Taiwan: learn Chinese and eat great food Past Review
By Melody W (East Asian Studies., Harvard University) for
National Taiwan Normal University: Taipei - Mandarin Training Center
Yes. I will definitely study abroad again, though somewhere different. It's just interesting learning about how different cultures operate. I definitely want to work in East Asia after I graduate from Harvard.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload: not heavy, if I thought it was too light, I would just read more Chinese articles on my own or bump up the word count on my essays Grading system: about the same as Harvard's Teaching methods: my teacher teaches at the University of British Columbia and taught before at UC Berkley and Stanford. She has a very dynamic personality, really cares about students (offers to help us with anything), and is extremely smart. I learned a lot about Taiwanese history and culture, including idiom origins, that wasn't standard material. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
accessibility/support services: accessible through email, telephone, or in person through standard office hours. Staff knows English, Chinese, and Japanese. ability to get things done: yes, I sent an email requesting my transcript and it was mailed immediately knowledge about host country and American higher education: sponsors trips to various places in Taiwan and has cultural classes as well. program size: many, many people, but class sizes are around 10 people maximum and you have the potential to meet a diverse group of friends. I'm glad I went with MTC rather than NTU because NTU was mostly grad students and ABC's. whether your expectations were met: the class could have been much more challenging, but I have to say I am completely satisfied because that meant I had time to enjoy Taiwan |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
During the weekdays, I lived in a one bedroom/bath apartment I rented 10 minutes away from school. The cost was generously covered by the Fung Foundation scholarship. During weekends, I lived at my grandparent's an hour away by mass rapid transportation. Because I have family in Taiwan, I didn't really buy anything to settle in. For little things, there are convenience stores and supermarkets everywhere. The neighborhood around the National Taiwan Normal University is safe, near a beautiful park, and just a few minutes from one of the best nightmarkets in Taiwan. I didn't have the time to go, but I'm sure there's a clubbing scene around. Everything in Taipei is just very accessible because the subway system is excellent. Buses aren't bad either. |
| * Food: |
Eat as much as you can - food is one of the big reasons people go to Taiwan. Even vegetarians have great options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I've heard from others that the field trips are nice, but I didn't go on any of them. I made friends within the program and we arranged things ourselves. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Use common sense and you'll be safe. Even if you don't use common sense, chances are that you'll be ok. The healthcare system is one of the best in the world (better than America's), but I would advise you to bring a native with you if you're visiting the doctor/hospital. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent $70-100 a week, maybe more if I went somewhere really nice. Food is generally very tasty and very cheap in Taiwan. Personal expenses can amount to a bit more but usually not. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | don't hoard your money and then regret not doing/buying something later on |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Chinese 130xb |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced my Chinese with everyone and in all situations. There were quite a few Americans around, but they were all willing to speak Chinese as well. Some people wanted to practice their English, but that was fine for me since they taught me Chinese, Japanese, Korean (whatever their mother tongue is). If there's something you can only speak in English though, the office has someone to help. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Shop around if you're not completely satisfied with the class you are placed in. Reserve your spot immediately if you find a class you like or else someone else will beat you to it. If you're an ABC, you might want to see if they're offering a class just for ABC's. Take at least one cultural class, such as cooking or music. Students who aren't afraid to try new food, meet new people, and who know how to balance work and play would benefit the most from this program. |
