My NCCU - chikupunya.files.wordpress.com

My NCCUexperiences

Contents

“My NCCU, My Story” is a

publication dedicated to the

Diamond Jubilee of National

Chengchi University (NCCU) in

Taiwan, featuring articles in their

native languages collected from

international students studying or

having studied at NCCU.

31 stories are included from

authors from 17 countries, written

in 10 different languages to

share their thoughts on their

experiences at NCCU.

01 Message from the President

02 Message from the Dean

03 NCCU at a glance

04 NCCU internationalization

06 List of story tellers

10 Stories

10 Stories in Korean

25 Stories in Spanish

38 Stories in Bahasa Indonesia

45 Stories in English

58 Stories in French

63 Stories in Czech

68 Stories in Polish

73 Story in German

76 Story in Japanese

78 Stories in Chinese

89 Publication information

01

My NCCU, My Story ▌

Dear friends:

Greetings! 2014 is a significant year for National Chengchi University (NCCU); this is the year we celebrate NCCU 87th Anniversary from establishment in China, and the 60th Anniversary from resuming in Taiwan. The number “60” –One Cycle of Sixty Years, has a special meaning to Chinese. Hence, in commemoration of this joyful year for NCCU, we present this book “My NCCU, My Story” to you.

“My NCCU, My Story” is not just a book or one story; it is a collection of heartfelt voices and testimonies from 31 NCCU international students written in their own mother tongues from 17 countries, who came to NCCU to study, to experience, and to learn Chinese/Taiwanese cultural and social custom, and some of them make life-long friends at NCCU. The value of the book exceeds what it appears to be, the underlining of the stories indicates years of nurturing the vision and mission of internationalization and global mobility by the educators.

I am deeply touched and encouraged by the students’ ability and maturity to appreciate and respect for a different culture and different study environment; a student from Japan wrote “…I got to learn different cultures at a deeper level… it is like a special door that opens my eyes and takes me to a whole new place. I am grateful that NCCU gave me the key to this door…,” a student from the US wrote “I was surprised to find such a diverse group of local and international students well mixed upon arriving here for the first time…, NCCU… strategic destination ideal for learning about Taiwan, China and neighboring Asian countries;" and a student from Spain wrote “… I have learnt a lot about the… people, about their patience, kindness and generosity towards foreigners. Every day in Taipei has the potential for a new adventure.” These are just a few samples of the masterpieces.

Cross-cultural experiences have become a precious asset for those who follow the global trend. NCCU has endeavoured herself to develop a multi-culture campus and academic aspect in order to accommodate over 1,500 international students each year, and NCCU has been cultivating and empowering her students to broaden their horizon in global mobility. For this is the age of building civilization to a higher level by continuously providing our youngsters with platforms to experience and accept different cultures and academic methodology. I look forward to continuing working with you to reach the goal in advancing our students to be equipped as elite global citizens.

from the President

Dr. Se-Hwa WuPresident National Chengchi University

02

▌ My NCCU, My Story

Internationalization is a magic word. It means differently to different people. To us, internationalization is not merely about a few languages or a few focusing dots on the map. Rather, it is about a web and people who are connected with their tastes of lives and adventures to the unknown. What Internationalization does is to make these experiences unique but still accessible to those who are connected, so that they can be inspired and encouraged. Furthermore, internationalization is highly dynamic, indicating that the web is growing and potentially without limit, which provides a channel for us to meet different perspectives, suggesting that things can always be looked at from different angles. When multi-perspectives cross and interact, serendipities emerge, which become the engine of creativity and innovation required for a better and colorful future.

The concept of internationalization has become unveiled in recent years, and you can experience it almost everywhere under the sun and moon; and at NCCU, you experience “the sun never sets.” The volume which we proudly present here are her legends. In a place surrounded by bird songs of the Zhinan Mountain and water sounds of the Drunk Dream River, 31 international students narrate their legends with their mother tongues - Korean, Spanish, Indonesian, English, French, Czech, Polish, German, Japanese, and Chinese. Each heart is voiced “authentically.” While we humbly present 10 out of hundreds of languages in the world, this multi-language volume presents a spirit of cross cultural appreciation, and a glimpse of multi international faces from 66 countries of 5 continents on NCCU campus.

We have decided to publish this volume using the story tellers’ mother tongues for two reasons. First, semioticians teach us that symbols are the power for life. The readers who are exposed to an international environment may not understand a foreign language, but they are able to watch, feel, and sense their existence. When walking through the pages, you can see how life is beautifully manifested through different symbols. Second, even though no single one can read this book alone, we are quite confident that this conundrum tends to disappear when there will be more readers with language heterogeneity joining our group.

NCCU has placed internationalization as one of her agenda. Whatever we have done from building an international campus to enhancing international mobility and consolidating research collaboration, it is constantly in the span of these two underpinnings: the acknowledgment and appreciation of our coexistence. We present this volume as a manifestation of our belief and our devotion. Happy birthday, NCCU!

from the Dean

Prof. Shu-Heng ChenDean Office of International Cooperation

03


NCCU

N ational Chengchi University (NCCU) was founded in 1927. Over the past 8

decades through re-formation and development, we have been upholding

our motto, “Harmony, Independence, Balance and Preeminence,” and have

continued to refine our teaching methods and research in order to nurture talent for our

country and society.

We currently have 9 colleges excelling in the College of Liberal Arts, Law, Commerce,

Science, Foreign Languages and Literature, Social Sciences, Communication,

International Affairs, and Education, which comprise 34 departments and 45 graduate

institutes (MA programs). There are also 27 of the graduate institutes offering doctoral

programs. In addition, in acting upon the school policy of implementing our back-flow

education, we have founded 16 on-the-job MA programs.

NCCU also provides a series of public facilities including the Center for Public and

Business Administration Education, Social Science Information Center, Computer

Center, Institute of International Relations, Election Study Center, Center for the Third

Sector, Center for Creativity and Innovation Studies, Center for China Studies and

Taiwan Studies Center to support instructors and students’ educational needs. In

addition, NCCU also has an affiliated high school, an experimental elementary school

and kindergarten, by which NCCU forms a consistent and articulated education

system from pre-school level to the Ph. D program.

| NCCU at a glance |

| NCCU internationalization |

04


558 International Degree-Seeking Students (2013)

263 Partners at University Level

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2004　2005　2006　2007　2008　2009　2010　2011　2012　2013

15

750 0 0 1 2

6 6 6 658

19

29 3039

4649

55

1123

42

6471

90100 98

106

2130 37

50

5763

8288

93

22 3 3 3

Europe Asia America Oceania Africa

Region Country Number

America

USA 59

Honduras 20

Nicaragua 15

Guatemala 13

Canada 12

El Salvador 11

Belize 7

Paraguay 6

Panama 4

Chile 3

Colombia 3

Ecuador 3

Haiti 3

Mexico 3

Peru 3

Argentina 2

Brazil 2

Costa Rica 1

St. Lucia 1

Subtotal 171

OceaniaNew Zealand 2

Palau 1

Subtotal 3


Asia Pacific

Korea 66Japan 43

Malaysia 43Vietnam 16Thailand 14

Indonesia 12Singapore 12Philippines 9

India 3Subtotal 218

West Asia

Russia 25Mongolia 11

Turkey 8Israel 6

Belarus 3Afghanistan 1

Iran 1Iraq 1

Kazakhstan 1Ukraine 1Subtotal 58

Europe

Germany 12Czech Republic 10

United Kingdom 10

Hungary 9

France 8


Europe

Poland 8Spain 6Italy 5

Austria 4Netherlands 3

Norway 3Switzerland 3

Belgium 2Slovakia 2Estonia 1Finland 1Latvia 1

Portugal 1Sweden 1Subtotal 90

Africa

Burkina Faso 4South Africa 4

Gambia 3Swaziland 3

Kenya 2Sao Tome and

Principe 1

Tanzania 1Subtotal 18

Total: 558

05


570 Inbound Exchange Students

(2013-2014 Academic Year)

510 Outbound Exchange Students

(2013-2014 Academic Year)


Asia Pacific

Japan 28

Indonesia 1

Hong Kong 28

Thailand 7

Malaysia 4

Singapore 19

Macao 2

Korea 49

Subtotal 138

West AsiaTurkey 4

Russia 6

Subtotal 10

Northern AmericaCanada 15

USA 35

Subtotal 50

Central &

Southern America

Brazil 5

Colombia 1

Mexico 2

Subtotal 8

Europe

Denmark 9

Belgium 8

Lithuania 3

Liechtenstei 2

Hungary 2

Spain 25

France 83

Poland 11

Finland 17

UK 6

Norway 6

Ukraine 1

Czech Republic 8

Netherlands 34

Slovakia 1

Austria 5

Ireland 5

Switzerland 7

Sweden 17

Italy 38

Portugal 4

Germany 68

Subtotal 360

AfricaMorocco 3

Subtotal 3

OceaniaAustralia 1

Subtotal 1

Total: 570


Asia Pacific

Japan 73India 3

Hong Kong 13Thailand 6

Singapore 5Korea 52

Subtotal 152

West Asia

Turkey 8Oman 3Russia 17Kuwait 7Jordan 3

Subtotal 38

Northern AmericaCanada 6

USA 33

Subtotal 39

Central &

Southern America

Ecuador 2Brazil 2

Panama 3Colombia 1

Chile 1Mexico 3

Subtotal 12

Europe

Denmark 6Belgium 6Lithuania 1

Liechtenstein 1Hungry 4Spain 25Poland 12France 62Finland 10

UK 16Norway 7

Czech Republic 6Netherlands 30

Austria 7Ireland 4

Switzerland 5Sweden 5

Italy 8Portugal 3Germany 40Subtotal 258Tunisia 4

Morocco 1Subtotal 5

New Zealand 2Australia 4

Subtotal 6

Total: 510

| NCCU internationalization |

| Story tellers |

06


Story tellers:

김미선Miseon Kim

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:Korea•Homeuniversity:SookmyungWomen’sUniversity

•Language:Korean

김윤진Kimu

•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Korea•Language:Korean

장유진Yoojin Jang

•Degreestudent•HomecountryKorea•Language:Korean

Даниэль Антонио Гусман Бриман Daniel Antonio Guzman Briman

•Degreestudent•Homecountry:RussiaandNicaragua(Dualcitizen)

•Language:Spanish

Maryoriet Nicole Rosales Salgado•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Honduras•Language:Spanish

María del Carmen Fleitas Delgado •Degreestudent•Homecountry:Paraguay•Language:Spanish

신지현Shin Ji Hyun

•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Korea•Language:Korean

송아람Aram Song

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:Korea•Homeuniversity:KyungHeeUniversity•Language:Korean

이미림Mirhim Lee

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:Korea•Homeuniversity:Dong-AUniversity•Language:Korean

07


| Story tellers |

Jeny Zheng Lan •Degreestudent•Homecountry:Panama•Language:Spanish

Juan Diego Prudot •Degreestudent•Homecountry:Honduras•Language:Spanish

Dita Siti Nurhayati Anastasia Diliani•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Indonesia•Language:BahasaIndonesia

Richard George Mooney•Degreestudent•Homecountry:UnitedKingdom•Language:English

Zane Kheir•Degreestudent•Homecountry:USA•Language:English

Shirley Mak•ChineseLanguageCenterstudent•Homecountry:USA•HomeUniversity:UCLA•Language:English

Retno Widyastuti •Degreestudent•Homecountry:Indonesia•Language:BahasaIndonesia

Ni’matun Nasim•ChineseLanguageCenterstudent•Homecountry:Indonesia•Homeuniversity:UniversitasIndonesia

•Language:BahasaIndonesia

Vittorio Adrianus•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Indonesia•Language:English

| Story tellers |

08


Karolina Goebel •Degreestudent•Homecountry:Poland•Language:Polish

Dominik Fischer•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:Germany•HomeUniversity:ZeppelinUniversität•Language:German

八木菫

Sumire Yagi

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:Japan•HomeUniversity:AkitaInternationalUniversity

•Language:Japanese

Filip Lahoda •Degreestudent•Homecountry:CzechRepublic•Language:Czech

Veronika Tomanova•Degreestudent•Homecountry:CzechRepublic•Language:Czech

Jakub Jatkiewicz•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Poland•Language:Polish

María Olmedo Jimenez•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:Spain•HomeUniversity:DublinInstituteofTechnology

•Language:English

Chloé JabouynaChloe Jabouyna

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:France•HomeUniversity:UniversitéLumièreLyon2

•Language:French

Guillaume Emmanuel GillardWilliam Gillard

•Degreestudent•Homecountry:Belgium•Language:French

09


| Story tellers |

勞汝潔

Rujie Lao

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:China•HomeUniversity:ZhejiangUniversity•Language:Chinese

徐美超

Meichao Xu

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:China•HomeUniversity:FudanUniversity•Language:Chinese

李卓爾

Thor Li

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:China•HomeUniversity:PekingUniversity•Language:Chinese

馮灝

Layla Feng

•Exchangestudent•Homecountry:China•HomeUniversity:NankaiUniversity•Language:Chinese


10

신지현Shin Ji Hyun

I am very happy to study at National Chengchi University (NCCU).

I had been dreaming about studying in Taiwan since I graduated

from university in Korea. After I got married with a Taiwanese guy

and got pregnant, I had to wait until my son went to kindergarten

before I could fully prepare for the entrance exam and go to graduate

school in Taiwan. Now I study Chinese Literature at NCCU and it has

been a very positive experience in my life.

Degree studentHome country : KoreaLanguage : Korean

제가 고등학교 때 우연히 대만에 있는 대학교들을 소개하는 책자를 보게 되었습니다. 왠지는 모르겠는데 이상하게 그 중에서 정대가 눈에 끌렸습니다. 아무래도 정치대라는 이름에 끌린 것 같습니다. 그래서 대학을 졸업하고 일을 하면서 언젠가는 정치대 대학원에 들어가서 공부를 할 것이라고 다짐을 했습니다. 그러고 몇 년의 시간이 흐르고, 우연히 대만을 방문하게 되었습니다. 여기서 대만 남자를 만나서 결혼하고 생활하면서 대학원을 들어가겠다고 생각했습니다. 그래서 정치대 언어중심에서 중국어를 배우고, 중문과 교수님께 부탁하여 수업도 청강했습니다. 그러던 중, 갑작스런 임신으로 대학원 준비를 중단해야 했습니다. 그렇지만 마음 속으로는 언젠가는 대학원에 들어가서 공부하겠다고 다짐을 하였습니다.

아이를 키우면서 생활한 6년의 시간이 지나고

드디어 2013년 9월 정치대 중문 대학원에 입학을 하였습니다. 2005년 겨울에 대만에 들어와서 지금까지 8년 만에 정치대 대학원에 들어가게 되었기 때문에 대학원 합격 소식만으로 너무나 기뻤습니다. 그토록 가고 싶었던 정치대 대학원에 제가 들어가게 되었던 것입니다. 한국의 부모님께서는 제가 나이가 많아서 지금 석사를 하게 되면 언제 박사학위까지 취득할 것이냐고 많이 걱정을 하셨습니다. 우선 저는 대학원 석사과정에 입학하게 되었다는 것만으로도 너무나도 행복했습니다.

너무나 오랫동안 학교생활을 하지 않아서 솔직히 두려움도 있었습니다. 지금 한국에서 대학원을 다니게 되어도 많이 낯설어서 걱정을 하게 될 텐데 외국에서 대학원을 다니게 된다고 하니 더 많이 걱정이 되었습니다. 한국어도 아닌 외국어로 공부를 하게 된다는 신선한 느낌이 있었는 반면, 한국어가 아닌 외국어로 공부를

| Stories | 신지현 |


11

잘 할 수 있을까라는 걱정, 특히 제가 여기서 8년의 생활만 해서, 생활 상에서 사용했던 중국어가 학교에 들어가서도 수업을 들을 때에는 다른 어려움 없을까 등등의 의구심이 저를 많이 혼란스럽게 하고 긴장하게 했습니다. 그리고 너무 오랫동안 학교생활을 안 했었기 때문에 너무 긴장한 탓에 수업을 시작하고 며칠 몸에 이상 증상이 있었습니다.

첫 수업을 들어갔을 때, 그저 신기하고 즐겁기만 했습니다. 다행히도 모르는 부분은 여기저기서 물어보면 다들 친절하게 가르쳐 주었습니다.

시간이 갈수록 대학원이 대학교와는 이렇게 다르구나라고 느끼게 되었습니다. 교수님에 가르쳐주는 것이 아닌 혼자서 공부를 해야 한다는 것입니다. 저는 본국인도 공부하기 힘든 국문과에 외국인으로 들어와서 혼자 공부를 해야 하는 거니까 솔직히 힘든 점이 많았습니다. 필독해야

하는 도서는 대여섯 번 이상 이해가 될 때까지 보았기에, 대만 학생들 보다 다섯 배 이상의 노력을 해야 한다고 생각하고 있었습니다. 교수님께서는 제가 외국인으로서 중국어로 공부하기에 많이 힘들 것을 고려하셔서 여러모로 자세하게 안내해주셔서 그렇게 많이 어렵다는 생각을 하지 않았습니다.

정치대에서 공부를 하면서 대만인이 아닌 다른 외국인 학생들과도 교류를 자연스럽게 할 기회가 많이 생겼습니다. 그래서 시야를 좀 더 넓히게 되었습니다.　다양한 외국인들을 만나 같이 공부를 할 수 있으니 대만에 대한 다양한 생각, 여기의 대학과 그 나라 대학들의 차이, 다른 나라의 문화 등등의 내용을 들을 수가 있습니다.

대학생 때, 미국 하와이에서 언어연수를

받은 적이 있었습니다. 지금 생각하면, 그 때가

After finishing the class,

I bumped into a few

cartoon characters

dressed in cute costumes

on campus, probably

for some event. I took a

photo with one of the cute

friends.



12

인생에서 제일 행복한 시기였습니다. 지금이 꼭 그 때와 비슷한 느낌입니다. 내가 원하는 곳에서, 내가 원하는 것을 하고 있어서 그런 것 같습니다. 제 2의 인생에서 제일 행복한 시기를 맞게 되었습니다. 등하교를 하면서 정치대 교정을 거닐 때 내가 학생이라는 행복감을 느끼고, 도서관에서 책을 볼 때 나만의 공간에서 내가 좋아하는 것을 할 때 행복감을 느낍니다. 정치대에서 대만 학생뿐만 아니라 다른 외국 학생들과 같이 공부를 하면서 인생의 또 다른 성취감을 느낍니다. 아직도 대학원을 들어가지 않고 있었다면, 생활 상에서 이러한 성취감을 가질 수가 없었을 겁니다.

대만에 학생들은 많이 순수한 것 같습니다. 마치 한국의 중, 고등학생을 보는 것 같습니다. 한국에서 대학원을 다니면 일반 성인 직장인과 같은 느낌이 드는데, 여기서는 대학원을 다녀도 그냥 단순한 학생 같다는 느낌이 듭니다. 사제 지간도 한국의 중, 고등학교의 사제 지간 같이 순수합니다. 그 전에는 느껴보지도 못한 이런 느낌들이 한편으로는 신선하게 다가왔습니다.

정치대에 들어오기 몇 년 전부터 여기서 계속 살았기에 오히려 주변환경에는 많이 친숙해 있기에, 정치대 주변환경은 별로 새롭지는 않습니다. 그런데 근처에 살았어도 대학원을 들어오기 전과 들어온 후의 느낌은 너무나도 다릅니다. 들어오기 전에는 그냥 근처에 사는 사람으로 하루하루를 보냈는데, 들어온 후는 정치대 학생으로서 살고 있으니 마음가짐이 다릅니다.

석사학위를 받고 난 후, 무엇을 할 지 정확하게는 모르겠습니다. 어렵게 시작한 공부인 만큼 석사학위를 받고 난 후, 계속해서 박사과정까지 공부하고 싶습니다. 전 대학을 바로 졸업하고 석사과정을 공부하게 된 학생이 아니고, 대학을 졸업하고, 사회에서 일을 하다가 결혼과 동시에

대만에 들어와서 육아를 하다가, 학교에 다시 들어와서 공부하기 때문에, 일반 학생들과는 생각하는 목표가 다를 거라고 생각합니다. 석사학위를 받고, 할 수만 있으면 박사학위까지 받고 싶습니다. 지금 한국어를 가르치는 일을 하고 있습니다. 대만 학생들에게 한국어를 가르치면서 정치대에서 공부하면서 쌓은 지식을 활용하고 있습니다. 중국 문학과 중국 문화를 공부하면서 한국어를 가르치기 때문에, 중국 문화와 한국 문화의 차이점과 공통점을 더 자세하게 학생들에게 말해 줄 수 있는 것 같습니다.■



13

송아람Aram Song

I had various kinds of experiences when I studied at National Chengchi

University (NCCU) in Taiwan. I did language exchange with local

students and went on field trips with friends from different backgrounds.

I made a lot of friends here, and they are all funny and friendly. This is one

of the most unforgettable experiences I have ever had.

Exchange studentHome country : KoreaHome university : Kyung Hee UniversityLanguage : Korean

대만, 정치대 그리고 나

정치대는 대학 입학할 때에 세운 나의 미래 계획에 없던 일이었다. 정치대가 계획에 없었다기보다는 대만이라는 나라를 염두에 두지 않고 있었다. 2013년 1월, 중국 하남성 정주로 약 한 달간 전공 연수를 다녀온 뒤로 나의 계획에 변화가 일어나기 시작했다. 전공 연수를 통해 알게 되어 내가 믿고 따르는 선배 언니가 대만의 정치대에서 1년 동안 교환학생 생활을 했다는 얘기를 들었다. 더불어 개인적으로 존경하는 교수님께서 대만으로 교환학생을 다녀오기를 추천해주셨다. 그 언니가 정치대에서 많은 것을 배워 온 모습을 정주에서 같이 생활하는 동안 내게 여러 차례 보여줬다. 교수님도 교수가 되시기 전의 학창 시절을 대만에서 보내셨다고 익히 들어왔다. 이로써 정치대에 대한 믿음이 점차 굳어지게 되었다. 나는 교환학생 신청서에 정치대를 1순위로 적었다.

언어중심이 개강하고 본격적인 교환학생

생활이 시작되었다. 언어중심에서 같은 반이 된 친구들부터 점차 친해지게 되었다. 여기서 발견한 내가 가장 좋아하는 사실은 한국처럼 나이에 얽매이면서 친구가 되는 것이 아니라는 사실이다. 이는 매우 좋은 일이라고 생각한다. 나는 대학원생과도 친구가 되었다. 언어중심에서의 수업은 내가 가진 친구의 개념을 바꿔놓고 있었다. 언어중심 수업은 10명이 넘지 않는 소규모 인원으로 반이 구성되어, 중국어를 배우는 데에 더 도움이 많이 되었다. 그만큼 나에게 할당되는 시간이 많아진다는 뜻이니까 말이다. 진도를 빨리 빨리 나가기보다 심도 있게 가르치는 수업 방식 또한 마음에 들었다. 많은 횟수는 아니지만 프리코스 수업은 중국어 수업뿐만 아니라 문화 관련 수업도 포함하고 있어 다채롭게 학습할 수 있었다.

한국에서 해보지 못한 경험을 정치대에 온 이후로 많이 하고 있다. 그 중 하나가 ‘언어교환’이다. 언어교환은 한국에서 잘 발달되지 못한 활동이다. 하지만 정치대에서는 언어교환을 하고 싶어 외국인

| Stories | 송아람 |


14

These are banana pie and lantern I made

with other international students and by

myself. Banana pie was a pair effort with

other exchange students who attended

the event called “Baking Fun” (“Where

banana cake meets bubble tea”) held

by NCCU International Youth at the end

of 2013. The lantern was from another

cultural event during which I not only

learned more about Taiwanese traditional

toys, but I also drew a lantern on my own.

It was amazingly beautiful after I lit it up.

During these two activities, I made a lot of

new friends from different universities.

