My First Overseas Experience in Taiwan

B3 Mikako Harada

This summer, I participated in a short-term language training program in Taiwan through

my university. It was my first time abroad. I would like to reflect on my experiences during the program in this essay. 

I had studied Mandarin for about a year and a half, but my learning had mainly focused on reading and writing, with little opportunity to practice speaking. Therefore, my goal for this program was to improve my practical communication skills in Mandarin. The host institution was National Taiwan Normal University. It is one of the most prestigious universities in Taiwan, known for training secondary school teachers. In addition, its Mandarin Training Center, established in 1956, is the most prominent language education institute in Taiwan, and many students from my university have previously participated in its programs.

The program consisted of three hours of language classes every morning. On the first day, we took an oral placement test, and based on the results, we were divided into small classes of about ten students. All classes were conducted entirely in Mandarin. At first, I struggled to understand the teacher’s instructions, but as the days went by, I gradually became able to understand them. One of the most memorable parts of the program was the recording assignments. We were required to read aloud selected passages from the textbook, record them, and submit the recordings for feedback. This task was assigned three times in total. Each time, I received detailed advice from my teacher, and I realized once again that I had difficulty pronouncing diphthongs. From now on, I would like to pay more attention to pronunciation and apply the feedback I received. 

In addition to language classes, the program also included three cultural activities:

Taiwanese tea ceremony, Chinese knotting, and Tai Chi, as well as three field trips: Shifen, Jiufen, and the National Center for Traditional Arts. Thanks to our supervising professors, we also had the opportunity to meet alumni from our university who are working in Taiwan and share a meal with them, as well as visit many historical sites and popular tourist attractions.

In the latter half of the program, we had a free day. Wanting to travel farther and use different modes of transportation, I planned a short trip to Tainan. I first took the MRT to Taipei Main Station, then walked to the bus terminal to buy a ticket for Tainan. Although I managed to get on the intercity bus, I suddenly felt anxious during the ride and decided to

get off midway in Taichung. In Taichung, I visited Miyahara, a building originally constructed as an eye clinic in 1927 and later renovated into a stylish sweets and souvenir shop. I lined up with the other visitors, enjoyed some ice cream, and bought pineapple cakes as souvenirs for my family. Afterward, I decided to return to Taipei by High-Speed Rail. Taichung Station was huge, and I felt nervous about transferring from the MRT to the HSR, but I managed to buy a ticket successfully. When I boarded the HSR to Taipei, I felt a great sense of relief. Being able to take a short trip on my own in a foreign country gave me confidence. This program made me feel much closer to the world beyond Japan. I consider myself fortunate that my first overseas experience was in Taiwan, and I have come to regard it as a country I would definitely like to visit again. 

Above all, the most outstanding achievement of this experience was the increase in my motivation to continue studying Mandarin. During the program, I often felt frustrated when I could not fully express myself in Mandarin. There were also moments when I knew the correct expression, but my pronunciation was inaccurate, preventing me from being understood. Moving forward, I want to study harder so that when I return to Taiwan in the future, I will be able to engage more deeply with local people.

Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my fellow participants and the professors who accompanied us, and everyone at National Taiwan Normal University who supported this program.