Olivia Theodora Santoso

My Journey to Study in Taiwan and NCCU Business

I went to Taiwan for summer camp in 2019 with other Indonesians. Enjoying my time during the camp made Taiwan one of my options for continuing my studies. I chose Taiwan because of its culture. I wanted to study in a new environment, as well as learn new cultures and languages. As for the language aspect, I studied Mandarin before, which was a plus point for choosing Taiwan. I knew it would give me more chances to improve my Mandarin.

Since I wanted to study business, I received recommendations from many people that NCCU was one of the best universities to study business as it is a highly ranked school in Taiwan. I was specifically interested in studying marketing, so the first thing I searched for was the course list, ultimately the courses a university provides in English (EMI—English as a Medium of Instruction—courses). NCCU had one of the best course lists as it offers marketing courses as well as more interesting and unique EMI courses.

University Resources and Campus Life

Personally, I feel like NCCU really cares about their students' career and skills development. There is a lot of information as well as events which inform students about working opportunities and internships.

Throughout my whole life, I learned simplified Mandarin, so it was a bit hard for me to start learning traditional Mandarin as it looks more complex. But since I tried to learn traditional Mandarin before coming to Taiwan, I was already a bit familiar with it. I really love that NCCU provided for international students Mandarin classes, which are still available with a fee.

I really like the Dahsian Library in NCCU. It's really comfortable to study in as it has a really big area and various spots that you can choose to sit in. There are lots of books and resources that you can find in the library. The Dahsian Library provides meeting rooms, ranging from small to big. They also provide a gaming station where you can just chill and play with your friends. And lastly, you can also relax by Dahsian Library's pond, as there are restaurants as well as cafes there.

Personal Growth and Development

Since there are a lot of Indonesians in Taiwan, I often volunteer or work in organizations which help Indonesians in Taiwan. Currently, I am working as part of NCCU ISA's (Indonesian Student Association) media design team. Generally, I help Indonesian students at NCCU by providing information about events held by NCCU ISA through our Instagram account. I often volunteer in Indonesian events too, such as a gala dinner for an organization that helps all Indonesians throughout the country.

The most rewarding aspect is that I could help many Indonesians as we are foreigners in this country, while introducing Indonesia's culture to Taiwanese or other foreigners. Once, we had an event at NCCU where we had a food stall for two days, and the president of NCCU came to try Indonesian food.

It might sound cliché, but after coming to Taiwan alone, I am learning to be a better self every day. I am becoming more independent as I have to live alone and manage my own finances and living arrangements here. Studying in Taiwan also made me realize that I have to think far ahead about what I want to achieve in my life, while still balancing it with having fun and connecting with friends and new people.

Future Plans and Advice for Prospective Students

Regarding my plans after graduation, I haven't actually decided yet. However, I do wish that after graduating, I could learn by joining a well-known company, either in Taiwan or back in my home country, Indonesia.

For prospective students, don't be afraid to come to Taiwan, even if you are coming alone. There are many new people that you can meet, as well as many nice people who would actually help you and treat you as family. You will learn a lot by studying abroad—language, culture, self-improvement, good education, new people, new skills, and many more.