FORTVILLE — Recently, Mt. Vernon High School (MVHS) students eagerly awaited outside with a sign to welcome students from Taipei Municipal Neihu Senior High School. The cultural exchange enabled the Taiwan and MVHS students to learn what education is like in another country, improve their second language, and make new friends. The MVHS students in Mandarin classes were excited to welcome the 18 students and two administrators visiting the last week of April.
Two pairs of students met their pen pal face-to-face for the first time. The pen pal letters provide hands-on learning for students at MVHS who are learning Mandarin and also for the students in Taiwan who are learning English.
The week started with a welcome ceremony and a gift exchange as is customary in Taiwan. Each Taiwan student was paired with an MVHS student to attend classes and experience high school classes in America.
The students from Taiwan were excited for the week and to experience an American high school. They expressed their gratitude for their warm welcome and the activities they were able to experience during their short visit. The students attended classes, watched a baseball game and MVHS’s spring musical, Grease, visited Conner Prarie, participated in a Chinese character scavenger hunt in the Saraga International Grocery Store, and more. The students developed friendships and created lasting memories while learning a culture on the other side of the world.