친구를 구하는 종이도, 파트너를 구해 언어교환을 하고 있는 모습도 어디에서든지 자주 찾아볼 수 있었다. 중국어 실력을 늘리고 한국어도 알려주고, 남에게 설명할 수 있을 정도로 공부를 하는 것은 좋다고 생각하여 나도 언어교환을 구하였다. 언어교환을 할 때 어떤 식으로 공부를 할 것인지, 자체적으로 계획을 세워 하는 활동이라서, 처음에는 무엇을 해야 할 지 고민이 많았다. 언어교환을 하는 친구와 나의 학사 일정이 엇갈리는 경우가 많아서 만남도 적었다. 오랜 시간을 언어교환에 쏟아 붓지 못한 점이 아쉬움으로 남아있다.

두 번째로 내가 처음 해보는 경험들은 ‘여행’이다. 대만을 알아보는 나만의 여행과 더불어 학교에서 진행하는 여행도 좋은 경험이었다. 지난 번 학교를 통해 간 여행은 도자기 마을, 잉거였는데, 중간중간 설명도 친절히 해주셔서 그냥 구경만 하고 온 느낌을 벗어나 학습과 여행을 같이 한 느낌이었다. 정치대을 졸업한 선배가 운영하고 있는 도자기

가게에도 가보고 정성스런 대접도 받아서 기분 좋은 여행이 되기도 하였다. 단순히 박물관을 관람하는 선에 그치는 여행이 아니라 여러 프로그램들을 준비해주셨었고 학생들의 편의를 최대한 배려해주셨던 모습을 통해 학교가 교환학생을 위해 힘써주고 있다는 감상을 받았다. 다음에도 여행가는 프로그램이 공지된다면 바로 참여할 것이고, 매 번 큰 기대를 하게 된다.

나의 교환학생 생활은 아직 끝나지 않았다. 교환학생 생활의 절반은 이미 끝이 났지만, 남은 4개월은 아쉬움을 남기지 않도록 최선을 다해 공부하고 한국으로 돌아가고 싶다. 벌써 한국에 돌아가고 싶은 마음이 점차 사라지고 있는데 막상 그 때가 닥친다면 몹시 안타까울 것 같다. 남은 기간 동안 열심히 공부해 좋은 성적을 받고 장학금도 타보고, 더 많은 친구들을 알아가고 싶다. 나의 정치대 유학생활에 예측불허하고 흥미롭고 즐거운 일들이 펼쳐지기를 소망한다.■

| Stories | 송아람 |


15

이미림Mirhim Lee

A lthough at first I observed many cultural differences and had

some hard time adapting to the new environment, little by little, by

participating in different activities, for example, Study Abroad Fair

and other cultural activities including making banana pies and the famous

bubble (milk) tea, I started to enjoy more and more the life here. I also

integrated better by meeting a lot of kind people at NCCU. With all these new

experiences and the nice local food, now I think Taiwan is a fantastic country

and I really hope to encourage more Korean students to study at NCCU.

Exchange studentHome country : KoreaHome university : Dong-A universityLanguage : Korean

안녕하세요. 저는 동아대학교에서 교환학생으로 국립정치대학에 온 외교학과 이미림이라고 합니다. 제가 대만 정치대학교에 교환학생으로 온 이유는 전공수업을 영어로 들으면서 각종 영어원서로 공부할 수 있으며, 중국어 또한 같이 공부할 수 있다는 점 때문입니다. 사실 중어권 국가에 중국어 공부를 하러 간 친구들 대부분이 공부하러 간 기간에 영어를 공부하지 못해 영어 실력이 떨어진다며 저에게는 영어공부를 같이 할 수 있는 곳으로 가라고 말했습니다. 또한 저의 지도교수님께서도 수준급의 학교인 정치대학에서 영어수업도 듣고 중국어 공부도 하며, 좋은 친구들을 많이 사귀어보라고 조언해 주셔서 이곳 정치대학으로 오기 위해 교환학생 시험을 준비했고, 합격해 이렇게 오게 되었습니다.

저는 이곳에 2013년 9월 3일에 도착했습니다. 당일 갑작스러운 관광객들로 인해 수속 시간과 짐 찾는 시간이 꽤 걸려 고생한 기억이 아직도 납니다.

그래서 정치대에서 픽업하러 오신 택시 아저씨와 저의 대만인 버디친구가 아마 저를 오래 기다렸을 것 같아요. 같은 학교에서 온 언니 한 명과 저는 중문과도 아니었고 중국어를 잘하지도 않았기 때문에 처음 왔을 때 너무나 힘들었습니다. 음식점에 가도 음식 주문하기가 어려워 매번 같은 음식만 먹었던 기억이 납니다. 또한 한국 날씨에 비해 상당히 덥고 습해서 벌레를 보기 일쑤였답니다. 특히나 벌레를 무서워하던 저에게 대만의 첫인상은 그다지 좋지 않았습니다.

그럼에도 불구하고 친절한 정치대 친구들, 따뜻한 겨울 기온, 정치대의 여러 활동, 대만의 맛있는 珍珠奶茶, 牛肉麵 등이 저를 조금씩 대만에 적응할 수 있도록 도와주었습니다. 우선 저의 버디를 비롯한 정치대 친구들은 정말 친절했습니다. 모르는 길을 물어보면 굳이 제가 갈 곳까지 데려다 주고, 우산을 까먹고 못 챙겨 나온 날에는 친구들이 저를 우산을 씌워 다음 강의실까지 데려다 주곤

| Stories | 이미림 |


16

했습니다. 사실 한국에 있었을 때 중어권, 중어권 사람들에 대한 인상이 그다지 좋지 않았는데, 이곳 대만 정치대 친구들은 이렇게 친절하고 상냥해 중어권 국가에 대한 인상이 아주 많이 바뀌게 되었습니다. 대만은 겨울 또한 따뜻합니다. 우기에는 비가 많이 와 습하고 기분마저 우울하지만 한국에 비해 따뜻한 겨울이라 추위를 많이 타는 저에게는 정말 좋은 조건이었답니다.

그 중 가장 좋았던 것은 정치대에서의

활동이었습니다. 정치대에서는 다양한 종류의 활동들이 있어서 처음 공지를 봤을 때는 모든 프로그램에 다 참여하고 싶었는데 너무 많은 프로그램이 있어서인지 하나하나 다 참여하지 못한 것이 너무 아쉬웠답니다. 교내에 외국인 유학생이 많아서인지 외국인을 겨냥한 프로그램도 많고, 간단한 음악회, 음식 만드는 행사 등 정말 다양한 행사들이 있습니다. 그중 제가 했던 프로그램 중 하나는 Study Abroad Fair입니다. 이는 정치대에서 모교생에게 교환학생 준비 시 외국학교에 대한 정보나, 그 나라에 대해 궁금한 점을 현재 정치대에 와 있는 외국인 교환학생이 직접 설명해주고 소개해주는 프로그램입니다. 이 프로그램을 하면서 저는 많은 대만 친구들과 영어로, 혹은 중국어로 얘기할 수 있어서 좋았고 우리 학교나 우리나라 한국에 대해서도 알리면서 간접적으로 많은 정보를 줄 수 있는 기회가 되었습니다. 또 다른 프로그램으로는 바나나 케이크와 珍珠奶茶를 만드는 행사에 참가했었습니다. 이는 정치대 내에 International Youth 라는 학생단체가 주관하는 프로그램으로, 외국인 학생에게 직접 바나나 케이크 반죽을 하고 오븐에

넣고 만드는 기회를 제공하며 버블티도 직접 만들 수 있게 하는 활동이었습니다. 평소 奶茶를 먹으면서 내가 먹는 奶茶는 어떻게 만들어지는 걸까 하고 궁금해했는데 이 기회를 통해서 직접 만들어 보니 더욱 색다른 경험이었습니다.

또한, 대만에는 버블티 외에도 牛肉麵, 다양한 종류의 炒飯, 水果들이 있어 입을 아주 행복하게 해준답니다. 특히 九舍에 있는 自助餐, 滷味 집과 과일주스 집이 정말 맛있었습니다. 늘 산 위 기숙사에 있어서 학교 앞 식당보다 교내 기숙사 식당에서 밥을 더 많이 먹었던 것 같습니다. 잠시 김치가 그리웠던 저에게 自助餐의 가지볶음만큼 저의 입을 행복하게 해주는 음식은 없었던 것 같아요!

이처럼 대만 국립정치대학에는 외국인 유학생이 많아 외국인을 위한 행사들도 많고, 다양한 국적의 친구들과 친해질 수도 있고, 학기마다 열리는 동아리 설명회, 고등학생들을 위한 대학 입학설명회 등이 열려, 한 학기든 일 년이든 이곳에 온다면 정말 값진 경험을 쌓을 수 있을 것입니다. 이제 저는 벌써 이곳에 온 지 5개월째가 되어갑니다. 빠르디 빠른 시간을 소중한 사람들과 보낸 저는 남은 5개월을 어떻게 보내야 할지 이 글을 쓰며 다시 계획하는 시간이 되었습니다. 마지막이 어떻게 될지는 아직 모르지만 남은 5개월도 즐거운 프로그램과 수업 등을 통해 좋은 사람을 많이 만나 행복한 시간을 보내고, 남은 시간도 잘 마무리해서 한국에 갈 수 있었으면 좋겠습니다.■

At the Study Abroad Fair organized

by Office of International Cooperation,

attended by more than 100 participants,

I (second from left, dressed in blue

behind the water bottle) was busy talking

with NCCU students who came to our

booth to find out more about studying in

Korea.

| Stories | 이미림 |


17

김미선Miseon Kim

M y life at NCCU has been such an unforgettable landmark in my

life. With the opportunities and challenges provided here, I have

grown so much academically and linguistically (learning Chinese)

with the help from my classmates and professors. This has broadened my

interests as well as prepared for my future career path. I also built many

close friendships thanks to the warmth from the local students. I believe such

a valuable experience at NCCU will be an important step in my life.

Exchange studentHome country : KoreaHome university : Sookmyung Women’s UniversityLanguage : Korean

한 학기 동안 제가 느낀 정치대와 경험들에 대해 이야기해보고자 합니다. 이곳에서의 지난 학기를 한마디로 표현하자면 “스스로 성장할 수 있었던 너무나 소중한 시간들”이라고 말하고 싶습니다. 우선, 정치대는 학업환경이 좋습니다. 저는 중어중문과를 전공하고 있어서 중문과 수업을 듣게 되었습니다. 정치대의 중문과 수업 과정은 국문과인 만큼 더 심도 있기 때문에 결코 수월하지 않았고 중국어가 능통하지 않아 더욱 버겁게 느껴졌습니다. 하지만 중국어 실력이 어느 정도인지를 실감하고 직접 부딪히며 중국어를 배울 수 있었고 학과 친구들도 사귈 수 있었습니다. 수업 외에는 언어교환을 하면서 수업에서 부족했던 부분을 채웠습니다. 정치대에는 한국어 학과가 있어서 언어교환을 구하기가 쉽습니다. 서로의 언어와 문화를 공유하면서 많은 도움을 주고받았고, 단순히 언어 교환 이상으로 좋은 대만 친구들을 사귀게 되어 기쁩니다. 또한 각국에서 온 외국 학생이 많은 편이라 곳곳에서 국제적인 분위기를

느낄 수 있습니다. 그래서 영어 수업도 많고 영어 관련 활동도 활발합니다. 저도 영어수업을 들으면서 국제학생들과 함께 조별발표를 준비하는 등 영어 공부도 함께 병행할 수 있었습니다.

대외활동도 무척 활발합니다. 동아리제, 한국어 노래자랑 대회, 학과제 등 학과, 동아리마다 펼치는 활동이 다양합니다. 또한 IY, SA, IA와 같은 동아리에서 외국학생들을 대상으로 여행, 체험행사 등을 기획하기도 합니다. 저도 바나나케이크 만들기 활동에 참여해 대만학생, 외국학생들과 다같이 바나나 케이크를 만들며 즐거운 시간을 보낸 기억이 납니다. 이렇게 각자 흥미 있는 분야에서 열정적으로 활동하는 모습을 지켜보면서 많은 도전이 되었습니다. 다음 학기에는 동아리에 가입해 열정과 도전을 배워볼 참입니다. 그리고 정치대 주변 자연환경이 좋습니다. 주변에 산이 있어 덕분에 맑은 공기를 마시며 학교를 다니고 있습니다. 따뜻한 날씨

| Stories | 김미선 |


18

덕분에 학교 주변 하천 (景美溪)을 따라 NCCU FREE BIKE를 타기도 하고 학교 운동장에서 걷기 운동을 하는 등 운동하는 습관을 가지게 되었습니다. 체육수업 (P.E)은 요가, 수영, 골프, 테니스 등 다양한데다가 0학점이라 부담 없이 들을 수 있습니다. 이번 학기에 골프 수업을 청강했는데 평소에 배우고 싶었던 골프를 저렴한 가격에 배울 수 있었습니다. 골프채와 공이 잘 맞았을 때의 짜릿함은 정말 잊을 수 없습니다. 이렇게 정치대는 학업뿐 아니라 자기가 관심 있는 분야를 경험하고 자기계발을 할 수 있는 기회가 많다고 생각합니다.

교환학생을 온 목적에는 여러 가지가 있지만

그중 하나는 낯선 환경에 적응하고 어려움들을 극복하는 능력을 기르는 것이었는데 이곳에서 만난 소중한 인연들 덕분에 힘을 얻어 낯선 환경에서 적응하고, 언어의 어려움 등을 잘 극복할 수 있게 되어 감사한 마음입니다. 도착해서부터 지금까지 너무 좋은 친구인 Buddy 瑞環 언니, 길에서 물어봐도 친절히 알려주었던

정대 학생들, 제 질문에 귀찮아하지 않고 답해주었던 중문과 친구들, 힘내라며 북돋아주던 룸메이트들, 유학생활의 경험을 나눌 수 있었던 국제학생들, 학업에 많은 도움을 주신 교수님 등 여러 사람들로부터 크고 작은 도움을 받았고 덕분에 잘 적응하고 한 학기를 잘 마무리할 수 있었습니다. 앞으로 남은 두 번째 학기도 최선을 다해 열심히 노력해서 좋은 결실 맺기를 바라며 정치대에서 만났던 좋은 인연들과 경험들이 앞으로의 제 삶에 중요한 밑거름이 될 것이라 믿습니다.■

I went to an event called “Cooking

Banana Cake.” I made the cake with

an international student coming from

Malaysia. The delicious cake was a joint

effort and we had so much fun working

together and meeting other students. It

was a lot of fun.

| Stories | 김미선 |


19

김윤진Kimu

I first came to Taiwan in 2011, at a time when I didn’t know any Chinese at

all. Then I studied at the Chinese Language Center at National Chengchi

University (NCCU) and had a great time learning the language with many

foreign students. After that, I was accepted as a degree student by the

Department of Japanese at NCCU. Studying both languages was interesting.

I have to say this experience of studying abroad at NCCU is the most

priceless thing.

Degree studentHome country : KoreaLanguage : Korean

고등학교 졸업 후, 바로 대만으로 와서 유학을 시작하게 되었다. 10대 시절의 나는 중국어를 배워 본 적이 없었고 더더욱 대만에 대해서 잘 알지도 못 하는 상태에서 유학을 결정해 혼자 대만에 오게 된 것이였다. 지금 생각해보면 참으로 막막한 일이 아닐 수 없었다. 중국어를 아기가 걸음마를 배우듯이 처음부터 하나하나 배워 나가야 하는 상황이었기 때문이었다. 예를 들면 식당에서 밥을 시켜 먹고 싶어도 메뉴를 읽을 줄 몰랐기 때문에 많이 힘들었고, 설령 밥과 면 종류를 구별 할 줄 안다고 해도 수 많은 먹거리의 이름을 몰랐기 때문에 식당에서 밥을 시켜 먹는 일은 마치 모험과도 같았다.

정치대 언어중심에서 중국어 공부를 처음으로 배우기 시작했다. 다른 대학과 달리 산으로 둘러싸여 있는 공부 환경이 마음에 들었기 때문이다. 커다란 운동장부터 시작해서 학교 주위의 산책로는 괴로움이나 걱정거리가 있을 때 늘 가곤 하는데 몇 시간씩 걷다 보면 어느 정도 안정감과 문제의 답안을 찾을 수 있는 좋은

곳이 정치대에는 많다고 생각한다. 도서관에는 한국과 관련된 책들도 많이 있었기 때문에 가끔씩 한국에 대한 그리움이 커지면 도서관에 가서 책을 많이 읽곤 했다. 정치대 언어중심에서 나와 같이 중국어를 배우고자 하는 외국인들과 함께 차근차근 중국어를 배워 나갔다. 중국어를 하나도 몰랐던 시절이었기 때문에 배우는 재미가 있었고, 선생님과 외국인 친구들과 중국어로 대화를 할 수 있다는 것이 뿌듯하면서 하루하루 더욱 유창하게 말할 수 있도록 중국어 공부를 열심히 했었다.

정치대 언어중심에서 중국어를 1년 정도 배운

뒤 대학에 진학하기로 마음 먹었다. 4년간 대학에서 무엇을 배울지에 대해 곰곰이 생각한 끝에 나는 ‘일문과’ 에 진학하기로 결심했다. 동북 아시아의 3개국어 (한국어,중국어,일본어) 를 눙숙하게 잘 하고 싶은 욕심도 있었고, 중국어로 일본 그리고 일본어를 배운다는 것이 쉽지는 않겠지만 한 번은 도전해 볼만하다고 생각했으며, 한국에서 배우지 못 한 일본에 대한 것들을 외국에서 제

| Stories | 김윤진 |


20

I was so excited to get accepted,

becoming a real NCCU Student

and was able to attend the

Orientation for international

new students held by Office of

International Cooperation in 2012.

3자의 시선으로 배우고 싶은 바람도 있었기 때문이다.

열심히 대학을 준비한 끝에 장학금을 받고 내가 원하는 정치대의 일문학과에 합격한 것이다. 1년간 언어중심에서 중국어를 공부하던 시절의 나는 늘 걱정이 가득했었다. 언제쯤 중국어를 잘 할 수 있게 될까, 언제쯤 대학생이 될 수 있을까. 내가 원하는 학교와 학과에 당당히 합격할 수 있을까. 그랬던 내가 학교에서 장학금을 받고 일문학과에 합격했으니 홀로 1년간 대만에서 중국어를 배웠던 그 시절이 아득한 옛날로 느껴져서 절로 눈물이 나왔다. 대만에 와서 처음으로 내 자신이 이루어 낸 가장 큰 성취감이 아닐 수 없었다.

대학은 언어중심과는 또 다른 세계였다.

중국어를 사용하는 수준도 굉장히 높았고, 레포트, 조별숙제, 발표, 토론 등의 정말 정신없이 하루가 흘러가고 있었다. 외국인 유학생인 내가 다른 의미로는 대만에서 일문과를 전공하고 있는 한국인 유학생이라는 위치가 때로는 힘겹기도 하고, 수업 시간에 교수님이 말씀하시는 내용이 어려워 뒤쳐질까봐 걱정이 되기도 했다. 시험 기간에는 내가 할 수 있는 데까지 최선을 다해서 시험을 준비했다. 어쩔 때는 대학이라는 곳이 나에게 있어서는 하루하루 도전을 해야 하는 곳이고, 중국어와 함께 일본어를 같이 배워야 하는 나에게 있어서는 너무나도 힘든 곳으로

여겨져서 이곳을 하루 빨리 벗어나고 싶은 생각이 간절했다. 그러나 언제나 스스로가 생각하길, "이 또한 지나가리라"라는 마음으로 하루하루 최선을 다해서 유학생활에 성실히 임하자고 생각했고, 긍정적인 힘으로 유학생활의 반이 넘어가는 지금까지의 기나긴 시간을 포기하지 않고 잘 이겨낼 수 있었던 것 같다.

정치대에서 언어중심 1년 그리고 대학 생활 1년 반을 넘어가며 많은 일들이 있었다. 가장 크게 기억에 남는 일은 처음의 만남부터 지금까지 내가 어려움이 있을 때 마다 주저하지 않고 힘껏 도와준 대만 언니였다. 간단히 식당에서 밥을 주문하는 것부터 시작해 은행에서 통장 만들기, 비자문제, 우체국 관련, 교통카드 만들기, 이사하기 등의 사소하면 사소하다고 할 수 있는 그런 일들이지만 외국인 입장인 나에게 있어서는 결코 쉬운 일이 아니었다. 내가 대만 생활에 적응할 수 있게 그러한 일들을 하나하나 도와 준 대만 언니는 낯선 외국에 첫 발을 내딛은 나에게는 너무나 고마운 사람이었다.

한국에 큰 관심을 가지고 한국어 공부를 열심히 하고 싶어 하는 것은 물론 한국에 대해 여러가지 이해를 하고 싶어하는 대만 친구들과 언어교환을 하면서 소소한 추억도 많이 쌓아갔다. 서로의 나라에 궁금한 점도 묻고, 토론도 하며 때로는 한류 문화와 좋아하는 연예인의 이야기를 하며 한국어와 중국어를 열심히 공부했다. 이러한



21

만남은 훗날 나에게 있어서 한,중 통역과 번역에 크나큰 도움이 되었다. 예를 들면 언어중심에서 공부하고 경험했던 것을 토대로 나는 대학교 1학년 때부터 사무실 보조 및 열람실 관리와 정치대 언어중심에서 중국어를 배우러 온 한국 학생들을 위한 간단한 설명회의 일을 맡고 있는데 이러한 일을 할 때에는 중국어 실력은 굉장히 중요했고 또한 이것을 한국어로 매끄럽게 풀어서 통역하는 일은 더더욱 중요한 일이였다. 한,중 통역 및 번역 관련 일을 맡았을 때는 긴장도 되고 사무실 선생님이 말씀하신 중국어를 내가 제대로 알아들은 건가 긴가민가한 적도 있었기에 처음에는 실수도 많이 있었지만 점차 적응이 되가면서 어느 정도 능숙하게 한,중 통역 및 번역을 할 수 있게 되었다. 정치대에서 만나는 사람들은 모두가 나의 중국어 선생님이기 때문에 매일 다양한 사람들의 중국어를 배워 나갈 수 있었다. 대학에서 주로 중국어와 일본어를 써야 하는 특수한 환경 덕분에 나날이 발전하고 있는 기분이 들었다.

이러한 경험을 토대로 나는 훗날 내가 어떠한 일을 하게 될지는 아직 모르지만 분명 지금 경험하고 있는 중국어와 일본어를 자유롭게 구사할 수 있는 그러한 어학 관련 일을 하게 될 것 같다. 사람을 만나며 통역을 하는 일, 한국 문화를 소개하며 널리 알리는 일, 한국 문학 작품을 중국어, 일본어로 소개하는 일 혹은 반대로 중화권의 문학 작품과 일본 문학을 번역해서 한국인들에게 소개하는 일 등 외국어를 잘하면 너무나도 매력이 넘치는 많은 일들을 할 수 있기 때문에 앞으로도 열심히 외국어 공부를 잘 하고 싶다.

처음 외국 유학 생활을 하면서 앞으로 내가 이곳에서 무엇을 배워 나갈지에 대한 답을 찾지 못 했으나 중국어를 1년간 공부하고, 대학에 들어와서는 중국어를 토대로 일본을 공부하며 차츰 내 자신이 어떻게 살고 싶은지, 이곳에서 배운 것들을 가지고 어떻게 꿈을 갖고 실현시키고 싶은지 알게 된 것 같다.

유학은 결코 쉽지가 않다. 올해 3학년이 되는 나에게 있어서 순식간에 그간의 유학생활 시간들이 지나갔고 앞으로의 졸업까지 얼마 남지

않은 시간이 있기에 더욱이 유학이라는 것은 참으로 인간을 성숙하게 만드는 과정이라는 것을 매일 깨닫고 있다. 유학생활 하면서 많은 것을 배웠고, 특히나 어학면에서는 스스로의 부족한 점을 매일 깨닫고 있기에 노력하지 않으면 안 되었다. 대만 내의 여행도 많이 가보았으며 좋은 사람들도 많이 만나 어려울 때 도움을 받기도 하고 힘들 때 위로를 해주었다. 때로는 내가 하는 이 유학생활에 회의감을 느껴 목 놓아 펑펑 울기도 하고, 막연한 미래에 대해 두려움을 느끼기도 했으나 이러한 어두운 면과 함께 늘 노력한 만큼의 좋은 결과도 성취해왔다.

