Crossing Cultures

Meet Henrique, a 24-year-old journalist who grew up in Lisbon, where he was shaped by the city’s music scene. With ancestors from Goa, India, and a mother born in Mozambique – both former Portuguese colonies – his family ties are intertwined with his country’s colonial history. Henrique explains me all about Portugal, for example the influence the Catholic church has on the country and how Portugal’s progressive drug policy has positively changed the lives of many, including some of those close to him. He also shares how he is navigating the Danish dating scene with his Portuguese time management, and I can spoil: that is not a good match.

Last week it was the one year ‘anniversary’ of the war in Ukraine. An undoubtedly sad moment that should not at all be celebrated. At the same time, it is a good moment to look back at the past year, and what better way to do that than through the eyes of a Ukrainian. That is why I invited Linda, a Ukrainian journalist who left her country in September last year. We touched upon multiple topics, like where she was the night the war started, and how her life has changed since. We also talked about how it feels when foreigners get tired of consuming news about a war that inflicts so much pain and suffering on your people. And in general, what does war do to a country? In Linda’s words: “It is a big trauma everyone has to live with”. Thanks for listening to this episode! Hungry for more? Check out the other episodes or the Instagram here  If you liked the episode, please don't forget to follow and rate/review the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and definitely don't hesitate to share it with your friends and family :)

Episode 20 is out! This time I discuss Nepal with Abhushan, who is from the capital Kathmandu and worked there as a journalist. He guides me through the different strata of the country and shows me that Nepal is much more than a bunch of high mountains. Abhushan tells me what life is like in a country where the caste system is still in place and what it means to be sandwiched between two of the biggest world powers India and China. He also shares his horrifying experience of the 2015 earthquake (almost 9.000 deaths), when he came home from basketball practice and the building suddenly started shaking violently. This resonated extra deeply with me in light of the recent events in Turkey and Syria. Thanks for listening! Want more? Check the other episodes or the Instagram page here If you liked this episode, don't forget to follow and rate/review the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and definitely don't hesitate to share it with your friends and family :)

In this episode, we discuss the first culture that is not an officially recognised country: Catalonia. It is the place where my guest Berta comes from. Having grown up in Tarragona  and studied in Barcelona, she knows this culturally rich region like the back of her hand. Other than zooming in on Catalonia’s unique language and (food) traditions, we take a closer look at the independence wish of this corner of Spain. Where does it come from and how has it grown over the years? But also, what is its current status, five and a half years after the referendum was held. And what exactly happened on that 1stof October 2017 in Barcelona? Berta recounts in detail as she was there that day. Curious for more? Check the Instagram here If you liked this episode, don't forget to follow and rate the podcast, and don't hesitate to share it with your friends and family :)

This episode is about Russia, one of the two countries that have dominated the news over the past year. But instead of talking about the country from a geopolitical point of view, this episode intends to discuss the human side. In my perception, the struggles faced by ordinary Russians (which by no means compares to the Ukranian suffering) is a rather underexposed theme that deserves more attention. That is why I invited Uliana, a Russian journalist from Moscow. She tells how the war has impacted the lives of her and her family and friends, and stresses how important it is to not reduce people to their nationality. Furthermore, she gives a unique insight in the isolated fortress that Russia today is.

Finally! After a wait of almost three months, season 2 of Crossing Cultures has arrived. To kick off the season, I invited Lorenzo to reflect together on his motherland Italy. A week ago, parliamentary elections were held here, with right-wing politician Giorgia Meloni emerging as the big winner. Lorenzo gives me his analysis of how this outcome came about and what it says about the current state of Italy. Further, we talk about Lorenzo's city Bergamo and how it was so severly affected by Covid-19. We also touch upon the divide between north and south and what the words 'Polentoni' and 'Terroni' have to do with this.  Lastly, Lorenzo tells me what it's like to be Italian in a European context; does he feel more European or Italian? 

The last episode of this season is about Aruba, a tiny Caribbean Island off the coast of Venezuela and home to just over 100,000 people. Angel, who is one of them, moved to the Netherlands a few years ago, hoping to get a diploma that would allow him to earn a decent living, so he could send some of it back to his mother whom he had left behind. This is the story of many Antilleans (people from the former Dutch Antilles) living in the Netherlands. Angel explains about the intricate relationship Aruba, a former Dutch colony, has with The Netherlands, what the word ‘Makamba’ means and why it is necessary for an Aruban to know at least three languages. And for the Dutch amongst us, do you know why you had your central high school exams at exactly 1.30 PM? Angel has the answer.

This episode is about Chile, the longest country in the world. For this, I spoke to Bruno, who is from the capital Santiago and has traversed the whole country from north to south. Among other things, he tells me about a civil war that has been raging (quietly) for years, how the rest of the country looks at people from Santiago and why sometimes you can't exercise outside in the country’s capital. Also, we discussed Chile’s freshly elected president Gabriel Boric, a millennial who is known for being an outspoken feminist. And did you know that ‘weon weon weon’ really means something in Chilean Spanish?

