Semester Abroad Report from Taiwan: Part 1

Inspiring experiences of our master's student Peter Hopfgartner in Taiwan

Our student Peter Hopfgartner has the unique opportunity to broaden his academic and cultural horizons by spending a semester abroad at the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. With a series of articles, Peter will share his inspiring experiences and valuable insights about the connection between Europe and Taiwan.

Here is an excerpt from his first report:

Were there any notable experiences from everyday academic life at NCKU and daily life that left a lasting impression?

“Yes, I had several of them. First of all, the way lecturers present their topics and lectures is very different from my home university. Here, professors come in without even saying 'Hello' and just start with the slides. They don't even care if they are in the middle of a PowerPoint Presentation, and the bell rings for the end of the lecture. They stop and start again in the next class. At home, the bell only serves as a guide.

Life on a large university campus is also new for me. This is my last semester as a student and I am enjoying student life to the full. The size of the NCKU campus offers me an excellent opportunity to leave the hectic city life behind and concentrate solely on my studies. Even though I had a lot of difficulties finding my way around the different departments at the beginning, I think I was able to build a stable foundation for the semester in the first month.”

What were your first impressions of the introductory course in Chinese language and culture and the related activities?

“This month, I participated in activities organized by the OIA (Office of International Affairs) and other activities that my landlord invited me to. The OIA activity I participated in was the Mid-Autumn Barbecue. At this activity, I met many new international students and Taiwanese students. I think the most fun was when I taught the Taiwanese students how to use forks and knives in the European way. We also talked about the different table manners in Europe and Taiwan.

The day after I moved into my apartment, my landlady and her husband took me to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, where they have been volunteering for over 40 years. I was the only foreigner at this event and played various games with Taiwanese middle and high school students. This gave me the opportunity to get to know the Taiwanese culture even better.

I also joined a line group where foreigners can meet locals and explore Tainan with them. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to meet a Taiwanese high school student. He showed me a good restaurant in the eastern district and answered many questions I had about the cultural differences.”