Foreign & National

A month ago, PBS released interesting videos talking about the unrest between milennials/Gen Z and older generations and we felt inspired to wrap up our 3rd season talking about "Ok Boomer". It's likely no surprise that wealth disparity and environmental harm has continually increased since the baby boomer generation, causing frustration amongst the younger generations. On the flip-side, baby boomers often believe young people feel entitled and complain without recognizing the need for hard work. In this season finale, Shan and I share our stories and research about the origins of the phrase "Ok Boomer", statistics to paint a picture of milennial/Gen Z concerns, and some perspectives from Baby Boomers.

This week we're really excited to have Ed Loh interview with us. Ed is the Head of Editorial for the MotorTrend Group, the group responsible for some of the biggest automotive journalism today. We got a chance to ask him about how he got into the automotive journalism industry, his experience with the relatively wide diversity of the automotive industry, how Americans don't realize how lucky we are with our automotive industry in the country, and his favorite minivan.

Professor Rahul Chakraborty is a faculty member at Cal State Fullerton, where he is the director of Bilingualism & Speech Laboratory, primarily focusing physiological evidence of first and second language interaction in adult bilinguals. His most recent work throughout the last few years have been about accent bias, its prevalence and the role that it plays in society and geopolitics. Accent bias is something that affects everyone, yet is rarely acknowledged in bias-related discourse. From hospitals to education, accent bias is prevalent in people's subconscious (or conscious) judgements of others. Some people even believe they can tell another's body shape judging by that person's accent. In this episode we learn about the professor's research, discuss the ethics of businesses making accent-related decisions, and the path to his ideal future without such biases. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Your favorite restaurant with an always-broken ice cream machine. This week we're taking a look at McDonald's as part of our Brands & Culture Series! Founded in 1940, McDonald's is now one of the most recognizable and popular chains in the world. They've influenced culture across the map from food supply to employment, to advertising to franchising, to Western globalization. There's no way to cover it all in a 30-minute episode but we go through broad strokes and hope that you learn something new- we sure did. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

This week we're showing an interview we did with Omar Singh, Khalsa Aid Director for the US. In our last season we talked about the Farmer's Protest originating in India in August 2020. This protest is a massive movement for Indian farmers rising against the Indian government's new and devastating farming laws. The impact of these laws encompass 58% of a 1.35 billion people population, and the protests gained worldwide support, at one point with up to 400 million protesters. Khalsa Aid is an international non-profit humanitarian organization that provides support to victims of disasters worldwide. We wanted to talk to Omar to get an update on the status of the farmer's protest, what's really driving the Indian government to avoid repealing their laws, how the protestors are sustaining themselves, and his take on western media's reluctance to talk more about a protest of a population hugely responsible for most of the world's spices and food consumption. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

We've recently been hearing about friends and colleagues leaving America due to struggles to form deep social connections and their perception of self-centeredness in America vs. where they want to move to. We took this as inspiration to talk about individualist and collectivist societies. Individualistic cultures emphasize the individual and his/her/their goals, happiness and achievements. Collectivistic cultures focus on group goals, a group's well-being and relationships. Both of us were raised with both collectivist (Indian) and individualist (American) cultures. We talk about the pros and cons of each and our experiences to find our balance between the two through examples. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

