Category：Life

Polish student aces college entrance exam after learning Chinese from scratch

Chinese is widely considered to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. Over in Hsinchu, a Polish teenager managed to prove it’s possible. Ma An-ya’s parents relocated to Taiwan three years ago to serve as missionaries. Starting from complete zero, she was able to learn enough Chinese to take the GSAT alongside her fellow high schoolers, securing admission to several universities.

This cheerleading squad counts Polish student Ma An-ya as one of its core members. She’s not an exchange student, but a regular enrollee. Her parents are both missionaries who moved to Taiwan three years ago, enrolling An-ya and her siblings directly into the local school system.

Ma An-ya
High-school graduate
We came to Taiwan, into a totally new environment. My greatest challenge was not understanding anything. When I first arrived, there wasn’t any school that could take me, since I had just graduated from middle school.

It’s hard to imagine that An-ya didn’t know a word of Chinese three years ago. Today, she can not only converse fluently, but can even write calligraphy. When even saying “hello” proved difficult, you can imagine how overwhelming it was. Luckily, with help from her Chinese literature teacher, she learned to read Bopomofo and kept going from there.

Ma An-ya
High-school graduate
Not understanding Chinese was like being locked inside a dark room. Even though there were lots of people around me, it was very lonely. But this motivated me to learn Chinese as fast as I could.

Lin Kuo-sung
Principal
It’s already difficult for our local students to study subjects like physics and chemistry in Chinese. Just imagine, it wasn’t her native language, but she still had to learn it.

After three years of devoted study, An-ya was able to take the college entrance exam alongside her fellow classmates. She not only finished the test, but was even accepted to Chung YuanChristian University, Fu JenCatholic University, and other schools.

Ma An-ya
High-school graduate
I want to major in electronic engineering, specifically at Chung Yuan Christian University. My two grandparents are both engineers, so I feel like pursuing engineering would suit me best. And also, I figured that electronics is Taiwan’s best field.

Lin Kuo-sung
Principal
Beside from her Chinese literature marks, which were a little low, her performance in the other subjects all far exceeded our expectations.

Looking back at her hardships over the past three years, An-ya is thankful for the companionship of her principal, teachers, and classmates. In a moving expression of gratitude, she even penned a thank-you note for her principal by hand. By scaling a massive linguistic wall in just three years to conquer Taiwan’s college entrance exams, this determined graduate has proven that no barrier is too high when faced with sheer perseverance.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#GSAT #student #collegeentranceexam #foreignstudent #perseverance #Mandarinlearning #Chineselanguage #electricalengineering #Poland

2026-06-19

Pingtung town carries out Dragon Boat Festival tradition with watermelons

Balancing an egg on its end at midday during the Dragon Boat Festival is a beloved Taiwanese tradition meant to bring a full year of good luck. But the residents of Jiadong Township in Pingtung County have come up with a tasty innovation: they have substituted eggs for watermelons. They closed off the town’s streets today to stand a record some 1,000 watermelons in rows. It was a spectacular carnival-like scene as residents dressed up the watermelons in various costumes, including those of police officers and brides. Let’s find out more.

Rows of plump and round watermelons line an entire road, creating a scene that was quite a sight to behold.

Many watermelons were dressed with the utmost care: some were wearing wigs, some were transformed into police officers. Some people were creative enough to decorate the watermelons as flower girls, seeming like cute fairies in a watermelon world.

Member of the public
My daughter is getting married, and I thought, since my younger daughter is going to be the flower girl, I’d take out her flower girl dress and put it on the watermelon to wear.

Jiadong Township in Pingtung County is not a major watermelon producing area, but rather is known as the "hometown of watermelon seedlings." Up to 80% of Taiwan’s watermelon seedlings are produced here, earning it the reputation of being the birthplace of watermelons. Starting years ago, to promote the industry, the local area holds a spectacular watermelon-standing event during Dragon Boat Festival.

Lin Shu-ling
Jiadong Farmers’ Association director
This year we have 1,000 watermelons standing here. A thousand watermelons symbolizing blessings for Dragon Boat Festival. This is the most we’ve ever had.

Adding to the fun was a watermelon eating contest, where participants forgo zongzi to eat out of large watermelons instead.

- Does the watermelon still taste good when you’re in such a rush.
- Yes, still good. I hope we’ll get chilled watermelon next time, haha.

- It’s delicious. I could have more. I’ll finish the other half when I get home later.

