Mountains and Water

I was in my early thirties when I went to Taiwan for the first time. I had done my research, so I went straight to Hualien. In need for a break from the busy city life, I found just what I needed.
The language center of Tzu-Chi is on a small campus that lies 2-3 km outside the city center of Hualien. It's a beautiful place, with grass fields around, and an exceptional view on the mountains. At times, it has a quiet meditative feeling. Still, it is very convenient : there are outstanding sport facilities, a cafeteria, a big library (with English books too) and dormitories on site. Within 5-10 minutes walking distance, there are many restaurants, shops, and private rooms for rent. It takes 20 minutes by bicycle to reach Hualien train station from which you can explore the East coast or go to Taipei for a weekend.
The classes are well taught and because there aren't too many foreigners, there's plenty of opportunities to practice Chinese and meet Taiwanese students. The language center also offers extra cultural activities for those interested. On the Tzu-Chi main campus close to the train station, there are even more activities for learning (like taichi, chinese painting...) or meeting people.
Apart from the laid-back atmosphere of Hualien, the other thing that drew me to Tzu-Chi, is that it is a Buddhist organization. I was interested in learning more about Buddhism and I was touched by story behind Tzu-Chi. However, for most students the influence of Buddhism will only be felt through the restriction on vegetarian food within the campus, but the more sensitive observer will feel the attention that has been put to nurturing the heart and uplifting the soul...

PS: At time of writing, the website states this is a 1-6 weeks program. The study terms are actually 2 or 3 months in length for group classes (4-10 students), with 4 terms a year.
I thought I would study there for 6 months then go to mainland China. It was so good I ended up staying two years.