Formosa Dream Chasers

This week, we're excited to welcome a special guest who has travelled all the way from the United States back to Taiwan - Chair and Professor Yi-chun Tricia Lin (林怡君) of the Women's & Gender Studies Department at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)!

Join us as we learn what challenges and experiences women faced growing up during the 1960s-1980s in Taiwanese society. How did these societal norms shape Tricia's understanding of gender roles and expectations? What sparked Tricia's interest in women's studies and how did this shape her academic and personal journey?

Tune in to discover Tricia's inspirations for women's writing and her lifelong dedication to teaching and researching issues of gender, cultural identity, and social justice.

In addition to being Chair and professor, Yi-chun Tricia Lin was also President of the National Women's Studies Association from 2012-2014. She also was a Fulbright Scholar at the National Dong Hwa University's (NDHU) Ethnic Relations and Cultures Department in 2018.

For more information about Professor Lin, pleae visit her faculty page on the SCSU website.

Last week, Chinese calligraphy artist Wang I-chun (王意淳) gave an overview of what Chinese calligraphy is about and how her journey started.

Tune in to today's episode as we continue the conversation with I-chun! She does a deep dive into what the environment is like in Taiwan for calligraphy artists, how artists like her earn money through their craft and her suggestions for those who wish to pursue this art form.

The lunar new year (LNY) is just around the corner! During this festive season, many Taiwanese families hang up a pair of red couplets with auspicious phrases above the doorframe of their houses.

Have you ever wondered what those words mean? Do you want to know more about the art of Chinese calligraphy? Please join our conversation with one of the few female Chinese calligraphy artists here in Taiwan - the young and talented Wang I-chun (王意淳)!

In this special LNY episode, I-chun introduces the tradition and uniqueness of Chinese calligraphy. She also shares her joy for her art as a professional calligraphy artist here in Taiwan. Please don't hesitate to tune in and explore the fascinating world of Chinese calligraphy with us!

You can check out her calligraphy art works on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ooooooh____write/

For this episode, Mary Anne refers to a quote from Ms. Harriet Tubman - "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

Our dreams are precious. One could even say that our dreams are pieces of our soul which is why when we give them up, we are actually giving up a part of who we are.

In this final installment, Mary Anne hopes that the songs she shared not only encourage you to dream but to also go after your dreams - whatever they may be!

P.S. If you enjoyed this series, please let us know about it! Share your thoughts with us here! We would also love to know which song or poem inspires you to go after your dreams. After all, good things are meant to be shared, right? :)

Let's face it. Life IS a rollercoaster, it goes up and down. We go through set-backs, challenges and there are times when we are just tired of it all. We all get drained and exhausted so much so that it seems like giving up may be the only option for us.

If you feel that way then today's episode is for you. Mary Anne shares her thoughts and favorite songs that inspire her to continue moving forward despite tough times; songs that tell us we and are dreams are worth holding on to, that we are not alone and that problems won't last forever.

Previously, Ching-en and Mary Anne came up with the idea of sharing their favorite "hit songs" and it's now Mary Anne's turn to share her favorite songs in what she likes to call Mary Anne's motivational mixtapes!

Today Mary Anne shares the songs that remind her why she does what she does, help get her blood pumping and ready to face the day. She hopes that these same songs also serve as a friendly reminder to everyone to not waste time, to really go live our best life and be happy. The first step to doing that is to believe in yourself and your dreams.

By the way, Ching-en also shared his playlist! In case you missed it, you can revisit them here.

Last week, Jason Lin from LikeIt Formosa shared with us what inspired him to become an English walking tour guide and how his journey started.

We continue our conversation with Jason today to get an idea of what his work is like, how rewarding is it (yes, we mean that literally and figuratively!) being a walking tour guide and get his advice for people wanting to try out his line of work.

This week, Ching-en and Mary Anne are joined by Jason Lin from "Like It Formosa", the biggest English walking tour company in Taiwan.

Jason initially trained at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) to become a high school teacher. Rather than teaching in school, however, Jason decided to apply the skills of curriculum design into tour planning! These days, you will find him leading city walking tours as he introduces Taiwanese history, culture, and society to foreign toursits.

Ever wonder what it's like to be a walking tour guide? Please listen to the program as Jason shares how "walked" into his dream job. (yes, we wanted to be pun-ny!)

In this episode, Ching-en gets up close and personal as he shares his experiences and struggles during high school. He also introduces the song "Kite" and explains why "Kite", first released in 2012, went viral among many high school graduates at the time. With its upbeat chorus and energetic rhythm, the song illustrates the graduates' determination to fearlessly chase after their dreams.

Think about this: what was your dream when you were about to graduate from high school? Have you ever thought about going back in time to choose a different life path? It is hoped that the song would remind you of the passion and innocence when we were younger so please hit play and listen to the show.

Check out "Kite" on YouTube:

Continuing with Taiwanese songs that define certain moments in Taiwan’s history, Ching-en and Mary Anne talk about Taiwan's rapid economic development during the 1990s in this episode which was the context for singer- songwriter Lim Giong's iconic work "Marching Forward". Listen in to get a sense of the dreams the Taiwanese people were chasing at that time and see how the "Zeitgeist" is expressed in the music!

The song embodies a sense of hope for a whole new era ready to unfold and tells of a young man’s determination to build a better future for himself. This leads him to bid farewell to his beloved family and hometown and depart for Taiwan’s capital city, Taipei.

You can also watch the music video of "Marching Forward" by Lim Giong on YouTube: