I have been blessed with the opportunity of studying in Taiwan, Taipei. I am currently studying the major of Journalism and Mass Communication at Ming Chuan University. Since September 2015, I have had the chance of being part of some activities that ICDF and Ming Chuan have put on.

The first activity I was part of was the Taiwan ICDF 2015 Freshman Orientation were they took us to Taichung to participate in some activities, for example, our first Chinese class, a speech about ICDF and a delicious lunch. I was also part of TICA CUP, which is an event were students from other universities get together to have sports competitions and dance performances. This year it was organized at Ming Chuan University and it was an amazing experience. In addition, I was part of two beautiful Christmas dinners prepared in this university.

Finally, I can say that Ming Chuan University is an excellent place to study. I have enjoyed every activity that has been organized here and I also like my courses and classes. I had been part of field trips, presentations and speeches that have helped me a lot to get more knowledge in my career. Studying in this university allows me to interact with people from different countries around the world like Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mongolia, South Africa, Mexico, Honduras, Panama and that is a big opportunity for me.

I like being a Journalism and Mass Communication student at Ming Chuan University, though I hate the stairs on campus. But seriously, after these years I can see it's worth it. I was super scared when I was a freshman; students in International College come from all over the world and for someone like me, who actually never before left El Salvador, there was a huge cultural shock. I'm not kidding: I couldn't understand so many accents, get used to the busy schedule, and climb the stairs, besides. People from other majors used to pick on JMC students, saying it's an easy major and I wish they were right. Of course, there are periods when teachers relax and make you think you have nothing to do... don't trust them. The beauty of JMC is its versatility; one day something is true and the next it's not; society changes all the time and that's why journalists have to be ready to adjust when needed.

During sophomore and junior years, I matured as a person and as a student. It could be said that magic happens during those years because you start editing videos, writing essays, working with different people, writing scripts, storyboards, making commercials, writing feature stories, looking for an internship, surviving the internship and I could go on about the stuff we do in JMC. My point is: I did so many things I never thought I could do, my classmates are such an inspiration and help, and it is truly amazing to discover new abilities, new people and points of view. In my senior year, I'm applying everything I learned and getting ready for the “real world.” Everything changes in Journalism; my classmates will keep on growing as journalists and eventually I will change, too. As I said before it is all worth it; I like being a JMC student at MCU.

I have had an amazing first semester here at Ming Chuan University. The teachers are attentive, the staff is helpful, and my fellow peers are diverse and come from all over the world. I first came to Taiwan not knowing what to expect and wondering if I was able to live comfortably with people I knew nothing about, but with the first semester over, I am quite relieved to say I have adjusted quite well and I am more excited than ever to continue my studies here. Ming Chuan University is a school that strives for excellence and performance through its students and staff, and I consider myself very lucky to be part of this experience. Although I have only been here a few months, I know I am well taken care of and should I face anything difficult, I know help is always right around the corner.

I come from a small island nation called Palau, and though I see a few similarities between my country and Taiwan, it has a vastly different education system. If I could describe Ming Chuan University in one word, it would be efficient, because the teachers are methodical in their approaches to teaching students, with the classrooms equipped with all tools needed, and with the staff always ready and willing to help new students like myself. It is very refreshing to know that the students are top priority and it gives me a sense of comfort knowing that the school values my educational needs and necessities. The classes are challenging and fun, and because there is so much diversity in the international college, there are many ideas that come forth during the creative processes in the classroom. The best part of Ming Chuan University definitely resides in the diversity of its students, because not only are we immersed in the richness of Taiwanese culture, we also get to see a little bit of the international students’ own cultures, and it is one of the most enthralling things to experience.

        Ming Chuan University has welcomed me with open arms, and with my first semester down, I am ready to take on the next one. With my willingness to continue my studies here, it is a great realization that the next few years for me here will be a very exciting ride. For any student thinking of coming to Taiwan and enrolling in Ming Chuan University, I cannot promise an easy time, but I can definitely say that the experience is fulfilling and the people we meet along the way will become lifelong friends. Ming Chuan University is diverse, colorful, and is absolutely the best place for students to spread their wings to discover who they are and have a great time along the way.

Ming Chuan University has been very supportive and instrumental towards my development. I have always been a very critical thinker, sometimes with ideas that do not conform to the ideas of the masses. Ming Chuan University’s diversity gave me the opportunity to reassess my principles and redraw relationships that would become vital towards the realization of my dreams. I graduated with a GPA of 4.0/4.0.

