by Jane Han
The goal of my trip to Taiwan was to complete the “International Experience: Western & Eastern Approaches to Communicating Health & Mental Illness” course, which seeks to explore treatment options for mental illnesses. I was interested in an opportunity to travel abroad and learn about a different culture in the east, particularly Taiwan, which was a culture I knew very little about. Furthermore, I could see and experience the psychological practices that I learned about as a nursing and psychology major.
My experience in Taiwan was culturally refreshing, stimulating, and fascinating. One thing that stood out to me was the Tzu Chi volunteer training center. Surprisingly, the center is capable of training over one thousand volunteers at a time. We learned about the Buddhist life of a Dharma Master who was an influential part of Taiwanese culture, and believed in the importance of learning how to serve people with compassion. The Dharma Master also believed love was key to safeguard the health of patients; she believed that love was the beam of light that shone through their darkest hours. In essence, she believed that embracing everyone with love was key to providing healing to the patients. She promoted diversity and welcomed people of different backgrounds.
During a lecture, we learned about how the Taiwanese view abnormal behavior. For example, in our visit to the adult day care at the Tzu Chi Buddhist hospital, I remember thinking how abnormal it was to see patients who were pleasant, quiet and cooperative. I expected the patients to be agitated and unhappy, like some patients in the nursing homes and hospitals I visited in the west. The Taiwanese patients were also allowed horticulture as part of their routine therapy which I believe was helpful in directing their healing process. My expectation incorrectly led me to believe that this group was not sick and did not have an illness. I saw the patients’ pleasantness as an anomaly, but their behavior was expected in Taiwan. I realized that this was just one of the differences between the Taiwanese and American cultures, and I learned what it meant to think in context of someone’s cultural background.
On another day, we visited Stella Maris High School where we had the opportunity to see high school students perform a traditional aboriginal dance and song. We practiced Chinese calligraphy and also presented on how to apply to universities and graduate programs. In addition, the students demonstrated the use of colors to help visualize the separation of chemical compounds, a hydrogen combustion, and the creation of soap suds using various elements. Overall, this day was focused on learning about Taiwanese heritage, mentorship and science.
Next, we visited the Shih Hsin University and saw a presentation on two projects for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Ministry of Health and Welfares Taiwan. The Technology Research Project and the Matchmaker Project focused on health communication and entertainment education in Taiwan. The topic was impactful because I realized how hard work was gratifying, even though the effects of the labor may not be instantaneous. For example, even though the CDC took over a year and a half to make an offer about a health through media project in Taiwan, it still reached the appropriate channels and accomplished its goals of using social media to reach the people of Taiwan with topics related to public health.
Overall, I had a great time in Taiwan. During this trip and course, I learned about a different culture, helping me further expand my cultural views. I learned about a different type of care, one that included horticulture therapy. This trip helped me integrate a different perspective and methodology as a student. Moreover, I believe this course and the trip to Taiwan helped me become a more culturally well-rounded individual.
