More Than Meets The Eye

In this episode, you’ll hear from Sharaf DarZaid. Sharaf DarZaid is a Pa1estinian dancer and choreographer based in Ramallah. Sharaf is a dancer and choreographer for the El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe, founded in 1979. In addition, Sharaf also coordinates programs at the Popular Art Center in Ramallah. Through Sharaf, we’ll learn about Pa1estinian Dabke, a Pa1estinian traditional folkloric dance that embodies the Palestinian people’s deep connection to the land and has become an important symbol of Pa1estinian resistance and liberation. We’ll learn about the history, the steps, and the kinds of instruments often involved when it comes to music for Dabke. Sharaf will also highlight several productions by El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe, as well as the obstacles the dance troupe has to endure under 1sraeli occupation. Sharaf also shares with us the stories behind his solo performance, Love in the Time of Apartheid, which deeply reflects the everyday struggles of Pa1estinians living under occupation. Towards the end, Sharaf talks about what resistance means to him as a Pa1estinian artist. Follow El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe: https://www.el-funoun.org/Instagram: @elfunoun_troupeFollow The Popular Art Centre (PAC) in Ramallah: https://www.popularartcentre.org/Instagram: @pac.artcentreFollow Sharaf DarZaid on Instagram: @sharaf_darzaid  Cover photo: Sharaf in his solo performance Love in the Time of Apartheid in LondonLeave a comment and share your thoughts: Powered by Firstory Hosting

My guest for this episode is the Palestinian poet, Marwan Makhoul. Marwan Makhoul was invited to the 2025 Taipei Poetry Festival, where he gave a powerful recital of his poem "New Gaza" at the opening ceremony. I had the honor to sit down and chat with Marwan on a sunny morning in Taipei, on October seventh, 2025. Marwan Makhoul is a Palestinian poet, born in 1979, of both Palestinian and Lebanese heritage. Marwan’s work is well-loved and celebrated around the world, and his poems have been translated into more than 24 languages. Besides poetry, Marwan has also published works in prose and drama.  In this episode, Marwan shares with us how he found his way to poetry and the important truths about Palestine inside his poems such as “New Gaza” – What is the historical significance behind words like “twice exiled” and “seventy five years too late”? What about the year 1948? We will learn more with Marwan. Towards the end, Marwan also shares with us his time together with the celebrated, legendary Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, who was like a father to him.  This interview is in English and Arabic, where you would hear me asking questions in English, Marwan answering in Arabic, and our two-way interpreter Yahya doing consecutive interpreting. Don’t forget to check out video highlights of this episode on Instagram @sharonlin_human Audio at the beginning (Provided by Marwan Makhoul): It’s the live recording of Marwan Makhoul reciting "New Gaza" at the open event of the 2025 Taipei Poetry Festival, with live music performed live by Mia Hsieh and Scott Prairie (Co directors of A Moving Sound).  Interpretor: Yahya Namiq Pshdari Follow Marwan’s work: Instagram: @marwan_makhoul YouTube: https://youtube.com/@marwanmakhool?si=Xg7gh-Tv3urB5DEn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1WMTmwfz4m/?mibextid=wwXIfr X: https://x.com/marwanmakhoul?s=11 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marwan.makhoul1?_r=1&_t=ZS-92676xiudJo Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

This interview has been a long time coming. The guest of this episode is the one and only, the Palestinian professional basketball player, Sani Sakakini. Sani and I recorded this in person in Taipei in late September, 2025.  Sani played for the Palestinian National Basketball Team from 2006-2021, and is considered the first and most important professional basketball player from Palestine. Sani’s professional career has taken him around the world, including to Jordan, China, Venezuela, Lebanon, and now Taiwan. Sani continues to make history. How did Sani find the path to basketball? What was it like being the first, having to create the opportunities you hoped to have as a young Palestinian athlete? What was the basketball scene like in the West Bank?  Sani also shares with us the reality of life for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, with his personal experiences growing up during the Second Intifada. When Sani was just a teenager, an experience at the Container Checkpoint really stood out to him… Currently, Sani is playing for another season with the New Taipei Kings in Taiwan. Last year, the New Taipei Kings won the championship of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League. What was that moment like for Sani? What does he look forward to for this season in Taiwan? You’ll hear it from himself.  Towards the end, Sani also shares some words, especially to the people in Taiwan, and what he hopes for– for his homeland, Palestine.   [This interview was recorded in late September, 2025. Sani Sakakini was speaking in his individual capacity.] Follow Sani on Instagram: @beastsakakini Check out @sharonlin_human for video highlights of this interview Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

