Here's to an Amazing Summer

I am entering the final week of my Taiwan Tech Trek internship, and also the final week staying here in Taiwan. To say the least, my experience in Taiwan this summer has been amazing, made possible by the new places I’ve seen, different lifestyle I’ve experienced, and most importantly, the new friends I’ve met.  My journey in Taiwan started after I left San Francisco on June 20^th. I looked forward to my internship program and the fellow TTT-ers I’ve yet to meet, but I had no idea what was in stored for me. Now after living nearly two months in Taiwan and hanging out with people from all over the world, I can say that this summer has definitely exceeded my expectations.

When I decided to participate in TTT, I was a little indifferent towards the program. I didn’t think it would be very exciting since I have been back to Taiwan so many times before. The week-long orientation kick started this whole program with carefully planned schedules for us. Time flew by too quickly that week. We were too busy making new friends before we all left for different internships in different parts of Taiwan. The long hours on the bus were spent singing karaoke, watching movies, telling first love stories, and chatting with our bus buddies. It was a little bittersweet to say goodbye to all the new friends I met during that week. That goodbye was only temporary. Afterall, we knew we would have a last get-together at the Awards Night Banquet, where the goodbyes will be more permanent.

In a week, we will all be done with our internships, and one by one, we will be flying out of Taiwan back to our respective homes. After eight weeks in the same program, we will finally be returning to our ordinary and routinely lives – college, grad school, or work. The Awards Night Banquet will most likely be the last time all 297 TTT 2012 interns are gathered together. On that night, many tears will be shed, hugs will be given, photos will be taken and emails and phone numbers will be exchanged. It will be a celebration of the all the memories made and friendships formed, and an effort to stay in touch once we are immersed in our busy lives back at home.

It feels like my trip to Taiwan this summer has been a get-away from the busy and hectic life back in New York and at Cornell. Here in Taiwan, I can forget the stress from school and the expensiveness of everything in New York, and just enjoy my summer in a country that has everything. I am excited to get back on campus and catch up with my college friends, but at the same time I don’t quite feel ready to leave Taiwan yet. There are so many things I need to buy, places I hope to visit, and people I wish to see. With such a limited time, I can only do so much, and whatever I cannot finish will have to wait until the next time I come back to Taiwan.

Thank you to all the people who have made this summer an amazing and unforgettable summer for me. I hope we will all stay in touch after the program is over and when we are back at home. Perhaps our lives will cross again some time in the future.