Semarang, Indonesia – On October 27, 2024, the Language Center of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) successfully held the “Cultural Chit-Chat,” a cultural forum designed to strengthen intercultural understanding through firsthand stories from international students. The event became a forum for sharing perspectives across countries and successfully attracted more than 175 local students as active participants.

In this edition, the theme raised was “Family Life,” a universal topic that has different interpretations in each culture. Three international students from Indonesia, Paraguay, and Mexico were invited as speakers to share the family values that are alive and rooted in their societies.

The representative from Indonesia, Nurlita Wahyu Aziza, highlighted how Indonesian society upholds togetherness and joy in celebrating important moments, especially birthday celebrations. She gave an example of the tradition of celebrating children’s birthdays as a form of attention and affection from family and their close ones. Nurlita also introduced the Javanese tradition of “Tedak Siten,” a ceremony that marks a baby’s first steps on the ground. She explains that tradition is not only symbolic, but also reflects the hopes and prayers of the family for the child’s future, as well as the cultural value that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Tino From Paraguay, the speaker explained that Sunday is a sacred time for the family. On that day, family members usually gather to enjoy cooking together, especially asado—a typical Paraguayan grilled meat dish—and enjoy the traditional drink Terere. This activity symbolizes the warmth, emotional attachment, and strong family values in Paraguayan society. This shared activity not only strengthens relationships between generations, but also becomes a space for sharing stories and supporting each other.

Meanwhile, Rodrigo from Mexico talked about the spirit and warmth of her country’s culture through the celebration of Quinceañera, a grand and meaningful ceremony that marks a girl’s transition to the age of 15. The speaker says that this tradition is not only a social celebration, but is also full of historical and cultural values. Quinceañera is an important

moment that shows the role of the extended family and community in celebrating the growth and development of individuals and strengthening a sense of cultural identity.

Through this event, Cultural Chit-Chat has succeeded in creating an inclusive and inspiring dialogue space for students to understand cultural values that are different but also have similarities in emphasizing the importance of family in life.