatly dislike public speaking and highly prefer sitting alone on building steps, contemplating scenery or reading a book. I had taught a few students as a teacher’s assistant in my former abacus class, but never had I led a class for a whole day. When I first came to this program, I could not even tell if I liked working with children, who fluctuate between being obedient students and rowdy teenagers.
Yet working alongside my teaching partner and sharing ideas and resources with the rest of my 8-person teaching group at Hsinchu’s Neihu Middle School, I discovered that while I may never like speaking in front of a group of people, there is a certain happiness in imparting knowledge to young children. True, they sometimes lost interest in games quickly. The boys in the corner liked to draw cartoons on the worksheets I gave them, and the girls refused to participate in basketball and dodgeball at the end of the day. Sometimes, I would have to glare at my students to get their attention while my teaching partner threatened them with no recess.
But at other times my students became so excited about learning. I would say a word in Chinese, and they would shout over each other to pronounce the English word correctly. They laughed together, teased each other as middle school students do, sang, danced, and played games with us even when they seemed reluctant to. I felt happy lecturing with powerpoints. And though we left the school late and tired at the end of each day, I was satisfied.
As with all experiences in life, I will only be able to keep the memories, luckily some in the form of photos. I am extremely thankful to have been given the opportunity to teach at Neihu and to have met all the wonderful people I did: my teaching group, my roommates, counselors, teachers, and the school principal. This was definitely a summer to remember, and I had the time of my life.
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Huang, Vanessa (黃喆)
Going to AID was an unforgettable experience. I went into the program just with the mindset that I was going to go teach English to children. It made me feel good, like I was doing something extremely charitable. During the two weeks of teaching, I made friends with my students, got closer to my teaching group, and made some unusual memories that are worth a good storytelling. There were times during the teaching where I thought to myself, " I did not sign up for this." It includes the typhoon flooding my room, the kids' glazed eyes when they listened to me teach, and the frequent encounters with several Taiwanese insects. I think that's what AID is about though: the unexpected can happen.
AID was also a versatile program. You could choose to make a bunch of close friends within your teaching group, but you could also go out and meet other people in the program itself. The people are all cheery and social, and everyone was willing to meet everyone. I think that's what made my AID experience better. The people I met on this program are people that I would want to make an effort to keep in contact with. We make a unique friendship bond within our teaching group because you just spend so much time with them. You can't escape your group whether you like it or not. Their habits, the topics you discuss, and all the memories you create with these people is what makes AID such a great experience for me.
My students were amazing. Granted, they would wreck havoc in the classroom and could act completely immature sometimes, but they could also be cute. They're always eager to meet me, calling me Teacher and followed me around excitedly. Towards the end of the two weeks they warmed up to me, and most of them wanted to be friends with me on Facebook. They're extremely enthusiastic to meet foreign people that could almost be their siblings, and when I talk to them, I learn about their lifestyle and culture that is so different from my own. Although I have lived in Taiwan for two years, it felt like I was living in a different country, going to a rural area where some of the amenities that I took for granted were suddenly gone, and I had to make do. For example, in the two weeks at Hsinchu, my group and I used drinking water for everything because the groundwater coming from the faucet was contaminated.
I think that AID is a wonderful program for people that want to have fun yet still be doing something productive with their summer. I hope that the future AID volunteers will have as much fun as I did and make the greatest relationships they will ever make.
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Liu, Stephanie (劉瑜如)
Words cannot express the unbelievable experience I had at AID 2013. I was absolutely blown away by the great friendliness and hospitality of the Taiwanese people - the teachers, counselors, fellow students, and other staff members were extremely helpful in answering all my inquiries and making my first trip to Taiwan that much more special. One thing that I was extremely surprised about was the organization of the program. Every detail was planned beforehand and every single lecture, bus ride, or any other scheduled event ran smoothly and in an organized fashion. I have never witnessed such a coordinated, well-organized program! Props to all the teachers, counselors, and AID 2013 staff members that worked so hard to plan everything for the students! Great job! Overall, my experience in Taiwan is definitely something I will never forget! I truly immersed myself in the Taiwanese culture and it truly opened my eyes to the world around me through the food, people, and even the language! I was super satisfied about everything and even though my elementary students did get rowdy at times, the experience of interacting with my students and making the 6,000 mile journey overseas to be immersed in a cultural microcosm of awesomeness was totally worth it! I would highly recommend this well-crafted program to all my friends at home! Definitely an experience I will never, ever forget!
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Wang, Edward (王瀚承)
I was not really sure what to expect when I first joined this program. The most I would have thought it would amount to would be a difficult but possibly rewarding experience teaching elementary school kids. I was hoping to, but was not expecting to make so many friends, both from my region in California and all over the world.
As to the actual teaching itself, though, I found that I did indeed have great difficulty teaching the students in the classroom. I didn't expect to do a fantastic and awe-inspiring job, especially considering my utter lack of teaching experience, but at least I thought I was capable of managing a classroom and keeping it in order. That was not always the case. Thinking back on it, I regret not being sterner with the students on the first couple of days; afterwards, I was unable to instill enough fear (I didn't want them to be terrified, but from a little fear of a scary teacher comes respect) to actually control the students or have them settle down. My teaching partner wasn't the best at classroom management either, so we both seemed quite powerless under the whims of the students (I do wish we had TAs, now that I think about it, so we could just concentrate on teaching). The good news is that our strategies, using flashcards and plenty of creative and artistic reinforcement activities, were met with success, as shown by the students' improvement across the board (for most of the students).
