How Aaron got to Israel!

At DreyerCoaching.com, we are all about “celebrating success.” One of our recent success stories was Aaron, a high school student in Hsinchu, Taiwan, who was chosen to attend an exclusive, prestigious summer program in Israel! What I found remarkable, is that the applicants had to write essays– in English AND Mandarin Chinese! More than 200 young people applied, and only twenty–that’s less than 10% for you non-math types out there–were chosen as finalists to go to Taipei for the face to face interviews, in English. Of those twenty, only TEN were chosen to go–and Aaron was one of the ten! It’s a big deal! It’s such a big deal, it scored Aaron the first spot on our DreyerCoaching.com Hall of Fame. Check it out, and see if we can help you too make YOUR dreams come true!

While discussing his entry into this program, Aaron told me his time with DreyerCoaching.com had been very helpful. He said his writing classes helped him with word choice, grammar, structure, and flow. Plus, he said the simple act of going online for his class with me each week had boosted his confidence and ability to carry on a conversation in English. So, his essay skills helped him get one of the 20 finalist spots, and his interview skills and poise landed him a spot among the final 10. What a wonderful success story!

For this post, I’d like to share with you his essays and some articles about the experience. Enjoy and be inspired! Don’t be jealous of others! Be the best YOU that YOU can be!

Aaron’s English Essay:

Dear application evaluators, my name is Aaron and I would like to apply for this year’s event regarding the International Youth Leader Convention in Israel. From the very beginning, I have shown great interest in this program, but due to age restrictions, I was unable to dedicate myself in formulating such applications. However, now that I have reached 15 years of age, the urge to apply for the position has never been higher. In this self-introduction, I’d like to discuss my motivations for applying this through my interests, extracurricular activities, and overall expectations/aspirations as to what I would hope to obtain in the ten days that the event provides.

To begin with, there are numerous activities that I indulge myself in. For instance, badminton. I began my “career” with this sport from fifth grade and has enjoyed it ever since through the few times that I’ve been the team captain chosen to represent my school. Not only has it kept my body healthy in past years, it has also strengthened the bonds that I have with my friends, for which I’m grateful for. In addition, despite its uncommonness, attending debate competitions has recently become one of the activities that I appreciate. My friends and I recently went to NIFTy, a nationwide debate competition, and surprisingly got second place for our efforts. This sparked my love for debate, which resulted in NSDA being on my to-do list for the future.

As for extracurricular activities, Model United Nations along with Key Club scores the top spot. Starting from being an admin in 8th grade to representing Germany in this year’s PASMUN conference, MUN served as a gateway to the world for me. In this rather daunting activity for first-timers, MUN allowed me to work with other delegates for hours to formulate feasible solutions to the various issues at hand. In the seven conferences that I’ve been to, the plight of human trafficking in the Middle East to the question of Palestine (which is surprisingly relevant to the program) has been the most interesting to me; through rich debate and discussion, I learned that every nation has different views in regards to any issue, and it is my wish that in this year’s convention that I get to experience these different views first hand. Key Club has also played a big part in my school life; it has taught me valuable lessons such as responsibility and perseverance. Leading the club in beach cleanups in Nanliao and endeavoring in efforts to beautify my school has shown me that life can present many challenges, but as long as one perseveres, success will follow.

There are multiple causes that motivated me to apply for this position and also a few aspirations that I have for the program. One being the student exchange program that I attended last year: I went to Fremont High, a distinguished high school in Cupertino, California for ten days to participate and experience the excitement that American high schools bring while also demonstrating the art of calligraphy that I have learned in recent years. However, with this event, I wish to do more than to just enjoy the environment. I’d also like to share the many feats that Taiwan has achieved in regards to environmental protection while also socializing with Israelis in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of life in the country.

To wrap up, I sincerely hope that I would be chosen for this event in order to contribute my efforts to shine light on Taiwan as a progressive and innovative nation. Thank you.

