STUDENT

For English Program BOOKLETStudents

Published by Foreign Students Association Chinese Culture University 2014 Hi, fellas!

To warmly welcome you to our Hwa-Kang family, Foreign Students Association (FSA) provides this booklet. The booklet acts like your first advisor, your

source of preliminary information about Chinese Culture University (or shortly called CCU) and .

We are aware that living abroad is a challenging and also interesting thing for everyone. Thus, in order to drive away all worries and nervousness, and to motivate you to enjoy the new life, this booklet presents as a substantial guide for you.

The booklet offers first-hand information which is useful and important for daily life, such as information about CCU, general knowledge about ’s cultures, transportation in Taiwan, famous food, holidays and festivals, worshipping and other attractions in Taipei.

It also answers the most frequently asked questions, to help you to prepare yourself well before taking off to Taipei. Well- relax, read it, and prepare yourself to join us here. See you soon, rookies!

Brief Information about CCU

Founded by Dr. Chang Chi-Yun in 1962 , and tentatively called Far Eastern University by its founder, Chinese Culture University (CCU) received its name” College of Chinese Culture” by the late ROC President Chiang Kai- Shek, indicating the direction of its educational ideals and future development .

The University has conferred honorary doctorate degrees to more than 300 outstanding celebrities from 30 countries, among them statesmen, scholars, artists, clerics, entrepreneurs, and journalists.

According to the University Laws and the Private School Laws of the Republic of China, CCU consists of a Board of Trustees and administrative units such as the Academic Affairs Department, Student Affairs Department, General Affairs Department, School of Continuing Education, Secretariat, Personnel Office,

Accounting Office, Library, Information Center, Military Training Office, and Physical Education Office.

The academic section consists of 12 colleges: College of Liberal Arts, College of Foreign Languages, College of Sciences, College of Law, College of Social Sciences, College of Agriculture, College of Engineering, College of Business, College of Journalism and Communications, College of Arts, and College of Education. The School of Continuing Education aims at promoting education following the ideal of lifelong learning: with qualifying course offers for all age groups and for almost all parts of life.

International advisor

Chinese Culture University has an International Affairs Office at Fei-Hwa building. The advisors are ready to support you with more information and help. At Fei- Hwa building, many Taiwanese magazines and travel brochures are available, and much more. You can take them for free!

Basic Information

Taiwan, Flag of Taiwan

Taiwan is a small country with a population of 23.3 million (per July 2013), located in East Asia. The capital city is Taipei and the President is Ma Ying-Jeou (since 2008). To get more familiar with Taiwan, here is some general information that you should know.

The climate is tropical and marine, with a rainy season from June to August. There is a typhoon season from July to October, with few typhoons of varying intensity. Earthquakes frequently occur, mostly of minor impact, and depending on regional characteristics.

84 percent of the people in Taiwan are Taiwanese (including Hakka), they use as the official language. However, the native Taiwanese tongue is still widely spoken as a first language by the island's dominant ethnic group, which originally hails from China's southern Fujian province. and various aboriginal dialects are still spoken too. Most people in Taiwan follow a mixture of Buddhist and Taoist religion.

Don’t worry about the internet connection, because Taiwan has more than 6 million internet hosts, numbering 18th in the world.

Time zone: GMT+8

Taiwan Culture

Power Plug: Taiwan uses this kind of power plug + socket, which have two thin sticks/holes.

Queue up: Taiwanese people are very strict in queue. So, don’t forget to be in the queue line whenever buying food, waiting for the bus, and waiting for payment, etc.

Transportation

Taking the MRT Right side: When you use escalators or walk on the road, you should keep on the right hand side. On the escalator, the left side is for walking only.

Reduce waste: When you buy something in a convenience store or a department store, usually the workers will not give you a plastic bag, unless you buy it.

Taiwan currency: Taiwan’s currency is called the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$ or NTD). The current set includes banknotes for NT$100, NT$200, NT$500, NT$1000, and NT$2000. Coins are available in NT$1, NT$5, NT$10 and NT$50 amounts.

