I think that everyone
has a dream in their life, but sometimes we are afraid to realize it. I
remember how five months ago when I decide to have an internship in Taiwan. I
also didn’t know if I made a true decision or not, but I knew that I want to
have new experiences and make a lot of friends. It was one of my dreams.
I am a seventh-semester
student when I decided to have an internship with AIESEC. Maybe I am not so
active in taking organization at faculty. So, when my friend talk to me about
AIESEC and its story about exchange, I know surely how this organization can
change my life. AIESEC is a simple platform, but a lot of things depend on you
how much you are ready to get from this platform. I would like to say that I
learned a lot of things and still continue to explore myself. I see how AIESEC
give a chance to youth found new destinations in their life. And my destination
for this experience was Taiwan.
I spent one month internship in Tainan County, in
Southern Taiwan. I think it is far enough for me to fall in love with this
country with warm-hearted people and beautiful scenes. I love every single day
working at school, sharing, laughing with other children, teachers, buddies and
my beloved host family. No matter where we are from, how old we are and what
religion we have, we still feel the strong connection with each other with our
open hearts.
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Host family mother and sister |
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Host family father |
I found my second
family in Tainan. The family from which I learned a lot of about Taiwanese and
how to appreciate the time. I am thankful to them, they provide me in my
internship period with accommodation and with delicious traditional food. I
still remember when my host father,
Kimo, tried hard to explain me the name of our breakfast menu. I also remember
how my host mother, Jane, cooked a special noodle for our dinner after her busy
time at school and how she take care about my meal. I memorized my host sister,
friendly girl even she can’t speak english. Yolanda, Frein, and Lulu, very nice
english teacher at school that gave me lessons how to become good teacher.
I
memorized my students from Beimen and Yuhu Elementary School, they took me into
precious time together that I can’t forget. I memorized my buddies, Julie and
Padai, really nice person for sure, I memorized Shirley, music teacher at
school would like me to attend her daughter music concert twice and Mr.Chen, one
of school manager who’s take me several times for having dinner with him.
I
also would like to notice Kay, a friendly teacher and her father, which pick up
me some times from my host family, let me sleep in her room, and took me for
fabulous trip during my internship in Tainan.
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Teaching |
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Tainan Flower Night Market |
During my internship, I improved my
English, made new friends and became more confident. I spent a lot on teaching,
travelling but less on shopping. I also had a chance to see beautiful places in
Tainan, how people there can make everything as tourism place, beautiful sunset
with children near school.
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Kaohsiung with Kay and friends |
One of the important
thing what I would like to add to my story is people, who I met in my
internship period. It doesn’t matter where they are coming from and who they
are, I am interested all of them. From everyone I can learn something new. Yes,
I made a lot of friends. These guys exactly non ordinary. I am thankful to all
of you for this chance. You made it very colorful.
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Tainan City |
Thanks to this internship, I’ve had the chance to get
out of my comfort zone to see the outside world, explore new cultures and get
new perspectives. I also learned to adapt, becomes more independent, matured
and a better me. Moreover, exchange brings me new friends, new brothers and
sisters- someone who live far away but will stay in my heart. The internship
changed my life, my thinking. Now I am more confident, optimistic and open-up.
I’m not scare anymore. It was like my dream came true.