Currently, I am awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Turkish Science and Technological Research Council, to study my masters and eventually PhD in International Economics in Turkey. With my experience from Ming Chuan, the future couldn’t have been any brighter. As a pan-African, I hope to play a wider role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region and beyond.

The IBT program at Ming Chuan university offers it students not only the possibility of obtaining a US- recognized diploma, but also the ability to select a minor in which you will specialize in the business- related area of your choice. I personally love that aside the academic benefits, you expand your horizons by interacting with classmates that come from diverse cultures and countries all around the globe. This enables you to start to develop diplomatic skills,a crucial competitive advantage in the international business community.

As the economy keep growing at a steady and fast pace, the labor market is always needing more specialized and competent professionals. My experience in the international business and trade program at Ming Chuan University has been very challenging but rewarding, I feel this program teaches me the most updated and useful courses to form me as future business man who can easily fulfill the requirements of the best companies around the world. The international environment and the international-oriented approach the program offers definitely trains you to handle the dynamics of multicultural contexts.

Food is –and has always been- my favorite hobby, so writing an essay on Taiwanese Cuisine is just the right topic for me. First, let me make something clear: if you are an adventurous type of person who’s not scared of trying new things, Taiwan is the perfect place for you.

There is a wide variety of foods to discover around the island regardless of your specific location. As a foreigner, I’ve classified almost every Taiwanese dish I’ve tried as an exotic experience.

First, l will share with you a little bit about my night market adventures and lastly, I will write about typical dishes.

One of the most remarkable foods I’ve tried in Taiwan is calamari on a stick. You can find this specialty at any night market. The squid is first marinated, then grilled and lastly served on a stick. I tried it and I was so amazed to actually like it because I thought nobody could like something with its appearance. (See picture)

That same day after trying the grilled calamari, I also tried Tsua-bing. This is a very famous dessert made of ice shavings and toppings. You can choose from a variety of sweet syrups and several toppings like watermelon, strawberries, sweetened peanuts, almonds and many others. Tsua-bing is perfect for a hot day and it is also very healthy.

These two mentioned above are only a few of the many representative examples you can find at Taiwan’s famous night markets. However, I cannot ignore the famous Stinky Tofu. Its intimidating aroma has made it impossible for me to try it, but again, if you are a person who loves challenges then I encourage you to go on and try it. Anyways, you can’t leave Taiwan without knowing how it tastes like, just for the sake of curiosity.

Now moving on to typical dishes, it is time to mention my personal favourite: dumplings. Words can’t possibly express my love for this Taiwanese specialty. I could eat dumplings for lunch, dinner or even breakfast. The main reason why I could eat them everyday it’s because you can have them in many different ways. Whether fried or boiled, with soy sauce or sesame oil they taste great. Part of their awesomeness it’s also due to the fact that they can be made out of pork, leek, shrimp, curry, chicken or even kimchi.

Some of the most common ingredients in Taiwanese cuisine are rice, soy, pork and seafood. So, if you like their flavor, you should definitely consider spending some time around Taiwan because you can find them anywhere, from a night market to a local store, from a Taiwanese home to any food court at a shopping mall.

Many foreigners say that one of the disadvantages of Taiwanese food is that it is too oily and almost everything is deep-fried. I think they are quite right because we cannot ignore these two factors- they are pretty obvious- however, I think that the secret towards healthy eating is balance. Not everything is oily or fried; it is all about the choices we make.

For example, since I like to eat dumplings very often, I usually have boiled dumplings instead of fried ones. And of course I eat the fried ones too, but I leave them for special occasions. We cannot restrain ourselves from eating what we like; we just have to learn to make intelligent choices.

Lastly, I can say that in my opinion Taiwanese food has mainly brought advantages to my life. I have incorporated the consumption of soy to my diet ( soy has been proved to have a lot of advantages to human’s health), I have started drinking tea instead of caffeine-based or carbonated beverages and of course, I have amused myself with my reactions to some of the most exotic dishes from the Formosa Island.

At some point or another within our educational journey, I'm sure we've all encountered the pressure that comes along with being a student and having schoolwork. With this being said, I believe that when it comes to schoolwork it is not how much or how little pressure you are faced with that arbitrates ones scholarly success, but rather it is how you handle the pressure that confronts you that is the ultimate determinant.

 Pressure that comes from schoolwork can stem from different sources i.e. teachers and parents, but it can also come from you yourself. Often times it can be seen that the people who feel the most pressure are those that expend the most effort in anticipation of the highest outcomes. Now don't get me wrong, determination and some amount of pressure is good as it tends to keep one from idling, but, too much pressure can be disadvantageous. The last thing you want to do is burnout yourself stressing over schoolwork.

