Stories from a Nomadic Citizen
By Grace Chou
Stories from a Nomadic CitizenJul 06, 2021
Tennis as an avenue to opening doors and achieving goals
On the eve of the 2021 Wimbledon men's singles final, I spoke with Dorota, a former Division I tennis player at George Washington University who was nationally ranked in Poland. We talk about how and why she started playing tennis, how she moved to the US to study on a tennis scholarship, and how a break from tennis has reinforced her love for the sport.
Pro tennis players mentioned: Magda Linette, Ash Barty, Agnieszka Radwańska, Martina Hingis, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka
The Tennis Podcast: https://www.thetennispodcast.net/
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Everything is connected: from e-commerce to floral design
In the second of two episodes featuring my conversation with Andy, he shares more about his entrepreneurial pursuits in Taiwan - from selling Japanese jewelry online just as e-commerce was gaining ground to more recently becoming a floral designer and founder of PM Flowers.
If you haven't already, please listen to the previous episode titled "From being bullied to finding acceptance as a gay man in Taiwan" for more context.
If you have any questions about PM Flowers, please direct them to pmf@pm-flowers.com.
Podcast referenced in the episode:
Is Your Carbon Footprint BS? from How to Save a Planet
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www.instagram.com/nomadcitizen
stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com
From being bullied to finding acceptance as a gay man in Taiwan
In the first of two episodes featuring my conversation with Andy, he shares how different stages of his life have been impacted by his identity as a gay man.
From a hostile junior high environment to a more open university community, from inadvertently coming out to feeling more accepted, Andy opens up about his experiences in the context of a country that has become a bright spot of Asia in LGBTQ rights. We also touch on his time studying in Saga, Japan, and how that brought other identity issues to the forefront.
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www.instagram.com/nomadcitizen
stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com
Itinerant upbringing: Taiwan from the lens of three diplomats' kids
In this episode, I am joined by fellow Taiwanese third culture kids Jessica and Michael, whose parents also used to be diplomats. We talk about the impact of an itinerant upbringing on our identity, education and work environment in Taiwan, and go off on a tangent about how much grades matter.
Note: Some Mandarin words are occasionally used, but the conversation can still be easily followed even if you don't understand Mandarin.
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www.instagram.com/nomadcitizen
stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com
From student to professor: an insatiable desire to learn
In this episode, Cristina shares about her journey from growing up in Salamanca, Spain to moving to the US for her PhD, and now in her role as an English professor. Since education has always played a big role, we focus on her experiences studying in Spain and the US, her research areas, and being in academia.
Check out Cristina’s podcast from her PhD days:
Let’s CHAT – Fall 2016 – Episode 13: Peer Assessment
Let’s CHAT – Fall 2016 – Episode 14: Navigating Translingual and Transcultural Writing
Let’s CHAT – Spring 2017 – Episode 15: The MA Edition
Let’s CHAT – Spring 2017 – Episode 16: Transnational Genres Pt. 1
Let’s CHAT – Spring 2017 – Episode 17: Transnational Genres Pt. 2
Drop me a message!
www.instagram.com/nomadcitizen
stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com
Grappling with anti-Asian racism and reflecting on racialized identity
In the aftermath of a significant rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and violence across the US, my cousin Margaret and I caught up on how we were feeling and navigating this painful reality. We also reflect on how race has affected our identity throughout our lives, and our hopes on the impact of this greater discourse on racism.
Referenced in the episode:
Article on the health effects of anti-Asian violence: https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/04/09/asian-americans-racism-trauma-health-impacts
Podcast: But Where Are You From?
Petitions denouncing anti-Asian racism in the media:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-depicting-east-south-east-asians-in-coronavirus-related-media
Drop me a message!
www.instagram.com/nomadcitizen
stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com
Expanding horizons through studying Spanish and teaching English
In this conversation recorded in person over tea, my friend Katie shares with us how she expanded her horizons beyond small town Connecticut to Chile, Spain, Brazil, and England. We talk about our experiences living with host families, efforts to improve our Spanish and Portuguese, and a shared reckoning with the desire to keep traveling but also settle down.
Drop me a message!
www.instagram.com/nomadcitizen
stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com
From Quebec to Northwest Territories, with some globetrotting along the way
I am so honored to have my friend Rose Line as the first guest on the podcast! In this episode she shares with us her itinerant experiences and anecdotes growing up in Canada, India, and Brazil, her travels through Europe and Asia Pacific with a stint in Hanoi, and her latest move to Yellowknife.
Is there anything you would like to listen to in future episodes or just want to drop a quick hello? Please do so by sending an email or voice note to stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com.
Finding a sense of belonging through sports
In this episode I talk about how my relationship with sports has evolved from my early childhood days in Taiwan, through middle and high school in Brazil and Portugal, to more recently during my post-college years in New York. Through it all, sports have long been tied to my quest for a sense of belonging and community.
Is there anything you would like to listen to in future episodes or just want to drop a quick hello? Please do so by sending an email or voice note to stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com.
Introducing Stories from a Nomadic Citizen
In this first episode I talk about my motivations for starting this podcast and my hope to share stories that bring listeners a sense of belonging and connection across all boundaries.
Is there anything you would like to listen to in future episodes? Do you want to drop a quick hello? Please do so by sending an email to stories.nomadicitizen@gmail.com.