by Yvonne Lee
After school, I head to a secluded place in an alley in downtown Taipei. The place is meticulously adorned with greenery while warm light penetrates the leafy plants. A refreshing fragrance pours out immediately upon opening the shiny glass door. As I walk into the main building, soft music floats in the aromatic air, accompanied by my footsteps knocking on the wooden path. Here I can ease my pressures, regain energy for tomorrow, and have a wonderful meal all within the space of three hours. This is the kind of place very popular nowadays in Taiwan: a spa. Spas, from Latin salus par aqua (cured by water), have been popular for centuries. Yet it was not until the last ten years that spas became well known in Taiwan. Certainly, stress is the cause of this trend. The economic boom and then the ensuing downturn have brought people nothing but stress. When people are not able to deal with pressure they go to spas for help. To date, spas have surpassed their original hydrotherapy and have expanded into a brand new attitude toward life. So how can washing and massaging turn into a popular phenomenon? The answer can’t be found without firsthand experience. I made my debut in a hair spa with no idea what these pretty therapists were going to do to me. After changing into a bathrobe and slippers, the whole package started with a personal consultation using some high-tech machines and computer devices that I have never seen before. With a cup of sweet-smelling herbal tea in hand, I was told in detail my hair and scalp condition and given personalized therapy. While I was still astonished and a bit scared by what I just saw on the monitor, I found myself placed in a comfortable wicker chair in an exotic massage room. The coolness of a relaxing gel calmed me down. Then my therapist chatted with me in a soft voice while massaging my scalp. After that, I had the most lavish hair wash in my whole life - two different kinds of shampoo for my hair and my scalp; followed by a chamomile essential oil massage and an orange essential oil one for my face. Seated in a dimly lit room with a hypnotic atmosphere and soft music, feeling the tender vibration from the massage chair beneath, I fell asleep in the middle of it! This, however, was only half of the whole process. The treatment went on for another two hours. While I thought hair drying was the end of it, I was led into another massage room. There I had an upper body and foot massage with lavender essential oil plus a rest interval where I was served delicious low-fat cake and herbal tea. Why massage? They told me it was necessary for good circulation and I had to wait until my hair was fully conditioned anyway. Finally, the treatment wrapped up with another test to prove my head and hair were fine-tuned, and I got advice on how to maintain good conditioning at home. I felt refreshed and energetic. Now you must be wondering how much all this might cost. Spas can be affordable for college students. Although membership is required in every spa, some are quite easy to join. In one case, the annual membership fee is around NT 4000. So save ten dollars a day and you’re able to become a member. That means you can go whenever you want and use every facility there from the sauna to good food. Some people go there just for the sake of health; some for relaxation. Not only women go to spas, but men, babies, even pets can join in the experience! The gloomy economic situation seems to be affecting everyone and everything, but spas appear to be the only industry that’s free from depression. The four leading spa corporations are all enjoying booming business and are quickly expanding all over Taiwan. When I chatted with some therapists in one spa, they told me a girl from the NTU Chinese Department had gone there the day before! I would say that spas are places with a spell. Few people can resist it once they experience how magical it is. Just indulge in the pleasant milieu for a couple of hours; in the meantime you get your five senses fully toned and refreshed. So why not spa? (Special thanks to Danger Figure Enterprise Day Spa, Tun-hua Branch: No. 8, Lane 53, Alley 63, Sec. 2, Tun-hua S. Rd; and to Merry Spa: B1, No. 86, Sec. 1, Tun-hua S. Rd) #Volume 7 Issue 1
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by Mimi Chong
Most people in Taiwan may believe that the most awaited Hollywood movie of the year is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and they’re only partly correct. The other book-turned-movie phenomenon that legions of fans are eagerly waiting for is The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which comes to theatres in December, and is based on the famous fantasy novel of the same name. The Lord of the Rings was published in the 1950’s, and it was written by J.R.R. Tolkien, a Professor of English at Oxford University, whose expertise and interest in Old English, linguistics and Norse and Celtic legend influenced the creation of Middle-Earth, an imaginary world woven entirely of the stuff of myth and folktale. Magnificent in scale and meticulous in detail, Middle-Earth is the backdrop for The Lord of the Rings and its companion stories, and home of many peoples and