But in regards to the bonds I made with the school staff and my teaching group, I was more than satisfied. Our school made sure we had plenty of accommodations, and they would see to all of our needs (not to mention take us out to excellent and sometimes pricey restaurants). My fellow teachers were living in a cozy cabin together, and we braved the typhoon together as well. It made for a nice, homey little community. Back on the tour, we still remained with each other almost always, even though we had made other friends during the beginning of the program.
All in all, I had a really great time, and I thank AID Summer, its staff, and all its volunteer staff for this rewarding summer. I would like to commend the counselors on the tour groups in particular for their extreme patience and understanding, as well as their infallible positive attitudes. The fact that they showed that they cared about us in the farewell ceremonies was even more reason to respect and applaud them.
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Lei, Paulina (雷毓瑤)
My experience with AID Summer was an exceptional one.
Icebreaking was definitely a very exciting time, for it was all about meeting people and making friends. It was definitely fun to play games that I had never played before, and it was a great way to meet people at the camp. The opening ceremony was also very entertaining, from the man in the ball to the speeches, I was entertained and felt it was a great way to start off the program.
The first week was definitely hard, for we had classes all day with small breaks in between for food. However, it was nice because we got to bond with our teaching group members. In addition, after classes, we had quite a bit of time to socialize with other people, which was nice because I got to meet people from around the country and the world. The people were definitely the best part of the experience because everyone was very friendly, from the counselors to the other volunteers, everyone had a good attitude towards everyone else.
When we finally got shipped out to the schools, it was definitely a challenge to actually teach. I was assigned to teach at Sandi Elementary, and I taught a group of second to third graders. The teaching plans we made during the first week definitely helped, but while teaching, we actually had to revise the teaching plan. My partner and I would often stay up extremely late to create a better teaching plan so that the kids could enjoy and learn at the same time. The kids were also really rowdy, so each day was definitely taxing on the body, for at the end of each day, I would be exhausted. However, it was definitely rewarding, for the kids were so loving and accepting of us, and they were very good and grabbing hold of the concepts we talked in class. During the teaching weeks, I also got much closer with my groupmates, which was definitely the best part, because I feel like I have made friends for life.
The tour was also great because it finally gave us time to relax. The two weeks of teaching was fun but very stressful. So, the tour was definitely a great way to wind down after having a stressful few weeks. The tour was great. I was on the Central Tour, and the tour was definitely fun because I got to explore parts of Taiwan I had never seen before. My favorite parts of Taiwan were definitely the nightmarkets. It was a great way to shop and hang out with friends.
The closing ceremony was fun, but definitely the most heartbreaking. I was sad to say goodbye to so many people I had gotten close to over the month, and it was heartbreaking to know that I may never have a chance to see those people every again.
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Wong, Corinna (王家琦)
During the first week at Cheintan, I was extremely homesick. The humid weather, countless mosquito bites, and the heat were things that originally made me want to go back home but now that I’m back in San Francisco, I miss them. The counselors are a strict during the training week of the program but once you get to your schools and once the tour week comes around, they become a lot more understanding. Don’t let all the rules during the first week come off as a turn off; they have those rules for a reason. Also, pushing through the first week make the next three weeks well worth it. Take note of the games that other groups use as examples during training week; they come in handy. My teaching partner and I ended up using some ideas from the training week when we had free time during class. Now, onto the two weeks of teaching. My chinese speaking and listening skills are close to non-existent but that wasn’t a problem because my teaching partner knew how to speak and listen fluently. Although my chinese wasn’t the best, I still had a great relationship with the children. They are all so adorable; it’s hard not to like them. Also, the kids in Taiwan are so much more well-behaved than the kids in America. By the end of the two weeks of teaching, I didn’t want to leave my kids but the tour awaited us! During tour week, the volunteers are given a lot more freedom (especially during the last night of the program). Tour week is basically a week of fun and a way of relaxing after having taught restless kids for two weeks straight. By the end of AID, I considered my teaching group as an extended family and Taiwan as a second home. They say home is where the heart is and part of my heart is still in Taiwan. So please, if you are accepted into the program, go with an open-mind and an open-heart. I guarantee you that by the end of the four weeks, you will have fallen in love with Taiwan and have amazing memories with your teaching group. I still get a huge smile on my face whenever I look through old photos from my AID experience. AID truly is a one of a kind experience that can never be replaced.
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Syau, Judith (蕭惠文)
It has been over a month since AID Summer ended, but my memories of the program are still vivid as ever, as if I only came back from the trip yesterday. The people I befriended, the culture I experienced, and the challenges I overcame have really made those four weeks a truly remarkable experience. My time at AID Summer was quite different from what I had expected when I first applied; in fact, even though I was the teacher, I feel like I've learned and gained so much from this program.
This was the 8th time I've been to Taiwan. I am very fortunate to have had so many opportunities to visit my relatives and get acquainted with the country my parents are from. Although I was born and raised in America, Taiwan is like my second home; I speak Taiwanese to my grandparents, I barter with the locals, I can navigate the Taipei MRT with my eyes closed. I knew Taiwan inside and out... or so I thought. When I decided to do AID Summer, I thought it would be a relaxing vacation. Yes, I knew there was going to be some work, but I thought, with my love for kids and anticipation for the tour, it wouldn't be difficult at all.
Reality hits me starting from the 6:30 morning call during training week. I was overwhelmed by how much I had to prepare for the teaching weeks. My entire teaching plan had to be rewritten! However, the AID counselors, teachers, and guest speakers were enthusiastic and inspirational, and the fellow AIDers I met were always supportive. As I went on to the teaching weeks, I felt less nervous and more confident about myself, while I formed a strong bond with my teaching buddies.
