Learning English has become very popular for many years in Taiwan. Department of English Literature in National Chung Hsing University has set up an "English Corner" on campus, encouraging students to speak with foreign teachers, which has been proved a very good way of learning English.

Learning English has been a fancy trend in Taichung for so many years. You can see English cram schools almost everywhere. Additionally, while more and more international students appear in colleges and universities, especially in universities, there have been more activities like ‘English Camps,’ ‘English Learning Week’ and so on, making the English language become more common and easy.

Learning English in “English Corner”

Every Wednesday, an ‘English Corner’ learning activity is held in National Chung Hsing University. Carl Owen, the instructor, using vivid ‘theme’ teaching methods, has attracted many students, and has been very successful. Carl Owen is from England. He has natural curly hair and abundant body languages. Carl said the best policy of learning English is to ‘read,’ no matter what material you may use??"either English newspapers or novels??"and not to worry if you cannot understand the whole story. Compulsory reading, day after day, will make you familiar with the grammar rules and vocabularies. In Addition, reading the subtitles while watching HBO movies is a good way in which Carl's students have learned from him.

Falling love with the Natural Beauty of Dakeng

Carl likes to travel, and he has traveled many countries. Twelve years ago, when he came to Taiwan with a good friend, he decided to stay after experiencing great hospitality and tolerance from the people here.

Carl speaks perfect Chinese, and surprisingly, his favorite hobby is mountain climbing, rather than visiting pubs! Being a nature lover and living in Dakeng, Carl knows all the mountain climbing routes so well. He said he doesn't fit in the city noise and big traffic, so he chooses to live in the nature; birds and trees have become his best companies. What he most commonly does for leisure is ’cooking’ and

‘re-assembling his scooter.’ When he talks about how he takes his scooter apart and rebuilds it, it seems that there is nothing in the world that could make him happier, and I become as cheerful as him!

Say Hello to a “Three-legged Cat”!

Carl likes to visit Taichung Metropolitan Park, because it's big and quiet. But there is still one thing that Carl feels odd about: while walking along the street beside the park, it's so hard to find a garbage can and a chair to sit on. “I eat my lunch while sitting on my scooter all the time,” he said mischievously.

Besides teaching, Carl has composed a band with his friends called “Three-legged Cat,” showing his wildness, which is such a different 'him' compared to while teaching English. Next time, when you meet Carl on one of the climbing routes in Dakeng, or see him eating his favorite thing, shabushabu, you may say hello and give him a big smile!