【Article by  Chinese Language Center】
On August 3rd, the Chinese Language Center held the final summer event of the Huayu BEST Program's "Big Hand, Little Hand" activities at Bitan in Xindian. Our center organized a "Cross-Cultural Dragon Boat Journey", and brought this summer to a perfect close.

Amid the sweltering summer heat, the Chinese Language Center organized a refreshing water activity for the students. This idea originated when the 8 Huayu BEST scholarship recipients from Virginia University (UVA) and the 2 Virginia Military Institute (VMI), who joined the Chinese Language Center for summer study, arrived in Taiwan at the end of May and happened to encounter the "2025 Taipei International Dragon Boat Championship," in which students from the Chinese Language Center participated together with other NCCU students. At that time, the Huayu BEST Program students watched their classmates participate in the traditional dragon boat competition and enthusiastically encouraged them from the sidelines. The American students were eager to cheer for their classmates and showed great enthusiasm for the sport. Although the Huayu BEST Program students were very interested, unfortunately, they missed the registration deadline. In response, the Huayu BEST Program office specifically organized this dragon boat experience, inviting both parents, students, and teachers from Shenkeng Elementary School as well as professional dragon boat coaches, so that all participants could have the chance to personally experience this traditional activity with deep roots in Asian culture.

The scenic area of Bitan served as the venue. Despite the typhoon season and heavy rain before the event, the weather on the day of the event was clear and sunny, highlighting the beautiful riverside and surrounding mountains. Early in the morning, participants gathered along the riverbank. The event opened with a welcome speech, as two Huayu BEST Program assistants greeted all the attendees. The event host divided participants into two teams, launching this cross-cultural dragon boat journey.
The dragon boat coaches first led everyone through warm-up exercises and explained the basic movements of dragon boat paddling as well as water safety precautions. After warming up, everyone picked up their paddles, boarded the vibrantly colored dragon boats, and prepared to compete. The first round of racing began with the two teams, under the guidance of their coaches, fiercely paddling on the waters of Bitan. Both teams demonstrated determination and teamwork, with the Huayu BEST Program American students from UVA and VMI, 8 local elementary school students, their 8 parents, 5 students from the Chinese Language Center, and 2 study buddies working together to strive for victory and build a strong team spirit, as the sound of paddling and cheering echoed across Bitan. The Principal of Shenkeng Elementary School, Li Chun-fang (Jack Li), was also present to encourage the participants, which made the competition even more lively.

The second round featured a more challenging dragon boat tug-of-war, with each team selecting six of their strongest competitors for the showdown. On the coach's signal, the boats moved in a closely fought battle as strategies shifted and the lead changed several times, creating an intense and exciting atmosphere.

Although everyone looked exhausted by the end, their faces were full of happy smiles as they shared memorable moments from the races. At the close of the event, Shenkeng Elementary School presented a certificate of appreciation to the Chinese Language Center in recognition of the valuable cultural exchange, followed by a celebration ceremony.

After the celebration, everyone gathered under the shade for lunch and shared their experiences from the dragon boat activity. Both students and parents said that although the dragon boat competition was challenging, it was the most exciting and unforgettable part of the event. The race became a summer highlight, creating lasting memories for both the American participants and their Taiwanese friends. This event not only brought international and local students closer together through teamwork, but also allowed everyone to experience the richness of traditional culture. Many participants are looking forward to joining similar exciting activities in the future and learn about each other’s cultures and traditions through cross-cultural exchanges.

To view more photos from the dragon boat event, please visit our Instagram: https://goo.su/snHEzH