내 인생의 20대 초반을 시작한 대만에서 나는 한국에 있었더라면 쉽사리 경험할 수 없는 것들을 매일 마주치고 있다. 정치대에서 아기 걸음마 수준의 중국어를 처음으로 배워나가며 조금은 유창한 중국어를 할 수 있게 되었고, 그리고 중국어를 토대로 이제는 일본어를 배우고 있으니 여러모로 인생에 있어서 가장 값진 경험을 하고 있다고 생각한다.

10대 시절의 나는 혼자서 해낼 수 있는 것들이 거의 없었다. 늘 주변인들의 도움을 받았고 무엇을 원하는지, 배우고 싶은지에 대해 스스로 결정을 내리기가 어려웠다. 그러나 유학을 시작하면서 무엇이든 스스로 판단해서 결정을 내리지 않으면 안 되었기 때문에 독립심이 많이 길러진 것 같다.

중국어를 어떻게 배워야 하는지, 생활 속의 중국어는 어떻게 쓰이는지, 대학에서 무엇을 전공하고 싶은지, 대학에서 무엇을 배우고 싶은지, 앞으로 내가 어떠한 일을 하고 싶은지에 대한 수만가지의 물음과 답을 정치대에서 나는 배워나가고 있으며 앞으로도 이러한 답 찾기는 인생에 큰 도움이 되리라 생각한다.

마지막으로 지금까지 유학 생활을 결코 나 혼자 해온 것이 아니기에 정치대에서 유학을 시작하며 다양한 사람들을 만나고 도움을 받았다. 크고 작은 일들을 함께 나누며 내 20대의 시작과 과정이 늘 배우고 성장할 수 있었다는 것을 느끼며 앞으로 남은 유학생활도 최선을 다하고자 한다.■



22

장유진Yoojin Jang

N CCU is very different from the universities in Korea in many ways.

For example, the relaxed atmosphere, the close relationship

between junior and senior students, and between students and

the professor. Therefore, after staying in Taiwan for some time, I became

more confident and relaxed. Attending various events, like doing language

exchange, going to Department Karaoke and attending Turkish Department

Night, also enabled me to improve my language skills and increase my

cultural knowledge. More than that, the internationalized campus and Taipei

city where foreigners from different nationalities are easily accessible has

also helped me build my intercultural awareness.

Degree studentHome country : Republic of KoreaLanguage : Korean

나의 정치대학교 유학생활

한국에 있는 대학에 입학하여 학교를 다니고 있을 때 몇달동안 외국에 가 계셨던 아버지께서 귀국하셨다. 그리고 얼마 뒤 아버지께서 중화권에서 대학을 다녀볼 것을 권유하셨다. 새로운 도전을 해보라는 것이었다. 엄마 역시 인생에서 몇번의 기회가 있는데 이번이 한 번의 기회일 수 있다고 하셨다. 겁이 많아 처음에는 두려웠지만 결심을 하고 나서는 설레임을 가지고 중국어 공부를 했다.

대만에서 처음엔 어학당에서 중국어를 배웠다. 외국 친구들과 함께 중국어를 배우면서 나는 내 미래에 대해 많은 생각을 했다. 그리고

중국어를 열심히 익혔다. 대학을 선택해야 할 시간이 왔을 때 나는 또다른 언어학과에 원서를 넣기고 결정하고, 정치대 터키어과에 지원하여 면접을 거쳐서 합격하게 되었다.

처음에 정치대에 다니면서 느낀 점은 한국과 대학교 문화가 많이 다르다는 것이었다. 선배님들과 친구처럼 지내고 교수님과도 친하게 지낼 수 있는 문화가 마음에 들었다. 등교 첫날이 아직까지도 기억에 남는다. 모든 게 중국어로 이루어졌고, 어학당에서 외국인들과 중국어를 배우는 상황과 완전 달랐다. 이런 상황이 굉장히 낯설어서 힘도 들었지만 대만친구들이 내가 한국인인 것을 알고 굉장히 많이 도와줘서 학과공부에 잘 적응했다.

터키어과는 나에게 굉장히 매력이 있는 학과로

| Stories | 장유진 |


23

다가왔다. 그 이유는 똑같은 수준에서 내가 대만친구들한테 도움을 받지 않고 나 스스로의 노력으로 좋은 성적을 받을 수 있는 것이었다. 대만친구들도 터키어를 아예 모르는 상태에서 배우는 것이었고 나 또한 마찬가지였기 때문이다. 한국에서는 공부할 때 여러가지 걱정이 많았는데, 정치대에선 달랐다. 터키어를 공부하면서 희미했던 나의 미래가 점점 뚜렷해졌다. 학교 생활에 적응을 하고 나서는 약간의 여유가 생겨 학과 친구들과 중국어-한국어 언어교환을 했다. 언어교환을 하면서 언어뿐만 아니라 어학당에서 배울 수 없었던 대만 문화를 배웠고, 한국어를 가르쳐 줄 때 또한 중국어로 해야했기 때문에 중국어가 많이 늘었다. 학과에서 열리는 학과 가라오케, 터키어과의 밤 등 축제도 정말

재미있었고, 정치대에서 보내는 대학생활을 점점 즐기게 되었다.

정치대학교에는 한국유학생회가 있는데 한국유학생회가 여는 여러 활동을 참여하면서 한국사람들도 많이 알게되었다. 특히 기억나는 활동은 ‘운동회’ 와 ‘한국 유학생의 밤’이다. 운동회에서는 열심히 최선을 다해 여러 상품들을 받았다. 1등을 하면 한국으로 가는 비행기 티켓을 받을 수 있는데, 아쉽게도 1등은 하지 못했다. 운동회에는 정치대 한국어학과 대만친구들이 많이 왔었다. 대만생활에서 나를 도와줬었던 착한 대만친구들을 생각하면서 나도 그 친구들의 한국어 발음이나 문법을 고쳐주면서 친해졌다.

Turkish Night is held every year in my department of Turkish Language and Culture, aiming to familiarize

students with Turkish culture and facilitates a closer bond among students. Various performances such as

dancing, singing, musical, musical instrument performance and many others were seen at the event last year

2013 and every student was offered the opportunity to go on the stage. Specifically, musicals were performed

in Turkish and Chinese subtitles were provided for the students of other majors.



24

“한국 유학생의 밤” 은 대만의 똥취라는 중심가에서 열렸는데 옷을 예쁘게 입고 가서 내가 베스트 드레서로 뽑혔다. 덕분에 상품도 받았고 정치대에서 다른 학과에 다니고 있는 친구들과, 새로 입학한 친구들 그리고 정치대를 넘어서 대만에 있는 다른 대학교에 다니고 있는 한국사람들과 알게 되었다. 좋은 경험이었다.

나는 내년 즈음에 터키 앙카라 혹은 이스탄불로 교환학생을 가고 싶다. 정치대에는 교환학생 장학금 제도가 있다는 것을 알게 되었다. 정치대에는 자매학교가 많고 장학금혜택까지 있어서 교환학생을 가기 좋은 환경인것 같다. 열심히 노력해서 장학금혜택을 받고 싶다. 그리고 영어를 좀 더 열심히 공부해서 영어권에도 장학금으로 가고 싶다.

나는 중화권 유학을 생각하는 사람들에게 정말 대만을 추천해주고 싶다. 여섯 살 때에 베이징에서 2년 동안 초등학교를 다닌 적이 있는데, 그때는 어린 이유도 있었겠지만 중국문화가 참 낯설고 적응이 힘들었다. 반면에 대만은 한국과 일본 그리고 중국 문화를 섞어 놓은 것 같아서 비교적 적응하기가 쉬워 대만을 추천하고 싶다.

또한 한국의 이태원거리처럼 대만 특히 타이베이에는 외국인이 굉장히 많다. 정치대 또한 마찬가지로 외국인 학생이 굉장히 많아서 대만친구들 뿐만아니라 서양에서 온 친구들과 문화교류, 언어교환을 할 수 있어서 좋다. 외국학생이 많기 때문에 학교에서도 외국학생을 잘 관리해준다.

정치대에서 3학기동안 대학생활을 했는데 흘러가는 시간이 정말 빠르게 느껴진다. 이건 여기 대학 생활이 지루하지 않고 힘들지 않고 즐겁기 때문이라 생각한다. 앞으로 남은 2년 6개월이 기대된다. 물론 나는 좋은 결과를 위해 많은 노력도 할 것이다.

정치대 터키어학과 2학년, 장 유진-■



25

Даниэль Антонио Гусман Бриман

Daniel Antonio Guzman BrimanDegree studentHome country : Russia and Nicaragua (Dual citizen)Language : Spanish

L ife is all about making choices. Four years ago, I chose NCCU

located in Taipei, Taiwan to pursue my undergraduate degree in

Business Administration. Despite the fact that I have been living

miles away from home in a totally different environment and culture, I do not

have any regrets. I can foresee that the whole experience has projected a

promising path for my future career. This important chapter is soon coming

to an end, and I can proudly say that this is by far the best decision I have

ever made.

Si alguien me hubiera dicho que estaría hoy en Asia culminando mis estudios de carrera, la verdad es que nunca lo hubiese creído. Se podría decir que toda esta aventura empezó a finales del año 2009 cuando me bachilleré del Colegio Centro América en Managua, Nicaragua. Aunque haya finalizado mis estudios de Secundaria con honores, aún no me sentía preparado para empezar una nueva etapa en mi vida, mucho menos una que afectaría mi futuro de manera tan drástica.

Recuerdo haberpasado noches enteras sin dormir preocupado porque no sabía a qué universidades aplicar, ni mucho menos qué carrera iba a estudiar. Tenía tantas metas

y sueños dando vueltas en mi cabeza una y otra vez, que simplemente no sabía por dónde empezar. Para mi desgracia en tan sólo un abrir y cerrar de ojos, había llegado el tiempo de decidir qué iba a hacer con mi vida universitaria.

Desde niño siempre había querido estudiar en Asia, de hecho muchas veces les decía a mis familiares que un día iba a aprender chino. A lo mejor en ese entonces nadie tomaba mis comentarios en serio, pero yo sí; así que sin perder más tiempo empecé a buscar información en distintas embajadas y consulados. Definitivamente me sorprendió mucho la gran cantidad de becas que se ofrecen cada año en Nicaragua y sin duda

| Stories | Даниэль Антонио Гусман Бриман |


26

The Department of Business Administration

proudly celebrates its 50th Anniversary

(1962–2013). I am proud to be a student

of College of Commerce at NCCU, the

only one in Taiwan that obtained double

accreditation (EQUIS and AACSB) and is

highly recognized internationally.

alguna me sentí muy apoyado al tener tantas puertas abiertas.

Finalmente decidí optar por Taiwán y solicité el programa de becas ICDF para estudiar la carrera de Administración de Empresas en la Universidad Nacional de Chengchi, universidad que escogí por su excelente curr ículum académico y por la reputación que tiene a nivel mundial como una de las mejores en las áreas de gerencia, mercadeo y negocios internacionales. Escogí estudiar Administración porque me llamó mucho la atención tanto el perfil de la profesión como también sus diversos campos de acción y desarrollo.

Otra de mis grandes motivaciones para cursar mis estudios superiores en Taiwán, como mencioné anteriormente, fue la oportunidad de aprender el idioma chino mandarín (en su forma tradicional), cuya importancia continúa creciendo a gran escala en el panorama internacional.

Después de casi cuatro años viviendo y estudiando en la ciudad de Taipei, puedo decir que la experiencia ha sido más que increíble. He aprendido mucho no sólo en el aula de clases con la experiencia y el dinamismo de excelentes docentes, sino también en las distintas actividades extracurriculares que están a mi alcance.

Siempre he sido un alumno muy activo y esta universidad me ha dado justo lo que necesito: tener acceso a un sinnúmero de oportunidades para explorar y mejorar mis habilidades de liderazgo y trabajo en equipo. Estando acá he hecho de todo, desde ser representante y miembro activo de varios clubs estudiantiles (AIESEC, debate, periodismo, teatro, música, Taekwondo, entre otros), hasta participar en las competencias regionales de barco-dragón con el equipo del distrito de Wenshan. También representé a Taiwán en la sexta competencia anual de cultura e idioma chino mandarín “CCTV Chinese Bridge” que tuvo lugar en la ciudad de Pekín.

Considero que todo el tiempo invertido en Taiwán me dará muy buenos frutos para mi futura carrera profesional. El estar inmerso en un campus tan dinámico e internacional con compañeros y profesores que vienen de todas partes del mundo, me ha permitido conocer distintas opiniones y puntos de vista. Estando acá, al otro lado del mundo, se ampliaron mis horizontes y por fin puedo decir orgulloso que poseo una visión global acerca del mundo y de sus habitantes. La decisión que tomé hace cuatro años no fue en vano, pues me convertí en un líder que abraza sin miedo el multiculturalismo de hoy día y es capaz de entender y respetar distintas culturas e ideologías.■

| Stories | Даниэль Антонио Гусман Бриман |


27

Maryoriet Nicole Rosales Salgado

Degree studentHome country : HondurasLanguage : Spanish

C oncerned with the economic, social, and political situations in

my homeland, I became committed to finding ways to improve

my country’s conditions. I decided to strengthen my skills, obtain

necessary tools and training to become an agent of change by applying to

study at NCCU. My classmates at NCCU are the highlight of my experience

due to the variety of their cultural backgrounds, each of them contributing to

a new perspective from different parts of the world. Something as simple as

daily interaction can inspire, challenge and reassure me. Even though my

journey has just started it has greatly influenced my path in life, transforming

me into a more tolerant and passionate young professional.

Como hondureña he sido marcada por las

realidades económicas, políticas y sociales

de mi país. Crecí en un país pobre, pero

gracias a la influencia de mi madre, una mujer

soltera, fuerte y poseedora de una visión

clara del futuro, soy parte de las pocas cifras

de afortunadas con acceso a una educación.

Me desarrollé creyendo en mi país, en el

poder de la educación y vi en mi familia las

recompensas del trabajo arduo.

Influenciada por un ambiente familiar, alejado

del núcleo común que presiona la sociedad,

fui expuesta a conocer del mundo. Desde

pequeña formé par te de proyectos de

enfoque mundial, siendo el objetivo principal

de mi madre mejorar mi inglés, y tras ese

objetivo formé parte de CISV, una comunidad

global de voluntarios enfocada en construir

amistad global, la cual me dio la oportunidad

de comenzar a conocer a personas de todas

partes del mundo.

Tales experiencias fueron aumentando mi

curiosidad, con la esperanza de poder viajar,

conocer y hablar con individuos de diferentes

| Stories | Maryoriet Nicole Rosales Salgado |


28

religiones y opiniones , afortunadamente logré

hacerlo a una corta edad, lo cual influenció

inmensamente mis intereses y forma de vivir.

Tras finalizar mi carrera en comunicaciones

comencé a trabajar para un gran proyecto de

desarrollo en mi país, el cual me expuso a la

extrema pobreza que lo ataca. En mi corta

experiencia logré conocer comunidades que

jamás había escuchado, aprendí a hablar el

español de mi gente, experimenté cómo se vive

y logré conocer situaciones y todo tipo de gente

en el área rural. Logre ver por mi misma los

problemas y consecuencias de la corrupción y

todos los estados de la pobreza. En cada visita,

en cada conversación y tras cada fotografía,

que formaba parte de mis deberes, almacené

conocimientos, experiencias, conversaciones

y objetivos que forjaron mis decisiones de ese

punto de mi vida en adelante.

De alguna manera, todas esas experiencias,

profesionales y personales me llevaron a

un mismo interés: el desarrollo de mi país.

Siempre valorando el impacto de una buena

educación, concluí mi necesidad por más y

mejores conocimientos, sabía que aun con

la actitud correcta debía prepararme con

más herramientas de carácter global. Había

llegado el punto en mi vida en donde debía

desprenderme de mi ambiente y vivir una

experiencia incomparable.

Gracias a la ayuda financiera que proporciona el

Fondo de Cooperación y desarrollo de Taiwán,

logré obtener una beca completa, la cual ahora

Exploring Chiang Kai-shek

Memorial Hall, the 20th-century

influential political leader, also

the first President and permanent

honorary President of NCCU.



29

me permite realizar el programa de maestría

de Estudios Internacionales en la Universidad

Nacional de Chencghi (National Chencgchi

University, conocida por los extranjeros como

NCCU y afamada por su especialidad en las

ciencias sociales).

Enfocándome en la rama de desarro l lo

internacional, he sido expuesta a las teorías de

política internacional, modelos de proyectos de

desarrollo y profesionales del gremio que con

sus opiniones y experiencias han logrado forjar

la mía, contribuyendo a mi deseo de regresar

un día a implementar todo el conocimiento

adquirido en mi país.

El valor de una maestría, que como tal ni

siquiera existe en mi país es indescriptible.

Tener la habilidad de conocer esta parte del

mundo, la cual está llena de tradiciones y una

cultura extremadamente diferente a la mía es

realmente enriquecedor. La cúspide de mi

experiencia es definitivamente la convivencia

con mis compañeros, que provenientes de todas

partes del mundo han logrado influenciarme,

inspirarme y asegurar mis propósitos en

este mundo. El poder compartir opiniones

y experiencias con ciudadanos africanos,

centroamericanos, europeos y asiáticos en

una misma aula de clase es verdaderamente

poderoso, y las conclusiones comunes, que

individuos tan distintos pueden obtener sobre

un mismo tema, son realmente impresionantes.

Mi experiencia en NCCU ha sido única, ya que

el simple hecho de compartir una habitación,

salirme de mi zona de confort y crear un

ambiente cómodo que acompaña mi nueva

rutina me hace crecer como individuo. Hacer

amigos de diferentes culturas e involucrarme

en actividades extracurriculares es ahora mi

definición de calidad de vida. No existe un

precio para la seguridad, y la manera en que

con libertad camino por las calles de este país, lo

cual contribuye enormemente a mi experiencia.

La comunidad taiwanesa me ha recibido con

extrema amabilidad. Desde que aterricé me

vi expuesta a tener que comunicarme y al no

entender el idioma, me fui dando cuenta del

verdadero significado de cortesía, porque en

cada precio o dirección que pedí encontré

a alguien que no solamente se paraba a

ayudarme, pero cambiaba su rumbo para

mostrarme. Taiwán me ha mostrado respeto,

desde campañas gubernamentales que exaltan

a los ciudadanos de tercera edad, hasta el

poder visitar un templo que alberga varias

filosofías y religiones. En tan poco tiempo,

Taiwán y esta universidad me han permitido

explorar, disfrutar, e influenciarme del desarrollo

puro, que sin intención me han convertido en

una mejor profesional, ahora más tolerante y con

muchas ganas de construir un país asentado en

respeto y libertad.■



30

María del Carmen Fleitas Delgado

Maria del Carmen Fleitas DelgadoDegree studentHome country : ParaguayLanguage : Spanish

P eople always say “Life gives you amazing surprises.” To me, life

gave me the surprise to live in Taiwan for five years and to study in

this beautiful university at NCCU. Here I had the opportunity to learn

from the best professors and to make friends from people all over the world.

NCCU experience is a new page of my life, and has made me a complete

different person in no doubt an amazingly positive way.

Cuando era pequeña siempre soñaba en

convertirme en una diplomática y representar

a mi país, el Paraguay. En el 2009, tuve

la opor tunidad de real izar mis estudios

universitarios en la República de China Taiwán

(R.O.C).

Al llegar a esta hermosa isla, vine con un

objetivo: estudiar en una de las universidades

más prestigiosas la carrera de Diplomacia/

Relaciones In ternacionales. Desde ese

momento, los taiwaneses me recomendaron

la National Chengchi University, la cual para

ellos, es una de las mejores Universidades en

el área de las Ciencias Sociales, debido a su

amplia gama de profesores especializados

en el estudio de las Relaciones Taiwán-China,

así mismo como en el área de Comercio

Internacional.

Aparte de su buena reputación académica, la

NCCU tiene otra peculiaridad “la ubicación.”

La NCCU está localizada en Muzha, cerca del

Zoológico de Taipéi entre las montañas, su

paisaje es para quitarte el aliento, vivo ejemplo

de que Taipéi es una ciudad moderna y a la vez

puede conservar hermosos lugares naturales.

Ubicada a 15 minutos de Maokong Gondola y a

20 minutos de Taipei 101, la NCCU está situada

en una zona muy especial.

Por esta razón, decidí solicitar la NCCU, y al ser

informada que fui aceptada por el Departamento

de Diplomacia tuve una alegría inmensa, sabía

que me estaba embarcando a una de las

aventuras más memorables de toda mi vida.

| Stories | María del Carmen Fleitas Delgado |


31

Es el excelente programa de Diplomacia que

me ha dado la oportunidad de participar en

diferentes actividades que realmente me

han ayudado a expandir mis conocimientos

académicos. Por ejemplo: el Modelo de las

Naciones Unidas (NMUN), que es realizado

en Nueva York a mediados de Marzo, fue uno

de los eventos más importantes en el que he

participado durante mi carrera universitaria.

Cabe resa l tar que e l Depar tamento de

Diplomacia de la NCCU es una de las 3

universidades en Taiwán que envían a sus

estudiantes anualmente a dicho evento. Fue una

experiencia que si no estaba en la NCCU no iba

a poder realizar. Además de abrirme las puertas

al mundo, tuve la oportunidad de interactuar

más con mis compañeros taiwaneses.

Aparte de eso, en la NCCU he conocido

a personas ejemplares, personas que han

cambiado mi vida y me han ayudado a tener

una perspectiva diferente. Nunca pensé

en conocer a personas de todas partes del

mundo; gracias a ellos puedo decir que me he

convertido en una “ciudadana del mundo.”

Pero claro, “no hay tiempo que no llegue ni

plazo que no se cumpla.” En unos cuantos

meses me tocará dejar esta Universidad. No

obstante, dejaré impregnada en mi memoria

hermosos recuerdos y personas que no podré

olvidar.■

During the 2012 World Food Festival, one

of the biggest annual events organized by

NCCU in the middle of second semester

aiming to promote various cultures and

consolidate internationalization, I (second

from left) am proud to make authentic food

like chipaguazu, empanada, alfajores at

Paraguay Stand.

| Stories | María del Carmen Fleitas Delgado |


32

Jeny Zheng LanDegree studentHome country : PanamaLanguage : Spanish

M ore than being a “Temple of Knowledge,” National Chengchi

University (NCCU) is also my second home. It is here where I

met my dearest and most wonderful friends. It is here where I

had the most interesting and amazing and not monotonous experiences of

my college life. It is here where I got the opportunity to participate several

activities with internationalrecognition that enabled me to grow professionally

and equipped me with skills to stay competitive in this increasingly inter-

connected world.

Hace cinco años l legué a este hermoso

país y desde que pisé tierra supe que me

deparaba una vida totalmente diferente al

que tenía acostumbrada, una etapa llena de

experiencias únicas y nuevos retos, una etapa

en donde tendría la oportunidad de conocer

a mucha gente, de ser independiente y de

aprender mucho para ser una mejor persona

y profesionalmente competente. Mis primeros

meses en Taiwán fueron muy difíciles, ya que

extrañaba a mi familia y amigos, y al estar lejos

me hacía muy emocional y melancólica, sin

embargo con el paso del tiempo el vacío que

había en mi corazón fue llenándose con afectos,

cariños, atención y amor de personas que iba

conociendo aquí.

