Below are the recaps that chaperones shared with families as our intrepid fifth graders traveled to Taiwan to enjoy homestays, bonding with peers at Chingshin Academy, and exploring the cultural and natural treasures of Taiwan!
Taiwan Journey Episode 1:
Day 1: The Journey Begins
After bidding farewell to their families, the students were filled with excitement as they eagerly awaited boarding at the gate. Despite the longer wait due to the bustling airport traffic, they displayed patience and resilience, maintaining positive energy until we finally boarded. Upon arrival, we treated ourselves to a delightful buffet at a nearby hotel, where the students thoroughly enjoyed their breakfast, returning to the buffet many times for sweet taro and peach-shaped red bean buns!
After breakfast, we took a bus ride to Chingshin, where the students were greeted by their host buddies and families. The warm welcome included colorful posters, signs, and heartfelt greetings. Students finally met their buddies, group photos, and exchanging smiles before being sent home with their host families. The weekend adventures continued as the students embarked on new experiences with their hosts.
Due to a technical issue with this year’s local SIM cards, students do not yet have access to their individual cell phones for calling CAIS chaperones. However, host families were instructed to provide the students with phone access for necessary check-ins with chaperones, which they all managed successfully over the weekend. If everything goes as planned, students should receive their phones as early as tomorrow. In the meantime, they are carrying contact cards with the local numbers for Chingshin and all CAIS chaperones.
Despite the phone challenges, the host families were instrumental in ensuring the students stayed connected with their chaperones over the weekend. The chaperones checked in with the students and heard that they’ve already had the chance to participate in many fun activities–capybara cafes, ceramics, petting zoos, Taipei 101, museums, noodle-making…!–and savor a variety of delicious local Taiwanese foods!
Day 2: First day in Chingshin
The day began with the students gathering in small groups to check in with the chaperones, where they shared updates about their day and how they were feeling. One student said, “I feel so comfortable speaking to my host family, and speaking Chinese with them is much easier than expected.” Another student shared, “I love spending time with my host family because they’re really nice and fun.” A teacher checked in with one student who had been worried about homesickness before the trip, expressing surprise that the student didn’t seem to be missing their parents. The student said, smiling, “Oh, you mean those people who raised me? Who are they? Are they my aunt and uncle?”
This was followed by a warm and welcoming opening ceremony, held in our “home base” classroom. The principal, vice principal, and international program director each delivered heartfelt speeches, extending a warm welcome to our students and expressing their hope that they would enjoy their time in Taiwan. CAIS students also received a gift from Chingshin, their very own Chinese yo-yo. As they spent their first break time practicing outside, one student noted, “I’m still amazed at how this (Chinese yo-yo) even works!”
Next, student representatives from Chingshin presented to the CAIS students, offering an insightful introduction to Chingshin. We learned about the school’s core values, traditions, and what daily life is like on campus. After the presentation, students went on a campus tour with their host buddies, visiting various locations across the school. The tour culminated at the campus store, where students excitedly waited for the chance to spend their pocket money.
The next activity allowed students to immerse themselves in Chingshin’s school life by participating in thoughtfully planned Chinese cultural classes. They practiced reading aloud and writing the famous Tang Dynasty poem “春曉” on fans. The students were fully engaged as they learned how to write traditional Chinese characters. One student even exclaimed, “Writing the traditional characters is hard, but I can do it!” By the end of the class, everyone felt a sense of accomplishment and pride in their efforts.
After lunch, our 5th graders had the opportunity to socialize with their buddies and attend classes with them. This gave them a glimpse into what it’s like to be a student at Chingshin, further deepening their connection with the school and their new friends. At the end of the day, they finally had a chance to shop at the famed Chingshin student store. When students found out they wouldn’t be able to buy clothes there today, a student sighed, “Man, I just love these uniforms.” Another noted, “Ms. Hu was right! This white out is the best ever. I need more!”
Taiwan Journey Episode 2:
We are thrilled to share the second episode of our incredible Taiwan journey with you! The students have fully embraced the routine here, and it’s heartwarming to hear their reflections. One student shared during our morning check-in, “I wish I could bring my family here,” while another said, “I don’t. It wouldn’t be as fun with them!” It’s clear that this experience is leaving a lasting impact.
We began the second day of our Chingshin adventure at school, where we received detailed introductions to our local field trips from a few of our students’ Chingshin Buddies. Then CAIS students embarked on a scavenger hunt at a nearby traditional market, using their Chinese language skills to interact with vendors and discover new fruits, vegetables, and parts of animals not typically seen in the US. Our Fifth Grade Firedragons were especially excited to find an array of unique Taiwanese fruits and had the chance to purchase some to enjoy.
In the afternoon, we took a quick public bus ride to a local supermarket, where students observed and compared the differences between this modern store and the traditional market they visited earlier. To wrap up the day, we visited the library, where students selected books that they will later read to the kindergartners at Chingshin on the final day of our school visit. Students are taking on the rewarding challenge of “decoding” traditional characters using zhuyin, an alternative to pinyin used commonly here in Taiwan.