In this episode, you’ll hear from Nader Ihmoud. Nader is a Palestinian journalist based in Chicago. He’s the founder and editor of Palestine in America and the English media liaison for Palestine’s Baseball & Softball Federation. (and also a dear friend of mine)  Nader shares with us the foundation story of Palestine in America, what life really is like in the West Bank from his family stories and personal experiences, as well as the latest updates of the Palestine National Baseball Team.  We dive into the latest Encampment Edition of Palestine in America, looking at why the US government is trying so hard to crack down on student-led movements for Palestine. Nader also shares with us what safeguarding Palestinian traditional food and culture is like in the diaspora, stemming from the Deluxe Food Edition of Palestine in America.  As all eyes are on Gaza, we shed the light on what life is like for Palestinians in the West Bank. When did Nader and his family realize the kind of system Palestinians are living under? What is it like to drive with a Palestinian license plate, going through checkpoints in the West Bank, while enduring violent Israeli settler attacks on a daily basis?    Towards the end, Nader also shares with us what keeps him hopeful.  Follow Palestine in America: https://www.palestineinamerica.com/ Instagram: @palestineinamerica Download codes for Palestine in America:  Baseball Edition 2023: PALESTINE9 Journalism Edition 2024: PRESS24 Deluxe Food Edition 2024: OLIVES24 Encampment Edition 2025: TENTS Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

In this episode, you’ll hear from award-winning author, Joseph Bauer. Joseph Bauer writes novels from Charleston, South Carolina and Cleveland, Ohio. Joseph used to be an attorney for most of his adult life, before starting his voyage as a full time writer. In today’s show, we talked about his latest novel, Sailing for Grace. What inspired Joseph to write the book? How did Joseph’s career as a lawyer inform his role as a novelist? You’ll hear about it soon. An important topic Joseph and I talked about, also a central theme in Sailing for Grace, is the controversial immigration strategy- the family separation policy under the first Trump administration, which is commonly associated with the term “zero tolerance” approach. With the U.S. currently under the 2nd Trump administration, many have seen harrowing videos of all the ICE raids happening right now in different parts of the United States. From the history of slavery, Japanese-American Internment, Native American boarding schools, to the U.S. government’s complicity in the current and on-going genocide in Gaza, how could one stay hopeful? What role could art, literature, and storytelling play? Joseph shared some of his thoughts with us through this episode.  Ok, you might be thinking, what a heavy, gloomy introduction this is, but I promise you, what you’ll hear is nothing but a heart-warming conversation between 2 people, Joseph and I, coming from different backgrounds, while sharing a similar aspiration-to inspire hope through what we do. Without further ado, let’s welcome Joseph Bauer.  (This interview was recorded in March, 2025.) Follow Joseph Bauer’s work: Website: authorjosephbauer.com Contact: [email protected] Facebook: @JosephBauerNovelist Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