Liou Jiao Elementary School in Chiayi was the most rural place I've ever been to in Taiwan. Huge furry spiders, beetles, fireflies, praying mantis, not to mention the mosquitoes... the bugs really welcomed us; they spent nights with us. My students were adorable, as I expected, but also mischievous at times. I learned about their lives; many came from troubled families, and most have never been on a subway. We live in very different worlds, but the two weeks brought us together. The guidance teacher and school staff were generous and caring, as were my fellow volunteer teachers. My group and I often stayed up late together, not just to do teaching plans but also because we enjoyed spending time with each other so much. It was an adventure every day during the teaching weeks... I even encountered my first typhoon! When the two weeks were over and I had to leave Chiayi, I inevitably cried my eyes out.
The long hours I put into planning and teaching were generously rewarded with tour week. Even the bus rides were memorable. Tour week really opened my eyes about the culture of Taiwan. It was incredibly exciting to dance with Aboriginals, visit classic landmarks, and of course spend more time with my friends. Throughout the four weeks, which went by like a blink of an eye, I have made so many precious memories with wonderful people. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to volunteer at AID Summer; it is truly a life-changing experience.
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Lam, Stephanie (林雅倫)
As cliche as it sounds, AID Summer in Taiwan truly is one of the most unforgettable experiences in a life-time. If it is your first time going to Taiwan (as it was in my case), and if you are not a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese (as also was my case), it can be quite scary when you think about being in a new place with new people for four whole weeks! But not to worry--as long as you keep an open mind, and remember the reason why you're participating in AID (to help others with disadvantages), then this will easily become one of the most exciting and worthwhile adventures you can experience.
I was blessed to be grouped with five wonderfully kind, understanding, hilarious, crazy, intelligent, talented, caring, and dedicated young ladies. It may have been awkward at first, since each had her own distinct personality, but we bonded so quickly (especially once we got to the junior high school). I consider them to be among my dearest of friends, and I hope we can stay connected forever.
The teachers who cared for us at the school were among the most dedicated and creative I’ve ever met; they looked out for us the entire time and took us out to explore the city or do fun activities after class. We also had three TA’s helping out during class, and two of them even volunteered to live in the school with us. They became our close friends as well, and our time definitely would not have been as productive or as enjoyable without them. (It’s amazing how close you can get to strangers in only a few short weeks.)
And, our students. During the training week, we had been told to expect junior high students to be the most difficult to teach (puberty and hormones and all that). But honestly, aside from a few minor situations, I didn’t find any of that to be as disruptive or difficult as they made it sound. Perhaps I was just lucky to have some really well-behaved students. They responded very well to the lessons, were so full of energy and curiosity, and bonded with us after only a few days. I came to love these students of mine as I got to know them. I got see different sides of them during class, and outside of class. It made my heart warm every time they’d use English to ask us a question, struggling yet trying their best. Of course, like most everybody else, we all cried on the last day. Two weeks was not enough; it was like torture, growing close to the people in the school, then being ripped away once we finally started to feel at home. I had become so attached to these kids that I felt like they were my own brothers and sisters—we really had become one big family in the end.
The last week’s tour was awesome. Here we got to reconnect with the fellow volunteers we had met during the first week and share our stories, while enjoying the gorgeous nature, cultural landmarks, street and night markets, and the overall diversity of Taiwan. (I was pretty amazed at how the program managed to organize and accommodate over 400 people for the entire week.) We also were able to get to know the counselors more, since we spent all our time together during the last week, on the bus, while hiking, shopping, eating, etc. All the counselors worked so hard to make sure we kept to the schedule (they woke up before us and were the last to sleep), had enough to eat, checked up on our health, and taught us about Taiwan. I’m sure they were more tired than us, but they always were energetic and happy to be with us. Words don’t do it justice, but I really appreciate all they did for us.
All in all, AID Summer in Taiwan is definitely a worthwhile experience. Sure, in the beginning the application process was exhausting; once you’re accepted and you get to Chientan, the food gets repetitive after a few days; and towards the end, the deadlines and expectations for submitting teaching plans/materials were confusing. But like all things in life, nothing is perfect. You just have to focus on the good, and take everything as a learning experience. You can make the situation fun—and so long as you remember to always keep an open mind, then it definitely will be.
(When people ask me if I’d ever do AID again in the future, I tell them simply: no. As much as it was a life-changing, enjoyable, and rewarding four weeks, I just can’t see myself doing the same thing over again. Everything I experienced this summer is precious to me: the people, the places, the struggles, the accomplishments, the feelings, everything. It wouldn’t feel right doing it all over again. I know I would end up comparing my second experience to everything that happened the first time around, and that wouldn’t be fair. I want to keep the memories as strong and pure as I can. AID Summer is something I can only do once in my life. And just that once is more than enough.)
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Xu, Regina (徐金娜)
It started, as new experiences go, with both hesitation and gnawing anticipation. But those feelings evolved into the simple question: how can we make a difference?
Surely, we were chosen not only to educate and interact with our peers, but also to make an impact on the students. And throughout the month, especially during the teaching weeks in MaGuang, I sought the answers to a seemingly one-sided challenge: finding the balance between the roles of an instructor and a friend.
Never would I have thought that a trip to charming Formosa, combined with days of lesson plans and student interaction, could instill an adventurous spirit in itself. From meeting fellow AID volunteers on the same flight to Taiwan to amassing a plethora of inside jokes with my teaching group, the social aspect of AID was inherently distinct. I worked alongside frustrating and quirky people alike, only to acknowledge mistakes and talents that have molded my patience. But the essence of AID was more the two weeks of teaching than evoking the fun and memorable journey of two weeks.