Aaron’s Chinese Essay:

我是(name)，目前就讀於國立新竹實驗高級中學雙語部九年級。去年，初聞選拔的活動就非常渴望能有機會參與，然而，卻礙於年齡的限定，無法符合甄選條件。因此決定在今年提出申請，並希望有幸能獲得評審的青睞。

(一)多元文化的接觸國際視野的開拓

我目前就讀於雙語學校，學校除了強調中英語文的能力並重，師資的文化背景多元，也使得我有更多的機會，接觸不同的文化。英文辯論和模擬聯合國是我最喜歡的活動。月初，我和同學們一起組隊參加全國性英文辯論比賽，縱然課業繁重，但我們仍舊不放棄找時間加緊練習與搜尋資料，最終獲得高中組第二名的佳績。此外，我的學校每年都舉辦新竹模擬聯合國的會議活動，我從觀察員開始學習各校代表們如何轉換身份，從各國大使的角度出發，針對議題討論。累積經驗後，我也在今年首度參加由新竹亞太美國學校舉辦的模擬聯合國會議，擔任德國代表，討論中東人口販運和巴勒斯坦外交問題的困境。沒想到，辯論比賽的演說技巧竟幫助我的表現，事半功倍。我也更加瞭解德國的文化，和其他學校的同學在此議題上發言及記錄。因此，我希望可以獲得代表台灣的機會，針對國際環境議題和以色列的學生相互切磋與討論，讓更多的人意識到臺灣環境的危機與轉機。

(二)樂於助人的奉獻社區服務的回饋

我在學校參加以服務社區為主的社團，希望藉由親身的實踐，盡一己之力，回饋學校與社區。我曾經和社團的夥伴一同前往新竹南寮淨灘，也曾經油漆粉刷美化學校的圍牆，透過不同的活動，我從中體認到自己之於家鄉土地的責任感和完成一件不可能任務的毅力，生活可以有許多挑戰，只要堅持，成功將隨之而來。幫助別人與回饋是學業分數無法衡量的快樂，但卻能讓人心滿意足與發現生活的美好。

(三)中華文化的涵養健全的身心

我很喜歡中華文化，學校的體育課提供了扯鈴、踢毽子等課程；中文選修課則是書法課。去年獲選學校美國交換學生計畫，前往加州交流與學習，我便利用此機會在課堂中展示了我學習書法的成果，讓許多師生都驚艷不已。雖然，去年並未表現扯鈴與踢毽子，但我十分有自信，能再次吸引眾人的目光，當個業餘的臺灣觀光大使。「健全的身心寓於健康的身體」，我從小學五年級開始打羽毛球，培養運動的習慣，感謝眾人的厚愛與支持，我一直是擔任隊長的職務，在團體中領導與學習團隊合作的精神。

我希望藉由在學校課內外的經驗，代表台灣的青年在以色列國際環境青年領袖會議有所貢獻。勇敢面對挑戰，並樂觀進取與謙卑學習的心態，盡力做到最好。

**********************

TRULY AMAZING: Here is Aaron’s post-trip evaluation. He did fine as it is–until you keep reading and realize he did the whole thing in Chinese too! This young man is fully bilingual to basically a native speaker level in both English AND Mandarin. Wow!

教育部青年發展署

赴以色列台灣代表團

8.21.2017

International Convention for Environmental Leadership in Israel: Post Event Report

FOREWORD

In the seven days and nights that we were in Israel to attend the International Convention for Environmental Leadership as the delegation of Taiwan, friendships were made and memories were kept. I, Aaron Chen, embarked on this journey along with my nine other delegation members and two teachers. Through hours of hard work in preparation for the conference, I am proud to say that our overall performance during the convention was applaudable. From the never-ending laughs to the sleepless nights, I’m sure that everyone had fun and would not hesitate to call each other friends in the days to come.

In addition to all the academics, participants of the entire congress also visited renowned cities such as Jerusalem and Nazareth. The following five photos will not only demonstrate the things we saw, but also the entire experience that made this trip unique.

NOTABLE PICTURES

Carmel Market in Tel-Aviv (8.12.2017)

In less than 24 hours after we’ve landed in Tel-Aviv, a number of our respective host families took us to the Carmel Market, one of the most renowned tourist attractions in the area. Under the blazing yet pleasant sun, the seven of us quickly congregated, enthusiastically discussing the major differences that can be discerned upon the first few glances. What we all noticed was the unique dress code that some of the people had: there were people with small round Jewish hats on their heads and certain individuals clad in complete Jewish outfits with a black suit and a Jewish top hat. This definitely surprised us, but what topped that off was the fact that we met the Austrian delegation who’ve also landed just a few hours ago; they would later become one of our closest friends in the environmental leadership program. After greeting each other and asking a few opening questions, we parted from one another and officially began our travels.

