On 20th December, both the Department of French and the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies (GIISS) held large-scale Christmas parties.

First, at lunch time on December 20, the GIISS held the “2012 Christmas Party to Usher in a New Era”. The event was attended by over 50 faculty, staff, and students who together enjoyed a delicious buffet, chatted, and got to know each other outside the context of the classroom.

The Director of the Graduate Institute, Dr. Wong Ming-Hsien, explained that Christmas at the GIISS is also family day. Thus, family members of faculty, staff, and students also attended. The gathering featured a trivia quiz and the exchange of Christmas presents.

In the evening, the “Department of French Christmas Party” kicked off at the Chinese Palace-style Classrooms. The party was lively and fun. It started with a description of what Christmas means to the French (by French teacher assistant, Elsa), and featured a Christmas present giveaway, a beat box performance, impromptu acts by Department of French students, and a singing performance by well-known singing sensation and TKU student, Marcus Bo.