Taiwan banknotes NTD：2,000 NTD：1,000

NTD：500 NTD：200

NTD：100

Taiwan coins NTD：50 NTD：10 NTD：5 NTD：1

Foods and Beverages

People said that you’ve never been to Taiwan if you haven’t tried the famous cultural food and beverages here. What are they? Check them out!

Xiao Longbao (steamed dumpling): Made by pork and flour, boiled in chicken stock, wrapped in a dough and steamed. It is usually served with soy bean sauce, vinegar, and ginger.

Chou Doufu (stinky tofu): As any lover of stinky tofu will tell you: the stinkier, the better! This simple dish is prepared by frying fermented tofu in oil then cutting it into bite-sized chunks. Usually served with sweet and sour pickled vegetables. Jirou Fan (chicken rice):

One of Chiayi’s most famous dishes. It is traditionally made by white rice smothered in chicken and chicken gravy. Lo-Ba-Bung (rice with braised pork): Traditionally made from a pig’s head and ears cooked in soy sauce, red onions, and spices. Widely available in night markets. Jipai (fried chicken fillet): Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside. Fried chicken fillet is one of the most popular snacks in Taiwan and a must-try at night markets. Zhuxue Gao (pig blood cake):

This is one of two major types of blood rice cake in Taiwan. The other type is derived from duck.

Bubble tea: Must try beverage! Named after something very chewy, that’s just the tapioca balls, the "bubbles" in the bubble tea. Available everywhere. Shaved ice: An oversized pile of shaved ice is heaped with fresh fruit and flavorings, such as mango pieces, juice and sweet condensed milk. No pork For those who are forbidden to eat pork, you can use the words below to tell the Taiwanese restaurants /

shops about your demand. Or you can point out these Chinese sentences to make your meaning clearer: English Speaker: I don’t eat pork Chinese Speaker : 我 不 吃 豬 肉 [wo] [bu] [chi] [zhu] [rou]

English Speaker: I want this Chinese Speaker : 我 要 這 個 [wo] [yao] [zhe] [ge].

Vegetarian foods in CCU Many Taiwanese dishes are made by meat. But if you are a vegetarian, you can also find some vegetarian food in many restaurants all over Taipei. You also can find it inside CCU, at the buffet down stairs of Da-Ya building, in 7-11 and Family Mart stores.

Buffet: Find vegetarian food from 11.00am to 1.00pm and all-day in the 7-11 and Family Mart.

Canteen in DaYa building basement It sells vegetarian fried rice, soy bean milk, and others.

Transportations Easy Card You can go around Taipei by using this card. There are many kinds of Easy Cards, one of them is for students. Using this card, you will get a 20% discount every time you go with public transportation. You can buy the Easy Card in every subway station and convenience store. The first purchase is 200 NTD, it includes a 100 NTD deposit and the price of 100 NTD. This card can be used for 2 years counting from the last time used, and you can refill the card at every convenience store, subway station and automatic teller machine. By the way, your student card can function as Easy Card as well.

Subway / MRT Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is one of the convenient ways of public transportation in Taiwan. In Taiwan, there are two cities which have MRT: Taipei and Kaohsiung (in southern Taiwan). Taipei MRT has four main lines:

Blue line (or Bannan) runs between Yongning Station and Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. This line passes through the main business districts in Taipei. Red line (or Danshui) runs from Danshui Station to Taipei Main Station and then separates into two lines: the Yellow line called Nanshijiao, and the Green line called Xindian. Brown line (or Muzha) runs between Taipei Zoo and Nangang Software Park. Orange line (or Luzhou) is the new main line. It connects with the Blue line at Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station, and with the Red line at Minquan West Road Station. Get more information at http://english.trtc.com.tw/.

Left: MRT. Right: MRT map with the four lines.

Taxi Taxis in Taipei are yellow. You can book a taxi by phone and ask for a receipt from the driver. Bus The Taipei bus system is very convenient and the time quite accurate. Normally, the price for

one trip is NT$15. It’s very easy if you have Easy Card.

