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When Portuguese
sailors first set
foot on the island
of Taiwan in 1590
they christened
it Ilha Formosa,
the "Beautiful
Island", because
of the lush, mountainous
terrain they saw
stretched out before
them. Today, all
across the island
ancient temples
punctuate the landscape,
and serve as popular
social centers as
well as places of
worship for the
Taiwanese people.
Although there are
three main religions;
Buddhism, Taoism
and Confucianism,
they are all closely
linked and share
the same philosophy–aiming
to live in harmony
with nature by searching
to strike a balance
between the calm,
feminine side of
the body and mind
(yin) and the active
male side (yang).
As
an ASSE exchange
student in Taiwan
you will have the
unique opportunity
of experiencing
first hand the amazing
contrast created
by the beauty and
serenity of the
Taiwanese countryside,
and the hustle and
bustle of the rapidly
growing city of
Taipei, which over
the last 20 years
has been transformed
into the modern
high-tech capital
of the island. Spend
an ASSE exchange
year in a land of
such fascinating
polarity, learning
the language and
immersed in the
culture and gain
a priceless insight
into a culture so
vastly different
from your own.
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