Day 12: Getting some R&R

We had a bit of a sleepy start this morning after our many activities yesterday. I woke up a couple hours earlier to do some work before joining my classmates at 7/11 for a quick breakfast. By now, it’s basically become ritual to do our “seven” run in the morning before Chinese class, and as stated previously in the blog, the 7/11 food options here in Taiwan are much more balanced and delicious than in the US. Being the diligent students that we are, we spent the few minutes we had before class studying for our daily quizzes.

Getting in a little study time before class starts

Class let out forty-five minutes earlier today to allow us time to eat before our afternoon activity. Most of us picked up a very quick lunch before dropping our books in the dorms and rushing back out to the bus. We were then whisked away to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) Museum of Innovation. 

Karyna, Sienna, and Anya in front of TSMC

When we arrived at TSMC, we were met by our tour guide Wendy. As we walked through the museum, we learned all about the importance of integrated circuits in our daily lives, TSMC’s role in innovating semiconductor technology, and their founder Dr. Morris Chang. I admit I'm not the most knowledgeable about technology, but it was certainly interesting to learn about how TSMC is responsible for the chips used in so many devices we use every day such as computers, phones, smart watches, etc. On the other hand, Anya, who is a computer engineering and computer science major, was having the time of her life learning about immersion lithography (you’ll have to ask her what that means…)

After our guided tour, we picked up some free swag and had some free time to explore the museum, trying out the many interactive exhibits. In the section of the museum showcasing Dr. Morris Chang’s life, you could take a picture of yourself and pose a question that a video recording of him would then answer. The most exciting exhibit was the virtual reality (VR) simulator which walked you through the life of two fictional people using technology in their lives such as a smart fridge, smart car, and drone delivery service. Unfortunately, those of us susceptible to motion sickness did not fare too well after trying the VR. 

Our visit to the TSMC museum felt very short before we were driven back to the Tsing Hua campus, but we were all very grateful to have lots of free time this afternoon and evening to rest. Some chose to nap right after our tour, and as much as I wanted to as well, Annie and I spent some time in the library cafe studying and doing homework. We were able to stay dry from the heavy rain, but others (like Phillip on his midday walk) were not so lucky. 

We eventually made our way back to the dorms to rest. Annie, Anya, Ryan, Sienna, and I were all feeling too lazy to go back out for dinner like the rest of the group, so we tried our hand at ordering some local food via Food Panda (an Asian food delivery service). If you get the chance, I totally recommend you try mulberry tea! It’s been a fairly quiet night here as we all catch up on homework and prepare for our group discussion tomorrow. 

- Caitlin Cepeda