cultures that each have their own history and language, peoples like Humans, Elves, Orcs, Ents, and Hobbits. The humans of LotR are a young race, living under a code of sword and honour; Elves are austere, near-immortal beings of an ancient race that is slowly dying out. Dwarves are short and fiery-tempered; Ents are more akin to trees than anything else; Orcs and Ringwraiths are the misshapen minions of evil. But The Lord of the Rings is mainly the story of a hobbit. Hobbits are furry-footed, short-statured folk with a deep love of home, hearth and a pipe after a good dinner – the least adventurous of people. Misfortune or fate brought the One Ring into the possession of Frodo, a young hobbit with no inkling of its corrupting power until Dark Riders came to hunt him down; and with his companions he embarks upon a journey that spans over hill and under ground, a war, and a thousand pages of epic novel that changed the future of fantasy fiction and drew generations of devoted fans. Peter Jackson is such a fan, and is also the film director who had the audacity and vision to bring Tolkien’s masterwork to the screen. The movie-making technology required to bring a completely invented world to life is was now available; so Jackson, with an amazing, dedicated production crew and cast took the plunge and took on Tolkien. It took him and his screenwriters over three years to adapt the three-part novel into a screenplay trilogy, the first installment being The Fellowship of the Ring. Great pains were taken to preserve not only the storyline but also Tolkien’s carefully crafted language, which gives LotR its air of ancient authenticity; in fact, the production crew’s resolution to abide by nothing less than the Word of Tolkien in every single aspect is a quest worthy of Middle-Earth heroes. By no means was The Lord of the Rings going to be a computer-generated movie with cheap “magical” effects. No detail was overlooked in the making of costumes and props: real weaponsmiths and artisans were appointed to fashion over 23,000 individually designed and functional Middle-Earth items like armour, furniture and utensils. The hordes of orcs in the movie each have different silicone faces. To teach actors how to speak the invented Elvish languages, Quenya and Sindarin, fluently, language experts and Tolkien scholars were brought in. Peter Jackson’s native New Zealand in all its pristine and varied splendour provided the backdrop: for a year the crew filmed nonstop in New Zealand’s mountains, forests, and volcanic landscapes. A nest of small green hills became the location for a replica of Hobbiton (naturally, the Hobbits’ town) so perfect that actor Ian McKellen, who plays the wizard Gandalf, said “it was an actual open-air village with growing crops and flowers actually sprouting in gardens, birds singing, insects … nothing was plastic or fake.” Sir Ian is part of a stellar cast that includes Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler, Sean Bean, Sir Ian Holm, and young Elijah Wood as Frodo. Many of the actors were readers of Tolkien themselves, and they treated the filming not as just another job, but with the gusto of people realizing a dream. The most finicky of LotR fans couldn’t find fault with an actor that loved his character as much as they. The most finicky of film critics were also impressed, at a Fellowship of the Ring sneak preview at Cannes this year: not even part of the Film Festival proper, the half-hour showing generated more headlines than any of the movies presented. The Lord of the Rings promises not only to please established fans, but also people who know nothing of fantasy, of elves, dwarves and hobbits; if you’re a moviegoer, this is a film that shouldn’t be missed. You’ll see me waiting in line. #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Julie Sung
This is the story of how I got my navel ring. But it is more than how I got a hole (or actually two) on my stomach. It is meant to pass on the priceless lessons I learnt that Saturday night in Shih-Men-Ting. The following are a few things you must know in order to ensure a safe piercing. Getting a navel ring, or any other kind of body piercing is something that should not be done on the spur of the moment. But since I was so eager to get my piercing that very day, I settled for a shop where the piercer had dirt under his fingernails and wore no gloves. My reckless behavior could have led to major problems. Although I was lucky enough to have survived the experience without any harm, I could have easily contracted a serious disease such as liver cancer or suffered from a severe infection. So don’t make the same mistake I did. Do not compromise your health for a silly whim. Remember that the piercer must be wearing gloves and the needle he uses should be in a sealed sterile package, which he opens in front of you just before the piercing and destroys immediately afterwards. If you doubt the sterility of a piercer’s instruments or procedure at any time during your piercing experience, please speak up! Ignoring such fundamental sanitation issues may result in nasty infections, diseases, or even death!! Another important aspect is the price. Do not let the owners intimidate you