After completing the Aid program this summer, I left feeling like I was a part of something special---not many people get the opportunity to teach in such a beautiful location-right by the ocean of the Taidong Dawu Junior High School and get the chance to teach kids that are all so charming, vibrant and talented.
During our two weeks together I saw that almost everyone had the natural talent of either singing and/or dancing! My own “kids” choreographed their closing ceremony routine dance from start to finish all by themselves. Not only were they talented, but also dedicated to learning and so respectful. When the kids couldn’t understand a word we were trying to teach, we’d work together through explaining in Mandarin and context clues to get the correct meaning, then they’d write down the vocabulary in both Mandarin and English.
I’m not usually the type to get emotional, but on the last day I was with my kids and we were all saying our goodbyes, the whole time I felt as if our time together was too short. We were all starting to get comfortable with each other, them learning English and even I got taught by them too---picking up words like “masalu” haha, it means “thank you” in their native aboriginal language and getting to know the countryside better.
I’ve visited Taiwan before, but all the times I’ve visited before, I never got the opportunity to explore the really rural areas that not many people visit. It was so exciting for me personally, because I enjoy a slower pace of life, even though I grew up living in the metropolitan area of New York City. So living out in the country, and seeing a different side of Taiwan was a great learning experience. If I have chance to travel to Taiwan, I’d like to visit the beautiful city of Taidong again!

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1274: 蔡岳廷 ; Author: Chih Yang Tsai

My son participated in the 2015 Overseas Youth English Teaching Volunteer Service Program in Taiwan (AID Volunteer Program). It has been a life changing experience for him and I would highly recommend this program to any future students and their parents based on my son’s experience.
The program was well organized from the beginning to the end. The two weeks at the local school gave my son a chance to meet people living under a very different social and economic environment. He treasured the time spent with those young children despite the scorching heat and mosquito bites. The camaraderie developed during those two weeks among the AID team members was also incredible. They kept in touch after the program both in Taipei and when they are back to the United States. The hospitality of the hosts at Dapu, Chiayi made them felt so welcome and eliminated the uneasiness of being in an unfamiliar environment with a certain degree of language barrier.
We live in a rural area with very few Asian Americans. This trip allowed my son to meet people sharing the same cultural heritage from all over the world. It gave him a chance to explore his parents’ motherland in the absence of the parents. We owe everyone who made this program possible a big thanks.


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1302: 易世文 ; Author: 陳學珍

每年一到三丶四月時我們就開始絞盡腦汁為兒子安排暑假活動，今年兒子自己有個很明確的目標，要爭取參加2015 海外華裔青年英語服務, 聽朋友説要參加這個活動也是要經過篩選的，想想能報上參加這個活動的孩子，應該都是符合主辦單位的條件要求、篩選過的，也就放心的樂觀其成。
一開始其實心裡有點擔心個性有點靦腆又還是個大孩子的兒子，怎樣在4個禮拜內融入數百人的大團體，還得帶一班小孩學英文呢？結果完全是我多慮了，原來孩子們早在出發前就經由指導老師的主導在Facebook 上結緣了。一踏進劍潭報到大廳，一群群的孩子們就像找到失散多年的老友一樣開心，聊開了起來。
接下來的4個禮拜，孩子遵守我們的約定，每天用晚上短短僅有的一點WIFI 時間傳Line、照片丶訊息給我。從士林夜市，雲林東興國小，上課教學，下課和孩子們玩丶打球… 我在張張的像片中找到兒子臉上開朗的笑容，及散發出來的自信心。平時不愛照相的，也一張々隨着朋友擺姿勢；平時連自己都照顧不好的，也會擁着一堆孩子呵䕶；平時最不愛上台說話的，也自在的站在黑板前對著一群孩子們說話⋯ 幾次短短的通話中,也感受到兒子放開了內心的束縛，快速的蛻變丶成長了。禁不住懷疑，這些指導老師們手上是否有隻哈利波特的魔法棒呢？非常感謝雲林東興國小的校長主任及老師提供舒適的住處及熱忱的照顧。短短的時間裡，讓這些青少年學到了獨立自主，也經由面對着一群小小孩的天真,激發了愛與付出的本性，及隨成長而來的自律與責任感。
去接兒子的上午，看到一團團依依不捨，不忍離去的孩子們，個個哭紅了眼眶，大把丶大把的友誼，滿箱的快樂回憶裝進了隨身行裡帶回家。一路上不停的敍述和朋友們的互動丶教小朋友們趣事丶台中日月潭風光、台北永康街的芒菓冰和鼎泰豐美食、台北101的華麗…。以前那個酷酷的，不搭話的兒子不見了。他謝々我們讓他參加了這麼好玩丶有深度的活動。感覺上那個離開很久的兒子又回來了。
從臺灣回来以后，兒子貼了一張大大的臺灣地圖在房門口，感受到他以身為臺灣子女的光彩，提起臺灣，他眉飛色舞。身邊的朋友一個個驚訝的告訴我："你們兒子變了，以前老是板着一張臉不說話，現在滿臉笑容，話也多，有自信了。" 誰説只有參加活動的孩子有收穫？作父母的我們看在眼裡比中了獎還來得高興。感謝僑委會年年為了我們下一代辛苦擧辦這些活動，為這些在英語系國家成長的孩子，提供一個不一樣的心智成長並認識自己文化的機會，雖然只有短短幾週，但在他們未來的人生階段中，却可能產生不可磨滅的影響。

