Taiwan 2011

Discover Taiwan's Hidden Treasure -- Aboriginal Culture

Dates: March 10 – 23, 2011
Trip leaders: Li-Ling Cheng & Larry Hurst

Eligible students: 7th & 8th grade Chinese language students
Number of students: 10

Estimated Cost: $3,200 – $3,400

Taiwan is our destination for Middle School's first Chinese language trip. During our trip, students will spend their time in Taipei, and Hualien County where 25% of its population is Taiwanese aborigines. One of the highlights is a visit to Sibao Grade School located inside the Taroko National Park. Our students will spend their night with Sibao students in their dormitory and days in their classrooms completing collaborative projects including the study of the ecology of Taroko National Park and the life styles of aboriginal people. We will also visit several museums that feature Taiwan aboriginal cultures. While visiting these museums, our students will be hosted by local school children and have opportunities to complete hands-on projects together.

Learn about Taiwan in Wikipedia

Yingge Ceramics Museum 鶯歌博物館 (yīnggē bówùguǎn)

Click above to read a complete introduction of this beautiful museum located in Li-Ling Cheng's hometown, Yinge, Taipei County.

LanYang Museum 蘭陽博物館 (lányáng bówùguǎn)

Opened in May 2010, the Lanyang Museum is all about Ilan 宜蘭 (or Yilan 宜蘭as it is often also spelled), covering everything from the geology to flora and fauna to the original inhabitants to modern day. Everything is bilingual and the exhibits are very well done. There is an emphasis on the environment which is a welcome and growing trend here.

Stella Maris High School 海星中學 (hǎixīngzhōngxué)

Stella Maris High School enrolls both junior high school and senior high school students. Originally an all-girls school, SMHS enrolls both boys and girls now. We will visit this school and be hosted by the students while we are there.

Sibao Elementary 西寶國小(xībǎo guóxiǎo)

Sibao Elementary School is the only primary school that is located in the beautiful Taroko National Park. Currently there are slightly over 50 students enrolled. When we visit there, hands-on projects and plenty of interaction opportunities with the Sibao students will be awaiting. We will learn to make bows that Taiwanese aboriginal people use to hunt, and take a half-day hike in the beautiful mountain studying the flora and fauna of Taroko. At night, we might camp under the starry sky or get cozy with the Sibao students in their dormitory.

The Never-Aging Tribe 不老部落(bùlǎobùluò)

A farm house, close to the LanYang Museum in YiLan County, tries to conserve the ways Taiya Tribe (泰雅族) live their life from farming mushrooms, millets, sweet potatoes, and dragon fruits to making wines and performing ceremonials prior to hunting and after harvest.

KangChiao Bilingual School 康橋實驗高中 (kāngqiáo shíyàng gāozhōng)

KCBS is K-12 private school in the outskirt of Taipei City. We will spend a day there finding out what it is like to live the school life of a Taipei city's private school student.

Taipei 101 台北101 (táiběi yīlíngyī )

Taipei 101 is in Taipei City's financial center, and was once the world's tallest building before Burj Khalifa in Bubai took over the title. We will spend the last day of our trip in this shopping and business center and visit the nearby Sun Yet San Memorial Hall.