E14 Language Legacy | Leaving Taiwan at 18: A Journey of Language, Identity & New Beginnings

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Episode 1 of the Language Legacy Project Series, a 5-part community storytelling initiative capturing the powerful conversations between youth from Alabama and elders from immigrant and refugee communities.In this first episode, a young teen sits down with an elder who left Taiwan at 18, uncovering a deeply personal story about language, identity, family, and the journey of making a new place feel like home. Through guided storytelling and cultural exploration, they dive into memories of childhood in Taiwan, learning English in the U.S., navigating cultural misunderstandings, and the rich traditions passed down through the generations.You’ll hear stories of:✨ Growing up in a multigenerational Taiwanese household✨ Facing the challenges of learning a new language and culture✨ The emotional realities of immigrating as a teenager✨ Why idioms, tones, and tiny language differences matter✨ How Mandarin and cultural traditions are being passed on to her granddaughter✨ The humor behind a Mandarin filler word that caused a major English misunderstanding✨ The warmth of Chinese New Year celebrations, storytelling, food, and family ritualsAbout the Language Legacy Project:Language Legacy is a youth-and-elders interview series designed to preserve linguistic and cultural heritage through storytelling. Alabama teenagers interview elders from immigrant and refugee backgrounds to capture their language memories, idioms, childhood stories, and first-language expressions. These conversations are then edited into short video stories and shared across online platforms to foster intergenerational understanding, cultural appreciation, and community connection.Through this project, we hope to:🌏 Bridge generational gaps through the power of storytelling🌏 Elevate and preserve the lived experiences of elders🌏 Celebrate the richness of languages and cultural identities🌏 Empower youth as interviewers, listeners, and cultural documentariansIf you’re inspired by stories of culture, identity, migration, and language... This episode is the perfect place to begin.🎧 Watch/Listen now and join us for Episode 1 of 5.New stories from the Language Legacy Project are coming soon.----------📩 Let’s stay connected.Join my email list list for thoughtful reflections, resources, and behind-the-scenes moments I only share there.🎧 Subscribe & FollowFollow From Where to Here on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen so you don’t miss a conversation.📱 More language & culture, daily. Find me on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @fromwheretoherepod🤎 If this episode meant something to you…Leave a review or share it with someone who’d love it too.