Mandarin Training Center students make waves at dragon boat race
Foreign students enrolled at NTNU's Mandarin Training Center made waves at this year's dragon boat races in Taipei City, earning second-place in the women's open event and fourth in men's open.
Over 230 competitors, both Taiwanese and foreign, gathered at the Dajia Park in Taipei on Friday to row their boats. Taipei and other cities in Taiwan hold dragon boat races every year to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival (called Duanwu Festival -- 端午節 --in Chinese). The events take places on the rivers that run throughout the country.
The Mandarin Training Center was represented by a men's team, a women's team, and a mixed team, all made up of enthusiatic students with a passion for Chinese language and culture. Each boat became a miniature United Nations on the water, with students from all across the globe communicating in their only common language -- Chinese.
Participating in the annual races has become a sort of tradition for MTC students as it offers a great way to learn about local culture and customs up-close and personal.