Communication and Immersion

Students who seek maximum immersion in Taiwan should also note that regular communication with home can significantly hinder their language progress and their adjustment to the new culture.  If your goal is maximum immersion, you should prepare family and friends for the reality that you may be difficult to contact and that, even when possible, regular calling/FaceTiming or e-mailing may interfere with your language acquisition. If something has gone wrong, your family will learn about it immediately. Otherwise, you can remind them that no news is good news.

When writing home, first consider the effect your text, e-mail or mail will have on your loved ones thousands of miles away. On a given day you may be feeling upset, but by the time your relatives receive your messages (perhaps 10-12 hours later) you may be in good spirits again. Remember that your friends and relatives will be very concerned about you and have little recourse from the United States. For daily troubles, nearby friends are the best people to consult.

Problems and inconveniences that you feel are significant enough to mention to your parents (by mail, e-mail, text or phone) should also be discussed with the on-site staff. The Middlebury office often receives calls from worried parents with valid concerns. If you have not communicated these concerns to your local staff, however, the Middlebury office is unequipped to address your parents’ concerns.

An informal journal can be kept by recounting your activities in letters home and requesting that your friends and relatives keep the letters for you. You may want to number your letters so that all letters can be tracked, and the people receiving them will know when one has been delayed or lost.

Blogging is also a great way of updating all of your friends and relatives at the same time while also keeping a record of your experiences.