Through the crowded entrance and into the bustling market, there were three elements of Israeli life that stood out to me: food, art, and patriotism. First of all, food. From the perfectly stacked spices to the all-you-can-grab sweet shops, the “souk” was interesting to say the least. As customers lined up to scoop up their desired goods with a small shovel, I was fascinated by how diverse and vibrant all the food was. There were bicolored croissants and spiked pear-like fruits, both of which lit up my eyes upon examination. Secondly, the art. Tiny ornaments and elaborate painting lined the walls of the market. Upon squeezing our way through the walkway, we saw artists utilize their craftsmanship abilities to create glass sculptures and proprietors shout their punchlines to attract customers to their funny shirts. One of the shirts said “My Mom is My Google,” which cracked me up almost instantly. Finally, the patriotism. Even though traces of this element were present all throughout my sojourn, it was the clearest in the premise of the market. People were waving flags proudly, selling Jewish phone cases, bargaining for Jewish key chains, and as mentioned before, wearing small Jewish hats. Following some thought, I concluded that it was necessary for Israelis to be to some degree, overly patriotic. This was because of the multiple threats that the country faces from all sides; it prompted them to bond tightly, hold on to their core beliefs, and never let go.

For that, I have gained tremendous respect for Israelis. The picture taken upon is dedicated to them, the ones who’ve kept the Jewish faith alive and would continue doing so in the days to come.

HaKfar HaYarok (8/13 – 8/18)

As the sun rose from the horizon and the roosters croaked in the distance, Maya, my host, woke me up and took me to HaKfar HaYarok, the school in which the event took place. Upon entering the village with my suitcase and overly stuffed backpack, I realized why the English translation for HaKfar HaYarok was “Green Village”: it was due to the lush green trees, the strong camaraderie, and the cheerful animals that roamed about freely. For me, not only did this discovery pleasantly surprised me, the two elements showed the major contrasts between Israeli schools and Taiwanese institutions; they enabled me to gain a whole new perspective on education as a whole.

HaKfar HaYarok had plenty to offer, from endless sceneries of pure green to the never-before-seen harmony between the students, the school was more of a happy playground. This was even more evident in the program; the heated discussions during MUN and the participative audience lectures elucidates my understanding that schools are meant for both learning and enjoyment, not dead memorization. In addition to the teaching methods, the environment also played a crucial role in the difference of attitudes that the students had. Peacocks and rabbits and cats and cows dotted the campus, gracefully going about their respective daily routines of brushing their feathers or attacking others for territory. Of course, with every cute animal comes a caring soul willing to allocate time and energy to ensure the animal’s survival; this natural obligation of animal protection that the students had bonded them together, which had a positive effect on the overall atmosphere during the span of four days that we marked our stay. Finally, what I would say differed the most from Taiwanese traditional schools was the spirit: the attitudes that people had towards the beginning of each day. In Taiwan, students are greeted with mock tests, weekly tests, and monotonous lectures while Israeli students begin each day with interactive lectures and outdoor activities that focus on having fun, not timed runs or class rankings seemingly engraved on the bulletin board. Overall, these dissimilarities helped me realize what I can help my classmates understand, and prompted me to live the few short days I had in Israel to the absolute fullest.

3.Shabbat Meal (8/12)

It was a sunny Friday morning; all the shops on the streets were open and ready for a big payday. Maya and I began the day by in the neighborhood mall to look around to check if it sold the cosmetics that my mom wanted to have desperately. What struck me as interesting was the difference in how people greeted each other: on normal days it was “shalom,” but that turned into “Shabbat shalom” on Friday. I asked the locals about this phenomenon, knowing it had to be some kind of occasion. One bearded muscular man responded with telling me that Friday was the day in which God rested, which is why the people should also rest, stay with the family, and prepare themselves for the busy days to come. Anyways, I didn’t find the cosmetics, but I wasn’t devastated. We then left the mall and went to grandma’s house for the Shabbat meal.

