“We started off the week with Professor Po-Yi Hung’s insightful lecture on Food and Society Issues in Taiwan. Using examples of tea production and the politics of “bubble tea,” Professor Hung critically evaluated the role of food in defining identity and culture. A lecture from the 主婦聯盟環境保護基金會 Homemakers United Foundation showcased the important role women play in initiating community-based renewable energy projects in Taiwan. Students from UW and NTU visited several urban and community farming sites including: 城市養蜂 Urban Beekeeping Project, 寶藏巖國際藝術村 Treasure Hill Artist Village, 共耕食代 Co-cultivating Generation in Jiankang Social Housing, and the 臺大農場 NTU farm. Students also visited the renowned Yangmingshan National Park to learn about the breeding of Polai Rice by the Japanese in the early 20th century. The day’s field trip ended with a scenic hike in the National Park. The highlight of Week 2 was a day trip to the historical tea trade district, Dadaocheng to experience tea culture and history, guided by Like It Formosa 來去福爾摩沙 . We ended the week with a boat tour along the Tamsui River to experience how settlers 200 years ago viewed the region before ground transportation was developed. Moving on to Week 3, students from both campuses will collaborate on a lightning talk presentation to share their learning from the past two weeks. Stay tuned!” Professor Yen-Chu Weng