Student Profiles
Program alumni are the best resources for students interested in going abroad, and they are available to answer your questions. If you would like to talk to a recent student about their experience in Kaohsiung, get in touch with the advisor, Bill Mayers.
Devansh Dutta, Williams College
My four months at Middlebury’s program in Kaohsiung have been invaluable in enhancing my Chinese language comprehension. I took several engaging classes that provided insights into a wide range of topics, including the culture and history of Kaohsiung, as well as the political complexities of cross-strait relations. One of the highlights was my one-on-one class, where I explored a topic of personal interest: economic relationships across China, Taiwan and South Asia.
Outside of the classroom, we were all paired with a local roommate and spoke exclusively in Chinese, which helped me develop a deeper understanding of the language in everyday, casual settings. The program also offered the opportunity to explore Kaohsiung and Taiwan. All of us in the program made the most of the city’s cultural and historical abundance; we also frequently took weekend trips to nearby cities. During our spring break, I set off on a solo bike trip from Kaohsiung to Taipei, exploring towns and landscapes along Taiwan’s west coast and engaging with locals along the way.
The program provided a truly immersive experience and is an incredible opportunity to strengthen one’s Chinese skills
Zinzi Steele, Middlebury College
Studying abroad in Kaohsiung was not only an amazing way to push my Chinese progress forward, but also was an incredible opportunity to explore a new country and part of the world. During my time in Kaohsiung, I was able to make great strides in my Chinese both in and out of the classroom. From rigorous and engaging Chinese classes, communicating with my roommate solely in Chinese, and immersing myself in the city and culture, my ability to communicate in Chinese improved daily.
Having the opportunity to explore Kaohsiung and the country of Taiwan was an experience I will never forget. Taiwan has such a diverse variety of places and terrains to travel to: big cities, vast mountain ranges, beautiful beaches, and more! I loved traveling to many different cities and towns all over Taiwan, and getting to bike, hike, swim, and explore in different cities and destinations outside of Kaohsiung. While I spent the bulk of my time in Taiwan, Kaohsiung also served as a great launching pad to travel relatively easily internationally. While abroad, I was able to travel to Seoul, Phuket, Tokyo, and Hanoi, all trips I feel very lucky to have taken and will never forget!
One of my favorite parts of my time abroad was joining a CrossFit gym in Kaohsiung. At the gym, I was fully immersed in a Chinese speaking environment. Being in this setting was so special, and I learned so much by taking the classes all in Chinese and was able to connect with a new demographic of people in Taiwan with a shared interest and find a community outside of school. If you choose to study at Middlebury in Taiwan, I highly encourage you to find a community in Kaohsiung beyond the program and university; it really will give you a stronger connection to the city and its people.
While linguistically and culturally challenging at times, studying in Kaohsiung was such a special experience, and students have great professors and leadership supporting them along the way. Looking back, my semester in Kaohsiung was the experience of a lifetime and will remain one of my most unique and amazing experiences
Lucy Patton, Middlebury College
The opportunity to study abroad in Kaohsiung, Taiwan was truly amazing. This program allowed me to advance my Chinese skills in so many different ways in such a short period of time. The opportunity to take classes entirely in Chinese was challenging but ultimately super rewarding. It’s an amazing feeling looking back and thinking about how much content I learned about Cross-Strait Relations, the culture of Kaohsiung and how business is conducted, entirely in Chinese.
In addition to my classes, I loved exploring a completely new place. The efficient public transportation system in Kaohsiung allowed me to explore so much of the city. My weekends were filled with trips around Taiwan, and I feel so lucky that I was able to experience the bustling city of Taipei, the scenic mountains of Alishan, the beautiful coastline of Taidong and so much more. I even had the opportunity to travel to many amazing places outside of Taiwan, such as Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The program staff and professors were super supportive throughout the entire semester, and because it was such a small program we were able to become so close in such a short period of time. Studying abroad through Middlebury’s program in Taiwan was such an amazing experience and I would recommend this program to anyone looking to practice their Chinese language skills, meet some amazing people, and explore a new place.