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Thursday, June 5th, 2025

Learning, Growing, and Connecting – A Reflection on My Experience in Taiwan – Day 17 {6/5}

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 […]

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Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

A Day of Stillness – Meditations and Moments at Dharma Drum Mountain – Day 16 {6/4}

Ohmmmmm… Today we had the chance to visit Dharma Drum Mountain, one of the four biggest monasteries in Taiwan. From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was calm and welcoming. Our hosts were just as enthusiastic to have us there as we were to be there, setting a peaceful and open tone for the day ahead. We began right away with a welcome and introduction from our host, who explained a bit about the team hosting us. It’s worth noting that Dharma Drum Mountain is divided into two parts, the monastery itself, and the Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts […]

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Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

Wrapping Up Tradition – A Taste of Taiwan at CookInn Taiwan – Day 15 {6/3}

We’re chefing it up today as we headed over to CookInn Taiwan to make ZhongZi, a traditional Chinese dish often made and eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival. On the menu alongside it were Hsinchu pork meatball soup and, of course, everyone’s favorite, DIY bubble tea. Now, I’m no professional chef, but I’d say I held my own throughout the entire cooking process. We kicked things off with the DIY bubble tea. Before diving in, we learned a bit about the origin of tapioca pearls here in Taiwan. Interestingly, these pearls originally came from Thailand and were plum-flavored. Later on, […]

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Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

The Business of Storytelling – A Look Inside Studio76 – Day 14 {6/2}

Today is the first day of the last week of my time here in Taiwan. With that, we’re beginning the week with a visit to an entertainment and smart media distribution company called Studio76. They’re a company that creates, adapts, and produces original story IPs, distributing them across global multimedia platforms. As mentioned, they’re involved in creating IP stories, either from scratch or by selecting scripts through their story competition called “Rising Stories.” This competition features submissions from places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and more. They also adapt existing stories, like novels, turning them into movies or dramas. […]

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Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

Prices, Pasts, and Perspectives – A Bittersweet Reflection – Day 13 {6/1}

Coming into our last week here in Taiwan leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth. Having the opportunity to immerse myself in the cultural, religious, and business aspects of life in Taiwan has been such a treat, and honestly, a real eye-opening experience. Getting to see, first-hand, what life is like for locals in terms of food, money, religion, and more has been incredibly enriching. What’s even more meaningful is that I can cross-reference what I’ve experienced here with similar experiences I’ve had back in the U.S. For one, the concept of what’s “expensive” versus what’s “cheap” really differs here. […]

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Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

Sacred Spaces and Human Realities – A Reflection on Buddhism and the Modern World – Day 12 {5/31}

Today is another day of reflection. This time, we’re taking an insightful look into the religion of Buddhism. Alongside that, we also examined the relationship between a doctrine, a place of worship, whether that be a temple, church, religious space, etc., and its connection to the business aspect, if one exists. Within these connections, we explored whether any conflicts may arise between the spiritual and the material. During this time, our Professor Chen spoke about the symbiotic ecosystem between temples and their seamless integration into the surrounding community. It’s not unusual to see temples along a regular street. In fact, […]

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