Experiencing the beauty of Taiwanese culture: Southern Taiwan University of Science
and Technology held the 2014 Eighth Chinese Cultural Camp in Taiwan.

Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST) held, in August, the 2014 Eighth Chinese Cultural Camp in Taiwan. A total of 44 students from 16 sister schools, led by 3 teachers, participated in the event. They came from 5 different countries, including Japan, Korea, Germany, Austria, and the Philippines. The participants not only learned Chinese language in the camp but also fully experienced the traditions and customs of the people in Taiwan in all the cultural programs.

Through their interaction with students voluntary to be their companions and guides, they studied with insight into this beautiful island and its great hospitality. In addition to Chinese language courses, STUST also arranged a number of activities related to Taiwanese culture, including puppetry, Hakka blue dye, traditional toys, cooking, and pottery.

uring the event, STUST worked with Tainan City and Chiayi City and orchestrate a series of outdoor learning, including a trip to Taichung. In Tainan, an international-based Chinese learning program was followed by a city tour for the students to see the scenery and learn the history of this ancient city. In Chiayi, the outdoor learning focused on orchards and farms, where students could experience a strong nostalgia of the early life in Taiwan. Another trip was a visit to Newport, where the students could experience how plates and pottery were made for temple building in Taiwan. The trip to Taichung led the students to one of the eight greatest sights in Taiwan-- Sun Moon Lake--and the Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village, where they learned to know the various ethnic groups in Taiwan, experience the way aboriginal people lived, and enjoy aboriginal dances. All these activities ultimately helped them understand that Taiwanese culture is really a multifaceted one. While most of the students already knew a little about Taiwan, they were very interested in Taiwanese culture. It was great for them to be able to experience the local culture in Taiwan. They were so happy to learn here and so happy to be surprised by each activity during their stay in Taiwan.