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Yao, Jason (姚捷森)
Going into AID 2013, I did not know what to expect from the experience. So we go to Taiwan and teach English to kids, and that's it? It was more than I had imagined and hoped. There was so much more to the camp than that.
On the children's faces, you can see fear and lacked confidence in their English skills. They knew the word, but were too afraid to say it. This is where the teachers come in: as teachers, building their confidence was key. Participating in class is how students learn. Slowly we can see them more active in class. I was inspired by the students' eagerness to learn this foreign and difficult language.
Only until now did I feel the pressure and workload of teachers. Every night, my teaching partners and I spent hours to prepare for next day's class. Although it was a lot of work to do, we still had fun and hoped that the students would enjoy it as much as we did.
One of the greatest part of the camp, I felt, was being with the other volunteers during teaching week. Just a few weeks ago we had not met each other, nor knew of each others' existence. In that short time living under the same roof, we bonded together. We would help one another and taught us how to live with others.
AID Summer was well worthwhile. Teaching English to children gave me a sense of helping the local community and hopefully inspiring them to continue their English education. Living with 7 other AID volunteers was a unique experience and friendships were made in that short few weeks. AID Summer is a great camp to join and could possibly help your life.
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Shih, Sabrina (施正庭)
This program has not only allowed me to help children learn about a new language, it has also strengthened my teaching abilities and classroom management skills. More than that, I have grown as a person as I poured all my effort into helping my students learn the maximum amount of information they could in two weeks. Instead of completely focusing on vocabulary and grammar, I tried to impart on my students a love of learning from everything around them.
In my hometown, my Taiwanese and American identities always seemed to kep a safe distance from each other, never fully blending into a cohesive entity. This summer, however, I found the perfect community and opportunity to explore both sides of my identity. I ventured to a rural city in Taiwan with a group of six other Americans and one Canadian to teach English to underprivileged students. My Taiwanese students were curious about my American background, constantly asking me questions and marveling at the differences in the way we grew up. One of my students, Jenny, seemed like she had no interest in learning English at first. Not only did she lack an English name at first, she would merely stare into space during class, her eyes devoid of any sign of comprehension. My co-teacher, Angela, and I would take turns walking around the classroom and giving each student individual attention. During each morning’s phonics block, Angela would conduct basic dictation practice with out students. Being the class with the lowest skill level, we frankly did not expect the students to be able to completely understand each word. However, when it cam to Jenny, we found she could not even associate the phonics sound with the letter. From that moment forward, I utilized my breaks and a handy alphabet chart to review each letter in detail.
“The phonics sound for “s” sounds like a snake,” I would remind her, having her write down the Chinese character for snake next to “s” and acting out the movement. By the end of the two weeks, Jenny had advanced to not only being able to sing “Who Let the Letters Out” with confidence, but also write the full words out in dictation practice. Though many of our tutoring sessions started to test my patience, the experience as a whole was extremely fulfilling. The precious moments when Jenny would tug on my sleeve and beg for more tutoring and when she would use the correct pronounciation on her own make every ounce of energy worthwhile. I can still remember her toothly smile at me and the clap of her hands when she would proudly exclaim, “Thank you teacher!” It turned out her dearth of previous English education prevented her from following the lessons we were teaching. Though it took her a longer period of time to learn the alphabet, her gleeful grin made the entire process meaningful.
Towards the end of the program, her mom approached me and divulged that Jenny worked so hard because she was fascinated by American culture and saw English as the gateway to traveling to America. For the first time, I felt like my American heritage was appreciated and I wanted to share my experiences in America with those who did have the same experiences. Seeing how much of an impact I could make on these children was simply astounding.
My greatest triumph throughout this program was the attitude my students had towards learning English and the positive spirit I hope they continue to have throughout the careers as students, not only about English education, but also about the world around them. Since two weeks could not have been enough time to cover all the material I wish I could, it was enough to spread the impact of enthusiasm in the classroom. When asking my students after the program ended how their summers were after our classes ended, I came across a common response, “It is not as fun as English class.”
The group of AID summer participants and the hosts at Shiuan Shin Elementary School are also people who have made a significant impact on my life, helping me become a better person inside and out. In addition, our teacher, Alan Huang, truly did his best to guide us through the process of learning how to teach and his effort will not be forgotten. This is truly a month I will never forget and I would like to thank all the people who saw the opportunity and made it possible for all of us to engage in such an enriching experience.
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Zhuang, Julia (莊秀捷)
Overall, the AID summer program was an incredible eye-opening experience for me. I hope that it is not too pretentious of me to say that I truly feel more cultured, more worldly, and more in touch with all kinds of people after this month. I learned about the work and planning behind teaching, but perhaps of greater significance, I learned about working with my group mates, roommates, class, and tour bus to achieve something unexpected. Although at first the challenges of teaching English or planning a talent showcase seemed overwhelming in the face of so many differences, I was humbled by how much people offered when the time called for it.
Although I have often been told of life in rural areas, witnessing another lifestyle with unfamiliar values and a unique culture told another, more accurate story.
Interacting with people from halfway around the world has definitely changed me and I think we influenced the students as well.
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Yih, Alice (葉思佳)
I first came to AIDSummer both extremely excited and yet nervous. However, my nervousness quickly subsided when I met my roommates, my future best friends. After the usual introductions, we settled into our room and ended up bonding over a drama that was showing when we turned on the TV and also watched lots of Spongebob. Between training, watching TV, eating, and calling first for showers, the first week pasted by really quickly and before we knew it we were on a private coach bus to our new home: Syuejia Elementary School.
The minute I walked on campus I knew I would love this school. The first thing I saw was a huge stage with my favorite anime characters from One Piece as the background. As I looked around I saw that the school was beautifully and artistically decorated. From statues to paintings to a playground and a track and field, the school was amazing. Many kids were already at school either playing baseball, riding bikes, or just hanging out and they all welcomed us and made me realize how much fun teaching them was going to be.
What I learned from this experience is that being a teacher is hard work. My teammates and I stayed up until two in the morning every night simply preparing for our class the next day. On the other hand, my students were perfect. They were smart, funny, adorable, and the best students I could ever ask for. They always came to school ready and eager to learn and that made all my hard work worth it. I will never forget my twelve students and now I am even friends with all of them on Facebook (even students from other classes) and still message them every now and then. Without them and the memories of flag football and water balloon fights, my experience would not have been so wonderful. I will never stop thanking them for all they have done for me.
My team consisted of eight people. These people became my brothers and sisters in the little amount of time I have known them. We made so many memories during the two weeks of teaching and during tour week that it's impossible to forget about them. To this day I still snapchat Ivy (AKA Koala Monster) and Facebook message every single one of them. We became a family and nothing will ever break us apart.