To be honest, I never expected a grandma’s house to be all that elaborate, never mind a wall of wine and a giant flat screen TV. But in the moment that I stepped foot into the apartment, I saw everything that I thought was far-fetched. The room was capacious, the interior felt welcoming, the kids were enjoying rock paper scissors, and above but, everyone spoke near perfect English. After greeting one another with “Shabbat shalom,” we sat on the dinner table and watched the grandpa press against the wall and opened a closet-door like door, revealing the countless bottles of wine, including beer, scotch, whiskey, etc. He cheerfully poured a bottle that he explained to be one for Shabbat meals into the adults’ glasses and gave us some sprite just so we won’t dehydrate. Then began the meal.

The meal was both flavorsome and eye-opening beyond belief. From the hummus to the cold fried vegetable to the delectable steak, the occasion was like no other. Inside the one-of-a-kind atmosphere between the family members, I actually felt that I was included in the conversations. This was when a revelation came to me: family is like no other; it bond people together much tighter than religion. It is the core of all human beings. And for that, I truly enjoyed the experience.

Gala Night (8/16)

Into the third and final day of the conference, my team members and I attended the Gala night, an event in which all the delegations are required to perform something that is symbolic of their hometown, along with the delegations from five other countries. Into the venue, there weren’t too many surprises for anyone except for the Israelis and guests. This was because before the event, we ran through the entire performance once and the finale twice. Either way, we were still pumped to see all the different cultures that are to come during the span of the event. Firstly, the house entertained the school orchestra, which by the way did a phenomenal job, then we had the former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) speak as well as other influential figures provide us with their inspirational words. In all honesty, we weren’t the best audiences among the crowd because during that time, we were all scrambling to finish up our preparation for the play that we decided to perform. Luckily, the order of performing delegations was in alphabetical order, which meant we were the last one to perform. This gave us ample amounts of time for us to finish up while we enthusiastically watched the other delegations perform their seasonal dances, sing Ode to Joy, and enable us to have a great time. After our Taiwanese-standard acceptable performance which the previous acts ensued, all the delegations were instructed to approach the stage and sing “Imagine,” which was the finale, by John Lennon, a songwriter, and singer who co-founded the Beatles. Because we were all well-rehearsed, the performance went on in harmony. With an Israeli student with a beautiful voice leading our somewhat disorganized bunch and the instructor trying his hardest to keep us in line, the finale was a great success. People laughed, people smiled, people hugged, and people cried. It was one of those moments where you don’t want to let go, it was also one of those moments where you would cherish forever.

Jerusalem (8/17)

Out of the few short-lived days in the trip, I would say the second to last day was by far the best. For the entire duration of that day, we visited Jerusalem, the city that many influential works such as the Bible and Torah mentioned many times. After a grueling 90-minute drive to the site, we began by visiting the market. While the attraction didn’t seem like it was meant for tourists due to the lack of ornaments and collectibles, it provided us with the unfiltered and uncensored Israeli way of life. In addition to the three main elements that I mentioned above, another unique aspect about the place was the people. The similarities were striking; we saw customers bargaining ferociously with proprietors, kids holding food bags while parents laugh, and managers shouting at the top of their lungs to attract heads. Despite few downsides to this souk, I was able to pick up some magnets and small decorations for my friends back here in Taiwan while also trying my first shawarma, a delectable Israeli chicken sandwich topped with a salad and some fries.

Soon after our visit to the market, we continued on to one of the most sacred sites of many religions: the Old City of Jerusalem. Even though I acknowledged the holiness and importance of the premise, I didn’t expect to be so surprised by the compound. Everywhere I looked, I feel like I’ve seen it before. Then it hit me: the pictures on my history textbooks were taken right here! This immediately boosted my energy and encouraged me to listen intently to our tour guide and make mental notes on the information that she gave.

I had a blast in the Old City. But that joy turned into deep thought when we reached the Western Wall, a site where mainly Jews go to confess their sins and formulate wishes for themselves. With tight security and military personnel guarding the area, it quickly changed our mood from a cheerful one to one of caution. As we entered, we discerned many Jewish individuals clad in either complete black suits or fitted with a round Jewish cap. Without hesitation, we decided to follow them to the Western Wall itself where many are reciting the Torah and placing little notes into the cracks between the walls.

