In an exciting cross-cultural exchange, high school students from Taipei and Washington, D.C. recently met over an online hangout event. On December 9, students from Taipei Municipal Song Shan High School of Commerce and Home Economics (松山家商) engaged in lively discussions with their counterparts from Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors in Washington, D.C. (FASCA DC), as well as students from the Washington DC Taiwanese School (WDCTS) and the Millennial Global Youth Foundation (MGY).
The topic of this virtual gathering was to explore the communication apps and popular slang that young people use today. As the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, understanding how teenagers express themselves across different platforms is essential. Here are some key takeaways from the event:
First is "Social Media Dominance". The discussions revealed that social media plays a pivotal role in the daily lives of these young students. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, LINE, and Discord emerged as essential tools for communication and self-expression.
Second for "Slang and Creativeness", students showcased their linguistic creativity by sharing commonly used slang. For instance, the term “芭比” (bā bǐ) was used to convey “it's over.” These succinct and novel expressions demonstrate their inventiveness with language.
The last issue is "Diverse After-School Activities", beyond digital communication, students enthusiastically discussed their after-school activities. Some were passionate about charitable volunteering, actively participating in organizations like the Ciyoushe (慈友社). Others expressed their love for various sports, musical instruments, and artistic endeavors. Notably, interest in popular dance styles was on the rise, while hip-hop remained a favorite music genre. And yes, many male students confessed their love for video games!
As highlighted by this Taiwan-U.S Virtual Hangout, today's youth exhibit diverse communication methods and extracurricular interests. From social media savvy to artistic pursuits, these students lead colorful lives both online and offline and were able to successfully share what they did differently in their homeland to gain better understanding of different yet similar interests.
