2013 Japan Taiwan Study

Abroad Orientation

Professors Jacob Peng and Greg Laurence

March 24, 2013

There is a flickering spark in us all which, if struck at just the right age….can light the rest of our lives, elevating our ideals, deepening our tolerance and sharpening our appetite for knowledge about the rest of the world. Educational and cultural exchanges…provide a perfect opportunity for this precious spark to grow, making us more sensitive and wiser international citizens.

- Ronald Reagan

Program overview

Significance of Two-country Study Abroad

O Toyota, Honda, HTC, D-Link and many more household names

O 4 hours flight apart, but you experience TWO totally different cultures in one trip

O Japanese rule of Taiwan 1895 – 1945

O Taiwan provided over US$243 million, the highest amount in the world, in humanitarian response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

Our Journey

In Taiwan5/11 – 5/19:Taipei, capital city in Taiwan, political and economical center

business visits, university visit, lectures, tours

5/19 – 5/22Taichung, third largest city in Taiwan; where Ang Lee shot the movie “Life of Pi”

business visits and university visit

By HSR (Taiwanese Shinkansen)

In JAPAN

5/23 – 5/25; 5/30 – 6/1Tokyo

5/26 – 5/27Hiroshima

5/28 – 5/29Nagoya

SyllabusO Academic requirements

O Event Participation Requirements:O Read assigned materials before departure and prepare discussion questions.O Participate in all scheduled events.O Fulfilled “student in Charge” responsibilities. Each student will be assigned a day that a

student is responsible for taking group pictures, videos, and other duties related to group travel needs. Details will be provided in orientation.

O Group Assignment Requirements:O Students will be organized in groups. Each group will be responsible for leading one evening

discussion in each country on the events of the previous two days. Discussion and follow-up questions should be developed over the course of each 2-day period.

O A group leader will be appointed for each group. A group leader’s responsibilities are:O Make sure all group members stay close and travel together.O Paying and collecting receipts for group expenses (e.g. taxi).O Help daily “Student in Charge” with travel chores.

O Individual Assignments Requirements:O A personal blog to keep a complete record of all activities that can reflect personal growth

and study abroad experiences. Required blog entries: O Throughout the course of the trip abroad, a minimum of 10 blog entries are required,

preferably with (some) pictures and videos.O At least one blog entry is required for each business visit and university visit.O At least one “reflections” entry for each country visited.O One conclusive reflections entry for the overall trip experiences.

O Each graduate student should carry out an independent research paper based on one or more unique business characteristic(s) that she/he observes and studies in Taiwan and Japan.

O Behavioral requirements

Course StructureO Academic program, not vacationO Student-on-duty everydayO Small group leadersO Breakfast briefingsO Group discussion/meeting every 2-3

daysO Daily homeworkO Extra requirements for graduate

students

RiskO Food problemO Getting lostO Traffic relatedO Personal conductO Natural disasterO Other inherent risks

(political, regional, etc.)

HIGH

MEDIUM

LOW

Food ProblemsO It is perfectly OK to say “No, thank you”O Know your own limit / tasteO Prepare personal medicine

Getting LostO Tokyo and Taipei are multi-million people

metropolisesO Will use trains, subways, walk A LOT. Tend to be very

crowded during rush hoursO Unfamiliar signs and languageO Stay with the groupO If you are lost:

O Don’t panicO Seek help (in general, people are

friendly)O Find a way to call if you are lostO Keep your name tag with emergency

contact information ALL THE TIMEO More detailed “plan B” will be reviewed in next orientation

and on site.

TrafficO Taipei is much better

than the rest part of the country; but still, people have different ways of surviving in big cities in different countries

O Watch BOTH ways:O Japanese drive on the

leftO Taiwanese drive the right

O Stop, Listen, WatchO NOT allowed to operate

ANY motorized vehicleO NOT allowed to ride on a

scooter

In general, pedestrian traffic in Japan and Taiwan is safe – provided if you pay attention and don’t assume people do things similarly in foreign countries

Personal Conduct and Others

O Follow directions and rules of the groupO Pay attention in group meetingsO Avoid drinking and excessive partying (you are attending an

academic program, not a vacation)O Be courteous to your peers and people you interact withO Respect different culturesO Reflect any problems immediately

O Be punctual!O Go out in small groups, preferably with local studentsO Use common senseO Other unlikely risk

