GIVING BACK to my beloved TAIWAN

By:

Sammy Yassin

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This was a great experience, I never knew I could actually control so many kids as well (well, as mediocre) as I did! It was just a natural joy for Christmas, no eggnog required****subject to change

 I really must say that I’m very pleased in how the “Giving Back” effort took place. December 20th until New Year’s weren’t really my finest days. Partly due to this being my first time away from home during Thanksgiving. What was an alright alternative to Thanksgiving had me not so amped up for Christmas, so I did everything possible that I thought would get me in my own holiday cheer: self-made Christmas tree, Lambrusco wine, Christmas carols. That was Christmas Eve, but on actual Christmas, what in the world was I going to do? To everybody else around me, even some fellow international students, Christmas didn’t have a meaning to them. This was going to suck. Then Christmas Eve night as I was on my 15-minute Facebook break, I came across a post in one of the local pages here and it advertised “Just play games with my English class and I’ll treat you to a gift card.” In my depression, I went ahead and messaged him. He was a private English instructor for a Taiwanese after-school program and needed someone to take his spot, and I was the first to claim it. So, after attending my own candy-filled day of Chinese class, I substituted 2 hours of English tutoring and musical chairs with 12 Taiwanese kids for the early part of my Christmas evening! Next, it was off to a lovely Canadian friend’s house for a traditional Christmas meal. Thankfully, my Christmas wishes of innocence and cheer were fulfilled.

Sammy Yassin

Ni hao! My name is Sammy Yassin. I was born and raised in Nebraska and most recently, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. During the start of my biological studies at Shelton State Community College, I stumbled upon an opportunity to visit Taiwan with a friend. This opportunity emerged into enrollment at Feng Chia University’s Chinese language center. In turn, a seed was planted that has cultivated its way into my educational track. As a current student of University of Alabama’s self-disciplinary New College, I am pleased to propose international exploration as an actual contribution towards my Bachelor’s degree, entitled “Biomedical Sciences/ Chinese Studies.” Following a year’s worth of Mandarin, my memory and fortitude will be put to the ultimate test as I take on another round of (Chinese) checkers, but with a different game plan this time. My cultural fondness of Taiwan helps influence great partnerships towards health related employment at the Department of Homeland Security. My pre-departure courses in beginning Mandarin and Asian culture aside pre-medicinal courses are an excellent driving force for the bipartisan relationship that is yet to come. My biological background, along with New College’s independent encouragement, helps consolidate my goals into one extraordinary degree plan. With intensive knowledge on both sciences and the globe, I feel that my research will be to the benefit of far more than just myself. Thus, if all goes according to plan, I will be able to apply my joint abilities in a multicultural manner. This, in turn, will create a personal phenomenon that ties the principles of healthcare and the languages of America and Taiwan all into one nice package. I hope to later organize a formal conference for American-Taiwanese relations, or advise the next springboard of bilateral influence to better draw the countries closer together.