Serena Di Maria

A Perfect Opportunity

I majored in Chinese Language and Culture in Italy. It was a great opportunity to come to Taiwan on a government scholarship after my graduation to improve my level in Mandarin and my cultural awareness.

I choose the International Master's Program in Inter-Asia Cultural Studies because it offers courses taught both in English and Chinese and mostly because it gives me flexibility to study culture in its many forms (films, art, literature etc.). I have a particular interest in Taiwanese literature. The academic environment is very welcoming and open, fostering a critical mindset and encouraging freedom of thought. The program is provided by a system of universities in Taiwan (NYCU, NTHU, NCU, and NCCU), giving students access to courses and resources from all of the institutions. When preparing your application, it's essential to select a supervisor whose expertise aligns with your research interests. Based on this, you can then decide on the campus where you wish to enroll.

Before coming to Taiwan, I had studied Mandarin for six years at university. We primarily learned the simplified characters since our courses focused on the Mandarin variant spoken in China. In my first eight months in Taiwan, I exclusively took language classes at NTNU.

During this time, my Mandarin has improved quite a lot. But the progress was very slow at first because I had to learn the traditional characters and adapt to local vocabulary variations. Now that I am taking a Master's program, I am no longer studying Mandarin formally, but I get to practice my listening while taking classes partly taught in Mandarin. I also try to practice my speaking through language exchanges.

Favorite Spot on Campus

My favorite places on campus are the fields with trees and flowers, which give you peace of mind just by having a look at them when you walk from one building to another. Another favorite place is the swimming pool, which is provided also with a sauna. And then, of course, the library, but that's taken for granted.

Enjoying Taiwan and Respecting the Culture

What I love most about living in Taiwan is having so many chances to immerse myself in nature, with its beautiful mountains, rivers, and waterfalls. One of my favourite activities is hiking, which the locals call "爬山". Moreover, traveling with buses and trains is fairly cheap, which is an incentive to go and explore the island. I also like riding uBikes, having Asian food, and going to hot springs with friends.

Regarding challenges, apart from the weather, they depend on the specific environment you are dealing with. I believe there are significant differences between the academic environment (at least my department) and the society at large. The former is a multicultural environment relatively easy to adapt to, but the latter can be less accustomed to foreign presence, making cultural differences more pronounced. However, having studied and experienced this culture for quite a long time, I have learned how to approach and respect it.

Taiwan: Full of Resources & Surprises

If your goal is studying or doing research, Taiwan offers great resources and opportunities, with a high-quality academic environment and not too high living expenses. If you want to travel, I'll just say it will surprise you.

Looking Forward

Studying in Taiwan has been exciting. I'm eyeing to get a PhD and find a job as a professor and researcher at one of the many good universities in Taiwan.