7/3/19

Near, far, wherever you are, 2019 Taiwan MOE scholarship orientation worth the distance


PHOTO: Attendees pose for a photo in front of  TECO in Houston’s front entrance after orientation. (Left to right) Parent Eliana Prouty, 2017 HES recipient Danielle Prouty, 2019 HES recipient Alissa Guerrero, Director-General Peter Chen of TECO in Houston, Director Sophie Chou of Education Division of TECO in Houston, Coordinator Isabelle Chen of Education Division of TECO in Houston, 2019 HES recipients, Jake Pearce, Jason Cheu, Alexander Berry (back row left), and 2018 Taiwan Scholarship recipient Lucas Allen (back row right)


Wednesday, July 3, 2019 
by Isabelle Chen

Every year, the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Houston organizes an orientation for Taiwan Ministry of Education scholarship recipients before they leave for Taiwan. This year’s orientation took place in the afternoon of July 2 at TECO in Houston.
It has become routine to provide information on scholarship regulations and visa requirements to new recipients. However, what is noteworthy about this year’s meeting was the distance that new recipients and alumni of the scholarship program were willing to travel for this occasion.
In the self-introduction, attendees were stunned by students Alissa Guerrero and Alexander Berry who both drove over three hours to Houston. When Jason Cheu said he flew in from Colorado State, attendees gasped with disbelief. On top of that, the real champ was another student – if there was a competition for distance traveled, and perhaps an award for determination and dedication, Jake Pearce, who spent ten hours in his car driving all the way from northern Texas just to attend the orientation. What makes this even wilder is that Jake had to drive another ten hours back to northern Texas immediately after the orientation for work the next day.
As the saying goes, “Everything’s bigger in Texas”, and the above instances truly represent the challenge of physical distance that scholarship recipients face if they want to attend an orientation in Houston. Regardless, a total of four new scholarship recipients and three scholarship alumni attended.
Scholarship alumni, Lucas Allen, Ian Perry, and Danielle Prouty, came to the meeting to share their experiences in Taiwan. They also provided practical information and advice to new recipients, including bringing enough money for the first two months’ spending, getting American-size clothing before going to Taiwan. When in Taiwan, they had better take advantage of their time in the country by visiting as many places as possible, keeping a journal that they will later find a great record of their memories studying abroad. Don’t be afraid to go out in the community and meet with local people. They will find Taiwanese very hospitable and willing to spend time helping people they don’t know.
Despite some alumni, like Henry Vaughan and Adrian Almanza, being unable to attend the meeting in person, they took the time to make videos to be shared at the orientation.
After the meeting, Alissa Guerrero said that she wished she would have applied for the 12-month Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) instead of 6 months. She is very excited about her upcoming study in Taiwan and she plans on applying for the Taiwan Scholarship after she completes her Mandarin language course with the HES.
Director-General Peter Chen of the TECO in Houston prepared Taiwanese dessert bread and world-renowned Taiwanese drink, Boba milk tea, to welcome attendees to the orientation. He also congratulated new recipients and wished them the best of luck in their studies in Taiwan.

PHOTO: 2017 HES recipient Danielle Prouty (right 2) shares her Taiwan experience

PHOTO: 2018 Taiwan Scholarship recipient Lucas Allen (center) shares his Taiwan experience

PHOTO: 2017 HES recipient Henry Vaughan shares his Taiwan experience through a video.

PHOTO: 2013 HES recipient Ian Perry (center) shares his Taiwan experience


教育部獎學金生不遠千里跨州參加新生說明會



照片:2019年教育部獎學金新生說明會與會者,(前排左至右)家長Eliana Prouty2017華獎生Danielle Prouty、新生Alissa Guerrero、駐休士頓辦事處處長陳家彥、教育組組長周慧宜、教育組組員陳憶如、新生Jake Pearce、新生Jason Cheu、新生Alexander Berry(後排左一)2018臺獎生Lucas Allen(後排右一)於駐休士頓辦事處前合影留念


為讓獎學金新生赴臺前有充足的準備,駐休士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組每年為新生舉辦獎學金生行前說明會,說明獎學金規定、外國學生在臺注意事項、提供各式網站資訊、赴臺簽證申辦規定並且現場受理簽證申辦表件。

(2019)年的說明會於72日在駐休士頓辦事處舉辦,除新生之外同時也邀請曾受領臺灣獎學金及華語文獎學金的留臺校友與會分享他們的在臺學習、生活經驗並給新生一些實用的建議。

