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Operations
Peng Yuan-qing, a 26-year-old
graduate of National Taiwan University’s
Department of Agronomy, is a unique
individual. He began to prepare for the
Taiwan Youth Overseas Service while
still at college.
“ I expec t ed t o l ea r n f o re i gn
languages and improve my specialties
during my service,” he explains.
“Overseas experience will serve as a
springboard to my future participation in
foreign aid operations.”
To this end, Yuan-qing started out on
this road during college. For instance,
using a book called How to Change the
World as his framework, he submitted
a proposal to the Build a Dream Project
sponsored by the Hakka Affairs Council,
and ended up spending two months
visiting the leaders of social enterprises
in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. He then
took his national examination as soon as
he’d graduated from college, obtaining
his agricultural technician certificate
and attaining professional recognition.
In the first year of his graduate program,
he joined MOFA’s International Youth
Ambassadors Exchange Program and
visited Nauru in the South Pacific, taking
part in cultural exchanges.
Thanks to these experiences, Yuan-
qing successfully applied for the Taiwan
Youth Overseas Service after leaving
graduate school, going on to provide
services at the Taiwan Technical Mission
in Nicaragua. As a member of the
124th overall round of draftees, Yuan-
qing returned to Taiwan in September
2014 and is now recalling his service
of the past year. From his initial stay at
Chengkungling military training camp in
Taichung through to the TaiwanICDF’s
overseas service, he continually
challenged himself and sought to
broaden his vision.
Adapting to Local Life and Turning
Theory into Practice
Yuan-qing served as an assistant
technician at the technical mission,
working under other technicians in
conducting field studies, and putting
the theories he’d learned in class into
practice so that he could gain a better
understanding of his weaknesses. While
working with local technicians, Yuan-
qing insisted on using Spanish when
teaching the use of statistical software
and when assisting with data analysis,
which resulted in great improvements
to his Spanish proficiency over a short
space of time. He also took the initiative
to support the mission’s project planning
activities, gaining a deep understanding
of the operations of the TaiwanICDF’s
project management system, and
becoming familiar with implementation
processes.
Besides progressing in his work, the
other important thing that Yuan-qing
gained was the ability to adapt to life
overseas and to local customs. And
thanks to the instruction of his fellow
technicians, his culinary skills were
much improved, too.
“I love to work in developing
countries,” he says excitedly. “In
these places, I understand more and
more that the most important essence
of agriculture is to do with reaching
harmony between human beings and
nature. In an age of resource depletion
and dramatic climate change, we
can only live peacefully with nature by
listening carefully to the voice of the land
and by rethinking the value of life.”
In just a year, the influence of different
cultures and projects transformed Yuan-
qing into a mature and pragmatic man.
He acquired a professional attitude and
wisdom from members of the technical
mission, as well as from local farmers,
and continues to examine his own limits,
sometimes wondering whether he can
contribute to the same degree.
“However, each time I think of the
happiness I felt when interacting with
local people, as well as the praise and
encouragement I got from those above
me, I really feel a surge of warmness,”
Yuan-qing says. “It’s a powerful
force pushing me toward a career in
international assistance!”
Peng Yuan-qing, Taiwan Youth Overseas Service
Looking Beyond Campus Life: Pursuing
An Ambition to Participate in
International Assistance
Interview
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