O Earthquake: stay calm, move outside O Anti-American sentiment: almost noneO We are registered with the UM Travel Registry O International travel health insurance is provided to you (for

emergencies)

Taiwan day by day(5/11 – 5/22)

5/11 – 5/13OThe group meets on [Taipei Time]

Saturday 5/11 at 10 PM in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE); meeting point be determined at next orientation

O5/12-5/13: Taipei city orientation, adjustingO Learn how to travel in TaipeiO ROC Presidential Building, CKS Memorial

Hall, Creative Park, Lin Mansion, Tea factory, Confucius Temple

5/14 – 5/16O Visit College of Management, National Taiwan

Normal UniversityO Survival Mandarin and cultural classesO Company visits

O Franz Collection (http://franzcollection.com/)O KPMG Taipei (

http://www.kpmg.com/TW/en/Pages/Default.aspx )O Asus (http://usa.asus.com/ ) O Garmin (http://www.garmin.com/ )O Taiwan Stock Exchange (http://www.twse.com.tw/en/ )

O Business lectures and class interactions

5/17O Visit Tamkang University

O Lectures and classroom interactionsO Tour Taipei Harbor area

EveningsO Night markets!O Time for your own explorationsO Time for your…homeworkO Some group dinnerO Group discussions every 2-3 days

5/18 – 5/19

O 5/18: Group excursionVisit the old mountain mining town, sky lantern experience

O 5/19 (Sunday): Free Day in TaipeiO 5/19 evening: Travel to Taichung

City via HSR

5/20 - 5/22• Visit Tunghai University• Business lectures, classroom

interactions• Company visit:

O Giant Manufacturing (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/ )

O Changhwa county Government

5/23O Group travel to the airport in the

morning O Travel to Japan on your own – arrive

NRT by 1:30 PMO Travel to and check in at hotelO Group dinner orientation

Lodging in Taiwan

O Two students share a hotel roomO Very close to MRT stationO Very close to biggest night market in

TaipeiO Wifi available

Japan day by day

5/24 – 5/25 TokyoO Edo-Tokyo Museum

O Exhibits include history of business and commerce in Edo/Tokyo

O Summer Grand Sumo TournamentO Akihabara Electronics District

O Japan as a marketing paradiseO Excursion to Kamakura

O Capitol of Japan from 1192-1333

5/26 – 5/27 HiroshimaO Hiroshima Peace Park and Atomic

Bomb MuseumO Visit and tour of Mazda automobile

factoryO Itsukushima Shrine

O On UN World Heritage Site list

5/28 – 5/29 Gifu/NagoyaO Experience a smaller Japanese city

O Visits to 2 traditional Japanese businessesO Okinaya Sohonpo (140 year-old Japanese

Sweets Company)O Buddhist Altar Manufacturer

O Zazen Meditation/Tea Ceremony ExperienceO Visit to Nagoya University and exchange

with students and faculty

5/30 – 6/1 TokyoO Yamaha Musical Instrument manufacturing

facility visit and tourO 5/31 Free Day in Tokyo and travel to Narita

O Some ideas of things to do with your free day:O Visit Shinjuku/Shibuya/Harajuku shopping

districtsO Visit Tsukiji Fish Market (be sure to get up

early!)O Visit the Tokyo Sky Tree towerO Go see the Imperial PalaceO Etc.

Travel need

What to Bring?O Valid passport, visa free with U.S.

passportO How much $$ to bring?

O You will get daily allowance in local currency that will be enough to cover your meals everyday, possibly some personal expenses as well

O $100, $200 or more depending on your personal style

O Laptop for homework – wi-fi available

What to Wear?O Clothes

O Taipei in May averages Low-80s and Low-70s

O Tokyo in May averages Mid-70s and High-50s

O Business casualO Very COMFORTABLE

walking shoes

Money Money MoneyO Japanese Yen: 1 USD = 94.4 JPYO Taiwanese Dollar: 1 USD = 29.9 NTDO Credit card widely acceptable; still,

some transactions are cash only

O In U.S. = $4.2O In Taiwan = $2.5O In Japan = $4.16

Next ORIENTATIONO Saturday, 5/4 at 5:30 PMO UM-Flint campus (room to be

announced)O Update Trip informationO Distribute program manualO Last minute notes