Summer 2025 Participant
The element of the program I find most rewarding is learning about the perspectives of the South Korean or Taiwanese people, regarding past or present events. In the U.S., we may read and learn about their countries through certain media, but being able to speak 1-on-1 with individuals actually living and experiencing changes was a wonderful privilege. For example, we got to learn how they felt about certain government entities, political changes, and their beliefs on future events. There were a lot of answers that I found unexpected and unique.
Summer 2025 Participant
Some things I learned on this program that would be helpful to future students are:
If you are also traveling around May-June, be prepared for humidity. Bring shorts and sleeveless shirts as well as an umbrella for when it rains. Also, follow the healthcare consultation pre-departure, get vaccinated, and bring medicine in case of food poisoning. Lastly, read a lot on the countries you are visiting to prepare to ask a lot of questions, especially when you visit government sites and speak with journalists - you will get a lot of valuable information from them.
Summer 2025 Participant
My favorite parts of this program were visiting museums and temples. For both South Korea and Taiwan, we got to read about the political and cultural events that took place in the past, but these locations showed us physical evidence and valuable information from those countries' perspectives. The temples also showed us the importance of religion for the people of South Korea and Taiwan, especially in areas such as good health, a happy family, and a successful future.
Additionally, I love how we got to fully immerse ourselves into the South Korean and Taiwanese culture. For example, in South Korea, we got to try their traditional clothing called Hanbok, drink ginseng tea, and eat family-style food, which includes a ton of side dishes. And in Taiwan, we got to experience Chinese opera, lantern traditions, and their famous dumplings, bubble tea, and beef noodles. And for both countries, we got to experience their busy metro systems, which people use for work and school.
