管晟宇 Jordan Kuan

As Ben went through the trip starting from the moment we met, the adventure
seemed to come to an end. Much has happened after the evening of July 12th, but
that’s another story.
On the hill of Independence Park, I closed my eyes. My mind was calm, and my
heart was full. In the past two weeks, I have experienced Israel and its different
colors. As Assaf elaborated on the “prism” metaphor, there was plenty to see and
feel in this amazing state.

The Past: Culture and History
We heard many stories about the Jewish throughout the trip. How they responded to
the Roman siege at Masada, how they view the Holocaust today, and the stories
behind the Stations of the Cross are the ones that I reflected on the most. Without a
doubt, I may not fully understand the decisions since I did not live at the time of the
events. Yet it’s by reading and learning about them that allows us to put together the
different pieces of the puzzle and see the complete picture.
Up until today, major spots such as the Western Wall and Golan heights appear on
news headlines when it comes to religious or regional conflicts. Being clear about the
cultural background is crucial to effective discussion of such issues, and I have
understood the social and historical context of modern Israel better in this trip.

The Ongoing Present: Startups
“I don't want you to chase your dreams, I want you to chase your reality. And I want
you to understand that you chase your reality not at the expense of your dreams, but
as the foundation of your dreams.” I believe Christopher Nolan’s commencement
speech at Princeton a few years ago somewhat connects with the Israeli startup
mentality. The two-week experience has allowed me to look into the different
elements that make up the Israeli DNA. They learn from the past and work towards
the optimal solution by continuously upgrading the current system. In addition, they
are confident in their ideas and are comfortable working with diverse perspectives.
That said, the exact same style won't work in Taiwan. Two key factors that make
Israel the startup nation are government support and the effective communication in
flat organizations. I believe Taiwan is still conservative in many aspects, and each
place has its culture and values.

The People and Their Daily Lives
It was a great pleasure to meet peers from diverse backgrounds and start random
talks about our thoughts on all sorts of topics. Through the conversations with the
startups, I learned how business works in the different industries. The locals were
hospitable. They greeted us with warm smiles and shared their stories with us. All
the interesting people made the trip complete.
Art and music spiced up the journey. The markets, beaches, and deserts make Israel
a fascinating state. The trip started off at the ancient port city Jaffa, which means
beautiful in Hebrew, and I would like to sum it up with the word as well. Israel is such
a beautiful place. The adventure surely has come to an end, but the unfinished
stories have just begun.

Acknowledgement

I am more than thankful for all the support that facilitated this trip. Huge thanks to the
Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association, the Office of International Affairs, NTU, and
Israel Experience for making this amazing tour possible. I believe there will be a lot
to share at our reunion soon. Enjoy the drive!

Jordan Kuan
July 2023