Senior Students' Exchange Sharing

Be brave for once; let Feng Chia lead you to see a different world.

Our university actively collaborates with internationally renowned institutions to provide diverse exchange channels. We vigorously encourage students to participate in international exchanges to broaden their global perspectives and international outlook, enhancing their international adaptability and global mobility. To date, our university has established academic exchange and cooperation relationships with more than 300 overseas universities, providing an international exchange platform for our students.

Europe

South Korea

Illinois State University

Shih Ya-Chu 史亞筑

On August 10, 2019, I arrived at Illinois State University to study Marketing Analytics. This was my first time being away from home for so long to study abroad. To be honest, I was very hesitant before leaving; I was afraid of being in a foreign land without family or friends, afraid that foreigners wouldn't understand my English and would mock me, afraid that seeing a doctor would be too expensive if I got sick, and afraid that I wouldn't manage my studies well and would disappoint the expectations of myself and my family. There were truly so many worries and fears, but I kept telling myself that I couldn't escape because of these excuses; I had to step out to let myself learn and grow.

As of now, perhaps I’ve adapted? It is true that the pressure is immense. There were several times I wanted to vent to my friends in Taiwan, but because of the time difference, I couldn't release my emotions immediately. But actually, once you endure it, you get through it, and I realized there is still so much more to learn. I can only say that these 200-plus days have allowed me to understand better what kind of person I am. I am very happy that I left my comfort zone, giving me the opportunity to experience different cultures, make new friends, and learn new knowledge and skills.

San José State University

Huang Wei 黃薇

During the application process, I deeply realized how important it is to have good email writing skills. Unlike the habit of using LINE in Taiwan, communications and notifications abroad rely heavily on email. Even after the semester starts, contacting professors is mainly done via email; checking my inbox every day has become a routine.

Regarding accommodation, I chose the International House which collaborates with the university. Located just a block away from campus, it has nearly 40 years of history. Although the rooms are not exactly luxurious, I have met many friends from other countries in addition to local Americans. This makes the place feel like a large family of 60 people.

One of the benefits of studying business here is having many opportunities to come into contact with masters from the industry, and many professors and alumni are very passionate about sharing their practical experiences in Silicon Valley and other fields. The student composition in San Jose is very diverse; in class, it is very common to encounter classmates who have already entered the workforce and returned to take courses for a degree due to job requirements, or those who are entrepreneurs looking to enhance their skills. I found that, unconsciously, I became influenced by this proactive atmosphere, becoming more courageous in facing my own thoughts and gaining a more concrete direction for my future plans.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Hung Chih-Yun 洪芝云

In a situation without the company of friends and family, every challenge encountered in reality appears much more difficult. Being in a learning environment with culture and language shocks also greatly improved my English and crisis management skills. Fortunately, I made some great friends locally who not only took me out to eat and drink but also enthusiastically shared all the interesting corners of the school and the city. I also learned many workplace skills from my internship colleagues and deeply realized how significantly different workplace life can be under different cultures.

Being able to successfully complete my senior year abroad, I am thankful not only to myself but also to Feng Chia for establishing an all-English environment during my first three years of university, which allowed us to adapt smoothly to a foreign environment. Studying abroad is a rare and precious experience in a student's life; besides allowing one to broaden their horizons, it also enhances competitiveness in all aspects. What I have learned over these four years has allowed me to diversify my development in my current professional role, and after completing my studies, I have successfully stayed in the United States to continue working.

City, University of London

Chang Yuan-Chen 張元榛

大四的這年我選擇到英國倫敦城市大學的卡斯商學院完成我一年的留學生活。在倫敦這個國際性的大都市，處處有著不同的驚喜與體驗。那裡是由來自世界各地不同的文化與種族，充滿著豐富英倫氣息的街道與建築，便利又快速的交通建設，還有生生不息的商業大樓與商店街等元素所組成的大熔爐。

During my senior year, I chose to complete my one-year study abroad life at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London. In the international metropolis of London, there are different surprises and experiences everywhere. It is a melting pot composed of different cultures and ethnicities from all over the world, streets and buildings filled with a rich British atmosphere, convenient and fast transportation infrastructure, as well as endless commercial buildings and shopping streets.

In school, besides the regular lectures, there are additional seminar sessions for students to delve into the content of group projects. This is an experience different from my previous classes, and I believe it is a very good way to learn. During this year, I took elective courses in many different fields, which often challenged me to use different mindsets to understand knowledge; I truly benefited a lot. I believe that living in the UK this year has made me more independent and enhanced my ability to communicate and collaborate with people from all over the world.

