Experience living historical connections: develop Mandarin skills by speaking with homestay families and immersive language study, and explore the depth of shared cultural traditions in China and Taiwan.
TAIWAN AND CHINA ARE NAVIGATING A FUTURE WOVEN FROM THREADS OF A SHARED PAST, CHERISHED CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND FRAUGHT POLITICAL TIES.
The China and Taiwan Semester delves into the historical, cultural, and linguistic roots of these places, separated by a narrow strait yet forever linked. We explore these complex connections through cultural immersion, language study, and extended homestays with local families.
Our journey begins in Beijing, China’s present capital, before heading southwest to Xi’an, the ancient capital along the Silk Road. We make our way to Yunnan province and the city of…
The China and Taiwan Semester delves into the historical, cultural, and linguistic roots of these places, separated by a narrow strait yet forever linked. We explore these complex connections through cultural immersion, language study, and extended homestays with local families.
Our journey begins in Beijing, China’s present capital, before heading southwest to Xi’an, the ancient capital along the Silk Road. We make our way to Yunnan province and the city of Kunming, an ideal location from which to explore ethnic diversity, environmental issues, and the dramatic changes that people in China have experienced in recent decades. Through guest lectures, discussions, and community engagement, we explore traditional Chinese approaches to healing, cooking, exercise, art, and music. While in Kunming, students live with homestay families and meet daily for group activities and regular language lessons.
Flying over the China Sea strait, we arrive at the capital metropolis of Taipei where students are oriented to the cultural and economic center of Taiwan. Known for its night markets, Japanese colonial architecture, and a thriving scene of young activists and artists, we explore the city while also discovering the many shared traditions carried over from China. Leaving Taipei, we head to the agricultural community of Yilan, where students start an extended homestay with rice farming families. Living and working with these farmers, students learn firsthand about the process of sustainable food production and have ample opportunity to practice Mandarin language skills. We continue down the east coast of Taiwan for our last homestay with a Panwan indigenous community in Taitung, where we learn about their history, culture and struggles to preserve their ethnic identity and traditions. We conclude our time reflecting on the many connections between China and Taiwan, informed by our immersive travels and interactions over the past three months.
Click on the gallery below to browse photos, videos and quotes from our participants and instructors.
Ancient, colonial, and modern East Asian history, political studies, social issues, development of identities, gender and ethnic studies, cultural and environmental preservation & practices, Chinese philosophy, and geopolitics are among the many themes explored.
Two extended urban homestays and two rural homestays during the program for in-depth cultural immersion
ISPs facilitated throughout the program: Traditional Chinese Medicine, calligraphy, ink painting, environmental issues, Tai Ji Quan (Tai chi)/martial arts, tea ceremony, ethnic minority studies.
Intensive Mandarin Chinese instruction, options for additional one-on-one tutoring sessions, and opportunities for daily language practice in immersion settings.
Small volunteer projects in cooperation with local NGOs and communities.
Introduction to how Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Confucianism, and Christianity manifested differently across geographic and ethnic regions.
Moderately rugged: extended train and bus travel, village home-stays, bike touring, and short hikes.
Minority issues and status, socio-economic issues, health, land-use and environment, tourism, human rights issues, cultural survival.
2-3 day easy to moderate treks, numerous day hikes and/or additional multi-day treks depending on student group interest.
In order to deepen your experience abroad, you may elect to enroll in a college-level course while participating on the China & Taiwan Gap semester program. Those who enroll in an optional course will be invoiced an additional fee top of the land cost, for up to 4 college credits. To learn more, click here.
Students who take a for-credit course will receive an official transcript from a School of Record after successful completion of the program.
Through our Schools of Record, you may take the following courses for-college credit:
See full Course Offering descriptions.
What is so unique about Dragons is that they foster the opportunities and space for experiences like nomadic/rural homestays that would be really rare, hard, or even impossible to do by ourselves independently.
China Semester
In addition to creating strong friendships, the rural homestays provided a new perspective on ethnic minorities in China.
Jimmy O. China Semester
Beyond being breathtakingly beautiful, Taiwan offers students tremendous learning opportunities. In the realm of language learning, the extremely standard Mandarin allows students to get a foothold in the language and begin understanding and being understood rapidly. The presences of Taiwanese, Hakka, and other languages makes Taiwan linguistically rich and fascinating beyond Mandarin. As one possible origin for the austronesian migration and as a subject of many waves of migration and colonization, Taiwan is culturally diverse and has tremendous depth. Those interested in migration, colonialism, biology, farming, ethnic identity, and politics will all have plenty to learn about. Traditional crafts and arts as well as a thriving contemporary music and visual arts scene provides more to learn about and ways to learn. For students with an interest in mainland China, viewing it from the perspective of Taiwan gives them an opportunity to understand what, if anything, is essential about “Chineseness.” The comparative perspective is invaluable. Taiwan is an amazing destination both for its connections to China and its existence in its own right.
Luke Hein, Instructor Princeton Bridge Year 2019-2020