Siempre he dicho que la vida es como un

teatro, en donde cada capítulo es indispensable

para entendimiento y desarrollo del próximo

capítulo, ninguna obra de teatro es completa si

no hay una compilación de diversos capítulos

de igual manera. La vida no es completa sin

esas etapas que debemos experimentar a lo

largo de la vida. Mi capítulo en NCCU empezó

hace 5 años, podría describir aquel entonces

como si fuera ¡amor a primera vista! Amor a

primera vista porque me negaba rotundamente

en aceptar que NCCU fuera mejor que la

Universidad en la cual estaba estudiando, de

tanto escuchar a mi amiga describir lo bueno

e increíble que era el Centro de Lenguas de

NCCU, decidí venir a visitarla y ver con mis

propios ojos lo bueno que era NCCU. Sin duda

alguna estaba muy equivocada y me tuve que

tragar todas mis palabras y aceptar que NCCU

era mucho mejor. No solamente me cautivó la

atención que recibí del personal administrativo;

el plan de enseñanza que me ofrecía NCCU era

mucho más calificado que otras universidades,

| Stories | Jeny Zheng Lan |


33

y eso lo puedo asegurar ya que he tenido

la experiencia de haber cursado, aparte de

NCCU, en 2 de las mejores universidades de

Taiwan. El campus ejemplifica lo que siempre

deseaba una universidad el cual además de

tener instalaciones nuevas y modernas estuviera

rodeada por la naturaleza.

Después de culminar mi pr imer año de

curso chino en el centro de lenguas, decidí

solicitar para hacer mi carrera universitaria

en NCCU y gracias a Dios me aceptaron en

el Departamento de Diplomacia. Ya estando

en mi carrera, tuve muchas oportunidades de

participar en competencias tanto nacionales

como internacionales, oportunidades de

las cuales no hubiera tenido si no fuera por

NCCU. Tuve la oportunidad de representar

a la universidad en el NMUN-NY (Modelo

Nacional Naciones Unidas), la única simulación

reconocida por la ONU, la cual provee

un ambiente académico internacional que

simula el trabajo que realiza la ONU en sus

diferentes órganos, agencias y programas,

siendo un espacio rico en educación, cultura e

innovación, ya que los participantes por medio

de una ardua preparación académica, tienen

la oportunidad de reconocer las problemáticas

que a tentan cont ra la in tegr idad de la

comunidad internacional, y que por medio de la

negociación multilateral, el diálogo y el debate,

finalmente se llega a un consenso y se emiten

resoluciones tras días de debate. Igualmente se

me presentó la oportunidad de representar al

Departamento de Diplomacia en la competencia

de alegatos "Philip C. Jessup International

Law Moot Court." Esta competencia simula un

caso entre dos Estados ficticios ante la Corte

Internacional de Justicia. Ambas competencias

son importantes y extensas de su tipo en el

During the photo-shooting day for

Department of Diplomacy, in front of

the Main Library, I (second from left)

was very happy for such an important

event, marking the last semester at

NCCU. We are grateful for everything we

experienced at NCCU and thankful for all

the best friendships we made.



34

mundo, contando con la participación de las

universidades más selectas. Las oportunidades

que he logrado tener aquí han sido muy

enriquecedoras para mi vida profesional, algo

que todos los estudiantes desearían tener, en lo

personal, siendo una estudiante de relaciones

internacionales, actividades o prácticas de este

carácter o magnitud es de suma importancia,

ya que me brinda la oportunidad de poner en

práctica lo que he aprendido en mi rama.

Es este lugar, en NCCU, donde he conocido

a amigos provenientes de diferentes países,

amigos con diferentes culturas, amigos de los

cuales no solamente he aprendido mucho sino

que también he tenido la gran oportunidad de

enseñarles sobre mi cultura mixta de latina y

china. Es aquí en donde conocí a unas de las

personas que más aprecio y quiero; conocí a mi

“hermano francés postizo” (Chris), a mi amiga

incondicional Húngara “Kate,” a mis queridas

amigas paraguayas “Mabel y Carmen” las

cuales amo y quiero un montón, las tres juntas

somos las “tres mosqueteras,” a mis amigos

taiwaneses de los cuales no sólo he recibido

hospitalidad sino también ayuda en todo lo

relacionado con Taiwán. Cada una de estas

personas ocupan un lugar muy importante en

mi corazón y sé con certeza que aunque pasen

miles de años nunca los olvidaré, guardaré en

mi corazón cada momento vivido con ellos,

cada una de estas personas han dejado huellas

en mi corazón y mi vida no sería igual sin

ellos, en especial Mabel y Carmen son las dos

personas que además de ser compañeras son

mis amigas del alma.

Este es mi último semestre en NCCU, y me

llena de tristeza al saber que en seis meses les

tendré que decir adiós a mis compañeros, a los

profesores, a las personas de la administración,

a los dueños de los restaurantes y de las

tiendas. Tendré que despedirme de cada rincón

de la universidad, lugares donde de una manera

u otra han aportado a este capítulo de mi vida.

No quisiera tener que cerrar este capìtulo, sin

embargo, como lo he dicho anteriormente, el

final de cada capítulo es indispensable para

el próximo capítulo, y mi etapa universitaria en

NCCU culminará en seis meses, el tiempo de

mover hacia otra etapa de mi vida ha llegado,

a una etapa en la cual pondré en práctica todo

lo que he aprendido aquí. Cabe reiterar que

gracias a este templo del saber soy quien soy

hoy en día y estoy inmensamente agradecida

con mi querida universidad.■



35

Juan Diego PrudotDegree studentHome country : HondurasLanguage : Spanish

I had a brief yet meaningful experience last Fall semester in 2013 while

participating in an entrepreneurship competition at NCCU. Throughout

it, I got to interact with teams of professionals from all around the world,

with varied cultural and social backgrounds, prompting a wide range of

ideas and visions. Being part of the environment that offers opportunities as

well as challenges, and that combines academic aspects with interpersonal

growth, has made it easy for me to seamlessly and positively integrate

NCCU experience with my current and future life.

Escuchaba “Wake me up,” de Avicci ,

mientras levantaba mis manos para gesticular

como si bailara en un concierto. No era una

canción con la cual me identificara o se

relacionara con la situación. Es más, apenas

dos días atrás había aprendido cómo se

llamaba. La escuchaba en ese momento,

en el baño del sexto piso de Commerce

Building en NCCU, porque me provocaba

buen ánimo: sentirme positivo, que en lo que

sea que hiciera iba a destacar. Necesitaba

esa motivación porque en unos minutos iba

a realizar una presentación de un plan de

negocios ante un destacado panel de jueces

con amplia experiencia en el área. Tenía que

vender una idea de negocios en menos de

cinco minutos, ¡tan solo cinco minutos! Era

algo que jamás había intentado. El evento se

trataba de la primera competencia de planes

de negocio organizado por estudiantes del

programa IMBA de NCCU. Mis compañeros

de equipo me escogieron a mí para hacer

esta presentación. No estaba seguro por

qué, de lo que si estaba seguro era que si

ellos creían en mí, lo menos que podía hacer

era unirme a esa hipótesis. En la primera

etapa de la competencia nos separaron en

tres divisiones, cada una con cuatro o cinco

equipos y un panel de tres jueces. El mejor

equipo de cada división pasaría a competir a

la final, donde serían evaluados por los nueve

jueces.

| Stories | Juan Diego Prudot |


36

Vale la pena decir lo fuertes que eran los

equipos en nuest ra d iv is ión. Hubo una

propuesta or ientada a escr i tores y dos

aplicaciones para teléfonos móviles: una que se

veía muy avanzada pues analizaba caracteres

chinos y facilitaba el aprendizaje del mandarín

y otra para que las mujeres puedan organizar

su guardarropa, aparentemente un problema

común. La que más me impresionó fue una

que permitía hacer jugar juegos online, realizar

apuestas y a la vez realizar compras. Su

presentación era concisa, sin titubeos, se veía

el tiempo que habían dedicado en desarrollar

un modelo de negocios que fuese rentable y

resultara atractivo a inversionistas. Después

de ver a los demás equipos recordé lo que les

dije a mis compañeros cuando nos inscribimos

en la competencia: “Pase lo que pase, lo

importante es la experiencia de participar.

Ganemos o perdamos: ¡siempre ganamos!”

Era cierto, pero siendo sincero con quien lee

esto: no me conformaba con solo participar. En

realidad confiaba en que nuestra propuesta de

negocios - un servicio que entregaba platillos

internacionales y tradicionales preparados en

casa - era ganadora.

Cuando llegó mi momento de pasar el frente,

no puedo mentir, trastabillé al inicio por los

nervios, pero después todo fluyó; los reiterados

ensayos de la presentación surtieron efecto.

Después de la deliberación de los jueces que

se sintió eterna, nos comunicaron que habíamos

sido elegidos para pasar a la final. Había que

sacudir de inmediato el pasmo, pues solo nos

dieron quince minutos para analizar si haríamos

pequeñas modificaciones y luego pasamos a

la última etapa. Al final, quedamos en segundo

lugar de un total de trece equipos; una gran

emoción compartida.

Relato esta historia, pues ha sido la mejor

experiencia que he tenido desde que en

agosto llegué aquí procedente de mi país,

Honduras. Además del aprendizaje que

obtuve, las sensaciones nuevas y el proceso

de desarrollar ideas de forma colectiva, esta

experiencia comprende varias de las razones

por las cuales decidí venir a estudiar en NCCU.

Antes de inscribirme, cuando veía el panfleto

promocional del IMBA de NCCU, me llamaba

la atención (además de las acreditaciones

del programa) el enfoque internacional que

To my right and left is

my team while I present

at the NCCU IMBA

first business plan

competition at the Case

Study Classroom.



37

garantizaba el intercambio cultural del día a

día. Taiwán, al ser una puerta de entrada al

mercado de China, me permitiría encontrar

profesionales ambiciosos, ávidos de CREAR.

La competencia fue una pequeña muestra de

esto. Hubo personas de todos los continentes,

con distintas áreas de especialización, formas

de pensamiento y expresión. El jurado estaba

formado por empresarios exitosos, miembros

de la facultad y reconocidos invitados con los

cuales no tendría contacto en una institución

sin renombre, y que con una sola pregunta

podían poner a prueba la sostenibilidad de todo

un plan de negocios. Lo cual me lleva a otra

de mis razones: salir de mi zona de confort.

Aunque mis estudios y experiencia laboral sean

en Ingeniería y Tecnología respectivamente,

busqué un programa que me presentase

retos, me obligase a romper miedos, socializar,

presentar en público y al final obtener riqueza al

aprender de personas, además de aprender de

los libros.

Aunque procure hacer actividades distintas para

no caer en monotonía, he desarrollado algunos

hábitos como estudiante de NCCU que he

adoptado con toda naturalidad. El ambiente que

incentiva relacionarse con todos sin prejuicios y

reservas me hace desenvolverme socialmente

con más facilidad. El viaje en bicicleta de ida

y vuelta del campus ayuda mi salud. Y cada

vez que quiero, salgo a correr al lado del río

y hacer ejercicio al aire libre en las barras

instaladas para ello. Al tener compañeros tan

determinados, hay un ambiente que incentiva la

auto-superación, el que va mejor marca el paso

y nadie se puede quedar atrás. Esto último ha

sido clave para no tirar la toalla con los estudios

de mandarín que, frustrantes a veces, sé que

representan una de las cosas más valiosas

que me llevaré de aquí. Mis compañeros, el

programa, la universidad y la ciudad, realmente

todo me hace sentir estar en el lugar adecuado

en el momento correcto. Me lleva a pensar,

como dice la canción de Avicci: “No puedo

decir dónde el viaje terminará. Pero sé dónde

comienza.” En fin, parece que si me identifico

un poco.■



38

Dita Siti Nurhayati Anastasia Diliani

Degree studentHome country : IndonesiaLanguage : Bahasa Indonesia

F or me, NCCU is a campus of encouragement. As an Indonesian

student studying abroad for the first time, I do not find any major

difficulties adapting to this new environment. The friendly and

supportive atmosphere has helped me strengthen my self-confidence by

engaging with people from diverse cultural groups with an open mind. It has

been one of the most valuable experiences I have ever had.

Saya adalah mahasiswa Indonesia asal Aceh.

Bersama dengan seorang teman lainnya kami

berhasil lolos seleksi penerimaan mahasiswa

di NCCU dari 5 orang asal Aceh yang juga

mengirimkan aplikasi ke kampus ini.

Saya memilih NCCU karena mungkin hanya

NCCU yang memiliki program internasional

untuk studi S3 di Taiwan. Selain itu, NCCU juga

terkenal sebagai kampus terbaik di Taiwan

dalam bidang Sosiologi yang mana saya sangat

tertarik dengan bidang ini.

Sulit bagi saya untuk menceritakan pengalaman

yang kurang menyenangkan di kampus ini

kecuali saat saya salah memencet tombol

peringatan yang saya pikir adalah tombol untuk

menyiram toilet.

Saat pertama kali menjejakkan kaki di kampus

NCCU, saya sudah merasakan bahwa saya

akan mendapatkan pengalaman yang luar

biasa disini. Dan ternyata perasaan saya benar

adanya.

Masuk ke lingkungan kampus, orang yang

pertama saya temui bukanlah dosen, ketua

program atau dekan, tapi staf OIC (Office of

International Cooperation). Selama 3.5 tahun

menjadi mahasiswa internasional di sini,

pelayanan yang diberikan oleh staf OIC tidak

pernah mengecewakan. Mulai dari menyebarkan

informasi tentang kampus hingga membantu

kami dalam pencarian beasiswa dari pemerintah

| Stories | Dita Siti Nurhayati Anastasia Diliani |


39

kami, mereka melakukannya dengan baik dan

profesional. Hal yang luar biasa saya dapatkan

dari seorang staf OIC yang saya kenal adalah

dia menawarkan bantuan saat saya sedang

dalam kesulitan. Walaupun saya menolak untuk

menerima bantuannya, namun sampai kapan

pun saya akan selalu mengingat kebaikannya

tersebut.

Memulai perkuliahan, saya harus menyesuaikan

dir i mulai dari bahasa hingga cara saya

berkomunikasi. Seluruh teman kelas saya

berasal dari negara yang berbeda. Jerman,

Amerika, Jepang, Prancis, Kanada, Taiwan,

Brazil, Polandia dan Switzerland. Saat bersama

mereka di kelas, saya merasa seperti sedang

hadir dalam rapat Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa.

S a y a m e m i l i k i k e t e r b a t a s a n d a l a m

menggunakan bahasa Inggris terutama dalam

tulisan. Namun, suasana kelas, perhatian dari

pengajar dan dukungan dari para teman-teman

membuat saya mampu mengatasi keterbatasan

tersebut. Seorang pengajar menyadari bahwa

saya memiliki kelemahan dalam bidang yang

diajarnya. Seperti halnya antara orang tua

dengan anak, beliau memanggil saya ke

ruangannya dan membahas permasalahan

tersebut. Dan tampaknya, semua dosen

akan melakukan yang sama apabila dirasa

mahasiswanya mengalami keterbatasan dalam

belajar. Sungguh suatu hal yang jarang saya

temukan di dunia perkuliahan di Indonesia.

Fas i l i t a s yang d i sed iakan o l eh NCCU

At the NCCU Anniversary

Celebration in 2012 after watching

the running race on the track and

field, I (with hijab) took a picture

with my friends Johnny (left in black)

from Linguistics; Devi (second

from left) from Computer Sciences;

Marcella (second from right) from

Economics and Rangga (with cap)

from International Doctoral Program

in Asia-Pacific Studies.



40

untuk mendukung kegiatan mahasiswanya

juga menurut saya luar biasa. Mulai dari

perpus takaan dengan buku-buku yang

berkuali tas hingga pusat komputer yang

lengkap dengan perlengkapan pendukung

lainnya, membuat seluruh kegiatan perkuliahan

yang saya lakukan menjadi lebih mudah dan

nyaman. Dari cerita yang saya dengar dari

teman saya dikampus lain, saya sangat senang

ternyata kebijakan perpustakaan NCCU lebih

memfasilitasi mahasiswanya daripada kampus

teman saya tersebut. Buku di perpustakaan

NCCU dapat dipinjam selama 4 minggu bahkan

lebih, sedangkan buku di perpustakaan kampus

teman saya tersebut hanya boleh dipinjam

selama 2 minggu. Sungguh sayang.

Saya belum mencoba semua fasilitas yang

dimiliki oleh NCCU, misalnya kolam renang dan

pusat olahraga. Tapi saya berjanji, sebelum

saya lulus, kedua fasilitas ini sudah harus saya

coba terlebih dahulu.

Hal yang menarik lainnya dari kampus ini adalah

kegiatan-kegiatan non-studi yang membuat

saya lebih mengenal mahasiswa lainnya bukan

hanya mahasiswa dari Indonesia sendiri tapi

juga mahasiswa dari negara lain, seperti

Thailand dan Malaysia. World Food Festival

adalah salah satu kegiatan di NCCU yang

membuat saya semakin mencintai kampus ini.

Di festival ini, saya dapat mencicipi makanan

dari berbagai negara dan tentunya dari negara

yang standnya berada di kanan-kiri stand kami,

Thailand dan Malaysia. Walaupun disini kami

bersaing menjual makanan khas negara kami

masing-masing, tapi saat makanan negara

tetangga sudah habis atau sebaliknya, kami

sal ing membantu untuk mempromosikan

makanan yang masih ada untuk dapat terjual

habis. Bukankah sesama anggota ASEAN kami

harus saling membantu?

Itulah beberapa pengalaman menarik yang saya

peroleh sebagai mahasiswa NCCU selama 3.5

tahun ini. Pengalaman ini akan menjadi suatu

pengalaman berharga yang tidak akan pernah

saya lupakan. Dampak yang saya peroleh

dengan menjadi mahasiswa NCCU adalah

saya menjadi pribadi yang berpikir lebih positif,

sabar, komunikatif, percaya diri, kuat dan siap

menghadapi tantangan di masa depan.

Pengalaman yang saya peroleh di NCCU akan

saya bagi dengan teman-teman di Aceh untuk

kemajuan daerah kami ke depannya, terlebih

profesi saya sebagai pegawai pemerintah

tentunya dapat berkontribusi langsung dalam

pembuatan kebijakan terkait bidang pendidikan.

Suasana kampus NCCU dapat menjadi contoh

untuk meningkatkan kualitas universitas negeri

yang ada di Aceh tentunya dan saya berharap

lulusan yang dihasilkan oleh universitas di Aceh

akan berkualitas seperti halnya mahasiswa

lulusan dari National Chengchi University.■



41

Retno WidyastutiDegree studentHome country : IndonesiaLanguage : Bahasa Indonesia

M y dream is to be a lecturer and expert in East Asian studies,

specifically in terms of its society and culture. I think I made the

right decision to choose to study in NCCU in Taiwan especially

considering its strategic position as the gate for Asia Pacific region. During

my study in NCCU, I found my passion in ethnology and anthropology,

learned and experienced in such highly academic environment. It was a

rewardingly rich experience for me because Taiwan not only provides a very

international environment, but also preserves valuable traditional Chinese

culture.

Nama saya Retno, mahasiswa Indonesia yang

saat ini tengah mengambil studi master di

jurusan studi Asia Pasifik, National Chengchi

University (NCCU), Taiwan. Alasan saya

melanjutkan studi di Taiwan adalah untuk

memperdalam pengetahuan dan menambah

pengalaman saya terkait kawasan Asia Timur,

khususnya bidang masyarakat dan budaya.

Adalah mimpi saya, untuk menjadi seorang

dosen dan ahli dalam kekhususan ini.

Pilihan saya untuk melanjutkan studi di

bumi Formosa memang tepat. Saat ini,

sudah 1,5 tahun saya menuntut i lmu di

NCCU. Di kalangan masyarakat Taiwan,

NCCU merupakan salah satu kampus

ternama dan pal ing unggul di bidang

studi ilmu sosial, hubungan internasional

– diplomasi, bahasa serta bisnis. Dalam

perjalanannya, ada banyak hal baru dan

penting yang saya temukan dan pelajari; saya

menemukan passion saya di bidang etnologi

dan antropologi, berkesempatan untuk

mempelajari budaya tradisional China dan

metode penelitian secara mendalam, serta

saya juga merasakan suasana lingkungan

akademik yang menyenangkan.

Posisi geografis Taiwan yang sangat strategis

– sebagai gerbang benua Asia – di kawasan

Pasifik, memberi kesempatan saya untuk

bertemu orang dari berbagai belahan dunia,

| Stories | Retno Widyastuti |


42

termasuk dengan orang dari negara-negara

yang belum pernah saya temui sebelumnya

seperti negara Oseania dan Amerika Latin.

Pertemanan dan jaringan internasional, bisa

saya bangun dan kembangkan dengan

sangat baik di s in i . NCCU memberikan

kesempatan untuk saya mengikuti beberapa

kegiatan akademik skala internasional dengan

mempresentas ikan tu l isan saya da lam

konferensi di Daejeon – Korea Selatan, Penghu

– Taiwan,Quezon City – Filipina, Hong Kong

dan juga Chiba - Jepang. Dan di NCCU saya

juga bisa mengembangkan kemampuan non-

akademik seperti leadership skill, dengan

mengikuti berbagai kegiatan mahasiswa

di tingkat lokal maupun internasional, serta

kemampuan Bahasa Inggris dan Mandarin.

Tentu, dengan pengalaman saya selama

menuntut ilmu di NCCU dan tinggal di Taiwan

(baik akademik maupun non-akademik)

menunjang rencana kar i r saya sebagai

dosen dan ahli Asia Timur di masa depan.

Dampaknya bahkan sudah saya rasakan saat

ini, khususnya dalam jaringan Internasional

dan lingkungan kerja yang multi-kultur. Hal ini

dapat saya terapkan seoptimal mungkin dalam

berkontribusi dalam mengembangkan keilmuan

dan mempererat hubungan antara Taiwan

dengan Indonesia. Terima kasih NCCU.■

It was my great pleasure to celebrate my

friend’s graduation on the Commemoration

Day, June 2013. Soon I will be the next

one to graduate from NCCU and take

such memorable picture in front of the

Administration Building, too.

| Stories | Retno Widyastuti |


43

Ni’matun Nasim

M y NCCU experience as an internat ional student is an

unexpectedly fruitful journey towards many precious gifts: solid

knowledge, authentic friendships, and profound wisdom. The big

difference in culture and language that I must face every day leads me to

a new phase of my life. “Tolerance” is the most valuable lesson during my

stay here. In such environment with diverse cultural backgrounds, I finally

come to see a much more comprehensive meaning of “being tolerant.” I’m

so grateful to be one of NCCU international students, who can advance

understanding not only about Chinese language, but also about different

cultures from around the world, including about Taiwanese culture at a

broader level.

Pada saat memutuskan untuk belajar ke

Taiwan, motivasi terbesar saat itu adalah

meningkatkan kemampuan bahasa Mandarin

yang pernah saya pelajari sebelumnya di

Universitas Indonesia. Saya beranggapan

bahwa mempelajari suatu bahasa asing

akan lebih mudah apabila kita dapat terjun

langsung dalam lingkungan bahasa tersebut.

Ketika saya mulai mempelajari bahasa

Mandarin di Taiwan, tepatnya di NCCU,

berbagai macam pengalaman telah saya

lalui, mulai dari senang, sedih, bosan, takut,

dan sebagainya. Pengalaman terpenting

yang saya dapatkan selama di sini adalah

“Toleransi.”

Dulu saya meyakini bahwa diri ini sudah

menguasai dan memahami apa itu makna

toleransi. Suatu istilah umum yang sudah

saya pelajari sejak bangku sekolah dasar

itu nyatanya baru saya pahami justru ketika

saya berada di pulau Formosa ini. Makna

toleransi justru akan dapat kita rasakan ketika

kita menjadi pihak minoritas dalam suatu

komunitas masyarakat tertentu.

Menjadi seorang muslim di tengah komunitas

non-muslim merupakan pengalaman yang

sangat berharga. Pada awalnya tentu tidaklah

mudah. Berbagai penyesuaian atau bahkan

Chinese Language Center student Home country : IndonesiaHome university : Universitas Indonesia Language : Bahasa Indonesia

| Stories | Ni’matun Nasim |


44

anggapan kurang menyenangkan telah saya

alami di sini.

