Fulbright Dispatch From Taiwan

As I sit in a quiet teahouse, I reflect on my life these past few months. There have been many changes since I graduated. To start, I live in Penghu, an archipelago off the coast of Taiwan—an experience that has been both transformative and humbling. I have already faced some interesting challenges, such as passing Taiwan’s scooter exam, figuring out that the music playing from a truck every night is not in fact an ice cream truck—but a trash truck, and we have only just begun Penghu’s infamous “windy season” that locals have been warning us about. 

Although there have been some challenges, I couldn’t imagine myself living anywhere else. From sunny days when the ocean glitters with every wave, to discovering of my love for guava covered in passion-fruit-juice, pot-stickers from my favorite dumpling place, and cactus matcha from a trendy café—I truly believe I am living in paradise.

When I found out I was placed in Penghu, one of Taiwan’s rural and remote counties, my mind filled with images of traditional stone villages, night markets, and few “Western comforts”, but former grantees told me to go into this journey without expectations. I found that although Penghu is rural, I have everything I need; there are supermarkets, a mall, convenience stores, and even a Starbucks. Most importantly, there is a strong sense of community between the locals, a community that has welcomed me with open arms. 

I find myself running into people I know everywhere I go. My distinct appearance as a foreigner in a small town means that shopkeepers remember me, and people are curious to learn about me. Strangers have invited me to play soccer, join them for karaoke, and visit their homes for barbecues or to learn to make moon cakes—and that is what makes Penghu, and the Fulbright program, so special.

I often run into my students outside of class, whether I am walking along the beach, grabbing a snack from 7-11, or sitting in a restaurant their family owns. As embarrassing as it is to run into your teacher in the wild, they always come up to say hi and repeat the English I taught them in class. 

“Are you hungry?” my 3rd grader Sherry asked me when I sat down for dinner in her mom’s restaurant. I tell her yes, I am. Her mom was so happy to meet one of Sherry’s teachers that she brought me a cactus juice—one of Penghu’s iconic flavors. 

In the classroom, I split my time between 2 schools where I teach grades 1-6. Both of my schools have less than 35 students each, and class sizes are small. My role in the classroom is to be a warm presence, a conversation partner, and to pour as much love into these students as possible. My students went from shy whispering about the new foreign teacher, to timid “hello English teacher” greetings in the hallway, to enthusiastic welcomes when I walk into school. My students love to offer me their snacks, cling to my leg as I walk to class, and give me rocks that they find during recess. 

A typical day might look like participating in a metal work class with my 3rd and 4th graders—where they learned to greet me with a chorus of “67”s, then I visit my single 1st grader to teach the alphabet where she happily shows me the dance move she made up for the letter “Z”. After that, I go to my 2nd graders and practice phonics with them—we play a version of charades where you make the sound of the letter. At lunch students come visit my desk and teach me Chinese for the English words I teach them; finally, I finish my day with my 3rd graders where we review vocabulary and practice conversation through games and songs.

My Local English Teachers (LETs) have truly taken me under their wing. I came into Fulbright without formal teaching experience, but my LETs have patiently given me the freedom to be creative in class and given me feedback on my ideas. One of my LETs told me younger students respond really well to movement—so incorporating a dance as a warmup increases their focus. So, when my students look tired, I pull up Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, and they wake up immediately begging me to speed up the song. The other teachers in my office help me practice Mandarin, teach me Taiwanese words and phrases, and bring me gifts of food or coffee.

On a field trip with my school, I was given the opportunity to learn about the lifestyle in a traditional village in Penghu. The harsh winter winds make it difficult to work outside, so women often wrap their hair and faces to protect themselves. One of my co-teachers asked me if I would like to try their wrapping technique in front of all of the students, and although I was shy, I agreed. My students went crazy to see the foreign teacher get dressed up and they followed me around asking to take a picture. One of my 5th graders came up to me and asked “Are you my foreign teacher? I can’t tell”, and I realized how naturally cultural exchange can happen. As long as I came with a willingness to learn and to try new things, I was demonstrating an interest in learning Taiwanese culture, which led to more opportunities for exchange. After my students took their photo with me, they made me peanut rice congee where they used traditional ways for grinding the rice. From that point forward, the students saw me not just as someone there to teach them English and American culture, but as someone there to learn, and they became “little teachers”.

For those looking for an opportunity to pour into a community that welcomes you with open arms, the Fulbright program is for you. The duties of the program make cultural exchange natural and give you opportunities to serve in the community and learn parts of their culture that are incredibly difficult to find elsewhere. In addition, my cohort and coordinator have made Penghu feel like home. Every day I look forward to sharing a meal with my cohort as we recount our days and play Mahjong. As the days fly by, I find myself humbled by the fact that I could not have gotten into this program without the guidance of Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning and the professors and mentors that wrote my recommendations.  

If you are considering the Fulbright program, but are unsure of what it entails, I would encourage you to reach out to someone who is either a current or former Fulbright grantee—especially if they were placed in the country you are applying. It also helps to start your application as early as possible. The Office of Engaged Learning provided guidance that was invaluable to my application, and the strongest advice that I can echo is to really have a strong argument for why Fulbright, why the country to which you’re applying, and why now—and ensure the application has enough of your personality that the Fulbright committee can picture you as a cultural ambassador.

My Fulbright journey is well underway, and as I learn the rhythm of living in a new country, a new culture, and a new routine, the most important thing I remember is that I have a community to guide me—the Penghu locals, my cohort, the Fulbright program, and everyone who has helped me make this dream a reality.