Finance and accounting major Henry Tushek spent three months this summer in Taipei, Taiwan, where he was enrolled in a full-immersion Mandarin course at the National Taiwan University (NTU). After studying Mandarin on his own for a year, he decided to enroll in the program and found a host family that kindly welcomed him into their home.
While in Taiwan, Tushek immediately dived into the culture and way of life there. His first weekend in Taipei, he attended the Dragon Boat Festival with his host family (mom Lillian, brother Vic and sister Eunice), complete with a temple visit and a traditional Taiwanese feast at grandma’s house. “It was really better than I ever could have possibly imagined,” he said.
During the weekdays, Tushek spent his time in the classroom with six other students, where they spent three hours a day practicing Mandarin. “Teacher Lin was world-class. The way she taught her class made everyone feel very comfortable, and it was 100 percent in Mandarin,” Tushek said regarding his instructor at the National Taiwan University. The class involved a mix of reading, listening and consistent speaking practice.
Outside the classroom, Tushek often practiced Mandarin with a classmate on the metro and NTU’s bike-share. “The public transportation is phenomenal. The metro was about a five-minute walk from my apartment. I would wait about three minutes at most,” he said.
In addition to enjoying home-cooked meals from his host mother, Tushek often ventured to night markets with his host siblings and friends. “The food at the night markets is amazing”, he said. Some of Tushek’s favorites included grilled squid, stinky tofu, dumplings and freshly squeezed fruit juices.
Tushek kept himself busy on the weekends, such as hiking to Maokong with his host mother’s hiking group that assists blind hikers on steep trails/paths, and visiting the island’s National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine.
Spending the summer in Taiwan allowed Tushek to broaden his cultural perspective and improve his Mandarin writing and speaking skills. To anyone who has the privilege of traveling, Tushek believes that it is essential to immerse oneself in the experience fully. “I would say to talk to as many people as you can and explore different places.” While in Taiwan, Tushek not only explored Taipei but also took the time to tour the island.
He acknowledged that without the support and kindness of his host family, Ms. Lin and Mary Burnett, who is the director of global engagement at Ship, his experience abroad would not have been possible, nor would it have been as memorable.
As Tushek resumes his studies at Ship, he remains in contact with his classmates from the National Taiwan University and his host family, and is already planning his next trip back to Taiwan.