As a student myself, I too have on several occasions, encountered this feeling of being pressured to not only succeed academically, but to exceed expectations that have been placed upon me by others. After some years of carrying this pressure around like a heavy load on my back, I've come to the realization that as a student the ultimate tool needed to cope with the pressure from schoolwork is “Balance”. Whenever I find myself feeling pressured to meet approaching deadlines from having lagged behind in my schoolwork, I’d normally take a step back to re-evaluate my scholastic approach in an attempt to discover new techniques that I can incorporate into my academic life.

A common mistake that scholars often make is thinking that exertion alone will get them the results they so desire, but I’ve come to recognise that educational success is not necessarily a matter of intensity but of finding a sense of balance, order and harmony. By means of implementing techniques that incorporate these three practices, I am able to effectively cope with the pressure from schoolwork.

I maintain balance in my academic life by scheduling a time-table for myself. While I understand that schoolwork is important, having a social life is and should be equally as important. Being a productive student does not mean giving up your social life, but rather finding a way to balance the two. Having a time-table allows me to enjoy the best of both worlds without giving too much time or attention to one over the other. In my time-table I slot in an hour or two for study, an hour or two for review and an hour or two to tackle homework. Likewise, my time-table includes a few hours for rest, relaxation and some form or socialization; which is vital as it helps me to keep a clear mind. Additionally, I take some time to reward myself. If I've cut socializing  out of my daily agenda in order to accommodate more time to studying for example, in the case of an upcoming exam or to meet a project/assignment deadline, I’d normally find a way to reward myself after by doing something that I enjoy, or something that I normally wouldn’t do on an everyday basis.
        I am able to maintain order in my academic life by preparing before every class. Also I try to ensure that my notes are accurate and properly organized. I normally keep a separate logbook with dates/ deadlines for schoolwork. Besides doing this, I also communicate regularly with other students. One should never feel that they can do everything by themselves. Asking questions and cross checking with others has proven to be extremely beneficial.

I maintain harmony in my academic life by keeping in close communication with both parents and teachers. By having a close relationship with both parties, I feel less pressured because then I know what both sets expect of me. If I am able to effectively communicate with a teacher, I automatically feel more confident to query assignments further so as to develop a better over-all understanding, which in succession would allow me to punctually and efficiently complete the work at hand. Furthermore, parents and teachers apart from you yourself are the ones that play the biggest role in your educational process. If you are able establish a harmonious relationship with these two sets of people then you are already on the road to having an educational journey that is less of a burden and more of a breeze.

In conclusion, there many things that you can do to cope with the pressure from school work. The techniques you use doesn’t matter since everyone is different and what may work for one might not work for another. What matters is that you actually establish a method. As Jim Rohn once stated, “If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.” Correspondingly, you must work on your techniques for coping with the pressure from school; in due course I’m sure you will find the techniques that will work for you.

MCU study Life

Firstly, I was attracted by the fact that it is a MCU is the First U.S. Accredited University in Asia, so I thought to myself that must be one of the best and yes I found MCU to be a nice place to study it is more international. My program is International so you can already assume that it probably has more international students so we get to know about each other’s culture and values. One thing I like about my classmates is that we appreciate and respect each other’s culture and values regardless of the cultural differences. As I mentioned my course IBT earlier, the courses being offered at Ming Chuan University, focuses more on business and trade at an international level.  I strongly believe that firms and managers need to be able to address complexities of greater and more relaxed movement of capital, people, services, products and knowledge at national and international level due to the continuous globalization processes in domestic economies also cross border investment and trade that has become a norm in the 21st century. I have also got a chance to learn Mandarin, which is also beneficial in today’s economic environment because now economic eyes are now pointing towards the Chinese economy, hence my Mandarin might be of great help in conducting business in the future.

Taiwan at a glance

I love Taiwan, it’s really a beautiful place to be, I like the people, and the transport system I love it. It so convenient, you can easily get to places without a hustle. There a lots of places to visit and have fun. I have gone with my friends to Yehlu, Keelung and Elephant Mountain hiking just to mention a few. It was quite an amazing experience, and still looking forward to visiting other parts of the country.

The people are so generous, and always willing to help, I have never found myself stranded. On New Year’s eve I didn’t have any plan until my friends came up with a plan to go and watch the fireworks though I ended up going with my country mates, but It was so amazing seeing everyone gathered together to celebrate the end and the beginning of a New Year for the very first time in my life. The whole experience was really nice to me.

I have tasted some Chinese dishes, some are delicious but unfortunately most of them I don’t know their names. I have tried different kinds of tea but I usually go for the famous bubble milk tea which is really good. All in all, Taiwan is a good.

