Taiwan No Why 台灣，沒有為什麼

[Children who believe in Santa should not listen!] Mark and Dr. Dr. Max discuss how the Christmas season in Taiwan is viewed by foreign residents living in Taiwan, many of whom took the time to share their own experiences in a survey we sent out prior to the taping of the episode. The hosts also travel a little down nostalgia lane to talk about what Christmas means to them, and how it could be more thoughtfully celebrated in Taiwan. Recorded Nov. 25, 2022.

Why does it seem like at any time in Taiwan, you can always find people running up busy side streets or down steep mountain roads? Mark and Dr. Dr. Max chat about the rise of marathons in Taiwan and discuss their interview with Anya Tsai (蔡文雅), an incredible long-distance athlete who only picked up running later in life. Recorded Nov. 13, 2022.

Mark and Dr. Dr. Max sit down for a chat with Ensou Tien, who is currently living in Belgium and working for Stellantis, a joint venture automotive corporation. These long-time friends chat about how Ensou found his path to success despite poor academics, cultural differences in the European workplace, and why he believes in his choice to move his young Taiwanese family across the world. Recorded Jul. 20, 2022.

(Listen until the end for some living-in-Taiwan-wisdom that most Taiwanese are wrong about!) Whether you're living in or visiting Taiwan, it's impossible to miss the siren-less lights that patrol the road. Do I need to pull over? Are they chasing someone else? Why are the lights even on? Join Mark and Dr. Dr. Max as they answer some of the why's behind policing in Taiwan, based on knowledge shared during their interview with Police Chief Huang and a local village politician, Representative Chiang. Recorded Oct. 14, 2022.

Aaand, we're back! Starting off Season 2 is a topic that inspired the start of Taiwan No Why. Mark and Dr. Dr. Max discuss the iconic Taiwanese Blue Trucks - arguably one of the most symbolic items of Taiwan. Listen in as they discuss their interview with Mr. Lee, a sales specialist at CMC who has been in the automative industry for over 35 years. Recorded Sep. 19, 2022.

Sit back, grab a hot dog and some beer, and listen in as Mark and Dr. Dr. Max discuss their interview with Joe Hsu (徐志維). The former MLB player and the guys share their thoughts on baseball in Taiwan and how it reflects the greater Taiwanese mindset. Listen as they hit topics like national teams, coaching, little league training, and the makeup of rosters in the CPBL. It's summertime - let's play ball! Recorded Jul. 16, 2022.

As the gates of hell open up and Ghost Month begins in Taiwan, the last thing you want is to be caught with your pants down in the woods or drying outside at night. Mark and Dr. Dr. Max chat about the dos and don'ts of navigating this delicate month – with a few tips on how to trick the “good brothers and sisters” in your favour! Recorded Jul. 10, 2022.

One of the deepest desires of human nature is to explore and discover. We sit down for an in-depth interview with tourism guru Michael McCreesh and discuss where Taiwan is, and is going next, in regards to its tourism industry. Recorded Jun. 09, 2022.

We've all been there. You're in a humdrum, mundane situation and then the totally unexpected happens. Join Mark and Dr. Dr. Max as they discuss their experiences living abroad, that have often led to head-scratching and hilarious results. Recorded May 31, 2022.

More nuggets of wisdom from the Almighty A-Ma. A shortened, bonus episode that was recorded LIVE at 01:30am (Taiwan time) for the 2nd Annual Asian Podcast Festival. Recorded May 21, 2022.

It takes generations of practice to put on a performance worthy of the gods. Hand-puppet shows can be seen in front of temples all around Taiwan. This week we discuss the art of Taiwanese glove puppetry (布袋戲), a multi-generational family of puppet-masters, and talk about all that goes into making these amazing shows. Recorded Feb. 06, 2022.

Mark and Dr. Dr. Max Lo chat with Mr. Charles DeBenedetto about his years living in a small town in Taiwan as a fluent Mandarin speaker. Listen as they share their various perspectives on what that experience was like and preparing to move back home to America. Recorded Apr. 21, 2022.

With limited opportunity for international travel, visiting spots on the island has become, for many, their only option for a getaway. Join us as we discuss some of Taiwan's most recommended tourist locations, and do they warrant the hype? Recorded Apr. 15, 2022

Flag-waving owners can be seen standing on rooftops all around Taiwan. Are their pigeons safe? Kidnapped? Lost? And for those pigeons that do return, are they fast enough to get a piece of the millions of NTD that have been wagered on their success? Listen as we explore these amazing races. Recorded Mar. 22, 2022.

Passed down from generation to generation, Taiwanese wisdom is spouted with such unwavering certainty. Some of it is solid guidance, some of it is understandable, and a lot of it is.. debatable. We tried to get answers to the origins behind some of Taiwan's more interesting beliefs, with varying degrees of success. Recorded Mar. 09, 2022.

Spaced out on street corners all over the country selling Supau, Taiwan Beer, cigarettes, water - and of course, betel nut - these shops are iconic to the Taiwanese landscape. Check out what a betel nut lady and a brand owner/distributor had to say about this lucrative product. Recorded Feb. 20, 2022.

With what the last couple years have been for many of us, laughs come at a premium. But what's funny for you may not be at all for me. We discuss the history of humour in Taiwan and the current comedy climate with some professional comedians. Recorded Jan. 25, 2022.

Beauty standards, dependence, food,  and other things lifestyle-related. Based on Yang Liu's diagrams that  shed light into some of the differences in perspectives between traditional Western thought and Asian culture. Lots of interesting stories to listen to. Recorded Dec. 02, 2021.

Noise levels, party seating, streets on Sunday, and other things lifestyle-related. Based on Yang Liu's diagrams that  shed light into some of the differences in perspectives between traditional Western thought and Asian culture. Lots of interesting stories to listen to. Recorded Dec. 02, 2021.

If this was a fashion trend, it might be one of the greatest runs of all time... but it's not. Mask wearing has been a mandated accessory for over two years now. Why are some of us more accepting of masks than others? Where are they made, how many are made, how many do we throw away? Masks, masks, masks… have a listen and find out. Recorded Jan. 30, 2022.

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