Taiwan Semester: Mandarin Language Immersion & Cultural Immersion
- Taiwan
- Taipei
About Program
Learn and improve Mandarin skills through intensive language classes, interactions with homestay families, and meetings with community members all while learning about the cultural tapestry of Taiwan.
To early travelers from southwest China, Taiwan was known as the “Beautiful Island” for its endless seashores and stunning mountains. Amidst a thriving economy, civically engaged democratic system, and cherished Chinese cultural heritage, Taiwan’s people are creating a future that weaves together the many threads of their collective past. Home to more than 800,000 indigenous people whose ancestors settled the island long before significant migration from China’s southeastern coast began, Taiwan’s people have navigated numerous political annexations and power disputes and continued to redefine Taiwanese identity politically and culturally.
Video and Photos
Diversity & Inclusion 💙
BIPOC Support
LGBTQIA+ Support
In some cases, students may be advised not to speak about their sexual orientations and/or gender identities with local contacts (such as homestay families, ISP mentors, language teachers, and guest speakers) due to safety concerns. Likewise, transgender and non-binary students may have to choose to present outwardly as male or female in certain contexts during the program. In other cases, “coming out” to some or all host community members may be a safe choice.
Neurodivergent Support
Accessibility Support
Impact 🌎
Sustainability
Ethical Impact
Learning Service is a holistic experience that combines an intimate and authentic engagement with the local community, the study of effective development, and the contribution to an established community-driven project. It is the process of living, working alongside, and humbly absorbing the culture of those being served while coordinating closely with project managers to understand the trajectory of the project, from inception to completion and beyond. It is an acknowledgment that often it is the volunteer who stands to gain as much or more from the work. And it is a commitment to making contributions that create positive impacts in the communities coupled with the humility to always listen and learn first.
Program Highlights
- Learn and improve your Mandarin language skills through intensive language classes, interactions with homestay families, and meetings with community members
- Experience life in very different communities in urban and rural settings.