I myself wrote a little note that said, “Don’t fear what’s about to come. Embrace life,”

I thought of my work as pretty inspirational, but I completely took it back when I saw four of my delegation members come out with tears dripping from their eyes. It was only hours later that I realized it was not the atmosphere that pulled their heart strings, it was they themselves who reflected upon their lives and thought of all the good and the bad. For that, I gained massive respect for everyone in my representative team; I will be proud of them forever.

RECOMMENDATIONS

For self improvement
- Be more vocal in the chat room with my delegation members
  - Way of improvement: improve my confidence through ways such as but not limited to leading clubs events or taking on roles of responsibility within the classroom
- Be more proactive instead of reactive when it comes to the conference
  - Way of improvement: taking initiative in the classroom by volunteering to participate in community service activities.
- Be more conversational when awkward silences arrive during conversations
  - Way of improvement: Engage in conversations with people more often to obtain more social knowledge and opinions on prominent issues today.
For the event as a whole
- Better plane schedules
  - Everyone had to rush to the plane; I had to sprint just to catch the plane. To be honest, I feel like we’d all be fine if we paid a bit more money to stay one more night. We missed the Dead Sea.
- Better Wi-Fi sharing device
  - Only 3-4 people could connect to it at the same time, the speed of the device was slow too.

Aaron

教育部青年發展署

赴以色列台灣代表團

8.21.2017

教育部青年發展署

106年赴以色列參加國際環境青年領袖會議

與會報告

摘要

106年8 月，十位台灣代表成員及老師出席了在以色列的“國際環境青年領袖會議”，與六個不同國家的青年代表進行了一項有專業探討及文化深度的國際交流，歷經9天的旅程，討論不停，交流不斷，笑聲也從不止歇，我能自豪地說，台灣代表團的整體表現令人讚賞，團員們彼此間不知不覺建立起的深刻友誼，必定也是此行團員間最大的收穫。
除了所有的正式會議外，大會還安排參觀了耶路撒冷和拿撒勒等著名城市。我將以下列五張照片展示我們這次旅行的獨特之處。

重要照片

Carmel Market in Tel-Aviv

在我們抵達特拉維夫後，我們的寄宿家庭將我們各自接走，友善溫暖的轟爸轟媽給我展示了最真實的以色列日常生活風貌。
通過擁擠的市場，我發現以色列的生活有三個重要的元素：食物，藝術和愛國主義。首先，食物，傳統市場有堆積成山的彩色香料與各式各樣的甜品店，食物非常的多樣性，我最愛雙色的牛角麵包和美味的梨子，兩者特殊的風味都讓我驚豔。其次，藝術，精美的裝飾品和獨特風格的繪畫排列在市場的牆壁上，藝術家們不吝於在市場裡展示他們的工藝技巧，也有幽默的T恤上寫著“我的媽媽是我的Google”，讓我瞬間笑出來。最後，愛國主義，我注意到以色列人因為宗教的因素穿戴著特殊服裝，有些男人頭上有圓形的猶太人小帽子，有些男士穿著完整的猶太服飾包含黑色的西裝和一頂黑色高帽子，人們在市場裡自豪地揮舞著以色列國旗，賣以色列國旗手機殼，穿戴猶太人傳統服飾走在街上。或許，因為這個國家歷經歷史環境的多重威脅，促使以色列人有必要在某種程度上的過度愛國，他們必須緊密聯結，堅持自己的核心信念，永不放棄。為此，我對那些在未來日子繼續保持猶太人信仰的以色列人深表敬意。

HaKfar HaYarok

在寄宿家庭2天後我搬到HaKfar HaYarok 高中學校宿舍，印入眼簾的是翠綠色的校園，溫暖熱情的各國高中生代表與自由漫遊在校園的各式動物，對我來說，這個開放包容式的校園氣氛，讓我獲得全新的教育觀。
浸潤在校園裡，從清翠的綠景到學生之間的和諧氛圍，學校儼然是一座快樂學習的蘊育場。在會議期間熱烈的討論和參與式的講座中再再讓我的震撼，學校是學習和享受的場所，學習不是死記硬背的過程。除了教學方法外，環境對於學生的態度也有至關重要的影響。孔雀和兔子，貓和牛分佈在校園裡，人類與各式動物共處在同一個空間中，大家都要學習分配時間和關心來確保動物的生存，這種保護自然動物的義務，這對我們在逗留期間的整體氛圍產生了積極的影響。最後，我想比較兩國教育精神最大的差異。在台灣，學生生活塞滿了考試和一成不變的課程，在以色列，學生每天都有互動講座和許多戶外活動可選擇，不是趕課或計較班級排名。總的來說，當我體驗以色列這樣教學現場的實況，我希望我能將更好的學習理念帶回台灣，影響我及我同學的未來的學習過程。

