See photos from our Service Learning Project

From Tiffany - July 22

Service Learning Project

Today we visited two of the last scheduled schools where we suppose to teach English. I
n the beginning we were afraid to implement the curriculum Tanaka and I developed because we never considered ourselves English teachers.
Weeks before going into the classrooms, the social workers in Taiwan were constantly asking us to change our plans until we came up with a concrete lesson plan that can be implemented at all of the seven schools.
I remember the first day we visited the schools. The kids, aging from 5-12, were so happy to see us. Every time we walk in the room we would hear them say “Mei Guo ren”.
We’ll smile because we know that means “American” in Chinese.
For some of them, this was the first time in their life that they have ever seen a real American outside of TV. We received a total of 170 smiles as we walked in the hot sun all around Taipei County visiting school after school.
Even though the sun was scorching our skin, we never complained because we knew that this was strictly for the kids and we knew that this experience would impact their lives forever. From the first school to the second to the last, we enjoyed teaching. Majority of the kids knew most of what we taught them but they don’t use the English terms very often. This cross culture opportunity impacted both of us.
We were able to share what so many people take for granted which is our education. If you didn’t know it or not, majority of the students in Taiwan have to pay for a public school education when we get it for free.
It’s the little things like this that make you appreciate where you come from and why we say “I’m proud to be an American”. I never knew what this slogan stood for until I traveled outside of the country. We are being exposed to so many things that people on the other side of the world have no idea of. One thing I can say is that we’re blessed to have freedom. That term is so broad but no other country can truly define this word like the United State of America.

In the U.S., we were groomed with English. In Taiwan, you are considered educated and fortunate because of the English language. It felt good watching the group come together to teach all these kids American games with English structured into the rules.
I like it when I see the kids in my class write on the board the words and numbers I ask them to write. Sometimes they know it and sometimes they don’t but the beauty of the project appears when you see them helping out each other. I consider that progress. The shy kids and kids whose English wasn’t good really touched my heart.
On the first day they didn’t even want to stand up and introduce themselves or communicate with their other class mates. After our visit, you’ll see them talking and playing the games that we taught them with each other. It puts a smile on my face when I see them excited about being able to read and recognized words that I say and words that I wrote on the board.
Since I had my own class besides working with another person, I was able to utilize my hour to do a variety of activities so they’ll have something to remember. It’s not everyday that an American comes to teach you in your class. This was a special opportunity for all of us. Even though these kids were at the bottom half of the academic roster, they will be the blessed ones because they were able to meet us unlike the rest of the school.
When school starts, they’ll be the talk of the day because the group picture that we took at every school will be on display so the other students can see them. Yesterday the social worker almost made me cry when she told me that the students have been waiting on us for days to come see them. From that moment I realized that we are changing their lives forever.
Maybe this experience will one day inspire them to study in the United States because we were so welcoming and humble. At the end of the day we all feel good because we know we have touched dozens of lives even though it took a lot of work to get this project on the road. Sometimes after we visit a school we will say to ourselves that we should have had cameras because this is just like the real world. In my mind I knew that this was better than real world because they don’t change lives for the better on a daily basis like we have been doing. When they’re given projects, its for competition to eliminate a team player.
We need all our team players because it takes motivation and a group effort to successfully carry out a big project like this. Real World could never produce a project like this because they wouldn’t know what to do, how to do it, and it wouldn’t be in the best interest of the students. We sort of made history for JSU and Fu Jen Catholic University Language Center because this is the first time foreigners have ever participated in a Service Learning project.

This really motivated us to do a fantastic job because we are representing two profound universities. What we do will affect other students participation in future. I’m glad we were given the ground breaking ceremony. We put our hearts into the work we produced because we were in their shoes once in our lives.
This is something we learn from JSU, “Challenging Minds, Changing Lives”.
We definitely changed lives. To be honest, this was one of the best things I have ever done in my life besides growing up.
Mei- Chi always said that this experience will enlighten not only the students but us as well. I really didn’t know what she meant until we started teaching at the schools.
One special thing I did for the students so they’ll always remember this day, remember us, and remember this experience was create a certificate that stated that they completed Jackson State University Summer English Camp.
It was so cute and impressive. After each class we’ll all unite and present the certificates to each of the students. The smiles that they give us really touches our hearts because its a smile of joy and appreciation.
I bet they never thought that their summer school experience would include some Americans teaching them English. At the end of the day, we’ re all blessed to have each other. This experience will take us on a very long journey in life because we placed our hearts into our work.

Tiffany

From Sam (MSU student) - June 23

A Typical Monday

Today started off just like any other Monday- slow. Of course, no one felt like getting up and going through the usual morning routine of taking a shower, brushing our teeth, putting our clothes on, and catching the usual 802 bus to Fu Jen, but we all forced ourselves up out of bed and drug ourselves through half our morning routine.