Yes, it is time to cross cultures again! This episode is about South Africa, the country that is also called the ‘rainbow nation’, owing to its wide variety of people from different cultures and backgrounds. Did you know, for example, that South Africa is home to the second largest community of Indian people besides India, and that it is closely related to The Netherlands as it used to be one of its colonies? You can see this clearly in the language Afrikaans that is quite similar to Dutch, but also in the country’s architecture. Kayla, who is from Johannesburg, believes people’s perception of the racial tension in her country is exaggerated. Yes, there are still traces of the Apartheid regime but people don’t live separated anymore. Still, she admits that crime is a huge problem in South Africa. “I would be shocked to meet anyone in South Africa who hasn’t had someone breaking into their house.”

For this episode, I had the privilege of hearing from Sabuhi about his country Azerbaijan. Personally, I knew very little about Azerbaijan other than that Baku is its capital. We were not really sure if that has to do with my lack of effort or a poor coverage in Western media, or perhaps both. What do you think? Regardless, our talk shed a whole new light on this Caucasian and former Soviet country. By now I am familiar with why most Muslim Azerbaijanis drink alcohol but don’t eat pork, why it is no coincidence that the country brings forth so many strong judokas and chess players and why Turkey and Azerbaijan always award each other twelve points during the Eurovision Song Contest.

In this special episode, Nataliia from Kyiv takes me on a journey through the history of her native Ukraine (‘a pretty eventful region’ in her words) and explains me how it has shaped the shaky relationship her country and Russia have today. Unlike most people her age, she has already lived through two revolutions. During the last one, she was at the epicenter when it broke out and had to hide in one of Kyiv’s sacred churches for about six hours. Apart from such frightening anecdotes, she also gives a general sense of what it is like to be a young Ukrainian in these turbulent times.

New year, new cultures! To begin with, Luxembourg. With Sven, who grew up there, I discussed how his country is home to a dazzling natural landscape, large Portuguese and Italian communities and several European institutions. We also came across common stereotypes about Luxembourgers, such as that they are all swimming in money. And to make it clear once and for all: Luxembourgers speak Luxembourgish.

In episode 9, I have Kenneth from Hong Kong visiting me. We talk about what it's like to go from a food paradise to a country with hardly any food culture. We look at the legacy the British have left in Hong Kong, why 1 July 2047 is a very important day for Hongkongers and why there have been so many protests in Hong Kong in recent years. Finally, we ask ourselves where the classic stereotype of the mathematically intelligent Asian comes from and too what extent it is correct. And did you know that in a way, Hongkongers are the Germans of Asia?

Samba time! After some of you asked me to cover Brazil, I invited the Brazilian Ingrid - who was born in the city of Recife - to discuss the versatility of her country. Ingrid told me that this diversity can be found not only in its natural landscapes, but even more so in its people. A blond, tall and white Brazilian is all but an exception. When Ingrid arrived in Portugal, she noticed that European people in general seem much more preoccupied with work and money, whereas Brazilian people are more laid-back (often misinterpreted as lazy!) and easily satisfied with less. And although Ingrid enjoyed her time in the Netherlands, she is disappointed with the Dutch health care system and especially the tiresome advice from general practitioners to just take a paracetamol.

In episode seven, I converse with Itoro from Nigeria about the wealth gap within the country and the infamous Nigerian scam. We also shine light on the brighter side of the country by discussing Nigerian’s biggest music genre Afrobeat, which is listened to worldwide (including the Netherlands). Itoro also believes Nigerians are more outgoing than Dutch people, who are quieter and more reserved. And do Nigerians really possess a ‘happiness gene’ and is that the explanation that they are always so happy?

In this episode, I talk to Omer, who is the first African guest of this podcast. Omer hails from Sudan, a country in north-eastern Africa characterized by its mixed culture of both Arab and African influences. Fun fact about Sudan is that it even has more pyramids than Egypt (although Omer has not yet seen any of them). We also came to the conclusion that it might make more sense to talk about African culture in terms of tribes and (ethnic) groups than in terms of nationalities, because the cultural richness of the continent basically ignores national borders.

For this episode, I invited Michelle to talk to her about the results of the German elections held on 26 September. According to her, the elections make it clear that Germany is currently in a state of schizophrenia. We also talked about Germany's intimate relationship with cars, how Berlin (culture and politics) is totally different from the rest of the country, and that although Germans and Dutch are quite similar, they seem to differ in terms of prudishness.

In this episode, I have a conversation with Homa, who made the courageous decision to flee her country Afghanistan six years ago. Together with her then four-year-old son, she joined the great refugee flow of 2015 before eventually landing in the Netherlands. I talk to her about the current crisis situation in her homeland, about family as one of the highest Afghan values, how it feels to live in a country where people behave much more freely than you are used to, and how she finally gets to choose her own clothes.

In this third episode I spoke with Chana - who hails from Bangkok, Thailand - about how people's perception of Thailand is largely determined by the film 'The Hangover' (2009) and to what extent this image is correct. Furthermore, we zoomed in on different approaches to nurturing your parents and what that says about Thai and Dutch culture respectively. Oh and have you guys ever heard of the ping pong show (and no, this is not the famous ball game with two players and a table)? If not, you're about to find out! 

During the second episode of 'Crossing Cultures', I invited Bence (21) from Hungary to talk with him about the cultural similarities and differences between the Netherlands and Hungary.  We spoke about Dutch punctuality and reliability and about the Dutch cuisine that, according to Bence, is rather simple (especially the 'boterham met kaas', right Bence?). We also talked about Hungary's new anti-LGBT law and discussed the differences in mindsets between people living in the capital Budapest and people living in rural parts of Hungary.