That First Week Swag

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Hi Everyone!

It’s been a crazy week! Crazy awesome! Let’s pick up where we left off last time, yeah?

So I had orientation last Friday. It was pretty snazzy. Yes, I had a few issues getting my courses chosen, but we’re all good. The next day, we went to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. So awesome! It’s a theme park here in Taiwan, but it’s in Nantou. It was special because ALL of the exchange students went. I even made some friends. My friend and I ended up chilling with two other girls from Mainland. It was really great. We got to practice our Chinese, and they got to practice their English, and we also learned some Korean. We rode a few rides, and we got to watch one of the shows from the ้˜ฟ็พŽๆ—or Amis Tribe. It was really great. It was a long day, but really great. It’s really hard to put into words what a great time we had. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. We even had some Turkish ice cream! ้€™้บผๅฅฝๅƒ! I’d definitely recommend the park to anyone who is in Taichung or in mid-Taiwan! I think I would definitely recommend spending more time in villages and less time at Sun Moon Lake, though Sun Moon Lake was GORGEOUS! Riding the cable cars was relaxing, and we got some nice pictures.

Just amazing!
Just amazing!

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Turkish Ice Cream! Yum!
Turkish Ice Cream! Yum!

So next. My first week of class? Intense! But, I’m hopeful. I think my favorite class is going to be my Financial Management course and of course my Chinese class! I think I still need to get used to the campus. It’s uphill! My home university is very flat, and everything is really close. But here, it’s so much bigger! At least I’m getting my exercise in. I’m still hopeful that it will get better. Well, I have some homework to do. First Chinese test on Monday. ๅŠ ๆฒน๏ผ

ๅธ้บ—

Juli Smith

ไฝ ๅฅฝใ€‚ๆˆ‘ๅซๅธไธฝใ€‚ๆˆ‘ๅพˆ้ซ˜ๅ…ด่ฎค่ฏ†ไฝ ๏ผ Salutations! My name is Juli Smith. I am currently a second year student at Loyola University New Orleans double majoring in International Business and Accounting and minoring in Asian Studies. I was born and raised in the Big Easy (New Orleans), and I like to think it shows wherever I go. I'll be studying abroad for the academic year in Taichung City, Taiwan, and I couldn't be more ecstatic! I have been studying Mandarin Chinese for 5 years now, and I'm ready to put my skills to the test and bring them up to the next level. I also hope to do work with the Taiwanese Sign Language community. I use my hands a lot when I speak, but now I want to use them with a purpose. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to go abroad. Being a first generation student has definitely brought its challenges with figuring out the college process, but I have made it this far, and I am determined to make it to the end. Going abroad is my next step, and I am ready. Taichung, here I come!