Jul 11, 2016
What a ride it’s been so far. From the incredibly hospitable and good-natured people, to the unreal beauty that surrounds this island, to the irresistible food that I get to stuff into my mouth everyday, Taiwan has been an unforgettable experience.
Being part of the Harvard China Student Internship Program, I have been placed into the technology research position at the Industrial Research Institute of Taiwan (ITRI). More specifically, I am working in the Industrial Economics and Knowledge center consulting the government on how to use the Big Data that they possess for private economic growth. From looking at big data trends in the startups in the United States, the Taiwanese government wants to understand where they should focus their efforts, and how exactly to implement a policy of “open data”. Although the work is quite demanding, it’s all worth it when you’re able to make it to the weekend.
The company has over 30 interns…and that’s only including the international ones! Because of our generous pay, we are able to explore everything that Taiwan has to offer. We’ve traveled through the ancient city of Jiufen, where the famous movie Spirited Away was based on. We’ve scoured around the metropolis that is Taipei and made our way through the crazy night markets the city is known for. We’ve been personally shown our boss’s beautiful hometown of Kaohsiung, discovering the grandeur of the largest city in Taiwan (that’s right, it’s not actually Taipei). And we’ve soaked up the sun in the southern of Taiwan in Kenting, where the beaches and tropical environment made for an amazing weekend.
With one more month left, we are planning trips to the southeast to witness the mountainous portion of Taiwan that we’ve heard is a “must see”. I have to thank HCSIP for making this experience possible, and hopefully, the second month will be just as great as the first…that’s if I make it through the next Typhoon.
This blog post was written by Anmol Gupta, Harvard College Class of 2018 and participant in the 2016 Harvard China Student Internship Program.