Furthermore, I can feel the improvement of my language skills in all aspects: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. What makes me happiest is being able to make good friends from all over the world, which allowed me to understand the wonders of different cultures. During this year of studying in London, I was deeply fascinated by this metropolis and quickly grew accustomed to life here. Although the school's teaching methods changed due to the impact of COVID-19 this year, and I was forced to quickly pack my bags and return to Taiwan—truly unable to say a proper goodbye to this city—I am still content whenever I recall the way of life and the various memories that happened in this beautiful city. With a heart full of gratitude, I am thankful for the opportunity to have had such a special study abroad experience, and I look forward to returning here one day.

The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS)

Lin Po-Hung 林柏宏

在進入大學前，一個出國留學的夢早已深紮在我心中。我總希望可以藉由出國留學，勇敢踏出台灣這片土地，走向世界的懷抱。因此，在我知道逢甲有提供給學生出國交換的機會後，實在讓我興奮不已!

Before entering university, a dream of studying abroad was already deeply rooted in my heart. I always hoped that through studying abroad, I could bravely step off the land of Taiwan and move toward the embrace of the world. Therefore, when I learned that Feng Chia University provides students with exchange opportunities, I was truly beyond excited!

While studying at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the academic workload was not much different compared to Feng Chia. Although I took fewer courses, the difficulty of each class was significantly higher than in Taiwan; this might be something new exchange students need to adapt to. A course might meet twice a week: once for explanations of textbook and lecture material, and another for a workshop focused more on discussing practical cases with the professor. This teaching model is very different from Taiwan; students have more time and opportunities to discuss with the professor and express their opinions, rather than just sitting in the audience listening to a lecture. Personally, I like this teaching method very much because students have more chances to discuss real-world examples with professors after class, which helps in truly mastering the subject!

After the baptism of this year, I have learned a lot, grown a lot, and understand myself much better! At the same time, I discovered that I still have much room for improvement. This year has been the most special and impactful one in my twenty-plus years of life! During these 300-odd days, I experienced countless emotional shifts, constantly adapting to and integrating into this free country. Just as I was beginning to live in The Hague almost like a local, I realized this exchange journey was coming to an end, and I had to prepare to return to Taiwan for the next stage of my life.

During this year, I also used my spare time to visit over twenty European countries and saw many different people and things! I am very glad to have had this rare opportunity to start a year-long life in the Netherlands, eventually returning to my warm hometown, Taiwan, with a heart full of gains and memories. I believe I will never forget that I have a second hometown—The Hague! Thank you to the people and things here for everything they brought me; whether good or bad, it is all indispensable nourishment for my life. I especially want to encourage juniors who are interested in studying in The Hague: this is a friendly country, and The Hague is a friendly, progressive, and developed metropolis. I believe that if you come here to study and live, you will absolutely fall in love with this city and return to Taiwan with a wealth of experiences just as I did!

ICHEC Brussels Management School

劉沛欣

It felt as though I experienced all four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—in Belgium. I still remember the moment I landed at the airport; I felt that I was about to face brand-new challenges in this unfamiliar environment, and I told myself it was time to step up. The gains from this study abroad experience have far exceeded my expectations, as I transitioned from initial struggling to gradually accepting this country.

Since there are not many English-taught courses at the Brussels School of Governance, and most of them are at a Master's level, it was relatively difficult for me. However, completing reports with my teammates gave me a great sense of accomplishment. These projects taught me how to conduct in-depth research, engage in constant discussion and revision, and complete a plan in an organized manner. Although the process was hard and sometimes exhausting, you could feel that your teammates were finishing the task alongside you, and their proactiveness inspired you to keep pushing forward.

I believe the most important thing I learned during my days abroad was independence. So many things had to be solved on my own, and I gradually discovered that I actually had the ability to handle them. My experience as an international student will be a significant memory of my student life. It wasn't just growth in academics or lifestyle; it also broadened my horizons. For me, studying abroad is perhaps less about the "experience" and more about the "ordeal"—the difficulties encountered abroad are always much tougher than those in Taiwan. I have benefited immensely from this exchange; without it, I might still be living in my own little world. The world is truly vast, and if you have the chance, you must go abroad to broaden your perspective; only then will you realize your own smallness. You will encounter many situations and all kinds of people from all over the world, and what they bring you might be gratitude, inspiration, or a life lesson. This trip has made me more grateful for and appreciative of the people and things around me, as they have helped me become a better person.

