Something I found strikingly different in Taiwan compared to any other country I’ve visited is the deep love and respect for tea. When traveling in Taiwan, tea is far more common than water, soda, or juice. In fact, tea is so ingrained in everyday life that a teashop is often more accessible than a fast-food…
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Raohe Street Market
While wandering aimlessly through Taipei City, my roommate and I came across a small street market hidden within the alleys. We decided to explore the market and were overwhelmed by the variety of food and their accompanying scents. We then tried to find a spot for dinner and perused several menus. Instantly, a restaurant stood…
Taiwan post #1
In Taiwan, 7-Eleven transcends the typical American concept of a convenience store. Unlike its US counterpart, which primarily serves as a quick stop for basic necessities, Taiwanese 7-Elevens function more like compact community centers. During my visit, I found myself lingering in these stores, drawn in by their diverse offerings. Beyond just selling products, these…
Taiwan: Day Three
Our third day was filled with visiting some of the institutions and organizations that make up the country, and getting to meet both educators and students of one of Taiwans most prestigious public universities at NTPU. The guest lecture was one of many of the educational experiences. For me getting to meet kids our age…
Post-Australia
The cultural value of mateship was prevalent throughout my time in Australia. This value is based on a sense of unity and companionship among Australian people. I saw it to be reflected by personal relationships as well as by community interactions. I noticed this in many public spaces, such as restaurants and shops, as servers…
Blog 1: Pre-Departure
An aspect of U.S. culture that stands out to me the most is individualism. What I’ve learned from my time in the United States is that personal freedom and the pursuit of individual goals are strongly emphasized in American culture. This is reflected in many aspects of life, ranging from the education system to the…
Blog Prompt #1
Often in the United States, people place a high value on being self-sufficient this can reflect that the United States is a highly individualistic culture. In the US it is more normalized that people move out once they become an adult which is usually 18 to early 20’s. This can be caused by the heavy…
letters to America
Direct communication is a strongly held value in French culture. One day while I was on the bus with a few friends on our way to class, a woman started up a conversation with us. She just asked us where we were from etc. and the quick conversation naturally faded. But then all of a…
Goodbye Morocco
After spending four months in Morocco, there were many different experiences that were related to their cultural values, beliefs, attitudes, habits, and behaviors that served as great challenges for me to adapt to. Something that was very difficult for me to adapt to while I was in Morocco would be the concept of not being…
Final Blog Post
Studying abroad these past few months in the south of France, specifically Aix-en-Provence has significantly opened my eyes to wonders, and differences of culture in Europe versus the United States. Specifically in France, there can be some negative stereotypes towards the French people, but I tried my best to not listen to those premonitions, and…