NSLI-Y 2024 Taiwan – Week 4
Wow! We can’t believe it’s already Week 4 of our adventures—officially ⅔ of the way through our program. Time has flown by so fast, but we’re grateful for the unforgettable experiences we’ve had so far.
This past weekend, we made a lot of new memories with our host families and with each other, from exploring night markets to seeing traditional Chinese performances.
Emilie and Juan at Raohe Night Market.
Haben, Raffaella, Amelia, Shivani, and their host families at a traditional Chinese dance performance.
David, Kallianne, and Elissa coincidentally meeting in Tamsui.
On Monday, we started the week off strong, continuing our intensive study of Mandarin. But that isn’t to say we didn’t have a lot of fun as well! Through interactive games like scavenger hunts in the nearby 7/11, we were able to reinforce our language skills in an exciting way.
Panda Class getting ice cream as a treat from Lin Laoshi after completing their scavenger hunt.
Tiger Class taking a selfie with Yang Laoshi and Nan Laoshi.
Chinese song practice.
We also went on many side quests, exploring each nook and cranny of Taipei, from going up 89 floors of Taipei 101 to searching for beef noodle soup in underground malls.
Sparda and Gabriel S. at Taipei 101.
Raffaella, Haben, Mary, and Juan with Lydia (language partner) in Ximen.
Elim, Raffaella, Owen, Jacob, Juan, Scott, Mary, and Shivani at a cafe.
Jennifer and Chloe at a Michelin star beef noodle soup restaurant.
On Wednesday, Typhoon Gaemi reached Taipei, canceling classes.
颱風 (táifēng; Typhoon) Gaemi Tuesday: the day before class was canceled.
A few brave students ventured out in the harsh weather with their families, but most stayed home, sheltered from the pouring rain and wind. On Thursday, with the typhoon still over northern Taiwan, we continued learning through online meetings.
Class B (Tiger class) on Google Meet.
Jacob’s set up on Thursday during online class.
Google Meet of Class A (Panda class) on Thursday.
For our language partner activity, students introduced their language partners’ hometowns to the rest of their class. This was a fun way to learn about the different districts of Taiwan without stepping foot outside!
Friday was our first day back from our brief typhoon break. Classes resumed as normal, and A and C classes even had quizzes. No physical school for two days had been a welcome rest, but the cohort was ready to be back.
After class, the entire cohort met with our Resident Directors. As we discussed our program goals and reflected on all the progress we made so far, we were reminded of how close the program’s end is.
Quick cake break: We also celebrated Owen, Lucy, and David’s birthdays with some ice cream cake!
Finally, Pan Laoshi taught us about other languages spoken in Taiwan such as Hakka and Hokkien, as well as Indigenous languages like Paiwan and Atayal. Learning about Taiwan’s rich history and linguistic diversity allows us to better understand Taiwanese culture.
Saturday meant the end of our fourth week, and cohort members took advantage of the free time.
Gabriel R., Scott, Elim, Emilie, Amelia, and host siblings at the Taipei Zoo on Saturday.
David and Sparda in Kaohsiung.
This weekend was a bittersweet one; being officially more than halfway done with the program, we’re both excited to see how much we’ve learned since the beginning, but also sad we’ll soon be returning to the U.S. With two weeks left, we’re ready to continue making the most out of our time in Taiwan. See you in week five!
Written by Jennifer, Chloe and Gabriel S.