The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Agnes Hsieh

For me, life prior to age nine was Taiwanese.  In a land where 7-Elevens roam like the giant shopping malls in America and where the local small restaurants filled the Taiwanese streets with all kinds of smells – Taiwan was already an unforgettable place in my young mind.  Although since the immigration I have been back to visit the people I parted, never in my life would I have predicted a trip like this.  Through this teaching opportunity I have re-opened my eyes to the love and humanity of the Taiwanese people.  Sometimes it takes just a smile to make your day, other times it takes just one glance your way for you to feel like you belong in a foreign place.  Not only have I learned to quickly bond with people of different backgrounds and customs, I have also learned to humble myself because I have realized that this world is much too big for even a second of paused learning and self-growth.  I have learned to appreciate the unpredictability of life, all the bittersweet moments of firsts and lasts as well as the existence of everyone I’ve gotten to meet.

 This year I was selected, among five other volunteer teachers to teach at Hualien district’s Shou Lin Junior High School.  Taking what we’ve been taught in the Taoyuan teaching workshop, six strangers boarded a plane and anticipated two weeks in a surrounding none of us could’ve ever imagined it would be.  Taroko National Park’s mountain ranges surrounded the school and are the homes for most of our wonderful aboriginal students who participated in this summer’s English camp.  The people of Taroko are kind, loving, and an extremely giving bunch.  At first they are shy and almost unwilling to approach strangers, but once they feel comfortable enough to come out of their shells, you may find that they are surprisingly an energetic and fun-loving group.  They like to sing and dance and have hidden talents that surprised all of us throughout the two weeks we taught.  They also never failed to encourage each other as well.  Just as hard as I wanted all my efforts to teach English and the American culture to them (in hopes that they will one day want to broaden their horizons) they were just as eager to learn and teach us about their culture and customs.   

What I will bring back to the States isn’t just plain memories of teaching, but of all the people and smiles I’ve met and seen in Hualien district which made me feel like I belong.  All the laughter and lessons my students and the people here have taught me are indeed unforgettable.  Appreciating life isn’t about appreciating only the finer things – it’s about appreciating what you have, knowing that what you have is the best it could be no matter what your immediate circumstances might be.  To appreciate is to value what you have and through this you eventually learn to love wholeheartedly.  I loved every one of my students and the Hualien people I’ve met.  Thank you all for your generosity and love.  I will always treasure the moments I’ve shared with them, and all the lessons I’ve learned from a life from simplicity.  

To the volunteer teachers I’ve met through this trip - good luck to all of you, and I wish you all fulfillment in your future endeavors.  Thank you all for the laughs and the long talks about life and where we are headed even if we don’t have a clear view of it all just yet.  To me, knowing that there will always be more people there to support me now is way beyond anything I could’ve imagined out of this trip.  Thank you all for your wonderfully kind souls and the memories that will last for a lifetime!! 

To future volunteers of this program, I hope that all of you will take a look at what you have before you send yourself off to the places you will be assigned to teach.  After the two week teaching period, you will certainly realize that what you have is beyond anything a lot of people in this world could ever imagine.  You will realize that no matter what status you are in this world, there’s nothing more valuable then humanity and love at its best.  If you observe carefully and you use your heart to experience this teaching trip, I have a feeling that you will know that what you’ve been given – this opportunity – exceeds anything you might’ve experienced out of life at this very moment!