Andy Li
Blog Post 1: The Weekend
Arriving in Tainan in the early morning on Saturday was truly a great feat, seeing as we spent more than twenty four hours traveling. The time during the weekend felt like it went by extremely quickly, because of the fun I had visiting multiple places around Tainan. I was able to see three areas: Anping, Kaohsiung, and Gangshan. Each was unique in its own: Anping had an extensive history, Kaohsiung was a fusion of modern Western and Eastern culture, and Gangshan was a thriving suburb of Tainan. My first weekend in Tainan optimized my anticipation for the rest of the trip.
Blog Post 2: The Week
Drawing the differences between the school life in Deguang and Payton brought me to a culture shock. Not only was the environment of Deguang culturally disparate from that of Payton, it was socially different. That the students spend so much of their young lives in an academic institution is concerning when much of their maturity and sanity is hindered because of this jarring environment.
Blog Post 3: A Learning Experience
Calling this foreign exchange a learning experience is obviously a cliche, but nonetheless, the statement is true. Realizing that this place on the other side of the world is actually another world in itself. Taiwan's geographic isolation has allowed it to optimize external influences to develop an individual culture. I enjoyed the cultural distinction between the United States and Taiwan as a means by which the two nations can desire to understand each other and reinforce a diplomatic relationship.
Blog Post 1: The Weekend
Arriving in Tainan in the early morning on Saturday was truly a great feat, seeing as we spent more than twenty four hours traveling. The time during the weekend felt like it went by extremely quickly, because of the fun I had visiting multiple places around Tainan. I was able to see three areas: Anping, Kaohsiung, and Gangshan. Each was unique in its own: Anping had an extensive history, Kaohsiung was a fusion of modern Western and Eastern culture, and Gangshan was a thriving suburb of Tainan. My first weekend in Tainan optimized my anticipation for the rest of the trip.
Blog Post 2: The Week
Drawing the differences between the school life in Deguang and Payton brought me to a culture shock. Not only was the environment of Deguang culturally disparate from that of Payton, it was socially different. That the students spend so much of their young lives in an academic institution is concerning when much of their maturity and sanity is hindered because of this jarring environment.
Blog Post 3: A Learning Experience
Calling this foreign exchange a learning experience is obviously a cliche, but nonetheless, the statement is true. Realizing that this place on the other side of the world is actually another world in itself. Taiwan's geographic isolation has allowed it to optimize external influences to develop an individual culture. I enjoyed the cultural distinction between the United States and Taiwan as a means by which the two nations can desire to understand each other and reinforce a diplomatic relationship.