Postcards from Taipei

Music education major Kaitlyn Purcell (“24) was feted in April at graduation as the Presser Scholar and one of seven coveted Fulbright Scholars at the UofL. She departed for Taiwan in August for her teaching assignment, and recently sent us this update:

Being in Taiwan has been such an amazing experience! I landed in Taipei on August 1st and moved into a temporary apartment. Throughout this month I have had the chance to explore the city as well as get to know my cohort during orientation. Some of my favorite places I have visited include Raohe night market, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Beitou Thermal Valley, and Taipei 101. 

The locals are extremely kind. They have been incredibly helpful as I have been attempting to travel around the city on public transportation, sampling new foods, and adjusting to new cultural norms for me.

Beginning August 30th, I will be a teaching assistant at Wuchang Elementary School. In this capacity I will be assisting with the student’s life, health, and music classes. Their life class involves both science and art. I’m looking forward to becoming involved in some of the after-school activities as well. They offer percussion, band, string orchestra, and choir as extracurricular music ensembles. Wuchang also offers many activities for their students such as the school fair, bilingual day, sports day, and festival activities. 

This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am so grateful to be in Taipei this year!