親愛的潘文忠部長，
我們是一群 2020-2021 教育部華語文獎學金的受獎生，首先，對於能夠得到前往台灣修習華語的機會，我們想向台灣政府致上我們誠摯的謝意。很不幸地，去年Covid-19 肆虐全球，我們無法如期入境台灣並開始我們的學業。因此，我們一起寫了這封信，希望向您解釋我們所遭遇的困境和我們可以對台灣帶來的貢獻，更重要的是，希望藉由您的力量，讓我們早日開始在台灣的學習之旅。
我們來自世界上各個不同的國家，受獎生當中包含了學術研究員、文字創作者、工程師、科學家、科技相關創業者、音樂家、藝術家和教育家等等，我們對於學習中文有著共同的熱情，也同樣喜愛台灣開放的社會和充滿活力的多元文化。我們渴望成為文化交流大使，向世界宣介台灣的好，可惜現在身為非學位生的我們，仍被拒於台灣的國門之外。
我們理解台灣政府的首要之責必定是保護台灣人民，您們對於疫情快速適當的反應拯救了無數生命，在國際媒體上也成為了最佳典範。但當台灣對部分境外人士（商務人士、學位生等）開放邊界的同時，請您別忘了我們，也別忽視我們熱切想對台灣帶來的貢獻。2020 年二月，我們因著不同的理由申請到台灣學習中文，並在四、五月之際獲頒教育部華語文獎學金，但爾後，將近九個月的時間，我們只能苦苦地等待入境台灣的那一天。
由於台灣仍未開放華語文獎學金生入境，我們無法計畫後續抵台的細節，甚至連能否成行都是未知數。部分受獎生已經考慮放棄獎學金，且若此學年結束（2021 年八月）前邊境仍未重新開放，則會有更多受獎生必須取消來台的計畫。希望您能夠明白，這不只是機票的問題！我們早已為台灣之旅做好一連串準備，現在步調被打亂，我們希望的也不過就是能夠健康的抵達台灣罷了。不斷等待的未知過程非常痛苦，我們許多人已經辭職並滿心期待前往台灣，卻在邊界禁令一出後，維持待業的狀況好幾個月直至今天 ; 也有人已經退租原國家的房子，現在為了尋找短期住宿而苦惱著。
以下是我們的請求：
一、和台灣政府有更好的溝通管道
疫情變化未知多端，我們深深理解。但至今，來自台灣政府、教育局、台灣駐外代表處（TROs）以及各大學語言中心的消息非常少，不同的單位甚至會給出不同的答案，這讓受獎生們的心中的憂慮不減反增。因此，我們希望政府可以提供一個窗口，針對教育部華語文獎學金受獎生們，定期給出明確、即時的消息。
二、自由選擇是否將獎學金延至下學年
部分駐外代表處已經提供「將獎學金延至下學年」的這個選項，但仍有部分代表處尚未給出詳細的答案，這讓許多受獎生感到相當焦慮，若獎學金硬性規定必須在本學年使用完畢，那許多人將損失部分或是全部的獎學金額度。因此，我們請求讓所有的受獎生得以自由選擇是否將獎學金延至下學年。
三、將教育部華語文獎學金生列為下一波入境對象
當然，我們絕大多數仍然希望可以在這學年抵達台灣開始並學中文，因此懇求當局將教育部華語獎學金生列為下一波入境對象，或讓我們採專案方式入台。我們必定會恪守各項防疫規定，不讓台灣堅持已久的防疫成果有所鬆動。
最後，我們希望教育部能夠對此次華語文獎學金的細則重新給出統一、詳盡的解釋。例如，有部分受獎生被通知要加入某語言中心的華語線上課程、有人則被告知以學生簽證身份入境台灣，將會失去受獎生的身份等等。不同來源的訊息，讓受獎生們感到困惑及無所適從。
我們都感到無比的榮幸可以身為2020-2021 年教育部華語文獎學金受獎生的一份子，並成為未來傳揚台灣文化的交流者。雖然華語文獎學金生們來自不同的國家與文化背景, 但我們的共同點是對中文語言與台灣文化的熱愛。正如俗話說，「百聞不如一見」，我們唯一的願望是在當地體驗台灣之美！感謝蔡副院長耐心閱讀這封信，我們衷心地請求您的協助！
2020-2021 年教育部華語文獎學金受獎生
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Dear Minister Pan,
We are writing to you as recipients of the 2020-2021 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. We were generously awarded this scholarship to support our Mandarin studies at Taiwanese institutions; unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic has meant we’ve not yet been allowed to enter Taiwan. We want to share some of the difficulties we have faced in the past year, humbly ask for your help in solving them, and hopefully convince you of what we can bring to Taiwan if we were able to begin our studies.
