NSLI-Y 2026 Taiwan – Week 5
by John, Rohin and Luis.
Fifth week of the program. How exciting! You know which two numbers come next? Well we won’t get to the second number, but that just shows how close we are to the end of the program. The group is just as close as ever, and this week’s activities reflect that perfectly. From seeing the Odyssey as Christopher Nolan intended, to ending it with a relaxing yet busy photo spot on the mountains of Taipei. This has been a hard week to follow up week number 5, but I think it did the trick.
We started off the week with going to see the new movie adaption of Homer’s “The Odyssey.” We strapped on our Trojan war helmets and watched it in IMAX, just as Christopher Nolan had intended. The churros were to die for and we felt like we were really back in the time when Nan Laoshi was born. Or, maybe he wasn’t born that long ago, but we also got to celebrate his birthday this week! His birthday, and others’, has been one of the best excuses to try the delicious cake from Taiwan. Can’t wait to bring him back next year. Thank you so much for choosing to spend your birthday with us, Nan Laoshi, and we hope that it was all you dreamed of!
The entire cohort posted in front of an IMAX Odyssey poster!
Lincoln, Liam and Arthur next to an Odyssey poster!
Nan Laoshi and Mike beside Nan Laoshi’s cake!
Nan Laoshi attempting to catch two 薯條!(fries)
Language partners have been a blast this week, and getting very competitive. We started off with a memory game this week, with a little mix of tones and team action. Things got pretty heated, like when John mispronounced 熱狗 (haha, get it?) and no one got the rebound. Another game we played was a little bit of family feud and the telephone game. Earlier in the week everyone took a survey about their daily lives in Taiwan. “What time do you wake up?” “What do you eat?” “How many times will Vivaan forget what he wrote down in the survey?” Answer to that? About ten times. Then we had to hear a phrase in Chinese and get it down to the end of the line as quickly as possible, and most accurately. Lots of fun for the whole family!
Arthur, Rohin, and Anya with language partners.
Eliza, Lily, and Luis with language partners.
Arthur with his language partner, as Anya, Avi, and other language partners look on.
Anya whispering in the ear of her language partner, as Arthur and Eliza watch.
Amelia, Liam, John, and Eila with language partners.
Cameron, Liam, and Vivaan with language partners wait for their turn in the activity.
We also did a lot more learning in the classroom, or should I say… the studio. That’s right, we learned about traditional Chinese dance in class. We learned a little bit about the Han dynasty and the difference between certain dances being formal or not, and then we started the process of learning the dances. We started off with basic stretches to get us moving and the blood flowing, then we got to the hard stuff like crisscross applesauce. We did a little more stretching, then we got down to the good stuff. We learned certain sequences for dances and moves, practiced, and put them all together for our big finish. All in all a great session for a great group, and we would love to thank our teacher for giving us this unforgettable experience.
ACES NSLI-Y Dancers in action!
You thought the cinema stuff stopped at the movie theatre, didn’t you? Well, we took our Chinese skills and all the stuff we learned from the big Nolan, and put them together to make movies about and around Shih Chien University. Many of the movies we made showed our lives around the University’s campus and what activities are popular with classmates, but then one group did the unthinkable and made their own Odyssey. At the premier, many groups showed up, but only two showed out. The vote came down to one singular vote, putting the Academy award in the hands of the Odyssey. The movie’s creative direction, camera work, and cameos from Mike and the Laoshis (teachers) made the movie the best. Congrats to John, Lincoln, and Eila’s Odyssey team for winning, and congrats to all other teams.
Discussing the activity.
Veena, Eliza, and Avi planning.
Anya and Cameron hard at work.
Arthur, Lily, and Seraphina discuss the finer points of their film.
Rohin, Alexia, and Liam at work.
Emilia, Amelia, and Luis pose for the camera.
We then ended the week by going to the National Palace Museum. This museum is world renowned for having the largest collection of imperial Chinese art and historical treasures. With over 700,000 pieces, spanning over 8,000 years of Chinese history, this was one of the peaks of the trip. We were able to see many pieces of calligraphy, sculptures, and history that you just can’t get anywhere else other than Taiwan. Then, after the museum trip, a good portion of the group took a little trip near the museum to a place you could probably call a Wonderland, where we were able to see the sun set on the beautiful city. Then we went to dinner and shopping to end off that week.
ACES cohort listening to the guide.
Lincoln, Liam, and Arthur pose as buddhas.
Seraphina takes a picture of the approach to the National Palace Museum.
Eliza, Luis, and Cameron get in on the artistic appreciation action.
Cadence, Eila, Emilia, Eliza, Rohin, and Luis listen to the guide’s explanation.
John, Alexia, Lily, and Cameron view a display at the National Palace Museum.
Vivaan reading a museum card.
Eliza and Emilia.
Cameron and Eliza in the background, Anya and Alexia in the foreground.
Group photo in front of the National Palace Museum.
And with careful consideration, we are given free time to spend with our families, friends and much more! This time is often spent visiting different cities, trying new foods, learning Chinese and even watching a Spiderman drone show! Our cohort spent their weekend all around Taipei, capturing magnificent pictures of the city and bustling life within. Have a look!
If you are reading this from home, we are almost back! If you are reading this in Taipei, we almost have to leave. We have a mix of feelings for this upcoming week, and we don’t want to waste the time we have here. Hopefully, we all make the most of this week, and do so together. Until then, 再見! (Goodbye!)