Taiwanese American Summer Camp: Does the 3rd Gen Need It?

Written by

At the beginning of the summer, I received a Facebook reminder that the early-bird registration discount for TAF (Taiwanese American Foundation—the largest and longest-running summer camp for children and teens of Taiwanese descent in the US and Canada), was ending in just a week. Always a sucker for a good deal, I brought up the idea with my husband about sending our daughter. We both had attended the camp as teenagers and young adults, and considered it an essential part of our formative…

Read More »

Summer Language Camps in Taiwan: Five Firsthand Accounts

Written by

Thinking of bringing your children to Taiwan for the summer to improve their Mandarin Chinese? A refresh of our article from two years ago, “Summer Language Camps in Taiwan: Five Firsthand Accounts,” this time we profile five Taiwanese American families* who enrolled in camps, some a little off the main path, to assist in their children’s Mandarin Chinese learning. Information current as of July 2019. *Some names have been changed Seeking A Cultural Experience - Karen Karen was…

Read More »

Sharing Spaces: Taiwanese Indigenous Art Connects Tradition with New Audiences

Written by

Djanav Zengror’s greeting flies through the air, and then the rest of the Ayi-Yanga troupe fills the cozy lounge of the Hearst Museum of Anthropology with harmonies. Within the intimate room, the music transports us to a wide-open space and readily calls to mind the verdant mountains of Taiwan. Their song, “Home Direction” (指路), starts with the hunter’s call. When his people hear him, they run to welcome him home. Through the interpreter, UC Berkeley student Cynthia Ji, Zengror explains…

Read More »

STEP Taiwan: The Taiwanese American Experience

Written by

     I grew up in the land of apple pie, Friday-night football games, and white picket fences. Some weekends, I would drive up to D.C. and see tourists decked out in their new Washington D.C. souvenir T-shirts, posing along the National Mall – all while munching on their great American hot dogs. Whether intentional or not, in my distinctly American neighborhood, I was fully immersed in its popular culture, traditions, and the overall lifestyle. At home, however, I was…

Read More »

Balancing the Trifecta: Growing up Taiwanese, Korean, and American

Written by

  There are 27 picture frames on the wall next to our staircase, each chronicling flashes of the life I know. Pictures of my mom and dad on a vacation to Italy while they were dating, pictures of my brother and me in Mexico, pictures of my brother as a toddler in a pumpkin patch. Pictures of my grandpa’s 60th birthday party, of my parents playing golf with their friends, of my late grandfather with my cousins, of my brother and me sitting on a swing set in Korea. My parents immigrated…

Read More »

Register for Taiwanese American Summer Camps

Written by

Summer camp season is quickly approaching! If you’re unfamiliar with the many non-profit Taiwanese American community organizations that host these excellent home-away-from-home youth summer camps, be sure to explore the ones below. They all have talented and committed counselors and staff with a strong sense of personal identity and leadership skills. They are on a mission to help grade school through high school-aged youth grow as individuals and as part of a strongly networked community. Read…

Read More »

Taiwanese American Women’s Convention & Filmmaker Panel

Written by

The purpose of North America Taiwanese Women's Association 2nd Generation Chapter is three-fold: (1) to establish a network consisted of 1.5- and 2nd-generation Taiwanese American and Canadian women (2) to cultivate and promote talents among young Taiwanese American and Canadian women (3) to preserve Taiwanese culture and promote Taiwanese American and Canadian identity. The 2018 national convention will be hosted in Los Angeles at the LAX Renaissance Hotel during the weekend of April…

Read More »

All Quiet: An American in Taiwan’s Perspective on 228

Written by

By Joyce Chen, edited by Leona Chen Editor’s Note: American-born Taiwanese Joyce Chen is a first-year international student at National Taiwan University. On the 71st anniversary of 228, Taiwan is, she observes, harboring a strange ambivalence. This is not to ignore the indigenous protests for transitional justice or the demonstrations that did occur this year. In Taoyuan, a group of young pro-independence activists covered the tomb of Chiang Kai-Shek in red paint to symbolize the estimated…

Read More »

Five Ways I Understand my Parents Differently Since Becoming a Mom

Written by

By Evita Wong Reprinted with permission from her blog: Mom, Take One I’ve pretty much always been close with my mom and my dad. I never really went through a notable rebellious phase in my teen years, and my mom has always described my personality as a kid as “xi nai,” or “adorably affectionate” in Taiwanese (I may be adding the “adorably” part). So, of course, I’ve always known that they love my sister and me. But, since having Emmy and experiencing how my heart comes close…

Read More »

Summer Language Camps in Taiwan: Five Firsthand Accounts

Written by

Thinking of sending your children to Taiwan to study Chinese but don’t know where to begin? In this article, we profile five Taiwanese-American families, detailing their language-learning goals, which camps they chose, and their recommendations and tips for others looking to do the same. (Side note: If you’re in Taiwan and have time to kill while your kid is at camp, read this article: 9 Beef Noodle Soup Restaurants to Try While Your Child is at Summer Camp in Taipei) First-Timers - Cathy Cathy…

Read More »