into believing everything they say. Keep in mind that these people are professional liars. Prices vary anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand. Since jewelry made of stainless steel will be the easiest to clean and the least prone to infection or adverse reaction, it is wise to start with them. However, one has to doubt the authenticity of stainless steel jewelry that costs too little, no matter what the piercer tells you. But don’t let that drive you into choosing the most expensive one either. I would say a little over a thousand would be reasonable. Then again, I am not an authority on body jewelry, so I would advise you to use your common sense and natural intuition. Or better yet, ask around or do some research. Do not rush to the first person that claims to be able to provide the service, because there are many people out there who would do and say anything just to get money out of your pocket. Many of them are not professional piercers and have little experience. I found out that the piercer of one shop used to sell ice-cream cones only a year ago! Before you commit to a certain shop, ask the piercer if they pierce by gun or by hand. Getting pierced with a piercing gun is very unhealthy. A piercing gun inflicts blunt trauma force to the body which increases the chances of infection and an unpleasant healing process. ALL piercings should be performed with a hollow, surgical steel tribevel needle (I learned this on the internet). This will alleviate the problem of “blowout” (having a volcano-like build-up of flesh around the exit hole of your piercing) and decrease chances of infection. Those who do not know the proper process of body piercing may fall victim to unscrupulous, amateur piercers. This is what a professional piercer would do: first, tightly clamp the flesh of the piercing area. Then, when the needle is in line, slide the needle through and insert one end of the starter jewelry into the back of the needle, then in one continuous motion, slide the needle all the way through and leave the jewelry in the piercing. So if the piercer claims to pierce with a gun or directly with the jewelry, without a needle, get out of there! After you are lucky enough to find a clean, professional, trustworthy place, aftercare procedures are important too. Even if you were pierced in a decent place, you could still suffer from infection if you do not take proper care of your piercing, which is in fact a wound. After I had gotten my navel ring, my piercer bragged that I could go swimming if I wanted to. I was not naive enough to believe him. Luckily I had an experienced cousin, who instructed me on proper care of a piercing. You should avoid the area from coming into contact with water until the soreness goes away. The area should be disinfected daily with a special cleaning antiseptic for piercings. Do not clean it with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide! They will aggravate the wound. After a few weeks to a few months (depending on the piercing) your piercing will be fully healed, and you will be ready to upgrade your style from starter jewelry to something a little more fancy. Do not let conniving salespeople talk you into starting a piercing with elaborate jewelry, as they will often do since they cost more. Do not let your vanity lead you into it either. It is better to take it slow than suffer from the agonizing pain of an infection. I know how hard finding a decent, honest place may be but don’t give up. Hopefully, my experience will help those of you who are thinking about getting body piercings to avoid the many traps. Do not settle for an inferior place no matter how badly you want it. If you can’t find a place that meets the criteria above, then you shouldn’t get it done. After all, staying healthy and alive is more important than getting an ornament on your body. #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Joyce Huang
The protagonist of this tale is a boy. An actor. He’s one of those child prodigies, booming to stardom just a bit too early for stability, somewhat spoiled, somewhat snobbish. Arrogant and proud of his talent. A photogenic face, a nice haircut, and he’s the next James Dean, or so he thinks. No one likes him, though enough people pretend to that it doesn’t put a dent in his superiority complex. But he’s a good actor, truly, and he does all his research, goes all out for his job, sinks himself to the eyebrows into his roles, and what it does is lead to a not-so-mild case of identity crisis; beautiful women slink up for a chat and he obliges, eyes opaque, with a mindset that belongs to another. He puts up many, many mirrors in his rooms. People snigger at a narcissistic complex. He begins to hate his face. It’s just skin, a thin and deceptive covering, hiding underneath it a teeming multitude of personalities, and his own is pushed down and down and down, till he doesn’t know how to find it again. One morning his agent enters his room to find all the mirrors smashed, and the protagonist’s hand bleeding into the thick hotel carpet. Their eyes meet, both pairs wild. With the large gashes on his knuckles, the crimson leaking down his pale skin, the unruly hair and uncertain sneer, he