Charles Matthews

Charles Matthews

Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia, Chinese Language Study Abroad

Introduction

Kia ora, I’m Charlie! I am from Auckland and currently study a BA/LLB majoring in Law and Economics.

I joined the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia group programme in Tainan because I was keen to take my Mandarin to the next level by placing myself in an environment that forces me to be immersed in the language whilst developing a better understanding of Taiwanese culture at the same time as I create some incredible life-long connections.

I hope the Mandarin skills I grow through this programme can help me in my future work and study in a more interconnected world.

  • 忘不了。

    忘不了, unforgettable. That is the one word I can think of to adequately describe this trip. Sure, there have been ups and downs, but it is an experience firmly etched into my memory.  The uniqueness of this experience dawned on me more and more as the trip came closer to a close. Like an impending…Continue…

  • Tai gao in Kaohsiung

    One of the things that I was missing out on so far during this trip was the chance to get out of Tainan. Tainan is a beautiful city, but there was still a lingering sense that there was a whole country to explore. Luckily, the end of my classes gave me a free day to…Continue…

  • Tourist trapped

    We have reached a strange point in the trip. We have officially passed the midpoint of our journey, which now counts as the longest continuous time I have spent outside Aotearoa. It is a strange time to pass through because we have adapted to life in Taiwan, and, at the same time, we have not….Continue…