Reflection on the Exchange Trip to NTU
Tsang Theodoric Yerk Bun (曾若斌), 地質系
I applied and was accepted to an exchange trip to NTU in Taipei for an exchange period from mid-February to late-June, and would like to hereby have an account of my experience throughout this trip.
Things did not go very smooth at the beginning, as there might have been some administrative issues that got in the way of issuing the acceptance letter, which was essential for my application of Visa for the stay in Taiwan. Fortunately, with the kind assistance from the staff members of both my home university and NTU, I managed to receive the letter and successfully received my Visa just in time.
The situation turned much better when I arrived NTU. Things were sorted out pretty quick, so I managed to settle down with ease. Registration, course selection and dormitory-related issues were solved swiftly.
I must mention that the campus of NTU left me in awe when I first stepped into it. In comparison to my home university, NTU covers a far larger area and homes a large number of elegant architectures and pleasing greens. The campus undoubtedly provides an excellent atmosphere as an academia for students and teaching staff to pursue knowledge.
圖1 The renowned “Fu Bell” at the centre of NTU
圖2 The magnificent view of a small part of NTU campus
It must be mentioned that the courses that I chose to take in this semester were really intriguing in a sense that not only the contents were interesting and rarely touched upon in the courses I took back in my home university; but that these courses often offer opportunities for practical and first-hand real-life experience related to the course contents. For instance, I have already visited the Yilan Province (宜蘭縣) twice, once for a geology-related practical and another a visit to a fishing port for the practical of a course on the biodiversity of fishes. Not only did I acquire new knowledge, but I also had the chance of visiting places rarely visited by common travelers, which was a definite eye-opener for me.
圖3 Taken from the geology field trip in Yilan. Looks like an elephant, no?
圖4 Fishing port in Yilan. Where there are fishes, there are waterbirds
Life in Taipei was enjoyable as well. It was my first time living apart from my family members abroad, and I had a taste of complete freedom and self-responsibility. Everything was really convenient (greatly owing to the fact that the dormitory sits right next to the Gongguan Shopping District, perhaps); and the city of Taipei itself was really enjoyable as well. I had the chance to wander around different districts and, of course, I did not miss the Night Bazaars (夜市 in Chinese). Equipped with shops both for leisure and daily needs, great food and a variety of interesting places worth visiting, Taipei indeed lives up to the reputation as one of Asia’s top modern cities.
圖5 Shi-lin Night Bazaar, one of the most renowned in Taipei
圖6 The always-busy district of Ximen, popular among young people
圖7 The more “traditional” side of Taipei – Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
By the end of my exchange trip, I also planned on a trip to Kaohsiung by myself for a couple of days. Kaohsiung is, although unexpectedly hot, a differently pleasant city. As Taipei excels as a modern city, Kaohsiung seems to be more of a city of heritages and culture, which was equally impressive to me.
圖8 The very elegant building of Former British Consulate at Takao in Kaohsiung
圖9 Pier-2 Art Centre (駁二藝術特區) in Kaohsiung, an innovatively decorated former industrial hub
To wrap it all up, this exchange trip was an immensely enriching one, in which not only could I gain the experience to live by my own, but I also had the chance to widen my horizon and enjoy the various charming sides of Taiwan. I would like to, by this occasion, also thank the staff members from both my home university and NTU, for whom I would not have had such an enjoyable semester in Taiwan without. |
