Maria

On my first day of school at Wenzao as an undergraduate student, I was Maria Wilkinson, 21 years old and only comprehending slightly what studying in Taiwan meant for me. At this time, I didn’t have the foresight to recognize how significant the next four years were going to be.

What I have experienced in Taiwan and at Wenzao has been growth, both academically and personally. As an International Affairs student, I can now knowledgeably explain the Syrian war, I can explain the significance of politician’s stories developed from current events, and most importantly, I can write an academic thesis. What I learned from gaining this academic knowledge was (1) something worth doing takes time and hard work, (2) mastering self-discipline is essential for worthy results, and (3) rather than looking at adversity as a daunting task, one should embrace the obstacles as a chance to learn. On top of these three lessons learned, one of the most prominent things I have learned is that my future, after being in Taiwan, is broad and wide. There was no greater place to study, for me, than Taiwan.