I am very grateful to have been able to participate in this program. I not only got to come to a country far away from home and learn about its culture, but I also got to make lots of new friends. The relationship between my students, my team, and me is so much stronger than I expected and I will definitely cherish this experience forever.
Thank you so much for the fun times and memories AIDSummer 2013!
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Wang, Cory (王奕鵬)
During the first week of training, I was at first a little overwhelmed by all the rules and regulations that we had to follow, but meeting my teaching partners for the first time and getting to know each other was really fun. Then when we first started teaching, I was at first a little worried about how we were going to teach the students, as they were extremely quiet and did not want to participate in activities. But as we got to know each more, the students participated more and we had a lot of fun learning and playing games together. Overall, it was a good experience to get to meet and know my teaching partners and students, as I had a lot of fun in the end.
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Yang, Sarah (楊家齊)
I am starting this reflection approximately two weeks after leaving AID, and it’s strange to think that the time it has taken me to get over the 12-hour jetlag is approximately the same amount of time I spent running along the beach and singing “oh Mr. Sun” with my class of highly energetic first through third graders. AID is life changing in the sense that it changes your life not only for those two weeks spent teaching, but also for the time after you leave. Taiwan persists in my memory and being, and I suspect it will remain there for a long time.
When my teaching partners and I first arrived at Beigan, our teaching region, we were immediately taken by how beautiful the island was. Having just come from the bustling rush of Taipei, we all instinctively took a deep breath and appreciated the quiet and pure ocean air. Beigan was a small island whose total population was only slightly larger than the number of students that attended my high school. To my amusement, the island community was most likely much closer than my high school. Within my teaching class of seventeen, I had at least 4 students who were biological cousins. The rest, though not connected through family, knew each other from playing in the streets together or going to family stores in the community.
Initially I had worries about how I would fit into the community as an American-born Taiwanese. My Chinese was far from strong and I was virtually illiterate. How would I, a child who had been raised in an American Suburb fit into a community knitted together by generations of friendship and history? However, I quickly found that my worries were unfounded. Our teaching group was adopted into the community almost immediately after our arrival. Naturally there were moments when we garnered chuckles for our “funny American habits,” but all and all we were able to live in Matsu as people rather than tourists.Between the lady who sold us the best dan bing we had ever tasted and the man who showed us his collection of traditional instruments, we were able to form relationships with people that far surpassed the superficial connections typical of vacations.
Of course, the teaching itself was a very rewarding experience. There is an undeniable happiness that swells up within you when everyone successfully learns how to say the days of the week. However, one must also keep the time frame in mind. We as volunteer teachers are entering these children’s lives for two weeks. If we view our teaching as an exchange, what is it that we really want to give from our experience? Yes we could drill vocabulary and sentence structures into them, but they most likely will forget those kinds of things in two weeks time. As a human, I believe there is more that I can offer. Particularly in the case of my class, which was very young, I wanted to give them life skills that would help them farther down the road. Learning how to get along with other students, learning to focus, learning how to study, Learning how to problem solve: these are all lessons that span beyond the scope of english. If I was to leave some form of weak legacy in Matsu, I would want it to be through these ideas rather than how to correctly spell the word “baseball.”
Lastly, I never could have imagined the strength of the relationship I would form with my teaching group. Maybe it was due to fate or chance, but our group of six was the perfect balance of “different enough to stay interesting, but similar enough to get along”. Standing at the edge of our college experiences, we each were going through our own mixtures of nostalgia for the past and hopes for the future. Teaching at Matsu alone would have been life changing enough, but doing so together colored our experience in a special way. Our friendship was defined by sharing. We shared food, tea, beds, first typhoon experiences, worries about the future, stories from the past, jokes, dance moves, teaching plans, fashion advice, and so much more. When we were with our teaching mentors we acted like responsible young adults. When we were teaching we acted like grown ups. But, when we were with each other we could act however we felt. Sometimes we were children imitating statues, and sometimes we were young adults contemplating the universe. We were somewhere between childlike and mature, and that was ok. I would do anything for these people, and I say that with the most certainty I can possibly offer as an eighteen-year-old student. They have changed the way I see myself and the way I think, and for that I am forever grateful. I finish this reflection approximately two months after leaving them in Taiwan, and even now I still see us as close. We are no longer in Matsu living together, but that has not shaken our bond. Our friendship is changing, because change is inevitable when something lasts over the course of the lifetime. So, though I may now be an AID alumnus, I will be a member of #TEAMWAHSAIWIFI for life.
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Chen, Christopher (陳聖康)
The AID program was an amazing opportunity. Students saw how different drastically different education is for disadvantaged children. Many of the volunteers will never have the opportunity to teach a real class again using their own lesson plans, approaches, and ideas. But these small opportunities did not compare to the true component of this entire summer: learning.
Learning did not start, nor did it stop. From the moment we dressed ourselves in purple to the moment we gave up our room keys, learning never started; there was no beginning because of its ubiquitous nature. But it is certain that our learning reached unprecedented heights in the course of our teaching period. To teach is to learn. This principle was reinforced when we taught a group of children who were different. Differences helped us understand what it meant to be human. What it meant to help others. It helped me remember how I felt when I was a child in elementary school. The multitude of perspectives showed what teaching truly was. Every improvisational skill was exhibited for the sake of young, curious children. As different as we were, we felt the connections of childhood and innocence. It was a unique, refreshing, and unforgettable experience.
Chris Chen
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Sun, Stephanie (孫華君)
Prior to the program, I had no idea what to expect at all. I had never been away from home for such a long period of time and so far away from home by myself. However, this program has given me so many unforgettable memories and is honestly one of the best experiences in my life.
The first week at Chientan was pretty tiring. As I was still recovering from jet lag, I got tired quickly. However, by the end of the week, I was fully back to normal. The first week was filled with classes but it was still enjoyable. Our table teacher was really nice and tried to help us with our tasks during lessons.
For the next two weeks I was sent to Shiuan Shin Elementary School in Chiayi City. These two weeks were probably the most memorable part of the entire program. I loved it there so much and I think it was what made the program so enjoyable to me. We all bonded so quickly and our hosts (Andy and Jessie) were the best anyone could ever ask for! I am so thankful for them and I could not imagine the experience without them. It just wouldn't be the same. The principal and administrators in the school were also extremely kind and friendly, and always looked after us. They provided everything we could possibly need for teaching as well as for the apartment. They took such great care of us and took us to experience so many different places as well as eat lots of good food!
