Dormitory issue at college/Carlos Pueblo

Dormitory issue at college/Carlos Pueblo

Recently, there is a college dormitory issue involving a mayoral candidate of the

New Taipei city in Taiwan which brings back my miserable memory of my college

life during that time in the mid-1960’s. Taiwan is a small island nation of the size

of Massachusetts with 23 million plus population. I was lucky to pass on the

college examination to enter Taiwan Normal University, a government sponsored

institution for secondary school teachers back then. A free tuition with room and

board to maintain a basic living  at that difficult time was one of the route for a

poor student to get ahead with a career as a teacher after graduation. I did remember

that I could only stay half of my tenure, two years, at the school and another half of

the time to rent a bed outside the campus.

In order to keep up with my additional expanse, I was forced to do a tutorship at

night for wealthy middle school pupils. Finally, I graduated from the college with a

teacher’s certificate and a job to prepare my future. In 1975, I was accepted as a

graduate student at Auburn University with a teaching assistantship stipend for

$375 a month which was sufficient to maintain a normal student life at U.S. standard.

I had had a good memory of such life and appreciated very much for what I obtained

with such opportunity to study and learn how to live in this great country. I rent room

outside of the campus easily with a comfortable space and affordable rate. I don’t see

any solution soon in Taiwan for the crowded college dormitory issue. Too many students

comes from outside of the national capital in order to get a better education and job

opportunity.

I have noticed in my early life; therefore, I have been well prepared when both of my

children are at college. We provided the saving for their expanse. I didn’t allow our

daughter to work study in order to be concentrated at study; therefore, she had had

good grades and eventually landed in a good job. Our son stayed home for local college

and graduated without any of the financial difficulty. I learned and I prepared before

their college education needs. Of course, students can get financial aid or college loan;

however, the loans still need to be repaid and is still a burden to a young independent

life.