Maritza - This week in Taoyuan

Day five to eight:
The week has flown by. It is Friday 10 AM and we just met the mayor Wu Chih-Yang of Taoyuan County. A lot of dignitaries came with him to the school. Right now we are in our last school visit. Shou-Shan High School is one of the smallest schools that we visited. The mayor only stayed for about 15 to 20 minutes. The press was here and interviewed some of the students. We all got to take pictures with Mayor Wu and exchanged gifts. It was a very formal moment; especially for the Taiwanese. He came to the home economics classroom where the Youth Ambassadors were making fried dumplings. Amalia was so excited because she got to make dumplings with the mayor (special moment for her). He is a young guy (earlier fifties), graduated with a law degree from Harvard. It was a very hot morning and the kitchen was hot with the cooking taking place there. The students will be in regular classes the rest of the day.
Last Tuesday we went to Ping – Jen High School and it was a very organized day. The students received uniforms and they had to wear them in order to look like the students from the school. Some of the uniforms were small for the kids but, they were grateful and wore the uniforms with smiles. They participated in a play that the school put for them and got to make the traditional “rice ball” that Taiwanese eat during the Dragon Boat Festival, one of the most important holidays in Taiwan. We made silk print T-shirts and at the end of that day, students went to a martial art class. The teacher in the martial arts class is the World Champion and she just earned her title.
Wednesday we went to Longtan to the festival and it was crowded. However, it was very fun. We saw the dragon boat races and walked a little bit. From there we went to picnic and barbeque. We cooked our own food that included fish, pork sausages and chicken. Students were divided in groups and cooked and ate at their own stations. After lunch we walked and cross the Dasi’s bridge which is very new. It was beautiful bridge. The scenery here in Taiwan is just gorgeous.
Every day this week the students have gotten new uniforms to wear from the schools. I think they should have a suitcase just for their uniforms. Yesterday at Nankan the students were received and treated like movie stars. They had a lot of opportunities to interact with the students. The Nankan students played Chinese folk music that it was just fantastic. Our students did power point presentations about themselves and their experiences here in Taiwan. They have been performing their dances every chance they get. It is funny how well the students and teachers from Taiwan respond when the students ask them to dance. They go to the stage and dance and do their best.
We have things planned for the next two days that involves more cultural trips around the county. Our good-bye tea party is for Sunday at 9 AM. We have other activities planned but from 2PM on, we will be free of planned activities. Students will be with their host families until 6 AM Monday when we meet to get to the airport. It has been a busy but fantastic trip. The 2010 DYA are just an amazing, graceful and beautiful group of kids. The world is a safe place with them out there.