Teaching was also such a memorable experience as I had never taught formally before. In the school, the students were split into four classes based on their English proficiency. My teaching partner and I taught the highest level class in which the students were mainly of ages 10 to 12. There were 12 students in my class, which was a really nice sized class, as we were able to get to know each student. While it was challenging, the children were so cute, friendly, and fun to work with. We had to make many changes to our original teaching plans as we had not anticipated for the students to be so advanced in English. While this was a challenge, it was also a pleasant surprise.
Eight of us lived in an apartment and I felt so lucky as we had such accommodations, including air conditioning! Because we all lived in an apartment together, I feel like we bonded much easier, as we were with each other 24/7. I actually really liked the arrangements. I was so sad to leave because there were just so many amazing memories and experiences. There was never a single boring moment, and every day was filled with laughter and excitement. When the two weeks were over, we were all so sad to leave. The students were so sweet and I did not want to leave them. During the closing ceremony at the school, many tears were shed, by us and the children, and my heart hurt to leave. I wished we could stay for so much longer. I didn't want to leave all the amazing people and memories behind and I didn't want for it all to end.
Tour week was also fun and our bus counselors were the best, as they made the experience much more enjoyable as well. As we visited many sites, it was quite tiring but still fun nevertheless.
This has been the most memorable summer of my life and I am honestly so lucky to have been sent to Shiuan Shin Elementary School with such an amazing teaching group, as it is filled with such kind people and wonderful students. I could not have asked for a better teaching group. While we were all different in our own way, our differences were what made us get along so well and bond so quickly. I am so glad I was accepted and decided to go through this program. I have no regrets at all about attending AID Summer Program 2013. I've made such amazing friends, met so many people, and it was just such a rewarding experience. I honestly could not imagine my summer or life anymore without this program.
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Dai, Kelly (戴李娜)
This summer was one of the most special periods of time in my life for several reasons. First, and this is probably the most common thing you'll read among these reflections, I met new people that are now among my closest friends. Second, I've experienced what it's like to live on my own without the constant care of my parents. Lastly, I've had the wonderful chance to teach the sweetest, cutest elementary students I have ever laid eyes on. The program itself is really great -- everything is pretty much covered except for the airplane ticket, and souvenirs/snacks. Honestly, it was a great 4 weeks. The first week was a bit strenuous, what with the jet lag combined with the gruesome Asian learning style. But after we got that over with, there was the night at Shilin which was a great way to really bond with your teaching partners. Then we were bussed off to our own separate schools. The next two weeks was really the start of where inside jokes are created, drama goes down, and friendships develop. The kids are sweet and your learn a lot about being a teacher, and perhaps how to deal with your upcoming teachers if you're like me and still in high school. Tour week, though, was when I felt like I made the deepest bonds with my teaching partners. Although the tour itself wasn't much glitz and glamor (we visited two train stations, a paper fan making factory, and a well), riding the tour bus and spending literally 24 hours together without any form of stress made us grow into really great friends. This reflection sounds really repetitive, but I can't stress enough how much I love and miss my teaching partners. The last few days when we returned to Jiantan were very bittersweet, as they were our last moments together. I'll never forget the Farewell Ceremony, where we were singing together and crying our eyes out. All in all, this was a great program and certainly would never trade the experience for anything else.
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Jao, Charline (饒曉凝)
How much can a child really learn in two weeks? Very little, and when teaching a language most will forget in about a month vocabulary words and sentence structures. Of the large group of students, I wish that at the very least a small minority has developed a greater interest towards English and will work harder at it in the future. Going into AID teaching, this is the best goal I believe. I had a lot of frustrating moments with the process of teaching and working. Even so, I am still happy with what I accomplished in this little time. AID is just as much about the volunteers as it is the school, if not more. I felt that I gained much more than I contributed. While I wish that this was not the case, I am thankful to have been a part of AID 2013 alongside so many wonderful people.
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Cheng, Charley (程兆偉)
I have been to Taiwan several times before to visit my relatives and enjoy my time during summer break. I expected this summer to not be that much different. However, my experience participating in the AID program turned out to be a truly unique and unforgettable journey. I have never taught children in a classroom setting before and wanted to gain some firsthand experience. When I received the notification that I was accepted to the program, I was very excited and looked forward to the opportunity to teach elementary school students. At the same time, I had a lot of questions in mind such as how to be more effective at teaching and how to handle various incidents that may appear. Fortunately, a lot of my questions were answered during training week. The lectures and workshops provided me with new ideas on how to both teach and manage the class. Teaching strategies were also addressed by various lecturers.
When the program started, I did not know how to prepare for it. I wondered what teaching English to children in a foreign country would entail. By the end of the program, I had a much better understanding of the structure and techniques of teaching. For example, I realized that incorporating games into the teaching plans was an effective way for students to learn vocabulary in a fun way. I realized that utilizing alternative methods to rote memorization can be just as effective if not better. If a game involved two teams taking turns matching flashcards of vocabulary words to their images, the understanding of the meaning of a word could be facilitated through viewing images rather than using more words to explain it. Overall, developing and implementing a variety of games was a highly effective way for our students to have fun and learn at the same time.
Although I learned a lot during training week, it was not possible to be fully prepared. What if I made a mistake while teaching? How could I engage students that were more reserved into participating more? There were some students who were much more active in class. The pace of the teaching was pretty fast. We ran ahead of schedule and had to come up with more activities and material to do. The class was rowdy at times. But the energy that everyone put into learning and having fun helped make the two weeks of teaching really enjoyable. During each night, I reflected on how everything occurred so quickly. The program soon winded down. For the closing ceremony, my class sang and danced to “Life’s A Happy Song.” Watching them perform made me very pleased. I wished I could have stayed longer and teach them more. The duration of the program was too short but I learned more in two weeks than I could have ever learned in the same amount of time.
The tour week was replete with activities. I was exposed to different forms of Taiwanese culture while going to museums and exhibitions. I am glad I visited some scenic areas that I never heard of before. The mountains and sea in the national parks were just purely breathtaking to view. Going to night markets was a truly unique experience as I got to taste foods that were native to Taiwan. By the end of the tour week and AID program, I had not expected to be overcome with emotions of a desire to relive everything that had occurred throughout the month. My summer in Taiwan was a memorable one. But it was even more special due to the amazing people I met and worked with. Even though we have known each other for only a couple of weeks, it feels like we have been through so much together. I gladly cherish the fond memories that I will never forget of my journey.
