American Institute in Taiwan

AIT OFFICES TO CLOSE OCT. 10 AND OCT. 13 FOR HOLIDAY

POSTED: 10/07/2008

All offices of the American Institute in Taiwan will be closed Friday, October 10 and Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in observance of Double Ten Day and Columbus Day. This includes the Consular Section, the Commercial Section, the Agricultural Trade Office, the American Cultural Center and the AIT Kaohsiung branch office. All offices will re-open Tuesday, October 14, at the usual time. [Complete Text]

U.S. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM FOR 2010

POSTED: 10/03/2008

The American Institute in Taiwan is pleased to announce that the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) lottery will run from October 3, 2008, through 1:00 am, December 2, 2008, Taiwan time.

The only source for complete and authoritative information on eligibility requirements and application procedures is www.dvlottery.state.gov. All applications must be submitted online according to the instructions on this website. [Complete Text]

AIT Pays Tribute to the Life of Marjorie Bly, Long-time American Resident of Penghu

POSTED: 10/02/2008

On October 1, 2008, AIT Kaohsiung Branch Office Chief Chris Castro paid tribute to the life of the late American missionary and nurse Marjorie Bly, who passed away in Penghu on April 8, 2008, aged 88.

Marjorie Bly first arrived in Taiwan in 1952 and went to Penghu in 1955, where she devoted her life to helping people suffering from leprosy.... [Complete Text]

AIT ANNOUNCES NONIMMIGRANT VISA PROCESSING FEE INCREASE

POSTED: 09/26/2008

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) announces that, due to the recent shift in the exchange rate between the U.S. Dollar and the New Taiwan Dollar, and in keeping with the worldwide U.S. nonimmigrant visa processing fee, AIT will increase its visa processing fee effective September 29, 2008 from NT$4,100 to NT$4,300.

All applicants for nonimmigrant visas who pay the visa processing fee on or after September 29 must show... [Complete Text]

United States Saves Lives, Improves Livelihoods

Truck transporting USAID commodities to Afghanistan.

U.S. government aid, rooted in partnership rather than paternalism, helps other nations in times of crisis and provides ongoing developmental assistance to countries that govern justly, invest in their people and promote economic freedom. [Complete Text]

President's Address on the Nation's Financial Crisis

President George W. Bush addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House. White House photo by Eric Draper

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. This is an extraordinary period for America's economy. Over the past few weeks, many Americans have felt anxiety about their finances and their future. I understand their worry and their frustration. We've seen triple-digit swings in the stock market. Major financial institutions have teetered on the edge of collapse, and some have failed. As uncertainty has grown, many banks have restricted lending. Credit markets have frozen. And families and businesses have found it harder to borrow money. [Complete Text]

- Strengthening American Prosperity Through Trade
- Major Central Banks Attempt to Reassure Global Markets
- President Bush Discusses Economy

No Clear Winner in First Presidential Debate

Washington - Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama outlined their visions for U.S. foreign policy and criticized each other's positions on the Iraq war in their first debate, but neither candidate emerged from the exchange as a clear winner. [Complete Text]

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U.S. Elections 2008

- "Voting in U.S. Elections"
Voting Information for the 2008 Primary and General Elections ... [Details]

MULTIMEDIA CENTER

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VIDEO OF THE DAY

Goodbye?
Scientists estimate that nearly one-quarter of mammal species face extinction (2:09 min.)

America welcomes you

WEBCHATs

- AIT WebChats ( Schedule | Transcripts )

- State Dept. WebChats
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Featured Web Sites

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America.gov

A two-way conversation between Americans and people in other countries. The State Department's new Web site for international audiences provides in-depth material on U.S. policies, culture and values, incorporating multimedia, video, forum discussions, polls and quizzes. [Link to this site]

Virtual American Corner

From U.S. culture, history, society, geography, to information on studying in the U.S.A., our American Corner is designed as a virtual American Center where visitors are welcome to learn more about America and its people.[Link to this site]

educationusa.org.tw

A one-stop source of unbiased information for parents and students about opportunities for study in the USA. [Link to this site]

www.democracy.gov

Democracy Dialogues is a global conversation about democracy. The Democracy Dialogues Web site addresses specific topics of democratic governance through interactive public forums, readings, videos, photos, and historical documents, with a new topic introduced every two months. [Link to this site]

U.S. Department of state
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Publications

American Popular Music
American popular music is a kaleidoscopic mélange of styles and dreams. Its vibrancy reflects the mating of cultural diversity to artistic and creative freedom. The stories in this book illustrate how Americans, borrowing from diverse musical traditions, have contributed to humanity’s universal language. (August 2008) [Read]