In January 2026 I moved into a thin-walled second-floor Taipei apartment and found myself talking to an older gentleman outside watering the plants. His name was William and he was my upstairs neighbor. William had that kind of magnetic friendliness, a warm smile and a soothing voice, that made me instantly feel at home. Yet, I found that although I saw William watering the plants almost everyday, I didn’t really know anything about him. I decided to change that.

I’ve always been close to my neighbors. Neighbors are a part of the everyday fabric of a home, a community, and a city. But it too often seems that in a big city like Taipei, the majority of your neighbors act as a background character, if that. However, sometimes charismatic people break through into your life. This is a story about getting to know our neighbors.

Albert Chang-Yoo 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: Blue Highway, Knock Knock, Sparkletone, and Downtown by Podington Bear from Free Music Archive dot org.

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Tianmu is a neighborhood in northern Taipei that has never quite felt like the rest of the city. Shaped by American military housing in the 1950s and decades of expat culture, it became the place where foreign food, foreign faces, and foreign ideas landed in Taiwan. Today, some of that energy has faded, but some things stayed.

Eddy Gonzalez is one of them. Born in Canada to Mexican parents, Eddy came to Taiwan in his twenties and eventually opened Eddy's Cantina in Tianmu in 2010, after starting with a small burrito stand at Tamsui Old Street night market in 2007. In this episode, Eddy talks about building a restaurant from his family's recipes, what it felt like to watch the neighborhood change around him, and why, after fifteen years, he's still here: https://www.eddyscantina.com/en/

Jim Chiang 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: Snow Drift by HoliznaCC0, Latin Groove by Victor Samalot, 1909 - Venetian Love Song by Victor Herbert Orchestra, Sad walk with sad melodica by Komiku from Free Music Archive dot org.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sophie Yang explores the issue of period poverty through a conversation with Elle Yang, founder of Love Binti (愛女孩國際關懷協會), a Taiwanese nonprofit organization working with communities across Africa. Through reusable cloth menstrual pads, health education, water projects, and women's empowerment programs, Love Binti helps girls stay in school and build a better future.

The episode also examines menstrual stigma in Taiwan and asks how awareness and open conversations can create change. Whether it is a girl missing school in Uganda or a student facing discrimination for taking menstrual leave in Taiwan, menstruation remains a global issue that deserves attention.

Sophie Yang is a student at the Department of Radio and TV 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: Mother’s Hands by Sergey Cheremisinov from Free Music Archive dot org; African Drums Tribal by Alec_Koff, African African Background Music by Tunetank, Walking on the muddy road by CaganCelik, and Female Voices Crowds Chatting Talking Women on Fair Frauenstimmen by Soundhunterin on Pixabay.

Special thanks to Elle Yang and the Love Binti team for sharing their time, experiences, and insights.

Want to learn more or get involved? Visit Love Binti (@lovebinti.intl) to learn about period poverty, support their programs, or volunteer at future events: https://www.lovebinti.org. Moreover, visit the menstrual museum in Taipei to learn more about menstruation. By raising awareness, having open conversations, and challenging menstrual stigma, we can all help create a world where no one is held back because of their period.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.