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Chen, Emily (陳庭莉)
I was initially nervous to be spending four weeks at AID; I had never been away from home for so long, let alone in a place that was 16 hours away by plane. I had visited Taiwan a few times in the past because most of relatives live here, so it was slightly comforting that they would be able to help if I needed anything. However, I soon realized that I had had no reason to worry. When I first opened the door to room 1505 at Chientan, I was greeted by 2 other friendly roommates who were excited to meet me. By the time all 6 of us were there, we instantly clicked and became extremely close friends up until the very last day. Even during the two teaching weeks, we Skyped during lunch breaks to laugh about funny stories from class and brag how cute the students were. One of my roommates was actually on the same flight with me back to NYC, and it was so upsetting to say our final goodbyes at JFK.
Although at the time the long lectures seemed endless, they were actually extremely useful during the teaching weeks. We used many of the tips the teachers provided, like speaking very slowly and keeping games rules simple. In addition, those nights at the school when we could not think of a new way to review a lesson, we pulled out our notes from the first week to brainstorm ideas. My first teaching experience was when each group had to act out a game on stage. I went on stage with my group mate, Allan, and read Brown Bear, Brown Bear and played the hammer game. Although it did not work out as well as we had planned, we all learned a lot from the experience. The first night, I remember first gathering into our teaching groups to meet our teacher and feeling very awkward. But from planning the opening ceremony to celebrating Wen-Chiao’s birthday to sitting at lectures together to going to Shilin, we slowly became much more familiar with each other. When we boarded the bus that Friday to drive to Bali Guo Xiao in Taoyuan, we were not exactly sure what to expect, but were very excited for the adventures awaiting us.
I taught the B Class, Bears, with 2 other group members, and we had 2 teaching aids. The kids were really shy on the first day, even with the icebreakers; they were hesitant to raise their hands and speak in English. Also, we found that the pre-test we had written was way too difficult for their level. Many of them were overwhelmed and some just gave up. Because most of them had trouble with reading, speaking, and spelling, we had to modify a lot of our teaching plans so we could go over more basic topics. Our theme was animals, so we focused each day on animals that lived in a specific habitat and left the afternoon for reviews and introducing American culture. We taught animal vocabulary through a PowerPoint, and the SmartBoard was a really big help. On Thursday, we went to the Taipei Zoo, where the students were able to see the animals they had learned in class and connect the English words with the actual animal. On Friday, we gave a quiz and were happy to see that they had improved a lot with recognizing the names of the animals. However, we still found that they did not understand phonics. For example, if they saw a word that they did not know, they could not even try to pronounce it. Similarly, if they had to spell a word, they could not attempt to spell it out. We tried teaching some basic roots that are seen in many English words, but I am sure it is something they will improve on in the future. The kids were all very hard working and paid attention in class, but they were very hesitant to speak in English. If we wanted them to repeat things after us, it would usually come out as a whisper because they were not confident with their abilities. Looking back, I think my teaching partners and I should have spoken even more English during class. The first few days, we found the children would not pay attention when we spoke in English because they could not understand, so we just became more used to speaking in Chinese most of the time. Maybe if we had spoken more English when teaching, they would have been able to pick up some more phrases just by hearing us repeat it so often.
The next week we started preparing for the closing ceremony, which comprised of our chain link project presentation, the bear chant, the Old Lady story, and Lemon Tree dance. It was frustrating at times because the kids would get tired of constantly rehearsing, but I was so proud of all of them after the performance. They had worked so hard to memorize everything, and they all spoke the story very loudly. Overall, we were very upset when we had to leave because everyone at Bali had treated us like a family. We had gotten to know all of the students so well and were inspired by their dedication to learn English. I remember there was one student who always came up to ask me about English questions during the breaks, and she said she wanted to learn English so one day she could travel to Canada. When we were taking lunch breaks, they would be cleaning the classrooms, sweeping outside, picking seeds out of guavas, and serving lunch. Many students would even come to our house to play with us after school, and some would wake up earlier in the morning so they could walk with us to school.
From the very first day that we arrived in Taoyan, every one of the teachers and TA’s at the school was so inviting and accommodating to whatever we needed. Once when they overheard us talking about how we missed McDonald’s, they came in the next morning with breakfast from McDonald’s. During the typhoon, they were constantly concerned, checking up on us, and provided us with so much food. In addition, the counselors who were with us during the first week and tour week were so dedicated to keeping us safe and making sure we were having a good time. I am so grateful to have had this wonderful experience in Taiwan. I have learned so much more about the people, culture, and language of Taiwan, and most importantly, I have made so many new friends who I hope I will be able to keep in touch with for many more years to come.
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Chen, Valerie (陳紘盈)
AID gave me the opportunity to experience something I never thought possible: to be a part of a village largely untouched by materialism. The community I found in Matsu was one that, looking back, I suppose I had wished for as a kid. It was a place where parents were at ease with their children roaming the streets until dark, where neighbors knew each other far more intimately than merely by name, and where people learned to be content with the few things that were there.
The first thing that struck me about the school was how beautiful it was, overlooking the ocean. The second was how the teachers who worked there knew every single student’s family and background. Indeed, they paid so much attention that no change in height or belly size went unnoticed. The first few days of teaching were pretty rough, one because we were still gauging the students’ English abilities and how they learned, and two because six periods is a whole lot longer than we’d thought. We quickly realized that the lesson plans we came up with at Chientan weren’t going to cover two weeks of continuous class time, so we began to devote entire evenings to rewriting the next day’s lesson plan in painstaking detail. Though nearly as much time was spent planning lessons as was spent teaching, it made classes go far more smoothly and less panicky.
We were told from the start that our goal was to make the kids excited about English, as opposed to transforming them in James Joyces in two weeks. As promised, our biggest challenge was overcoming the general apathy that the students had toward learning English. They were willing to memorize vocabulary, and they participated (albeit sometimes reluctantly) in our class dialogues and sentence structure lessons, but what they lacked was an understanding of why they were bothering to do this. After all, as one student told me, he was Taiwanese and planned on staying in Taiwan. My partner and I decided to put together a series of presentations of life in America so they might get a small glimpse that there was something worthwhile outside of what they regularly saw. Hopefully, somewhere amid the fountains and foods and festivals, our kids gained a bit of insight toward life outside of Matsu.
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Chang, Roselynn (張嫚玲)
Have people seen the breathtaking panorama of the illuminating sun just gingerly touching the horizon of the ocean...but just experiencing it on the other side of the world from home? I reminisced back to my summer experience while watching the sunset at Yong An Yu Gang in Taiwan. It was beautiful. It was my actualization. It was my journey. Who knew that during one month of summer someone could learn, realize, and change so much. Well, that moment was my moment. Because as I stood on the boardwalk looking across the ocean, I realized that it was not the beauty of the horizon of the sunset, but the journey to it.
It was the summer of 2013.
