Connect with Former Fellows

Hi everyone! My name is Lauren, and I studied in Taiwan with CET Taiwan during the summer of 2024. The summer was unforgettable in how it improved my Chinese fluency, and because of the many opportunities I had to meet other Taiwanese students and learn about Taiwanese culture and society. I've made long-lasting friendships that have crossed borders and memories that will last forever. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Hi! My name is Cynthia, and I was abroad for the last two semesters in mainland China, first for CET-Beijing and then through another travel fellowship working on some independent film projects. I was also abroad the summer of 2022 through CET-Taiwan. I still keep in touch with all the creatives that I’ve met in China, which has helped with current projects and learning how to make films from different cultural perspectives. Please get in touch if you have any questions on living for a longer period of time abroad or if you’re interested in the arts in a foreign country!

I study East Asia because of its unique combination of ancient tradition and dialogue with the West; experiencing the incredible history and diversity of Taiwan while living in the heart of Taipei put me at the nexus of Chinese, European Japanese, Southeast Asian, and American traditions. At ICLP, I studied the local Taiwanese language (on which each of these cultures has left it’s mark) and spent a ton of time hiking the country, Alishan to Yangmingshan to Taiwushan! What made my experience hiking in Taiwan special was learning the unique role mountains play in Taiwanese culture: they represent centers of Buddhist learning, separated the Hakka, Hokien, and Aboriginal ethnic groups, inspire debates between land rights interests and environmental groups, and are the site of many a ghost story! I can’t wait until I can return to explore more of Taiwan’s many historic trails.

Hi all! I'm Ai-Li and I studied abroad in the summer of 2024 with CET Taiwan. Through class at NTU, meeting up with my language partners, and using my Chinese everyday, my language skills improved significantly. Not only did I improve, but I gained motivation and a better idea of my future path in language learning. In my free time, I hung out with my relatives (my mom grew up in Taiwan), biked around trying excellent vegetarian food, explored the island on weekend trips, and made new friends playing lots of Ultimate Frisbee. Do not hesitate to reach out, especially if you're interested in hearing about the frisbee scene in Taiwan, or my experience as a mixed person (half-Taiwanese, half-white) studying abroad!

大家好！Hi, everyone! My name is Will and I spent Summer 2023 at ICLP in Taipei. I came in with a number of Chinese classes under my belt, but unsure of my language abilities, and I left confident and excited to continue my language and cultural studies. I had an amazing time exploring all of the art, food, hiking, and culture Taiwan has to offer, and I'd love to answer any questions about Taiwan or learning Chinese. I also spent considerable time playing pickup basketball in Taipei, and I'd be happy to talk more about that for anyone who also likes to play.

嗨！I am Tim and I studied at CET Taiwan during the summer of 2022. I couldn't have asked for a better summer experience after my freshman year! I loved having all the time and resources to focus on improving my Chinese skills, both in a classroom and real life setting. I had the best time with my teacher and five classmates - we chatted about everything and anything over tea or dinner (in Chinese!). Speaking of, Taiwanese food brought me so much joy, as did the many trips to museums, beaches, and mountains I was lucky to go on. Always happy to chat about the program, do send a note!

Hi, I'm Tovah! I studied abroad in Taipei with CET during the summer of 2023 for intermediate to advanced Chinese. I learned a lot in a really great classroom environment, and got a chance to be in Taiwan, where some of my family is from. Please reach out about anything!

Hey everyone，大家好！My name is Jerry Feng, a current super sophomore in Davenport. I took a gap year to study abroad in Taiwan at ICLP for the academic year from 2022–2023 with Light. Needless to say, one of the best choices I ever made in life: learned so much about my own culture that I never knew before in addition to finding out lots of new passions and interests related to Chinese language and culture. Travelled to a lot of places in Taiwan as well, so please do not hesitate to reach out regarding anything related to ICLP, Taiwan, China, learning Chinese at Yale, etc!

Hi! My name is Alicia Gan, Berkeley class of 2026 :) I traveled to mainland China with CET Beijing, and had an incredible summer full of language learning, weekend excursions (some with CET, some independently— including Shanghai, Chengdu, and Suzhou), bike rides, hot pot, and family time (my parents are first generation immigrants from China). If you have any questions about CET Beijing, navigating China as a Chinese-American, or just want shopping recs, feel free to contact me!

Hey! My name is Steven and I attended the Inter-University Program in Beijing during the 2023 Fall Semester. I really enjoyed interacting and learning with my classmates and teachers every day, trying new foods from street stalls, and exploring different parts of the country. I truly had a wonderful time abroad and would recommend anyone with even a remote interest in Asia to apply for the Light Fellowship! Feel free to reach out any time if you have any questions about taking time off Yale to study abroad or living/exploring around China!

Hello or 你好! My name is Kai, a junior in Davenport College who studied in Taiwan over the summer of 2024! My time in Taiwan was truly life-changing (life-breaking even). I learned so much, and not just in terms of Chinese language acquisition, but also important life skills like managing relationships with friends, talking to strangers, and yes, you betcha, cooking! It was truly an incredible time in Taiwan, and I encourage everyone to give studying abroad a shot!