"If you build a country or a culture on deception, it’s like building a house on shifting sand. And sooner or later, that house is going to fall." The quote is from the guest featured in this episode, Rev. Alex Awad. Rev. Alex Awad was born in 1946 in Jerusalem, Palestine, under the British Mandate. This interview was recorded earlier in March during his visit to Taiwan.  In this episode, Rev. Awad shares with us his memory of the Nakba in 1948, and how his mother’s love and teaching led him to the path of becoming a Reverend. In our conversation, Rev. Awad talks about the severe suffering of the Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims, under the long-standing Israeli occupation, and calls out the double standard of the world. Rev. Awad also shares insights on the influence of Christian Zionism, how it keeps people from seeing the brutality of the Israeli occupation and apartheid. Is the "Israel" mentioned in the Bible the same as the current state of Israel founded in 1948?  Later on, Rev. Awad also shares with us what the Christian community is like in Palestine with stories from his many years at Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem. Towards the end, Rev. Awad shares a message of justice and love to the Christian community in Taiwan and around the world, on how people could relate to the true reality of Palestinians and stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza. This episode is filled with moving personal stories and insight from Rev. Alex Awad. You have to listen to the full episode. Let’s welcome, Rev. Alex Awad. There would also be video highlights of this interview on Instagram @sharonlin_human with Mandarin Chinese subtitles available.  Link to the talk Rev. Awad gave in 2010, at the conference Christ at the Checkpoint https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMwEu_CQP2U If you’d like to learn more about Rev. Awad’s story and that of his late mother, check out the book Palestinian Memories–The Story of a Palestinian Mother and her People, which is also translated to Mandarin Chinese.  Link:https://www.books.com.tw/products/E050252241?srsltid=AfmBOorqyVsm6qG26Y_mOMubrqkw6QkCavT8V81wC86W2NBQCQniElCy Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

Did you know that Palestine has its own national baseball team? If you didn’t, now you know. In this episode, we’re going to talk about the Palestine National Baseball Team. You’ll hear from the team’s catcher, Tariq Suboh, and pitcher and outfielder, Yunis Halim. Who founded the Palestine National Baseball Team? How did it all start? (Ps. It all started in Gaza!) What are some of the biggest challenges for the team so far, especially amid a genocidal oppression and occupation by the state of Israel? What does it feel like wearing the jersey, stepping on the field, and representing the homeland? You’ll get to hear of these behind-the-scenes and important stories of the team. And of course we talked about some of the exciting games the team has played in recent years, such as the 2023 Asian Baseball Championship which took place in Taiwan, and the first ever Baseball United Arab Classic in 2024 in Dubai. What's next for the Palestine National Baseball Team?  Towards the end, we'll also get to know a little bit more of other members on the team with a game of rapid fire questions.  Head to my Instagram @sharonlin_human for video highlights of this interview.  Follow the Palestine National Baseball Team on Instagram: @baseballpalestine For media inquiries, reach out to Nader Ihmoud on instagram @naderihmoud or @baseballpalestine Cover photo: The team at the 2023 Asian Baseball Championship in Taiwan. Photo credit: Nader Ihmoud, Palestine in America Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

In this episode, you’ll hear from marine biologist, Dr. Aziz J Mulla. Aziz is currently a postdoc at the Université Côte d'Azur in Nice, France. Previously, he has also worked in Taiwan for around 8 years, especially on coral reef ecology. Aziz has worked at National Taiwan University and Academia Sinica. In this episode, Aziz shares with us what led him to becoming a marine biologist, his work on coral reef ecology, and fascinating stories of scientific diving. What is it like diving into a pitch dark ocean?  We also dived into a manuscript published in by Aziz along with 5 other researchers, Denis, Lin, Fong, Shiu, and Nozawa in 2024 in the Ecological Society of America titled “Natural coral recovery despite negative population growth.” The image from the research was also selected as the cover image of the journal. Guess who took that photo? Towards the end, Aziz also shares with us his current research on algae and invasive species in the Mediterranean. Let’s dive in with Dr. Aziz J Mulla. Feel free to head to @sharonlin_human on Instagram for video highlights of this interview. (This episode was recorded in December, 2024.) - Follow Aziz’s work: Instagram: @aseas_mulla Instagram: @niceseaforests  Bluesky: azizjmulla.bsky.social  Link to the article "Natural coral recovery despite negative population growth" https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.4368 Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