"59, 60, 61 mosquito bites?!" my friend complained to me as she pointed to the swollen holes on her arms and legs. Thankfully my flesh does not taste as delicious, so I giggled at her as we walked down the highway to Ba Li Elementary School. That day was not only 96 degrees but also the last day of teaching English to our Taiwanese students. This summer, I flew half way around the world to not only teach them the rudiments of English but to also inspire them to educate themselves on the different languages and cultures around the world: inspire them to learn more, inspire them to keep an open mind, inspire them to be curious. Most of my third grade students want to visit America one day, but they are scared to because of their English skills. To give them hope and a vision, for two weeks, I encouraged them to learn as much as they could from this summer camp. I told them to work hard, study hard, and be courageous. From then on, I watched my students refuse to go on breaks because they wanted to finish an assignment. I watched my students practice English during recess instead of playing dodge ball. I watched my students help other students who were struggling with the material. I watched them grow and mature. Whether they were scrubbing bathroom toilets, serving lunches to classmates and teachers, or working hard to grasp the rudiments of the language in the classroom, their hard work sincerely touched my heart.
As I watched my intermediate class perform the “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a fly” skit and read their “I learned how to” slips in their second language during the closing ceremony, I felt simply happy and proud. It was that warm feeling inside when I realized that I gave the gift of a second language to children who would be able to apply that knowledge in the future. I was proud that they had the courage to perform in front of their classmates and step out from their comfort zone. It was everything about those two weeks of laughter and tears that made this summer an “once in a life time” experience. I hope I touched their hearts, because they sincerely touched mine as we cried and hugged on the last day. Although they are on the other side of the world right now, I will welcome them with warm arms when they find me in America, whether it takes 10 years, 20 years, or 30 years.
On the last night of the AID program, we all received an 80 hour certificate for our service to the beautiful island of Taiwan. As I looked at the certificate, I realized that all my memories, my friendships, and my experiences were buried deep inside this thick piece of laminated paper. It wasn’t the beauty of the paper itself but the journey to receiving it over the course of two months. It wasn’t the beauty of the horizon but the journey to it. As the taxi drove away from the Chientan Activity Center with my luggage and memories on the last day, I looked back through the windows and thought to myself, “I guess the slogan of Taiwan “Touch your heart” is true after all.”
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Huang, Ivy (黃婷)
Coming into the program, I was apprehensive and wary for what the next 4 weeks would come to behold. I had registered solely because my sister had done it last year, but I couldn't help but go in thinking I'd have to waste away half my summer in Taiwan. It wasn't a waste. It out blew my expectations completely.
The first week was probably the worst out of the four (not that it was bad). It was like going to a new school: I had to make new friends. I remember thinking that I could barely remember anyone's name, but soon that changed. The boring lectures helped us bond. We complained together. We ran up those four flights of stairs together. We slacked off together. We ate those family style meals together. We chomped on ritz crackers with cheese and drank the heavenly supau together (the garbage can was filled with supau bottles when we left chientan). To this day, I still remember the beds at Chientan. Though somewhat small, it appeared adequate, but proved far better (If I knew where to buy that bed in America, I would switch out my own mattress immediately). So if you join, enjoy the living arrangements you get as Chientan, because chances are, the living arrangements won't be as good as where your school is.
At Syuejia Elementary, we lived in the library. The shower wasn't connected to the room (like at Chientan), the school was open to everyone (so creepy men were still exercising on the track at 10pm), colonies of ants invaded our rooms after the typhoons, and there was even a break in. So, all I can say is, I hope your year it won't be as bad. But all the strange occurrences only brought our group of 8 closer.
Teaching wasn't my favorite thing out of the whole camp; honestly, the best part was the people. For me, teaching was somewhat arduous, having to make powerpoints each night, and be befuddled by what to put there (especially when the teaching curriculum said tomorrow the kids were supposed to learn about harry potter). Teaching didn't always go as planned. By the end of the first week, I was confused as to why anyone would want to become a teacher. By the end of the second though, I realized that while my kids weren't the most obedient, you kind of just learn to love them for who they are (at least most of them).
Stay for tour week. You get to journey around Taiwan for free, and it's pretty fun when you're surrounded by your friends the whole time. It was this week that my mind would keep flashing back to when camp was over, because there's just so much to remember from this week, whether it was chilling at the amusement park, or painfully and slowly dying while climbing a stupid mountain for two hours.
I can't say I would attend again, because the people would be entirely different, but I can say that if you've never attended this program before, and isn't very enthused about it (like my former self), give it a shot. 28 days turns out to be really short, and a time when you become extremely productive. The only thing I can say I occasionally disliked about the program, was the numerous (I consider two alot) talent shows we had to put on (especially since I lack talent, especially in dancing).
Returning to America after this program only brought a sense of loneliness; after all, for 28 days, I was surrounded by seven people, every hour of the day. All I can say is, this summer, I've met some of the best people ever, and though some of them happen to be on the other side of America, I plan on seeing them soon.
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Liang, Jennifer (梁珍妮)
Being a part of AID 2013 was by far one of the best experiences of my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had and will never forget the incredible memories I made. My two weeks teaching were extremely difficult at first. I had no idea where to start or how to effectively teach these children. I want to be a teacher when I grow up so this was very disheartening. As the days passed though, I got to know my students better and I learned how to adjust my lesson plans and attitude to suit the atmosphere of my classroom. It was definitely a challenge, but it is something I will never forget. I worked harder during my two weeks teaching than I did my entire freshman year of college. However, I have never felt so accomplished or proud of myself after those two-weeks. I grew to love every single one of my students and I miss them dearly. When I first applied for AID, I thought that I would be doing all the teaching, but I have learned just as much, if not more, from my students. After going through this program, I know for a fact that I still want to be a teacher and I cannot wait for what the future brings.
I did not do this program alone though. I had the best teaching group I could have possibly asked for. The friends I made on this trip became my family for a month. I know it sounds cliché and everyone else has probably said the exact same thing, but I honestly cannot express my love and gratitude for the members in my group. I know I would never have met these people unless I joined AID. I will be eternally grateful for AID and the wonderful experience they gave me.
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Kwong, Delilah (鄺素玲)
I landed in Taiwan on the morning of Saturday, June 29, 2013, with no expectations about AID Summer, except that I should have fun. Boy, I was in for a surprise. What I originally thought was an excuse for me to travel abroad solo turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. During those four weeks in Taiwan, I can say with confidence that I grew up and learned much more than I have during all four years of my time in college.
