Exchange Program

A Visit to Asia to Apply Knowledge and Skills

The CAIS Exchange Program was started in 2002 to help promote cultural understanding and second language proficiency for students from CAIS and abroad. The program provides CAIS students with a unique educational and cultural experience in addition to the school's regular bilingual curriculum. Students have the opportunity to be immersed in the language, lifestyle and society of a foreign country through the culturally enriching home-stay and educational program. The result is increased confidence in their Mandarin skills, real recognition of the value of diversity, appreciation of another culture, as well as potential long-lasting friendships with their buddies.

Experiencing Taipei

A Trip for Students in Fifth Grade

Each spring, CAIS fifth graders attend Ren-Ai Elementary in Taipei for two weeks, living with their 'buddies' and host families in Taipei. In return, their buddies come to San Francisco to take classes at CAIS and live with CAIS families. The program gives both groups of students a unique home-life immersion experience that richly supplements their classroom learning. American and Chinese students travel, study and play together to form strong personal and cultural bonds. Their Chinese and English language proficiencies improve significantly after two weeks of interacting with native speakers and being immersed in a foreign language environment.