More than 1,500 guests turned out for the Welcome Mixer for (Inter)national Students at the NTU Sports Center on the evening of September 9. The welcome party, which was organized to introduce the campus' international students from over 26 countries to their new classmates and to kick off the new academic year, was the grand finale in a series of orientation activities organized by the Office of International Affairs (OIA).

The OIA introduced the Welcome Mixer for (Inter)national Students as a new campus tradition in 2015. It is aimed to create a friendly and inviting environment for international students to forge their own social networks and better understand Taiwanese culture. The event not only provides an opportunity for international students to get to know each other, but also introduces them to local students with whom to share their NTU journey.

Drawing inspiration from both traditional and popular Taiwanese culture, the 2017 Welcome Mixer for (Inter)national Students incorporated elements of Taiwanese temples and night markets. A temple façade was erected as the main background for the stage, while a variety of game booths were set up in the stadium to give the international students a glimpse of people’s common childhood memories in Taiwan. The games included ring toss, Chinese hacky sack, bottle hooking, pinball machines, and hoop rolling.

The party kicked off with an indigenous dance performance by Tafalong Culture and Art Group. The dancers even got off stage and led the guests and students to dance to a traditional harvest festival song. Executive Vice President for Administrative Affairs Ching-Ray Chang,the then NTU Interim President, as well asformer President Pan-Chyr Yang, and Vice President for International Affairs Luisa Shu-Ying Chang all took to the stage to deliver warm welcoming remarks.
The lottery draw was undoubtedly the highlight of the party. The organizers incorporated elements of Mid-Autumn Festival traditions, including tossing divination blocks to perform the draw. Many students said that it was one of the most creative lottery draws they had ever participated in. The night came to a close as the partygoers were still dancing and enjoying the game and snacks at the booths.

The OIA provides a number of events for international students throughout the year. The Welcome Mixer is likely the largest event of its kind among universities in Taiwan, and has become a major annual event for international and local students to get acquainted with each other. Drawing international students from NTU's 11 colleges, the Mixer also provides an opportunity for NTU students to broaden their global outlook and develop their cultural awareness.