On Wednesday, we had a special field trip to Yisheng Elementary School, an Atayal Indigenous school nestled in the beautiful mountains of Taoyuan, just south of Taipei. Our students were immersed in Atayal culture by participating in a variety of hands-on activities with Yisheng students, learning about the culture through workshops on making mochi, creating Atayal beading patterns, and even training in archery. Another highlight of the day was the freshly prepared lunch made in the school kitchen, which one student described as “the best meal ever. I wish we had a kitchen like this at school!” The delicious jujube fruit was a treat that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
Thursday brought us back to Chingshin for a day filled with diverse activities. Students practiced reading their Chinese books aloud in preparation for their read-aloud session with the kindergarten students. They also had fun learning to play chělíng, the traditional Chinese yo-yo. This activity, which they began perfecting upon receiving their yo-yos, continues to be a favorite, with noticeable progress each day. Additionally, students enjoyed participating in club activities with their Chingshin buddies–gardening, choir, basketball, Scratch, board games and more.
Taiwan Journey Episode 3: Wenshan Farm, Yilan, and Xianjiyan Hike
We’ve officially completed half of our Taiwan adventure, and during our morning check-ins, many students expressed, “I wish I could stay here longer.” Another student shared, “It feels like we just started! I don’t want it to end!” It’s been a truly memorable experience so far, and we’re excited to share the highlights with you in this episode of our Taiwan journey.
This week, our students engaged in various enriching activities that fostered growth, teamwork, and cultural exploration. On Friday, CAIS students spent the day at Wenshan Farm, a local tea farm and outdoor education site affiliated with the New Taipei City Farmers’ Association. Together with their Chingshin buddies, they picked fresh, tender tea leaves from the farm, made boba tea, played with traditional Taiwanese toys, and made and enjoyed sweet dough grilled on a bamboo stem. This was a wonderful day outdoors for the students to connect with their buddies in a meaningful way.
On Monday, we ventured to Yilan, a picturesque city located in the northeastern part of Taiwan. Our day began with a visit to a local museum, where students learned facts about dolphins and whales. In the afternoon, we headed to a spring onion farm, where the students had the chance to make 葱油饼 (scallion pancakes) using freshly picked ingredients from the fields. During this hands-on experience, they also gained insight into how Yilan’s unique climate—shaped by its surrounding mountains, mild temperatures, and regular rainfall—creates the perfect conditions for cultivating crops like the region’s famous green onions.
On Tuesday, our fifth graders returned to Chingshin, where they focused on preparing for their read-alouds and creating heartfelt thank-you cards for their host families. Their day continued with a science lesson on static electricity, where they experimented with balloons and plastic materials. Later, they enjoyed a social studies class on the cultural history of the Wenshan district, followed by a hike to the scenic Xianjiyan trail.
Taiwan Journey Final Episode: National Palace Museum, Closing Ceremony, and Kindergarten Read-alouds
It’s hard to believe that our journey in Taiwan has come to an end! In this final episode, we’ll share highlights from our visit to the National Palace Museum and our last two days in Chingshin. It has been incredible to see our fifth graders utilizing their language skills and applying them in real-life situations. They’ve embraced local customs and culture and formed meaningful friendships with their buddies on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
As one student prepared her closing ceremony speech, she said, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world” and “If I could do it all over again, I definitely would!” Many others echoed her sentiment, saying, “I don’t want to leave yet; I want to stay longer in Taiwan.” It’s heartwarming to witness the strong bonds and connections they’ve formed with their host families.
On Wednesday, we spent the day exploring the National Palace Museum, learning about the country’s national treasures. The students were introduced to the two most iconic artifacts: “肉形石” (meat-shaped stone) and “翠玉白菜” (jadeite cabbage with insects). They learned about the history of these artifacts, sampled the “meat,” and observed their intricate details. Later, they enjoyed a scavenger hunt in the museum, searching for the 10 most iconic artifacts.
On Thursday, our students visited lower school classrooms at Chingshin to introduce CAIS and the city of San Francisco. They prepared comprehensive presentations about our school and our beautiful city. The Chingshin students were eager to learn more and can’t wait to sign up as host buddies for our school. We also had fun playing a lively game of dodgeball, led by the Chingshin PE teacher, and enjoyed a magnificent performance by the Chingshin school team. This included their orchestra, Chinese yoyo, jump rope team, choir, traditional Chinese dance, and kung fu demonstration. We ended the day with the closing ceremony, which celebrated the students’ achievements over the past two weeks.
On our final day in Chingshin, our students read aloud Chinese storybooks to the kindergarten classes. The kindergarten students greeted them with warm smiles and listened attentively. They also prepared fun activities, such as singing and playing Pictionary, to interact with our fifth-graders. One student shared, “That was so much fun! I want to do it again!” Others asked if they could take their new little siblings home with them on the journey back to San Francisco. Later on today, we will say farewell to our beloved Chingshin buddies before heading to the airport–based on our experience at the Closing Ceremony yesterday, we anticipate many bittersweet tears! And with that, our amazing journey in Taiwan comes to a close.