Imagine you live under an oppressive system of occupation, and are constantly faced with threats of displacement while hearing the sound of military drones pretty much 24/7. That’s the reality for many Palestinians. Such trauma is also passed down through generations… In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Amel Eid. Dr. Amel Eid is a Palestinian-Algerian psychologist/therapist and has worked with diverse communities, including illegal immigrants in Algeria and Palestinian refugees. Amel shares with us how long term oppression, forced displacement, and the ongoing gen0cide affect the mental state of Palestinians. In addition, Amel also points out how Western understanding of Psychology and its double standards fail to address the situation for Palestinians.  Recently, Dr. Amel Eid published alongside Dr. Ilan Pappé, journalist Gideon Levy, Dr. Alan Brossat, and more on the current situation in Gaza.  Link: https://www.editions-harmattan.fr/catalogue/livre/gaza/75908 Amel also touches on how sensational headlines and dehumanization of Palestinians in mainstream media affect people’s perception of Palestinians.  Towards the end, Amel shares with us the Palestinian Arabic word, sumud, and its beautiful, powerful meaning. Let’s hear from Dr. Amel Eid.  Here’s the link to the article we mentioned in the interview, which was published by Dr. Amel Eid in January 2024 titled “Identité sous oppression. Est-ce que cela s’applique aux Palestiniens de Gaza?” https://ici-et-ailleurs.org/contributions/actualite/article/identite-sous-oppression-est?fbclid=IwY2xjawGqEhFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHazIgLQefcPzSqBDpXslPzibfGS0jTKar2GD09El2h_cfpCKHSBMvxCaVw_aem_nZz79YrH6ziW5Y_fIV3tjA Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

For this episode, it was a great honor that I got to interview Dr. Hazem Almassry, who’s born and raised in Gaza and now lives in Taiwan. We recorded this episode in December of 2024. Hazem shares with us what his childhood was like in Gaza, his memories of the First and Second Intifada, and what living under Israeli military occupation is like for Palestinians, which brought about the reaction of Palestinian resistance on October 7th, 2023. Hazem also shares with us what Zionism that is embodied by the state of Israel means to him as a Palestinian. We also talked about the checkpoints, the different legal system applied to Palestinians under Israeli occupation, and war crimes and crimes against humanity of the Israeli forces against Palestinians. Towards the end, we also reflected on the role and complicity of mainstream media, and how people in Taiwan, whose society prides itself in its values of freedom and human rights, could continue to expand their understanding of what’s been happening to Palestinians. Of course, what Hazem shares is from his point of view as a Palestinian from Gaza, which is seldom featured in mainstream media. Hazem encourages people to read what’s available from different sources and points of view, and find out your own truth.  Without further ado, let’s welcome Dr. Hazem Almassry. [本集為英文] 本集節目很榮幸邀請到來自加薩、現居台灣的Dr. Hazem Almassry 安海正博士來聊聊 在加薩長大的童年是什麼樣子呢？2023年10月7號發生的事背後的重要背景如何？1948年錫安主義者來到巴勒斯坦，造成的「大災難」(The Nakba)、1987年的巴勒斯坦第一次大起義、以及2000年的第二次大起義，背後有什麼樣的故事呢？Hazem也分享許多身為巴勒斯坦人，生活在被以色列佔領的體制底下，他的親身經歷，以及家人朋友的遭遇。以色列軍隊在加薩的行徑，與主流媒體常報導的內容，有什麼樣的差距呢？ 除了分享身為加薩巴勒斯坦人的經歷，Hazem更希望台灣和世界各地的聽眾，能多廣泛的閱讀不同來源的資訊，統整下來，找出你認為可信的事實。 Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

In this episode, you’ll hear from stand-up comedian, Adam Hopkins. Adam is from the UK and had lived in Taiwan for several years. He has performed in many places around the world including in Thailand, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Barcelona, and of course many cities in Taiwan. Adam shares with us what brought him to stand-up comedy, how his experiences living in different parts of the world influenced him, and why and how he hopes to raise deaf awareness through stand-up comedy. We recorded this episode in Taipei back in November of 2024, before Adam moved back to the UK.  Adam has written for VICE, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Scotland, and Time Out, and opened for international touring comics such as Kyle Kinane (Netflix), Mike Vecchione (The Tonight Show) and Dean Edwards (Saturday Night Live). Follow Adam: @adam_hopkins23 Head to @sharonlin_human on Instagram for video highlights of this interview. Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