After school, I decided to treat myself to some good ole American McDonald’s. It was not a good idea. Since I’ve been eating the healthy meals Taiwan has to offer, my stomach had adapted from the greasy, fatty, unhealthy food of America to the easy-going dishes native to this country. My stomach didn’t sit well with the McDonalds and I felt sick the rest of the day. Upon returning to my apartment, my body was telling me to sleep, but my mind was saying that I really need to wash some clothes before I wind up without any to wear. Well, it wound up being just me going. I caught a taxi and told him that I wanted to wash some clothes. He did not know where I wanted to go- which was what I wanted- and I got to use my new Chinese grammar I had learned the previous Friday.

After starting my load of laundry, I sat down with my Chinese textbook and started writing Chinese characters and preparing for our test we have tomorrow. At first, I was the only person in the Laundromat, but then I was joined by a lady and her two children; very curious children that is. When they entered, they noticed my book had Chinese characters on the front and they soon made their way over to where I was sitting. I could hear them talking amongst each other saying that how cool it was that I was a foreigner.

Well, to intrigue their imaginations a little more, I was so courteous to tell them the signature phrase in Taiwan- Ni Hao Ma- which means, “hello, how are you?” This excited these little kids and embarrassed them at the same time. They first laughed and turned away, but then turned back around to see if I had more. I put my pencil down and tested my elementary knowledge of Chinese. We had a very cool, short conversation about who I was and where exactly I was from. Their mom caught wind of our little conversation and did not like that her kids were talking to a complete foreign stranger and quickly called them back over to her side.

After gathering my clothes, I caught another taxi back home and put my things away. Since it is Monday, everyone was just laying around, not doing much. This did not go over well with me, so I gathered everyone and we made our way to get some supper. We didn’t walk far before we decided to eat at a Japanese restaurant called KoHiKan, meaning a coffee café. When we got back to the apartment, we all separated and went to our rooms to study. Our Monday started off just like any other Monday would and ended the same as it had begun… typical! --- Sam

From Mitch (MSU student) - June 19

Today in our first class we started off with an exercise where we had to go up to the board and write sentences in Chinese as Feng Laoshi called them out. It was very challenging for me, but I think it really helps when the pressure is one me and everyone is watching because it makes me not want to mess up. After that exercise we review vocabulary some more and then did our normal routine of going around the room and asking different people questions so that we can practice not only speaking and pronunciation but proper grammar as well.

In our second class we had a quiz where our teacher would call out a vocabulary word and we had to write the pinyin with the correct tone as well as the character for that word. It did not take long but was a lot more challenging than I originally thought. After that we learned some new grammar and then divided into groups of two to practice asking the questions using the grammar and responding with proper grammar. It is very repetitive but at the same time I know that practice makes perfect. Next we reviewed some more vocabulary and went over the dialogues in the book. I really like practicing the dialogues because it allows me to understand the grammar a lot better using it in real life situations.

After class we went to eat with a fellow student that was heading out to meet his parents in Beijing. We went to a favorite Japanese restaurant and then wished him well. I was very tired from studying the night before so I decided to come home and take a nap. I guess I underestimated how tired I really was because my one hour power nap turned into a two and a half hour nap. When I woke up I decided it was time to do laundry. I loaded up all my dirty clothes and headed down to the local laundry mat. When I got home it was time to meet our two Taiwanese friends from school at the school for a night of bowling and games. When we arrived at the school I was surprised to see some of the people we had met doing the English camp. I was really glad to see them again and even more thrilled that they were coming along with us. We took the bus and MRT to a night market to buy dinner. We then walked a little ways down the street to the bowling alley. Bowling was really fun because it is a little different than how we do it back home. After every frame you switch lanes, I am assuming so that no one has an unfair advantage. It was a little confusing at first, but it did not take long to get used to it. We ate while we bowled which was a little unusual because back home they do not allow food near the lanes. After we bowled we went to play some darts and then some video games. I was pretty excited playing darts because I got a high score. I’m not sure how long it will stay recorded but at least I will always know that I made it in the top ten. To top the night off we went to a room that had several massage chairs and lounged in those until it was time for us to leave. It was very relaxing to get a massage but I am afraid I might have become addicted.

When we got home I had to pack and get ready for my trip to Hong Kong tomorrow. I am really excited about the trip because I am going to meet up with a friend from Mississippi State that is living close to Hong Kong doing an internship. I hope everything goes well tomorrow and that I have a safe trip.

From Hannah - June 24

Today was a rarity in our usually busy and hectic schedules, a short day that ended at noon. In my first class, we had a test on Lesson 3. The test consisted of 2 parts: writing the pinyin for the characters we were given and translating English sentences into Chinese characters. The subject matter of the test dealt with purchasing items and different methods of payment such as credit cards, cash, checks and traveler’s checks. This information is extremely valuable to foreigners like us.

During my second class, we learned how to ask people about their plans. With partners, we practiced asking and answering the questions: “Where are you going?”, “What are you going to do there?”, and “How are you getting there?”. In addition, we learned the vocabulary needed to ask and respond to such questions. For example, we learned dianyingyuan is a movie theatre, baihuo gongsi is a department store, feiji is an airplane, and gongche is a bus. After class ended at noon, we were free for the rest of the day.

