A Joyous Journey-- My Work and Life in Taiwan

Could you briefly tell us about yourself?

My name is Yazdan Nazaripoor; I am from Iran, in the Middle East. I hold a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering with a major in Control System. Within my 11 years of experience in Instrumentation and Control System Engineering in the Power Plants, Oil and Gas and Petrochemical plants, I have done design, purchasing, field engineering, and commissioning. I joined CTCI in June 2015 as part of the Talin Power Plant Renewal Project.

What made you join CTCI?

CTCI is an international corporation with projects in Taiwan and across the globe. My aim is to grow professionally while living CTCI’s vision, mission, and corporate culture.

Could you share some interesting experience you had when working in CTCI?

Everything about Taiwan, from the landscape to the culture, is different from my native country. However, my colleagues are so friendly and caring that I rarely feel homesick. Since my first project was in Kaohsiung, me and my colleagues have a lot of time to gather together after work. One time I travelled to Taitung, in east of Taiwan, with them. The beautiful nature and interesting indigenous Taiwanese culture really impressed me. Another time they even prepared cake for my birthday and surprised me. But my most unforgettable experience so far was the Winter Solstice Festival. We celebrate this festival in Iran also; it’s called Yalda. For the celebration in Taiwan, my colleagues surprised me with watermelon, pomegranates, and nuts – all the traditional foods of the Iranian Yalda!

How do you get rid of work stress?

I use a variety of methods to rid myself of stress. In Kaohsiung there is a bicycle lane which is very relaxing for walking or biking. On the weekends, I like to travel around the countryside, visit nice places, and eat delicious Taiwanese food. 

Up to now, I have traveled to Taipei, Kaohsiung, Kenting, Taitung, and Tainan, and I enjoy each of them. But the most amazing experience was visiting an island in south-west called Xiao Liu Qiu where I traveled with my love, and its natural beauty is particularly breathtaking. I also like to visit the night markets to eat at the food stalls and simply walk around and people-watch.

Could you give us some examples about Taiwanese culture and people that you are impressed with?

I think the most impressive thing in Taiwan is the safety and security. For instance, safety is more important than any other element at the workplace and there are safety reminders and notifications everywhere. The cities are also quite safe, even for walking around at night.

Another thing that really impresses me about Taiwan is the kindness and respectfulness of the people. They are so friendly and genuinely helpful. Once I asked for directions from someone, and they accompanied me the entire way to my destination, even though it was a bit far. They show respect for others especially to senior people and foreigners. They also respect the environment and try to save nature and to keep their air and water clean. 

People in Taiwan try to preserve their culture, beliefs and customs. I have attended several celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival. I enjoyed seeing the traditional Taiwanese activities, music and dances. Going to restaurant and sharing food with others is also a very interesting culture in Taiwan, and I enjoy being able to taste several type of Taiwanese food. 

For me, the most challenging aspect about living in Taiwan is learning the language. Using 4 different tones in speaking and drawing a complicated character for writing is so difficult for me. I have trouble even with basic words, but I enjoy trying and expanding my knowledge. Sometimes I try to imitate one word but nobody can understand me and it is disappointing but very funny. I can only use these 4 tones by moving my head.