The Buddy Program special one-day trip in the second semester took international students to Yilan, where they harvested Sanxing scallions and made their own scallion pancakes. Even though the weather was cold, wet, and rainy, everyone was still very excited. Making scallion pancakes with international students was really fun. Local students helped those who had trouble rolling out the dough—some pancakes looked perfect, while others were a bit messy. This made everyone laugh and brought us closer together.

For transportation, local students and their assigned international buddies were put on the same bus, but they didn’t have to sit next to each other. I made sure to find my buddy and sit together. Even though the trip was long, we talked the whole time, from campus life and course selection to their thoughts on Taiwan and our personal experiences. It was an excellent chance to have a long conversation in English and learn about different cultures.

My journey in the Buddy Program is nearly approaching to the end. I have gained so many great memories and learned a lot. If I have time in the future, I will definitely join again to meet more international friends!