The opening ceremony for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will take place on the 7th, Taiwan time. This year already marks several historic moments for Taiwan, with a record 10 athletes qualifying for the games, although only 9 will compete. The games also represent new and comeback opportunities in the bobsleigh and figure skating competitions, respectively.

Naomi and Louis swing in to introduce GASA (Galactic Safari) Space, a venue in Taipei where people can cowork, host events, join workshops, and more!  Follow them on IG @gasaspace2024 !

It's been so cold in Taiwan recently! Do you have a runny nose or sore throat? I hope you are well. This week, let’s learn some Tâi-gí words related to catching a cold.   ●Words to Know: 1. 感冒 kám-mōo (phr.) catch a cold 2. 頭疼 thâu-thiànn (n.) headache  3. 咳嗽 ka-sàu (v.) cough  4. 發燒 huat-sio (phr.) have a fever 5. 看醫生 khuànn-i-sing (phr.) see the doctor    ●Idiom  of the week: 愛媠毋驚流鼻水。 Ài-suí m̄ kiann lâu phīnn-tsuí. (They’d rather have a runny nose than give up looking good.)

Today's episode features a lot of emails that haven't been read yet, including reception reports, promotional materials for events, and some nice compliments from our listeners.  If you would like to contact us and have your message read on air, please send a letter to P.O. BOX 123, 199 Taipei, Taiwan, or email us at English@rti.org.tw. You can also reach us on social media: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram at @Rtienglish.

Welcome back to Formosa Dream Chasers. In part two of our conversation with Harry Swart — musician, busker, and longtime Taiwan resident — we dig deeper into the dream he once thought was impossible. Harry shares that growing up, he always imagined what it might be like to make a living as a singer and musician. But at the time, it felt more like a pipe dream than a real possibility. Surrounded by other talented people, he didn’t see his own voice as anything special. Add to that his struggles with self-image and difficult family relationships - believing in himself felt almost out of reach. If you’ve ever felt like your dream was too unrealistic, or that you weren’t “good enough” to chase it, Harry’s story in part two is a powerful reminder that this is simply not true. As he shares the words of American writer Joseph Campbell that guided him, “Follow your bliss, and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” - learn what Harry had to change ...

This week, we’re talking about the death of Guy Fawkes, the first publication of Pride and Prejudice and finally the Great Missouri Train Robbery!

The Oscar nominees for 2026 have been announced. As the award ceremony approaches, let’s go over some of the strong contenders with our friend Wesley Pin-wei Huang, a cinephile who writes reviews for several platforms in Taiwan. We talk about Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, and more! If you would like to share your feedback, please send your words or voice notes to: wanson@rti.org.tw You can also find Wanson on Instagram (@wansonscafe) and YouTube (阿善Café/Wanson's Café)

Which of the following is not true?  A) Kangaroos can trace their roots back to the Northern American continent.  B) You can buy bear curry in Taiwan.  C) Japan has no pandas. Listen to this episode of Formosa Fauna to find out which two are true, and which is false. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode:  - Japan loses all its pandas  - Happy Reverse the Red Day!  - Marsupials in America and Australia  - Beware of bear meat  - Scientist of the week  - Fraser's dolphin discovered Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to tristan@rti.org.tw! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Join us for this episode of Taiwan Grooves! Today, I am once again joined by Max from Project Maximus, who will provide us with an update on what has happened since he was last a guest on the show six months ago. In this first part, we will explore his reconnection with his former producer, the projects he is currently working on, and his plans for the near future. We will also conclude the episode by discussing recent performances in southern Taiwan. In 2022, Maxwell Lee moved to Taipei after being awarded a Gold Card from the Taiwan Ministry of Culture for excellence in the arts. He maintains a busy performing schedule, as a primary member of the punk rock band Electric Monk, the dark art rock trio Hive Mind, LoFi group Ai Mao Yuan, and his own pop rock band Project Maximus. Maxwell also frequently features as a guest performer with artists including the Church of Loops, Mr. Bamboostick, Taiwan Beer spokesperson Billy Walshaw and Hits! The Musical cast member Lili Greenberg. ...