Three student leaders of the Paulinian Student Government (PSG) notch slots to represent Philippines in the recent 2019 Global Cultural Exchange Summer Camp last August 18-23 at Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU), Tainan, Taiwan. James Walter Mesa, Eymard James Ragasa, and Divine Suyu, were among the 79 participants coming from 10 different countries from across the world.
As part of the program, the delegates socialized and shared their culture, experienced Taiwan’s aboriginal culture, visited Tainan’s iconic places, and participated with team building activities. Highlighting the program was the campers’ chance to visit the National Museum of Taiwan History, which is a haven for the secure, collective, and long-term preservation of artifacts, thus, becoming the leading research center for Taiwanese history.
Meanwhile, when asked about how did the summer camp contribute to his growth as a person, EJ Ragasa mentioned that it was an avenue for him to accept cross-cultural diversification and complement each other’s differences. “I became more open-minded. I also realized that part of my growth is the need to break language barrier which is possible through eloquence in English,” said Ragasa.
Divine Suyu, the only female in the Paulinian delegation, also attested that one of the challenges she faced was on how to deal with the diverse yet rich culture emerging in the camp. “Yet I realized that the main goal of the camp was the synergy and fostering of ties amidst the ever-diversified culture. This became my prime mover of understanding the culture of others without being strayed with my Filipino identity,” affirmed Suyu.
As a Paulinian global camper, James Mesa shared that he was able to make a difference in the camp he attended. “Being trained and developed holistically by SPUP, collaborating with other leaders became natural. It made me feel proud as a Paulinian whenever I communicate with the global youth leaders, for this experience proves that we can indeed be at par with other nations,” testified Mesa.
Aiming to expand the global vision, increase the understanding of other cultures, and foster an even closer tie among participants, the said global summer camp was organized by CJCU Office of International Affairs and Language Education Center.
