The map and the dream
This past month in class, we’ve been traveling, not physically, but through screens, stories, and shared dreams.
London, with its double-decker buses and ancient bridges, came first. It was in our textbook, so naturally, we leaned in. But what began as a reading passage turned into something more: a journey. We watched videos of the London Underground, the bustling markets, the solemn guards at Buckingham Palace. My students laughed at British slang, tried mimicking accents, and asked curious questions about afternoon tea and rainy weather.
Then came Taiwan, my second home. I told them about the night markets, the smell of bubble tea, the kindness of strangers, and the MRT gliding quietly through Taipei. Taiwan felt closer, more intimate. The videos we watched weren't just travel vlogs; they were pieces of my life that I wanted to share. And they welcomed them, warmly.
One day, I showed them the railway maps of London and Taipei—so colorful, so complex, so overwhelming. Lines crisscrossed like tangled threads. My students squinted at the screen, following the maze of colors, before sighing in unison: "I think I'm going to get lost."
I laughed. “Oh, I got lost a lot in Taipei Main Station,” I admitted. “It took me around six months to finally be able to navigate the transportation system on my own.”
They looked surprised but also, relieved. Maybe getting lost wasn’t a failure. Maybe it was part of becoming brave.
What started as curiosity has quietly grown into belief. Not just mine but ours. Now we say it with a soft kind of certainty: One day, they’ll go. Maybe to London. Maybe to Taiwan. At least to these two.
Motivation is a quiet seed. You water it not just with lessons, but with images, hopes, and stories. With a glimpse of the world not as something distant, but something waiting.
My students may not have passports yet. But they have dreams that know their destinations.
And in this little classroom, that’s where it all begins.
What sparked your love for languages or travel? Do you remember the first place that made you want to go beyond borders? I’d love to hear your story. Let’s keep this window open together.
