Banana Lab

Francisca Dodiat joins Banana Lab for a conversation about growing up Indonesian in New Zealand, reconnecting with culture as an adult, working in addiction and mental health, and taking a year away from work to travel the world.Born in Indonesia and raised in Warkworth, Francisca reflects on what it was like growing up as one of very few Asian kids in her community, and how that shaped her relationship with her Indonesian identity. As she plans her wedding, she’s finding herself thinking more deeply about the parts of her culture she wants to reclaim and eventually pass on to her own children.We also hear how a university lecture led her into addiction treatment, what residential rehabilitation actually looks like behind the stereotypes, and why the intensity of that work is very different from the version we often see on screen.Francisca also shares what happened when plans to move to the UK turned into a year of full-time travel, and why she’s preparing to head overseas again.Along the way, the conversation moves through adult friendship, Bali tourism, identity, café culture, and the small rituals that make life feel good.A proper Banana Lab yarn 🍌 — funny, thoughtful, and occasionally very real.

Here's a podcast description that matches the tone of the episode and your previous Banana Lab episodes:In this episode of Banana Lab, we sit down with Mariah to explore her journey from the Philippines to New Zealand, growing up in Lower Hutt, and building a career that aligns with her values.Mariah shares the realities of adapting to a new country at a young age, navigating university and the job market, moving to Auckland for new opportunities, and eventually finding purpose in a marketing career within the medical sector.Along the way, we dive into food, travel, New Zealand's hospitality scene, the Michelin Guide, and why work can become such a big part of our identity—especially in many Asian cultures. It's an honest conversation about career, culture, belonging, and creating a meaningful life beyond your job.In this episode:Growing up Filipino in New ZealandCulture shock and life in Lower HuttUniversity, career challenges and moving to AucklandFinding purpose in marketingIdentity beyond workFilipino and Kiwi food cultureAuckland's restaurant sceneNew Zealand's Michelin GuideTravel stories from Canada and plans for EuropeWhether you're an immigrant, a foodie, a creative professional, or simply navigating your own career journey, there's something in this conversation for you.

What makes someone leave behind a successful career, family, and everything they've built to start over in a country where they know no one?In this episode, Alex and Romy sit down with Andrea Halal to explore her remarkable journey from growing up in Baguio, Philippines, to building a new life in New Zealand.Andrea shares the experiences that shaped her - from losing her father at just 10 years old, to leaving a toxic workplace, winning an unexpected trip to New Zealand, and ultimately making the leap to follow a feeling she couldn't ignore.Along the way, we also chat about Filipino food, coffee culture, marketing, taking calculated risks, and what it really means to build a life from scratch.This is a conversation about courage, identity, resilience, and choosing the life you want - even when it doesn't make logical sense.

Photographer David Fu joins Banana Lab to share a life that rarely went according to plan.Growing up in Kaitaia as the only Asian kid, David watched his parents build a takeaway business from almost nothing before carving out his own unconventional career. From music school and culinary training to teaching in America and eventually becoming a self-taught photographer, every chapter of his journey was driven by curiosity rather than certainty.We also discuss creative careers, Asian family expectations, freelancing, entrepreneurship, and what it really means to stay busy for the right reasons.

Growing up in China, Diana Winter's childhood was shaped by fear, instability and responsibility beyond her years. After her parents divorced, she learned to become independent early, before eventually leaving home to study abroad—first in Russia, then in New Zealand.In this episode, Diana reflects on her journey as an immigrant, the challenges of building a new life, and how difficult experiences shaped her resilience rather than defining her. We also explore her career in the creative industry, her perspective on AI and authenticity, why curiosity has become one of her greatest strengths, and how music and exercise helped her navigate one of the most difficult periods of her life.More than anything, this is a conversation about perspective. Looking back, Diana no longer sees hardship as something to escape, but as something that shaped who she is today.If you've ever questioned where you belong, wondered how people rebuild after adversity, or found yourself chasing the next milestone, this episode is a thoughtful reminder that perhaps life isn't about the pursuit of happiness—it's about the happiness of pursuing. 🍌