Some people dressed up their adorable babies as watermelons, stealing the spotlight. The residents of Jiadong Township used their one-of-a-kind watermelon-standing concept in an innovation of the Dragon Boat Festival tradition, allowing participating adults and children to bring home a big watermelon and a lot of good luck in the hot summer.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#dragonboatfestival #tradition #holidays #summer #端午節

2026-06-19

Row of vehicles plunges as heavy rain causes ground to cave in

Four scooters and a car plunged down a slope when the ground underneath collapsed, a result of torrential rain in Greater Taipei on Thursday afternoon. Fortunately, no one was injured. However, it’s not the first time a cave-in occurred at this location. Residents of the apartment complex on the block are afraid that it will happen again as typhoon season looms.

Trees along the slope suddenly fall. After about 40 seconds, four scooters plunge as the ground underneath collapses.

Residents on the block hear the loud thud and come out to check on the situation. It was then when another grey sedan slides down as another chunk of ground disappears. They were standing very close to it.

Another white car also teetered, but fortunately was towed away just in time.

Mr. Chen
Car tumbled downhill
I wasn’t allowed to get close after it started raining. I called towing services, but they couldn’t help me either, because traffic had already been restricted. After about an hour, my car tumbled. I could only watch it happen. So I went back upstairs. Can’t change the fact that it had happened. It’s alright as long as I’m safe.

From an aerial view, the hill is left bare in the aftermath. The cave-in measures roughly 15 meters long, 20 meters wide, and 30 meters deep. It seems like the incident didn’t come as a complete surprise.

Resident
Hillside apartment complex
When I returned from taking my dog out for a walk at 4, I noticed that a gap had formed between the road and the unpaved ground. I thought it was weird, but I had not imagined that it would collapse.

The location is Xinpo First Street in New Taipei’s Xindian District, at the doorsteps of a hillside apartment complex. Residents fear that more ground will collapse should it continue to rain.

Chang Po-wei
Soil and water conservation engineers association
If no emergency measures are taken, the collapse will extend upwards. The city government and the local district office are already carrying out emergency mitigation, which involves installing a row of steel rail piles to prevent the collapse from creeping upwards.

Local residents and experts fear that the collapse will reoccur should it continue to rain. The city government is reinforcing the slope.

Jhu Ti-jhih
New Taipei Deputy Mayor
We’ll install steel rail piles along the road and downward slope for support, and cover it with canvas for protection, and at the same time, implement disaster mitigation measures.

Regarding the cause of the accident, civil engineers initially determined that the developer used relatively loose backfill soil on the slope when building the apartment complex. Recent heavy rainfall increased the soil moisture content on the slope. Rainwater washed away the soil, causing part of the roadside ditch to be hollowed out, which in turn led to the collapse.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#naturaldisaster #rain #geology #weather #typhoon

2026-06-19

Railway Police invoke a demon-killing deity for anti-fraud campaign

Fraud is rampant in Taiwan, and the police are going to great lengths to combat it, even soliciting help from celebrities. In their latest effort, the Railway Police have approached renowned ink painter Chen Shi-hou to paint Zhong Kui, a Taoist deity that can defeat evil demons. The resulting artwork will appear on fans and Dragon Boat Festival traditional sachets, alongside anti-fraud slogans. Chen readily accepted the invitation, because, he said, his younger brother was also a victim of fraud.

Chen Shi-hou
Painter
I used to be a portrait painter and Zhong Kui was my most cherished subject. Many friends in my social circle have been victims of fraud. Even my younger brother had his house in Tamsui sold because of a scam.

Huang Chung-min
Railway Police Bureau
By introducing the concept of Zhong Kui subduing demons and monsters, we aim to convey to the public the importance of fraud awareness. People who receive Zhong Kui’s fans and sachets will be able to calmly reflect on any suspicious investment invitations or friend requests.

In addition to this painting by this renowned artist, this anti-fraud campaign also includes small items such as fans and Dragon Boat Festival traditional sachets decorated with his artwork, all with their own QR codes. If people are unsure whether something is a scam, they can simply scan the code to connect to the 165 hotline and get the latest fraud information, keeping them safe from falling victim to scam rings.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Fraud #Fightingfraud #Taoism #Taiwanesecampaigns #Taiwanpolice #Taoistdeities

2026-06-19

Excavator overturns on rail link, disrupting train services

Taiwan Railway on Thursday morning issued an emergency notice stating that an excavator had overturned during maintenance work, at the 129km mark on the west line between Miaoli and Zhunan. Only single-track, two-way traffic was maintained between the two cities. Fortunately no one was injured.