Diversity and teamwork: those are the top two words I hear whenever I attend professional business networking events in college. In business management class, I learned that diversity are characteristics or attributes that make an individual unique. While most people think of race when the term ‘diversity’ is brought up, it can refer to anything, from geographic location to hair color to even personality. As for teamwork? It’s an acquired skill that people learn from being stuck working in the same group as other nasty group members, whether it be an assignment or a voluntary team competition. It has been engrained in my mind that these two qualities are very important. As a result, I learned to understand their importance, but I never learned to truly value them – until this summer.
Like many other AID volunteers, I was unhappy with having to wear my purple polo shirts for the majority of my time in Taiwan. Not that I minded the color purple, but having to wear the same exact color shirt as 300 other people for an entire week in Chien Tan? I felt stripped of my identity, my uniqueness. I thought, “How else would I be able to express myself as a unique individual if I had to wear the same outfit for an entire week?” It turns out that there were many ways that I could do so. After being sent off to our school, Shuangyuan Junior High, my teaching group and I had almost an entire weekend to ourselves. Accompanied by Mr. Wu, our director, we explored the neighborhood surrounding Shuangyuan Junior High, clothed in our own casual outfits. It was at that moment that I realized that I never saw my teaching group in their own clothes before. After complimenting each other on our unique styles, Goldie mentioned that she was glad we wore our purple polo shirts because we would have made judgments about each other based on our clothes otherwise. She had a great point that I vehemently agreed with. For that entire training week, I was able to get to know my teaching group sans outfit judgment. That’s when I realized how individual and unique we are, in terms of our personalities and characteristics. That’s when I truly understood that diversity ran deeper than just expressing ourselves in our clothes.
When I network with accounting professionals, they stress to me the importance of teamwork, especially with their co-workers, because they become very close from working together for an extended period of time. I never truly understood them, because that type of experience never previously happened to me. Well, it did this summer. Never in my entire life did I imagine I would be so close with a group of 5 other girls, in just one month! I have to admit, I thought I was close to my college friends because we spent four years hanging out, doing homework in the library, eating meals, and going out to bars together. The bonds I made with my teaching group ran deeper than that. We trained together, worked together, ate together, and even slept together. It’s basically like college life with these two girls. I keep trying to figure out what the difference between my teaching group and my college friends is, but I can’t find an answer. Maybe we just had really good team chemistry. All I can say is, the bond I have to them and our experiences together is strong, firm, unbreakable. Never have I worked so well with another group of people before. Now, I truly understand why it’s so important to have great teamwork, because if you’re in a team like my teaching group, you can form a bond that I am confident can last a lifetime.
As fall is quickly approaching and I yearn for the warmth of the Taiwanese summer sun, many sentiments course through me. While a part of me still is extremely nostalgic wishes I was back in Taiwan with my teaching group, another part of me is very happy that I experienced this unique, enriching, and rewarding opportunity. They say that you only get out what you put into something. I put my all into AID Summer. And I gained from experience so much from it than I ever imagined was possible.
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Yin, Hsinyo (尹心佑)
I was uncertain at first about spending an entire month in a foreign country and teaching English in front of a classroom full of eleven-year-olds, who were probably more eager to speak Taiwanese, a language I barely understand, than English. I had no teaching experiences or any pleasant experiences with children for that matter. Still, a decision had to be made, and considering the fact that I had not done anything purposeful really in my life, I decided to join the program.
The first week was, in my opinion, tedious. The only thing great was the fact that we stayed in Chientan (They had really comfy blankets and fluffy pillows and the mattress was beyond amazing).
The next two weeks at our teaching school were not as comfortable for we had to sleep on a bamboo mat and use sleeping bags as our blankets. For the first few days, teaching seemed pretty entertaining and I felt, for the first time, useful to society. I was lucky to have an obedient class, though sometimes the lack of response can get frustrating. Still, I thought to myself how two weeks was not long enough. Yet, as the teaching days progressed, the students, who were feeling less estranged with the teachers, became a bit rowdy and overly attached to us. At one point, it was impossible to tell my students to leave me alone during recess. Don't get me wrong, my students are adorable and I enjoy being with them, but things usually do not go as planned, so recess gives me some time to make changes such as fixing powerpoints because the lesson I prepared was too difficult or too easy for them. I enjoy teaching my students as much as spending time with them during and after school, but now I feel that two weeks of teaching is enough because after two weeks, I am physically and mentally exhausted.
To me, the last week of tour was tedious like the first week and exhausting like the two weeks of teaching. Also, I felt that the time given to spend with the people in our group was not enough. First of all, when each of us were assigned rooms, sometimes, the group will get split up. Second of all, though the entire group is together during the tour, most of the time, we're either sleeping on the bus from lack of sleep for the past three weeks or trying to catch our breath from the enervating two-hour mountain climb. Still, I met some awesome, considerate counselors and other people outside of my group thanks to the tour.
In essence, I think joining this program is by far one of the best decisions I have made, which does not happen very often. Through this program, I have done many things I would normally never do like singing in public, dancing, or laundry. Also, I appreciate my teachers more as I can now relate and understand more how they feel or have to put up with.
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Chen, Austin (陳煦康)
Attending the AID summer program this past year was an experience that I will never forget. It was undoubtedly one of the most unique things I have ever tried, and will continue to be unparalleled by any other camp. Living with friends for a month and having relative freedom was an amazing experience in and of itself. Teaching the kids was also something that I could never done anywhere else. I am grateful for the opportunity that was given to me and find it an overall positive experience.
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Tan, Anne (譚慧琨)
AID Summer was an amazing opportunity that I definitely do not regret. What started out as a normal overseas program for the summer ended with precious memories, unbreakable friendships, and eye-opening experiences I wouldn’t trade for the world.
I was stunned when I got the acceptance letter. I was plagued with excitement and uncertainty about my situation. Coming from a Chinese family that barely spoke Cantonese and English at home, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to communicate with the teachers and children. It didn’t help that this was the first time I’ve been to Taiwan. My mind was filled with various scenarios that unfortunately did not usually end with happy endings.
However, I’m glad that I was able to experience Taiwan for the first time with AID Summer. Through AID I was able to experience the culture and interact with the people a lot more. Unlike a regular vacation filled with glamour and tourist attractions, I was given the opportunity to actually experience Taiwan. Not only was I able to see a lot of the famed landmarks, but I was also able to witness the farm lands and warm hearts of the people in Taiwan.
Arriving at Chientan, it was almost impossible not to make friends with so many people to meet. My roommates were awesome people that I just seemed to click with. The lectures, no matter how long and endless they may seem, were pretty interesting and very helpful when it came time to teach.
My favorite part of AID would have to be the two weeks of teaching. I was assigned to Bali Primary School in Tao Yuan along with seven amazing people. By the end of the program a family was formed. Being stuck with the same people 24/7 for two weeks may seem like the plot of a variety show gone wrong, but I’m glad I got to live and teach with these people. I’ve said this a million times, but I still mean it every time I say it. I love you guys!
