Student from Taiwan looks forward to GSCC's International Festival
Gadsden State Community College is bringing back, for the first time since 2020, its annual International Festival.
Set for 4 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. April 6 in the Science Building on the East Broad Campus, it will be the 43rd installment of the event designed to expose the community to other cultures and allow people to meet the college’s international students — such as Yi-Fen Shen.
Shen is a native of Taiwan, where she was born Yoyo Shen. “Can you believe that?” she said. “My mother thought it was cute.”
Her English instructor in elementary school picked up a book, turned to a page and randomly selected her new name — “Sandy.” In high school, she decided to change her name again and asked her friends to pick one. She is now known as “Rachel.”
“We can change our name to whatever we want it be,” Shen said. “I’ve had several names but I think Rachel has stuck.”
Growing up in Taiwan wasn’t easy. Shen said her family was “broken,” and she was also struggling academically. Students were not given course options, and the schedule was very stringent.
“We went to school from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” she said. “Struggling students had to stay later for extra schooling. A lot of times I didn’t get home until 10 p.m.”
Shen said she failed all her math classes and made Cs and Ds in language and science courses.
“They taught us math like we were all going to be engineers or doctors,” she said. “They didn’t teach us real-life math skills. It felt like the teachers wanted us to fail. They were not student friendly like they are here.”
So, Shen explored other options. She went to Thailand and taught the Chinese language, and later volunteered at a language school in the Philippines. In 2018, at age 21, she found her way to Alabama as an exchange student.
“My mom wanted my English skills to improve and she wanted me to experience other parts of the world,” she said. “It was important to her that I get an education.”
Shen first attended Douglas High School, where her limited knowledge of the English language was a problem. “I couldn’t talk,” she said. “It took me about a year to learn to read and speak the language.”
She eventually became more confident in speaking English and succeeded in her academic courses.
“Americans are so friendly, and the teachers are so helpful,” she said. “The way they taught me was much different than what I was used to, but it worked very well for me.
“They started with the basics," she said. “I have a better understanding of math and science now. I’m pretty good at the language. I can make jokes now. I can order food for myself. I can go shopping by myself. Life is good.”
Shen lives with the Addison family — host parents Scotty and Danessa and their children Emmeline, 7, and Trace, 2 — in Horton.
“During my first year, I didn’t want to be here,” she said. “But they showed me a lot of love and patience. They accept me as part of the family. I’m not left out of anything. They treat me like they treat their biological children. I love them all so much.”
Shen transferred to Coosa Christian School in 2020 to continue her studies. She returned to Taiwan for six months during the COVID-19 pandemic, but couldn’t wait to return to her Alabama family and brought Lucy, a 3-year-old Formosan mountain dog she rescued, back with her.
“She’s living her best life,” Shen said of Lucy. “We live in the country, so she loves running around in the fields and playing with the cow.”
Shen earned a high school diploma in 2021 and knew she wanted to attend Gadsden State. “It’s close to my home with the Addisons, and it’s affordable,” she said. “I’m getting a good education without having to pay so much. It’s much more affordable than a four-year university.”
She is taking general studies courses at Gadsden State and plans to apply to the registered nursing program. She lives in the college’s dormitory, Fowler Hall, on weekdays, and is the treasurer for Students Without Borders, an organization for both international and American students designed to create cultural understanding.
“We have so much fun together,” she said. “We have picnics. We go to Gadsden State sporting events. We have traveled to Huntsville. We enjoy being together and learning from each other.”
Shen said she looks forward to participating in her first International Festival. “I’m thrilled to be able to share my country with others," she said. “No one really knows a lot about Taiwan. I can’t wait to speak in Chinese to people. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The event is sponsored by the college’s Division of Languages and Humanities, the Alabama Language Institute and Students Without Borders.
It will begin at 4 p.m. with the Parade of Nations in the Science Building Auditorium. Afterward, those attending can explore exhibits set up by students featuring their home countries. The closing ceremony at 6 p.m. will recognize ALI’s 50th anniversary and alumni from the institution.
“This is a great opportunity for people in our service area to meet some of Gadsden State’s international students,’” said Elise Harbin, an instructor with ALI, which helps students improve their English skills. “Our students always enjoy interacting with the local community and immersing themselves in the culture. They enjoy sharing their culture as well. It’s a wonderful learning opportunity for everyone.”
Gadsden State has been accepting international students since 1968, and more than 6,000 such students from at least 145 countries have attended the school. It currently has 35 international students from 25 countries, who speak at least 16 different languages.
“International students studying at Gadsden State and other American institutions bring immeasurable academic, cultural and economic value to our campuses and local communities,” Harbin said. “We are so proud to have such a vibrant, diverse and active international population at Gadsden State.”
For more information about the program, visit www.gadsdenstate.edu/international.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden State to hold first International Festival since 2020
