US short-term exchange students get their first experience in New Taipei City

(Taiwan Business News) Teachers and students from a high school in Cincinnati, USA, began a 14-day study tour in New Taipei City yesterday. They will also visit cultural sites around Taiwan, and enter classrooms to experience high school courses.

The Education Department of the New Taipei City Government is promoting the "International Short-Term Exchange Learning" program for high school students, in partnership with its sister city Cincinnati in the United States. Last year, New Taipei City selected and sent 30 students to the United States for exchange learning, and this November will hold the second short-term exchange to the United States.

At the welcome meeting this morning, New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu thanked the other side for its hospitality during his earlier visit to Cincinnati, and also stressed Taiwan's warmth, saying that the two sides will become forever friends, that he looks forward to enduring friendship, and that the visiting teachers and students will have everlasting memories after returning to the United States.

New Taipei City students going to the United States for exchange performed an Indigenous welcome dance, while students from Cincinnati, a city that values sports and baseball, also sang American folk songs together, waving the flag of the Republic of China and the flag of the United States.

The high school student exchange education delegation from Cincinnati is headed by Mary A. Ronan, superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools.

The exchange students will experience the distinctive bilingual teaching courses of schools on 7 study routes, including Micang, Baiyun, Yeliu, Ren'ai and Tamsui Elementary Schools, as well as Pinglin Junior High School, Jinshan High School and Yingge Vocational High School, and Cincinnati exchange students will also be invited into classes to share American culture and student life.

Cincinnati exchange students will also enter municipal high schools and vocational high schools to take part in formal courses and campus activities, and travel to the Greater Taipei area and central and southern Taiwan for cultural visits.