Traveling from University to Downtown Q: How can I travel from the CCU to downtown? A: You can go to downtown by 2 ways, bus or taxi. By bus: You need to take the bus at the bus stop area which is located in the opposite of McDonald, but to go to Yang Ming Shan National Park, you need to take the bus opposite of the university. There are many bus numbers (or lines), so you can notice them from the label which is pasted on the bus stop board. In the following picture, you can see the number of a bus clearly. 1. Bus number 2 1 2. The bus routes 1 1 (most of them are 1 in Chinese) 3. The main bus 2 stops.

3

Moreover, there is a bus stop inside the university (near to Da-Cheng and Da-Ren building) and you can get on “303” and “R5” buses at this stop.

Bus stop inside campus. Only for “303” and “R5”.

School bus’s timetable as below:

Timetable of Chinese Culture University School Bus Monday- Friday Taipei Main Station- CCU-Taipei Main Station CCU 06:40 09:10 10:20 15:20 06:50 11:10 11:20 ◎ 16:10 07:00 12:10 ◎12:10 17:10 07:10 13:10 ◎ 13:20 17:20 08:10 14:10 ◎14:20 18:00 ◎15:10 18:15 ◎=Terminal stop at Jiantan MRT station

Saturday Taipei Main Station- CCU-Taipei Main Station CCU

07:10 12:15 08:10 15:15 09:10 17:15 11:10 Taipei Main Station－ CCU－Taipei Main Station CCU

1. Taipei Main Station 1. Chinese Culture University Gate East 3 2. Taibei Secondary School 2. Jiantan MRT station 3. Shilin MRT station 3. Chinese Culture 4. Ming-Chuan University University 5. Jiantan MRT station 6. Zhongshan North Road every bus stop of Bus 260 7. Taipei Main Station Gate East 3

By Taxi: You can take any taxi from the taxi stop, such as the taxi stop inside the campus, near Da-Xiao Building (gymnasium). The conditions of using taxi are:

firstly, you can take a taxi by yourself paying charge by meter. Secondly, you can share taxi fees with other customers, which is around NTD 65 per person / 6 persons per car, for going to Jiantan station on weekdays, before the CCU back gate is closed.

Taxi next to gymnasium

Festival Days

Life in Taiwan is not complete without celebrating festivals.

There are enchanting festivals that you can see or join, such as:

Pingxi Lantern Festival To celebrate Chinese New Year, between January and February (depending on the lunar calendar). Here you can see the true beauty of these sky lanterns floating

high into the Taipei sky. Dragon Boat Festival

It is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and together with Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival forms one of the three major Chinese holidays. Since the summer is a time when diseases most easily spread, Dragon Boat Festival began as an occasion for driving off evil spirits and pestilence, and for finding peace in one's life. The festival was later enriched by the legend of the patriot Chu Yuan.

Famous Night Markets As we know, Taiwan is famous with night market instead of malls. So, here you can explore any market every night, such as: ma

Keelung Night Market The cuisine in Keelung Temple street night market is very famous, for example: pot-edged pancake soup, shaved ice, tempura, bean noodle thick soup, and shrimp Taiwanese ball.

Find it on Ren 3rd Rd., near the Dianji Temple in Keelung City and on Ai 4th Rd.

Shilin Night Market There are various cuisines in the night market, including steak, hot stuffed dumplings, little cake wrapped in big cake, sliced noodles, liver soup, squid thick soup, oyster omelets…etc. Along Dadong Rd., Danan Rd., Wenlin Rd., and Jihe Rd. Raohe Night Market This is the first tourist night market in Taiwan, and the total length is about 600 meters. There are many herb- steamed sparerib restaurants here, which provide good opportunities for nourishment in winter. Located on the intersection of Sec. 4, Bade Rd. and Fuyuan St. in Taipei City to Ciyou Temple on Bade Rd.

@ CCU Here are some places that are useful to know for every student:

24K Need more concentration to study or do homework? Here is the suitable spot, because not only quiet, but also open for 24 hours. So, you can stay there as long as you want to study or read books.

