Mar 1, 2021
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Dr. Michi Fu is a professor, psychologist, writer, public speaker and experience creator. She spoke with me about how her mother’s decision to retire in Taiwan led her to decide to take a one-year sabbatical in Taiwan and to apply for Taiwan citizenship- which proved to be an arduous process but well worth it in the end. It has allowed her to more easily travel and straddle between living in the U.S. and Taiwan. As she’s spent more time residing in Taiwan, she’s faced challenges adulting in Taiwan due to limited language and cultural proficiency. We spoke in depth about how she’s dealt with all this by learning to let go of cultural norms and expectations, and found ways to build a community for herself in Taiwan.
While in Taiwan she’s connected with expat communities like the Black lives Matter and Burning Man Taiwan communities, participated in a bilingual version of the Vagina Monologues, and she’s also been invited to participate in the 228 Transitional Justice Project. I found that to be a timely topic of conversation indeed, with the 74th anniversary of the 228 Incident having just passed.
Also referred to as The 228 Massacre, or The 228 Uprising, 228 is February 28, 1947, the date that the arrest of a cigarette seller in Taipei sparked protests over the corruption and repression of the ruling Kuomintang party at the time. What followed were the disappearance and execution of thousands by the Kuomintang. Some say up to 20 thousand were murdered. It led to the declaration of martial law and it was the beginning of the reign of White Terror in Taiwan that lasted for decades.
CORRECTION: At the 45-minute mark of Michi’s interview when she stated that she had arrived on holiday for her dissertation, she had arrived during the Dragon Boat Holiday for her sabbatical not her dissertation.
Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links and Terms:
Michi’s Psychology Today Profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/los-angeles-county-monterey-park-ca/73177
The local love boat program that Michi attended: The 2006 Overseas Young Health Professionals Program OCAC Taipei, Taiwan
Love Boat Study Tour Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Boat_(study_tour)
OCAC (Overseas Community Affairs Council): https://www.ocac.gov.tw/OCAC/Eng/
NATMA (North American Taiwanese Medical Association): https://www.natma.org/
NATWA (North American Taiwanese Women’s Association): http://www.natwa.com/
NATWA II: http://natwa.com/natwa2/about.html
TECO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office)
TECRO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States): https://www.taiwanembassy.org/us_en/index.html
Yo yo card 悠遊卡 (Pinyin: Yōu-yóu Kǎ) aka EasyCard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EasyCard
https://www.easycard.com.tw/en/about
Hong Kong’s Octopus card: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_card
Shēnfènzhèng (民身分證) the national identification card of Taiwan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_identification_card_(Taiwan)
What is 228?: http://www.taiwandc.org/228-intr.htm
Third culture kid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid
Thrive Tour (private) Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/491147317734655/
A video from the first class of a tour that Michi organized for the
Masters of Global Health program for NTU (National Taiwan
University): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K70K9OKd80&feature=youtu.be
A list of the Facebook groups that Michi joined and that connected her with the expat community in Taiwan:
Taiwan Foodie Girls Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/302771153463762/about
Formosa Improv Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/FormosaImprovGroup
Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/323198761492476
Subtle Taiwanese Traits Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/583249345764112/
COVID-19 group for returnees Facebook group (in Mandarin Chinese): https://www.facebook.com/groups/889736338130271
The play White Rabbit Red Rabbit: https://www.nassimsoleimanpour.com/whiterabbitredrabbit
Burning Man community in Taiwan: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BurningManTaiwan
Black Lives Matter community in Taiwan: https://www.facebook.com/BLMTaiwan
Our Talking Taiwan listeners may be interested in these other related episodes:
Love Boat Taiwan: Interview with Asian American Studies Professor and Filmmaker Valerie Soe Ep 66: https://www.talkingtaiwan.com/love-boat-taiwan-interview-asian-american-studies-professor-film-maker-valerie-soe-ep-66/
An Interview With Author Jennifer J. Chow About The 228 Legacy and Her Other Books Ep 65: https://www.talkingtaiwan.com/interview-author-jennifer-j-chow-228-legacy-books-ep-65/
Black Lives Solidarity Global Initiative: Founders Stefanie Davis and Patrick Springer Ep 84: https://www.talkingtaiwan.com/black-lives-solidarity-global-initiative-founders-stefanie-davis-and-patrick-springer/
Jaleea Price Talks About Living in Taiwan Ep 90: https://www.talkingtaiwan.com/jaleea-price-talks-about-living-in-taiwan-ep-90/
Boba: https://www.thrillist.