• Erhan Oztas
• BA, Class of 2015 
• Erhan Oztas is an international student at Taipei Tech who hails from Istanbul, Turkey.

1. Why did you decide to come to Taiwan?

The reason that has brought me to Taiwan is my interest in Chinese culture and the increasing influence of the Chinese language in the business world. In order to be successful in business in Asia, it’s crucial that you’re familiar with the culture here. When I decided to study abroad one summer, I had to weigh the pros and cons of the decision. While studying abroad may bring benefits, it may also result in failure due to educational and cultural differences. I also heard some clichés about people who go to study in Asia typically getting worse grades than at home because of linguistic differences. I was interested in studying Mandarin since middle school. So I did some research about where to study Mandarin in Asia. After a couple of days, I decided to go to Taiwan for my university study. I also had to consider how expensive it would be to live abroad without being allowed to have a job, so there was a financial risk as well. However, I was determined to prove to myself that I would be able to communicate in Chinese and graduate from a college in Taipei. To me, the experiences I gained in Taiwan are the precious gift of life. Now, I have that experience, and it has prepared me better for my future career.

2. How did you find out about Taipei Tech?

A friend of mine, who was, at that time, studying at Taipei Tech recommended that I should go to Taipei and check out Taipei Tech.

3. Why did you decide to study in Taipei Tech’s English program?

Although I had gotten admission from other universities in Taipei, I chose to study in Taipei Tech’s English program. For I am interested in business, and I think English is important for getting a job and/or for my future career. The primary reason is that English is a universal language, and so one who wants to be successful in the business world should be able to speak and write English very well.

4. What surprised you most about the culture here? How is it different from your home country’s?

Actually, the culture here is totally different from my home country’s culture. I think the main reason for that is religion. As many know, cultures are the reflection of religions. To put it simply, cultures are based on religion. Those who come from Muslim countries might experience a real culture shock about the food in Taiwan. For Muslim students, it is really hard to find halal food (clean food, according to Islamic laws) in Taiwan where so much of the food is pork, and so I'm very certain that they will experience a culture shock here. Other than the food, everything is so good here. People are so nice and friendly in Taiwan. To me, the most surprising thing is that Taiwanese people have respect for foreigners. And they are willing to help foreigners, though they don’t know them.

5. So, how do you find suitable food in Taiwan?

I have been living in the dormitory since I was freshman. Although we have a kitchen for international students in the dorm, I don't cook in the kitchen. I prefer to go out for meals everyday. Sometimes I go to halal restaurants near Taiwan University. But I often go to restaurants around our school. Sometimes it may be a vegetarian restaurant, sometime a pasta restaurant, or other restaurants where I can eat chicken, beef or fish. We Muslims have Friday gatherings at the mosque on Fridays where I can also eat and buy food.

6. How is your Chinese?

I think it’s close to intermediate level. I have lived and spent one year in Taichung studying Chinese at Chinese language center.

7. What’s your favorite vacation spot in Taiwan?

My favorite place for vacation in Taiwan is Kenting, where you can find beautiful beaches and watch the reflection of sunset on the sea, which creates a unique scene of nature.

8. What courses have you found the most interesting or useful? Why?

Since I’m deeply interested in business, I find business courses the most interesting. But I must confess I truly enjoyed taking some literature courses. One of the literature courses I have enjoyed the most is British and American Fiction, in which I read and studied 1984 (George Orwell). . . and learned to look at things from different perspectives.

9. How has your education at Taipei Tech helped you?

My education at Taipei Tech has contributed a lot to me. It has prepared me well for further study. And my education here has equipped me with the skills necessary for a future career. As I have already told the department, I plan to study for an International MBA in Taipei after I graduate.