What Jordan says~

By Jordan Browne
 When I first arrived in Taipei I had no idea what to expect. Getting off the plane I was completely out of my element and unsure of my surroundings. I knew nothing about Taiwanese culture, history or the language - in essence I was the unprepared traveler, a stranger in a strange land. The purpose of my job at English Corner, what I hope to do, is to help give my students an understanding of American culture and language: the kind of knowledge which I didn’t have of Taiwan upon my arrival.

      Despite my uncertain and confused beginnings, I’ve so far had a wonderful and positive experience here at Shih Hsin. The highlight of my experience here is, without a doubt, my job at English Corner. My students challenge me on a daily (hourly) basis in my ability to be creative and knowledgeable and helpful to them in their education in English culture and language. It’s true that the students I see vary widely in terms of ability, but that only adds to the challenge. I have had to learn to adapt and to adapt quickly. Some days I go from having one student who speaks excellent English to a group of eight students who are too timid to say more than a handful of words amongst them. I’m an English major, not a teaching major, and thus most of my expertise is based in argumentation and analysis, not in instruction; my time here in this past month has forced me to grow, to be flexible and to break my understanding of my native tongue down to its basics.

      Some days and some lessons go better than others, but when it’s at its best, teaching at English Corner is a collaborative sharing of cultures as I’m able to learn from the explanations and questions of my students as much as they are able to learn from my own answers and questions. Ultimately I try to place the needs of my students first, I’m here for them, to help them with whatever I can. Along with the other American tutors I am in English corner to help and to instruct in whatever way I can, even if it’s simply by providing students with exposure to a culture not their own. In a broad sense, that mutual cultural exposure has been the most rewarding part of studying here, as it fills the woeful void of knowledge and understanding with which I arrived.