Join CTCI, A Step forward to the World: My Story in Taiwan

— Nguyen Khac Kien, Design Engineer at Electrical Engineering Department, CTCI Vietnam

Could you briefly tell us about yourself?

My name is Nguyen Khac Kien from Vietnam. I am a design engineer at Electrical Engineering Department, CTCI Vietnam. I came to work at the First Headquarters of CTCI Corporation in February 2022 as the contact person of engineering projects, and then I was responsible for designing electrical system and engaged in two major projects. 

In retrospect of the day when I left Vietnam, it took two and a half hours on a bumpy flight to get to Taiwan. I was excited and nervous as this was my first business trip and my first time to communicate with others in Mandarin. Thanks to the help from my supervisors and colleagues, I gradually got used to the new environment, starting to explore the culture and places in Taiwan.

What made you join CTCI?

When I graduated from university in 2019, I heard that CTCI Vietnam was recruiting, and I was fortunate to get the offer after the interview on the same day. I deeply believe in “fate”, seeing joining CTCI Group as an opportunity written in the stars that enabled me to learn and grow in a globally-recognized company with extensive global reach, and thus developed a deep relationship with Taiwan. 

Which country are you from? What interesting cultures or traditions does your country have?

Vietnam is a country with rich and diverse history, culture, and traditions, and I found that cultures between Taiwan and Vietnam are hugely similar after coming to Taiwan, such as using lunar calendar, celebrating the Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and so on.

I want to share a special tradition in Vietnam. When Lunar New Year comes, people visit the Temple of Literature to pray, especially for families whose children are preparing for entrance examinations. Located in Hanoi, Temple of Literature was built in 1070 dedicated to Confucius and his students. In the back of the temple is the Imperial Academy, equivalent to the highest rank of educational institution in ancient China and it is Vietnam’s first national university. Also, the public can pray for good health and luck in the coming year through Confucianism-featured activities such as having meaningful words written in calligraphy at the Temple of Literature, an interesting spot worth visiting. 

What is your native language? How many languages do you speak?

My native language is Vietnamese, and I can speak Chinese and English as well. Interestingly, according to the information from U.S. Department of State, I was surprised to find that Vietnamese ranks third on the list of the most difficult languages to learn, second only to Chinese and Korean. 

Could you give us some examples of the foreign culture and people that impress you the most while studying/working overseas?

When I walked to the office on my first day of work, trying to remember the route and understanding the traffic so as to commute by bike afterwards, a young lady riding a bike abruptly said, “Excuse me, can you let me pass?” I was suddenly scared, leaned over and let her ride pass, and she said thank you in reply. 

Since then, I found that unlike Vietnamese, Taiwanese people do not usually honk their horns and urge others on roads. Meanwhile, Taiwanese people are very polite and hospitable, saying “excuse me” every time when they are going to do things, which I appreciate a lot. 

Finally, my favorite food in Taipei goes to beef noodles, which feature a very different flavor to beef pho. And my favorite place is the Grand Hotel, which is not far from the office and is a place where I can enjoy dining while immersed in historical atmosphere.

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

I remembered the first time when I took on doing model review as a team leader, I found it very challenging and I was too nervous to perform it well, feeling ashamed. To my surprise, my supervisors and colleagues didn’t blame me, but encouraged me to prepare better next time as it was my first task. At that time, I not only felt the care and help from colleagues, but the team spirit of CTCI. Since then, I did my best in every model review that even got praised from the owner, marking an unforgettable experience for me.