We started out the day by taking the train to Xiufeng High School. Andrew, a history teacher, provided us with many valuable Taiwanese and Chinese history lessons. He has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever seen. His students adore him. Andrew also helped me practice and learn some useful Mandarin. I have to say - I am getting a little better. I've added a few more words to my vocabulary!
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| Andrew giving Jacki a little history lesson. He helped us learn some useful Chinese phrases. |
After taking the train, we arrived back at Xiufeng High School in New Taipei city exhausted, but ready to start day 2 of the seminar. Students were learning all about Chinese history and artifacts from a history teacher from one of the top boys' high schools in Taipei. They were taking notes on the National Palace Museum, which we would be visiting with them later in the day.
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| Listening to a lecture about Chinese artifacts from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties |
The assistant principal took us on a wonderful tour of the school where we visited the classrooms, principal's office, counselor's office, the security room, and the testing office. Only the 10th graders were still in school and they were taking their final exams that day. We got to see the testing environment and even some of their exams.
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| The principal's office |
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| A typical classroom |
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Students must pick up their final exam packet at the testing office and sign it out
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| The views from the high school are amazing |
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| With our interpretor Vicky - she was so helpful and kind |
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| With two of our favorite students - Nelly and Jerry. Jerry was a pop culture expert. He knew more than me! |
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| Posing in front of student artwork |
After the tour, we loaded up on the buses and went to the National Palace Museum. I cannot tell you how excited I was for this! The National Palace Museum is home to exhibits of Asian art including bronzes, lacquer ware, textiles and religious artifacts. The exhibits were brought over from mainland China and are now housed in Taipei. They tell a wonderful story of Chinese history. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside but a few of my favorites were the porcelain and jade artifacts. The museum is home to the famous Jade Cabbage. It is jade carved to perfection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jadeite_Cabbage
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| Group shot before entering the museum |
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| Posing with my student group |
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| In front of the National Palace Museum |
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| With Jacki and Kelly after touring the museum |
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| Front gates of the museum |
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| Statue of Sun Yatsen. I didn't notice until afterwards the little kid pulling the orchid leaves off! |
We ended the day once again with an amazing dinner back at the B&B. Our gracious hosts provided us with hours of entertainment. I will miss them so much when we go home. They have been treating us like family.
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| Jacki and I posing with Francis in the hats that he bought us |
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