逐家好! This means “Hello everyone” in Taiwanese, said aloud as "Ta̍k-ke hó"! My name is Danika, and I am a graduate student at National Cheng Kung University, a.k.a. NCKU, in Tainan City, Taiwan. I am getting prepared to study energy engineering after earning a degree in chemical engineering at Arizona State University. I have lived in Arizona my whole life prior to moving to Taiwan, so while I miss my family a lot, I am excited for the adventure!
My current major is teaching me about sustainable energy, which Taiwan is a big proponent of. Everyone uses energy to power their homes, phones, and cars, so you already know how important energy is to our everyday lives. I will be learning how to design better batteries and electrochemical devices which will help us to be more gentle with the environment and produce less waste. I am very grateful to use my U.S. Fulbright Master’s Studies grant to learn from leaders in this field. I will also be learning Mandarin Chinese here as well, which is a beautiful language.
Outside of class, I like exploring all Taiwan has to offer, like art, music, nature, food, and architecture. I especially like being outside and seeing all of the plants and animals that you cannot find in the Sonoran Desert (where I am from). Plus, Tainan is known as the best city in Taiwan for food, which I certainly agree with. I am very excited to learn with all of you and share everything! See you, or as you say in Taiwan, 再見, said aloud as "Tsài-kiàn"!