“Mengapa Anda memakai hi jab di cuaca

sepanas ini?” “ Lepas saja hijab Anda selama di

sini.” “Agama Anda sangat ketat, ya?!” ……

Pertanyaan dan pernyataan di atas adalah hal-

hal lumrah yang saya mesti hadapi di sini. Pada

awalnya kedua telinga ini sangat terganggu

akan adanya pertanyaan dan peryataan di

atas. Namun, seiring dengan berjalannya

waktu, saya pun mulai terbiasa akan hal itu dan

tidak terganggu dengan hadirnya pertanyaan-

pertanyaan tersebut. Terlebih lagi ketika ada

beberapa orang yang sangat menghargai dan

bahkan memaklumi akan keberadaan serta

konsekuensi yang saya harus jalani sebagai

seorang muslim. Kehadiran mereka inilah

yang membuat saya menyadari akan indahnya

sikap toleransi yang benar, yaitu ketika kita

menghormati kepercayaan orang lain tanpa

harus mengeluarkan komentar-komentar yang

mengandung makna judgmental.

P e n g a l a m a n i n i l a h y a n g a k a n s a y a

implementasikan ketika saya kembali ke

Indonesia. Saya ingin menyerukan nilai-nilai

toleransi yang mulai “kabur” di Indonesia seiring

dengan maraknya aksi-aksi vendalisme dengan

mengatasnamakan agama tertentu. Ironisnya

terkadang aksi-aksi tersebut justru berasal dari

suatu komunitas yang mengatasnamakan diri

mereka dengan memakai agama “mayoritas”

di Indonesia. Saya sebagai pemeluk agama

mayoritas di Indonesia sangat menyayangkan

aksi semacam ini. Bagi saya, hal tersebut

t i d a k h a n y a a k a n m e n o d a i n i l a i - n i l a i

kebhinekaan yang sudah ada di Indonesia

sejak masa kerajaan Hindu-Budha, tetapi juga

memunculkan anggapan miring terhadap Islam.

Islam bukanlah agama yang anarkis, justru

sebaliknya ia muncul untuk memberikan rahmat

bagi semesta alam. Bukankah dalam Islam

pun kita diajarkan untuk menghormati nilai-nilai

keberagaman dan toleransi?

Kesimpulannya adalah saya ingin kembali

mengingatkan masyarakat Indonesia akan

pent ingnya to le rans i da lam keh idupan

masyarakat Indonesia yang terdiri dari berbagai

macam suku, etnis, agama, dan kepercayaan. ■

Wisdom will always

appear when we know

how to be grateful for life

| Stories | Ni’matun Nasim |


45

Vittorio Adrianus

N CCU provides a unique learning experience for the students. Due

to its location away from the city, students get to slow down on

their life and enjoy every moment as it comes. I lived a comfortable

life prior to studying Masters in NCCU and did not feel the need to change

my life, but everybody can use that little bit of inspiration to go beyond what

he thinks he can do. NCCU sets up an environment for students to grow, to

inspire, and to learn from one another, and gives students reasons to look

forward.

My story in NCCU is an unfinished story.

My name is Vittorio Adrianus and I come

from Indonesia. I entered NCCU to study

communication for a graduate study, and

for those people who know me, that may

sound like an odd choice of a major for me to

choose. Communication and I are two things

that have not always been aligned. In fact, we

had always avoided each other in the past.

Up to college, my speaking skills (or lack

thereof) had always been what defined me as

a person. My constant and severe stuttering

problems would mean that I would always be

the person who sat in the corner, invisible,

speaking the least words of all people, and

not because I wanted to, but because I wasn’t

able to; words always escaped me. I would

avoid choosing courses that required me

to do presentation or public speaking. As a

result, I was glad when I finished my bachelor

study finished the first time, as the challenges

it presented left with it.

Upon graduation, I came to China when I was

presented opportunity to face my greatest

fear: a teaching job. Public speaking terrified

me more than anything in the world, so for me

to take a job that required me to do so on a

regular basis was unthinkable for me at the

time. Before I realized, I had been teaching

in Tianjin for three years and my courage

was climbing up, little by little. By that third

teaching year in China, I was in a pretty good

place personally. I had a great teaching

job in a university with solid salaries, in a

healthy relationship with someone, regained

a bit of confidence in my speaking too, and

consequently, in no great rush to change my

Degree studentHome country : IndonesiaLanguage : English

| Stories | Vittorio Adrianus |


46

rather comfortable life. One day, I started to

realize all the things that I could do in my life, all

the dreams that I previously had chosen to bury

because of the fear of speaking and socializing.

Maybe I could be a journalist, maybe I could

do public relations, or I could be a writer, be

on a creative advertising team, or anything I

want. Such limitless possibilities pushed me

to apply for a graduate study that would allow

me to explore more things personally and

professionally.

I had no great expectations entering study

in NCCU, and as I had always been socially

awkward meeting new people and making

friends, putting myself back into social institution

was something I approached more cautiously

than excitedly. I was recommended to study

at NCCU by my Taiwanese friend whom I met

in America. Other than the fact that it’s near a

zoo, my knowledge of the campus was as little

as my interest in the zoo itself. My cousin in

Taiwan drove me to and around NCCU when I

first moved in. As he was driving me off the main

gate way, way up to my dormitory up on the

hill on the upper campus, I was thinking “What

am I getting myself into?” NCCU does not look

like a typical campus; sandwiched in between

river, mountain, trees, and far away from city

setting, one may be forgiven to wonder whether

they’re going to see cars ever again, or lights, or

people!

As it turns out, people have never been far away

off my life in NCCU. People in NCCU and in

Taiwan in general, are extremely friendly to me,

which I can’t figure out why other than maybe I

was nice to them in my previous life. I couldn’t

speak Chinese when I first came, got lost around

campus several times, but fellow Taiwanese

students albeit strangers were always keen to

help me. The benches are set up nicely across

campus when I want to sit and chat with friends

after class over a couple of drinks. When you

are given this much space, and time, and away

from city life, you start to pay attention to people:

their stories, their struggles, their dreams, which

can be as much learning as when you learn

things off classroom.

Speaking of classroom, I quite enjoy how our

learning is shaped up in NCCU. For master

degree students, NCCU puts most of the focus

on the students, where student participation

My NCCU friends and I (back row,

third from left), celebrating Christmas

in Taiwan: It’s far away from home,

yet it’s near perfection.



47

in c lassroom is expected, encouraged,

and supported. The seating arrangements,

though varied, are mostly in face-to-face oval

shape, which allows students to look at each

other and discuss things rather freely and

comfortably. The graduate program I attended,

IMICS (International Master’s in International

Communication Studies) is very active in

setting up seminars, and conferences to ensure

students would not leave the graduate study

short of knowledge. There is a nice mixture of

Taiwanese students and international students

in this program (as well as across NCCU in

general), to bring added perspectives to an

already-unique learning experience.

People go to work, eat their meals, and are

constantly on their phones and computers, then

finish their day. These modern, daily rituals are

very much evident in our life nowadays, and are

largely uninspiring. However, it is the day when

we break out of rituals when it often surprises

us. One night I met a couple of classmates

on my way back to the dormitory. We chatted

and as we were walking back, and we heard a

noise from the ongoing concert performance

at university’s theatre in Art and Culture Center.

We went in to see what was playing and ended

up entering the backstage, and met (and talk!)

with a famous Taiwanese singer張懸 (Zhang

Xuan). We were ecstatic after watching bits of

the performance and met with the singer, and

decided to talk about it on the benches nearby

over a couple of drinks. As we were chatting

outside on the benches, meteor showers started

shooting up in the sky that we got three, five,

or more of our wishes going up in the sky with

it. It was a nice break from daily rituals and

technology and the only time I used technology

that night was to post a message on Facebook:

“Saw two types of stars today. Amazing day!”

The environment at NCCU, away from the city

center, makes people including me able to take

a step back, slow down life and really cherish

people and cherish life. I remember having a

barbeque for a Mid Autumn Festival, walking

around the sea of weird creatures near Taipei

101 during Halloween, gathering with friends

over food and acoustic live music on Christmas,

the stunning Lantern Festival in Pingxi; from

facing unfriendly weather to meeting friendly

strangers. I get to enjoy each moment when

it comes as a separate, distinct memory. In

NCCU, time did not fly; university life did not

pass me by, and I certainly did not want it to. I

have gained a lot of confidence with my social

skills and my future prospects during my one

and a half years in NCCU. I feel like my voice

is heard, my presence is felt, and my journey

is going to reach destination. I have six months

left in my master’s study; my NCCU story is an

unfinished story, but however it ends, it’s a story

worth telling.■



48

Richard George Mooney

C oming from the UK, and having lived in four countries, I was

always curious about East Asia. I wanted to experience this

mysterious eastern island of Taiwan and its traditional culture, but

I also wanted a Master’s Degree as well. Study there? No way, I can’t speak

Chinese! But then I found out about the English-taught IMICS program

(International Master’s Program in International Communication Studies) at

NCCU. Excited about the possibilities, I applied and a few months later, I

was not only accepted and but also awarded Taiwan Scholarship. It’s been a

fascinating time and valuable experience for me.

There are many reasons for me attending

NCCU. It is hard for me to write them all here.

Though I shall attempt this as a tribute to an

institution which has been so gracious to

me since arriving in Taiwan 18 months ago

in 2012. It is my belief that an enriching and

beneficial career in media, communications

or journalism cannot truly begin until one

studies it further, not only for the academic

value, but to seek guidance on the best path

ahead. I feel my professional experience

from working in the United Kingdom and the

Middle East has contributed immensely to

the IMICS (International Master's Program

in International Communication Studies)

program and helped diversify it further. While

in Taiwan, I have acquired a basic knowledge

of Mandarin Chinese. Before leaving next

year, I am aiming to improve this to functional

prof iciency. These are my reasons for

applying to the IMICS course at NCCU, as

I feel the course has helped to take me to a

new plateau in my career and life.

My parents always told me that “Richard, it’s

the people who make a place”. And this has

always been right. From the mountain villages

where tea is made, to the friendly locals of

Muzha and the NCCU students and faculty, I

have never been made to feel like a foreigner

in this land. Certainly, I am a foreigner here,

I’m white and Scottish. I stand out among the

local Taiwanese. Though at NCCU I just felt

welcomed.

Degree studentHome country : United KingdomLanguage : English

| Stories | Richard George Mooney |


49

As with anywhere, there is an adjustment period

where one takes time to get used to the local

customs, people and way of doing things. This

can be a testing period for foreigners. At NCCU,

Office of International Cooperation really helped

me during this time. To note there is Ms. Yu-Fen

Su, who is always letting foreign students like

me know about what’s going on at NCCU and

about other initiatives in Taipei. While I never

got a chance to experience them all, the ones I

did take part in were certainly worthwhile. Then

there’s also the IMICS office who help organize

Christmas parties, orientations and keep their

students informed and on the right track.

And of course, a universi ty wouldn’t be

a universi ty without a viv id and color ful

student body. This is something NCCU has

in abundance. I have worked in international

environments, but have never had a platform

to share ideas and debate with people of

different nationalities and backgrounds. The

students at NCCU, both local and international

students, provide this platform for dialogue on

sensitive issues and, at least for me, it has been

enriching.

Also, the academic freedom I have been

allotted in pursuit of my thesis and broadening

my mind. I have come up with what I felt were

ridiculous ideas, but have been advised on how

to take them and make them into a study that

can be examined. The faculty members are all

supportive and encourage me to study what I

know and care about.

Employers and the world are increasingly

looking to the East and NCCU is well placed

to help Western students like me seeking

opportunities in Asia. Not only is the university

well known, but it has a unique history that has

shaped it and its graduates over time. Whenever

a prospective employer, former colleague or

friend asks about my time in Taiwan and NCCU,

they are always impressed.

Lastly there are my friends and my classmates

of various cultural backgrounds. The people

who I ultimately became close to. We’re from all

over Taiwan, Europe, Asia and the Americas. It’s

such an eclectic mix of people, some of whom

I am now very good friends with and have even

traveled with. I know it isn’t going to last forever.

Soon, we’ll each part ways on the road that is

life, but we’ll keep in touch and maybe even

visit each other in the future. Until then, I’m just

happy and thankful to have made the choice to

study here.

As mentioned previously, my parents once told

me that it’s the people who make a place, and

they’ve always been right about this. So what’s

been my highlight at NCCU? You guessed it: the

people.■

I attended the conference at NCCU on Telecom

and Media in Japan, Korea and Taiwan: Policy

and Industry Strategies in December 2012. This

conference was organized by the IMICS program

(International Master's Program in International

Communication Studies), one of the leading English-

taught graduate programs at NCCU.

| Stories | Richard George Mooney |


50

Zane Kheir

M y experience in NCCU so far has been a very eye-opening

one. I was surprised to find such a diverse group of local and

international students well mixed upon arriving here for the first

time. I was also captivated by the beautiful scenery surrounding the campus

as it is located at the edge of the city in between the mountains and the

downtown areas. The campus facilities are modern and convenient. All in all,

I think NCCU is a peaceful environment and strategic destination ideal for

learning about Taiwan, China and neighboring Asian countries.

My experience in NCCU so far as been a

very eye-opening one. I was surprised to find

such a diverse group of local and international

students well mixed upon arriving here for the

first time. I came to NCCU with the intention

to learn Chinese and become disciplined

in sociopolitical topics in Taiwan, China and

East Asian countries. So far, I can say I am

pleased with the result. As I am a student in

the International Master in Asia-Pacific Studies

(IMAS) program, many of my classmates are

from other foreign countries. It has been a very

valuable experience for me to get to meet such

a diverse group of classmates and learn about

their countries as well. I most enjoy hearing

about my classmates' experiences here in

Taiwan and NCCU from their point of view.

The most important asset NCCU has is its

people. The administrative staff are all very

supportive of me as a new student, and have

continued to be available any time I need their

assistance with registering for classes, getting

advice on accommodations, and getting

accustomed to life in Taiwan. The professors

in my Master's program have very impressive

backgrounds, as many of them have studied

abroad themselves, speak English proficiently,

and can share their personal research

specialties with the class. So far, I have

learned a great deal from them, and have

improved my own research skills as a Social

Science student. I feel that I will come out of

this program as an expert on China, Taiwan

and East Asia and prepared to pursue a full

time career here.

In the near future I would like to pursue a PhD

in Asian/Regional studies and ultimately work

as a professor and researcher. By working

Degree studentHome country : USALanguage : English

| Stories | Zane Kheir |


51

together with my instructors at NCCU, I have a

more solid understanding of Political Science

and Social Science in Asia and the Greater

China area. Many of my professors have

personally conducted academic research on

a broad range of disciplines. Beyond being

a professor, this program is great for anyone

who wants to pursue a career in an NGO,

public administration, or even government

jobs. I have also learned that NCCU is among

the most prestigious universities in Taiwan that

educates some of the Taiwanese government's

top officials. Many of my foreign classmates

have expressed interest in pursuing a career

in their country's foreign service sector to

become an overseas diplomat. I believe the

IMAS program is an ideal choice for anyone

who has the potential to be a foreign diplomat

with specialties in Asia-Pacific.

NCCU also has a group of volunteer teachers

called Campus Caring Group that offer free

Mandarin tutorials for foreign students. These

volunteer teachers go above and beyond to

help students learn Chinese, organize field

trips and workshops promoting Taiwanese

culture, and are always available to consult

students with any problems related to cultural

or language barriers that they encounter. I

am very grateful for these volunteer teachers

as they have helped me gain confidence in

speaking Chinese and expressing my opinions

and experiences in a Chinese language

environment. This is very important to me as

learning Chinese was one of my goals upon

coming to Taiwan.

I was a lso capt iva ted by the scenery

surrounding the campus as it is located at the

edge of the city in between the mountains and

the downtown areas. NCCU is undoubtedly

one of the most beautiful campuses I've seen


I stand right in front of the statue of Chiang Kai-shek

at the Main Library at NCCU. NCCU has a wide

variety of library resources available in Chinese,

English and various other languages. Not only that,

it is also equipped with a large study room that is

open 24 hours a day!


52

in Asia so far. From the center of the campus,

there is an unimpeded view of the mountains

leading up to Maokong. From the sports field,

there is view of Taipei 101 and the downtown

area in the distances. I always enjoy a pleasant

stroll through the campus both morning and

night. The buildings in the campus are modern,

but have a certain Chinese flare to them that is

unlike anything I had ever seen in the United

States. The campus also has plenty of green to

contrast away from the concrete of the city. I am

also grateful for the supermarket, convenience

store and cafe on campus that offer student

d iscounts for NCCU students and have

everything one would need. I rarely have to walk

far to get my daily necessities.

All in all, I think NCCU is a peaceful environment

and strategic destination ideal for learning about

Taiwan, China and neighboring Asian countries.

I feel that I have changed a lot since I first came

here, as well as my outlook on Taiwan and

China. Living and studying at NCCU has given

me the opportunity to openly discuss political,

cultural, and social topics in Taiwan and China

and go and experience them for myself outside

of class. Being able to study Chinese at NCCU

with the help of the volunteer teachers, and then

use what I've learned in my daily life has been

the best practice one could ask for. By the time

I graduate from NCCU, I feel that I would be in

a position to teach people in my own country

about what kind of a place Taiwan really is, and

how unique it is. I would highly recommend

Taiwan and NCCU to anyone who is interested in

Chinese culture, political science, social science

and/or international relations in East Asia. ■



53

Shirley Mak

T he first time I saw NCCU, I was taken in by the campus’ rustic

beauty but also intimidated by the challenges that it represented,

both physically and mentally. Climbing the hill every day to get to

class on upper campus isn’t easy, similar to learning a new language, whose

terrain is unfamiliar and a little scary. I chose to attend NCCU because the

peaceful surroundings were tempting, but I soon realized that things are

not always as easy as they seem. My journey at NCCU has had its share of

challenges, but over time I have grown to cherish each one of them.

I remember the first time I stepped onto

NCCU’s campus. I had landed in Taiwan the

night before, in the midst of a heavy typhoon,

the wind and rains slamming into the windows

of my hostel like the fists of an angry child.

Because of the ongoing bad weather, there

were only a handful of students around, but

one of them took a brief look at the wrinkled

map I had in my hand and pointed ahead into

the mountains.

I chose to study at NCCU because the

campus, tucked away into one of the more

rural areas of Taipei, promised peace and

quiet. After living near Japan’s capital for the

past year and half, with its neon lights and

endless line of bars and clubs, I was hoping

for some place to better focus on learning one

of the world’s most difficult languages. There

would be no better place to concentrate,

I thought, than in an area surrounded by

nature’s beauty.

As I made my way up the hill that day, I could

feel beads of sweat dripping off my back.

My only map had dissolved into unintelligible

bits and pieces, and I still had no idea where

the International Building was. All I saw

while trudging along in my wet socks and

dripping back were masses of trees and a

sign that said: “Beware of snakes.” Was I at

an actual university or alone in the wilderness

somewhere?

The path along the hill seemed never-ending.

After what felt like an hour, I was beginning

to feel downtrodden for the first time since I

had arrived. As I debated whether to move

Chinese Language Center studentHome country : USA Language : English

| Stories | Shirley Mak |


54

forward or head back, I spotted a lone man

walking down in the opposite direction. He told

me that I had taken a wrong path and needed

to make my way back. Resigned, I resolved to

come back another day.

A few months later, I entered to run a 10-

kilometer race at NCCU with some friends.

None of us knew the actual trail route until the

day of the event, and we were shocked by

how many hills we had to cross within the first

half of the race. I found my calves burning as I

pounded my way up what seemed like the tenth

consecutive hill. As I slowed to a jog to catch

my breath, I paused to take in the scenery for

the first time. The trees, the gravelly trail, the

overcast sky…I realized that I had seen it all

before, that day I had taken a wrong turn in

the rain and ended up far, far away from the

International Building. I was back where I had

started.

It turned out I had come to the right place

after all, but perhaps not for the reasons I had

originally thought. Over the past few months,

my Chinese has progressed significantly since I

had first landed, unable to ask a stranger even

a coherent question regarding directions. Over

time, character by character, I have somehow

made some sense out of what seemed like a

never-ending path of indecipherable symbols

and sounds. Now I could not only ask for

directions in Chinese but give them as well, to

incoming students as clueless as I once was.

But the best part of it all was: I knew I still didn’t

have all the answers. The more I learned – from

my teachers, my classmates, and myself – the

more I wanted to know.

Gradually, I realized that I originally came to

NCCU for the peaceful surroundings, but in

the end the peace I felt came primarily from

within me and my willingness to adapt to the

environment around me. Peace and knowledge,

I realized, were not destinations but journeys.

Perhaps the real lesson of attending a school

atop a hill is that every day is a journey and

therefore an opportunity, even for an action as

simple as walking up the hill to your classroom.

Some days are harder than others, but personal

growth can come from even the smallest of

challenges.

Thinking back on the past few months at NCCU,

I couldn’t help but smile as I resumed running,

feeling the faint trickle of a breeze tickling my

back as I moved forward.■

My friends and I (second girl from the right)

took a picture immediately after finishing the

first 10-K race in Taiwan at NCCU’s track

and field. Despite not winning any special

prizes, this marked a memorable moment

for everyone, as all four, though coming from

various backgrounds, had trained together on

routes around campus and encouraged one

another throughout the journey.

| Stories | Shirley Mak |


55

María Olmedo Jimenez

M y name is Maria Olmedo. I am a 41 year-old mature student

who came to Taiwan from Ireland to study at NCCU as part of

a university exchange program. I chose a track that includes

learning Mandarin, because Mandarin has become one of the most

competitive languages in the world of business. After a visit of two OIC (Office

of International Cooperation) representatives to my home university in 2012,

I decided that I wanted to come to Taiwan, instead of going to China. My

experience at NCCU and in Taiwan has been great so far. I consider myself

privileged to be learning Mandarin in such great location and environment.

My name is Maria Olmedo. I am a 41 year-

old mature student, who came to Taiwan from

Ireland to study Mandarin at NCCU as part of

a university exchange program. I am Spanish,

but I have lived in Ireland for the last 14 years.

My circumstances in Taiwan are a bi t

different from those of many other exchange

students: I am not only twice their age, but I

am also depending on the Irish government

for financial aid to pay my way here. This

academic year in Taiwan is part of a four

year degree on Chinese and International

Business, a degree that the Irish government

i s fu l l y pay ing or because I became

unemployed and was unable to find a new job

for a long time.

I chose to study a degree that includes

Mandar in courses because Mandar in

has become one of the most competitive

languages in the world of business. After

becoming unemployed, I knew that I had

to recycle myself. I had lost my competitive

edge. My work experience was no longer

enough to get me back in the game;

education was the only way forward, and

globalisation had made mastering several

foreign languages a high priority for recruiting

companies.

As a student in DIT university in Dublin, I had

Exchange studentHome country : SpainHome university : Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)Language : English

| Stories | María Olmedo Jimenez |


56

the option to study Mandarin through simplified or

traditional characters. I chose to learn both from

the start as I tried to get a competitive advantage

over my fellow students, themselves already at an

advantage point given their youth. Learning both

sets of characters and getting good results in my

exams allowed me to choose my destination for year

three of our degree. There were two universities in

mainland China, both in Beijing besides NCCU to

choose from. Both universities in Beijing had good

points about them. There were also advantages

and disadvantages on choosing NCCU for my year

abroad. NCCU has a very good reputation as a

university, but Taipei is quite a westernised city, with

a higher cost of living than some other Asian cities,

and it is a place where speaking English becomes

an “easy way out” far too often, so I remained

undecided for a very long time.

Things changed in October 2012, when we received

the visit of Caroline Tsai and Kelly Wang, from the

Office of International Cooperation (OIC), NCCU, at

our home university in Ireland. They prepared a very

compelling presentation about Taiwan and NCCU,

showing all the beautiful places and amazing food

this country has to offer. It also introduced us to

student life at NCCU, and I knew at that time that my

choice was made--I was going to come to Taiwan.

My experience in NCCU has been simply wonderful

so far. Everybody working both at the OIC and at

the International Building office is incredibly helpful.

Buddy Program allowed me to meet the most caring,

dedicated Taiwanese girl I have ever known. Li Wen

not only found me the best apartment to live in, she

has also become a close friend, and I have been

privileged enough to spend the Chinese New Year

with her and her family.

