A group of twenty Taichung Second Senior High School students visited Bedford High School in New Hampshire from May 13 to May 27, 2017. This is the first cooperation and international educational exchange between a high school in Taiwan and one in New Hampshire.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston (TECO-Boston), and the Education Division at TECO-Boston, representing the Ministry of Education, welcomed the delegation on May 24. Cynthia Huang, the Director of the Education Division, told the students that there are many top universities in the New England region and she encouraged them to pursue further education in the United States. The Ministry of Education provides several scholarships for Taiwanese students interested in studying abroad, and it has created study and internship programs to assist students to develop a broader cross-culture perspective.

Each of the students from Taiwan was assigned a student partner from Bedford High School. The Taichung Second Senior High School students took classes with their partner during the day, and stayed with their partner’s families in the evening, and on weekends. They ate traditional American food, took part in outdoor activities, and visited historical sites around New England.

The visiting students from Taichung Second Senior High School held a fair to tell people about their school in Taiwan, promote Taiwan’s culture, play traditional folk art instruments, and perform street dances. The event drew many people from the community, and students from New Hampshire giving them a chance to learn more about Taiwan.

Taichung Second Senior High School has been involved in international exchange programs with high schools in Japan and France for many years. This is the first cooperation program it has had with a school in the United States. Taichung Second Senior High School expects students participating in the program to learn about different studying practices and make some progress in English, and at the same time have an opportunity to learn more about American local culture.

Picture:Cynthia Huang, Director of the Education Division, and students from Taichung Second Senior High School in Chinatown, Boston