Joyce – No Longer Afraid to Dream

Joyce, TechGirls 2024, Taiwan

Before TechGirls, whenever someone asked me, “What do you want to do in the future?”, I would hesitate. Not because I didn’t have dreams, but because I never dared to say them out loud. In my culture, “successful careers” usually refer to becoming doctors, lawyers, or engineers. My dream — to dedicate myself to nature and environmental protection, to spend my life with wildlife — seemed too idealistic even for myself. Every time I gathered my courage to share it, the response was always “That’s cool!” followed by a quick change of topic. Until, blissfully, I was given the chance to join the TechGirls program and meet incredible girls from across the globe. They were all passionate about STEM, but each with a dream as unique as their own story. There were future astronauts, software designers, scientists, engineers, and nature lovers like myself. I never knew how a community could be so diverse and inclusive at the same time.

During the first few days of the program, aside from “What’s your name?” and “Where are you from?”, the question I heard most was: “What’s your ‘thing’?” And for the first time, I found myself flowing into conversations effortlessly. My new friends, who aspired to become astrophysicists, neuroscientists, AI engineers, listened to my dream with genuine excitement. In return, they shared their own dreams with me. It was in these moments that I realized, I am not alone. I belong to a future where passion defines success, not stereotypes.

So, what’s my “thing”?

Now I can proudly say, my heart has always and forever been made to love nature. TechGirls taught me that I don’t need to fear what makes me different. The program nurtured the bud of my passion until it found the courage to bloom. When I returned to Taiwan, I was no longer the prudent girl who hesitated to take action. I became someone determined to protect every forest, every ocean wave, every gust of wind. Because these are the things I love, and love drives action.

With this newfound courage, I started to build my own eco-community, or as I like to call it, my ECOlovers Family. What began as a solo journey quickly turned into a collaboration with fellow enthusiasts. Soon, we established an inter-school organization, called ECOnecctionForTW, consisting of 20 passionate students, and still growing. Our goal is to connect the power of Taiwanese ECOlovers, broaden the impact of love, and ultimately reconnect nature and humanity. Me and my team launched a website, posting eco-related topics once or twice a week. We focus on two main themes: eco-careers, introducing teenagers to future possibilities in environmental fields; and environmental issues of Taiwan, to raise awareness of challenges happening around us. Offline, we organized an “Eco Month Challenge”, engaging over 1,500 students in my school. We designed a game where students log their daily eco-habits, aiming to make sustainable actions a natural part of their lifestyle. These eco-actions stem from our love for nature, and we wish to spread it. Of course, there are rejection and misunderstandings. Sometimes, people view environmental actions as burdens, sacrifices, or even restrictions. But to me, being eco-friendly isn’t a responsibility; rather, it’s our right to protect our own future.

If I love the forest, I must tend every single seedling. If I love the ocean, I must cherish every single drop. Our efforts might only fill a cup, but even the smallest cup can create ripples of change. The greatest lesson TechGirls taught me is that differences lie in the heart of this world, yet unity thrives among differences. We should be proud of what we love and where our passion burns. Dreams are not meant to fit into molds. They are meant to reshape the world.

Now, when people ask me, “What do you want to do in the future?” I no longer hesitate. I look them in the eyes and say: “I will protect nature — and I will make you love it too.”

Follow my project on Instagram: @econnectionfortw
Or visit our website: ecolovertw.com