Personal Growth:
I’ve learned a lot about myself, especially my ability to connect with others in unfamiliar settings. I tend to be shy and quiet at first when I’m around people I don’t know or in a new environment. Because of that, it’s harder for me to open up. But I’ve realized that once I get adjusted and start communicating with even 2–3 people, it becomes easier for me to step out, get to know the rest of the group, and have fun. That small step builds confidence, and I now recognize it as part of my process when navigating new social situations.
On a different note, my mindset about finances has also changed significantly. Back home, it’s hard to budget because everything is expensive, so I basically don’t buy. But in Taiwan, it was easy to fall into the trap of thinking I could spend freely just because things cost less. I had to learn the hard way that just because I can spend doesn’t mean I should. If I want to enjoy experiences and food throughout my time abroad without financial stress, I need to plan and stick to a budget. That is a lesson I’m taking with me as I prepare for another study abroad program in a country where it won’t just be three weeks but a whole semester abroad. So white it’s not easy, and it’s definitely not fun, to say no to spontaneous spending, learning how to manage money now will help me enjoy future opportunities with peace of mind.
Academic Connection:
On the topic of communication, I remember the time in which we visited Fo Guang Shan. Inside one of the temple pillars near the big Buddha, I along with some fellow peers of mine participated in a simple but beautiful ritual. A venerable nun, despite speaking limited English, guided us through a prayer with electric candles before leading us in a short chant. She explained its purpose, to clear the mind and release negative thoughts, then recited it in Mandarin, which we repeated after her, word by word, three times.
For me doing this interaction that I had with the venerable nun made me very happy because of how happy she was to connect with us and share a small part of her religion with us. That small interaction showed me how open people here are to sharing their beliefs with others. It made me think about how religion in Taiwan isn’t exclusive; many people practice more than one religion and are open to sharing those practices with visitors. That kind of openness reminded me of classroom discussions back home. When I didn’t understand a topic, dialogue helped me grow. So now, academically and professionally, I want to continue being open, open to learning from different people, to trying unfamiliar things, and to accepting roles or ideas I might not feel confident in yet. This trip reminded me that sometimes the things we think we can’t do are the ones most worth doing.
Cultural Insights:
Taiwan’s business culture from what I’ve seen has been a very eye-opening experience for me. Especially when it comes to how geography impacts how work gets done. At Hong Jaan Printing Co., we learned how businesses here can specialize and collaborate more efficiently because everything is so close together. For example, they can print a book, send it to a nearby bookbinding company, then finish it and ship it, all within a short distance. In the U.S., that level of specialization is harder because of how spread out everything is, so companies often try to do everything internally. That difference in structure was fascinating to learn about.
The same goes for religion. Here religion shares a sense of closeness. Religion here also has a kind of closeness, not just in the literal sense due to temples being everywhere, tucked into neighborhoods and city corners, but also in how people engage with it. Taiwanese people often practice multiple religions or incorporate elements of different faiths into their daily lives. That openness makes religious conversations more inclusive and accessible, unlike in the U.S., where religious lines can feel more rigid. All due to the fact that for the most part people in the U.S. worship one religion and one religion only often leading to a kind of exclusivity that can occur should you not be one of them but had wanted to communicate and exchange religious insights or just insights in general. Learning about religion here and being able to contrast back to religion at home was very interesting to do.
What’s even more interesting is how spirituality blends into professional spaces. At Hong Jaan, they have an altar in the office for blessings and success. At Studio76, the owner explained that the name was inspired by the periodic table, but also carries spiritual meaning, the characters in Mandarin with the character on the right meaning gold the character on the left meaning me translating to “where there is gold, there is me.” Whether it’s through formal religion or personal belief, there’s a spiritual element embedded in how businesses here operate. That balance between modern industry and deep-rooted cultural beliefs was something I hadn’t expected but deeply appreciated.
Thank You!