This preliminary case study used qualitative methods to analyze the experiences of eight short-term education abroad participants prior to, during, and shortly after a two-week program in Taipei. Interpretive analysis of reflection papers, focus group interviews, mobile app assignments, and a post-program evaluation survey revealed that students experienced an increase in language skills and cultural knowledge as well as personal growth. Students attributed these gains to interactions, reflections, and classroom/coursework engagement. The study uses a constructivist and Experiential Learning framework to add to ongoing research on affordances and limitations of short-term education abroad. Implications of the study for future research, program design, and stage-by-stage interventions in short-term education abroad contexts are also discussed.