A Cultural Bridge Between VAS and Taiwan

More photos and videos

Since the start of the school year, I’ve been organizing regular culture and language exchange sessions in our Chinese class with two schools in Taiwan. Our secondary students at Riverside and Sunrise are collaborating with National Chiayi Senior High School (CYSH), one of the top schools in Chiayi City. Our primary students at Sala are partnered with Chiapei Elementary School.

Secondary Students have introduced themselves in both English and Chinese and shared interesting topics such as “What You Must Try When You Visit Taiwan or Vietnam” and “Our Favorite Stars.” Everyone has actively participated, and we’ve posted our videos and written introductions on Padlet in both languages.

Here are the links to our Padlet pages:

• Primary at Sala: Padlet Link

• Secondary at Sunrise: Padlet Link

• Secondary at Riverside: Padlet Link 1 and Padlet Link 2

Bridging Cultures: A Memorable Visit from Chiapei Primary School

The exchange has been so successful that the Chiapei Primary School decided to organize a trip to visit VAS in Vietnam. This Monday, we were excited to welcome 29 guests from Taiwan, including the Principal, teachers, parents, and students, to our Sala campus.

It was the first visit from our Taiwanese partner schools and a great step toward building cross-cultural understanding. We are especially thankful to all the VAS teachers, staff, students, and the MFL team for their incredible support. The visit wouldn’t have been possible without their hard work!

We hope all of our students will continue to build meaningful connections and deepen their cultural understanding through this exchange.

Our Special Day: The Visit Itinerary

The day was packed with activities designed to foster friendship, creativity, and academic exchange. Here is a look at how our Taiwanese guests spent their time at the Sala Campus:

Time	Program & Highlights	Location
8:30	Bus Pick-up	Ramana Hotel Saigon
9:00	Welcome Ceremony  A warm greeting with a brief introduction to both schools, followed by a guided tour of our modern facilities.	Kindy Lobby
9:15–10:25	Taster Classes  Guests joined VAS students for hands-on lessons in Art, Math, English, Science, Music, and PE, experiencing our bilingual curriculum firsthand.	Various Classrooms
10:30	Team-Building Games  Fun, high-energy outdoor activities to break the ice and build bonds between the students.	Grass Area (G Floor)
11:00	International Lunch  A chance to refuel and chat over a nutritious meal.	Canteen
11:30	Rest & Relaxation  A quiet break for guests to recharge and enjoy our collection of books.	Secondary Library (5F)
12:00	Robotics & Design Thinking  A future-focused workshop where students collaborated on STEM challenges.	STEM Lab (G Floor)
1:00	Carousel Activities  Small-group rotations featuring interactive cultural games and student-led projects.	G7.5/6/7 Homerooms
1:30	Auditorium Grand Event  The highlight of the day! Featuring vibrant musical performances, heartfelt speeches, and a formal gift exchange.	Auditorium
2:10	Afternoon Break  Last-minute networking and sharing contact info among new friends.	—
2:30	Group Photo & Farewell  Capturing the smiles of our new international community before saying goodbye.	Main Entrance
3:00	Bus Drop-off  A scenic drop-off to conclude their successful visit.	Vinh Nghiem Temple

A Shared Learning Experience

The most rewarding part of the day was seeing how much both sides learned from each other.

While our guests from Chiapei Primary got to experience the daily life and modern facilities of VAS, our own students gained a fresh perspective on Taiwanese culture and the value of international friendship. Whether it was solving a coding problem in the STEM lab or collaborating on an art project, the students discovered that despite coming from different backgrounds, they share the same curiosity, creativity, and drive to succeed.

This visit reminded us all that education goes far beyond the four walls of a classroom—it happens through conversation, shared laughter, and global connection.