English - Research & Reflections

A Superlative Professional Development Experience in Taiwan

Richard Porter October 6, 2020

What a tremendous privilege it was to participate in this program and work with the staff of Fulbright Taiwan. The staff did a great job coordinating the whole program. They took excellent care of us from the initial contact to the arrangement of our return trip to the airport when the program was over. The itinerary was an almost perfect balance of visits to schools, agency visits, cultural sites, informational lectures, and free time. I learned so much about Taiwan’s higher education system, its history, contemporary cross-strait relations, and about the various indigenous peoples of Taiwan. The visits to a variety of institutions were also very informative and revealed a wealth of opportunities. One of the many highlights was an opportunity to hear the President of Taiwan speak to a gathering of Fulbright recipients from all around the region that had gathered in Taipei for a research conference. Having visited mainland China on many occasions, I was able to observe the unique opportunities in Taiwan in contrast with opportunities on the mainland. One of the reasons I wanted to go to Taiwan was to investigate opportunities that are being overlooked in the shadow of mainland China. The advantages that I

Study in the Land of Lincoln

Tai-Te Su 蘇泰德 September 29, 2020

I am grateful for the funding and support that the Fulbright Program offers me. Also, writing this reflective essay provides me a great opportunity to think and document what I have experienced in the past year. My journey in the United States so far, especially in the state of Illinois, can be divided into three categories: 1) study, 2) research, and 3) life. Study I am studying my doctoral degree in Community Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In the first semester at U of I, I was amazed by the flexibility that students in my program could have in the selection of courses. When I was studying in Taiwan, I did not really have to think what classes to take as most of the courses were mandatory. Thus, my first task as a PhD student was to explore and plan my coursework that best suits my research field. I ended up registering for three courses and one independent study with my academic advisor. The first two courses I chose both involved quantitative methodologies, specifically econometrics, offered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Economics. On the one hand, I was curious about how people in the field

Fulbright IEA Seminar report

Michelle Melish September 24, 2020

Overall, I found this seminar to be incredibly useful and beneficial to me in more ways than I had ever imagined. I took notes throughout the program about these revelations and will share them in the below bullet points in order to complete my report. Working in this industry in higher education requires diplomacy skills and a calm temperament and that certainly came through in the seminar. Eleven international educators from all different backgrounds came together in a remarkably cohesive way to participate in the first Fulbright International Educators seminar in Taiwan. There were educators from private and public and large and small institutions all over the United States. The days were long and packed full of visits in this intensive two week program, yet no one ever argued and we worked together despite the fatigue of jetlag and the long days and being away from work and family. There was also a range of positions from Dean to Coordinator represented amongst the group but ego never played a factor throughout the program. Although knowledge of Chinese is not necessary for getting around Taiwan it certainly made things easier when ordering food or needing directions or a taxi. I also

Contemplations on Reconciling with the Unknown

Ulysses McGuinness 張越 September 22, 2020

This year in Taiwan has been a captivating journey of learning, development, and acceptance. When I first arrived in Taiwan, my initial impulse was to jump at every conceivable opportunity offered. I believed that throwing myself into situations where I could learn as much as I wanted to would result in a more comprehensive understanding of Taiwan, China, or my home. Yet, as time went on, I realized that this overzealous presumption was not the case. In short, the breadth of what I sought to experience provided me fewer insights than pursuing fewer, more immersive interests. It took a while to realize this on my own, but I am glad that I did. With this realization, I think it’s important to note two things. First, what we label expertise is irrevocably limited and shaped by our personal experiences. Second, because of these limitations in our personal experiences, it is epistemologically impossible to garner a “true” comprehensive understanding of a region. One may have more insight in one particular area, but they are blinded by the vast quantities of the unknown, which at any moment could render their assumptions or beliefs completely wrong. Taiwan, like any other state, is a great

Taiwan Becoming Home

Honore Johnson 林安諾 September 22, 2020

It is not an easy task to think back to a time before Taipei was home. Over the past two years, Fulbright Taiwan and National Chengchi University have given me the platform to build my understanding of Taiwan inside and outside of the classroom and fueled my cross-cultural understanding. When I came to Taiwan in September 2016, armed with google maps and no ability to speak Chinese, I began my degree in International Studies at NCCU; I got my student card, and I was off. In just my first month in Taiwan, I invested my time in four classes, joined two student clubs, hiked Hehuan mountain and attended a wedding. Jam packed and unpredictable, that month was very indicative of my first year in Taiwan. Primarily, my studies have occupied most of my time and fascination. My courses ranged from International Relations and Political Philosophy to Human Rights, Humanitarian and State Sovereignty with some fundamental International Relations Theory in the middle. The classes offered at NCCU from a diverse faculty exposed me to a new way of thinking about world politics and how countries relate to one another. Learning in our microcosm of a classroom, with students coming from across

Highlights of my 2018 Fulbright

Yi-Chi Chang 張亦騏 September 22, 2020

This has been a fantastic experience for pursuing my academic research, inspiring me in new research directions, and learning about American society and culture much more in-depth than I had experienced before. It was a deeply rewarding opportunity. First, let me express my sincere thanks to Dr. William Vocke, Executive Director, Taiwan Fulbright Foundation; Lisa Lin, Director of Fulbright Traditional Program; the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange, Taipei; and the Fulbright Scholar Program (United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs) for making this experience possible. Ms. Lin was especially helpful to me in negotiating all of the social and legal details of my stay at Cornell University; she made the process easy and transparent. As a Fulbright grantee during the Spring 2018 semester, I conducted a cross-cultural study of solitary dining behavior, hosted by the SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University, USA. I was invited to attend regular research group meetings of the renowned Food and Brand Lab, hosted by my Fulbright sponsor, Professor Brian Wansink (PhD in Marketing & Consumer Behavior — 1990, Stanford University). These meetings inspired me to consider different thinking and research aims, and new methods to approach data collection and theory