However, the accident still caused the suspension of at least 14 train services and many delays. Normal double-track operation didn’t resume until 2:40 p.m. Because the accident occurred on a railway viaduct, the terrain made it difficult for ordinary cranes to get to the accident location, and aerial footage clearly showed the excavator blocking the track of the western line and unable to free itself. Taiwan Railways had to dispatch engineering vehicles from the Changhua locomotive depot to tow cranes to the site for repairs. Taiwan Railways says passengers affected by train delays caused by the obstruction can apply for a refund within one year at any station ticket window.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Miaoli #Zhunan #Taiwanrailways #traindelays

2026-06-18

Factory owner pivots to gardening full-time after pandemic, tariff challenges

You’d never expect it, but inside an old ironworks factory in Miaoli’s Yuanli Township lies a stunning crape myrtle garden. The owner fell in love with the tree 20 years ago and studied how to grow it. At first it was just a hobby, but eventually it became a career. Hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and US tariffs, business at the factory floundered until he decided to pivot and focus solely on the garden. Now the equipment lies silent as guests enjoy this hidden gem.

Vibrant queen crape myrtle blooms across the garden, their petals edged with a lacy white border. Each blossom grows larger than a NT$50 coin.

Visitors wander through the riot of purple, posing for the perfect picture in paradise.

This secret garden is tucked away inside an old ironworks factory in Miaoli’s Yuanli Township. When the owner, Teng Chia-chi, saw a purple crape myrtle for the first time 20 years ago, he fell in love and immediately started learning how to grow them.

Teng Chia-chi
Garden owner
I started growing them around 20 years ago. One day I was driving along and saw one blooming like crazy by the side of the road, so I asked around to see what kind of tree it was. The first year, I got three saplings and grafted them. They all survived!

Teng’s factory fell on hard times over the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and US tariffs. Now, the machinery lies dormant as he’s decided to focus all of his energies on his garden.

Teng Chia-chi
Garden owner
I used to just treat it as a weekend hobby or somewhere I’d come after work. I put a lot of energy, time, and money into this.

Today, Teng has refocused on the trees, treating them with surgical precision. The cuts he makes to graft on branches are perfectly neat and tidy.

The machines may lie dormant, but the factory is full of color. By following his passion, Teng has grafted a brilliant new chapter onto his life.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#flowers #crapemyrtle #factory #careerchange #passion #gardener #secretgarden #Miaoli

2026-06-18

Afternoon thunderstorms in Greater Taipei turn a road into a river

Heavy thunderstorms battered Taipei and New Taipei once again this afternoon, with the Central Weather Administration issuing national-level emergency alerts.

Near National Taiwan University, 86mm of rain fell in just one hour, turning Tingzhou Road in Gongguan into a small river and even flooding covered walkways and shops. Manholes in Xinyi District shot waterspray into the air, reaching heights of nearly three stories. The Taipei Zoo also took a heavy hit. The relentless downpour turned stairs into waterfalls and flooded the main entrance. The ceiling of the Amphibian and Reptile House also collapsed due to days of heavy rain, forcing it to close temporarily. However, starting with the Dragon Boat Festival holiday on Friday, the moisture will gradually clear up, giving way to hot and sunny weather. People are advised to protect themselves from the sun.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#climateanomalies #heavyrain #thunderstorm #Taiwanweather #Taipeiweather

2026-06-18

Distinguishing locally harvested green mussels as imports fill production gap

Green mussels are a favorite at stir-fry restaurants to pair with drinks. But did you know that the green mussels that were originally a local speciality from Bali have largely been replaced by imports from New Zealand? They not only look different, but also have a distinct taste and texture.

These green mussels in their colorful shells are served stir fried with Thai basil, minced garlic, and chili. It’s a classic choice at stir fry restaurants to pair with drinks. But the mussels that most places serve these days usually aren’t from Taiwan anymore. They’re actually another type of imported mussel.

Restaurant owner
Sells mussels
It’s very hard these days to find someone to dive into the shallows to find them. I’ve been working with this supplier for a long time now.

The area near Bali and Tamsui used to produce lots of green mussels. At one time, 300 kilograms could be harvested in a single day. But the population has been declining due to river pollution, forcing many restaurants to use imported mussels from New Zealand instead, as the supply and pricing is relatively stable. For example, the same serving of New Zealand mussels is about NT$250, while Taiwanese green mussels sell for NT$320.

Ms. She
Restaurant owner
With so many added ingredients and the labor involved, selling a plate for NT$250 actually doesn’t leave that much profit.

