Study Abroad Trip to Taiwan/Japan 2013: May 15th

At NTNU today, we were educated in the multiple therapy of traditional Chinese Medicine: Food therapy Tui Na Therapy and Acupressure, Cupping Method and Acupuncture. Our instructor briefly went over the first few topics and then he focused on the acupuncture.

So how does it work? It results in the excretion, or an increase in the flow of endocrines, endorphins, inferferon's, antibodies, and red and white blood cells, which relieve pain, reduce inflammation and improve circulation and organ functions. Or, in short, it balances the functions and flow within all the body's systems and bring all of these systems into harmony with each other restoring the body its original, natural condition.

Here, he shows us some of the first acupuncture needles that were used.

He thought I looked stressed so he tried to help me a little.

After we were done getting poked with needles, we took a tour of NTNU's new library.

Their new library is very modern, hi-tech and beautifully designed. There are around 35 touch screens that access news stations, online newspapers, information about the university and the library.

Our lovely tour guides showed us the history of the school and the library, the milestones that the school has achieved, their past presidents and their new very cool display: the virtual yearbook. Here, you can search any class of any year.

The Virtual Yearbook

After our tour, we went off to the main train station food court for lunch. During our walk, through the food court on the street level floor; the city began to conduct a city wide emergency alert exercise. This is not like the EMS *beeeeeeep* you see on TV were it just interrupts what you’re watching. This citywide exercise for when the country is under attack by a foreign power, massive earthquake or some other disaster. As we were walking through the train station, you can hear the loud fallout sirens (like in the movies) and a small army of civil service personnel began to escort every citizen to the lower levels of the train station. As we ascended down the escalators to the lower levels, it seems like all the lights behind us began to turn off. And when we finally got down to the bottom level, there were so many people just crowded around the video screens and TVs watching the local news station as they began to speak about the drill and why they were conducting it. It was very interesting and pretty cool because for a second there, it felt like I was a part of a disaster movie that was being filmed or a part of a real disaster that was unfolding somewhere on the street level. (video coming soon)

After lunch, we met Albert at the mobile phone company HTC headquarters. We took a tour about of the main offices and he spoke about the company itself. They are celebrating their 15^th year in business. They have made incredible strides in the realm of mobile phone technology. They allowed us to handle and play with the new HTC ONE smartphone. One of the best features on the phone is the rapid fire picture-taking capability and the capability to record videos AND take pictures at the same time. You can even record a video, play it back on your phone and take pictures from the video that you just recorded. I'm 95% sure this may be my next phone.

This is some artwork in their front lobby.

Dr. Laurence, Dr. Peng and our HTC host Albert

Like most of the other companies that we have visited, they believe that healthy employees make a healthy company. Here are some of the amenities that the HTC employees have at the disposal...

Spin Room

Boxing Ring

Weight Lifting Area

Yoga/Dance Studio

and a great view of the city and terrain.

After we departed HTC, we went over to Taipei 101 for dinner and then we went to the Observation Deck.

Their elevator was listed as the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest elevator in the world. We went from the 6^th floor to the 89^th floor in about 60 seconds. And the most interesting thing is that you couldn't even feel the gravitational forces on your body but your ears did pop.

Since we went to the Observation Deck just past the dusk, the views of the city of Taipei was just incredible.

It was interesting that there is a 660 ton metal "Ball Damper" the helps reduce the buildings vibration from high wind and other natural factors by 40%. This "ball" is so large that the construction company had to take it up in pieces and construct it at the top of the building, 101 floors up.