By Jennifer Aurelia
For a lifelong extrovert like myself, studying abroad is the ultimate dream. October 2020 marked my first-ever solo trip to Taiwan and as soon as I got out of quarantine that’s when the real uni journey started. My first impression of Ming Chuan… of course the iconic “Ming Chuan Stairs”. It was horrifying but I got used to it eventually. But my first day at Ming Chuan was hectic. International students had a freshman orientation to help with enrollment and all the required procedures before starting the IC program – in my case, Journalism and Mass Communication. I remember appreciating how considerate and helpful everyone was.
I have met so many different people from around the world and memorized so many names that I feel like I never have to walk anywhere without seeing someone I know. It was a whole new environment for me being in a diverse class. As a proud Indonesian, having to speak English and Chinese most of the time wasn’t easy, trust me. The majority of IC students are foreigners – from America to Vietnam (there are lots of lovely Taiwanese students too); and although IC is known for being the first US-accredited university in Taiwan, it still caught me by surprise that most of the lecturers are also foreigners. I still remember the first time we went to the broadcasting room. It felt ecstatic. It was an unforgettable feeling trying all the equipment whilst listening to the teacher. Overall, my first impressions of IC were special and cool. IC, you have my heart.
