Formosa Dream Chasers

Have you ever felt like finding your purpose can feel a little like searching for hidden treasure?

In Part One of Real Talk: Unmapped, Formosa Dream Chasers host Mary Anne Sioco and guest host Patty Pi began exploring a question that can in itself inspire hope, anxiety, or sometimes both. The question being “What is my purpose?”

They discussed the pressure to have life figured out, the temptation to compare our private uncertainty with other people’s public confidence, and whether purpose might be rooted in our values rather than a particular career or title. If you missed that conversation, listen to Part One to meet Patty, discover the "Feel, Discuss, and Commit" framework behind the series, and hear where this journey began.

In Part Two, the conversation moves from the question of purpose to the realities that can make pursuing it difficult. What happens when work becomes a matter of survival? Can we still find meaning in a job we do not love? And how do responsibilities, routines, mental health, and financial pressure affect our ability to imagine a different life?

Mary Anne and Patty also consider whether purpose must remain the same forever—or whether it can evolve alongside us in a world where new possibilities are constantly emerging.

Tune in for an honest, thoughtful, and sometimes humorous conversation about work, leisure, community, uncertainty, and following the unexpected breadcrumbs that may lead us toward a more meaningful life.

Life rarely comes with a clear map. We may have an idea where we are expected to go, but not whether that destination is truly ours—or what to do when the familiar route no longer feels right.

That uncertainty is at the heart of Real Talk: Unmapped, a new Formosa Dream Chasers series in which familiar quotes, popular advice, and some of life’s biggest questions are tested against the messiness of real experience. Joining host Mary Anne Sioco is guest host Patty Pai, an overseas Taiwanese whose life between Taiwan and the United States has given her a thoughtful, curious, and often humorous way of looking beyond the obvious.

For their first unmapped conversation, Mary Anne and Patty explore a question that can inspire curiosity, create pressure, or trigger a small existential crisis: “What is my purpose?”

Together, they examine why so many of us feel we should already have life figured out, how careers and other people’s expectations shape our definition of success, and whether purpose might be connected to something deeper than a job title. But when passion, personal values, and financial reality do not neatly align, where does that leave us?

Tune in for an honest and lively conversation about uncertainty, comparison, cultural expectations, and the possibility that not having a perfect roadmap may not mean you are lost after all.

How do you remain compassionate toward someone in distress while making sure their fear, anger, or uncertainty does not influence you or the words you interpret?

In earlier episodes, English–Chinese court interpreter Angel Kao took us through the unexpected journey that led her into Taiwan’s courts and revealed why the work demands far more than fluency. From unfamiliar legal terms and intense concentration to responsibilities and risks that often remain unseen, her story introduced us to a profession where even the smallest detail can matter.

If you missed those conversations, listen to parts one and two to hear how Angel found her way into the profession—and what really happens behind the scenes of a courtroom assignment.

Today, Mary Anne Sioco turns to the deeply human side of court interpreting. Angel reflects on the delicate balance between empathy and neutrality, explains why cultural context can change the meaning behind seemingly simple words, and considers whether technology could ever replace the judgment of a human interpreter.

She also shares what she believes needs to change within the profession, what aspiring interpreters should understand before entering the field, and how six years in Taiwan’s courtrooms have transformed her idea of success.

Tune in as we move beyond words and discover what it means to help someone be heard—without losing your own boundaries, judgment, or humanity.

Court interpreting may look like a simple exchange of words, but what happens when there is no direct translation, no advance access to the conversation, and no room for misunderstanding?

Today, host Mary Anne Sioco continues her conversation with English–Chinese court interpreter Angel Kao. This time, they look beyond language ability to explore the concentration, preparation, and quick thinking the profession demands. Angel takes us behind the scenes of a courtroom assignment, where an interpreter must listen closely, preserve the speaker’s true meaning, navigate unfamiliar legal terms, and remain aware of far more than the words being spoken.

But the challenges do not always end when the hearing is over. Angel also opens up about a lesser-known side of the profession—one that raises important questions about personal safety, boundaries, and whether interpreters receive enough recognition and protection for the responsibilities they carry.

If you missed Part One, go back and discover the unexpected personal journey that led Angel from studying English in Taiwan and living overseas to finding her place inside Taiwan’s courtrooms.

Then join us for Part Two, as we uncover what it means to speak for someone when every word and every decision matters.

Have you ever imagined working in a profession where every word you say for someone else could shape what happens next?

For Angel Kao, becoming an English–Chinese court interpreter in Taiwan was never part of a carefully laid-out career plan. An unexpected experience overseas gave her a personal glimpse into how intimidating and defenseless a legal system can make you feel when navigating it in an unfamiliar language. Years later, a friend’s suggestion opened the door to a profession she had never imagined pursuing.

