By Natasha
August – October 2023
Preparation, Reflection, and Goal Setting
In preparation for my gap year, late August was spent preparing and reflecting. While trying to fit my life into two suitcases and a backpack for the next 8-9 months, I thought about my high school experiences. What are some things I spent time doing in high school that I valued the most? Moving forward, what are some areas I should focus on to improve myself as a student, and as a person? How can I make the most of my gap year, and what do I hope to accomplish? The answers to those questions stuck with me the entirety of my gap year.
Studying abroad in Taiwan this year would be the first time I’ve ever been so far away from home for such a long period of time. While my previous experience as a student in the NSLI-Y Taiwan Summer Program (completed the summer of my junior year of high school) prepared me for the biggest challenges, I was nervous—albeit equally excited—to discover how and where my year abroad would push the bounds of my comfort zone.
Program orientation in San Francisco early September gave me well-needed time to mentally adjust, set goals and expectations, and set the tone for the next academic year. The goals I made on the first day of orientation ranged from realistic and thoughtful, to unspecific and unattainable. One of my goals was to speak to at least 50 strangers in Mandarin comfortably, which I far surpassed by the end of my gap year, but I also intended to code an entire website archiving every photo and memory of my time in Taiwan, which I eventually realized would be virtually impossible with my packed schedule and the ridiculous number of photos I accumulated over time. Although many of the goals I made at the beginning of my gap year weren’t as realistic as I thought they would be, they stood as a guide for self-direction and helped push myself forward on my journey of growth and self-discovery.
Adjusting to New Routines
I didn’t have much time to settle or think when I landed in Taiwan. After a 14-hour grueling flight from SFO, we were immediately bussed from the airport in Taoyuan to Kaohsiung. Another 24 hours later and myself and the rest of my cohort (including Sophia F, who I didn’t expect would also be attending Duke, participating in the DGYP, and later becoming a good friend!) immediately moved in with our host families.
While the first few days were very hectic with all the travel, and I was nervous about the issue of language barriers and potential cultural divides, my host family welcomed me openly. Although my Chinese proficiency was shaky at best with a few years of self-study and a bit of formal instruction, it was enough to get by to communicate my basic needs. Despite my limited ability to communicate, I found it easy to develop a meaningful relationship with my host family and was an aspect of my life in Taiwan that did not require a lot of adjustment.
On the other hand, learning to use the public transportation system and commuting over an hour each way to and from school took a lot of adjustment at first. Google Maps became one of the apps in my phone with the most screen time, only seconded by my English-to-Chinese mobile dictionary. With time and practice though, that initial adjustment and dread of sitting on public transportation for so long shifted into enjoyment, because who wouldn’t love to take this adorable LRT every day?
Adjusting to academic life also took discipline. Classes started about two days after I landed in Taiwan, so I was basically thrown into the water. My academic schedule each week included Chinese language classes each morning, followed by one-on-one peer tutoring with a language exchange partner at least once a week, culture classes once a week, extracurricular activities, and other meetings. Even after language classes were over, the learning never stopped; I had to use the language every moment of every day, every interaction being a moment where I would need to quickly adapt and put the concepts learned in the classroom into practice.
New Experiences and Travel
Outside of the classroom, I was able to have a lot of new, fun experiences that strengthened my friendships and understanding of my host community!
I attended local festivals, including the Takao Rock Music Festival, an Indigenous Culture & Music Festival, and plenty of night markets. Though different from what I was used to back home, Taiwanese food also never seemed to disappoint.
I spent weekends and down time traveling independently, with friends, or with my host family, to Pier 2 and Cijin Island/District, among others. One fond memory I recall is driving with my host family up to Liugui, directly translated as six turtles, a rural district in Kaohsiung whose name refers to its mountain peaks that appear like the backs of six turtles. While in Liugui, I participated in a rock stacking competition with my host family, where we won first place! I also got to participate in my school’s Mandarin singing competition (3rd place win!) later that month.
With my cohort we went on an excursion exploring the east coast of Taiwan, including a hot spring in Taitung, and river tracing and hiking at Taroko National Park in Hualien (which, after an intense earthquake in April 2024, is now indefinitely closed).
Most importantly, one of my most unique experiences in these months was celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival! I spent the day with my host family, their extended family and friends, barbecuing meat and vegetables on the side of the road and eating mooncakes and dafu (a mochi wrapped strawberry with red bean paste filling).
The first two months of my time abroad were nothing short of amazing, and upon reflection, it’s crazy just how much I was able to experience within such a short amount of time.
