International student activities promote transcultural interactions

Source: Taipei Medical University

Published on 2018-02-26

TMU encourages international students’ integration into Taiwanese culture by helping to improve their Chinese-language skills. So that they can experience the local characteristics of Taiwan’s society, TMU increases opportunities for integration with local students. This helps both sides develop a broader global vision.

Specific events include cross-cultural exchanges, experiences and activities such as the International Culture Night, a gingerbread house-making event, a gift exchange, the Chinese Medicine Society’s Winter Body Mending Party, Chinese cooking class and others have been held by Office of Global Engagement from December 2017 to January 2018.

The third “TMU’s Got Talent” allowed international and local students to perform, and it showcased a wide range of folk and popular entertainment. This allows students to express their talents and display their cultures with pride. This third year saw more performance groups as students invited others to participate in the program. With more than two hundred performers, it was a lively scene!

In addition to Indonesian dances, Vietnamese ballads and dances, Bollywood and other music and dance performances by international students, Taiwanese students contributed a chorus and Korean students played piano. At the end, all of the students ran to the stage and danced together.

Visit TMU’s Got Talent for more details.

Before the new year, the Office of Global Engagement hosted a popular Gingerbread House DIY and gift exchange. International students and local students mixed icing with gingerbread to decorate and package finished products while enjoying snacks, exchanging gifts and sharing the joy of the season.

In addition to Taiwanese students, there were participants from China, Mongolia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, the United States, Italy, Guatemala, Panama and Malawi.

The completed gingerbread houses were neatly boxed

TMU’s student club for Chinese medicine and the Office of Global Engagement sponsored a winter “body mending party” in December to fortify international students for the winter cold with one of Taiwan’s specialties, hot pot.

The foreigners appreciated the warmth of fellowship as well as the cultural and tonic dining opportunity. Chinese medicine students conveyed the basics of herbal medicine effects and applications. Speakers also discussed local culture and traditions regarding Taiwan’s solar terms, so students can recognize the influence of traditional medicine and its related food culture.

Local students discuss herbal medicines and international students enjoy Taiwan hot pot

To make learning Chinese more interesting, the Office of Global Engagement this semester has included menu design and introduction to foods for international students. Participants introduced their own menus in class, voted for the most attractive recipe (banana-oatmeal muffins), and cooked it. While cooking, teaching continued on the names of the ingredients, and Chinese solitaire games gave students a fun way to learn.

Groups present their recipes and cook the one they have chosen

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