Eric has been passionate about public issues since he was in high school, and dreams of playing his part in international organisations, or applying his talent in South Africa. In university, he majored in public health, and went on an exchange program in China. He is currently preparing to further his studies in the U.K., to improve his abilities and to gain experience.
My Dream Doesn’t End With Going Overseas
“To many foreigners, Taiwan is actually a healthcare paradise - we’ve even organised many medical summits! However, because of the sensitive issue of our international standing, we can only stand on the sidelines, even when there are opportunities to participate in international organisations. It feels like watching a concert on the balcony level of Taipei Arena.” During the interview, both Eric’s pride for Taiwan and his exasperation with his country were palpable.
Eric originally intended to major in foreign affairs. However, he saw more development opportunities in Taiwan’s healthcare, and switched to public health, hoping to learn about implementing healthcare policies, including how to develop policies, and how to formulate the required financial planning. However, the course content was not what he had originally expected it to be. Even so, Eric managed to secure a place on an exchange to China, and decided to further his studies in the U.K. “I believe that the U.K. has a rich history in this field, so I’ll be able to learn a lot more! I hope to work at the World Bank after I graduate, or other European countries, so that I can accumulate more experience and skills.” Eric may be young, but he is already making preparations to fulfil his dream of working in an international organisation. He hopes to apply his experience in Taiwanese healthcare to South Africa, where the healthcare system is inadequate. Eric already has a comprehensive blueprint for achieving his dream!
Going abroad is the first step towards fulfilling dreams
“Actually, I attended other cram schools one after another, starting from my third year of university. Although the previous school I attended had a system of small classes like BC, and though the teacher was experienced, the emphasis was more on writing, and a lot of time was spent explaining the different types of test questions and strategies for answering them. As a result, I developed an irrational fear towards this – I was worried that my preparations were not thorough enough, and that I would not be able to score well without following the right SOP! I overcame my fear of writing only after meeting my teacher Katie here. She made complicated theories simple and accessible. We had the chance to practise listening, speaking, reading and writing every class. It was very enriching!” Eric also stressed that the small classes enabled teachers to understand the needs of each student, and to provide individual guidance. This raised his standard of English, and he obtained a high overall score of 7 in IELTS.
One step closer to his dreams
After the IELTS preparation course, Eric signed up for myClass for more intensive practise in English speaking, so he could continuously immerse himself in a pure English-speaking environment. “Here, speaking English becomes a very natural thing to do! My class level and class time were different from others, so most of the time I could engage in one-to-one English conversations with my teacher. I could chat with my teacher about current affairs in every class. It was very relaxing and stress-free.” Eric said jokingly, “I didn’t spend a lot, and yet I had the chance to have one-to-one conversations with my English teacher. It’s just like hiring a private tutor – very worth the money!” Eric, who is leaving Taiwan early this September, is eagerly looking forward to the challenges ahead.
Words for test takers
Eric is all prepared for the future, and has a word of encouragement for students preparing for the IELTS, “Never look down on yourself, and never ever look down on your own ability!”