Taiwan Experience

在本文開始之前，容編輯部在此簡介一下作者，Dacie Manion是醫工所的交換外籍生，在2014/1/14王淑芬老師帶隊參訪新法社新院活動中，和物治系一同參訪的機會中與梁助教認識了，就被邀稿分享她交換來台及參訪新法社新院的一些點點滴滴。

On December 19, I finished the fall semester of my junior year at MIT (in the United States), where I study mechanical/biomedical engineering and Chinese. Just one week later, I left Boston for my first solo trip abroad, and only my second trip to a foreign country! When I arrived in Taipei, a truly amazing experience began. For the last four weeks, I’ve been a spine biomechanics researcher in Professor Jaw-Lin Wang’s lab at the National Taiwan University by day, and an explorer of Taipei and the surrounding areas by night and weekend.

At NTU I worked with one of Professor Wang’s second-year master’s degree students, helping design parts in SolidWorks for biomechanical testing of the spine, conducting a research review for theoretical modeling of combined loading to motor units, and observing experiments. My adventures around northern Taiwan have included famous sites in Taipei such as the 101, Shilin Night Market, and National Palace Museum as well as destinations near Taipei like Yangmingshan, Pingxi, and the Beitou hot springs. For the upcoming week, I will be traveling around southern Taiwan and then celebrating a traditional Chinese New Year’s Eve in Tainan with one of my friends from Professor Wang’s lab.

Everyone I have met here has been extremely friendly and helpful; I couldn’t imagine a better welcome! I have also had the great opportunity to eat many delicious meals and improve my Chinese skills. I absolutely love Taiwan and am already planning my return trip here! 

(作者係Biomechanics Research Lab, NTU)