The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Chia Yin Chin is a foreign exchange student who arrived in the United States last summer with a goal of perfecting her English language skills. However, as the school year at Peru High School nears its completion, Chia, or “Christine” as she likes to be called, says she has benefited from her 11^th grade experience in many ways.  She says, “I miss home, but I don’t want to leave either. I’ve learned to be more independent. When you’re by yourself you learn how to grow up and make new friends.”

Living in a small town and attending its high school has been a big change for Christine.  Her hometown of Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second largest city with a population of 2.9 million.  It is a center of manufacturing, refining and shipbuilding. The 11^th grade in Christine’s school has 500 students and about 38 students in a typical class.

Asked what the best aspect of her Peru High School experience has been, Christine quickly responded, “Being able to be a cheerleader. The cheerleaders welcomed me and have become my friends.” Christine would not have had the opportunity to be a cheerleader in Taiwan because school sports competition takes place between classes rather than between schools. She explained, “At home they want us to focus on our classes.”  Students concentrate on mathematics and the sciences and on getting accepted at the best colleges. Proficiency in the English language is very important in getting the most opportunities and best jobs. Christine’s parents recognize this fact. Her 18 year-old sister is an exchange student in Missouri this year.

At Peru High School Christine takes photo art, forensics, precalculus and American Government.  She also plays the xylophone in the high school band.  Math is her favorite subject and American Government has been the most difficult. Guidance Counselor Tim Loughan has been a big help to her. Christine said, “If I had problems with my school work Mr. Loughan would talk with the teacher and the teacher would give me more help.”

Asked about other differences between our education system and Taiwan’s Christine responded, “Americans write a lot of essays and strong reports. At home we write articles, but we don’t write essays.” Teaching methods are also very different. In Taiwan teachers adhere very closely to a prescribed textbook. Christine commented, “Here they want us to think more. We work in groups of three. There is more collaboration. Sometimes it is difficult here for people who don’t like working in groups.”

Henry and Michelle Vincent and their three children have been Christine’s host family for the past 10 months. Christine has enjoyed living with them  and with the exception of our cold climate she enjoys our region, especially our environment and clean air. She loves traveling with her host family to visit her host grandparents in Vermont. Before the school year ends she hopes to travel to Montreal with her math class. During spring break, she joined with a group of European exchange students and traveled to California.

At a time when some Americans worry about our image in foreign countries Christine said that people in Taiwan like Americans. She has enjoyed her experience here so much that she hopes to attend college in the United States.

Christine and her best friend Ashyln Rego

Christine and Guidance Counselor Tim Loughan

Christine (Center) with cheerleading coaches Jennifer Joy (L) and Michelle Bishop