does not look entirely sane. They hush it up successfully from the public, as money always will. And yet the gossip-mill is never idle; soon people in inner circles are giggling about how he must not be satisfied with his plastic job, their gazes trailing after him with cheerful malice. He’s never gotten a face lift, damn them, though he’s probably one of the few in Hollywood who can say that without lying. He used to think himself handsome, good-looking, the kind of guy every girl wants for a boyfriend, that every boy wishes to be. He’s not sure what to think, anymore. All he knows is that if he loses it, there are a dozen rising stars eager to depose him and kick his feeble body into a side-alley dumpster. That cannot be borne. His grin grows cockier. When he looks in the mirrors now, he sees bones pressing against the paper layer of skin, no longer a growing boy’s lankiness but a sparity of flesh that speaks of a starving soul. People say that he’s full of himself, and it’s not that far from the truth. What they don’t seem to understand, or care about, is that if he doesn’t fill the emptiness inside him, no one else will. He takes to wild all-night parties. Women. Drink. Ultimately, narcotics. Like a mouse that begins to nibble its own tail with the lack of an external food source, he is gradually swallowing himself whole. In the end, he does. Stars rise. Stars fall. He fades into the oblivion of the night sky, with only a few old, discarded magazine covers to mark the passing of his existence. He has no name. He has a dozen names, ten dozen, ten dozen times a hundred or a hundred thousand. Forgotten idols whose shrines have long since run wild, this is their story. #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Kim Douglas
We all have different perceptions as to what true Paradise really is. Many people find it in the Caribbean. The Caribbean is basically a huge chain of islands bordered by Florida in the north and extending all the way to Belize in the south. It is a melting pot of various cultures, lifestyles and people. In actuality there is more to the Caribbean than just sandy beaches, nice weather and an outstanding culture. The islands were initially inhabited by Indian tribes who came by boat from South America via the Caribbean Sea. They were later bombarded by the Europeans (namely British, Spanish, French and Dutch). These Europeans desired primarily to colonize the Caribbean islands and turn them into huge estates to produce crops that the European temperate climate was unsuitable for. In their quest, the Europeans found the natives uncooperative and as a last resort proceeded to Africa where they began the slave trade. This proved successful and was conducted for about 200 years. As a result, black people dominated the population of the Caribbean. Therefore by the time slavery was abolished in 1834 the future of these countries remained uncertain. The struggle continued and through education these beautiful islands eventually became independent by the mid-1900’s. This was indeed a very interesting turning point. Now the power was in the hands of the majority but how would they proceed to develop their respective countries and economies and how would they deal with the post-Colonial era? This in itself is the story of Caribbean Politics. After independence the new leaders of Caribbean States were faced with the difficult task of developing a suitable government system within which their newly formed states could operate efficiently. Since they were no longer colonies they had to develop government systems geared at governing themselves as a sovereign entity. The new Caribbean states proceeded to develop liberal democracies with their own constitutions geared at providing freedom, human rights and democracy. During this period they were strongly influenced by the United States for a very practical reason, since the US realized the strategic location of these small states and knew that they would be deemed prime breeding ground for communist movements wishing to overthrow the United States as a world power. But along with independence came the realization that Caribbean islands now needed to stand on their own feet. No longer did the towering European Nations protect them. The Caribbean islands had to face many global issues that strongly influenced their fragile economies. A country’s economy is no longer seen as an internal matter but as a small entity in a global whole. Globalization leads to specialization where countries most suitable to produce certain products will take the lead. But how will this global trend affect small Caribbean countries? They are going to be forced to compete in an open market with bigger nations. The effect of globalization is indeed detrimental to the Caribbean’s small island states. The tourism industry in the Caribbean, however, seems very promising and involves the conservation of natural resources to maintain a beautiful environment. The islands will also be required to make dramatic strides to upgrade their education and technological facilities in the information age. It is also of utmost importance that these Caribbean Nations do all in their power to attract investors, thus making use of the islands’ strategic location. At the beginning of the new millennium the Caribbean faces new challenges in a radically altered world economic and trade environment, and globalization threatens the very survival of these small states. Their response must therefore be as decisive and visionary as the move taken to bring independence to the islands. #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Yvonne Su