Classes at NCCU are great. The Mandarin teachers

I have had in these two semesters have been

wonderful. They have always gone beyond their

At Teacher Xie's Calligraphy Class, I was

fully concentrating on the strokes of the

character “美” (beautiful), part of my

name in Chinese. Calligraphy is one of

the many free cultural courses available

to international students at NCCU, also a

great opportunity to learn more about the

Chinese and Taiwanese cultures through

the language.



57

obligations as teachers, and have made sure

that our learning is not only academic, but

cultural at a deep level as well with them often

spending their own free time with us. Their

encouragement and support have seen me

through all my frustrations not being able to

master my tones in Chinese as quickly as I

would have liked. I can blame no one but myself

for that, though. I am too afraid of making

mistakes and making a fool of myself. I must try

to overcome this fear for the remaining of my

stay here.

One of the good habits I picked up, encouraged

by the teachers, is practicing with a language

partner. We do a Spanish-Chinese exchange.

It was a big surprise to me that so many

NCCU students are learning Spanish as a third

language. Our exchange is very relaxed, not at

all academic, just two girls going out for dinner

and a chat. It is great fun. Coincidentally, my

partner's chosen Spanish name is Rosario,

which happens to be my middle name, and

we were both born on the same day. I certainly

wasn't expecting that!

I also love the NCCU campus. I walk along

the river every day, and then up the hill to the

International Building. I enjoy every minute of

that walk. The views are breathtaking, and I

often come across all these elderly people doing

physical exercise first thing in the morning. I

love their vitality. One of my favourite pastimes,

as I walk to and from university, is watching the

local fauna. There are so many animals living

around NCCU. I particularly love the herons and

the gorgeous kingfisher, cleverly catching the

silver fish swimming downstream.

Extracurricular activities have been great fun,

too. Everything is either free or incredibly cheap,

but very interesting and helpful towards making

us practice our spoken Chinese more often. I

have learnt Bopomofo, created lots of things in

the Arts & Crafts Club, learnt about Taiwanese

cuisine and I even tried out writing Chinese

calligraphy with my left hand!

All of them, Taiwan, Taipei, and NCCU have

made a big impact in my life. I have learnt a

lot about the Taiwanese people in the past five

months: about their patience, kindness and

generosity towards foreigners. Every day in

Taipei has the potential for a new adventure.

Apart from visiting temples, attending exhibitions

and musical performances, I have had the

best time taking part, together with many other

students from NCCU, in the LGTB Pride parade.

I was also proud to represent my own university,

DIT, at the Study Abroad Fair organised by OIC.

More recently, and thanks to my buddy at

NCCU, I was part of the audience at the TV

singing competition series “Super Star”. During

the recording of the show, I was asked to

comment in English on one of the performances.

The whole thing is now uploaded on YouTube,

so I guess I have had my “15 Minutes of Fame,”

which was really fun.

In the last week, I have also met lots of new

people outside NCCU circles because I have

finally managed to start training with a local

Dragon Boat team. This was my main goal other

than learning the language and culture when

I arrived in Taiwan. Training with a Taiwanese

coach who doesn't speak English is challenging,

but it helps me brush up my Chinese a lot.

Hopefully the next four months are going be

filled with a lot more learning, travelling, new

adventures and of course, plenty of Dragon Boat

paddling practice!■



58

Chloé JabouynaChloe Jabouyna

Exchange student Home country : FranceHome university : Université Lumière Lyon 2 Language : French

I knew very little about Taiwan and National Chengchi University (NCCU)

before I came. Encouraged by one of the students at my university who

visited NCCU before, I embarked on my adventure in Asia.

All the differences I noticed between Taiwan and France, culturally and

academically, and various experiences I had here, helped me become a

more independent and flexible person, who can not only adapt to a new

environment more easily, but also work as a team. These are all important

qualities developed in me to facilitate a promising professional path in the

future.

« Mes motivations pour venir à NCCU ? », c'est

drôle, car c'est l'une des premières questions

que l'on pose quand on rencontre quelqu'un.

Après les questions habituelles bien sûr, d’où

viens- tu ?, qu'est-ce que tu étudies ?, et

s'en suit logiquement pourquoi es-tu venue à

Taïwan et pourquoi NCCU? Je suis toujours un

peu confuse et gênée lorsqu’on me la pose.

Mes amis ont tous des réponses très précises

pleines de convictions, la mienne est un peu

plus vague et rigolote.

En effet, dans mon université en France, un

forum a été organisé pour nous présenter les

différents pays et universités partenaires. Au

stand de Taïwan il y avait de jolies photos donc

je m'y suis arrêtée et j'ai discuté avec une

étudiante revenue de NCCU.

Mon problème était l'anglais: je cherchais un

pays agréable dans lequel je pourrais améliorer

mon anglais sans que l’université me demande

un test de niveau. L’étudiante, en me racontant

son expérience, tous les bons moments qu’elle

avait vécu à NCCU, m'a convaincue de postuler

et j'ai bien fait: c'est le seul pays dans lequel j'ai

été acceptée.

Je sais, ce n'est pas une de ces histoires où la

| Stories | Chloé Jabouyna |


59

personne est déterminée coûte que coûte

à venir, mais c'est mon histoire et j'aime son

début un peu hasardeux.

Du coup, j'ai commencé à me renseigner

sur Taïwan et NCCU et à ma grande

surprise en tant qu’élève en politique,

NCCU a des cours vraiment intéressants

et Taïwan est un cas tout à fait fascinant de

mon point de vue politique, mais j'apprends

aussi à découvrir la culture asiatique même

si certains points m’échappent encore.

Je pense que la France aurait certaines

leçons à prendre sur le mode de vie

Taïwanais. Maintenant que je suis ici je me

Behind me is the water fountain that no one will

miss once entering the main gate of National

Chengchi University (NCCU). This water fountain

is where I usually meet my friends. As I am so

proud of being an incoming exchange student

at NCCU, I have to take a picture in this School

Hoodie, which at that time was sold by a Student

Club helping to raise money for education in

under-developed countries.



60

rends compte que l’étudiante avait raisons, la

vie ici est vraiment agréable, peut être juste un

peu trop de pluie. Les personnes sont vraiment

gentilles, dès que je demande de l’aide que ce

soit dans Taïwan ou sur le campus tout le monde

est prêt à m’aider. On se sent vite bien ici.

Ce qui est impressionnant à NCCU, ça peut

paraître futile, mais c'est la taille des bâtiments,

quand j 'a i découver t que mes cours se

déroulaient au 12eme étage et que le bâtiment

en contenait 16, j’étais comme une gosse. En

effet dans mon université ils ne vont pas au-delà

de 3, même si en soit cela n'a aucun impact sur

les cours, j'ai quand même toujours le sourire

aux lèvres quand je vois défiler les chiffres dans

l’ascenseur. Je l'ai même noté sur « Facebook ».

Un autre de mes moments clés: c'est quand

j'ai reçu mon maillot de l’équipe de basket

marqué « NCCU », je suis fière de le porter,

je marche la tête haute et j'ai envie de dire à

tout le monde et oui le numéro 13 de l’équipe

d’économie de NCCU c'est moi. En France, on

a de vieux maillots pas très jolis, ici on choisit

tout: la couleur, le style et, le plus important,

le numéro. J’apprécie tous les équipements et

l'engouement sportif qui règne à NCCU.

Ce sont des détails insignifiants mais ce sont

ces détails qui rendent une aventure, mon

aventure, particulière, et qui fait que l'on se

sent bien à NCCU. Mon année n’étant pas

finie j’espère bien passer encore d’excellents

moments dans ce campus.

D'un point de vue purement pragmatique, mon

expérience ici m'apportera de devenir bilingue

en anglais (si tout se passe bien), de parler un

petit peu chinois, et d’étudier concrètement les

politiques asiatiques. Mais cette aventure ne se

limite vraiment pas à cela.

En effet , ic i je me découvre moi-même,

j'apprends à vivre seule loin de ma famille et de

mes amis, à m'adapter dans un monde où je ne

connais rien, où les enfants me regardent comme

une extraterrestre. Je m'ouvre à une nouvelle

culture, mais aussi à de nouvelles méthodes

d'enseignements. C'est cela que je mettrais en

avant dans mon avenir professionnel, grâce à

cette expérience je suis capable de m'adapter,

j'ai appris différentes façons de travailler qui,

combinées, donneront de très bon résultats

et me permettront de répondre à différentes

demandes. Même si je dois l’avouer, au début,

la façon de travailler a été un peu déroutante,

mais les nombreux travaux de groupe m’ont vite

fait assimiler les méthodes et maintenant je peux

combiner les deux.

À NCCU on apprend aussi l'entraide et le

partage: dans chaque conversation, même

anodine, les cu l tures se confrontent e t

s'apprivoisent. C'est un point très important,

surtout pour moi qui veux travailler dans la

communication ou le travail en équipe est

de rigueur. Il faut savoir écouter les autres,

accepter les idées, les façons de travailler et

de voir. J'apprends tout ça à NCCU, que ce soit

pendant les cours, mais aussi lors des matchs

de basket ou bien pendant les nombreuses

activités organisées par NCCU et les clubs

étudiants.

Je suis contente d’avoir été prise ici, et j’espère

bien continuer au prochain semestre à vivre une

aventure pas comme les autres.■



61

Guillaume Emmanuel Gillard

T here was a caterpillar on a Taiwanese Campus. There it met ideas.

The caterpillar grew, the ideas connected and together they flew

and made of a mess, a man and of dreams, a future. It might have

happened close to you.

Papillon qui papillonnent en papillonnant nous

menèrent en une île pas tout à fait inconnue il

y a déjà trois ans.

Je ne sais plus où cela a commencé, mais il

fut un temps où Taïwan, belle Formose, devint

la prochaine étape logique de ma vie. Était-ce

en ces jours de chômage, égaré dans la nuit

et cherchant un chemin? ou plutôt durant ces

jours de pluies à ne rêver que d'une chose,

revoir Kenting et ses plages? Les paysages

me manquaient, et, bien plus, des amis

attendaient mon retour. Je suis revenu sur la

verte Formose et ai revus ses nuages mauves

huileux en 2011, intoxiqué mais heureux je me

trouvais là bien aise.

Les péripéties du sud passèrent passagères

et les papi l lons papi l lonnant toujours

m'emmenèrent vers le Nord, sa culture, ses

montagnes, sa mer,... ses hivers...

Par un jour ensoleillé, je fus déposé par les

vents sur une esplanade de pierres blanches,

devant moi s'élevait un édifice que nous

connaissons bien, une forteresse du savoir où

nul ne me dit alors combien de temps il allait

me falloir pour tenter de comprendre ce qu'il

s'y passait. La douce machinerie humaine qui

égrène le temps, quoi de tel pour enseigner

la patience au plus affolé et aux affairés la

douceur de l'attente.

En ce lieu, je fis mon lit d'idée pendant un an.

J'appris plus sur la terre et sur les gens qui

font de ce pays ce qu'il est. Ses richesses

humaines sont insoupçonnées, cachées tant

dans les livres que dans les passants. Et

ainsi, me perdant dans un ouvrage ou dans

une rue, m'asseyant près de Chiang Kai-Shek,

bonhomme, dans la grande bibliothèque et

de lui demander, "Et ça, camarade, comment

l 'aurais-tu fais?", chevaucher à travers

Degree studentHome country : BelgiumLanguage : French

William Gillard

| Stories | Guillaume Emmanuel Gillard |


62

la campagne à la recherche d'un ouvrage

perdu, je découvris ce pays, cette ville et cette

institution. Ainsi passa le temps jusqu'à ce que...

Une petite Chenille s'éveille d'un rêve où elle

était un homme de la vie fort gourmand, se

demande si c'est bien un rêve, lève ses petits

yeux poilus et voit un barbu souriant qui la prend

en photos. Les humains sont-ils tous aussi fous?

La petite chenille s'enfuit bien vite construire sa

chrysalide sur un beau fil noir qui se trouvait là.

Un lit d'idée comme tout bon lit est un refuge

pour le repos, la méditation ou l'amour, mais

vient toujours un jour où il faut en sortir et

contempler le monde et le jour qui vient.

Un homme regarde une chenille qui fait sa

chrysalide, lit sur de nouveaux produits qui

peuvent changer notre manière de consommer,

apprend à se connaître loin des ombres du

passé. Elle ne fut pas passagère, cette nouvelle

idée, née d'une chenille de son câble de PC

passagère.

Plus de papillonnant papillon papillonnant de

fleurs d'idées en fleurs de rêves, mais de fleurs

de rêves s'en vont fleurir des fleurs de réalité. La

chenille sur son câble, endormie, ne pense plus

à l'imparfait passé ou au futur simple, mais bien

au passé antérieur et au futur très composé.

Ce jour là sur le campus de NCCU, il pleuvait

à drache, ma moto refusait de démarrer, mon

cerveau avait cessé de travailler. Il restait cette

clé, le cadenas de mes casques et d'un grand

"Danran la!"(當然啦 ! bien sûr!), vers mon avenir

je me suis envolé.

Merci à NCCU pour tout ce qu'elle m'a donné,

amis et opportunités principalement. Merci de

m'avoir donné le temps de choisir mon futur,

enfin, sans contraintes ni pressions. Je ne

finirais probablement pas mes études actuelles,

et probablement ne serais-je plus étudiant

de NCCU dans quelques mois mais il restera

toujours un souvenir spécial en moi quand je

penserais à NCCU.

Ce n'est pas la pluie qui restera, ni le froid, ni la

paperasse (quoique ce soit toujours une bonne

excuse pour une conversation au 8ème étage

de LA forteresse), ce seront les savoirs, les

débats et les possibilités offertes et donc, ceux

qui les apportent.

Pour les rencontres, pour les possibilités, pour

avoir pu apprendre Taïwan par Taïwan et pour

Taïwan, pour le temps, pour les conseils, pour

les mains tendues et les soutiens, pour m'avoir

rendu un rêve, à vous tous, de passages ou

partie du paysage, merci.■

Journey to

the sources of

knowledge

| Stories | Guillaume Emmanuel Gillard |


63

Filip LahodaDegree studentHome country : Czech RepublicLanguage : Czech

T o go to NCCU was a clear choice for me because I was determined

to study IMBA at NCCU, the university that offers the best IMBA

program in Taiwan. At the time when I made the decision, I didn't

know how lucky I really was. After some time, I started to appreciate the

various efforts NCCU puts into supporting the studies and personal needs

of the students. What was especially important for me was the support and

attention given to the Students Clubs. Thanks to these clubs, I could keep

developing all my personal interests and meet new friends all over the world.

Když jsem se rozhodoval na jaké škole bych rád studoval management, NCCU pro mě byla jasná volba. Jednak proto, že jsem chtěl studovat na Taiwanu, který jsem si při své předešlé návštěvě zamiloval a jednak proto, že NCCU zde nabízí nejlepší mezinárodní MBA program. V době kdy jsem učinil tuto volbu jsem ještě netušil, jaké mám vlastně štěstí.

Ze studijního hlediska program IMBA naplnil veškerá má očekávání. Kromě nasazení celého týmu podílejícího se na jeho realizaci musím ocenit podporu, jíž se zde studentům ze strany univerzity dostává. Nejedná se pouze o vytvoření vhodného zázemí pro studium, ale rovněž o podporu rozvoje dalších osobních aktivit studentů. Pro mě osobně byla zejména významná podpora

studentských klubů, účast v nichž mi dovolila rozvíjet mé osobní zájmy a vyzkoušet nové. Studentské kluby mi rovněž dovolily poznat spoustu nových přátel a všude se mi dostalo velmi vřelého přijetí. Nejvýznamnější pro mě pravděpodobně byla účast v rock and roll hudebním klubu, díky kterému jsem měl možnost pět krát týdně cvičit na bicí. To je něco co pro mě bylo v dřívější době jen obtížně realizovatelné. Někdy si jen přeji, abych nemusel do školy dělat tolik domácích úkolů a mohl se tak ještě více věnovat uvedeným aktivitám. Když už zmiňuji domácí úkoly a projekty, přál bych si rovněž, aby i mí taiwanští přátelé dostávali méně těchto zadání, neboť v důsledku jejich vysokého počtu jsou často natolik vytíženi, že je velmi obtížné se s nimi setkat. Každopádně je nutné říci, že díky pestré

| Stories | Filip Lahoda |


64

nabídce uvedených aktivit jsem měl někdy pocit, že ani nežiji v Taipei, ale pouze na území univerzity.

Další věcí, která se mi na NCCU líbí je její poloha. Ačkoli je centrum města relativně hůře dostupné, jakmile se člověk zorientuje v jízdním řádu autobusů, které kolem školy staví, není to až tak hrozné. Na druhou stranu je ale škola na úpatí hor, kam je možné si velice snadno zajít na menší výlet, či vyjet lanovkou a kochat se výhledem na město pod sebou. Vzhledem k tomu, že jsem dříve žil v rušné části Taipei, kde byl vzduch díky vysokému provozu vozidel poměrně znečištěn, dokáži ocenit klid a poměrně čisté ovzduší, jež poloha NCCU nabízí.

Čas strávený na NCCU byl pro mě skvělou zkušeností a těším se na další skvělé zážitky a další skvělé přátele jež tu potkám. Program IMBA nabízí poměrně široký výběr předmětů vyučovaných na vysoké úrovni, umožňující mi se profilovat směrem, jakým si sám přeji. V současné době se zaměřuji zejména na studium finančních trhů a marketingu, neboť v jedné z těchto oblastí hodlám po ukončení studia nalézt své uplatnění. Již nyní pociťuji přínos mého studijního programu, neboť studium na NCCU mi pomohlo rozkrýt mnoho procesů a principů ze světa businessu a umožnilo mi tak lépe profilovat a vytvářet své inovační, investiční a další obchodní plány.■

Learning Chinese New Year tradition and

calligraphy (character “馬” means Year of

“Horse”) at an event called "Buddy With You"

organized by Taiwanese students in their free

time.

| Stories | Filip Lahoda |


65

Veronika TomanovaDegree studentHome country : Czech RepublicLanguage : Czech

S tudying in Taiwan is not an ordinary option for students in Czech Republic. Once you try it, there is so much to discover. I found a new home on the campus of National Chengchi University (NCCU).

Probably the coolest thing about studying at NCCU is that one is surrounded by so many different cultures. It would never happen in Czech Republic to have a roommate from Nicaragua or Turkey. Furthermore, my schoolmates in the IMICS program (International Master in International Communication Studies) come from various parts of the world: Ukraine, Russia, Indonesia, Philippines, USA, China and Taiwan. Each discussion, lecture or chat comes along with intercultural learning. We observe and experience differences, but we learn to respect them at the same time. Soft skills gained during the two years here in Taiwan will be one of the most valuable assets one day when I enter job market.

Ráno jako každé jiné. Probouzí mě paprsky sluníčka, které se prodírají skrz žaluzie mého pokoje ve čtvrtém patře dívčích kolejí. Zatímco studenti v Evropě mají ještě noc, tady v Asii se už musíme popasovat s ránem.

V pyžamu přeběhnu přes l iduprázdnou chodbu do společné kuchyně, abych si uvařila kafe. Se šálkem v ruce vyjdu na balkon. Pří jemných 25 stupňů mi dává zapomenout, že je podzim. Dvou a půl milionové velkoměsto mám odsud jako na dlani. Město, ve kterém se nachází druhá nejvyšší budova světa. Město, ve kterém jsem se po dokončení studia na Masarykově univerzitě rozhodla pokračovat. Tchaj-pej.

Spolužáci z celého světaO možnosti studovat na Taiwanu jsem se dozvěděla prostřednictvím Centra zahraničních studií MU. Přihlášku lze podat jak ve zmíněném centru, tak i v Tchajpejské hospodářské a kulturní kanceláři v Praze, k te rá s t ipend i s ty vyb í rá . S t ipend ium pokrývající školné a další náklady jde z kapsy Tchajwanského ministerstva školství a je určené pro ty, kdo se na ostrově v srdci jihovýchodní Asie chystají vystudovat jeden celý studijní program.

Protože mé dosavadní studium i zájmy se točí kolem žurnalistiky, komunikace a sociologie, hledala jsem nějaký magisterský program,

| Stories | Veronika Tomanova |


66

který by tato témata dále rozvíjel. Z desítek oborů, které jsou sice atraktivní, avšak často vyučované pouze v čínštině, jsem si vybrala dvouletý program International Master in International Communication Studies vyučovaný na National Chengchi University (NCCU).

Spolužáků mám celkem dvacet – jednu polovinu tvoří místní studenti, druhou ti zahraniční. Ze zemí je zastoupena je Anglie, Indonésie, USA, Rusko, Ukrajina a Honduras, což dává dohromady zajímavý mix, na jehož pozadí se zformovala mimo jiné i malá skupina rusky mluvících. Vyučující jsou místní a všichni, které jsem doposud poznala, spojuje jedno – svá studia absolvovali v USA.

Stydliví, ale nápomocní Tchaj-wanciBudovy univerzity včetně kolej í a dvě menzy se nacházejí v areálu kampusu asi hodinu cesty z centra města. Jako studentka, které cesta do školy trvala plus mínus hodinu si tedy kampus nemůžu vynachválit (pohodlnosti místních studentů,

kteří tuto krátkou cestu neabsolvují jinak než připravených v minibusech, se jen směju).Dalším společným rysem Tchajwanských vrstevníků je přehnaná stydlivost. Místní kluci se v přítomnosti holek ne vždy cítí sebejistě, se svou výškou 176 cm (tedy o dvě hlavy vyšší než většina z nich) je uvádím do rozpaků téměř permanentně.

Vlastností, kterou bychom se v Česku od Tchaj-wanců mohli učit je ale ochota pomoct a porad i t c i z inc i . S tač í pár zmatených pohledů do čínsky psaného jízdní řád a hned se na zastávce autobusu objeví někdo, kdo se ptá: „Potřebujete poradit? Můžu vám pomoct?“ Znalost angličtiny není u místních vždycky pravidlem, ale jejich snaha a trpělivost to kompenzuje.

Krásný ostrovOstrov, který má rozlohu poloviny České republiky, pojmenovali Portugalci Ihra Formosa neboli Krásný ostrov. Je tu od každého trochu: příjemné pláže, klidné hory i rušné večerní trhy. Tato místa se snažím o

I found my best friend Ruby

Liu at NCCU during my first

month in Taiwan. After a year

and a half, we still like to walk

around the river on campus,

do projects and discover

more of Taipei together.



67

víkendech navštívit a o zážitky se pak dělím na cestovatelském blogu.

Zatím nejdobrodružnější výlet jsem podnikla sólově. Po 14 kilometrech túry po stezkách lemujících Pacifik jsem dorazila ke chrámu v horách. „Pojďte dál, přespíte tady. Už se stmívá, autobus už nejede a další stavení potkáte až za tři hodiny chůze,“ vysvětlil mi lámanou angličtinou a posunky starší pán, který se o chrám stará už 20 let. Nabídl mi – jako pravému pocestnému – jídlo a nocleh. V šest hodin ráno hned po ranní modlitbě mne pak na cestě domů doprovodi l oranžově oděný buddhistický mnich.

Studium v zahraničí na dosahMagisterské studium na Tchaj-wanu je celkem třetím programem, do kterého jsme se přes Centrum zahraničních studií MU dostala. Ze všech pobytů jsem si zatím vždycky přivezla nové zkušenosti, znalosti a vzpomínky, které si sebou nesu životem a které mi už nikdy nikdo nemůže vzít.

Studium na NCCU, které za měkolik měsíců ukončím, mi rozšíří možnosti na pracovním trhu. Během studia jsem vybrousila angličtinu (anglicky například zvládku i prezentovat, čeho jsem se dříve obávala), získala znalosti z oboru komunikace v mezinárodním kontextu a také jsem získala “soft skills”, které mi usnadní práci v kolektivu a zefektivní naplování mích cílů. I přesto, že pobybovat se v mezinárodním prostředí a řešit všechny radosti i starosti deset tisíc kilometrů od domova není vždy nejlehčí, rozhodnutí studovat v zahraničí nelituji.■



68

Jakub JatkiewiczDegree studentHome country : PolandLanguage : Polish

O ne day in Poland I met a Taiwanese girl who told me about her

country and her university – National Chengchi University (NCCU)

in Taiwan. A few months later she became my good friend I

decided to continue my education in Taiwan. I am really impressed with

NCCU and its Chinese Language Center, not only for academic reasons but

simply the whole experience is a magical thing--In the past, to me studying

was not a pleasure. Thanks to NCCU, the high quality courses offered here

and the individual attention the students get relight my passion for studying

and academic pursuit.

