What would I do if I could go back to Taiwan

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Benjamin Bitner

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Benjamin Bitner

<i>Pronouns:</i> He/him <i>Home Institution:</i> University of Dayton <i>Expected Graduation:</i> 2025 <i>Major / Minor:</i> Marketing / Asian Studies & Chinese <i>Study Abroad Location:</i> Taipei, Taiwan <i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> ไฝ ๅฅฝ <i>Program Provider:</i> CET <i>Identity:</i> First-Generation College Student, LGBTQ+ <i>Future Career Goals:</i> My future career goal would to be the ambassador for East Asian country or work in international trade focusing in Agriculture <i>Top 3 Goals for your time abroad:</i> Learn 1000 Chinese chapters, Hike the teapot mountain, Visit a Chinese hot springs

Hi Friends, one of the most common questions I answer from my Taiwanese and American is โ€œIf I could go back what would I doโ€ (or some variety close to this.) The answer is Iโ€™m not too sure. There are so many factors that go into me coming back, many of which are out of my control but for sure I would go back. Three months was not enough time to discover the true beauty of the country, and I feel that my Chinese must improve before doing that. But if I were to come back there are a few goals I hope to accomplish.

The first goal would be to visit the southern half of the island. A lot of my time was spent in Taipei, due to time constants that come with studying a language that isnโ€™t your own. If I had the opportunity to come back, I think the first two places I would go are Tainan, and Kenting National Park. Both locations are fantastic for their own reasons. The first is Tainan known for its wonderful night markets and wonderful Tomatoes! Whereas Kenting is known for its fascinating and breathtaking views. Both trips are better to do with friends, but due to time constraints I never got around to it.

My second goal would be to spend more time in the rural parts of Taiwan. Coming from an Agricultural Community I would have loved to spend more time in different areas exploring how Agricultural Technology differs amongst the nation. Also, I just find rural areas to be beautiful, and I was able to spend a day in one, but we really didnโ€™t have the opportunity to explore the Agricultural side of the town we were in.

The final goal I would have would be to spend more time on the business end of Taiwan. As a business major, I would love to come back and intern for an American Company in Taiwan. This would give me a solid footing for a job back in America but also give me a space to practice my Chinese freely, which is very important, as it can be hard to practice at my school outside of class. If I had the choice I would love to work for J.P. Morgan or KPMG located in Taipei.

Overall, I really enjoyed my program, and I am very thankful for the opportunity I was given to go to Taiwan. I really do hope I can go back and visit as I made so many friends and connections that I would like to be able to see again!