Among us are budding academics, content creators, engineers, scientists, tech entrepreneurs, musicians, artists, and educators; coming from all over the globe and over 20 countries. This is not including the many other scholars we’ve not been able to reach. We all share a passion for learning Mandarin and an affinity for Taiwan’s open society and vibrant cultures. We would love to begin our studies and one day serve as cultural ambassadors for Taiwan, but as non-degree students we currently cannot do so.
We recognize that your first duty as elected officials is to protect the Taiwanese people. Your caution and leadership during the pandemic has clearly saved many lives, and Taiwan’s public health leadership has become the world’s gold standard. As you continue to open the country to foreigners (e.g. workers and degree-seeking students), we ask you to not forget us and the contribution we want to make. We first applied to study in Taiwan in February 2020, choosing it over other language learning destinations for many reasons. Unfortunately, since receiving the award in April/May, we have been waiting for close to nine months without resolution.
While the borders remain closed to us, it has been impossible to plan for our eventual studies in Taiwan. Moreover, there is uncertainty about going at all: some scholars have already felt the need to forfeit the scholarship, others will have to do so if the borders don’t reopen in time for their academic term. It’s not just a question of plane tickets: we’ve rearranged our lives into a holding pattern to keep the hope of going to Taiwan alive. This has included turning down opportunities or new responsibilities, such as resigning from jobs or not taking new ones, organizing short-term accommodation and repatriations while waiting for updates, with all the anxiety that comes from waiting without knowing.
This is hopefully where you can help. Firstly, we would be thankful for greater communication from the government. We understand that the pandemic’s course can’t be predicted and nothing is certain, but until now updates have been few and far between. We’ve tried seeking information from the MoE, Taipei Representative Offices (TROs), and our universities; sometimes receiving contradictory answers. More frequent and consistent updates, preferably from one source, would ease anxiety and help scholars, TROs, and universities get on the same page.
Secondly, we would appreciate the option for all scholars to defer their studies into the next academic year. Some TROs have offered this to scholars in their region. But many have not been offered the same by their TRO, which has caused much anxiety as we approach the next academic term. Extending the offer of deferment to the 2021-2022 academic year to all scholars would be of huge help, otherwise many will have to forfeit the scholarship entirely.
Of course for most of us, the ideal outcome would still be to enter Taiwan within this academic year. Given the severity of the pandemic, we understand the weight of this request; naturally we’re ready and willing to adhere to all quarantine and public health measures to protect Taiwan and its people. We humbly ask to be considered when you discuss the next stages of border openings.
Finally, we request reconsideration or clarification of some of the scholarship rules in light of the current pandemic. For example, scholars have been told that registering for online courses run by Taiwanese Mandarin Training Centres, or entering the country on anything but a student visa might lead to loss of the scholarship.
We were all lucky to be chosen by you as Huayu Enrichment Scholars, considered promising students of Mandarin and future cultural ambassadors for Taiwan. We want nothing more than to vindicate your faith in us! We humbly ask you for your help.
雖然華語文獎學金生來自不同的國家與文化背景, 但我們的共同點是對中文語言與台灣文化的熱愛。正如俗話說，「百聞不如一見」，我們唯一的願望是在當地體驗台灣之美！
Sincerely,
Huayu Enrichment Scholars ’20-’21