By Adrien Stoloff
Campus Reporter

Nine foreign students got together, practiced their Mandarin and discussed clothing with six Taiwanese volunteer students during a Chinese chat room activity on the main campus today, while snacks and oolong tea were served at the scene.

"I did not learn so many new words, but I did get to talk to some Taiwanese students and practice my Mandarin,” said Chikako Otani, an intermediate-level student of Mandarin at the Mandarin Training Center.

Otani made a short speech during the event about how Japanese students would dress themselves at the center.

In addition to Otani from Japan, foreign students from Thailand, the US, and Macau participated in the activity by discussing the topic they were given – the difference between Eastern and Western clothing styles – in Mandarin.? The event began when student volunteer Wu Jia-rong (吳佳容) presented photographs of different types of clothes and encouraged the nine foreign students to begin their conversations.

The chat room is a regular activity, held every two weeks, where foreign learners and Taiwanese volunteer students chat in Chinese.? Office of International Affairs Assistant Coordinator Nicole Hsiung (熊子誼) said that the activity was launched last semester on the main campus “to help foreign students improve their Chinese language ability as well as learn about Chinese culture.”

After a Thai student gave a speech about the difference between Thai and Taiwanese high school uniforms, the event drew to a close.? In addition to learning Mandarin, these nine foreign students also made new friends at the scene as they were busy exchanging contact information with each other.

"I was glad I got to learn about different cultures during this session,” Otani said.

Division：Campus Reporter Date：2008-10-29
adapted from http://pr.ntnu.edu.tw/english/news2.php?no=3186