Service Learning

Service learning students will participate in building projects, teaching at schools, working with elderly, and any other opportunities to expand their perspectives while improving work ethic, cognitive development, and critical thinking skills. These groups with learn the importance of civic responsibility and moral development in order to become better leaders and successful scholars and workers throughout their future.

We believe that hands-on learning is imperative for the development of the student. Service learning does not mean simply watching or visiting rural or poor areas for a few hours before returning to camp facilities, but rather by doing, helping, and measuring results against a pre-approved plan. Service learning implies that students actually engage in service and learn through this participation.

These programs are held at our Pingtung site at the Ying Da Farm in Pingtung County, Taiwan. This is located about 1 hour away from both the High Speed Rail station and the Kaohsiung International Airport. We take up to 100 middle to high-school aged students for these programs.

Whenever possible, we prefer to work with student leaders to help them develop and learn to execute their own programs. This better meets the requirements of the IB programs for service learning, as well as makes for a more meaningful cultural experience. The process is designed to teach students how to work together and how teams and tasks are integral to the health and functioning of the overall community.

Cultural and Language Immersion Programs

Cultural and language learning takes place when students are totally engaged and challenged to speak and live within the culture that they are studying. We aim to provide that total immersion while providing students with the tools they need in order to build their knowledge and skills.

We facilitate these programs both in Taiwan and in the US, generally working with school groups from foreign countries (bringing non-US groups to the U.S., and non-Taiwan groups to Taiwan)

US Immersion

These programs focus on the history, food, traditions, and subcultures of the U.S. and are designed for high school or college groups of international students. They take place over a 7 to 14 day program period and are sourced from Washington State and are limited to 30 students.

Groups will travel to locations throughout the Pacific Northwest and will see first hand the differences between urban and rural lifestyles and social structures in the US as well as explore the rich Native American history in the area. They will be in an all English environment exploring museums, historical sites, ranches, landmarks, schools, and parks.

Groups will not only participate in activities and share meals with peers their own age from the US but also personally interact with older and younger Americans from all walks of life. They will be continually challenged in their English communication skills and integrated in U.S. social structure for a highly engaging learning experience.

Taiwan Immersion

These programs focus on the history, politics, food, and traditions of the peoples of Taiwan and are designed for high school or college groups of international students.

They take place over a 7 to 14 day program period all across Taiwan and are limited to 30 students.

Groups will learn about Han culture as well as that of the Hakka and Aboriginal peoples and will get to see how these cultures have formed modern Taiwan. Students will learn to use the public transportation system in Taiwan and will visit museums, plantations, farms, night markets, schools, and villages. Each outing will require them to practice their language and cultural skills in order to order food and complete tasks assigned to them.

Trustworthy homestays are arranged for a portion of the trip to enhance the immersive experience in a personal manner, and the remaining nights are spent in quality hotels.