Taiwan through the eyes of foreign students: Yingge is like an "elegant young lady"

Tourism Center / Taipei Report

What is Taiwan really like in the eyes of foreign students? The New Taipei City Government Tourism Bureau yesterday (6th) held an exhibition of works from its “Stay and Play” experience event for international students in Taiwan. Twenty international students from 12 countries shared their travel experiences online, among them Chen Guanyu from Malaysia, who described Yingge as “like an elegant young lady.”


▲ Award-winning international students with the judges. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism Bureau)
 
“Yingge is like a graceful young lady waiting to be noticed and understood!” The winning entry by Chen Guanyu (Malaysia) focused on the elements encountered during travel in New Taipei’s Sanxia, Yingge, and Tucheng areas—such as signs, food, scenery, and depictions of people—showcasing keen observation and detailed descriptions as key factors in its victory.

The runner-up, Miguel (Honduras), portrayed traveling in New Taipei as a relaxed and joyful experience, using a light and realistic style to document the food, sights, unexpected incidents, and local hospitality he experienced in Jiufen, Shifen, and Pingxi. The third-place winner, Xie Kaixian (Malaysia), combined his expertise in dance with the mountain-and-sea scenery of Jiufen, along with interactions with locals and personal insights, to present a unique travel perspective.

Five honorable mention winners—Choi Bo Xia from Hong Kong, Yang Xiaoxin from China, Yimartin from Iraq, Du Yunshi from Italy, and Peng Zhihao from Malaysia—also expressed their views and impressions of travel and accommodation in New Taipei in their own distinctive styles.

After completing their journeys across New Taipei, the 20 international students shared their recorded experiences online. Through a combination of public voting and evaluations by travel experts, the top three winners and five honorable mentions were selected. Each entry was carefully reviewed based on textual expression, composition and framing, creativity and uniqueness, as well as online popularity, with eight students ultimately standing out.

Chen Kuo-chun, Director of the Tourism and Travel Bureau, stated that through this event, participants could directly experience the interaction, exchange, and integration of culture and daily life, and discover many interesting travel experiences hidden within seemingly ordinary itineraries. For example, Deborah Sabasaran from Kiribati, while staying at a homestay in Shuangxi Ganjiao, learned from her hosts that she loved to dance. They then introduced her to a local community samba dance group, and she ended up joining them for a performance, even changing into costume.

Mamen from Gambia, during a fruit-picking experience at a leisure farm in Bali, discovered that Taiwanese pomelos can be used in many delicious dishes—not just eaten fresh. Guo Yun from China, who stayed at a homestay in Ruifang, joined the hosts in exploring their self-built mountain farm, learning about the various plants they cultivated and tasting fresh juices and meals made from produce picked right there, giving her the feeling that travel can also feel like home.

To provide references for those interested in unique travel experiences, the insights and works shared by international students in Taiwan—offering diverse perspectives on their travels—have been published on the event website:http://www.pipekingdom.com/clients/newtaipei/front/Default.aspx.