Day 25: Din Tai Fung, Mtg with Ministry of Education & Good-bye Dinner

Wow - today was the final day of our teacher exchange program. I can't believe it was time to say good-bye to everyone.  Jacki will be travelling on to China and Korea, Kelly will be going to Cambodia with her sister, and Jim is headed back to Virginia. I'll be staying in Taiwan one more week with my family.

We started our day with a fantastic lunch at Din Tai Fung. This place is iconic! The New York Times has consistently rated it as one of the top 10 best restaurants in the world.  It is famous for it's dumplings, so we ordered up a variety to share one last time.  

Dumplings are the best



Group shot outside of Din Tai Fung with the dumpling mascot

At the end of the day it was really time to say good-bye at the Farewell Dinner. We met with the Ministry of Education to debrief our trip and share our thoughts and then it was time for dinner. 

Farewell Dinner

The New Taipei Education Department presented us with the nicest gift - a gold engraved mug from the famous Yingge Ceramics District - it even had my name on it.

With the head of the New Taipei Ministry of Education

The beautiful mug given to us as gifts

Group shot with Fairfax County teachers and Taiwanese teachers at the Ministry of Education

At the dinner we had the chance to see some of the teachers from a few of the schools we visited early on during our trip.  It was nice to catch up, but sadly we had to turn around and say good-bye.

With the principals from some schools we visited in New Taipei City



When I first started this adventure, I had no idea what to expect. I thought it was an amazing opportunity to visit my family and participate in a invaluable teacher exchange program.  But I have come away from this with so much more than I could have ever expected - I have learned so much from my FCPS colleagues and the Taiwanese teachers. I have visited many historical sites, learned all about the Taiwanese educational system, and had the chance to work with and help Taiwanese students. I've made great friends and put myself out there in a way that will forever impact my outlook on education and history.

I can't believe the exchange is already over - time flys when you're having fun! Everyone was so gracious and hospitable - it was hard to say good-bye.

I have one more week left in Taiwan - I plan to visit more with my family and see a few more sites. I'll keep this updated through my last week here and then it's back to VA. I miss you Nemo!