Restaurant owner
Sells mussels
The New Zealand mussels have a similar shell color to ours. They’re colorful. The imported ones are all half shells. I’ll make a plate of imported ones and another of the Taiwanese ones so you can see for yourself.

The local green mussels are smaller, but the meat is delicate and sweet with a distinct ocean flavor. The imported New Zealand ones are mostly frozen and processed. They’re larger, with plump meat and a chewy texture.

Member of public
Likes mussels
The salt and water quality in Taiwan make them especially sweet.

Based just on their appearance, it’s hard to tell them apart. But for the discerning foodie, frozen imports are no match for the freshness of Taiwanese green mussels.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#mussels #greenmussels #imports #NewZealand #NewZealandimports #seafood #stirfry #Bali #Tamsui #restaurant

2026-06-17

Officials warn of NT$3,600 fine for dumping beverages down storm sewer

It’s common knowledge that littering and throwing cigarette butts out on the street can result in fines, but did you know that dumping a leftover beverage into the storm drain is also against the law? A post went viral on social media recently from someone who said they were reported for dumping coffee into the sewer, resulting in a NT$3,600 fine.

Chen Meng-hsuan
FTV reporter
When walking along the street, what do you do if you accidentally spill your drink or can’t finish it? Many people will dump it down the storm drain. But be careful—it’s actually against the law.

- I’ll dump it down the storm drain.
- Because it’s convenient?
- Yeah.
- You can actually be fined for that, did you know?
- I didn’t.

In a social media post, a man in Keelung said he poured his coffee into a storm drain after discovering that it was leaking while he was driving. But to his surprise, he was captured on camera and received a fine from the local environmental protection bureau for NT$3,600. He said he certainly learned his lesson, along with many commenters who said they never knew it was illegal. You obviously aren’t allowed to litter or discard cigarette butts on the street, but few people know you could also be fined up to NT$6,000 for dumping a beverage.

Member of public
Up to NT$6,000? That’s so steep. I’d be pissed. At home we dump expired drinks down the toilet. Isn’t that the same thing? Toilets eventually drain into the sewers, too.

Member of public
They need to educate people. Why is it not allowed? If they explain it and people know the reason, of course we’d understand.

Chen Hao-chang
Taipei maintenance division chief
Dumping any liquid other than rainwater or clean water into the storm drain is considered to be polluting the drainage system and can result in a fine of up to NT$6,000 under the Waste Disposal Act.

Storm drains are meant for rainwater, not lattes. Saving yourself a quick trip to the trash can could result in an expensive lesson from the local environmental bureau.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#stormdrain #fines #WasteDisposalAct #environmentalprotection #littering #sanitation #Keelung

2026-06-17

Chiayi temple stages over 1,000 shows for god’s birthday

Every year on the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month, Lord Yu Ciye Temple in Chiayi’s Lucao Township celebrates the deity’s birthday by hiring troupes to perform for the god. The number of stages has ballooned in recent years from the hundreds to over 1,000, resulting in a marathon of shows lasting over a month. The roads leading to the temple are packed on either side with temporary stages, transforming this sleepy town into a thrilling month-long spectacle.

The side of this road is lined with makeshift stages, extending into the distance until they finally reach the temple gates. Hundreds of puppet theater shows are to be staged here, along with traditional Taiwanese opera.

Every year around the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month, Lord Yu Ciye Temple in Chiayi’s Lucao Township celebrates the deity’s birthday by inviting hundreds of troupes to perform. Devotees from around the country hire performers to join this theatrical marathon that continues on day or night, rain or shine.

How many years have you participated?

Chang Chin-chung
Performer
Over 40 years. When a downpour hits, it’s not just the performers who get soaked, but the puppets too. The losses are significant.

I’ve seen a few dozen stages before, but never this many.

The festival has grown over the years from hundreds to over 1,000 troupes, resulting in over a month of nonstop performances. Many pious devotees will come for the festivities, including this man from Tainan who has brought his personal effigy to its home temple every year for over 30 years.

Mr. Ko
Devotee
I’ve come here every week for 38 years now. I sponsored a number of these stages.

Mr. Shih
Temple manager
There are over 1,000 stages this time. The shows started on the 23rd day of the fourth month and haven’t stopped since.

Unique in all of Taiwan, visitors are spellbound by the sheer scale of the festivities. This extraordinary display of local devotion has transformed this modest countryside temple into Taiwan’s grandest open-air theater.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#temple #templeculture #Chiayi #YuciyeTemple #puppetry #Taiwaneseopera #folkbeliefs #traditionalculture #theater #performance

2026-06-17