Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China was called Formosa or "beautiful island" by 16th century Portuguese sailors who were captivated by the grandeur of the island's forested mountains.

Today, Taiwan has a population of over 23 million people most of whom live on the north and west sides of the island. Its capital, Taipei is a modern city which has grown to about three million people, most of its growth in the past forty years. It is a city with abundant parks, markets, temples, galleries and museums to explore and the traveller can get around quickly and efficiently on the MRT believed by city residents to be Asia's best mass transit system. The site in Taipei for the AYJGlobal program this summer is Wesleys' Girls School, Taipei.