Reflections on my First Year Living in Taiwan

Morgan Stemler 石夢佳 September 22, 2020

In September 2018, I came to Taiwan as a Fulbright master’s student to complete my master’s degree in International Studies at National Chengchi University (NCCU). Before coming to Taiwan, I had earned my bachelor’s degree studying International Studies, Chinese studies, and Mandarin at West Virginia University. Therefore, due to my educational background and an exchange semester studying Mandarin in Qingdao, China, I felt that moving to Taiwan to pursue a master’s degree was the next logical step. However, despite my preconceived notions and prior educational experiences abroad, my time in Taiwan exceeded all of my expectations. Before diving into my education experiences in Taiwan, there are several other benefits to note that I discovered after I had moved to Taipei. Taipei is a bustling city filled with people from all around the world. Before coming to Taiwan, I was quite nervous given that I knew no one there. However, after spending just a few days in the city, I was able to see how warm and welcoming the Taiwanese people are. They are always willing to lend a helping hand or spark a conversation with a random stranger. Prior to meeting anyone from Fulbright or my program at NCCU, I

Teaching and Cultural Experiences in Taiwan: A Teacher’s Reflection

Beng Lay Kou 馮鳴麗 August 20, 2020

My Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching grant led me to Taiwan where I spent four months from January 6 to May 3, 2019 visiting schools, observing classrooms, working with teachers, participating in professional development, teaching a seminar, and learning about the cultures and traditions of the Taiwanese people. These activities were beneficial to my work as an elementary school teacher in a Chinese dual language immersion (DLI) program in Utah (USA). I have gained a better understanding of the teaching and learning practices of the Taiwanese teachers and students, enhanced my teaching and leadership skills, and increased my appreciation for Taiwanese culture and traditions that I can share with my students who are learning Chinese as a second language. School Visits, Classroom Observations and Working with Teachers While in Taiwan, I was able to visit an elementary school in Kaohsiung, one in Taipei and another in Taichung. Here I highlighted some of the best practices I have observed in schools in Taiwan, and what I can do to implement them in my own classroom. Taiwan Schools (in general) How I Can Implement in My Classroom Breaks Each class period is 40 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break. After two

Tour De Taiwan

Graham Ayres 明剛 August 20, 2020

If I had a dollar for every perturbed passenger who has shot me a sideways glance as I stared past them from my middle seat out an airplane window, I’m sure I would be able to afford first class and stop making people uncomfortable. It was raining on the September day in 2017 when I landed at Taoyuan International Airport to begin my Fulbright grant period in Taiwan. When the Boeing 747 dipped below the clouds for a brief moment before touching down, I leaned across the lap of the passenger next to me to peer out the window, only to catch a glimpse of the lush landscape 16th century Portuguese explorers dubbed Ilha Formosa (beautiful island). As an avid enthusiast of 30,000-foot views, I alighted that day unfulfilled. In the months that followed, I began to explore Taiwan on the ground. I took many day excursions to northern beaches, train rides to cities near Taipei, and even a multi-day hiking trip to Taroko National Park on the east coast. Fresh off a six-month AmeriCorps service term in Arizona spent working on public lands and living out of a pop up tent in the Sonoran Desert, I was conditioned to

Reflections On Finding Community and Confidence in Graduate School

Caroline Fried 費凱琳 August 20, 2020

When I started my master’s degree program in Asia Pacific Studies at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in fall 2017, I considered myself well-read on the topics I wanted to research; I had done my undergraduate capstone projects on Taiwanese democracy and cross-Taiwan Strait relations, and I had practical knowledge of the cultures and societies of the Asia Pacific. However, I spent the majority of my first year in graduate school struggling to find a topic to tackle for my Master’s thesis. Did I have anything important to say about the state of China–Taiwan relations? Would my future career hinge upon the project I decided to pursue? Would the topic I choose paint me into a corner of academic expertise? Did I even know how to start writing a thesis? These were the worries of a grad student hurtling toward an uncertain future after graduation. By the time summer vacation started halfway through my master’s program, I found that the experiences I had through Fulbright Taiwan sparked my interest in the role of students in international exchanges. In the States, I had work experience mentoring international students, and I discovered that my research background in China-Taiwan relations could form the background

Research & Reflections

fulbright Taiwan online journal

Research & Reflections

fulbright Taiwan online journal

Tag: English

A Superlative Professional Development Experience in Taiwan

Study in the Land of Lincoln

Fulbright IEA Seminar report

Contemplations on Reconciling with the Unknown

Taiwan Becoming Home

Highlights of my 2018 Fulbright

Reflections on my First Year Living in Taiwan

Teaching and Cultural Experiences in Taiwan: A Teacher’s Reflection

Tour De Taiwan

Reflections On Finding Community and Confidence in Graduate School

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Archives

about

research topics

grant categories

獎助類別

watch videos

about

research topics

awards to taiwan

grant categories

awards to the U.S.

獎助類別

watch videos

research topics 研究主題

Awards to Taiwan

grant categories

Awards to the U.S.

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watch videos

about

Research & Reflections

fulbright taiwan online journal