A Sweet Farewell
“Travel makes one modest.You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world” -Gustav Flaubert
These past 8 weeks have been eye opening, life changing, and just overall great. I got the chance to meet new people and make new friends. All while furthering my knowledge of the different ways that food security is being combated. Walking into this experience I didn’t know what to fully expect. I was well aware of the fact that there may be moments that I would be completely pushed out of my comfort zone, due to being submerged in an entirely different culture. But out of those situations of being pushed out of my comfort zone I got to learn or experience something new. Whether it was trying some food that I had never heard of before in my life or just putting myself out there more than I normally would.
Like any other experience in life you walk out of it new and improved in some shape or form. Before taking part in this internship I was aware of the different cultures and people that exist in this world. But it is something about seeing it first hand and watching it take place before your very eyes that opens your eyes to it in a different light. Mahatma Gandhi once said “A nation’s culture resides in the heart and soul of its people.” A statement that I hold to be true. The people that I have met throughout my time here in Taiwan have truly made it more memorable. Being able to have this interaction doesn’t just open your eyes to the differences in cultures but to the varying ways of life. Of course being in a different country puts your communication skills to the test, which is an area of mine that has strengthened throughout this experience.
While at the World Vegetable Center I conducted germination test on legume crops more specifically soybeans and mung beans to gain a better understanding of their seed longevity. Two crazy months of preparation and running test, whether it was assessing moisture content or conducting actual germination test. All of that of course leads up to various presentations on my research. One of them being a seminar I had to give to the interns and other experts at the World Vegetable Center. Leading up to the seminar I was of course nervous but, once I got up to give the presentation it felt as though time had flown by. To receive all of the love and support after made it that more amazing. It was a great way to end a long but beautiful journey.
Taiwan and this overall experience will forever hold a place in my memories and my heart. From attending my first Dragon Boat Festival even though it was raining the whole time it didn’t stop the making of new friends and trying new foods. To the adventures of the Flower Night Market of which I fell in love with and very quickly became one of my favorite places to go. I will forever remember the friends I made while here. To Shin-yee the friend I had from the very beginning, always making sure I tried some new food every time we went out. To Catherine, Rawdzah, May and the others thank you for the endless conversation, laughs and unexpected surprises. Thank you to Ms.Aileen and and the other World Vegetable staff who supported and guided me through this experience. And of course Thank you to the World Food Prize for granting me this opportunity of a lifetime and to and Ms. Crystal for being there whenever needed. To my family and friends at home I am forever grateful for the support you provided from a far I love you guys.