The teachers at Bali were exceptionally friendly and thoughtful. They constantly went out of their way to make sure we were safe, comfortable, and happy.The kids at Bali were just as incredible. Sure there were times where my teaching partner and I wanted to break down and cry, but we understood that the kids were just being kids and that we couldn’t expect them to listen and learn all the time. The kids were very hard working.Seeing how much they had improved by the end of the two weeks made all the late nights and frustrating moments worth it.
I want to thank AID Summer and all those involved in the program for giving me such a wonderful opportunity. I want to thank the counselors for always supporting us, the teachers at Bali for treating us like family, our neighbors at Bali for always watching out for us, the TAs for making sure we survived the two weeks while being fun people, the kids for bringing joy into learning and teaching, my roommates for making nights filled with laughter and craziness, and my teaching mates for being such great friends. This summer in Taiwan made me fall back in love with life.
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Lin, Reginald (林詮傑 )
Initially, when the time to apply for AID came around, I was reluctant to even apply. I mostly applied because I had nothing lined up for the summer, and my mentality was that I could always apply and just not go.
Even when I was accepted into the program, I was still reluctant. Not because going back to Taiwan for the first time in 5 years was not enticing, but because of my laziness. I wanted to just sit around and just relax; I thought my summer would be better spent lying around waiting for my first year in college to finally roll around. However, having spent more than a month in Taiwan, I'm glad I did not listen to myself.
Going to, and teaching English, in Taiwan was an incredible experience. I didn't have much experience teaching, much less teaching a large group of little kids who didn't speak English. While I appreciated the experience of teaching in a foreign country, I do have to admit that teaching is exhausting. We only had to teach for two weeks; I can't imagine how full-time teachers do it. But teaching a class of my own also gave me valuable time with little kids. I learned how kids interact with each other, how to keep them in line, what makes each kid so different from the next, and so much more. They're Taiwanese kids, but the lessons I've learned I've already begun to apply back here in the states.
Just returning to Taiwan and visiting the various sights was a worthwhile trip. In Taoyuan, the scenery was breathtaking and we visited places that were too remote for the casual tourist to ever visit. A lot of the kids we taught we were also of aboriginal descent, so we participated in cultural activities, which were also really fun. The tour accentuated this re-immersion, however brief, into Taiwanese culture. I had actually been to several of the provinces in Taiwan before, but the tour brought us to many more than I would have ever visited on my own. From Pintung to Taipei, I was time and time again in awe of what Taiwan keeps from the rest of the world.
I wouldn't trade my time in Taiwan for anything else, and I hope I can come back again next year.
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Yuan, Jessica (袁友林)
AID honestly made this summer one of the best I've ever had. I didn't really know what to expect of the program or the group I was assigned to. All I really knew is that we were being sent to an island called Matsu, in which all my relatives only knew as a place soldiers get recruited. I didn't realize that 4 weeks later, us 5 would become a family. There was only one 7-11 and we cherished the daily trips we went on there after dinner. Dinner was one of 3 restaurants and we had a blast trying to go through the entire menu each night. Our backyard was paradise, set on a beautiful, untouched beach, and we cherished even the typhoon nights where we locked ourselves in the office and watched movies in the cubicles, battled mice, and squished ourselves in one cubicle space to sleep. My partner and I chose the youngest group of kids, and it was definitely a lot more difficult than we thought it'd be. The first few days, we actually fell asleep straight on the desks after class was over; it was exhausting. But we soon got used to the amount of energy we needed and the games necessary to keep them captivated. They're a really great group of kids, and we became attached to them easily. They had hitting problems, bullying issues, and crying necessities, but I feel like at the end, when they kissed us all goodbye and told us they would miss us, we had made somewhat of a difference. This was definitely an experience I'll never forget.
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Chen, Jonathan (陳懷生)
陳懷生，謝謝您們，過了一個美好的暑假。
I'm sad that AID is over, but am grateful for the opportunity to laugh, learn, and travel with some of the best friends ever. From the beginning of the program, I knew that I was going to make unbelievable bonds with other people. My roommates during the training week have become my closest friends that I will sincerely miss when we all leave. Moments such as playing cards till whenever to walking together downstairs to workshops and meal time are ones that I will cherish forever.
Since the program ended, I have constantly reflected back on the program and honestly wished it was at least a week longer. Just the atmosphere and environment that was created among the people are irreplaceable things that I will be truly miss. After 4 weeks together, I would also like to take the time to say thank you to the counselors and teachers. They all made the program that much more fun. Not only did they help us plan our teaching plans, but also were there to celebrate and laugh together. They all were amazing counselors, but even more amazing friends.
From this program, I learned that teaching English truly may be difficult at times, but honestly would never trade up the opportunity. July 2013 will definitely be remembered forever as the best month spent in my life. In all, I'm crying in the inside while writing this, but hope to participate in AID again next year. Hopefully, the friendships that I made this month will last forever. Again, all I can say is thank-you.
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Pan, Gordon (潘宇聲)
Post-Reflection of AID Experience
Being a part of the 2013 AID Volunteer Experience has been very rewarding right from the beginning. Starting from June 30, when I arrived at the Jiantan Youth Activity Center, I was prepared for the experience of a lifetime in teaching English to the kids in rural Taiwan. The classes held during the first week of class were very informative in terms of understanding the curriculum that the kids receive in the rural parts of Taiwan. In addition, I had fun with interacting amongst the other volunteers in terms of receiving ideas as to teach the kids effectively as well as making teaching enjoyable to all of the kids in the class. It was also great to learn more about where the volunteers came from and their future ambitions after the program is over.
When it came time to depart for Lishan Elementary/Middle School, the school that I will be teaching at, I looked forward to meeting the various assistants and students to whom I will be working and interacting with. Next to the beautiful weather that we had during the two weeks of teaching (cool temperatures and no mosquitoes!), managing my class and teaching the kids went by fairly well, although there were some students that were misbehaving in a way to interrupt the class. My assistant and I were able to use the appropriate disciplinary actions in handling these kids when it was needed by calling on the officials or resolving the issues by ourselves through speaking to the kids individually. Working together with the other volunteers in my group proved to be very crucial, especially in finding additional ideas to teach the kids English if we were completed with the course materials for the day. It was also cool to feel the force of Typhoon Soulik coming through Taiwan as the first week of teaching came to a close. As the second week of classes began, my group mates and I slowly became more and more adapted in teaching the kids as well as understanding each and everyone of them at a personal level. The kids themselves also got to know us more throughout the week as we taught them their classes. While there were some kids who had trouble in learning about the course materials presented to them, there were others who were very brilliant and were ready to learn. I am hopeful that in the future, these kids will be able to use their English amongst their peers and hopefully, teach it to their family members. When the last day came, we said our farewells to our students and prepared for our week long trip to the South.
