Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Gen Y Speaks: A part of me changed after an exchange programme in Taiwan

Since young, I have always been captivated by Mandopop and Taiwanese idol dramas. So when I got an opportunity to go to Fujen Catholic University in New Taipei City, Taiwan, for an exchange programme last September, I jumped.

The writer, (far right and seen here with fellow students she met while on exchange in Taiwan), says she has returned home wiser, more positive and more resilient.

The writer, (far right and seen here with fellow students she met while on exchange in Taiwan), says she has returned home wiser, more positive and more resilient.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp
Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

Since young, I have always been captivated by Mandopop and Taiwanese idol dramas. So when I got an opportunity to go to Fujen Catholic University in New Taipei City, Taiwan, for an exchange programme last September, I jumped.

Taiwan is truly amazing. The Taiwanese are traditional but extremely tech-savvy and their pride in championing their culture is also inspiring.

There were many ups and downs during the five months I was there, but I definitely came back with a different outlook on life. Here are my key takeaways:

INDEPENDENCE

With independence comes responsibility and discipline. This means doing things when you need to and being able to make the best decisions for yourself.

You also learn how to get yourself out of sticky situations.

I remember going for a jog one evening and being approached by a group of male foreigners. They surrounded me, my back almost touching one of the guys’ chest. I have never felt so frightened in my life before.  

I did what I thought was best for me then — I called out at two passing joggers as if they were my friends and found the courage to squeeze my way through the burly men. The two joggers immediately caught on that I was in a bind. Thank goodness they played along and walked me back to my dormitory.

GRATITUDE

I took a lot of things in Singapore for granted before leaving for Taiwan. Leaving my comfort zone helped me realise that I cannot take simple everyday things such as clean water, efficient public transport, safety and social support from friends and family for granted.

I never knew how comfortable my life in Singapore was until things got tough in Taiwan and I was terribly alone with no one to turn to. 

The five months I was in Taiwan was the longest I have ever been away from home.

CONFIDENCE

I have always taken pride in being able to understand and communicate in Chinese fluently. Hence, language-wise, going to Taiwan did not scare me. 

Yet, by the end of the first week, I was filled with more feelings of insecurity and vulnerability than I had felt in the 23 years of my life.

I found myself often struggling to take notes and keep up with the teacher, while attempting to Google Translate half the information that was being taught. I was scared of being laughed at and being unable to live up to my own expectations.

I had half a heart to drop the classes I took, but ultimately decided against it. I pushed myself to carry on. When I stopped pitting myself against the local students and started to focus on improving myself, I realised that I was not as bad as I thought I was.

Thankfully, my lecturer was patient with me and when she commended me in front of the class on the last day of school, I left the class in tears. Tears of happiness, gratitude and pride.

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

I found myself learning to let go of the things I once clung onto so dearly: Ideals and expectations, my microscopic view, grades, status and appearances.

I grew up very conscious of my self-worth and how I compared with my peers. I always felt that I was never good.

On the verge of a panic attack one night in Taiwan, I poured my heart out to my roommate, Franny, who is from Italy.

Something she said hit me. "All these emotions and fears are not going to matter in 10 years. By hiding in darkness and dwelling on negative thoughts, you cannot grow and become better," she said. 

For the longest time, all I could think about was how I was never as good as other people.

But her words made me realise that I am growing at my own pace, only that I was too blinded by negativity to see that. 

ONE FUN HIGHLIGHT

I did a radio production module in Taiwan and had to produce a radio show on the different ways Singaporeans order coffee.

While practising my script, I took the chance to teach my roommates, Momo from Japan and Franny from Italy, the different ways we order teh (tea) and kopi (coffee) in Singapore.

They picked it up really quickly. In less than 30 minutes, they were already experts at ordering my favorite kopi c gao kosong peng. Accent on point too.

IMPERMANENCE

Every good chapter in life must come to an end. There is a certain kind of perplexed fascination and disappointment in knowing that I might never get to stand at the exact spot in Taroko National Park or eat at the same breakfast place behind my university or to even be with the same group of friends again.

But I was contented in knowing that I had the chance to be part of this particular moment and to have such an enriching chapter in my youth. My days in Taiwan have long become a valuable memory that I’ll always hold close to my heart.

A lot of students go on exchange with the mindset to play and travel and I initially wanted to do that too, but I was not going to rob myself of the opportunity to learn and to grow so I worked hard and played even harder.

It’s been almost half a year since I returned to Singapore, but a part of me feels like I have come home a slightly different person, one whom I would like to think is wiser, more positive and more resilient.

I am not sure how long this will last. But I sure hope that I will continue to spread positivity and share what I’ve learnt with the people around me.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chea Le Ting is a fourth-year English Literature undergraduate at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). This is adapted from a piece which first appeared in U-Insight, an online publication by the NTU Students’ Union. 

Related topics

Exchange programme studies Gen Y Speaks Taiwan

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.