Heading back to Taiwan first hour in the morning of August 4 was more than mere departure; it was more of understanding what comes next after the 35-day English Summer Program—a handful of tasks and assignments, a string of friendships, a couple of dips in Cebu’s southern beaches, a slice of life in the countryside, and a bucketful of memories to cherish all constitute that single moment in time before classes in the Philippines even started.
Nothing more could be said than the feeling of fulfillment that ran through every participant, both the Filipinos and the Taiwanese, which marked the international engagement with something that has closed out the gap between two cultures. At the final interview (in speaking class), a majority of them had tears rolling down their cheeks as they uttered words of gratitude and possibility that soon they might return. Owing to the quality of response, CTU Danao has had what it needs to celebrate the devotion and confidence put up to make the entire program successful.
One of the things the Taiwanese students could not forget is the strategy learned, making them believe that the horrors of not being able to speak the English language are not at all what they seem to be. Random conversations that ran back and forth, accounting for the bulk of the learning experience, were genuine and profound. They seemed to have altered the course of time so that it moved so slow—one ticking of the clock after another made a remarkable space in their minds.
Inasmuch as they would want to stay longer, flying back to their country in the end remained undeniable. The day before the departure was fun-filled. Propelling their extraordinary efforts at that time was the English Festival, which became contagious as teachers themselves had to also render performances. It was collaboration at its best.
Bringing to life Pablo Neruda’s romantic verses made the winner of poetry reading so engrossed at creatively putting across the pangs of pain reverberated in being lost in love and wanting more of it. The same occurred to the winner in poetry writing as she was able to vividly paint the infinite being longing for someone that was best exemplified in her use of anaphora at the beginning of each line. Reader’s theater also proved their being able to open the mouth well so that words could be clearly understood. It’s the fantastical side of life shown that included the princess, prince and fairy represented by animated voices whose ambivalent effect created much of the stir from the audience.
Catching up the morning vibe on August 3, the impromptu speakers battled to let out thoughts on whether or not learning the English language is necessary. Toppling the other 5 contestants was a freshmen who could barely move up front as she was too nervous to do it. Her perspective was exemplary in that she ended with a captivating note:” We need not just speak English but also taste and smell it.”
With the delightful tempo of chitchat, morning greetings, late-night talks, and even a series of questions every now and then, the English Summer Program delivered the sublime purpose of communication—-understanding cultures amidst differences and even expanding the network of meaning-making mechanism to survive the era of globalization. ICPA