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1532: 陳人華 ; Author: 陳文正/林苗維

首先感謝主辦單位，以及各級參與人員的盡心與盡力。您們的付出讓「2015年海外華裔青年英語服務營」活動，有個平順的開始和圓滿的結束。身為參與服務的學生家長，除了感謝以外，更是由衷敬佩主辦單位在各個環節的周密安排：從活動推廣、簡介、甄選、分發、接待、訓練、食宿、交通、教學、聯誼及交流等，一直到最後一週的參訪，一連串的運作安排極為周到，並且都能夠順利銜接，相當不容易。女兒被分發到屏東縣的西勢國小，受到校長、主任、老師以及其他教職員工的悉心照料，在此表達我們十二萬分的謝意。在這次的活動中她學習到什麼是離家的團體生活，親身感受到老師為學生備課的辛勞，體會到在炎熱的南臺灣沒有空調的教室裡小朋友的學習熱忱，也體驗到她父母親曾經在台灣這片土地上的真實生活環境，更明白了無償服務的真正意義。這些寳貴的經驗種種，並不是一般的志工服務或其他的活動可以賦予的。
當女兒對我們說，她以後想回臺灣當志工！我們知道這個極為成功又有意義的服務營活動已經改變了她的人生觀，而她從中獲取的經驗是無價的。給主辦單位和參與的學校教職員工打氣，給所有的志工學生鼓勵，給所有的海外華裔學生家長建議－海外華裔青年英語服務營，絕對是所有海外華裔小孩的最佳暑期活動。

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1533: 張嫚麗 ; Author: 李錦容

在此，我們感謝僑委會、教育部以及客委會主辦了2015年海外青年英語服務營。讓我們的孩子張嫚麗能有機會參與在屏東西勢國小的英語教學活動。

始自志工們的招募、劍潭活動中心的報到、圑康活動、敎學訓練，終至志工們的分發、文化交流及環島旅行的安排等等, 過程中，我們深信其中，必定投入了眾多的人力與時間。更感受到了您們的用心。

此外，我們也特別感謝西勢國小的校長、主任及老師們。您們的親切與愛心、對志工們生活起居的照顧以及週末的出遊安排，總是令嫚麗再三提及。還有小學生們的天真乖巧、禮貎以及遵守紀律，也讓她不斷地津津樂道，更留下了珍貴美麗的回憶！

張氏夫婦


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1535: 沈孔翔 ; Author: 沈師德

我的孩子Daniel Shen今年參加僑務委員會、教育部及客家委員會合辦的「2015年海外華裔青年英語服務營」，Daniel經過一個月的活動下來，不僅與小朋友互動良好，增加中文語言能力、適應團体生活的能力、獨立性，結交到很多朋友，同時更進一步了解台灣文化及生活習慣。感謝僑委會每年都辦這樣有意義的活動，希望未來考慮將辦理時間加長一點。
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