In 2023, Calvin Chen visited Bangkok through the Taiwan Youth Overseas Expatriate Bridging Program, sparking a lingering question: does the bridge actually continue after the trip ends? To find out, he sat down with past program participants Coco and Joyce to explore their transformative seven-day journeys to Houston, USA, and Vancouver, Canada.

From rehearsing performances in hotel lobbies and shouting “Team Taiwan!” at the Surrey Fusion Festival, to receiving life-changing advice from university professors and meeting overseas Taiwanese business leaders, Coco and Joyce share how this government-supported initiative expanded their worldviews. Tune in to hear how a short, one-week trip can forge lasting international networks, build community, and completely shift a student’s academic and career trajectory.

Meet the Guests

Coco: Visited Houston, Texas. After discovering her passion for international affairs through the bridging program, she became highly active in global events. She is transitioning from National Taipei University to a master’s in Communication at National Chengchi University this September.

Joyce: Visited Vancouver, Canada in 2025. Currently a Master’s student in the GCIT program at National Chengchi University. A seasoned traveler who previously studied in Prague, Joyce is deeply passionate about cross-cultural exchange. She actively continues her global networking locally as a member of the Taiwan Youth Overseas Expatriate Bridging Program Association.

Calvin Chen is a graduate student at the International Master's Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU).

“Speak Up” is a podcast program by College of Communication students at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Season 1 features student work from the class, “Podcasting: Audio Journalism & Branded Podcasts” in Spring 2026. Supervising teacher is adjunct associate professor Emily Y. Wu.

Music credit: For Cooking by Yurasoop from Free Music Archive dot org.