During my Fulbright FLTA year in Utah, one experience captured the essence of exchange in a deeply personal way. I noticed that Taiwanese students at Utah (the University of Utah, Utah Valley University, and Brigham Young University) were often disconnected from one another, while many American students were curious about Taiwan but lacked opportunities for direct interaction. To bridge this gap, I worked to help establish a Taiwan Student Association across campuses. I organized a gathering that welcomed students, faculty, and representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco.
This spirit of exchange continued in the classroom at Brigham Young University, where I had the opportunity to learn about U.S.–Taiwan relations from Professor Brent Christensen. His professional experience added depth to discussions of cross-strait relations, but what impacted me most was the diversity of perspectives among my classmates. Listening to how others understood Taiwan challenged me to reflect more critically on my own viewpoints and how I communicate them. These conversations were not about reaching agreement, but about learning how to listen, respond, and represent with greater awareness.
Beyond formal settings, I found that connection often emerged through simple, everyday interactions. I hosted a language and culture table featuring Taiwan’s food, a Taipei 101 puzzle, postcards, and Chinese chess. What began as an activity quickly became a space of curiosity and exchange. Students shared stories sparked by postcards, laughed over unfamiliar flavors, and learned chess characters together. In these moments, cultural understanding was not taught—it was experienced. I came to see that small, shared activities can open meaningful pathways for connection.
That same sense of community extended to the 2025 ACTFL Convention in New Orleans, where I joined fellow Fulbright Taiwan FLTAs. Together, we exchanged teaching ideas, reflected on our roles as cultural ambassadors, and supported one another’s growth. Across campuses, classrooms, and conferences, Fulbright was not defined by a single achievement, but by these human connections. It is through these shared experiences, where people meet with openness and curiosity, that mutual understanding truly begins.
