I arrived at the international airport close to Taipei on a Sunday evening. Four Aiesec students werewaiting for me. They took me from the airport to Taipei and from there to Sihjih, a city close to Taipeiwhere I was going to stay. They were very interested in me and asked me tons of questions.The apartment was very nice, but not very clean. It was in a high building at the 18th floor.
The first day I went to the university in Taipei to present about the Dutch culture. The second day was my first school day. The principal was going to pick me up at my apartment. He arrived half an hourearly, so I had to prepare quickly. The principal brought me to the school, which was very close to myapartment. The principal gave me a tour around the school. It was an elementary school for kids from6 to 12 years old. 2000 children attend the school and there are 62 classes.
In the teachers’ office they had arranged a desk for me, close to the other English teachers. In thebeginning the English teachers were a little bit skeptical about me being there. The teachers and theprincipal could not get along too well, and since my being there was the principals idea, the teacherswere not very enthusiastic in the beginning. But that changed quickly after they found out that I wasnot there to tell them how they should teach.
In fact, I had a really good time with the teachers, especially with the English teachers (as the otherteachers did not speak much English). In the school were 12 English teachers. Sometimes it wasdifficult to understand them, as I was not used to the Taiwanese accent.
After school I went hiking with the teachers and I joined the badminton team. Also the teachers tookme on several trips around the northern part of Taiwan. The director of educational affairs, a very nicewomen, took me on two trips. Most of the time I did not have to pay anything, no matter how hard I tried.
Sometimes I went on a weekend trip with other Aiesec trainees. There were no trainees in the citywhere I lived, but there were many close to Taipei. One time there was a conference for all trainees inTaiwan. Few European trainees were in Taiwan. Most of the trainees were from Malaysia, Indonesia,Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
I gave English lessons to students of all classes. So the youngest children were only 6 years old!They had quite some difficulties understanding me, so the English teachers translated a lot for them.I always taught a class together with an English teacher. As for every grade there were about 10classes, I sometimes taught the same material 10 times in a row, which becomes a bit boring after awhile.
The kids were all very sweet. They asked me a lot of questions and the little kids wanted to shake myhand, to hug me, to have my signature, to take a picture with me, etcetera. Sometimes the kids gaveme candy or little presents.
On my last they I gave a presentation to the entire school. I told them about the Netherlands and Ithanked them for all their kindness. All the classes had written a card for me! The teachers had littlepresents for me.
The day I left Taiwan, 4 English teachers took me to the airport where they said goodbye to me.The kindness of Taiwanese people is amazing. I have never met people before this hospitable. TheEnglish teachers made this trip unforgettable for me.
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