因美國幅員遼闊,駐休士頓教育組的服務轄區涵蓋了全美境內最大州德州在內等南方8個州,受獎生來自各個州,要出席於休士頓舉辦的說明會更是一項極大挑戰,然而今年出席的新生均來自離休士頓至少3小時車程以外的城市,如:從德州(Texas)北邊開車10小時而來的Jake Pearce,從科羅拉多州(Colorado)乘飛機過來的Jason Cheu,從聖安東尼奧(San Antonio)開了3個小時車的Alexander BerryAlissa Guerrero。今年出席說明會的留臺校友有2017年就讀國立中山大學的華獎生Danielle Prouty2013年就讀國立政治大學的華獎生Ian Perry以及目前正就讀中原大學華語文教學系碩士班的Lucas Allen

會中Danielle Prouty提醒新生,赴臺前最好先備足一至兩個月的生活費、學費及住宿費等。她也建議受獎生在臺期間,多利用閒暇課後時間到臺灣各地觀光旅遊,參加當地文化活動,如:划龍舟及各式節慶活動等。而臺灣地理環境雖然很小,但可以探索的人事物卻多不勝數。她的家長Eliana Prouty也出席說明會,並分享她的臺灣觀光旅遊經驗。Eliana指出,臺灣是一個非常漂亮的地方,同時有豐富的飲食文化,她鼓勵大家有機會一定要造訪臺灣、逛夜市更要勇於嚐試臺灣的食物。她說臭豆腐雖然聞起很臭,但卻出奇的好吃,所以她建議每個人都應該嚐這一味臺灣特色小吃。臺灣的高科技及高鐵之便捷更是令她為之讚嘆!

現正受領臺灣獎學金於中原大學就讀華語文教學系碩士班的Lucas Allen利用暑假期間返美,會中他提供給新生非常多生活化的建議,內容涵蓋食衣住行,包括:利用U-Bike往返校園鄰近地區及搭乘大眾交通工具至臺灣各地觀光旅遊、事先採購適合美國人高大體型的衣物、準備好預防被臺灣黑蚊叮咬的衣物及藥品、提供可購買各式保健藥品的店家資訊以及建議學弟妹利用在臺期間品嚐便宜又好吃的臺灣水果等。2013年華獎生Ian Perry赴說明會途中遇到車子拋錨狀況,但他仍克服困難出席活動分享他的在臺生活與就學經驗,令與者會感動不已。

而無法親臨說明會現場分享在臺學習經驗的Henry Vaughan亦事先拍攝影片建議學弟妹在臺期間可養成寫日記習慣,為自己的海外留學生活做文字紀錄、不要害怕與當地人互動,臺灣的人情味濃厚是讓他愛上臺灣的主要原因之一,同時也是他在臺期間華語能力快速進步的助力。而現正就讀高雄醫學院的臺獎生Adrian Almanza也透過影片提供住宿資訊網、建議新生赴臺前備足第一個月所須開銷費用以及多與當地人互動,除擴展自己的生活圈之外,也可同時提升華語能力。而有更多無法出席活動的獎學金留臺校友,亦稍來訊息分享在臺經驗與提供建議與幫助。

即將赴臺研習華語的Guerrero於會後表示,她迫不及待未來半年在臺灣的學生生活,她打算在完成華語訓練後,將申請臺灣獎學金留在臺繼續拿學位課程。

為讓新生預先品嚐臺灣美食,駐休士頓辦事處陳家彥處長特地於活動中準備了多種受歡迎的臺式點心麵包以及名聞全世界的波霸奶茶。陳處長除恭喜新生獲獎,歡迎舊生「回娘家」,也肯定臺美關係法40年為臺美雙邊文化教育合作帶來有益學生的交流,更期許留臺校友在世界舞台發光發熱,並為臺美持續友好關係盡一份心力。

 
2017年華語獎學金受獎人Danielle Prouty(右二)分享在臺就學經驗

現正就讀中原大學華語文教學系的臺灣獎學金受獎人Lucas Allen(中間)提供新生食衣住行各方面建議

2017年華語獎學金受獎人Henry Vaughan透過影片分享在臺就學經驗

2013年華語獎學金受獎人Ian Perry(中間)分享在臺就學經驗



日期:201973

撰稿:駐休士頓教育組陳憶如