Dannial Cardillo (second from left) and his peers participating in a Chinese paper cutting activity hosted by the Chinese Language Center at Tzu Chi University.
發稿單位：駐紐約辦事處教育組
發稿人：Dannial Cardillo
編輯：Kay Chang
來自美國賓州的張子揚（Dannial Cardillo）經駐紐約教育組推薦獲選為2021年教育部華語文獎學金受獎生，目前就讀花蓮慈濟大學華語中心。他表示，由於新冠肺炎疫情爆發，使得前往以華語為母語的國家進行語言學習變成難以實踐的計畫，他感謝教育部提供華語獎學金予外國學生。有別於其他城市，花蓮會說英文的人較少，正因如此他更有機會能和當地居民練習華語口說，連曾經認為艱澀難學的繁體字也進步神速。最後他表示，慈濟大學獨特的學校特色及辦學宗旨，提供他一個絕佳學習環境讓他能宏觀地了解臺灣歷史與豐富文化。
Dannial Cardillo is a 2021 HES awardee studying at Tzu Chi Chinese Language Center (CLC) in Hualien. He is from southwestern Pennsylvania and is working on a degree in Chinese Language and Culture, Turkish Language, and Religious Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Dannial shares that it has been difficult for him to engage with foreign languages in a stimulating way. “With the current pandemic, studying abroad in a Chinese speaking country is virtually impossible. But because I am a HES student, I could finally come and immerse myself in Taiwanese culture,” he says. Dannial appears to be adjusting very well too.
Attending classes at Tzu Chi is enriching for him because Tzu Chi University is Buddhist and promotes vegetarianism, environmentalism, philanthropy, and loving-kindness. There are Tzu Chi foundations all over the world that work to serve their local communities. Dannial also says that studying at Tzu Chi offers insight into aspects of Taiwanese culture that are less obvious because of the unique values the university upholds. Beginning to slowly understand the intricacies of Taiwan’s history and culture is most rewarding for him.
Everyday Dannial appreciates the low hanging clouds atop the mountains only several kilometers from his classroom. He considers it the highlight of each of his mornings in Hualien. “Hualien is one of the most naturally beautiful cities in Taiwan, and I love that I can go to both the seaside and the mountains—all within about an hour or two!” says Dannial.
He notes that living in Hualien allows him to use his Mandarin with people in daily life, and that fewer people speak fluent English when compared to large cities such as Taipei, or Kaohsiung. Despite Taiwan using traditional Chinese characters, Dannial, says that the notorious traditional characters he avoided before are not as difficult as he once thought they were. He concludes that Hualian and the Chinese Language Center at Tzu Chi University provide an excellent environment for him to study Mandarin.
發稿人：Dannial Cardillo
編輯：Kay Chang
來自美國賓州的張子揚（Dannial Cardillo）經駐紐約教育組推薦獲選為2021年教育部華語文獎學金受獎生，目前就讀花蓮慈濟大學華語中心。他表示，由於新冠肺炎疫情爆發，使得前往以華語為母語的國家進行語言學習變成難以實踐的計畫，他感謝教育部提供華語獎學金予外國學生。有別於其他城市，花蓮會說英文的人較少，正因如此他更有機會能和當地居民練習華語口說，連曾經認為艱澀難學的繁體字也進步神速。最後他表示，慈濟大學獨特的學校特色及辦學宗旨，提供他一個絕佳學習環境讓他能宏觀地了解臺灣歷史與豐富文化。
Dannial Cardillo is a 2021 HES awardee studying at Tzu Chi Chinese Language Center (CLC) in Hualien. He is from southwestern Pennsylvania and is working on a degree in Chinese Language and Culture, Turkish Language, and Religious Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Dannial shares that it has been difficult for him to engage with foreign languages in a stimulating way. “With the current pandemic, studying abroad in a Chinese speaking country is virtually impossible. But because I am a HES student, I could finally come and immerse myself in Taiwanese culture,” he says. Dannial appears to be adjusting very well too.
Attending classes at Tzu Chi is enriching for him because Tzu Chi University is Buddhist and promotes vegetarianism, environmentalism, philanthropy, and loving-kindness. There are Tzu Chi foundations all over the world that work to serve their local communities. Dannial also says that studying at Tzu Chi offers insight into aspects of Taiwanese culture that are less obvious because of the unique values the university upholds. Beginning to slowly understand the intricacies of Taiwan’s history and culture is most rewarding for him.
Everyday Dannial appreciates the low hanging clouds atop the mountains only several kilometers from his classroom. He considers it the highlight of each of his mornings in Hualien. “Hualien is one of the most naturally beautiful cities in Taiwan, and I love that I can go to both the seaside and the mountains—all within about an hour or two!” says Dannial.
He notes that living in Hualien allows him to use his Mandarin with people in daily life, and that fewer people speak fluent English when compared to large cities such as Taipei, or Kaohsiung. Despite Taiwan using traditional Chinese characters, Dannial, says that the notorious traditional characters he avoided before are not as difficult as he once thought they were. He concludes that Hualian and the Chinese Language Center at Tzu Chi University provide an excellent environment for him to study Mandarin.