fulbright Taiwan online journal

fulbright Taiwan online journal

Author: Bonnie Bloxom 柏芳妮

Picture of Bonnie Bloxom 柏芳妮
Bonnie Bloxom is currently a second year Fulbright Grantee and master’s student studying Global Health at National Taiwan University. Originally from Maryland, Bonnie is an alumna of Elon University in North Carolina where she graduated in 2019 with degrees in Biology and Public Health, and a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies. Bonnie's academic interests lie at the intersections of gender, power, and health inequity, and she is incredibly passionate about reproductive justice. Her master's thesis focuses on intimate partner violence among college-aged women in Taiwan and how that impacts their sexual health behavior. When she isn't traveling around Taiwan or working on her thesis, Bonnie can be found biking around Taipei, eating any of Taiwan's delicious 小吃, or trying out new baking recipes in her rice cooker.

Reflections on Failure and Resiliency in Taiwan

Becoming familiar enough with Taipei that you countenance yourself enough to get to where you are supposed to be going without being glued to Google Maps; understanding just enough Chinese that make daily interactions so much more manageable and less stressful; figuring out how to pay your bills at 7-11; becoming a regular at one of your favorite Taiwanese breakfast joints; not being completely overwhelmed when trying to find your way around Taipei Main Station; sharing a smile and small talk with your neighbors while waiting for your trash to be picked up; laughing together with older Taiwanese hikers as they speed past you and your friends on your way up a mountain.  Telling your taxi driver on accident that you need to go to Taoyuan Airport instead of Songshan Airport and completely missing your flight to Matsu; getting on the bus in the complete opposite direction of where you need to go; just nodding along when someone says something that you don’t understand; getting caught way too many times in the rain without an umbrella; trying to ask for something in your broken Chinese and failing miserably; still not understanding Taiwan’s traffic rules; forgetting your mask at home.  When

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Research & Reflections

fulbright taiwan online journal