November. With a cold wind roaring outside, turning on the air-conditioner is not the first thing you do any more. What comes to your mind now? Lie lazily inside your warm feather quilt for as long as possible? Enjoy a hot steamy meal at a hotpot place? What about going to a hot spring, which can help ease fatigue and even boost health at a nearby scenic spot? Yes, winter is the best season for hot springs! Undoubtedly it is a terrific method to escape the cold. Even better, we are very lucky to live in a country abundant with hot springs island wide. But there are also many different kinds of hot springs. In general, the most accepted way of bathing in a hot spring is to go to public pools where wearing swimsuits is the basic rule. They are open to both sexes, kids and adults, and very often the entry fee is the lowest. It is like going to a natural swimming pool with a wonderful outdoor view and fresh air. There is no time-limit, but listening to people chatting can also be really annoying sometimes. For people who want to have their own private space and personalized facilities, they can turn to hot springs which are divided into individual rooms. These separate spaces can become your own paradise for forty minutes or an hour without any interruptions. These are ideal for couples and families. However, the charge is always the highest. The last type is the original way of enjoying hot springs. Take all your clothes off and do a bit of body cleaning before entering the water. Of course, these are male-only and female-only pools although some people are still not willing to be totally naked in front of others. Actually, the feeling is not scary at all because everyone is so moved in the arms of nature that there is no peeping. The biggest advantage is the ultimate relaxation for a body without clothing. There are several fantastic hot spring areas near Taipei. For students on a limited budget, the following information (public pools only) will help you to solve all your worries so taking a short hot spring trip will not be difficult. 1. 北投露天溫泉:台北市北投區中山路6號 This site is very close to the Hot Spring Museum. It is a newly established outdoor hot spring with a special ancient courtyard design; six separate pools are open to both sexes. Bathers need to wear swimsuits. Entry is NT 20 on weekdays and NT 40 on weekends. Closed Mondays. 2. 北投溫泉公共浴室:台北市北投區中央北路一段12號 An indoor public hot spring where male and female pools are separated. In order to control the quality of the hot spring facilities, the capacity of each pool is limited to twenty-five people. Entry is NT 40 on weekdays and NT 80 on weekends. 3. 北投瀧乃湯:台北市北投區光明路244號 The oldest hot spring spot in Peitou, which still preserves a traditional Japanese look. Both sexes have their own pools, and therefore wearing swimsuits is not allowed. Entry is NT 70 for half an hour. 4. 陽明山前山公園公共浴室:陽明山前山公園附近紗帽路上 This one is located near the final stop of Bus 260 so it is easy to get there by bus. It is also free. Two huge, sex-separated pools with cool shade trees nearby. It has also become a local favorite. The above is just a brief introduction to a few high quality but reasonably priced hot springs. Transportation couldn’t be more convenient; the MRT and buses are available at frequent intervals to Hsin Peitou (新北投) and Yang Ming Shan (陽明山). Are you ready to give yourself an afternoon off and let hot springs release stress, making you refreshed without spending too much money? Let’s go! #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Eugenia Chao (Eugenia, a former staff member of The Foreign Exchange, is studying this year at Trinity College, Dublin)
Bookstores: Heaven on earth. Traffic: Pedestrians absolutely ignore traffic lights. People show no fear towards the fierce, lunging, double-decker buses. There are no pets on the sidewalks but overfed (touristfed) pigeons everywhere. There are, occasionally, horses pulling carriages (which contain tourists) or bearing policemen (in uniforms resembling those of Taipei trash collectors). Local TV: I am an unfair judge as we only have two channels at home, with daily soaps and news in Irish and English. Shows are alternatively in black and white, in color, or non-existent, depending on the degree of windiness (signals are bad, very bad). Food: We tried one traditional Irish restaurant. We had boxties (potato pancakes wrapped around meat/sausage). It took me forever trying to keep my sausage one intact while gracefully sawing off bite-size proportions and forking them into my mouth. I eventually gave up upon discovering that I was the only one left with food in my plate. We also had some Irish coffee with plenty of whiskey but not enough sugar in it. However, restaurants are only for the deep-pocketed. From sandwich bars to good restaurants, prices here