My first day was undoubtedly a competition to outlast the energy of my students while reserving the ounce I had left to complete lesson plans during the evening. When the clock struck 4 in the afternoon, I would leap with liberation, only to sit back down and type up a reflection and ideas for the next day. Surprisingly, the first week, though chaotic, was productive and fleeting. Ten days quickly drained to five as I, with my group, questioned our being here, miles from home, to come out and act as teachers. We were certainly not here to brandish vocabulary and instill words by rote memorization, though there was certainly more to the impact that we could make. So we reconsidered our purpose and motives, ultimately spending the final days being a supportive mentor and friend to our students. Culture shock amassed with countless moments to remember, and through it all - the hectic periods of teaching dance and song to the closing ceremony performance - my kids remained the invigorating individuals I admire. I ended up learned and retaining more from my students than the vocabulary I drilled in their minds. That is not to say, they should remember nothing at all. It's always a good time, and if anything, they will reiterate the same passion locked into their jumping on stage as they do the failures and successes before them.
It started, with the uncertainty that followed a typhoon's journey, the wind whipping nature from its slumber and soaking our feet as we ventured to 7-Eleven. If I could speak with my students - hopefully not on Facebook, though I will not be surprised if all of them end up "friending" me - I would thank them wholeheartedly. Truly, I admire these open minded individuals, that they filled their buckets of energy, as they did water balloons, to shine on the final day, and spent time writing kind notes to the eight American volunteer teachers. My group and I were no more than friends to them; though together for two weeks, the kids remained respectful and selfless for the most part. With oscillating frustrations and conflicts along the cracks, I acknowledged a multidimensional expanse that brought everyone together. Today, I swipe my index finger across the screen of my phone, greeting the infinite shades of wonderfully built moments.
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Chiu, Kevin (丘訓剛)
When I first got accepted into the AID program, I was extremely excited yet apprehensive about what would happen in the program and what my group would be like. However, after four weeks in the program, I had an extremely unique and unforgettable experience as I made new friends and experienced Taiwan culture. After the training period in Chientan in the first week, we were sent out to Ma-Guang Elementary School. On the first day of teaching, I had no idea what I should be doing, however, over the course of the first few days not only did I manage to get in the rhythm of teaching over an entire day, the kids started showing increased enthusiasm for learning about American culture and language. Though many of the younger children would could remember little of the previous day’s material, their excitement to learn grew. Though teaching for hours in a row and then having to prepare the next day’s material proved exhausting, the opportunity to teach was incredible and I also got the chance to become close with the 7 other people in my group. Hours were spent together making posters, powerpoints, and finishing up the next day’s materials and after that, we got to experience the local culture each night as we visited various night markets and local attractions, like an amusement park and fishing area. At the end of two weeks, though exhausted from teaching the young kids, I felt I had experienced something that was truly unique and had left an impression on the students to continue to pursue English. The following week, tour week, became the highlight of the trip as our group had many great times together and got to see much of what Taiwan had to offer, from Taipei 101 to night markets and the post-card landscape of Kenting. Despite having to practice performances where we otherwise would have preferred to relax for the following day, the tour was something I was glad I had the opportunity to enjoy. Countless hours were spent singing songs on the bus, meeting new friends, and experiencing the best Taiwan had to offer us. The last day of the program proved both sad and happy as though we had to say good-bye to the members of the group we had all grown so close to. We had experienced so many memories together from struggling to find teaching material to hanging out in amusement parks and hanging until late at night. With all these amazing events, AID made my summer truly one-of-a-kind and something I will never forget.
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Wang, Edward (王冠傑)
“No big deal,” I thought, when I first received the acceptance letter to the AID Summer program. “I’ve been a camp counselor before, and I have experience teaching lessons to kids. Teaching in Taiwan shouldn’t be a problem at all.” Little did I know, however, that the journey I was about to undergo would be a completely new challenge, an experience that I was entirely unprepared for.
I had always thought of this trip as just a summer vacation, like how all of my previous trips to Taiwan had been. But from the start of the training week, it was evident that AID Summer was much more serious than I had expected. Our days began every morning at eight, and we would sit through lectures until five in the afternoon, after which we would eat dinner and then go to work on our teaching plans until nine o'clock. It was almost like school all over again, but I enjoyed listening to the teachers who spoke to us about their teaching experiences and the activities that they used in class. Work time was less exciting though, since I would often have a hard time coming up with ideas for our teaching plan.
As the first day of school approached, it became clearer that I was nowhere near as prepared as I was supposed to be. It was my worst fear come true, that I would walk into class on the first day not really knowing how my teaching partner and I were going to fill up an entire day’s schedule without boring our students to death. I remember the first day as if it were yesterday. “Hi class, my name is Teacher Edward,” I enunciated slowly as I nervously introduced myself. We asked the students to introduce themselves in both Chinese and English. “My name is Vicki,” the first student murmured, so quietly that I had to strain my ears to hear her. “A little bit louder please,” I said, holding my hands up to my ears. Soon after, though, I gave up when the rest of the students followed by mumbling their names also. “I’m concerned,” I said to my partner. “How are we going to get them to participate?” The day then consisted of us progressing awkwardly through many of our lessons and games while constantly anticipating the four o'clock bell at the end of the day. I couldn’t help but marvel at the difficulty of teaching, and wonder how my previous teachers, including the “bad” ones, could carry out their lessons with so much ease. The rest of the days continued with a cycle of making PowerPoint presentations after-school, while our adult supervisors took us out to local night markets and malls.
The students got less shy after the first day. A group of them began crowding around my desk during break time and making up nicknames for me that were sometimes rather mean. But I found myself looking forward to break time everyday not only so I could rest, but also play with the kids as well. I also got more comfortable speaking in front of our students, and jumping up and down to get them excited. I found this experience very meaningful in many ways. Even though we weren’t exactly the best teachers, but I felt that we gave these Taiwanese children a unique opportunity of being able to meet teenagers with the same ethnicity but who grew up in a completely different culture. At the same time, we got to experience our own culture even more and know our home country better. AID Summer was a program that truly changed my life, and I will definitely participate again if I get the chance.
