With the COVID-19 pandemic easing and the borders reopening, more and more international students are again willing to undertake studies in Taiwan. The Bachelor's Program in Interdisciplinary Studies (BPIS), the first full English-taught undergraduate program of Fu Jen Catholic University, has accepted the first batch of students coming from nine countries and four continents. Among these students, two are quite “outstanding,” and not just because of their height (one is close to, and the other over, 200 cm tall). In addition to being BPIS students, they are also basketball players for the Fu Jen team.
　　Mihailo comes from Serbia. Although Europe is generally known for soccer, Mihailo has fallen in love with basketball. A dream of becoming a basketball player has followed him from childhood. Now, enriched by almost ten years of experience of playing basketballb all, he can keep a calm and composed attitude on the court, and make swift judgments at crucial times. As for daily life, Mihailo enjoys shopping at nearby convenience stores. For satisfying his needs as a busy foreigner living in Taiwan, convenience is the key.
　　Abou, another basketball player in the BPIS program, is from the Ivory Coast. As a tall young African boy, he also fell in love with basketball, which took him on a journey that has included participation in international competitions and studies in Cyprus, and now in Taiwan. Abou can already speak French and English, yet at present he also has to study Chinese. While in ordinary circumstances he is an easy-going person, each competition turns him into a very focused and aggressive player, who will make the most extreme efforts. Because of his religion, Abou does not eat pork, but he still enjoys diverse and delicious Taiwanese food.
　　The two students from so far away were able to get together because of their enthusiasm for basketball, and the decisions to undertake study at Fu Jen. Even though they faced enormous challenges when applying for their studies and entry to Taiwan, with the help of the Office of International Education, the BPIS program, and the Physical Education Office, they were able to overcome all the problems and have settled down at Fu Jen. Now both of them have to do their best to balance their studies and basketball training sessions.
　　This is the first time that Fu Jen has a full English-taught bachelor's program, as well as foreign basketball players as its students. Hopefully, more talented foreign players will follow the footsteps of Mihailo and Abou. With the beginning of the 2022/2 3 tournament of the University Basketball Association (UBA) competition, the hope at Fu Jen is that Mihailo and Abou will make their contributions to the ultimate success of the Fu Jen basketball team.   Koko303