Departing from Taichung on July 19 was the beginning of a wonderful week long trip to Southern Taiwan. Our visit to Kenting on the first day proved to be very enjoyable, notably our visit to the Kenting Night Market at night, where we were able to experience all of the great foods provided there. The visit to Nantou county was my favorite, as it brought back personal memories of visiting the area back in December of 2012. Riding up the gondola at the Formosa Aboriginal Village along with re-visiting the paper factory was very enjoyable in terms of seeing the view from the gondola and making our own paper fans at the paper factory. Although the weather was very hot throughout the entire trip along with dealing with a number of delays, no one complained. Everyone had fun for the entire week. To sum it up, being a part of the 2013 AID experience proved to be a great experience for the summer of 2013. I look forward to being a part of the AID Summer Volunteering in the near future.
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Liu, David (劉呈望)
Wow! The Taiwan trip was absolutely amazing! I met wonderful people, worked with great, positive, and friendly teachers, and experienced so much of Taiwan that even my parents admitted they hadn't gone to as many places even though they were born in Taiwan. The enthusiasm, openness, and dedication of the group leaders also made the touring week even more enjoyable!
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Ho, David (何定華)
After going to a program in China to teach English I did except such an exceptional program. The most amazing part of the program was not the individuals but the group as a whole. Everyone was friendly and accepting of one another. Everyone bonded together in their respective groups and it was a great experience. What surprised me and what I really enjoyed were the counselors and coaches that helped us the whole way throughout the trip. They were very helpful in helping us create lesson plans and giving us insight into our teaching. I taught at Rui Sui middle school, which is in Hua Lien. Although the students were at first snotty and unwilling, they eventually warmed up to us and experienced some American culture while learning English. In the end, they were happy they were in the program and enjoyed their time with us. After a week of not being at Rui Sui, I actually started to miss the place and its simple life style. The program as a whole was very enjoyable, but I did not like the tour because it didn’t let us stay in the enjoyable places long enough and we went to too many places because of that.
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Chi, Victoria (綦亭嵐)
Be careful, because I had a trouble child in my class, they—my coach, the teachers and administration at my elementary school—all told me. Tom, the boy who caused trouble for all the teachers and periodically ran away from class to go fishing in the woods would be my student, and he was the worst kid in the school. Watch out for Tom. Or so they said.
Throughout the next two weeks, my students participated eagerly in class. We often played games to generate interest in learning and to review the vocabulary and sentence structures that we had taught. When the bell rang to signal the breaks between periods, our students would stay behind and ask us to continue playing our review games with them, or demand to know what activities we had planned next. I was thrilled at the enthusiasm of my children, at how willing they were to learn and how much fun they had while doing so. However, there was none more eager and energetic than little Tom. He raised his hand in class every day, volunteered to move desks and chairs for us, participated avidly in the games—and became a hero whenever we played team games—and amazed us all.
Tom shone, and shone brilliantly, simply because we had given him the second chance that none of the teachers were willing to give anymore. Once he began participating in class, we encouraged him, believed in him, and let him know that we believed in him. Tom grew up in an environment that provided few opportunities for him to fly like his potential should allow him to; his family provided little or no support and encouragement, and his teachers labeled him the bad kid at school. But seeing how far a little faith in Tom took him, how much he learned and improved during our two weeks with him, and how full of energy and pure talent he was, I had never so badly wanted to influence someone for the better; nor had I ever felt like I had such a great positive influence on someone as I had on Tom.
And so, it was the people I met at AID Summer who had the greatest impact on me. It was Tom and all of my other students, the wonderful, eager children who loved to learn but did not always have the support and environment that allowed them to satisfy this love. For the first time, I felt like I was really making a difference, no matter how small, in the lives of others. It was my teaching group, the best teaching group I could have wished for, who worked together until late at night prepare the next day’s lessons because of our shared love for the children we taught. We worked together, played together, spent all of our time together, and inevitably grew close to one another. It was all of the AID campers, teenagers just like me who understood what it was like to have Taiwanese roots but live elsewhere, and who now also all understood the importance of this experience of having been an AID volunteer teacher. It was everybody I met throughout the four weeks of AID Summer who impacted me, changed me.
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OBoyle, WenChiao (歐文喬)
Joining the AID Summer teaching program at Ba Li Elementary School has really changed me as a person. This summer I got the first glimpse into the other side of the student-teacher relationship. As a person who is interesting in a career in teaching, this program was a wonderful experience opportunity. In the retrospectively short two weeks of teaching, I forged a deep bond of friendship with my students and my fellow teachers as well. I understand the varied psychology of children, as well as techniques on how to assess their strengths and weaknesses.
From an interpersonal viewpoint, I feel that this program introduced me to many amazing people. The majority of my teaching group live in or around the same state as I do. This makes reunions much easier. Emily even goes to the same school as my younger brother, so our meeting in this program is just another example how interconnected the world is. Outside of my teaching group, the wonderful teaching aids and counselors have made such an impression on me. By keeping in contact with them using 21st century social media, it is ensured that this experience will not have been an ephemeral experience.
Finally, the students have impacted my life in a way I could not have imagined beforehand. Their diligence and thirst for knowledge was, admittedly, a pleasant surprise. Compared to American children, they had a willingness to do work when asked, and rarely complained. While many of them still had problems with reading and still hesitated when the met words they did not know, I believe that after the program they left inspired.
This program has introduced me to many different people and ideas. Friendships that transcend a short two weeks will live on, potentially forever. My experience with the children has left me with wonderful memories and ideas on how to teach kids if I become a teacher. The AID summer program was definitely a worthwhile experience.
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Chiou, Eileen (邱愛庭)
I thought AID would just be another ordinary summer camp in Taiwan. However, I have benefitted so much from this experience. In less than a month, I have gone from sitting through instructors' voices enter one ear and out the other to adventurously touring the striking cities of Taiwan. Although there are many great and fond memories to be kept, the most outstanding memory would have to be interacting with the kids at Lishan Elementary School. They are honestly one of the greatest groups of kids I have ever met. In spite of my job as the teacher, they have taught me more than I could ever teach them. From all of them, the entire staff of AID, and my fellow volunteers, I have obtained skills I will always keep handy. Because of everyone I met on this trip, I have had an amazing and insightful month. I truly thank and appreciate AID for this incredible experience.
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