Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year for many foreigners. For exchange students unable to return home during the semester, the NCKU OIA Office of International Affairs, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU OIA) sought to enhance their sense of belonging in Taiwan. To celebrate the festive season, NCKU invited exchange students and Campus Linker volunteers to a Christmas gift exchange on December 23rd, 2024. Through fun activities and shared meals, the event created a warm and welcoming atmosphere, helping students feel a sense of family even while far from home.

Group Photo of Participants at the Christmas Gift Exchange Party

The participants came from Germany, the Netherlands, France, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Throughout the event, exchange students, Taiwanese volunteers, and NCKU staff shared meals, exchanged greetings, and took joyful group photos at a fun photo booth.

Exchange students took photos at the fun booth.

Students Happily Received the Gifts Prepared by Their Peers.

Each student brought a small gift for the exchange, and there were constant surprises as the gifts were opened, filling the room with excitement and joy. Following the exchange, participants enjoyed a lively competition using chopsticks to pick up chocolate beans, showcasing creative strategies. A group photo of all participants was taken to mark a perfect memory of the festive gathering.

Students Made Great Efforts to Win the Chocolate Beans Competition.