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Beloved Vernon Hills teacher goes 'Taiwandering' through pandemic

As remote learning became the norm with no quick end in sight, veteran Hawthorn Middle School North social studies teacher Jason Kao made a life-changing decision.

COVID-19 wasn't going away soon, he figured, and he didn't particularly enjoy teaching remotely. After 18 years in the classroom, the animated educator found the online method made it difficult to interact with his seventh-grade students at the Vernon Hills school.

More importantly, after reassessing priorities, Kao wanted to be closer to his family in Taiwan. He hadn't spent much time with his parents since they moved back to their homeland in 1997, and he wanted to get to know them better before it was too late.

So rather than chance 2020-21 would be a typical school year, Kao followed his heart.

“Seeing how many lives the coronavirus had taken already, I knew my place was to be with them in Taiwan,” he said.

Kao notified Vernon Hills-based Hawthorn Elementary District 73 he was taking a sabbatical and began preparing for a 7,500-mile move. He departed Aug. 28.

“I left my friends, my cat (and) my beloved teaching job of 18 years. In addition I sold my house, my car — nearly all of my earthly possessions,” he said.

That message was relayed recently on “Taiwandering with Jason,” a YouTube channel Kao created to share videos of his experiences, educate people about the food, culture and sights in Taiwan, and keep in touch with friends and colleagues in the U.S.

He receives and reads Hawthorn school emails and keeps in close contact with co-workers.

“My friends have been telling me the coronavirus situation has been getting worse,” Kao said via email. “They say they are living vicariously through my videos and are encouraged to see Taiwan's success in mitigating the virus.”

Innovative, engaging and infectiously enthusiastic, Kao is regarded as a distinguished educator with a passion for travel, teaching and learning.

“I would put my own children in his class in a heartbeat,” said Middle School North Principal Robert Collins, who has known Kao about 10 years.

“Jason's a risk taker. I think he saw an opportunity.”

On arrival at the airport in Taiwan, Kao was required to get a subscriber identification module card and was called twice a day during a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Most people stay in a hotel during that time, he said. But he was able to settle in on the first floor of his parents' home because it is separate from other living quarters.

Officials left him with a big bag of snacks and drinks and gave him the equivalent of about $33 in U.S. dollars per day for additional food. Even after his quarantine time was up, Kao received occasional follow-up calls from health authorities.

That experience is humorously chronicled in Episode 19, the first based from Taiwan. In a subsequent video, Kao noted how no local COVID cases have been reported since Easter, with only seven deaths on the island since the pandemic began.

That means life in Taiwan is normal, Kao said, recounting how he saw “Phantom of the Opera” at Taipei Arena and a Guns N' Roses cover band at another packed venue.

“I wanted to share a positive message during this holiday season — that it is not all doom and gloom around the world,” he said.

“And if we could all come together as a community and think more of others, we could certainly overcome this.”

Kao is studying Chinese, tutoring two 7-year-olds, a high school student and a middle school principal in English, and helping out at the local junior high school.

“Jason is a huge gift to the educational world,” said Christie Mun, a District 73 parent whose daughter had Kao for home room two years ago.

“It's a loss to not have him with my other child in school, but I know he's fulfilling a bigger plan,” she said.

This past Thanksgiving was the first Kao spent his family in 23 years. He says he misses deep-dish pizza, Portillo's, good Mexican food and the McRib sandwich.

Things he doesn't miss?

“Watching the Bears lose on TV,” he said.

Jason Kao displays the view of the Taipei 101 Building from Elephant Mountain - and his 'Made in Taiwan' tattoo. Courtesy of Jason Kao
Hawthorn Elementary District 73 social studies teacher Jason Kao shows the view of the Taipei skyline from the balcony of the Grand Hotel. Kao took a sabbatical to be with his parents in Taiwan during the pandemic and has created a YouTube channel called "Taiwandering with Jason" to share his experiences. Courtesy of Jason Kao
Hawthorn Elementary District 73 social studies teacher Jason Kao with a map of Taiwan. Kao sold or gave away everything he owned and moved to Taiwan, where he was born, to be with family. Courtesy of Jason Kao
Teacher Jason Kao saying goodbye to his Hawthorn Elementary District 73 friends Matt and Alivia Polnow and their baby, Lucille. Courtesy of Jason Kao
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