In this episode: - Marcin Jerzewski and Sasha Chhabra on Lai Ching-te's visit to eSwatini - Grant Wyeth and Ingyu Oh on Sanae Takaichi's visit to Australia

What do music, third-culture kids, and elder care volunteering have in common?  Gwhyneth!  Listen to her journey as a TCK, professional pianist, and how she's integrating music in Alzheimer's care!

Do you have any loved one, whether it is your partner or a family member, whom you would like to spend your life with? Today, we are going to listen to a Tâi-gí song that explores this kind of deep bond: "等待雨散" (Waiting for the Rain to Stop) by Won Fu (旺福).   This warm and gentle song uses rain as a metaphor for life’s difficult moments, reminding us that love means staying together, holding hands, and patiently waiting for the clouds to clear. The songwriter, Min, once shared that he wrote the song while his father was battling cancer. When he finally recorded the track, he tried to sound happy, but his heart wasn't truly in it.   Looking back, he found that he had been immersed in grief, unaware that he had a bunch of friends who stayed with him and brought him joy. He eventually realised: “Instead of waiting for the rain to stop, why don’t we seize the day and have fun while holding the umbrella together?”   Let’s learn a few lines from the song, so that...

Join me for today's episode featuring 2 letters and a bunch of emails ranging from positive feedback to an interesting question about the tradition and trend of beverage drinking in Taiwan and India. 

If you’ve ever questioned where you are in life, wondered whether you’re falling behind, or felt uncertain about the path you’re on, then this episode is for you. In this special solo episode of Formosa Dream Chasers, host Mary Anne Sioco steps away from interviews and reflects on the quieter, often unspoken side of pursuing dreams and building a meaningful life. Beyond the polished success stories we often see, this episode explores the reality many people experience in the middle of their journey — the uncertainty, the self-doubt, the pressure, and the exhaustion that can come with trying to build something meaningful. Mary Anne also opens up about her own path, including the difficult decision to pursue communications despite her family’s expectations, the years spent searching for the right opportunities, and how that journey eventually led her to Radio Taiwan International. At its core, this episode is a reflection on progress — and how it often looks very differ...

This week, we continue our May Maestro series with Thomas Newman, the score composer for Shawshank Redemption, Finding Nemo, and more. Stay tuned to find out how his music stands out from his film composers family. To send your feedback or messages, feel free to find Wanson on Instagram (@wansonscafe) and YouTube (阿善Café/Wanson's Café).

Members of the public have launched websites including "Rat Radar" and "Taipei Rat Tracker" which allow residents to upload photographs, submit reports, and search for rat activity by location. Does the recent rat problem expose deeper issues in how the city manages its infrastructure? Some argue that it does, while city officials maintain that rat reports to their 1999 hotline have actually decreased. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate 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. 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!

Hello and welcome to the world of classical music! Today, I am excited to be joined by the incredible pianist Gwhyneth Chen, who will share with us what it takes to perform and play concerts at a high level. In the first part of our interview, we will discuss her journey in music, including how she began playing the piano, her early education, and the dedication required to practice to be among the top.  We will also talk about her most nerve-racking performance, the connection between music and health, including her work teaching piano to Alzheimer's patients to help prevent and alleviate symptoms, and her achievements, including winning cash prizes. Finally, we'll explore how her relationship with the piano has evolved and the importance of approaching each piece with a beginner's mindset. Ms Gwhyneth Chen (陳毓襄) is a Taiwanese-American pianist who, in 1993, won the biggest cash prize in the history of piano competitions ($100,000.00.) Ms. Chen, then a young lady of 23, w...