[No Barrier to Love] International Student of Yuan Ze University Travels Together to Fight the Epidemic 有愛無礙 元智大學境外生探索營出遊同心抗疫

【文稿由全球處提供】

The Global Affairs Office (GAO) and Global Student Association (GSA) of Yuan Ze University have jointly organized a two-days-one-night trip for YZU international students from the 24th to 25th July 2020. The summer this year is surely different due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This change is especially felt by international students who were unable to return to their home countries due to travel restrictions. Therefore, GAO had specially planned a local culture exposure  and obstacle course trip. This trip was joined by a diverse mix of nationalities, which are made of India, Indonesia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Russia, Kingdom of Eswatini, Gambia, Nepal, the United States of America, Bangladesh, etc., as well as some Taiwanese students.

(元智外籍生於石滬合照/照片由全球處提供)

A total of nearly a hundred students of Yuan Ze University arrived at the Taoyuan Youth Experience Learning Park on the 24th of July. Throughout the trip, participants were able to get to know and support each other to overcome obstacles designed for them. Most importantly, their diversity in language and background does not stand as a barrier for them to complete the course as a team.

The “Confidence Strike” course is one of the most challenging courses offered here. In this course, each participant climbed a three-stories tall column bare-handedly, stood on a round platform with a diameter of a basketball and last but not least, leaped to slap a red ball hanging at a distance. Students were heard to shout their dreams on top of the platform while their teammates on the ground roared words of encouragement for them using different languages. This phenomena made us realize that we can overcome any obstacles alone, but we are surely stronger when we do it as a team.

(日光下的石滬堆疊體驗/照片由全球處提供)

With the end of the exciting first day which was filled with physical and teamwork activities, the participants looked forward to a more life-changing experience the following day. On the second day of the trip, participants went on a Xinwu Stone Tidal Weir Eco-tour and enjoyed seaside-flavored meal with nostalgic cottage rice balls.

The Chief Global Officer of Yuan Ze University, Professor Ching-Pu Chen was also present on that day. He was seen to be part of the fun by climbing the high-altitude facility with the students. He said: “the purpose of this activity is to increase the bonding among our students of different nationalities. We also aimed to achieve ethnic integration and globalization by providing a platform for them to complete the given tasks as a team. Moreover, since Yuan Ze University is strategically located in Taoyuan, a land rich with Hakka culture, this trip is believed to provide participants with a better understanding of the land and environment they study in.

7/24-7/25由元智大學全球事務處及元智大學全球學生聯誼會共同舉辦兩天一夜境外生出遊活動圓滿落幕。因應疫情緣故，許多境外生無法返家，元智大學全球事務處特別規劃認識在地文化、自我挑戰的出遊活動，使各國學生不因疫情而有距離。

本次探索營參與國籍的學生相當多元，印度、印尼、聖克里斯多福及尼維斯、俄羅斯、史瓦帝尼、甘比亞、尼泊爾、美國、孟加拉等，以及台灣本地生。

(攀岩挑戰考驗了學生的毅力與耐力/照片由全球處提供)

7/24近百位元智學生抵達桃園青年體驗學習園區，透過高空、低空體驗設施，彼此認識、扶持，縱然語言、成長背景不同，但彼此合作鼓勵就能同心完成眼前的困難。

其中一項設施-「信心擊球」最為挑戰，需徒手攀上約3層樓高的圓柱頂後，站在僅有約籃球直徑大小的平台上，再飛躍出去拍擊懸掛遠方的紅球目標。許多學生在圓柱頂上喊出夢想，奮力向前，在底下各國語言的加油聲此起彼落，看似單獨的挑戰卻是由團隊合作完成。

除了體能、團隊的訓練以外，7/25也前進新屋石滬，觀看上一代的捕魚智慧，親自堆疊石滬。中午體驗傳統客家牽罟飯，認識桃園在地文化。

元智大學全球處國際長陳勁甫也與同學們一起攀爬許的高空設施，他表示：「活動宗旨期望學生們透過彼此認識、完成任務，更達到族群融合、全球化零距離的目標。元智大學位於桃園，帶領學生認識桃園在地客家文化，在所踏之地上更認識土地、環境。」

(元智外籍生大膽挑戰高空設施/照片由全球處提供)