Pewnego słonecznego dnia, w kilka dni po obronie pracy magisterskiej, siedziałem sobie na ławce w centrum Krakowa. K o n t e m p l o w a ł e m p i ę k n ą p o g o d ę i zastanawiałem się, co dalej robić w życiu, gdy nagle zobaczyłem pewną dziewczynę. Pojawiała się w zasięgu mojego wzroku, po czym znikała i znowu wracała. Od razu przykuła moją uwagę, gdyż była zdecydowanie inna niż reszta ludzi w tłumie. Zdawała się lekko zagubiona i wyraźnie było widać, że szuka drogi. Nikt nie chciał jej pomóc, a i ona wydawała się strasznie nieśmiała, zbyt nieśmiała żeby poprosić o pomoc. Zebrałem się na odwagę, wstałem z ławki i podbiegłem żeby z nią porozmawiać. Jak się później okazało, była to studentka z Tajwanu. Dzięki tej znajomości, która później przerodziła się w przyjaźń, usłyszałem nie tylko o Tajwanie, ale też o National Chengchi

University. Po miesiącu wiedziałem, co robić dalej ze swoim życiem – zdecydowałem się wyjechać na Tajwan i kontynuować studia.

Do najważniejszych momentów związanych z NCCU zaliczam bez wątpienia pierwsze zajęcia na uczelni oraz pierwsze zajęcia z języka chińskiego w tutejszym centrum językowym. Myślę, że większości ludzi spodoba się okolica – NCCU jest pięknie położone – i sama styczność z tutejszą k u l t u r ą j e s t b a r d z o i n t e r e s u j ą c y m doświadczeniem, ale NCCU jest ciekawe także z akademickiego punktu widzenia. M o j e p i e r w s z e z a j ę c i a , w k t ó r y c h uczestniczyłem, celowo pomijam ich nazwę oraz nazwisko prowadzącego, uświadomiły mi jak daleko Polsce do tutejszego poziomu prowadzenia zajęć, a także kultury osobistej kadry akademickiej. Pomimo ukończenia

| Stories | Jakub Jatkiewicz |


69

najlepszych uniwersytetów na świecie tutejsi nauczyciele akademiccy są nie tylko profesjonalistami w swoich dziedzinach, ale cechują się także niespotykaną w Polsce kulturą osobistą i życzliwością. Bez względu na to czy problem studenta, a w moim przypadku doktoranta, dotyczy kwesti i naukowej czy też nie, drzwi są zawsze otwarte. Nie potrzeba do tego wyznaczonych konsultacji, (na które w Polsce nauczyciele akademiccy dziwnym trafem często nie docierają), zawsze można liczyć na szybką odpowiedź poprzez e-mail. Sam system zarządzania uniwersytetem również pozytywnie mnie zaskoczył. Nigdy nie zrozumiem, dlaczego mój uniwersytet w Polsce wciąż stosuje papierowe indeksy, pamiętające jeszcze czasy Marco Polo. CLC (Chinese Langauge Center), gdzie uczę się mandaryńskiego, zapewniło mi z kolei powrót do czasów młodości, kiedy nauka wydawała się przyjemna, pełna radości i pozbawiona stresu. Nauczyciele z CLC, pomimo tego, że są wymagający i profesjonalni, są też świetnymi pedagogami i zapewniają niespotykaną atmosferę.

Jak studiowanie na NCCU odbiło się na moim życiu? Zobaczyłem jak daleko polskim uczelniom i wykładowcom (oczywiście nie wszystkim, ale pozwolę sobie generalizować) do poziomu tych z Tajwanu. Utwierdziłem s ię ty lko w przekonaniu, że w Polsce potrzeba reform. Jednocześnie odzyskałem wiarę w naukę i uniwersytety. W Polsce studiowanie było dla mnie drogą przez mękę, koniecznością wynikającą z przyszłej potrzeby znalezienia pracy. Na NCCU studia są po prostu przyjemne. Nie umiem tego wyjaśnić w prosty sposób, prawdopodobnie jest to składowa wielu czynników. Nauka tutaj to pozytywne przeżycie, codziennie z chęcią chodzę na zajęcia, które zawsze są interesujące i zachęcają do rozwoju – zarówno osobistego jak i naukowego. Dodatkowo, zaangażowanie i profesjonalizm tutejszej kadry naukowej zmienił moje myślenie o edukacji – już nie uważam jej za zło konieczne. Dopiero teraz uświadomiłem sobie, że nauka i chęć zdobywania wiedzy może być wspaniałym przeżyciem. Wiem również, że uniwersytet może nie tylko kształcić szwadrony bezrobotnych, ale także rozwijać osobowość.■

This is one of my favorite art work on NCCU campus, part of an Art Project from “2011 Very Fun Park.” This is

also one of the many magical places at NCCU because it reminds me of my childhood and summer evenings

which I spent in the mountain village. NCCU at night becomes like another world. It's quiet, mystical and totally

different from Taipei City. Sitting here at night is a splendid experience.

| Stories | Jakub Jatkiewicz |


70

Karolina GoebelDegree studentHome country : PolandLanguage : Polish

I decided to study in Taiwan after my first visit to Kaohsiung, southern part

of Taiwan, studying Chinese in 2011. Here I noticed many differences

from the education in Poland --the possibility to choose from a variety

of courses, less formal contact with professors, easy access to libraries

and study rooms, and the variety of Chinese courses offered by Chinese

Language Center at NCCU. I learned both English and Chinese, how to

better adapt to different contexts and attended courses of diversity not

offered in Poland. The experience will no doubt be fruitful for my future

career.

Pomysł studiowania za granicą zrodził się w mojej głowie już w 2011 roku, kiedy po raz pierwszy odwiedzi łam Tajwan. Zafascynowana kulturą i językiem, po powrocie do Polski od razu zaczęłam przygotowywać się do podjęcia studiów magisterskich właśnie na Tajwanie. W 2012 roku ukończyłam studia na Uniwersytecie Opolskim na kierunku Dziennikarstwo i Komunikacja Społeczna, i wiedziałam, że chcę kontynuować naukę właśnie w tym zakresie. Po wielu konsultacjach z moimi tajwańskimi przyjaciółmi, zdecydowałam się ubiegać o miejsce na kierunku International M a s t e r ’ s P r o g r a m i n I n t e r n a t i o n a l Communication Studies (IMICS) na National Chengchi University (NCCU), który słynie z naj lepszego wydziału komunikacj i i dziennikarstwa w kraju.

Nie wiem czy znajdę odpowiednie słowa na opisanie tego, jakim wspaniałym przeżyciem są dla mnie studia na Tajwanie, ale podejmę tę próbę. Podczas pierwszego semestru na NCCU doświadczyłam wielu różnic w formie studiowania. Dano mi wolną rękę w wyborze zajęć, całodobowy dostęp do wydziałowych bibliotek oraz pokojów do nauki. Zaskoczył mnie nawet sam kontakt wykładowców ze studentami, mniej formalny niż znany mi z polskiej uczelni. Wszystkie zajęcia prowadzone są w języku angielskim, więc zauważyłam znaczną poprawę w moich zdolnościach językowych. Uczelnia oferuje także bogaty wybór kursów języka chińskiego na różnym poziomie, a wielu tajwańskich studentów zainteresowanych jest wymianą językową – nawet w języku polskim.

| Stories | Karolina Goebel |


71

Dodatkowo, co zasługuje na pochwałę, cały system jest skomputeryzowany i na bieżąco aktualizowany. Uzbrojona w numer legitymacji, otrzymałam nowy adres e-mail, na który wysyłane są wszelkie informacje dotyczące bieżących wydarzeń na uczelni, wiadomości od wykładowców, a także informacje o wolnych etatach w tajwańskich firmach.

Studentom, którym nie udało się uzyskać s typend ium, ucze ln ia o fe ru je p race dorywcze w biurze, bibliotece, gazetce szko lnej , i tp . N iestety , by podjąć s ię większości z nich, wymagana jest biegła znajomość języka chińskiego. Ale bez obaw, praca dla tych, którzy języka nie znają też się znajdzie. Co więcej, osoby zatrudnione w biurach są bardzo miłe i staną na głowie,

Two of my Taiwanese classmates, Jamie

(left), Sylvia (right), and I celebrated

Christmas together. To make our classes

during Christmas more memorable, we

agreed to follow a special dress-code and

prepared a special gift-exchange event.

by rozwiązać nawet najdrobniejszy problem i odpowiedzieć na każde pytanie.

Choć przede mną jeszcze kilka semestrów na NCCU, już teraz jestem przekonana, że studia te zaowocują w bogate CV oraz wrażenia, które będę wspominać do końca życia. Marzę o pracy w międzynarodowej firmie, łączącej ze sobą różne kultury, nie ukrywam więc, że pokładam nadzieję w IMICS oraz bogatą ofer tę praktyk zawodowych w różnorodnych firmach na Tajwanie. Wierzę, że to, czego nauczę się tutaj, będę mogła przedłożyć na warunki panujące w Polsce. Bezpośredni kontakt z obcą kulturą poskutkował odkryciem nowych umiejętności do podejmowania nowych wyzwań i rozwiązywania obcych mi dotąd problemów. Poszerzyło to także mój



72

światopogląd i zrozumienie dla innych kultur i narodów, które będę mogła wykorzystać w mojej karierze zawodowej. Przyczyniła się do tego także możliwość współpracy z osobami z najdalszych zakątków świata. Dzięki temu doświadczeniu, wiem już, jak pracować z ludźmi reprezentującymi różne kultury, i nawiązałam przyjaźnie, które, mam nadzieję, przetrwają długie lata. Nauczyłam się także szybkiej adaptacji do nowego środowiska. Ta umiejętność z pewnością przyda mi się podczas procesu aklimatyzacji w nowej firmie oraz w innych miejscach, w których będę miała możliwość się pojawić.

Dodatkowo, możl iwość brania udziału w różnego rodzaju kursach i zajęciach fakultatywnych, których nie oferują uczelnie w Polsce, zwiększy wartość mojego dyplomu. Przyczyni się do tego także znajomość języka chińskiego, którego nauka w kraju, w którym jest on powszechnie używany, jest samą przyjemnością.

Myślę, że podjęcie studiów za granicą, na prest i żowej ucze ln i , było jedną z najważniejszych decyzji w moim życiu, która zaważy na mojej przyszłości i karierze zawodowej. Choć studia w kraju oddalonym od rodzinnego miejsca zamieszkania o tysiące kilometrów to niejednokrotnie ciężka praca oraz szereg wyrzeczeń i poświęceń, to korzyści, które z pewnością zyskam będą znaczące. ■



73

Dominik FischerExchange student Home country : GermanyHome university : Zeppelin Universität Language : German

M y stay at NCCU in Taiwan has been the most valuable experience I have ever had. At first I planned to stay for 3 months, but I extended it to 8 months in the end. Thanks to numerous highlights

for my stay at NCCU, everything I experienced has so much positively influenced my future life.

Mit diesem Essay möchte ich noch einmal

fast 2 Jahre nachdem ich Taiwan das erste

mal besucht habe die Zeit ein wenig Revue

passieren lassen und mich an die Zeit in Taiwan

zurückerinnern.

Ich kann mich noch genau erinnern, als ich

an einem morgen im International Office der

Zeppelin Universität saß und auf eine Weltkarte

blickte. Ich habe mich gefragt, wo nur mein

Austauschsemester stattfinden sollte. Ich kannte

Nord Amerika und den afrikanischen Kontinent

bereits durch Reisen. Aber Taiwan? Wo war

das überhaupt? Ich habe zwar den Namen

schon ein paar Mal auf Elektrogeräten gelesen

aber ich kannte Taiwan nicht wirklich. Auf der

Suche nach einem Studienort, der viele neue

Herausforderungen bereit hält und zudem

zahlreiche neue Einblicke bietet habe ich mich

dann schnell für Taiwan entschieden.

Zur Vorbereitung auf meinen Taiwanaufenthalt

habe ich 2 Bücher von deutschen Expats

gelesen. Kaum in Taiwan angekommen habe ich

dann aber bemerkt, dass meine persönlichen

Eindrücke viel stärker sind. So habe ich dann

auch wieder schnell die Bücher vergessen.

Sofor t nach meiner Ankuf t begann der

Orientation Day, an welchem alles genau

erklärt wurde. Ich war sofort begeistert von

der Offenheit und Freundlichkeit der Leute in

Taiwan gegenüber uns ‚Fremden‘. Wir wurden

mit großer Neugierde und Interesse überall

begrüßt und uns wurde stets Hilfe angeboten.

Ich fühlte mich bald heimisch. Der Übergang

von Ankunftsphase hin zu den Vorlesungen

verlief reibungslos. Bald erkannte ich, wie

viel Spaß es mir bereitet hat, in dieser neuen

Kultur zu leben und kurz darauf hat mich mein

Buddy Carol mit zu sich nach Hause nach

Tainan eingeladen. Ich war fasziniert von der

| Stories | Dominik Fischer |


74

Fahrt mit dem THSR. Vorbei an Reisfeldern,

F ischfarmen und Industr iegebieten. Ich

verbrachte dort ein Wochenende mit ihrer

Familie. Die Eindrücke waren sehr schön. Später

waren dann die Highlights die Ausflüge von den

Student Ambassadors und IY. Diese gingen zu

abgelegenen Orten und Sehenswürdigkeiten im

Süden und an der Ostküste.

Die NCCU ist wunderschön gelegen. Der

Maokong Mountain ist direkt nebenan. Ich hatte

die Gelegenheit zu zahlreichen Ausflügen zu

diesem wunderbaren Berg und durfte dort

einige schöne Stunden verbringen. Von dort

aus hatte ich auch einen wunderschönen Blick

auf den Taipei 101. Der Taipei 101 ist das

faszinierendste Bauwerk, das ich je gesehen. In

jeder anderen Stadt vermisse ich heute diesen

Turm.

Auch das akademische Leben an der NCCU hat

mir sehr gut gefallen. Meine Heimatuniversität

war zu diesem Zeitpunkt sehr klein. Die NCCU

empfand ich zu Beginn als eigene und sehr

lebhafte Stadt. Besonders gut gefallen hat mir

die Social Science Library. Hier verbrachte

ich zahlreiche Stunden während ich Aufsätze

verfasste und für Klausuren lernte. Ich wählte

nicht nur Wirtschaftskurse, sondern auch einen

Kurs, welcher sich mit der schaffenden Kunst

in Taiwan beschäftigt und durch diesen Kurs

konnte ich die taiwanesische Kultur noch besser

kennen lernen. Die anderen Kurse gaben mir

zahlreiche Einblicke in das Land. So besuchten

wir zahlreiche Produktionsstätten für Elektronik

und andere Geräte oder auch Museen, um die

Kunst zu bestaunen.

Ich plante ursprünglich nur 3 Monate in Taiwan

zu bleiben, um mein Semester abzuschließen.

Im Anschluss an meine Zeit an der NCCU

habe ich dann noch 2 Praktika absolviert.

Somit konnte ich nicht nur in Taiwan lernen,

sondern auch versuchen mein erlerntes Wissen

umzusetzen. Ein weiterer Höhepunkt war ganz

am Ende. Die NCCU war die Partneruniversität

des Harvard Projects for Asia. Ich bewarb mich

schon früh für diese Konferenz und erhielt einen

I-house, a very modernized

accommodation for NCCU

international students and scholars

within walking distance to campus,

was a key place during my stay

in Taiwan. I really found a second

home here during my stay of 6

months. I also got to meet many

friends from different cultural

backgrounds. It was a moment

when my girl friend (in the middle)

and I (left in white T-shirt) had to

say good bye to a friend of mine

(right in plaid shirt).



75

der begehrten Plätze. Gemeinsam mit Studenten

aus aller Welt diskutierten wir eine Woche

und hörten zahlreiche spannende Vorträge.

Anschließend war meine Zeit in Taiwan an der

NCCU vorüber.

Nun möchte ich darauf zu sprechen kommen,

wie sich die Erfahrungen an der NCCU auf

mein weiteres Leben ausgewirkt haben. Vorab

kann ich nur sagen, dass die Auswirkungen

sehr positiv und stark waren. An der NCCU

konnte ich zahlreiche neue Freunde finden. Dies

geschah sowohl unter den Austauschstudenten

als auch unter den lokalen Kommilitonen. Dies

ist während meiner weiteren akademischen

Laufbahn sehr fruchtbar. Als ich wieder in

Deutschland zurück war, habe ich erst gemerkt,

wie mich die dortige Kultur verändert hat. Viele

Dinge sehe ich heute aus einer zusätzlichen

Perspektive, welche ich damals an der NCCU

kennen gelernt habe. Natürlich ist Taiwan etwas

Besonderes, das weit ab von den typischen

Besuchsländern liegt. Viele Menschen reagieren

neugierig. Auch habe ich mein weiteres Studium

auf die Asien-Pazifikregion ausgerichtet, da ich

mir gut vorstellen kann in dieser Umgebung

zu leben. Besonders die Praktika, welche ich

in Taiwan absolviert habe, haben sich sehr gut

auf weitere Tätigkeiten ausgewirkt. Taiwan gilt

eben als etwas Besonderes. Heute studiere ich

im CEMS Masterprogramm an der University

of Sydney Business School und der London

School of Economics. Nebenbei versuche ich

meine chinesisch Kenntnisse auszubauen und

hoffe eines Tages eine Arbeitsstelle in Taiwan zu

finden.

Mein Kontakt nach Taiwan ist sehr eng. Ich

skype jeden Tag mit Kommilitonen, welche ich

in Taiwan kennen gelernt habe. Taiwan ist für

mich nicht mehr wegzudenken. Dreimal habe

ich Taiwan noch besucht, nachdem ich an der

NCCU war und die nächste Reise dorthin wird

sicherlich noch in diesem Jahr stattfinden. Bis

bald!■



76

八木菫Sumire Yagi

M y NCCU experience had a huge effect on me. Among the most important factors were various Student Clubs I attended; Buddy Program where I met helpful local students, and friendly roommates;

and solid Chinese courses offered by Chinese Language Center at NCCU. Both local and international students I met motivated me to work harder on my Chinese and English. With noticeable progress in these two languages, I got to connect with people from different backgrounds and learn different cultures at a deeper level. To me, it is like the “ドラえもん’s どこでもドア” (a special door that can take you to wherever you want to go in “Doraemon”) that opens my eyes and takes me to a whole new place. I am grateful that NCCU gave me the key to this door and I am now even more motivated to see what could be behind this door or can’t wait to open more doors.

Exchange student Home country : JapanHome university : Akita International University Language : Japanese

私がなぜ政治大学を留学先に選んだかというと、以前私の大学から留学に行っていた先輩から、ＮＣＣＵの学生はとても親切で、学生のモチベーションが高く、また、キャンパスも勉強に集中しやすい環境である、ということを聞いていたからです。また、私の大学に留学に来ていた政治大学の学生と仲良かったのもひとつの理由です。

政治大学では、いろいろな人との出会い、授業に対する真剣な姿勢などとたいへん貴重な体験をしました。全ての経験が様々な形で私のモチベーションの向上につながりましたが、その中でも特に、大学の学生団体、バディー、ルームメイトなどに大きく影響されました。

自分の大学でも中国語は勉強していたので、不安はさほど大きくはありませんでしたが、やはり、新しい大学生活というのには期待も大きい半面、不安もありました。日本人は何人かいるものの、他大学と比べれば少なく、英語と中国語を使って意思疎通を図らなければならない状況に少し戸惑いました。しかし、政治大学には、Student Ambassadorsなどの学生団体があり、留学初期にはNCCUの学生がグループに分かれて大学を案内してくれて、そこでいろいろな留学生と友達になったり、学生やサポートしてくださる方々皆さんが私の話す内容を一生懸命に理解しようとしてくださったりしたおかげで、留学生活をなんとかうまくスタートすることができました。また、そのStudent

| Stories | 八木菫 |


77

Ambassadorsなどの学生団体が、たとえ中国語を話せなくても台湾の文化に触れ合うことのできる機会を用意してくれました。政治大学にはそのような機会がたくさんあり、一学期だけでも充分留学生活をたのしむことができました。

私は初期、語学センターに通って毎日中国語を勉強していたため、大学の授業との両立が大変だと感じていました。しかし、語学センターのクラスメイト達が応援してくれたこと、そして台湾でしか経験できないことだという思いのおかげで頑張ることができました。

さらに、政治大学では、交換留学生一人につき最低一人は政治大学での生活をサポートしてくれるバディーがいます。幸運にも、私は二人のバディーがいて、二人とも新聞学科で忙しい時期にもかかわらず、私が履修登録などで困っているときにはすぐに手助けしてくれたり、合間を縫っては遊びに連れて行ってくれたり、食べたりと、二人は日本語が話せるわけではありませんでしたが、私の下手な中国語を一生懸命聞いてくれて、政治大学での留学生活をサポートしてくれました。

もっとも私を成長させてくれたのは、ルームメイトとの出会いです。私は大学の学生寮で、日本人、香港人、ブラジル人の計４人で一緒に暮らしました。香港人とブラジル人のルームメイトは、一学期だけで帰国しなければならず、本当に短い間でしたが、みんな本当にいい人たちで、毎日部屋に帰るたびにたくさん笑っていました。二人が帰国してからの部屋には、次のルームメイトたちが来るまで私と日本人のルームメイト二人しかいないのでとても寂しくなりました。しかし、そう思えるのも、素敵なルームメイトに出会えていたおかげだったと思います。英語も中国語も下手な私ですが、国籍の違う人と一緒に住んで、考え方や文化の違いも学べ、違いがありつつも自分から積極的に話しかけて行動すれば、その違いを乗り越えられるのだと学べました。また、英語と中国語を話さなければならなかったので、相手に自分の意思を

ちゃんと伝えられない時の悔しさが、私の言語学習への意欲になりました。言語がわからなくても、ボディーランゲージなどを使えばコミュニケーションはとれるという人もいます。しかし、私は、言語の違いを通して、多言語を習得するということは、就職などのためだけでなく、人と人とのコミュニケーションにおいて非常に役に立つことだと思いました。言語がわかるようになれば、その人の国のこと、考え方、文化等いろいろなことが学べます。普段の政治大学での授業でもそうです。自分の母国語を話さない人と、もっと仲良くなりたい、その人が何を考えているのか知りたい、と思ったときに、自分の言語を通してではなく相手の言語を通すことによって思いをわかりあえることもあると思います。また、話せる言語が増えれば友達も増える、異文化に触れることができる。そういったことを改めて実感することができました。

今現在留学生活の半年が終わって、中国語の伸びがまだ足りないなどと悔しく思うこともあります。しかし、この半年政治大学での生活は、私にたくさんの試練と成長と出会いを与えてくれました。残りの半年も、政治大学での出会いを大切にして、後悔のない留学生活を終えたいと思います。そして、ここでの留学が、知識だけではなく人間的にも成長させてくれると信じて頑張ります。■

My friends and I (on far right with gray long dress) had pizza and Brazilian food in the common room of

our dormitory. At NCCU, there are many places where students can gather, have fun, and learn from one

another.

| Stories | 八木菫 |


78

勞汝潔Rujie Lao

A fter returning from NCCU for half a year, I would feel the overlapping of time and space at times. Whenever I'm in class, in conversation or in my stroll, the similar scenes spent in NCCU would come into

mind. It has endowed me with knowledge, different perspectives to look at the world, ways to learn and attitude towards life. These would always help me timely to go through the crises in my life, like an interview, one mire of depression and other problems. I strongly believe that, I am fated to be rescued by these one day, in a certain way.

