Taichung City Da-Dun Elementary School and Silicon Valley International School (U.S.) established a sister school partnership in the academic year of 2016 to initiate interactive exchanges between the two schools. Due to the severity of the pandemic, the two schools switched to holding an international pen pal program. As the pandemic has slowed down, Silicon Valley International School dispatched 50 teachers and students, led by its vice principal, to Da-Dun Elementary School from March 25 to 29 (today) to have five days of international exchange programs and cultural experience activities to celebration Children’s Day.

Chiang Wei-ming, Director of Education Bureau, expressed that Mayor Lu Shiow-yen has been proactive in promoting bilingual and international education. After the pandemic, not only have all schools in Taichung City eagerly anticipating the resumption of physical international exchanges, but also the Education Bureau has been continuously encouraging schools to participate in international education improvement programs and to, through the establishment of sister schools and the launch of “International Study Partners”, “Bilingual Online” and “Follow the Ambassadors” programs, provide students more channels to engage in international exchanges and broaden their international views even more directly.

Education Bureau pointed out that, to welcome these teachers and students from the United State, Da-Dun Elementary School had arranged a series of international programs with the aspiration that they will have the best memories of foreign cultures through classroom integration, inclusive bicycle safety education and training, traditional art experiences, handcrafting courses, and cultural exploration activities. Besides, Da-Dun Elementary School also conducted homestay matching within the school to welcome visiting students. As the number of homestay applicants exceeded the number of required homestay families, Da-Dun Elementary School therefore conducted a selection interview, considering the applicants’ year of grade, hobbies, family members and reception plan, in order to provide the best interactive experience for both the U.S. and Taiwanese students.

Hung Hsin-kuan, students of Year 5 of Da-Dun Elementary School, said that it was a great honor to pass the selection interview and was really looking forward to going to school and share local culture and delicacies with an international friend. Parents who served as a homestay family also said that it was great to watch the children voluntarily tidied up the house and prepared welcome gifts, just to give their unseen old international friends a wonderful experience. They believed that this experience would nourish their children's international journeys in the future.