12 Branson students will embark on a Global Ed Trip to Taiwan after the last day of classes, exploring the country through the lens of entrepreneurship.
Led by Peter Zdrojewski and Ashton Richards, the trip, a collaboration with Where There Be Dragons, will take place during immersives. Students will experience both the vibrant bustle of Taipei and the mellow local life of Taiwanese coastal towns.
For some students, this will be their first trip to Asia.
“I’m excited to go to Asia for the first time, and for my homestay, so I can learn more about what life is like in Taiwan on a local level, not a tourist level,” Noa Schacter ’28 said.
Most of the students don’t speak Mandarin at home or at school.
“What I hope to get out of the trip is to try and learn very basic Mandarin so I can at least try to communicate with my host family and the people around me,” Liam Conroe ‘’28 said.
Students returning to the Global Ed program are anticipating the chance to try Taiwan’s unique food.
“As someone who’s done a Global Ed Trip before, I would really recommend the experience to other students. For this trip, I’m very excited to try Taiwanese foods like stinky tofu,” Cade Bouligny ’28 said.
Students are looking forward to learning about entrepreneurship from a different perspective.
“I thought the immersion in entrepreneurship and travel in a completely foreign country was a unique opportunity and something I had never imagined could be combined. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the Taiwanese culture and learn how to become an entrepreneur, especially from a completely different perspective than we know in the Marin bubble,” Maeve Tran ’27 said.
Students hope to learn new business strategies from market experts in Taiwan.
“I’m excited to meet entrepreneurs like Chester Hsu, the CEO of TC Time Walk. I really want to gain perspective on entrepreneurship in Taiwan, since they might be able to share insights like different tactics they use that I can bring back to America and share with the community,” Nolan Chong ’27 said.
For students with Taiwanese heritage, the trip holds even more significance.
“I look forward to experiencing the night markets and Taiwanese culture. I am especially excited because I get to be in a country that is part of my heritage for the first time,” Joshua Chang ’28 said.