Exchange student Home country : ChinaHome university : Zhejiang University Language : Chinese

它存在過

文三路上汽車駛過的聲音依舊清晰可聞，

電腦屏幕成為了此刻唯一亮光的來源。光標停

滯在了某個標點之後，再也前進不了。它不斷

地倒退，停頓片刻后又繼續前進，這樣的往復

運動已經做了不知道多少遍。

（一）

「以網路為話題，你覺得其中有什麼值得

研究的課題？以及可能會涉及到哪些理論？你

又將如何展開這個研究？」

你攥著手上的小紙條，深吸了一口氣，看

向你面前十幾位面試老師。你有十幾秒的思考

時間，你知道這是一場關係到你未來的戰鬥。

你開始拼命檢索你的大腦，試圖從中撈起些零

碎的觀點。網路⋯⋯網路⋯⋯「親密關係」、

「社會資本」、「網路交友與戀情」⋯⋯網路

與親密關係課堂上讀過的指參，討論過的問題

瘋狂地湧了進來。

「嗯，我覺得我會從青少年的網絡使用習

慣入手⋯⋯」你開始回答，「我想要重新驗證

網路時代的六度人脈理論⋯⋯」你發現你的思

路越轉越快，回答也越來越輕快。「⋯⋯這大

概就是我的研究計劃以及可能用到的理論。」

你微微一笑，再度環視了這個房間，和進來時

相比，空氣裡的凝重感早已消失，老師們臉上

露出了笑意，你知道你成功了。你甚至想要快

步離開這個房間，給對岸的老師寫封信，感謝

她，告訴她，最關鍵的時刻，你腦內的空白中

唯一的光亮就是她，以及她所上的那堂叫做

「網路與親密關係」的課。

會選到這堂課，是一個意外。在一堆「正

經」的課程名稱中它顯得那麼獨特另類，似乎

恰合了你的興趣，卻有與你之前修過的那麼多

| Stories | 勞汝潔 |


79

Exchange student Home country : ChinaHome university : Zhejiang University Language : Chinese

與網路相關的課程那麼不同。它給了你一個小

小的切點，卻劃開了一個大大的口子，填充進

了飽滿的內容。

而這，並不是唯一。

你想起來了，即使現在，坐在某個課堂

裡，聽某個人談論起某些事，都恍惚覺得和半年

前的某個時刻某個場景某個對話無縫對接了。

當網路上轉基因食品的話題正鬧得沸沸揚

揚，課堂上老師正以快一倍的語速講述著轉基

因背後的風險社會的邏輯內因的時候；

當逛商場時看到一個新產品在做行銷推廣

或途徑一個展館看一場展覽的時候；

⋯⋯

健忘的你居然能清晰地記起何時何情境

下何人說起過這樣一番話，然後迅速地進行抓

取，就好像它已經融入了你的血液裡。

（二）

「在政大修了什麼課？」

「呃，像是媒介經營管理啦，風險傳播之

類的。」

「唉，媒經管很無聊有沒有，我們上了一

學期就是讀了一學期的PPT。」

「啊，我修得可『痛苦』了，每週都有

四五十頁的英文指參，後期還每週都要做課堂

報告，期中就寫了一個兩萬字的報告呢。」

「哇聽起來真的相當『麻煩』的課呢！」

「是啊，不過現在回想起來還真的覺得學

到了不少東西呢，感覺值了！」

回來之後，這樣的對話你已習以為常。

出發之前的你一直很苦惱，因為陷入停滯

的困頓之中。彼時的你接觸專業知識近兩年，

幾乎聽過了學院裡能接觸到的老師的課程，你

感覺自身還有太多的欠缺，有很多的領域尚未

涉及，很多的理論尚未深入，想去獲知，但卻

找不到一個切口，就像是面對著碩大皮球的小

螞蟻，不知所措。無論是環境還是生活本身都

因為太習以為常而被忽視。

所以你急切地要走出去。在一個陌生的環

境裡重新開始，以初生嬰孩般的眼光重新打量

周圍。而這個願望得到了正向回應。身體裡的

溪流又開始嘩啦啦嘩啦啦地流動了起來。

「我會比較擔心嫁錯人的風險欸。」

「難道不應該先擔心嫁不出去的風險

嘛？」

你覺得簡直太有趣，身邊的台灣同學的回

答總是出乎你的意料，或者確切地說，出乎一

個習慣了背誦與條條框框的你的思維的意料。

第一次直觀地被衝擊，「原來這樣也可以」。

有趣的還不止這點呢。跑圖書館影印指

參，跑百貨公司做調研，以往都嫌麻煩的事，

你卻做得很快樂。是啊，是快樂呢。無意中找

回了GPA等為了換取更好「生活」的籌碼而早

已遺棄在一邊的原初的快樂啊。

（三）

三月初的杭州還是有些清冷。剛下晚自習

出來的時候，你縮了縮身子，融進了黑暗中。

一年前的你也數次地在夜色中奔走。好多

個深夜拖著疲憊的身體，伴著橘色的燈光緩緩走

在上山的坡道上。那條連通著自強九舍和總院的



80

On June 21st, 2013 during the graduation

season at NCCU, I was dressed in

baccalaureate gown, feeling ready to move on

to the next step and contribute to the society.

坡道成了你回憶裡變化著卻又始終的風景。

比如你永遠記得某個濕漉漉的夜晚裡一

條狗的溫柔，在那個失意的夜晚，幽幽地陪

你走上山的坡道。每當你的腳步將要趕上它

的時候，它就會加快一點腳步，然後再停在

某個點回頭等你。最終它在電梯前停下了腳

步，就這樣作別。也許是它怕你寂寞，也許

是它也寂寞，跨越了物種和語言我猜不透，

但至少在這寂靜的黑夜裡，彼此以一段路的

陪伴作為慰藉。彼時的靜夜成為了永恆。

在「忙著生，忙著死」的世界裡生活

久了，都忘了什麼是「精緻溫柔」，忘了該

停下腳步細細打量生活本身。

所以直到今天，不管周圍的人評判著

代價巨大，再選一次我依舊樂意交付。

文三路上汽車行使的聲音把你拉回

現實。

轉眼半年，你已經迴歸到了原本的生活

節奏中，你一直以為已經忘卻那半年生活的

諸多細節和感覺，唯有社交網路的時間軸提

醒著你一年前的今天你在哪裡，做著什麼。

慢慢地，你對它是否在你身上留下過痕跡都

開始產生懷疑。

但是，看，你曾被政大的花草鳥獸感

動過，被師長同學照顧過，被你所不知道的

知識世界驚奇過，被這個世界溫柔相待過，

這樣就足夠了。那些痕跡是真實存在過，而

無論是這些知識還是思維方式在今後生活的

某個場合浮出腦海，這樣就足夠了，而我也

相信著未來某個時刻，它必定會拯救我。■



81

徐美超

Exchange student Home country : ChinaHome university : Fudan University Language : Chinese

W hen I came to Taipei, there was no doubt that my expression, face, and accent revealed my identity as an “outsider,” but I felt comfortable and I didn't attempt to disguise myself to escape

from reality. After I traveled around Taiwan, I can clearly feel that Taipei is a fast city, which made me have the illusion of being in Shanghai. Although on the school shuttle bus, I would still hear “thank you” and “you're welcome,” occasionally saw some hurrying passersby, tired faces on the MRT, or quarrels on this gentle land, unlike in Shanghai, I naturally know all this is very natural.

何須風月來醉人

發現台灣的溫柔，是再容易不過的一件

事，甚至很難稱得上「發現」，準確地說，這

幾乎成為一種共識。2009年夏天，我第一次來

台灣，參加一個文學交流活動，主辦方是某個

文教基金會。雖然只有短短十天，卻成為有生

以來最好的一次出行體驗。就像大陸一個偶像

作家寫的那樣，「也許是我的命好，遇見的都

是好人，也許是我走的膚淺，幾乎所有人都和

氣。毫無疑問，如果我在臺灣多停留幾天，我

當然能看見他不如人意的一面。」因此時隔三

年之後，我又一次來了。當然，我不是為了來

找它不如人意的一面。

在政大我住在半山腰，再往上可以看到

樟山寺和指南宮，往下景美溪由東向西，由淺

入深。傍晚沿著楓香步道，可以看到夕陽把最

柔軟的部份，投到清澈的溪水裡去。這時候，

你感覺所有的聲音都慢了下來，世界忽然間打

開了耳朵，窸窸窣窣。你看到鷺鷥站在溪水中

央，用一隻腳摩挲著樹的倒映；楓葉離開客居

的枝頭，摩挲木質步道；而稀稀落落的青年男

女，摩挲著你的眼眶。但到了夜晚，這一切就

顯得平淡無奇。

我喜歡在晚上八九點鐘時，搭乘校車上

山。這時大家結束了一天的課程，去山下覓食

的人也開始陸續返回，小小的校車塞得滿滿

的，但還是會給對方留下從容談笑的空隙。上

山的路並不平緩，車開得也不慢，但司機會熟

悉每一處的凹凸，然後放鬆他們的油門。同樣

放鬆的還有政大學生們的嘴巴，我時常會被他

們的話語逗笑，然後就帶著笑容看著窗外。窗

Meichao Xu

| Stories | 徐美超 |


82

I took the famous ride,

Makong cable car, not far

from NCCU to Maokong

Mountain. Sitting in

the car looking at the

scenery from different

perspectives, the view

varies. However, what

does not vary, no matter

from which perspective

you approach the face

of a local person here, is

their wholehearted smiles.

外卻是另一番景象。從蔣公銅像上來那

一段，可以隨著車輪瀏覽臺北市的夜

晚。說是臺北，其實主要是文山區和信

義區。俯瞰的視角，會讓人產生看海的

感覺，那些閃爍的燈光不過是會發光的

魚群。薄薄的車廂，將世界一分為二，

一邊沉默不語，一邊肆無忌憚，共同作

用於我的感覺，熨平一天的褶皺。

因為山上的吃食選擇太少，我被

女友半拖著走出了校園。有一段時間，

我們喜歡從後門出去，穿過恆光橋，去

木新路上探索美食。後來我們去了公

館，然後是師大、西門、永康街⋯女友

喜歡美食，我喜歡隨著她四處閒逛。她

抱有很強的目的性，我則無所謂去哪，

熱鬧的地方我就看人，清靜之處我就享

受不被打擾的樂趣。我看人愛看人臉上

的表情，尤其是街頭上、城市公共交通

上的表情。在大陸，不論南北，不論內

地或沿海，大家的表情都越來越像。世

界變化太快，人們的靈魂跟不上自己的

腳步，難免面目模糊。台灣不快，就像

一艘小船，在太平洋裡慢悠悠的搖。我

把我的想法和一門課的老師交換，他說

我沒有看到台灣的過去，因此對現狀就

很難把握。他舉了一個例子，7-11向鄉

裡的擴張。我知道他的意思，城市化的

進程摧毀了山野、淳樸和日落而息的節

奏，這恐怕是任何一個社會都無法避免

的。然而當我切實的走一遭，我發現很

多歸納和理論不過是浪漫的想像，現實

縫隙中的呼吸依然抒發著緩慢而真實的

情緒。

來台一個月後，和早年相識的朋友

聚會，我和女友被問及對台灣的感受。

女友因是第一次，所以對於臺北人的客

氣和禮貌感覺分外強烈。我知道這是凍

久了的人，突然靠近爐火的感覺。但兩

個朋友馬上提出異議，告訴我們臺北人

的客氣是表面的，大家也都是急匆匆自

顧自的生活而已。她們一個來自彰化，

一個來自宜蘭。彰化有鹿港，就是羅大佑唱著「臺北

不是我的家，我的家鄉沒有霓虹燈」的地方。在很多

台灣人的眼裡，台灣可以被劃分為臺北和非臺北，

那不是大都市和小城鎮的差別。後來我們去了鹿港，

看到了媽祖廟，也看到了徘徊在文明裡的人們。再往

南，我們又去了宜蘭、花蓮、台東、高雄、台南，最

後是恆春墾丁。每個城鎮都不盡相同，然而又散發著

同樣的氣息：安靜而溫順。人們蜷伏其中，認真的生

活著，即使被打擾，被改變。毫無疑問，只要走進他

們，我也能看到喘息和眉頭緊鎖，田園牧歌般的生活

並不存在，但他們似乎更懂得如何享受平淡和緩慢。

我們就曾在某個夜市，被老闆說幸運，因為碰巧那天

他出攤。在台東，我們也碰到了僅僅是因為自己喜

歡，而不是別的什麼原因，一路上跟乘客分享沿途的

風物和歷史的司機。他不笑，也沒有熱絡地和人交

談，但平和而細密的聲音，卻一直溫暖我到臺北。

在臺北待了這麼長時間，無數次溫柔而友善地

被對待過，感動著，為那浮在空氣中的微笑，也為願

意停下來的腳步。是的，就是這樣，人們急急忙忙地

趕著什麼，卻從未忘記放慢腳步，甚至停下來，給別

人一個微笑。這就是臺北，這就是台灣，它從不曾忘

記，也不曾刻意地裝飾明月，來勸你更盡一杯酒。■

| Stories | 徐美超 |


83

李卓爾

Exchange student Home country : ChinaHome university : Peking University Language : Chinese

L ife in National Chengchi University was the most fabulous experience I’ve ever had. People I was surrounded by at school, my friends and even just strangers were very inviting and warm. I always

call Taipei as the Miracle City. Being here and experiencing a different lifestyle has changed my perception of life. It has allowed me to widen my perspective and become self-sufficient. The quality that I value the most is the gentleness I found in the local people in Taiwan. This memorable NCCU experience would propel me to pass on this gentleness to more people and to be a better person.

四個多月的政大之旅轉眼間就過去了。

回想此前的種種期待，這次的旅程絲毫沒有辜

負。時光一路走、我一路追尋的時候，沿途的

風光太美、懷有太多感觸，台灣彷彿是桃樂絲

突然闖入的綠野仙蹤，而政大，就是座最美麗

的城堡。

記得剛抵達台北的時候，是深夜裡獨自

一人。手機無法聯絡到朋友，也不清楚政治大

學在哪裡。一路上太多人的幫助，也是第一次

體驗到陌生人願為你的請求駐足的感覺，很溫

柔、也很踏實。近深夜十二點，公車上只剩我

一個，師傅悉心載我到政大，剛下車就見到不

知已等待多久的學伴的身影。那時候心中就

想，不管迷失在台灣的哪一個角落，都不必擔

心，盡情欣賞那裡的人與景色就好。後來在各

種陌生的城市，都留下同樣溫柔的感覺。

體驗政大的學習生活，感受台灣的人情，

是交換之行最大的收穫。想看看台灣的同學如

何學習，老師又是如何教學，兩岸學習的東西

會不會不一樣。充滿活力的台灣同學，使我對

於課程也投入了更多的積極和熱愛；尤其是老

師們的用心與體貼，實在令人動容。一直難以

想像老師能夠記住課上所有同學的名字，並渴

望了解每個人生活的城市與狀態；更是真切感

受到每一次互動中的深沉關切。看到老師們為

學生如此付出，除了心中的敬仰與感激，更重

要的是開始思考學術對於自己和社會的意義，

體會到每個學生所肩負的使命感。

和好多人談起對台北的感受時，我都會

用「奇跡之城」來形容。我永遠不可想像身在

台北下一秒會發生什麼，太多的小細節，你不

在，就不會懂。太多的第一次，我的勇氣連同

Thor Li

| Stories | 李卓爾 |


84

Rome Square at NCCU is one of the popular places on

NCCU campus where people picnic, discuss, listen to

concerts and public talks.

對台北的愛一起生長。在美麗華幫助陌生人求

婚，在劍南山上看到的最華麗的夜景；在跨年

晚會賣力的叫喊，在101等待最震撼的煙花；

在誠品可以看書一整天，也能在夜市吃到心滿

意足；在台北看演唱會的次數超過了過去二十

年，也有機會見識到「金馬50」的現場。的

確，這些看似微不足道的小事，身臨其境時卻

給我帶來無法想像的感觸。那麼多的小確幸，

足以讓沒信心的自己相信，在台北，沒有做不

到的事情。

有人說，台灣最美的，不是風景、不是食

物，是人情。還記得第一次看到車上沒有一個

人去坐博愛座時的震撼，也忘不了很多公共場

所真的考慮到行動不便者的問題，為他們進行

體貼細緻的服務。承蒙太多人的幫助和關懷，

我才得以在偌大的城市裡過得舒坦自在。本以

為幫助過我的那些人、那些事會永遠記得，時

間越久會越深刻。可今天回憶起來，卻有些模

糊了。有些人的樣貌已記不起，具體的事情也

不知何時成為了夢一樣的幻覺。這些人，也許

人生中見過一次面、接受到他們的善意，以後

都沒有機會再見；但是，他們帶來的感動已經

深深融入心裡，刻在腦海裡，變成溫柔的感

覺。每當想起這些模糊的臉和經歷，心中都會

有一絲溫柔流淌。

正是這些溫柔，使我在台灣最後的日子

裡，決定和政大的同學一同到福山國小陪伴那

裡的小朋友，把這些愛也由我傳遞給他們。準

備課程和活動的日子很辛苦，不停的修改和完

善計劃，不斷的想出好點子讓小朋友感受到溫

暖和快樂，更要學習與同他們的相處之道。準

備晚會、製作道具，最後終於把一切置辦妥

當。就好像一筆一劃寫出「愛」字的過程，小

心翼翼生怕所有的用心被辜負。遺憾的是，一

些小朋友突然患病使得提前結束了營隊，沒能

將我們的愛帶給那裡的孩子們；雖然結局有些

傷感，卻教會我努力去愛和愛的方式。

這次神奇的經歷也使我結識到很多志同

道合的夥伴，一同努力完善活動、朝夕相處更

加深了彼此的了解和感情。大家來自不同的院

系和年級，有著不同的生活體驗，有比我大的

姐姐，也有未滿十八歲的小妹小弟；可是大家

都是一樣的熱心努力，完全信任的將自己交付



85給其他的夥伴。開始還有些擔心文化差異會帶

來尷尬和生疏，當看到夥伴們貼心的卡片，彼

此開著玩笑，同他們瘋耍在台北的大街小巷，

所有的不安就煙消雲散了。我們之間只隔著一

條海峽的距離，總以為只要買張機票就能相見

了；可是，卻很少人真的鼓起勇氣為尋找美好

回憶再次踏上旅程。這份情誼如此珍貴，在臨

別時，「再見」卻說不出口，有些甚至合影也

沒來得及留到；或哭或笑的擁抱，安慰著以後

還是會相遇。他們都是我的天使，足以讓我在

未來的日子裡同他人炫耀。

抵達台灣的第一天，就開始了離別的倒

數。真正到了離開的時候，卻發現時間越走越

快；沿著風雨走廊上山，望向上面眼淚就會不

知不覺流下。也許我說不出哪位老師最好，哪

門考試最難，卻知道在政大的校園裡，哪裡聽

得到青蛙叫，哪裡充溢著丁香花的味道；也會

一直記得水岸電梯向下望的風景和天黑後遠處

閃亮著的台北101。也許這是一生中唯一一次

在台灣半年之久的生活體驗，每過一天，知道

在台灣停留的日子更少一天，就想再珍惜一

點，所以每天都格外不捨。回到了原來的學

校，原來的生活，會回憶這次奇妙的旅程，然

後會很驚異：這些都是真的嗎？還是僅僅是一

個太美妙的夢？這些美妙的事情就在不經意間

發生，讓人明白，除了感激，更應該做的，是

成為一個更好的人，善良溫柔的對待這個世

界，讓更多的人感受到愛的力量和關懷。

回來北京很久了，也逐漸適應了遠離台

灣的生活；可是，不管距離多遠，台灣的情愫

都一直牽掛著我。溫柔的力量會一直留存在心

中，更好的愛身邊的人，鼓舞著自己的生活。

記得跨年晚會的那天，表演中大屏幕突然

打出這樣一句話：「我台嗎？我很台！」那一

刻，感動的哭了。能在台灣生活的人真的太幸

運又幸福。我愛台灣。■



86

馮灝Layla Feng

A s an exchange student to NCCU, this trip is not only an academic trip in my life, but also a trip of growth that brought me new changes and left me with feelings of love and nostalgia. In order to meet you, my

dear NCCU, I have walked a long way. Though now I have to leave, I know I will think of you every step along the way in my life. Happy birthday, NCCU!

Exchange student Home country : ChinaHome university : Nankai University Language : Chinese

交換學習的身份讓我們與大陸遊客承擔著

完全不同的使命，也要走走看看、四處遊玩，

但更重要還是利用豐富的學習資源更多地去汲

取知識、經驗。我想這一點大陸同學做的都不

錯，在各種非常難得、珍貴的學術研討會、演

講、座談的場合，我看到很多熟悉的面孔，在

傾聽、在思考、在學習。

臺灣的學術交流活動非常豐富、而且學

術空氣自由，一學期以來從中收穫良多，我自

來深信交流對於學術活動的重要性，不是死讀

書、讀死書，交談與溝通自會讓交流的雙方學

會思考、認知。

課程的內容也是如此，想來政大的課程體

系應是學習歐美的教學流程，大閱讀量、多思

考面，老師有的時候就坐在我們中間，很耐心

地傾聽我們的想法；在大陸的時候老師也是鼓

勵課堂參與、希望大家多討論多交流的，但整

體的氛圍彷彿並不鼓勵講話。常聽臺灣的同學講

大陸同學比較積極、課堂參與度比較高，這我有

體悟，但坦誠地與半年前的自己面對面，我是因

為自由的學術空氣、鼓勵交流的各位老師、各位

志同道合的臺灣同學才變得積極主動的。

課堂內容更是如此，無論是我正規修習的

各種課程、還是僅僅前去旁聽，政大的老師們

學養氣度、個人魅力，讓我愛上！梅貽琦先生

說：「所謂大學者，非大樓之謂也，乃大師之

謂也。」相信我謙遜的老師們不會自言大師，

但在一個普通學子的眼裡，他們就是大師。謝

謝政大、謝謝我親愛的老師們！

在打包回家、整理行裝的過程中，因為怕

行李超重的原因，我丟棄了很多學習材料，每

扔一份心裡就顫一下，但安慰自己說，這些紙

質檔事小，留在心中的知識、感悟就在心裡，

會是一直的財富。

| Stories | 馮灝 |


87

驀然發現，臺北於我已不再是一座陌生的

城市，我很快熟悉了這裡的地理交通、語言口

音、學習生活、物價居住、美食口味，更重要

的是，我結識了一群親愛的朋友們，內心時時

充實感動。

記得讀過一篇文章，「你的內心就是一個

城市。你不是住在一個陌生的城市裡，你是住

在你的心境裡；城市只是你內心的折射。」我

能享受這裡的情誼和快樂，因為我身邊親愛的

朋友們。

我擁有了屬於自己的城市地圖、城市地

標、本城號碼、實名存摺、收信位址、專屬郵

箱、固定電話，甚至精神「第三空間」、閨蜜

死黨、同學聚會、睡衣派對、業餘愛好、合影

照片、明星演唱會、志工組織，細心參觀過

歷史博物館、規劃展覽館，留心它的過去未

來⋯⋯

但我終究只是過客，臺北的過客、政大的

過客，臺北匆忙之中很快就會忘記我、政大的

老師們也許不記得一個勤奮樂學的大陸交換學

生；但臺北會是我生命中的第三故鄉，在家鄉

和南開之外，政大是我生命的重要旅程。

用一個文藝的結尾想念那些終於流失的

日子——所有的故事都有一個結局，但幸運的

是，在生活中，每個結局都會變成一個新的開

始。政治大學在台復校六十週年校慶的時候，

做個愛護學校、珍惜情誼的好學生，送個祝福

給這樣漂亮的一個校園。■

Before leaving NCCU, I visited

NCCU Archives with some of my

friends from mainland. I held up

the magnet of my home university,

Nankai University, in my hand,

realizing how lucky I am to benefit

from this partnership with NCCU

that actively facilitates academic

exchange and cooperation. I have

obviously learned much more than

I had expected.

| Stories | 馮灝 |


89

My NCCU - chikupunya.files.wordpress.com

Documents

Transcript of My NCCU - chikupunya.files.wordpress.com