Blog Entry #5

9/5/26~9/8/26

Helloo :D

We officially have gone to our third and final week of our study abroad program and we have had such an amazing time in Taiwan. All of us are very sad knowing that we only have a few more days in the program, and especially dreading the day we have to say goodbye to our NCKU friends… :( 

Day 14 - Lecture & Indigo Dye 

On day 14, we woke up early as always and had our second ever Circular Design lecture. While the lecture itself was very similar to that of the topics we discussed in the previous day when we first learned about Circular Design, I found the activity we did was very useful compared to the first. We were given specific cards and paper to cut out and create our own pathing map for our product we are designing for the project. This specific mapping method was very useful since it helped us visually see where our product is heading and also spots where we would have to revise to make the sustainability aspect of our project work out. While the process was very tedious in a way, I found it to be very helpful when thinking about our project as a whole especially in the early stages of ideation.

Later in the afternoon, we took a break from lecture and headed to a separate part of campus to participate in experiencing indigo dying! This specific activity was something I have been looking forward to for a very long time and it was amazing to see so many different beautiful patterns being created in a matter of minutes. The process of dipping the indigo dye in the dye water took a very long time which I was very surprised about. We dipped the cloth about a total of three times to get the dark blue result we wanted. It was so fun to see everyone's reaction and excitement towards the activity and we were all being very careful not to stain our clothes. In the end, the dye turned out astonishing and I was very happy with how it looked! Seeing everyone’s designs all unique being hung up to dry was so amazing. 

Indigo dye!

Day 15 - Boat trip & Anping street 

For day 15, we all met up in the lobby early in the morning to go on a boat trip! Once we arrived, we immediately headed to the boat docks and got on one of the boats for our tour. Sitting in the boat and being near water has been so different compared to any of the trips we had ever done during our program. We experienced the local fishing technique, learned about the different birds, and also got to touch some jellyfish that are invasive in the area! The overall experience was so immersive and was very enjoyable. Additionally, meeting the local guides and also the local fisherman was very inspiring. 

Fishing net experience

In the afternoon, we went to Anping Street to tour around the area and the historical fort. Walking around Anping Street with our NCKU group friends was very fun and we got to eat so many delicious foods. For lunch we headed to a traditional egg pancake shop right next to where we were dropped off. During our tour around Anping fort, it was very interesting to learn about the history and how it came to be overtime. I especially enjoyed learning about the temples near the area. Although I have seen and visited temples multiple times, we have not properly learned about the history and meaning behind the structures and paintings inside. I found it very interesting to finally learn so much about the temples and understand its religious meaning. 

Anping temple

Anping old street temple #2!

Day 16 - Presentation & Critique 

For day 16, it was overall a very work focused day with so many presentations and critique sessions. We found the introduction presentations to be very helpful in preparing for our actual final presentation. Additionally, the critique sessions were very helpful for improving our design and also aiding us towards the right direction for the project. 

Day 17 - Free day (Cafe & Shennong street) 

Day 17 was our third ever free day and it was mostly a relaxing cafe work day for my friends and I. We slept in as usual and once we were ready, we headed to a cafe near the hotel to work on our project. I personally worked on the logo of our product and finalized the design of our project. 

In the afternoon, we headed to Shennong street once again since we had missed the glowing lanterns the last time we were there. Going to the street once again was very enjoyable and I really had an amazing time exploring the area at a different time of day. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the past few days and it has been so fun working with our NCKU friends everyday. I am very sad to know that our study abroad program will soon come to an end but I hope I am able to take in as much as possible and focus on our project as well.