DHBW Heidenheim

Chiang Yu-Lin 江鈺琳

To become an exchange student, maintaining good grades was the top priority. From the very beginning of the application period, it was important to confirm the content of my future studies and the country I wanted to visit. Since I had to go abroad for a full year, my choices were limited. Fortunately, I had already decided on going to Germany, so I didn't have much trouble choosing or too much hesitation. Although the paperwork was a bit complicated, as long as you plan your time well, the application process will surely go smoothly.

On my first day at DHBW, I met people from all over the world. DHBW also provided some small gifts for international students. Since DHBW allowed us to contact our buddies before I arrived in Germany, I didn't have to worry about adapting to the new environment. The buddy team also organized various activities for international students to experience Heidenheim. Additionally, the school took us on a trip to Berlin, allowing us to learn about German history from the modernized capital.

The course schedule is very different from Feng Chia. A single course is taught consecutively for one to two weeks and concludes with a report or an exam; you could say that you face a "final exam" roughly every one or two weeks. Sometimes courses overlap, but the professors are understanding because that is beyond the students' control. The coursework is not difficult because every international student has enough time to prepare for exams; if you don't go out to play too often, you can certainly handle it. Every German student I met was kind and very helpful. So far, I haven't had any problems with the coursework, and my grades are good. Besides academics, DHBW also helps students find internship opportunities. They provide various lectures to help international students write good resumes and cover letters, as well as understand German work culture. In addition to the lectures, we visited two companies that were very welcoming to foreigners. Learning about German work culture from actual cases and building connections within the companies was a very valuable experience.

I gained a wonderful experience during this trip abroad. Although I encountered some small problems, all of them were solvable. The Germans are very nice, and there is a lot of magnificent scenery. Thanks to the scholarship, I had the opportunity to travel around Germany and meet people from different countries. Most importantly, it expanded my horizons and allowed me to learn things that cannot be learned from books.

University of Skövde

董健浩

Six months have passed very quickly. This also happens to be my graduation year. The exchange program gave me a very unique experience and left me with no regrets about my university life. The first thing I felt unaccustomed to when I arrived in Sweden was the freezing weather. Since I went on exchange during the second half of the academic year, the sun set quite early when I first arrived. Moreover, many shops close very early, which is a huge difference compared to the lifestyle in Taiwan.

The most important thing when going on exchange is to proactively reach out to different people at the beginning, as your social circle in the first month is the most crucial! Of course, it’s important to communicate politely and respect one another. Generally, people in Europe are very friendly, and Sweden is among the countries where racial discrimination occurs the least. So, go out and proactively get to know different people; otherwise, if you spend the entire exchange within your comfort zone, it loses its meaning.

If you want to experience Sweden at its most beautiful, going in the second semester is the best choice. This is because it is the transition from winter to spring, and during the summer, you can experience Sweden’s "Midsommar," where it never gets dark all day. This is one of Sweden’s biggest festivals, though many regions did not celebrate this year due to the pandemic. All in all, this exchange has truly brought significant gains to my life. Sweden also has the lowest cost of living among the five Nordic countries. For normal daily necessities, the cost is only about 150% of that in Taipei.

Chung-Ang University (CAU)

Chiu Ya Ting

Compared to European and American countries, the cost of living in South Korea is lower, so the financial burden on the family is smaller. Furthermore, South Korea is one of the countries with very successful economic development, so I have always wanted to experience this country and find out the differences between South Korea and Taiwan, despite both being Asian countries, and see what is worth learning from them. Therefore, I chose to go to Chung-Ang University in South Korea as an exchange student.

In addition to academic learning, I also participated in many extracurricular activities to gain a deeper understanding of Korean culture. Every semester, Chung-Ang University organizes three to four CKEP (Chung-Ang Korea’s Exploration Program) events for exchange students. These activities are free for international students, but spaces are limited and the competition is very intense; students need to secure a spot by filling out a Google Form. This semester, I participated in two CKEP events: a trip to Nami Island and a trip to Yangpyeong to experience Korean rural life. Both activities were a lot of fun; besides experiencing Korean culture, I also met many exchange students from other countries through these events.

During this year of exchange in Korea, I had many different experiences. Living abroad alone taught me to be independent and to handle various matters by myself. I had the opportunity to meet many international friends, exploring Korea together while learning about their cultures. South Korea is a very modernized country that simultaneously preserves many traditional cultures; one can truly have many wonderful experiences here. Moreover, Korea has distinct seasonal changes, allowing for travel to appreciate the beautiful scenery of each season. I believe being an exchange student truly brings many gains. As long as you are brave enough to try, make friends, and adapt to different cultures, you can create countless beautiful memories. Although you may encounter difficulties, once you break through those challenges, you will find there are many wonderful experiences awaiting you.