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Chiu, Vincent (邱咸德)
The AID summer program was truly an unforgettable journey. From start to finish—from the boring weeklong lectures to the fun and exciting tour—I never regretted attending this program. The fact that I was always surrounded by a group of talented, amiable, fun, and absolutely amazing people made almost every moment of the trip enjoyable.
During my taxi ride to Chien Tan, I honestly did not know what to expect; “What will my teaching partners be like?”, “Will my students like me?”, “How will the food taste?”, and my greatest fear of all, “Will I have to sing and dance?”. As my taxi pulled into the Youth Activity Center, I could feel my excitement slowly turn into anxiety. Fortunately, I was immediately greeted by a plethora of bubbly and cheerful staff members, which definitely ameliorated my worries. Meeting my group members for the first time was a bit awkward at first, but we quickly grew very close. The first week at Chien Tan was mostly just listening to lectures and creating our 2 week lesson plans. However, even in the midst of boring—but important—lectures and work, we were still able to find moments of laughter. During this week I also got know our patient teacher and our bubbly supervisor really well.
Teaching at Liou Jiao Elementary was a once in a lifetime experience, both rewarding and eye-opening. Teaching turned out to be much more difficult than I had ever imagined; different students enjoyed different types of games, some learned faster than others, and all of them were varying in English fluency. Though it was tough, I learned a lot, and in just two short weeks I felt like an older brother to many of my students. Often times they were rowdy and obnoxious or unwilling to participate, but at other times they were sweet and considerate. I still remember during lunch breaks when the little fourth graders would give us back massages. One time during lunch, when the food trays had ran out of food, a group of students saw that I was still looking for more. One student asked, “Do you want more food?” Half way through my answer one excitedly grabbed my chopsticks, the other took my empty bowl and rushed me to the kitchen. During these two weeks I also felt that our teaching group had become a family, spending every single day together, teaching, eating, and playing.
The last week of AID summer passed way too quickly. Though it seemed like a lot of time was wasted waiting in lines, the tour as a whole was without a doubt exciting and amazingly planned considering there were at times more than 300 people touring together. We were able to visit different night markets almost every single day as well as numerous other famous landmarks. Even though I gained a lot of weight from all the delicious Taiwanese foods, it’s easy to say that the AID summer program was a really rewarding experience and one that I would highly recommend.
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Chern, Joanne (陳卓安)
As a returning AIDer from 2011, I thought I already knew what to expect with this program. However, I found myself surprised at nearly every turn; AID continues to modify and improve on its training program, adding more and more interesting topics every year that further motivate the student teachers and give them new ideas to think about. Beyond that, every teaching experience is entirely different; though I had taught in Taiwan before, I never found this experience repetitive in the slightest. I had the fortune of being placed in a group with other student teachers who really had a – sometimes overambitious – desire to teach and to help their students excel, as well as students who were attentive and motivated beyond anything I would have expected from middle schoolers. The entire experience was unexpectedly wonderful and illuminating, and though it feels bittersweet knowing that I won’t be able to return to AID for a third year, I am happy that I got to make these memories on my last time here.
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Li, Po-Yi (李柏毅)
When asked about my 2013 summer, I always reply with the words, “It was the most fun I’ve had in a while.” Those words are genuine, and the places, culture, and people I experienced and met made my summer in Taiwan one of the best.
Before the program, I was a slightly nervous about teaching English in Taiwan. I had lead kids at summer camps and had tutored friends at school before, but I had never taught a group of young students for an extended period of time, let alone in a foreign country. I was, however, looking forward to immerse myself further into Taiwan’s culture and meet new people.
In the end, I came away with the deepest memories made during teaching weeks. During the 2 weeks in Taiping Meishan, I enjoyed a variety of tea, the cool mountain weather, and the beautiful surrounding nature with 5 other equally awed student teachers. Through the typhoon, the kids, and the adjustment to rural mountain life, the 6 of us grew close together, and with the help of my peers, a military volunteer, and the local teachers, I begin to feel at one with the Taiping community.
Often, while eating at the convenient store or I enjoying green tea from the village tea stores, I would listen to local stories, superstitions, and ways of life and gradually open my perspective up to a new, hidden dimension of Taiwan. The most moving stories were the ones about the local kids, some of whom had had tough backgrounds and were actually half Vietnamese. There were many moments during those conversations when I became extremely grateful of my fortunate background and my tight nit, supporting family. Attempting to fit 7 year old me into some of these kids’ shoes filled my heart with sympathy and pushed myself to teach better in order to best help these kids.
When it came time to leave Taiping, all 6 of us had difficulties parting ways with our military officer and the village people. It was a testament to how much we had fallen in love with the mountain village in 2 weeks, and even during the beginning of tour, we were wishing we were back teaching in Taiping. Tour week, however, turned out to be just as memorable as teaching in the mountains. It was interesting to see how much 2 weeks of teaching in our respective schools had brought members of teaching groups so close together, and my group was definitely no exception. Many memories were made as we traveled the island for a week.
A teacup, occupied by a Yoda keychain and 2 friendship bracelets, 3 polaroid’s, and a magnet labeled “Chiayi” now sit on my desk, and those three subtle elements bring me back to AID every time I glance over and catch them in the corner of my eye.
