CCC School · Summer 2026 in Changhua

These students crossed distance, language, and culture to enter Taiwanese schools and homes. They did not come only to visit Taiwan, or only to learn Chinese language and culture. More importantly, they came into situations where they could connect with people, receive kindness, and share what they themselves had to offer.

On the morning of August 3, the high school students visited Jhonghe Elementary School and helped younger children learn English. They prepared lessons based on everyday topics and used interactive games to make English feel natural, friendly, and fun.

To me, this was not just an English class. It was a sincere act of sharing.

For the elementary school students, learning English with older students from the United States was a fresh and memorable experience. English was no longer just vocabulary in a textbook or sentences on a worksheet. It became a real tool for communication, a way to meet people from another part of the world. When children discover that language can connect them with someone beyond their own surroundings, learning becomes more than preparation for a test. It becomes a window to the world.

For the New York students, this was also an important learning experience. Through teaching, they saw their own abilities in a new way. The English they use every day could help younger children in Taiwan. They were not simply guests visiting another country; they could also be people who brought something meaningful to others.

Some of the most beautiful moments in education happen this way. When a young person realizes that he or she can have a positive influence on someone else, that young person begins to see the purpose of learning differently. Knowledge is not only for personal achievement. It can also be used to encourage, support, and brighten the lives of others.

Later that day at Sihu High School, students from Taiwan and the United States worked together to create blueprint postcards they could bring home. As they made them, they talked, laughed, and slowly became more comfortable with one another. The next day, they continued in small groups, discussing school life and cultural differences between Taiwan and the United States. Questions were asked, ideas were exchanged, and laughter filled the room.

Real cultural exchange is not one side presenting its culture while the other side simply watches. It is not treating another person as something unusual or exotic. Real exchange happens when people ask sincere questions, listen carefully, and try to understand one another. When young people are willing to speak, and also willing to listen, the distance between hearts becomes smaller.

The students also visited Tianzhong High School, where they tried archery and martial arts. For many of the American students, archery was a new experience. In the martial arts session, they practiced basic movements and partner drills with members of the school’s martial arts team. Everyone worked hard, sweat a lot, and enjoyed themselves.

At first glance, these may seem like simple cultural activities. But they also contain a deeper kind of learning. To try something unfamiliar, students have to let go of the fear of making mistakes. They have to accept guidance. They have to cooperate with others. In that process, the mind becomes more open, and the heart gains a little more courage in facing the unknown.

Beyond the school activities, one of the most moving parts of the exchange was the hospitality of the host families.

Several Taiwanese families thoughtfully planned local experiences for the visiting students. Some took them to enjoy Taiwanese snacks, mochi rolls, shaved ice, and other local foods. Some brought them to night markets or gyms. For these young people far from home, the host families provided more than a place to sleep. They offered warmth, care, and the feeling of being welcomed into a home.

Opening one’s home to a student from another country takes real thoughtfulness. It means arranging transportation, preparing meals, paying attention to daily habits, and helping a young person adjust to an unfamiliar environment. These things may look ordinary, but they are not small. Every meal, every ride, every simple word of care carries the kindness and attentiveness of a Taiwanese family.

Because of the host families, the students’ experience in Taiwan was not limited to classrooms and scheduled visits. They entered real Taiwanese life. They did not only see places in Taiwan; they experienced the warmth of Taiwanese people. They did not only learn about culture; they felt trust, care, and human connection.

This exchange could not have been completed by one person alone. It was made possible by the CCC Chinese School, My Culture Connect, the host schools in Taiwan, teachers, volunteers, students, parents, and host families. Each person and each group contributed something. Because so many people were willing to share responsibility, this exchange gained both warmth and depth.

We often hope that children will gain knowledge. But beyond knowledge, children also need to learn gratitude and sharing. When American students taught English to Taiwanese elementary school children, they experienced the joy of service. When Taiwanese families welcomed American students, they showed kindness and openness. When students from both sides studied, played, ate, and laughed together, they planted seeds of friendship in one another’s hearts.

These seeds may not sprout right away.

Years from now, one student may remember being warmly welcomed by a family in Taiwan. One Taiwanese child may remember the first time he or she dared to speak English with a foreign friend. One American student may remember that, during a trip to Taiwan, he or she once used English to help younger children far away from home.

The deepest power of education is often not visible immediately. It leaves a direction in the heart. When young people have received kindness and have also offered kindness, they are more likely to reach out when someone else needs help.

This visit from the CCC Chinese School reminded me that cultural exchange, if it is only an exchange of information, remains limited. But if it helps young people learn respect, gratitude, sharing, and understanding, then it becomes an experience that can truly shape a person.

A meaningful education is not only about helping children know more. It is about helping their hearts become softer, more open, and more willing to care for others.

That is what this exchange did. It planted seeds of goodwill in the hearts of the children.