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Youth agency touts foreign-language tours of Taiwan

The National Youth Commission is promoting domestic travel tours this summer for both local and foreign youths, with excursions in Mandarin, English and even Japanese.

The commission is offering 20 tours planned by various non-profit organizations (NPOs), such as community colleges and art and culture associations for youths from between the ages of 15 and 30.

They will mainly center around local art and history, lifestyles, ecology and Aboriginal village tours.

National Youth Commission Chairwoman Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) said last week that summer programs next month and in August that provide a chance to travel and learn within the country are not usually available for young people.

English tours will include a Yunlin farm life camp, Beitou and Yangmingshan nature tours, Pingtung Wutai (霧台) Village Aboriginal tours and Chiayi countryside tours.

The Chiayi tour is also available in Japanese.

Another option, the Tarumak (達魯瑪克) tribe village tour, last year attracted some foreigners since it was an opportunity to learn Austronesian languages and culture, commission officials said. The tour will be available again this year.

The Aborigines of Taiwan speak languages belonging to the Austronesian language family.

Chang Chun-lien (張春蓮), an official in charge of the project at the commission, said that this was the second year the commission was offering these tours.

Last year, there were fewer options and very few foreigners participated since language was a problem, Chang said.

However the commission encouraged NPOs to offer English tours this year for foreigners who have just come to Taiwan and do not understand enough Mandarin to go on a normal tour, she said.

The commission provides extra subsidies for organizations that offer tours in foreign languages, she added.

Foreigners were welcome to participate in all tours and not just the English ones, Chang said.

The cost of the tours ranges from NT$500 to NT$6000 and last for two to five days.

More information about the tours and on how to register can be found on the commission's Web site at youthhub.net.tw/youthtravel/.
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