Aaron Hani Kartadi
Faculty of Economy and Business 2014
Spring Semester Exchange StudentProvidence University, Taiwan
Became an exchange student is a wonderful and unforgettable moment in my life!. So many benefit I got from this program although I have to postponed my graduation ceremony, but it’s truly worthed!. I arrived at Taiwan in the middle of February, it is still in the winter season there. The temperature on that day is around 7-8 celcius, compare to our country (Indonesia) which almost 30 celcius or more all the whole year, Taiwan is so cold for me. I was very excited when my plane landed at Taoyuan International Airport of Taiwan. The atmosphere is greatly different from Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. My campus in Taiwan has an organization named IFB (International Friendship Buddy), who will guide exchange student to adapt with Taiwan culture, buy things such as food and other necessary, help me with the class, and also can accompany me to travel around Taiwan, because they aren’t come from the same county in Taiwan, like Tainan, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hualien, Taoyuan, Nantou, and many other places. Providence’s International Office do really care about exchange students, so it is very convenient for me and another students.Exchange students in Providence University also divided into many family members, and my family member come from mainland China, Taiwan, and Indonesia. But, in other family, there are also come from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Korea, Japan, Europe (Germany, France, England, etc), and also Africa and America (Paraguay, New York, Nebraska), and so many another countries.The IFB really help me to understand many things in Taiwan, and it was a very pleasant to have a chance to meet many people from many countries, make many new friends. I learnt another country culture like Japan, who always greets before doing something (so polite), Korea, Germany, England (and other western country) and especially Taiwan it self. I learnt that Taiwanese people don’t really like child, because they think child will bother their activity, so they prefer to have dog than child, and many Taiwan culture related to the ancestors and their beliefs.Providence University and some of Taiwan universities do not have a strict rule about the students, like we can use slippers, short, and t-shirt to go to the class, so it is really convenient for students, who aren’t used to use trousers and shoes to go to campus. As an exchange student, I can choose any course I want, even master program courses, and I took International Marketing Management from International Business Program. The professor of this course taught me many lessons that I never had in Accounting program; and I think it is really useful as my additional capabilities in the future. Because of this class and my classmates there, my mind was opened, and make me want to take master degree in another country, and I considering Taiwan!. Thus, became an exchange student was a turning point in my life. It is unforgettable and wonderful moments because of the friendly people, the comfortable environment, meeting new friends, and learning another country’s culture. I really suggest to the junior to join this program!, or you will regret it!.