From Sam (MSU student) - June 16

A Foreign Meeting

Today was a very interesting day. It started off rather diverse because everyone showed up to class at different times. Ben and I were the first to arrive at class, followed by Mitch, Michelle, and Hannah.

Tiffany was out sick for the day with a cold. After our routine of going to class for four hours, it was time to meet our Taiwanese Fu Jen students for our first session of English tutoring. We all drew letters out of a hat to see which group of students we would be paired with; I chose group C. We introduced ourselves, had some lunch, and asked each other questions about one’s culture.

When everyone was finished getting to know each other, we traveled to different classrooms to teach other simple songs to sing for Tuesday’s presentation. I taught my group how to spell Mississippi that southern way. I told them to say, M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I. They got a pretty good laugh out of it and after some translating what a crooked letter and a humpback was, they accepted it and agreed to present it Tuesday at the presentation.

It was time to give them a challenge after spelling Mississippi. So I taught them the very first song I remember learning, “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” I showed them the hand motions, taught them tempo, and the correct pronunciation of each word. Taiwanese students are very, very smart so they caught on to the song and hand motions fast. Then, it was my turn to learn how to sing a simple Chinese song. To my surprise, I already knew the song because it was a spin-off a very popular American song, “When We All Get Together, the Happier We’ll Be.” After being pumped up about learning this song in Chinese, I soon found out that I had to perform it solo Tuesday in Chinese. But I don’t mind, it’s good that we challenge ourselves everyday. Upon returning to class, we were informed that we were about to play a very famous game of paper, scissors, rock. It was fun to play a game we use to make conflicting decisions between two friends half way around the world with people that are a different nationality. It was then time to move into a big group question and answer session. I did not realize how much influence America has on other countries until today. One of the questions I asked the Fu Jen students to answer was what they thought about America.

Many of their responses were shocking. They all thought that Americans were friendly and smart. But, being an American and knowing our ways, I totally disagree. The big difference between people in America and people in Taiwan is that the Taiwanese people are so much friendlier than people in America. I thought I knew what southern hospitality was residing in Mississippi, but there is no one more hospitable than a citizen from Taiwan. Also, I was amazed at how much English they can speak and how long they have been studying it. Most of them start studying English when they are juniors in High School while others start when they are in Kindergarten. Here I am, one year into Chinese and these students have been studying English for six or more years. The work ethic in Taiwan is a lot harder than it is in America. The people here think very highly of Americans. Some said we were very handsome and beautiful, others thought of America as the most powerful country, while some thought our professional sports were the best around. People don’t realize just how good we have it in America until you hear it from someone of another nationality. These people work hard everyday to make a decent living and gladly accept us from a country they look up to into their country. These people are cool in my books, and are welcome to America anytime they want.

From Sam (MSU student) - June 9

An Adventurous Day

Upon waking up a little early, we decided to walk to school. It took longer than we thought and we were a little late to class. Luckily, our teacher was running a little late also. We took a test in our 8 o’clock class. I had studied the night before so I felt pretty good about it. Despite our doubts, we all made pretty good on the test. After school, we went to get something to eat.

Since we had nothing to do in the afternoon, we decided to eat at this restaurant called Yoshinoya. We all agreed that it was just about the best thing we have eaten this whole trip. When we arrived to the apartment, everyone was feeling tired so we all took a nap. Nonetheless, we all slept for many hours.

After we all woke up, we decided, once again, to take a trip into the city. Our destination was Taipei 101 shopping center. On the way, we met a peculiar fellow from Africa. He asked if we were from America and just what in the world we were doing in Taipei. We told him that we are from America and that we are in Taipei to study Chinese.

In comparison, he also was here to study Chinese, but he has been here for 1 year already and plans to stay for another 3. We were amazed that a fellow from Africa would come to Taiwan for 4 years to study. When we reached Taipei City Hall Station, we all got off the subway and made our way to the shopping center. During the daytime, Taipei looks dull and boring like a normal city, but by night, the city comes alive with lights, signs, and many people like us snapping photos, sight seeing, and shopping. The first store to catch our eyes was New York, New York. As soon as we entered the door, I was approached by three beautiful girls from West Virginia University. After our quick conversation, we found out that they too were here to study Chinese. We exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet up one night to hang out. “Score one for the Gipper,” I said.

Our journey to the city and the shopping had made us very hungry, so we went to the basement of Taipei 101 to eat supper. To our surprise, there was so many restaurants to choose from I had trouble picking which one I wanted to eat at. We all went to separate places, but there was one restaurant that caught my eye- sushi. We finished our supper and decided it was time to head back to the apartment and call it a night. But, we still had one more place to go to; the marketplace. Most of us grabbed some breakfast foods and snacks, but the highlight of that grocery store was that they sold American made Gatorade! We traveled back to the apartment with smiles on our faces and fell asleep fast from the exhaustion of an adventurous day.