Gymnasium

CCU’s gymnasium provides many sports facilities of sports, such as a swimming pool, taekwondo room, dancing room, running lanes, fitness center, basketball courts, volleyball courts, badminton courts, tennis courts, table tennis, and so on. So, if it is difficult to bring your favorite sport equipment from your country, just come to gymnasium and play here.

ATM There are many ATMs in CCU. You can use VISA card and PLUS card as issued in your country to withdraw money from China Trust ATM (beside 24K) or Fubon ATM (inside Da-En building, 1st floor).

Post Office In the university, there is a post office, providing postal services for both domestic and international mail. You can find it in front of Da-Ya building (female dormitory).

Clinic The clinic, which is called Hygiene Section room, is located on 2nd floor of Da-En building. When you enter from the main entrance opposite the post office, then go straight along half of the floor, and the Hygiene Section will show on the right hand side.

Lost and Found CCU has a lost and found center at the 2nd floor of Da- En building. When you enter from the entrance opposite the post office, then go straight for almost all the way but stop before the elevator. The Lost and Found office will show on the right hand side. It’s the room which is next to the clinic and you just look for the “Student Counseling Section”.

Cutting hair place The cutting hair place is in Da-Lun Buiding, a male dormitory, opposite to the taxi stop near the gymnasium. The barber is provided for male only. Those who want to use the service can enter the male dormitory (1st floor), go straight and then turn right.

Da Lun entrance

Important: International students must know

Alien Resident Card (ARC)

ARC is the ID that shows foreigners are legally residing in Taiwan. Therefore, it is very important for you to keep this card and always be aware of dates of the duration of stay. CCU international office will help newly arriving students with all the necessary steps of application when you register on the opening day at school. Nevertheless, it is better for you to know how to apply by yourself. You will need: 1. The ARC Application Form 2. A photocopy passport with Taiwan resident visa. 3. One 2’’ x 2’’ (American sized) colored photo, white background, front head and shoulder, taken within six months. 4. Fees: NTD 1,000

5. A photocopy student ID card with stamp. After you have paid the school fees, you can get the stamp from the Academic Office, in Da-En Building, 10th Floor. 6. Temporary Student ID (paper student ID): IAD Office will help those students applying for ARC for the first-time, so you don’t need to give us the photocopy.

7. The address of National Immigration Agency:

No. 15, Guang Jhou Street, Jhongjheng district Taipei City Taiwan (XiaoNanMen Station Exit 2 by MRT) Tel: (02) 23889393

Health Insurance Card

If you are newly arriving in Taiwan for the first time, CCU will assist you in buying a Private Insurance until you have stayed for 6 months. After you get private insurance, you can go to see doctors and get partial refund by providing your receipt and medical certificate to international office.

International students who want to get a Taiwan Health Insurance Card will have to stay in Taiwan for more than six months and then CCU will help you to apply.

What happens if you need to go home in case of an emergency? It is ok! You are allowed to depart once (only 1 time) but your stay in your home country should not exceed 29 days.

The address of National Health Insurance Offices 5F. No.15 Gongyuan Rd.,Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 10041 Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Work Permit

If you have financial problems and look for a job, you can apply for a work permit. This permit is only for part-time jobs, limited to 16 hours per week, since you will be a current student in Taiwan. You need to know the following things in order to apply:

1. An Application Form 2. A photocopy of your student ID with stamp, and please sign your name on the copy. 3. Fees: NTD 100 4. A photocopy of your passport and your signature on it. 5. A photocopy of your ARC and your signature on it. 6. The address Division of foreign work services:

10th Floor of Taisugar Building, No. 39, Sce. 1, Zhonghua Road, Taipei City 100, Taiwan (Xi Men Station by MRT)

Information in this booklet were taken from: www.cia.gov www.pccu.edu.tw www.wikipedia.org International Affairs Office and experience from CCU students

If you have any question, you are welcome to see us at Fei-Hwa building R203 ======Welcome to CCU

and enjoy your Stay!

Booklet Composer Team: Published by International Affairs Office