Vietnamese immigrant Dao Ti-guei has turned her home into a place where Taiwanese children of Vietnamese descent can learn their mother tongue and Vietnamese culture.
Dao lives in the eastern county of Hualien, home to nearly 8,000 foreign spouses. Among them, over 20% or about 1,700 people are from Southeast Asia.
Hurry up! Everyone take a book! This is how Dao Ti-guei, a Vietnamese immigrant to Taiwan, teaches the children of fellow immigrants from Vietnam. She has transformed her home into a children’s classroom teaching the Vietnamese language and culture.
Dao said she wants to teach second-generation children of Vietnamese descent about their heritage.
Over the past ten or so years, Dao has collected about 1,000 Vietnamese books. These include children’s books, coloring books, teaching materials, and books about Vietnamese culture. Dao hopes that her classroom and reading room will allow Taiwan to see a Southeast Asia beyond the typical stereotypes.
Hualien County Council Member Yang Hua-mei says that Dao’s efforts have fostered public understanding about Vietnamese culture.