are invariably, obscenely exorbitant. We poor students live on humble home-cooked potatoes, frozen Brussels sprouts (my new favorite veggie, very cute), pasta, sandwiches, and yogurt. Meat is very expensive, as are ingredients for Chinese food. A puny piece of tofu costs two quid (80 NT dollars) at the Asian market. Yogurt is not bad, inexpensive, and comes in every flavor imaginable. Pubs: The best Guinness I ever had. We sat by French windows (wide open) overlooking a stone-paved street, watching schoolgirls in skirts and sleeveless tops in 12’C weather trot by and drunk singers/singing drunks stumble along the streets. A bloke with dark glasses fumbles near our window. “This is the way out, no?” he slurs. Blimey. Blind, drunk, and trying to leave through second story window. “No, don’t go that way, it’s, um, a window. Go down the stairs.” The blind bastard takes off his glasses, blinks, gawps. “I can see, I can see…it’s a miracle!” Formerly blind man’s friend joins in: “So you speak English! Why did you ignore me a while ago?” He is again ignored. They are ignored. The worst pickup act I ever saw. School: I am here to study. So why is nothing said about school? Because lectures don’t even begin until October. I have been to school only for orientations, wine receptions, and more wine receptions. At orientation, a British professor explained that Irish students show friendliness through rudeness. If an Irish student begins to make fun of you, it is a sign of friendship. You should then make fun of him or say something rude to show that you like him, too. Also, students here pretend, and only pretend (or so the teachers hope) not to study. Do not be fooled into “not studying” as well. Student societies: The Literary society: showed no signs of literacy. But they served nice red wine…we shall see. The Drama society: a couple of nuts. But if you can’t beat ‘em, join 'em. The Filmmaking society: showed, uh, interesting student films. One was about necrophilic serial killer who is eventually buried alive. Another was about a priest who kills two boys in the lavatory then calmly picks up a bible and leaves. Weather: According to reliable sources, since our departure it rained continually in Taipei. Upon arrival in Dublin the sun has upon us smiled incessantly. (We must have stolen the sunshine from home.) It is getting windy recently, though, which makes our flat sound haunted. The temperature changes all the time. Walking along the street for fifteen minutes can involve the act of taking off and putting on your jacket thrice. All in all, life here is okay (pronounced oak-ai, Irish working class accent.) Cheers. #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Sean Huang
Have you ever seen stars fall Just like meteors, But never strike the ground? You are the crescent rising toward the top That I strive to touch, But just drop. Falling, falling, falling down, Stars just rolling, rolling round. #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Christine Chen
No more lengthy textbook descriptions! No more complex academic theories! This time it’s hands-on for real. Yes, the keyword is “internships”! This past summer, many of my classmates participated in internships at prestigious corporations such as Fidelity Investments and Chinatrust. I myself interned at Morgan Stanley. In our experience, these short-term opportunities not only can offer you a peek into the real world but may also provide advantages when seeking a permanent position. On top of all that, you get paid! So get off that couch! Seize your own future and find a job! Where to look Once you’ve decided that an internship is what you want, one problem remains to be solved: where can you find a suitable opportunity? There are many places on campus packed with solutions, just waiting to be rummaged through. The first place you should check is your department bulletin board. Often, firms seeking interns with backgrounds in your particular field of study cooperate directly with your department for efficiency. Thus the positions you find here would probably be a better match of your profile. This greatly enhances your chance of acing the interviews and nailing the job. Take me, for instance, I learned of the cooperation established by Morgan Stanley and the NTU School of Management through the Department of Finance office. If your first attempt is of no avail, another place you can inquire is the Student Activities Division in the Office of Student Affairs(學務處生活輔導組). They post announcements of internship opportunities each year toward the end of spring semester. The Career Service Division(畢業輔導組) sometimes has information on internships in private firms also. A few of my friends found jobs in local banks through this channel. Last but not the least, one other effective method is to keep your eyes open while browsing school websites and the BBS. Many potential employers simply log on and post their help wanted ads without notifying the school. I’ve seen ads from Merrill Lynch, IBM, P&G and many more. The jobs are out there but it requires some effort on your part to find the one right for you. Be Prepared By now, assuming you’ve found the perfect job to apply for, there are certain things