By Angela Glowacki

First, please welcome Sophia from IMICS. Sophia is from Tacoma, Washington, but has lived along the west coast. She attended the University of Oregon where she double majored in Global Studies and Chinese Language, and minored in East Asian Studies. Her favorite classes have been Sociology of Mass Media, Policing Masculinities, and Chinese Linguistics – just to name a few. Outside of the classroom, Sophia enjoys traveling, photography, food and good chats with friends.

▲Sophia is a IMICS New student. She is from Tacoma, Washington

Next, allow us to introduce Catherine from Fairfax, Virginia. She graduated from Davidson College, a small liberal arts school in North Carolina. She double majored in Environmental Studies and East Asian studies, and was also involved in the Pan-Asian Student Association. She is a first year student in the IMAS program.

Finally, meet Ruby from New Zealand, also a first year IMAS student. She attended the University of Auckland where she earned a Bachelor of Global Studies, majoring in Global Politics and Human Rights, Asian Studies, and Chinese. Her family grew up moving countries every three years, so she has spent the majority of her childhood in Asia. She has lived in Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Samoa.

Now that the students have been introduced, let’s hear about how they chose NCCU, their respective programs, and how they are adjusting to life in Taiwan.

Sophia: To be honest, NCCU wasn’t really on my radar until an advisor for a grant told me about their connections here. That kickstarted my research into the school and IMICS specifically. I really loved how the list of recent thesis titles were so wide ranging. I felt that I could do the research that I wanted to do, while being in one of my favorite cities. The IMICS admissions team also had faith in me to award me a scholarship, without which I would not be here.

Catherine:I was most drawn to NCCU’s emphasis on political and international affairs. When researching the school, I felt I could specialize in my prior academic interests while also taking interdisciplinary courses on subjects new to me. Also, I loved that NCCU is located in Wenshan's mountains while maintaining a close proximity to the city center.

I had a lot of conversations about graduate school with my advisors at Davidson. After speaking with them about my academic interests and career aspirations, I decided that the International Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IMAS) would provide the academic basis to help me achieve these goals. What drew me to IMAS most was the opportunity to study regional and global affairs in a Taiwanese context. Many courses emphasize specific topics, like semiconductor technology and public policy, while relating to globally recognized topics of interest.

▲Catherine is from Fairfax, Virginia. She double majored in Environmental Studies and East Asian studies, and was also involved in the Pan-Asian Student Association.

Ruby:I chose NCCU because of its reputation as a great school for social sciences. I also chose it because of its location in Taipei. I studied Chinese in a different city the first time I was in Taiwan and wanted to be in the capital this time round. When I looked into it further, I also liked the greenery of the campus and the impression I got of student life.

I picked my program (IMAS) because it is a natural combination of my main areas of interest. I studied global politics and specialised in Asian studies/Chinese for my undergrad, so this masters program is a perfect continuation of this niche that I’m passionate about.

What expectations did you have about studying in Taiwan?

Sophia:I had come to study in Taipei for the duration of 2022, so I feel like I knew what I was getting into. I know for a lot of international students, the dorms are a big shock haha. As for class, my program hasn’t started yet, so I can’t speak on that yet. I do hope everyone is just as welcoming as last time. I actually feel so home-y hearing Chinese everywhere – especially 小心 and 慢慢來. :)

Catherine: I wasn’t totally sure what to expect about studying in Taiwan, specifically at NCCU. During my junior year as an undergraduate, I participated in a language-focused exchange program at National Taiwan University (NTU) which I really enjoyed, but I knew that being a degree-seeking graduate student would be a completely different experience. My main expectation was that there would certainly be an adjustment period as an international student, but that NCCU would be a supportive academic community.

Ruby: I studied in Taiwan in 2022-23 for three months so I had some preconceived expectations based on this experience. I expected that the course load would be heavier than in New Zealand, that there would be plenty of opportunity to travel around Taiwan, that I would feel enlivened and inspired by the vibrancy of Taipei city, that dorm life would be an adjustment, and that I would eat at some really great night markets.

▲Ruby from New Zealand, also a first year IMAS student

How has your first week in Taiwan been?

Sophia: Honestly, my first week here has been a bit solitary, but not in a bad way! Last time I was here, I kind of had built-in friends in that our program from the USA all flew over together, so from day one I had people I knew. I kind of like that this time I get to test myself alone. And in a new district of Taipei! Last time, I was by Beitou, but now I don’t have go-to spots so it’s rediscovering the city from a different perspective. All the welcome activities help with the social aspect and I love seeing how diverse the graduate student body is. The OIC peer program has actually been a lifesaver. Even though our senior isn’t here right now, my peer has been so helpful (shoutout Tawun!)

Catherine: The first week in Taiwan has been great! I’ve enjoyed taking public transportation around Taipei and trying new foods. I met a lot of other students in my program and others during move-in. It’s been fun exploring the area and even traversing the big hill between upper and lower campus together.

Ruby: My first week in Taiwan has been full of activity, adjustment, and adventure. I’ve moved into the dorms, gone through many registration and orientation steps, spent a borderline unhealthy amount of time at IKEA, explored new parts of Taipei, visited the Zoo and rode the Maokong Gondola, been to a Jazz Festival, made friends with a puppeteer at a flea market, reunited with old friends, and met lots of new people too.

What do you look forward to experiencing while you are at NCCU and in Taiwan?

Sophia: I look forward to learning of course and completing a thesis idea I’ve had for a while. I also can’t wait to make international friends. But outside of campus, I can’t wait to see Taiwanese culture through my host family and just being here. I’ll finally be here for 春節！I also can’t wait to show my family (who couldn’t come last time because of COVID) the beauty of Taiwan.

Catherine: I’m eager to be a part of an international cohort and learn about the Asia-Pacific region from top scholars. I also hope to visit cities around Taiwan and other countries in the region to experience local cultures and traditions. Although I’ve been to Taiwan before, I look forward to beginning this journey at NCCU with new friends and a fresh perspective.

Ruby: While I’m at NCCU and in Taiwan, I am looking forward to experiencing: more travel around Taiwan, deepening new friendships, improving my Chinese, taking some hopefully very interesting courses, getting involved in things I’m passionate about like yoga, dance, photography, fashion, and generally living in a place where people don’t generally cook (cheap and lazy = peak).