In Part One of this Formosa Dream Chasers interview, Angel looks back on her relationship with English, the experiences that shaped her understanding of language, and her surprising journey into Taiwan’s courtrooms. She also reveals what went through her mind during her first assignment, and why stepping into court involved a little more than professional preparation.

Tune in to discover how an unexpected turn became an opportunity to help others find their voice when being understood matters the most.

What turns a group of musicians into a real band? Is it skill, chemistry, a shared vision…or is it something less obvious?

In previous episodes, we got the chance to talk to RTI host and musician Fil Leskovsky who shared how his journey from Slovakia to Taiwan began and what led him from playing music alone to searching for the right people with whom to create. If you missed our earlier conversations, be sure to check out the previous episodes to discover how Fil’s musical experiment first began.

Today, our conversation turns to what happens when an idea finally begins taking shape. Fil reflects on what his more experienced bandmates have taught him about patience, trust, and leadership. But does leading a band depend on musical ability, a clear creative vision, or is it a completely different skill that is easy to overlook?

And at what point does an “attempt at a band” become the real thing? Is it when the members write their first original song, step onto a stage, or finally discover what holds them together? As Fil looks toward the band’s future, he also considers whether music has helped Taiwan feel like home—and reveals the unexpected story behind their band’s name inspired by one of his favorite foods.

Listen to Part Three to discover how a passing idea is slowly finding its identity, its purpose, and its own distinctive sound.

As host Mary Anne Sioco continues her conversation with RTI host and aspiring musician Fil Leskovsky about the complicated, and sometimes surprisingly funny, reality of building a band in Taipei we find out more about how a band may handle issues such as clashing musical tastes, busy schedules and several different ideas of what their music should become.

The conversation begins with a practical mystery: in one of Taiwan’s most densely populated cities, where do musicians rehearse without making their neighbors absolutely furious? From there, Fil opens up about leading a multicultural group when he is not necessarily its most experienced musician, balancing his creative vision with his bandmates’ ideas, and deciding whether they are a Taiwanese band, an international band—or simply a group of people trying to make music together.

But behind the rehearsals and musical ambitions is a quieter dream that has been growing louder for years. What finally turns an idea into something real? Do you need talent, experience or simply someone willing to keep things moving?

Tune in to Part Two to find out what happens when you stop waiting to be a good enough musician and begin anyway.

What does it take to start a band in Taiwan when you’re still finding your confidence as a musician—and searching for people who share your sound?

Formosa Dream Chasers host Mary Anne Sioco sits down with Slovakia-born RTI host Fil Leskovsky to chat about the journey that has kept bringing him back to Taiwan for nearly nine years and his love for music. As Fil shares why playing music makes him happier than almost anything else, he also talks about what finally pushed him into a rehearsal room with other musicians.

But forming a band involves more than finding talented players. As Fil discovered, it can feel surprisingly like dating: musical taste matters, but so do communication, compatibility, not to mention the ability to enjoy creating something together.

How do you find the right people—and your own sound—in a culture different from the one in which you grew up? Listen to Part One to discover how Fil began turning a long-held musical dream into reality in Taiwan.

The idea of 'buying' a new beginning is easy. We can purchase the running shoes, the beautiful planner, or the perfect outfit in minutes. But what happens after we bring them home? Why does becoming the person we pictured take so much longer?

In the final chapter of this three-part series, host Mary Anne Sioco moves beyond what our belongings represent and asks what they reveal about the way we pursue change. From clothes saved for a more confident future to journals waiting for thoughts important enough to fill them, some of our most hopeful purchases remain caught between preparation and action. Once the excitement of a new purchase fades, how do we decide which possibilities deserve our time and attention? And which ones we’re ready to leave behind?

Join Mary Anne for a lighthearted yet revealing reflection on the difference between purchasing change and pursuing it...and why the things waiting in our closets and on our desks may be asking us a question only we can answer.

What do a pile of unread books, a perfectly blank sketchbook, and a suitcase waiting for a trip have in common? They may seem like unrelated belongings, but each could be a reminder of something we once wanted to learn, create, or experience.

Last week, host Mary Anne Sioco explored how forgotten exercise equipment and unused kitchen appliances can reveal the healthier, more connected lives we once pictured for ourselves. Today, the search moves from our kitchen cupboards to our bookshelves, creative corners, and travel closets—where even more possibilities may be quietly waiting.

Why do we keep buying books we haven’t read? Could an untouched sketchbook be protecting more than its blank pages? And what might an unused suitcase reveal about the places we hoped to visit or perhaps, the more adventurous person we wanted to become?

Join Mary Anne for a lighthearted but revealing look at the stories hidden inside our belongings and what they might tell us about our curiosity, creativity, and desire to explore. Because sometimes, the things we leave untouched can remind us of parts of ourselves we may be ready to explore again.