[This episode is in Mandarin Chinese.] 這集很榮幸能邀請到譯者、文字工作者，畢業於政大阿語系的楷君來跟我們聊聊關於以色列和巴勒斯坦重要的歷史背景 節目中會聊到，巴勒斯坦近76年以來被以色列政府佔領，前後相關的歷史事件，包含1917年的貝爾福宣言(Balfour Declaration)、巴勒斯坦的英國託管時期(British Mandate for Palestine)、1948年將近75萬巴勒斯坦人被迫流離失所的「災難日」(The Nakba)、1967年以來以色列政府持續擴張的殖民屯墾(Israeli settlements)以及以色列屯墾者對巴勒斯坦人民的暴力行為、以色列政府對巴勒斯坦人民的種族隔離政策(Israeli apartheid)等。我們也會聊聊主流媒體在之中扮演的角色，和反思通常是誰有「特權」給另一個族群冠上所謂的「恐怖份子」的稱號呢？這樣「去人類」化的標籤會讓人們產生什麼樣的刻板印象？而臺灣人看待各式國際議題，如果無法跳脫兩岸的框架，會有哪些缺失呢？讓我們來和楷君一起聊聊~ 大力推薦大家追蹤楷君的計劃「齊墩果樹下」：https://linktr.ee/underthe.zaytountree 楷君的文章「料理即抵抗」：https://global.udn.com/global_vision/story/8664/8265892 楷君翻譯、彙整的巴勒斯坦相關文章：https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10233317095376313&set=a.1788787806401 訪談影片精華、節目近況更新都會在Instagram @sharonlin_human 歡迎追蹤 以下彙整了一些巴勒斯坦相關Instagram帳號，推薦大家追蹤 加薩記者、西岸記者、巴勒斯坦組織者、創作者、救援組織：@motaz_azaiza @wizard_bisan1 @plestia.alaqad @wissamgaza @abd.pix96 @hossam_shbat @hamadashoo @renadfromgaza @leila.shw @palestinianyouthmovement @medicalaidpal @thepcrf @wearthepeace @watermelonrelief @palfest 新聞與資訊平臺：@theimeu @eye.on.palestine @middleeasteye @middleeastmonitor @middleeastmatters @ifnotnoworg @mondoweiss @jewishvoiceforpeace @aljazeeraenglish @almost.ch @landpalestine @doubledownnews @democracynow @smohyeddin  分析、評論：@francesca.albanese.unsr.opt @nouraerakat @myzfrancois @gazangirl @dianabuttu @ahmedeldin @jenanmatari @sim_bookstagrams_badly @yehavit 臺灣在地：@forpeacetw @migrante_tw @ravepunk4pl_tw Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

In this episode, we will get to know of the wonderful community that is Taipei Poetry Collective (TPC)! You’ll hear from the director and co-founder of Taipei Poetry Collective, Leora Joy Jones. Leora shares with us how Taipei Poetry Collective started, the wonderful people who make this community possible, and the behind-the-scenes of their most recent event, One Nite Only. Leora also talks about what inspired some of her earlier poems in childhood (mermaids and surfers?!) and how poetry could help us understand and process our emotions. Towards the end, you’ll get to hear Leora reciting one of her poems for us.  Head to @sharonlin_human on Instagram for video highlights of our interview.  Taipei Poetry Collective was established in 2017, and has held over 170 workshops in the past seven years. TPC offers in-person poetry workshops twice a month. They host live poetry events in addition to critique, generative, and developmental workshops.  Follow Taipei Poetry Collective https://tpcreview.com/about-tpc-review/ Instagram @taipeipoetrycollective Follow Leora Joy Jones https://leorajoy.com/ Instagram @loveleorajoy Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cm2ebvejd0gjh01srcqsb2so3/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

Hey you, welcome to the first episode of More Than Meets The Eye, hosted by yours truly, Sharon Lin. Allow me to introduce myself and share what you could expect on the show.  Follow @sharonlin_human on Instagram for video highlights and more! Collaborations: [email protected] 歡迎收聽More Than Meets The Eye第一集！我是主持人Sharon. 就讓我來分享一下在本節目會有的內容，和向你介紹我自己 歡迎追蹤Instagram @sharonlin_human 合作邀約：[email protected] - Music: Chillhop Beat "Thousand Miles" by [Music_Unlimited] via Pixabay Powered by Firstory Hosting