Looking for a study opportunity overseas, MCU is the place to go!!!!

Studying a Master degree in an Asian country has been an exciting experience. The first interesting thing you face is culture; even though you are living in Taiwan, you will be surrounded the whole time by foreigners from all around the world. You get surprised by the different kinds of music, dancing styles, food, religions and education that you discover day by day. There is always something that will catch your attention.

I am from El Salvador, and I have always loved geography! But a map is simply not enough to appreciate how big the world is!

Taiwan is an amazing country and it takes you deep into a whole new developed world of technology. You have an easy perception of this when you use transportation, buy at convenience stores or visit any academic institution. Ming Chuan University campus has classrooms which make audiovisual didactic really interesting, the classes are more dynamic and fluent. All the resources allow you to bring out your creativity for presentations or any other class topic discussion. We have study rooms for project research and a big variety of books (Chinese/English) available in the Library during the whole week.

Although I knew that I was going to have these resources available, I came to this country feeling a little bit nervous because my native language is Spanish and I studied Mechatronic Engineering; I am really good at numbers! But I never focused in the international markets, finance or accounting, and also, never took these any business courses in English before. However, this never became a fear; I have to say that this is one of my biggest motivations to study International Business and trade so far. I always kept in mind during these months: “Build up your weakness and keep exploiting your strengths”

My English has gotten better due to all my well oriented classes by our teacher and the constant interaction with my friends and classmates. Furthermore, my Chinese is improving little by little! The classes have been really good and I feel more independent, I go anywhere and now I can even order my food and buy groceries in the market by myself.

Some of my classmates have always studied in a different way because of their major or education system, but I never saw differences as obstacles, it was totally the opposite, it was the opportunity to get along with them and learn the things they know and share with them mine! Eventually you get to know people better! You share knowledge, share experiences, share friendship and most of the time food (I have to say it). The whole group of students having a regular academic experience in the beginning, has become now a multicultural experience where we all work as a future business people team.

To sum up my experience I have three words: “Explore, learn and share”; if you are going to be an International Business person, the world doesn’t have borders for you anymore and your relationship with business is limitless.

You will always find something that will touch you and makes you feel like home; at the end, we are human beings and there is always kind people.

Studying in Taiwan is really an amazing experience, at first I was not so sure about coming all the way to Asia, I’m from Latin America, I knew for sure that everything was going to be completely different to what I was used to, but after being in Taiwan for 5 months I can say that I do not regret my decision.

Studying in Ming Chuan University has given me a broader knowledge of what the world is like; being part of the “Master in International business and trade” program has allowed me to meet people from all over the world, now I know a little bit more about the culture of people from Mongolia, Spain, Swaziland, Thailand, Germany, Ecuador, Nigeria, Saint Lucia, Vietnam and many other countries from Latin America, it is definitely an enriching experience that goes beyond only the Master courses.

Referring to the graduate courses I can say that I feel really satisfied with the content of every course and the professors, all of them have a PhD. Degree which assures me as a student that I am learning from a reliable source.

Something that makes this experience extremely valuable is the opportunity to learn the first most spoken language in the world, even though the program I am in is completely in English I still have the chance to take Chinese Mandarin classes and I get  to practice it everywhere of course.

Coming to Taiwan and study at MCU are both experiences I will forever be thankful for!!

I have never imagined of studying and living in Taiwan before until I heard the news and got a great opportunity from ICDF. This new experience has become the greatest achievement in my life as I always dream of studying abroad once in my lifetime. I have working experiences in IT before. However, I still wanted to extend my knowledge in business field. So, I decided to study in MBA of International Business and Trade program in Ming Chuan University. I trust the academics here as it can fulfill my career path.

Besides the academic, the school facilitates all of my needs and also provides the advisors for international students in order to suggest us while we are facing with any difficulties in studies or even living in Taiwan. Here in Ming Chuan, I can truly experience in multicultural environment with my classmates and as well as the Taiwanese culture from the local people. We exchange our experiences from several parts of the world and it is truly broadened my vision to know how the outside world is and of course, it is applicable very well with my major.

It was extremely difficult for me for the very first months living in Taiwan especially, when I went to the restaurant. I regularly had to choose the menu randomly as I could not read or speak any Chinese at all but my Mandarin Chinese is getting better now. Thanks to my Chinese teacher who is provided by the ICDF in Ming Chuan University.

I recommend everyone to study in Ming Chuan University as you can get the high quality of academic and rich of multicultural experiences. Let’s be a part of our ICDF MBA family!