Kenya Cabilan ’26 shares her experience in Taipei as part of her summer internship with Fulbright Taiwan. Learn about the internship »

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at the Fulbright Taiwan office, where I spent four weeks assisting with their English Teaching Programs. As someone who advocates for international collaboration through my work at USF’s study abroad office, it was inspiring to experience a similar environment and see how language can build bridges between cultures.

The office, located in Taipei, was very welcoming from day one. I received an overview of their programs, and gained insight into the various staff roles. During my internship, there were three American interns in the office, including myself. Our supervisor provided a list of projects, but gave us the freedom to divide them based on interest and workload. Some tasks we worked on independently, while others involved collaboration with fellow interns or staff members.

Throughout the internship, I worked on a range of projects, including curating presentation slides, organizing grantee and advisor data, researching U.S. teaching communities for outreach, providing summary reports, updating class curricula, website building, and updating a training video for YouTube. One of my favorite assignments was re-recording the voiceover for a safety video about natural disasters in Taiwan. All of these tasks supported the preparation for the arrival of the 2025-2026 English Teaching Assistant and English Teaching Fellowship Awardees (ETAs and ETFs), who began their program on August 1st.

 

 

Besides completing tasks, Fulbright prioritized making sure we understand the heart of their mission. I learned that the office provides not only logistical support to grantees, but also personal guidance and care throughout their entire stay. Their three-day orientation, for example, not only highlights teaching practices but also covers cultural adjustment and everyday life in Taiwan. One way this is demonstrated is through the preparation of ETAs/ETFs assigned to rural areas to safely use scooters, a common mode of transportation. Fulbright Taiwan recognizes that for many grantees, who are often recent college graduates, this may be their first time living abroad, so they go above and beyond to ensure a smooth transition.

 

 

Outside of the office, I made the most of my time in Taiwan. One highlight was visiting Taipei 101, the tallest building on the island. The cafe on the 88th floor has stunning views of the city, especially on a clear day. On my last day in Taiwan, I took the high-speed rail to Taichung to visit the birthplace of bubble tea, which was a sweet way to wrap up my stay.

I deeply appreciate this internship for the professional growth it provided, the cultural immersion I experienced, and the connections I made. It deepened my appreciation for cross-cultural education and interactions, and affirmed my desire to work in a diverse field that promotes international collaboration.

 

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