you need to remember. Usually, you won’t be the only one to notice the postings. Competition can be intense. Thus the more prepared you are, the better are your odds of landing the position. Most of the companies will probably ask for your resume and a cover letter stating your motives and background. Your techniques in promoting yourself and accenting your strengths are essential. Two common errors: first is listing all of your prior experiences without any description highlighting the skills you have learned. Second, applicants often mistake cover letters for a rewritten version of the resume. The purpose of the cover letter is to make a strong argument of why you are the best candidate for the position. So don’t just repeat what they can already extract from your resume. Instead, try a more personal approach; be articulate about your unique characteristics. Then come the face-to-face interviews. I have only one piece of advice: be prepared! Never go to an interview before doing some background investigation. Use the company’s website and gain a general idea of their business operations. Try to guess in advance what sort of questions you’ll be asked and figure out your responses. Then rehearse either with yourself or your friends to ensure that you’re comfortable with the process. This will help you relax at the interview. I had to go through four rounds of interviews for the Morgan Stanley program. The basic elements were questions about my background, my reasons for applying, and my knowledge about the firm. The homework I had done before attending the interview was a great help. Now go ahead and search for the internship you want. But don’t be discouraged if you go through the whole ordeal and still don’t get the job. You just need to keep on trying. The one who is chosen isn’t necessarily more competent than you are; it only means that he/she fits the firm’s desired profile better. I blew my first interview too, but did much better on my second try. Good luck and happy job hunting! #Volume 7 Issue 1 by Sandra Shih
Can you imagine getting more than a ninety percent discount or eating more than twenty dishes for just NT 140? Or surfing the internet for the equivalent of only NT 8 per hour? No kidding. Believe it or not, this was our life at Chong Qing University. Walking in their huge campus, I was very curious about student dorms, so some friends took us inside to have a look. Similar to NTU, four to six people on bunk beds share one room, and in the center of the room is a big wooden table for studying. Each room has a small balcony and a bathroom. Compared with our dormitories, Chong Qing’s are wider and more spacious, but ours seem to be cleaner. Students there usually have their meals in a cafeteria, but unlike students in Taiwan, mainland students bring their own lunch boxes and bowls. There are a variety of extracurricular activities, such as going to internet cafés, reading novels, shopping, singing in KTVs, etc. People often chat on ICQ, just like the BBS in Taiwan. But instead of calling them cyber cafés (網咖), they call them cyber bars (網吧), even though they do not really drink beer inside. Reading novels is another recreation, and it is more popular than going shopping or to a KTV. This phenomenon is just the opposite of Taiwan. Students here usually go to the movies or to a KTV with friends in their free time, and only a few students would rather stay at home reading books. However, novels seem to be attractive to Mainland students. Many students know Taiwan by means of these novels. For example, some authors mention T-da, which means Taida, in their stories. This is the only way that NTU can be mentioned, since for political reasons you can’t use any official term like “national.” Students there also like shopping and KTVs, although the clothes sold in department stores are very expensive, so most students buy things in local stores. Usually you have to bargain with the owner. In Taiwan, people get about twenty percent off at most, but in China, there is no fixed price. It usually depends on the owner’s mood. If he wants to sell the product, sometimes you can get more than ninety percent discount. Mainland students also taught us how to get a good price because we had to bargain even at the fruit stand. For example, you have to learn their dialect, imitate their accent and avoid showing too much eagerness to buy. When we were invited to a KTV, the room was public so we had to share the space with other customers. While we could enjoy other people’s voices, we also had to wait patiently. But all the latest popular songs from Taiwan or Hong Kong are available. Had I not been to Chong Qing, I could not have imagined the interesting life overseas. Besides the spectacular scenery, I was impressed by the people’s hospitality and passion, and many of us became good friends. With this precious chance, I experienced something different from Taiwan and the textbooks. Although it may be difficult to come to an agreement on national identity, such cultural interactions contribute to mutual understanding and harmony. #Volume 7 Issue 1 |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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