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Hwong, Wendy (黃文蒂)
When applying for AID Summer 2013, I simply saw it as an opportunity to visit Taiwan, a place that I had never been to before. The teaching aspect of it seemed like an added bonus and I did not think much of it until training week. Arriving at the Jiantan Activities Center, I was excited to meet so many different people from so many different places. Growing up in the Bay Area, I had always expected people who were similar to me to be from relatively the same place. The fact that there were 1,500 other people who had similar heritage to me and could relate me was pretty amazing. The coordinators and the counselors who welcomed us really made me care more about the program because of their energy, enthusiasm, and clear portrayal of the time they put into the AID program. From the dances to the ice breaker games, I could tell that these people genuinely cared for and felt passionately for this program. When the Ministry of Education gave their speeches to us, although I could only understand bits and pieces of them, I felt more inspired to teach rather than just explore Taiwan as a tourist. I felt honored that I could influence Taiwanese children with the American culture I often took for granted.
During training week, I was able to get into the teaching mindset more. Being put on a team with people the same age as me gave me a sense of reassurance that there would be people who shared a similar perspective as me. Receiving tips from the various teachers who had eons of experience teaching Taiwanese children made me realize how legitimate my job was as a volunteer teacher. All of the creative ideas for games, classroom control, and more contributed to making my teaching weeks smoother and more effective.
The teaching weeks flew by for me. As soon as we finished performing our opening ceremony for the children, I was struck with a bout of nervous jitters, similar to that when giving a speech in front of a huge audience. Were the kids going to like me? What if I ran out of things to say? What if they couldn’t understand me? What if I couldn’t handle it? These questions raced through my head as I nervously smiled during my introduction to the kids. At first, the students were unresponsive to our games and attempts to get them to introduce themselves. Slowly however, after a few days, they began warming up to us. Even though we were encouraged to speak solely in English to them, I could not help but use the limited Chinese I knew to try and communicate with them better during our break times. As I bonded with my class, I realized how much we had in common despite our obvious age difference and cultural backgrounds. For an example, the popular U.K.-based boy band One Direction that thousands of girls in America, myself included were fans of, was also a favorite amongst my students. As we taught about types of food to ways of transportation, I was able to learn more about my students and their lifestyle. I found it incredible that we all managed to get along and learn about our differing cultures. Although waking up at 7am and singing songs like the “Hokey Pokey” for two periods straight was difficult, being around my students gave me a newfound energy. I found myself enjoying to do work that I often disliked, such as drawing giant posters of the human body and making PowerPoint slideshows. Seeing them interacting with the learning aids I had created encouraged me to want to do more and help them understand even more of American culture and the English language. At the end of the two weeks, I could not help but tear up at the closing ceremony when all the students crowded around us and sang the graduation song “Kite” with us on stage. I had not expected to feel any attachment of any kind coming into this program but the amount of affection and forlornness I witnessed when I left Li Gang Junior High School truly touched me deeply in my heart. The students there taught me patience, hard work, and so much more that is indescribable. When I tell my friends and family of how the students cried when we left, they are astounded by the fact that such a bond can be established within a mere two weeks. I left Pingtung feeling not only bittersweet but also gratified that I had experienced something completely unique---the feeling that I had influenced someone’s life in some way or form.
As reluctant as I was to leave my students, tour week was also an impressionable part of my trip. Being taken around to different parts of Taiwan made me realize just how rich in culture a geographically small area can be. From the Aboriginal Culture Village to the Shiling Night Market, I saw a vast difference in society and customs. Whether it be how they were dressed or the environment, I felt as if I was viewing a variety of different worlds. When I compare Taiwan to where I live, in San Jose, California, I realize how sheltered I am of the different facets of American culture because of how far apart everything is spread. Meanwhile in Taiwan, I can experience the country and the city in just a matter of hours. In addition, the Taiwanese people left the deepest impression on me. From my host family to random strangers I asked directions from or bought fruit from, I was constantly met with generosity and hospitality. Not once did I feel like I was an unwanted outsider. Tour week gave me a taste of what Taiwan has to offer and I cannot wait to go back and visit.
All in all, the AID program has left me with memories that I will keep with me for a lifetime. I am thankful and inspired by this program of how many lives it can potentially touch. I find it safe to say that it has been one of the most positive and ascertaining experiences that I have encountered so far. I know that the impact this program has made on my life has changed me, whether I am conscious of it or not. Thank you AID.
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Hsiung, I-Ling (熊詣綾)
That feeling of trepidation as I walked into room 1422 in Chientan Youth Center was only the first of many emotions I felt throughout my month stay in Taiwan. Training week was incredibly tough; it consisted of endless hours of lectures, practice, teaching demos, and planned social activities. Nevertheless, it was an incredible learning experience and a great bonding time with my teaching partners and future colleagues. I found the best part of training week came at the end when we were allowed to see each group’s best teaching demo. To see all the innovative ideas, game activities, and different ways of teaching, whether with white boards, poster boards, or hand gestures, it was all very informing. My teaching partner and I definitely used some of the ideas in our newly revised teaching plan when we set off to Dacun Elementary School the next week.
Dacun Elementary School was my teaching ground and will forever remain dear in my heart. We were assigned and sent to perform in front of Changhua’s City Government as our first task. We had practiced a week for our dance performance, “Good Time” by Carly Rae Jepson, in order to show how much of a good time it was learning English with each other. It was a success and a very memorable ‘meet and greet.’ Once we got settled in our host family’s home, we were able to go out and explore the countryside of Dacun. From early morning wake up calls to afternoon bike rides to late night barbecuing, it was all simply unforgettable. The people were incredibly humble and so friendly toward us newcomers; it felt like home.
Every so often, I would find myself staring into space with a blank look on my face. The part that I now fondly look back on would be the teaching and bonding I did with my fifteen kids at Dacun Elementary School.
