BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Singing in Taiwan

By Mary Ella Saueressig, age 13 | October 1, 2019

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CULTURAL EXCHANGE Mary Ella Saueressig, an eighth grader at Tanglewood Middle School, traveled to Taiwan with the Houston Children's Chorus. Here she’s pictured (on left) with her friend Victoria.

I recently traveled to Taiwan with the Houston Children's Chorus, and it is a trip that I know will always be one of the best experiences of my life. The Houston Children's Chorus has around 120 members, and 20 traveled to Taiwan. We visited four cities: Taichung, Kaohsiung, Tainan and Taipei. Our choir was paired with the Starlight organization, which has a kindergarten and elementary school for children in Taiwan. The organization has added their own children's choir, and we sang with them while on our trip. They are probably the nicest people you will ever meet!

We performed together at hospitals, schools and a few other places. We had time to sightsee too, and there were many nice sights to see. I realized the importance of knowing that no matter what you are going through, it is important to still love others because that is what the people of Taiwan showed to us.

As part of our partnership with the Starlight Foundation, the Houston Children's Chorus happily hosted the Taiwan choir here in Texas in July after we returned from our visit in June. Children and adult chaperones made the trip from Taiwan to Houston and then headed to Galveston for a week of singing, sightseeing and enjoying friendships. Our choirs really are friends now in every way, and we all hope to have more experiences together in the future.

As for the time the Houston Children’s Chorus spent in Taiwan, that week will always be special to me because I made new friends and explored a country that is very different from our own country. I have come to realize how much smaller the world becomes by traveling to new places near and far.

The 31st year of the Houston Children's Chorus will be getting underway this fall. We sing in Houston for many types of functions. Please see houstonchildren.org for upcoming performances. Plan to attend one of our Christmas concerts, as they are very special. Our choir would love to see you there!

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