Ladies and gentlemen, My name is Luong The-Anh (梁世英), a Vietnamese student of the Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University (NTU). Today, I would like to share with you some thoughts about my life and my studying in Taiwan and at NTU.
I spent only one year in Taipei to do the Master’s Degree, but this short period of time was the most interesting experience that I have ever had. I am from Vietnam, a developing country, where everything (e.g., economy, culture, science & technology, education, etc.) is changing gradually everyday. Therefore, when I first arrived in Taiwan, the surprise I had was beyond description. Life is so peaceful; the weather is so pleasant; the air is so fresh; and the streets are so clean. One of my strong impressions is the transportation infrastructure in Taipei, which is really great in my view. The smart and modern transportation system allows passengers to go wherever they want to go within the shortest possible time and with the greatest convenience. I have hardly seen any traffic jam during my stay in Taipei. Traffic accidents also rarely happen because drivers and motorcyclists follow the traffic rules. This is why a minor traffic accident might be broadcasted several times on television in a day, which more or less comes with the objective of alerting people to exercise extra care on street.
My second impression is how Taiwanese people behave. Everyday and everywhere you can hear people say “excuse me,” “sorry” and “thank you.” This kind of gentle behavior helps cultivate mutual respect among people. Taiwanese are very friendly and hospitable, and, hence, I have never needed to worry about going into a high-end fashion shop with an empty wallet. Although I did not intend to buy anything, I could freely try anything in the shop. Sometimes, I even received friendly smiles from the cute shop attendants.
However, the most memoriable thing that I have is the close relationship between professors and students at NTU. Some of my friends from other countries told me that in Europe or the United States, you may not find a place where the professor-student relationship is greater than that in Taiwan, especially at NTU. I am really proud of being a student at NTU, because studying at NTU gave me a superb chance to know all the wonderful professors and friends. The relationship between professors and students at NTU is not as superficial as the lecturer-learner relationship, and it is more like a family. In my opinion, my advisor was like my second father and I felt that he took me as his son. He cared about my studying, my daily life, and my interests. Our research group frequently had lunch with our advisor, and we usually chitchatted freely during lunch. Moreover, my advisor sometimes proposed to get me a Taiwanese girlfriend, which made me embarrassed but awfully happy.
Now I have graduated from NTU and will start a new chapter in my life. However, NTU and all the unforgettable memories in Taiwan will stay with me forever.
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