As the bell ran at 9 AM each day, I would hear the running footsteps of kids 3rd to 5th grade rush down to the ground floor for announcements. The sky would be painted gray with a placid humid temperature surrounding us. The kids would be sitting on the ground listening to the head teacher give points from the following day based on behavior, homework completion, and team chants. As the bell ran for classes to start, all the kids would get up and perform their team chants once more. My teaching partner and I were in charge of Group C and we named our team Cool Cats. We could hear the hallway filled with the sounds of our students yelling “We are, we are cool cats!”
Mornings consisted of a review of yesterday’s learning materials. From fruits to foods to weather to sports, every day was filled with something new and exciting. We definitely overestimated our kids’ abilities before we saw the level they were actually at. However, they were willing to learn and we threw out difficult words and sentences to challenge them every so often. Our kids were incredibly engaged in class and we believe that is one of the reasons we enjoyed teaching so much. We spent a whole period reviewing, another period teaching new things, and the third period incorporating everything in game form. The kids loved sticky balls and targets when it came down to competitive answering. There was just something important about getting the answer right when it came to teamwork. I saw my kids grow each and every day and it became harder and harder in my heart to leave them. Our closing number for the parents and other teachers on the last day of teaching consisted of the kids reading an excerpt from the book Carrot Soup by Archie Yang. It was incredible to see the progress on the pronunciation and the understanding of specific words by the end of the two weeks. I saw my kids speak and perform loudly with joy and confidence for everyone to see. I knew it was going to be one of the hardest things I ever had to do, leaving. Towards the end, my kids surrounded me in a circle, crying, while I said goodbye to everyone. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears while taking picture after picture with all my kids and their parents. I handed out certificates and let all of them know how proud I was of every single one of them for their determination and growth in such a tough subject. I told them that in order to master English, practice was a necessity and to never give up because so many opportunities could appear for them in the future.
Every so often, I look back at the pictures I took during that month and smile because it was such a joyous summer. From the host parents to my high school volunteers to those fifteen kids, it makes me believe that I will always have a second home in Taiwan. Tour was spent under the hot Taiwan sun exploring the great country of Taiwan with its delicious foods and beautiful landscapes and wild nightlife. I want to thank everyone for making this summer possible, especially AID for giving students this incredibly rare and memorable experience. Summer of 2013 will forever be a summer of happiness, learning, and love.
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Lau, Sze-Shun (劉思淳)
In the months leading up to AID, I grew more and more excited for July as I started getting to know some of my fellow volunteers online and as information about what was going down this summer was slowly released on the AID website. I both could not wait and was lightweight scared - it would be my first time leaving the country in the past two years, but it would also be my first time traveling alone ever; I was excited to discover and immerse myself in the culture of a new country that I previously knew very little about but I was afraid to discover how my minimal Mandarin skills would hinder me, as I had grown up speaking Cantonese with my family and seemed to always be in the lowest-level of Chinese classes; I couldn't wait to be working with kids, especially because I had heard they would be intrigued by American culture and I would grow attached to them, but I could not help questioning my ability to teach my would-be students English, as well as my ability to impact them at all.
Soon enough, my freshman year of college was over and, after hanging out with friends as much as my schedule would allow, two of my best friends sent me off to the airport, making sure to make a pit stop at In-N-Out for my last San Franciscan meal for the next month.
Getting through SFO, where it felt like I made all the mistakes possible, and the long, first solo flight next to Abdul, who kept accidently calling the flight attendants over but didn’t understand how to turn off the button on his remote, contributed to my nervousness of entering this land that was so foreign to me and where I knew no one, but as soon as I made it down the seemingly never-ending corridor at Taoyuan airport and was met with smiling counselors holding a huge sign welcoming AID volunteers, my fears and nervousness were dispelled. The day before check-in was spent exploring Ximending and Shilin Night Market with the small group of volunteers who had also arrived early to stay at Chientan, and I was immediately struck by how genuinely friendly each person I had already met was.
Training week was a long week of hours on hours of classes and struggling to call the presenters’ attention to our group to be called on (and earn points for our team), meetings tons of new people, sharing interesting dishes at a table of ten and still enjoying instant ramen after dinner, silly performances, and bonding over our lack of freedom, excitement over teaching, and inability to find wi-fi. Though complaints about training week being similar to a prison were not rare, I found that the fact that all 350 of us volunteers were cooped up in one place (and wearing the same thing) allowed us to focus our attention (only when not writing teaching plans of course) on connecting with those around us. I ended up enjoying training week for the reason that I was able to get to know so many people my age from all over, not only within my teaching group but also in our assigned rooms and during meals., whom I most likely would not have met otherwise
When the closing ceremony at the end of the week arrived, everyone was in a rush to say goodbye to the friends they had made so far for the next two weeks, but excitement and anticipation of our lives separately in different areas in Taiwan to come was definitely in the air. The six-hour bus ride to Pingtung gave our eight-person group its first opportunity to really get to know each other, seeing as the prior week had been filled with the distractions of meeting as many people as possible and working out the logistics of teaching. As we drove from one end of Taiwan to another on our huge tour bus with lunchboxes full of cakes in our laps, San Di Elementary’s teaching crew began growing into a family as we told stories about ourselves (that the rest of the group would use to make fun of us in the near future) and requested lyric-less English songs on the karaoke machine despite the fact that the other two groups on our bus were content with singing “Tong Hua” over and over. By the time the bus had dropped the other groups off at their respective schools and we had reached our school in the mountains, we were ready to take on the responsibilities we’d be given as English teachers and as a team, and were beyond excited to say “dava davai”(hello) to 三地門 and make it our home. That night, we were finally introduced to the small village whose closest 7-11 could only be reached by a drive down the mountain, the village that couldn't be any more different from San Francisco(city proper of course) where I'd lived all my life but i nevertheless had been waiting to enter for the past few months.
