by Brian Lin
If you completed step one as described in our last issue (and if you didn’t, hurry up and go do it now!), you’re ready to actually start using your new account
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by Jenny Shern 沈倩怡; edited by Jean-Luc Le Bihan
I opened an eye painfully and found myself lying in bed. Oh, no - I knew exactly what had happened. I had fallen asleep at my desk and unconsciously made my way to bed. I lingered in bed a while longer, listening to the sound of raindrops hitting the rooftop. I got up unwillingly, and glancing at the clock, I was surprised to find that it was already two in the morning. I dragged myself to the bathroom, hoping that a splash of cold water could help me shake off my sleepiness - all to no avail. After washing my face, I was still drowsy with sleep. I was about to slither back into bed when I saw something in the reflection of the mirror that gave me the goosebumps and succeeded in awakening me completely. You’ve read lots about what we think on all kinds of things – now tell us what’s on your mind! For this issue, we asked a class of DFLL freshmen for their views on cutting class. And here they are:
Sophia Tsao: If the professor makes me sleepy in class, I think cutting class is necessary. Terry Lu: I didn’t mean it! I just couldn’t stand it! Please forgive me. Margarita Lai: Doing it every day is as bland as distilled water. Doing it once in a while it tastes as sweet as a honey cake. by Laura Jane Wey 魏正儀, freshman
Walking past the Taipei Hilton one day last spring, I chanced upon some free brochures on traveling in Canada. Staring back at me from the very first page was a beautiful picture of a steam engine running along an icy-blue fjord with a magnificent cloud of smoke. I read the introduction: Vancouver to Whistler Village on the Royal Hudson steam engine–a trip to remember. That settled it. When I found myself in Vancouver this past July with one day on my schedule to spare, I was determined to go riding in one of those picturesque carriages. Armed with that one picture from the brochure, I began making inquiries at information desks and over the telephone. Five hours later, I was set to go. by Sofia Nan-yu Chen 陳南妤
Two years ago, as I was awaiting the start of my first Latin class, a former student came to visit the teacher, Father Rabago of Galicia, Spain. They embraced and chatted excitedly. I was surprised to see a teacher and student hug and talk like old friends. As soon as Father Rabago, who has taught Latin at NTU for 20 years, began his lecture, I realized that it would not be at all hard to make friends with him. He talked - sometimes shouted - to us in fluent but slightly peculiar Mandarin. With the aid of gestures and charades, he explained to us what Latin is, and got us all off on the right foot by teaching us the following “Latin student’s complaint”: Latin is a dead language, as dead as it could be.First it killed the Romans; now it’s killing me. With a kickoff like that, what could there possibly be to be afraid of? by Brian Lin
On the morning of November 10 last year, DFLL freshmen welcomed one of the most noted literary figures in Taiwan, poet and professor Yu Kuang-chung 余光中, in the last lecture of a series commemorating the 50th anniversary of Taiwan University’s founding. Since its inception in December 1995, The Foreign Exchange has offered its readers a variety of information while helping to bring hearts closer together. It has also come to serve as a bridge between our department and the rest of the university, and indeed - thanks to the Internet - to the rest of the world.
by Hans Ou 歐漢斯; translated by Jenny Shern
Just as most of us were starting to hold our jackets tight to ourselves to shield off the late autumn wind, a group of NTU students, faculty, and staff threw aside their wraps and braved the drizzly, nippy air in minimal attire. Gathering around the NTU swimming pool on Oct. 21, they braced themselves for the annual swim meet, which included an individual 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter breaststroke, and group 200-meter medley. Awards were offered to individuals, departments, and colleges. by Louis Chen
It should have been a heavy, serious kind of concert: Brahms’ Tragic Overture, Piano Concerto No. 2, and Symphony No. 4 were on the bill at the National Concert Hall on Nov.14, 1995. But with conductor Werner Stiefel(s ability to balance each section of the orchestra, as well as pianist Iwan Koenig’s keyboard mastery, it turned out to be a brilliant performance from beginning to end. The orchestra seemed a bit nervous at the openings of the overture and concerto - the strings lacked fullness in the former, and the horns made several mistakes in both works. After the rousing first theme, the orchestra finally achieved equilibrium, and put on a magnificent Russian style rendition of Brahms by Jenny Shern
Walking into the Taipei American School for the Taipei International Women’s Club Christmas Bazaar last November 11 was like entering a mini-United Nations. I watched with fascination as people of various nationalities visited tables displaying everything from Indonesian handicrafts, to colorful traditional Indian clothing, to Persian carpets, American Indian dolls, and Chinese peasant paintings. The spicy aromas of Indian, Turkish, and Mexican cuisine filled the air. Curious what TIWC and the Christmas Charity Bazaar were all about, I talked to TIWC president Lisa Williams. |
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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