Ellen Chen (’20) –> Australia

What made your summer travels unique?
My family carries Australian passports, so we went to Brisbane to visit relatives and friends. The people there were really friendly, and looked like they were enjoying life. The weather was also very nice–it was the warmest winter I’ve experienced.Australia is unique because you can see kangaroos! Also, my house is near the Gold Coast, which is not a busy area, so unlike Taiwan, people aren’t rushing everywhere and you can only see a few cars.
Most memorable experience?
The best part of summer was seeing Ray Chen, a really famous Taiwanese-Australian violinist. He gave an amazing concert, and afterwards I got to actually meet him and we took photos together.

Candice Lee (’18) –> Harvard University

What made your summer travels unique?
I went to the Harvard Pre-College Program, enrolling in the Fundamentals of Epidemiology course to learn about disease control. Although I spent most of my free time doing homework, we were allowed to travel wherever we wanted before the 11 p.m. curfew, which gave me the full experience of college freedom. I think that Harvard was unique because in\ust two weeks, I was able to learn so much and meet so many amazing people.
Most memorable experience?
Hanging out with my friends at night in front of the famous Harvard Widener Library. We just sat there, and danced along to throwback music. It was really nice to be able to chill with a group of friends that you can both act crazy and talk intellectually with.

Nicole Hang (’18) –> Germany

What made your summer travels unique?
I went to Germany this summer to train and compete with my horses! I think Germany is a unique summer destination among TAS students because people would rather be in the States, or somewhere where the sun is always shining. In Germany, I always wear a thick jacket, because summer temperatures sometimes go down to 10 degrees.
Most memorable experience?
I was getting ready for a night out when a friend of mine asked me if Taiwan was next to Africa. I went on to explain in depth (I pulled out a map and showed him where all the countries were) that Taiwan is as far east as he could go away from Africa. The night was great but I’ll never forget the moment he asked that.  

Henrick Koo (’19) –> Granada, Spain

What made your summer travels unique?
My mom found a camp in Granada, a small city in the southeast of Spain, where I could experience Spanish culture while studying abroad. What made this camp different was that we were completely immersed in the Spanish language; we either had to speak their language or not speak at all. In the end, though, I found that my skills really improved a lot.
Most memorable experience?
The most memorable experience in Spain was when I played soccer with the local kids. They didn’t speak any English, so it was interesting for me to communicate with them in Spanish during the soccer game. We ended up becoming really good friends, and after that day, they would regularly visit the camp again to play soccer with us.

Dhirpal Shah (’20) –>Taidong, Taiwan

What made your summer travels unique?
I went to Taidong to work with Heart to Heart at a camp where we taught local kids not only English, but also the opportunities that come from learning the language in our world. Many of the campers didn’t have the luxuries we have, so this camp was more emotional than any other TAS summer destination because we were able to use our luck to help others.
Most memorable experience?
There was a kid at the camp who would always speak to his teachers in English, even though he didn’t have the best speaking ability. He got some stick from his friends because they thought he sounded unintelligent, but I told him to never stop speaking English, because that was the only way he could improve.

Andrew Wang (’21) –>Santorini, Greece

What made your summer travels unique?
My family and I went to Greece this summer, to enjoy the great food and beaches (I learned that many people in Greece are not ashamed of public nudity on the beach). I really loved Greece because I not only got to see lots of rich ancient culture such as the Parthenon, I was also able to try modern day entertainment like jet skiing and wakeboarding.
Most memorable experience?
My favorite memory of this trip was when I went jet skiing because it made me feel like I was Dom from the Fast and Furious series. When I was in Santorini, I also rode a donkey which was a very interesting experience.