Having traveled to every city in Taiwan over the past six years, Gambian student says goodbye is truly heartbreaking

Reported by You Tzu-ju / Taipei




“I feel very sad because I genuinely love Taiwan — there are so many wonderful people here.” Ebrima, a Gambian student who has been in Taiwan for six years, came to Taiwan as an exchange student with funding support from both the Taiwanese and Gambian governments. Upon hearing the news of the official severance of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and The Gambia, Ebrima admitted he was deeply shocked and told reporters, “If possible, I really hope the friendship between the two countries won’t change.”

▲Ebrima said that Taiwanese people have really helped The Gambia a lot. This is a photo of the actual situation of a free medical clinic held by Taiwan’s Lukang Association in The Gambia in August this year. (Photo provided and taken by volunteer Hsu Ya-hui of the Taiwan Lukang Association)

Compared to the ease with which many Taiwanese students can travel abroad, it is generally not easy for Gambian students to travel due to their family’s financial situations. Ebrima has been in Taiwan for six years and has only returned home once; the rest of the time, regardless of the season, he has spent in Taiwan. “For Gambian students, Taiwan offers high-quality education, which is why many are eager to study here.” Funded by the Gambian government for his four-year undergraduate studies and awarded a scholarship for his two-year master's program, Ebrima is currently a second-year electronic engineering graduate student at a university in Taipei. When talking about life and people in Taiwan, his eyes are filled with emotion.

There are currently 267 Gambian students studying in Taiwan, including 175 government-sponsored students. Ebrima said that almost everyone in The Gambia knows about Taiwan, and to his knowledge, among his classmates, there are also students from other African countries such as Ethiopia and Burkina Faso studying in Taiwan. “Taiwan really takes care of many African people, not just Gambians.” Reflecting on his six years in Taiwan, Ebrima said that thanks to the kind care of Taiwanese people, he has rarely encountered any difficulties. “I really like the life of Taiwanese people — it’s safe here, the people are friendly, and life is full of energy.”