Claim OwnershipBig and White: Life as a Foreigner in Nepal
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You don't need to sell all your stuff and jump on an airplane to find out what it's like to live or travel as a foreigner in Asia! Join the oddly and aptly named Big and White, two expat ladies who have already taken the plunge, as they chat about the joys and sorrows of moving to a new culture and sticking out like a sore thumb. Whether it's discussing the finer points of driving in Kathmandu traffic, chatting about stomach parasites, or reminiscing about the time they accidentally asked for placenta instead of salt, you're guaranteed to learn something.
71 Episodes
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It’s the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one! In this episode, your hosts Big and White have a chat about some of their favorite memories of Nepal, what they learned from doing this podcast, and say a big fat THANK YOU to all the listeners and supporters who have shown them so much love! You can still reach Big and White by email, Instagram, and Facebook. Don’t hesitate to say hello :)
In this (penultimate!) episode, your hosts Big and White discuss how living overseas builds skills like extreme patience, being used to being uncomfortable, and knowing how to live without things! They’ve both benefited from living cross-culturally, and they hope that you’ll benefit from listening to this episode! Although the podcast is ending, Big and White are still available via instagram, facebook, and email!
Have you ever worried about a yak interrupting your sleep? In this episode, your hosts Big and White reminisce about some of the wild and wacky places they’ve slept. Listen now to hear about balancing on planks, strange decor, mouse attacks, and more! For tips on sleeping in airports: https://www.sleepinginairports.net/
How do I adjust back to my home culture smoothly? (Hint: you don’t, and that’s okay!) In this second of a two-part episode, your hosts Big and White give some tips from their own experience and the sage advice of others in ways to deal with re-entry into your home culture. While the transition period may be frustrating and somewhat bumpy, we promise that you can survive it and even get back to a point of thriving! (We’ll let you know when we get there too!)
What do you do when not normal has become, well, normal? In this first of a two-part episode, your hosts Big and White talk about some of their experiences transitioning back to their passport countries. “Re-entry” can have many side-effects, such as incompetence, impatience, and overstimulation. But it can also have its good sides, such as highlighting the great things to appreciate about your “home”! And don’t forget to keep using the Word of the Season: Apricity!
Every once in a while, it’s good to step away and debrief your life. In this episode, your hosts Big and White, during their transition to living in the States for a while, talk about their time in Nepal, their plans moving forward, and their success and/or failure with New Year's resolutions!
Have you ever tried carrying a yoga ball on your bicycle? In this episode, your hosts Big and White, with returning guest Moon, tell some of their funniest and craziest experiences of being an expat in Nepal! Much silliness ensues, of course. This episode brought to you by: YAK
In this UNEDITED episode, your hosts Big and White talk about some things that are one hundred percent normal in Nepal that would be one hundred percent strange/unacceptable/confusing in a Western context. They also talk about how the smile with a single tear is the emoji you never realized you needed until it came.
Why do we talk the way we do?!? In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about sociolinguistics, which is the study of the choices that people make while using language. They also have an announcement about the future of the podcast. Check out: Nicole Holliday on Ologies podcast; Perceived Benefit Model; Tyson Moktan’s youtube channel
“You live overseas? Your life must be sooo exotic!” In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about how living overseas feels surprisingly… normal. They debunk about all the things they’ve heard (or thought) about living overseas. Spoiler alert: They aren’t fluent in Nepali, they don’t (really) travel all the time, and they aren’t inspiring. They also talk about how language affects the way you think, and vice versa!
Have you been wondering why you feel so tired and cranky all the time? In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about all the similarities between culture shock and the constantly changing situation created by COVID. Many thanks to our (fake) sponsor: FLATHARDBED Resources: https://tinyurl.com/y3ev9om9 The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
This may come as a surprise, but humans need other people! In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about the importance of building community when you move overseas (or to any new place), and try to give some tips on how to make friends in a new environment and culture. They also discuss Zoom fatigue, and the pros and cons of this new online world we are all engaging in.
In this episode, your hosts Big and White welcome Ujjwal Rai, a trekking guide and all around adventurous man! Ujjwal tells his story and inspires us with how much he loves his job, and teaches us some amazing, highly applicable, Nepali proverbs! Find Ujjwal at: lostinthehimalaya.com Instagram: @lostinthehimalaya
Looking for some good reads? In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about some unexpected books that have helped them in their lives overseas. As astronaut Chris Hadfield says, “It’s mostly a matter of changing your perspective.” Books on our list: In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
Have you ever had a package delivered on a scooter? In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about the joys and woes of online shopping in Nepal. They discuss the online shopping options, how to give directions when you don’t have an address, and more! Ethical shopping in Nepal: Purnaa, Kolpa, White Yak, Local Project, Meecha, Woven International Resources: Good On You App, Better World App, Done Good, Fashion & Compassion, Wonderful Things, Buy Me Once Ethical Brands: Girlfriend Collective, Pact, Prana, Adidas, Patagonia, Madetrade, Everlane For more information about local and ethical shopping resources, please visit our Instagram and website.
What does it mean to have a growth mindset? In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk about growth and fixed mindset, with a special focus on how it affects people who move to a new culture. Spoiler: growth mindset is the one you want! What did Big fail at over and over to learn a growth mindset? How did one terrible track meet affect White’s life for years after? Listen to find out! This week Big and White also answer a listener question about some tricky aspects of Nepali that they wished they had learned sooner.
In this episode, your hosts Big and White talk with their guest Macaw about his experience immigrating to the US and then repatriating to his home country of Honduras. He explains what it’s like being bilingual, discusses cultural adjustments (including missing Honduran food), and tells us what he loved about his new home (mostly AC). We also learn that Honduras has the same kind of vegetable sellers as Nepal! Be sure to try cooking anafres, a delicious Honduran fondue. This week our segment is about habit formation! White explains how our brains function on routine, and reminds us that living in lockdown is a big disruption of our usual habits.
In this 2-part episode, your hosts Big and White remember the border closures in 2015 and talk about the shortages experienced in Nepal at that time, as compared with the lockdowns now. They also discuss that one time a Turkish airplane crashed and blocked the only international landing strip in the whole country, what a wild time. At the time of publishing Kathmandu and the rest of the country are on full lockdown, but never fear, Big is staying at White’s house and they are bravely bringing the podcast to you! This episode brought to you by Five Legged Elephant.
In this 2-part episode, your hosts Big and White talk about how COVID-19/Corona virus is affecting Nepal, along with the wider issues of shortages and how to live without toilet paper. At the time of publishing Kathmandu and the rest of the country are on full lockdown, but never fear, Big is staying at White’s house and they are bravely bringing the podcast to you! This episode brought to you by ManClamp™ (fake sponsor)
Are you as tired of talking about COVID-19 as we are?!? In this BONUS episode, your hosts Big and White enjoy a whiskey together while they have a casual chat about random topics that you asked for! Sponsored by Posthumous Podcasting(™) and Lil’ Trash Pile (album dropping soon)
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Just moved to Nepal 4 months ago, don't know who you are, but I'm enjoying listening. Just wanted to let you know you have a fan 😆