Hi Everyone!!
Today (Saturday) we went to Yingge! We got to walk around old streets, buy very cool souvenirs, by bubble tea (of course), and visit the pottery museum for which the district is known for! It was super cool and I learned so much about the history of pottery in Taiwan along with its cultural significance and importance in modern times. I also got to make my very own bowl on a throwing wheel! It was a little small and lopsided (and the ceramic teachers helped me a lot 谢谢老师们!), but I can’t wait to see it and take it home with me–it’ll serve as a wonderful reminder of my experience in Taiwan!
This first week of living in Taipei has been fun and exciting, but it has also come with challenges. The classes at HTA are hard. I feel that my reading and writing skills are ok for now, but my speaking and listening skills need some more practice! The classes move much faster than they do back at Williams, so I’ve definitely been studying a lot to keep up with the other students. I’m excited to see how much I can understand by the end of the summer! While the program is hard, it has also already been so rewarding.
I’ve had so much fun getting to know my peers as well! There are many different students from different schools, states, and countries. It’s so cool seeing a group of students so passionate about learning a new language come together. I’ve already made so many new friends and I can’t wait to get to know all of them even more over the summer.
See you all next week! 再见！
Alejandra (郝若寒）