On November 19, 2015, NSLI-Y Interactive hosted a virtual event with NSLI-Y students currently studying in Taiwan, and two classrooms of their peers studying Chinese in the United States. Students from Marble Hill School School for International Studies in the Bronx, NY and students from McKinley Technology High School in Washington, DC, heard NSLI-Y students share about daily life in Taiwan for a young American student and had the chance to interact with and ask the NSLI-Y students questions in Chinese.
Much of the NSLI-Y students' presentations were in Chinese, with translations in English. It was wonderful to hear about the ways that the NSLI-Y students were making the most of the experience. Olivia, a NSLI-Y Taiwan student noted that:
We can share life stories and little things about culture and ideas by talking with our host families; you learn so much by talking with other people. It's a great way of practicing what you learned that day.
NSLI-Y students Alex, Olivia, Laurel and Brayton spoke about host family life, local cuisine, language learning, and transportation.
During the Q&A session at the end of the virtual event, thought-provoking conversation was generated by the students from McKinley and Marble Hill high schools. The first question asked by a Marble Hill student, was: "What has the experience been like, living in Taiwan?" NSLI-Y student Brayton didn't hesitate to answer:
Around every turn there is adventure and new ways of seeing the world.