The following weeks probably required more hard work than anything I’ve ever done, but were also so rewarding. Having drafted teaching plans at Chientan working only with knowledge of our soon to be students’ ages and our wild guesses of their English levels, my teaching partner, Annie, and I returned to Rainbow House at the end of the first day exhausted but in agreement that we had a long night of scrapping our original plans and rewriting lessons that would allow our twelve sixth graders to become comfortable with the English language. From just one day of working with our students, we had learned that we had underestimated their knowledge of basic vocabulary words while overestimating their ability to understand sentence patterns. This discovery, along with the fact that our students’ English levels ranged from having trouble spelling their own name to letting slip that they were “bored to death” with the day’s material caused us to realize that rather than aiming to teach simple but basic conversational English, our goal for the next two weeks was to spark interest in learning a language that could be used as a tool by engaging our kids with topics they would find interesting and relevant to their everyday lives, as well as providing them with a glimpse to what life is like in cultures other than their own.
One of the most memorable days of the entire month for me came on the Thursday of our first weeks teaching. The first half of the week had consisted of Annie and I growing used to being in charge of teaching a class of sixth graders, learning to plan activities to fit into the time allotted for each period, and getting practice improvising activities on the spot when we had ten minutes left before a break. We had taught about music genres, rides at Disneyland, and directions, and on Wednesday evening after dinner at the usual restaurant in the village we started making plans for the next day’s lesson about sports. As our materials came together, something clicked in both of our minds and we grew more and more excited as plans for a day scheduled as an Olympics competition complete with teams and multiple sporting events fell into place. As we came up with idea after idea of activities that our students would both enjoy and learn from, I experienced the rare willingness to put in as much effort as possible that comes when doing something out of passion. Our excitement carried over throughout the next day’s Olympics opening and closing ceremonies and the basketball, volleyball, and bowling events in between, when we came up with our most brilliant idea to date of making medals for the winning team using the fruit roll-ups I had brought – we even skipped our usual lunchtime nap to string the candy into precious gold medals! The day that required the most planning and was consequently the most fun became extrinsically rewarding during our meeting after school, when our supervisor mentioned that our students had left the classroom during lunchtime excited to tell the principal that they were having tons of fun in the classroom that day.
Before we knew it, two weeks of late nights, early mornings, planning for the closing ceremony, making glass beads, learning to accept/growing too tired to deal with the billion bugs that entered our living room after the typhoon, watching movies while combating both the overly air-conditioned room and the Taiwan heat with blankets and ice cream bars, blasting music and turning the living room into a karaoke room, being fortunate enough to participate in an aboriginal harvest festival, watching our students’ dancing and singing performances, wearing headwear made with leaves many times, having our lives saved by coffee on multiple occasions, enjoying our kids’ performances of the songs they had been working on learning for the past to weeks at the closing ceremony, and wrapping our time at 三地國小 with an evening of KTV had passed, and we found ourselves on the roof of Rainbow House. Overlooking Ping Tung and the lights of Kaohsiung twinkling in the night from the building in the mountains that had become our home during the past two weeks, we reflected on how lucky we had been to have such a unique experience filled with growing close as a team and to our amazing military personnel and teaching assistants, as well as with learning about the beautiful culture of the Paiwan tribe. I had learned more in the past few weeks than I ever had in the same amount of time: that though Lori loved being loud and sassy in front of the class she’d suddenly become shy when singing in front of the school’s younger kids too, that Dylan loved being attacked by our assistant Timmy and also loved the song “I’m Yours”, that Kevin could draw a rave scene much better and more accurately than you or I can, that Bob enjoyed calling us “vuvus”, that Corey didn’t like sleeping in his own room because it scared him, that 3rd graders will swarm when a new teacher enters their classroom and will grab your hand with their tiny ones and bombard you with questions, that seating a 6th grade boy next to his crush will keep him quiet during class, that two of our girls lived in the village’s Catholic girls’ home rather than with their biological families, that one of our boys had only recently gotten a social security number, that teachers deserve way more credit than they receive, that planning activities to fill exactly six periods is much more difficult than it sounds, that being a teacher for a class of any size requires so much more responsibility than I’ve ever had just tending to myself, that I had received much more from the kids and the village than I could ever give, that oftentimes hard work is taken for granted, and that having a team to rely on, make fun of, and work and laugh with is much more powerful than I would ever expect.
Though we started off tour week bawling as we said “mali mali” (thank you) and goodbye to our sendoff crew consisting of our two military personnel, four teaching assistants, supervisor, and her son, who had accompanied us to our check-in point in Kaosiung, and despite the fact that it took some time adjusting from being the center of attention in a small village to being just eight other volunteers in a crowd of hundreds, the week proved to be the perfect way for us to wind down after three weeks of hard work and to really focus on growing closer with one another and with the other groups on Bus D. We were able to hear about other groups’ teaching experiences and become friends with our counselors, and also made sure to stay true to our 三地 roots by breaking out into the aboriginal dance we’d learned from our kids and belting out “naruwan!” and “ohaiya!” (just part of our school chant) every once in a while. Bus D definitely grew on me as we overcame obstacles together (going from the least-organized and breaking the rules of tardiness and eating on the bus from day one to being the very first (1st !) group to gather and line up at the train station, and pulling off an inspirational and tear-jerking performance at the talent show after only practicing our songs occasionally while in transit on the bus). But just when we started growing close as a bus, the week was over and we found ourselves saying teary goodbyes in our purple polos once again. After one incredible month of meeting great people from many parts of the world and seeing much more of Taiwan than I would ever expect to in such a short period of time, I can genuinely say that Taiwan, and even the world, are no longer so foreign to me, and that everything I experienced this past July will truly hold a special place in my heart.
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