3.Shabbat Meal

每個星期五，是猶太人傳統的安息日。在平常的日子朋友互相問候打招呼稱作 “Shalom”，但在星期五安息日就互稱“Shabbat Shalom”。我問當地人關於安息日的由來，一位有大鬍子的男子告訴我，星期五是神休息的日子，人們也應該休息，留在家裡，為繁忙的日子做好準備。

寄宿家庭帶我去奶奶家跟家人一起過傳統的安息日，我沒料到奶奶家是如此寬敞舒適，有一整面葡萄酒牆和一台巨大的平板電視，15位家人共聚吃飯的感覺很好，有鷹嘴豆到傳統冷蔬菜道美味的牛排，以色列式的地中海料理好吃極了。大家互動熱切且溫馨，而且大人小孩除了希伯來語也都能說一口完美的英語，在這個家庭聚會中，我覺得我自然的溶入家庭的對話裡，也是這大家庭中的一員。這個美好的經驗讓我瞭解到：以色列家庭因宗教傳統將人們捆綁在一起，家庭是所有猶太人的核心。

Gala Night

會議最後一天的文化之夜，所有代表團都要進行象徵家鄉的表演。以色列前總參謀長也來致詞，給我們講一些鼓舞人心的話。晚會中，各國家代表團多以舞蹈，唱歌及才藝表演的方式表現，我們則以現場互動的方式引出十二生肖故事的由來，我們的巧思贏得許多的關注及掌聲，獲得了滿堂彩，相信能達到傳達文化意涵的目的並讓各國青年代表留下深刻的印象。最後，所有的代表團一起大合唱約翰·列儂（John Lennon）的“Imagine”，希求沒有戰爭，沒有人因戰爭而亡，人類能在和平的世界裡和睦相處。全場的歌聲在我們心底深處產生共鳴，有人笑了，有人哭了，更多人開始互相擁抱，這是文化之夜的巨大成功。那是一個讓人感動的時刻，也是值得永遠珍惜的時刻。

耶路撒冷

在大會的安排下，我們訪問了耶路撒冷，那是聖經和摩西五經的聖地。我們參觀了傳統市場，它為我們展現了真實的以色列歷史與生活。
耶路撒冷的老城區，我的歷史教科書上的照片一一在我眼前真實展開！這讓我激動及驚嘆，我更專心聆聽導遊的說明，讓他的資訊跟我的先前知識做一個對證。
哭牆，自古以來主要是猶太人去贖罪並為自己祈禱的場所。許多猶太男人戴著圓形的高帽子及正式的黑色西裝來到此地，許多人正在背誦摩西五經，並將願望寫在小紙條塞在牆壁之間的裂縫中，我也寫了一個小紙條期許自己“不要害怕將來，要擁抱生命”，受此莊嚴神聖的氛圍影響，也有非猶太教的成員留下了感動之淚。大家在這個聖地，反省了自身的成長背景，有贖罪有感恩。為此，我代表團隊中的每個人都獲得了重生，我將永遠為我們感到自豪。

建議

給自我的期許

在我的代表團成員的聊天室裡更勇於留言

改善方式：用自願承擔責任的方式提高自信

在會議上更積極主動而不是被動

改善方式：志願參與社區服務，在課堂上多主動一點。

在談話中沉默時要更加強對話

改善方式：自我充實，能在對話中提出得更多關於當今社會問題和觀點。

給活動的建議
1. 更好的飛機時刻表：每個人都擔心趕不上飛機。說實話，如果我們多付一點錢再多待一個晚上，行程會更順暢。我們錯過了死海。

更好的WiFi共享設備：同時只有3-4人可以連接，設備的速度也

很慢。

李慧中老師簽名：__________________________

林燕靖老師簽名：__________________________

**************

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Recent Posts

Blog Categories