You know that one friend or that group of fans that'll emulate and defend a celebrity no matter what they do? Today we talk about celebrity devotion or hardcore “stans”. Stans and stan communities provide really interesting takes on sociology and anthropology, from humans' needs for community and connection to just how hard they fight to preserve it and the lengths they'll go to copy their role model. We talk about some of the research we did and the effects celebrity devotion can have, both positive and negative. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Continuing from last season's episode on the rise in Anti-Asian hate crime during the pandemic, this week we interviewed Senior Counsel at the Asian Law Caucus Winifred Kao. Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus is an organization that serves low-income AAPI communities, focusing on housing, immigration, and civil rights. We bring Winnie on to talk to us about a survey conducted by ALC showing how heavily Covid-19 has been affecting especially low-income Asian and Latinx workers. One statistic showed that only 12% of surveyed domestic workers and home health care workers were regularly provided N-95 respirators. More than 2/3rds of those paid below minimum wage received no information on what to do if they got sick from Covid-19. We talk to Winnie about these findings, the lack of enforcement around regulation that should theoretically be protecting workers, and how to advance accountability. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Did your heritage's food go from getting you bullied at school to glamorized by everyone? Ours did. This week's episode we talk about those stories and we do some research on the bigger food trend that's driven that perception change, along with some history on Indian food in America. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Hi friends, we're back and kicking off Season 3 with an interview with our friend Saadia Khan from the Immigrantly Podcast. Saadia is an immigrant in America who has worked with UN women through civil society organizations and has her Master's in Human Rights. We talk about intersectional feminism, the struggle and benefits to include women in global negotiation tables, her perspective on racial justice in America, and more.

We close out Season 2 reflecting on our experience making this podcast for the past 20 episodes and 8 quick takes. No frills, no fluff, just genuine conversation about what's been fun, what we've learned, the story of how this podcast started, and our excitement for the future. We can't wait to see where this podcast goes and thank you to everyone for your support! We're going to be taking a break for the next 3 weeks! We'll see you all back here on May 31st!

Indian Standard Time - the reason why your Indian friend was “30 seconds away” 42 minutes ago. It's basically hereditary for Indian people to show up late to an event. This Quick Take we talk about why we're always late, how you never want to be the first one to a college "networking event" (party), and a conspiracy theory about why Indian parents always took us late to get-togethers.

This one is for all the people who love flavor and spice in their foods. This week we're talking about Sriracha, one of the most popular and hyped hot sauces over the past decade. We talk about where Sriracha started from, how it became adopted by chefs and local restaurants, to its place amongst a growing hot sauce cultural trend. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Sujan Sarkar is a world-renowned chef who's worked in and opened restaurants in Delhi, London, Dubai, New York, SF, Chicago, and more. This week, we sit down with him and ask him how food cultures differ in parts of the world, what diners expect from their dining experiences today, and how the job of a chef and restaurant founder has expanded to match trends like other industries.

1 victorious hero against 20 defeated villains. 1 punch that makes goons fly back 30 yards. Curving bullets out of a gun. Bolly-Holly-wood stunts are nothing short of ridiculous and nonsensical, and that's why we love them so much. In this Quick Take we laugh about some of our favorite most insane stunts from these movie industries.

We're starting a series called “The Brands & Culture Series,” where we'll intermittently do (not-so) deep-dives on brands that have influenced cultures around the world. This week we start with a brand that hits home: Fair & Lovely, by Unilever. It's a product that's the most pervasive in a still-growing skin-lightening industry worldwide. We talk about how big this brand is, the colorist ideals it helped propagate, and indirectly give product reviews from our experiences using it as kids (hint: -1/5 stars). Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

At one point, the Indian farmers' protest had an estimated 250 million protestors, making it one of the largest in history. In this episode we discuss the high-level dynamics of this protest, from the context surrounding it, to the different viewpoints about it, and to its disappointing lack of media coverage in America (though shout out Rihanna). Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

WHY. DOES. SAYING. BYE. TAKE. FOREVER??? In this Quick Take we talk about the 3 hours it takes our family friends to say goodbye (read: have an excuse to keep hanging out). Vibhu still thinks we should teach our parents to Irish goodbye. Shan still doesn't know what that is.

How open are you about your culture at home when you're outside with the majority population? Do you ever feel like a different person in your home vs outside? This week we sit down and talk about how we used to silo our Indian and American cultures, what made us so uncomfortable being Indian at school, and introducing our parents to Western pop culture. Plus we give some good TV show recommendations. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Warning: this discussion contains sensitive and graphic information. Asian hate crimes, though not new in America, have been spiking since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were genuinely shocked and disheartened at the lack of news coverage of these crimes, so we set out to shed some more light on the issue. This week, we put aside our goofiness to discuss stories we've read and possible reasons for the lack of coverage these crimes are getting.

How many of you know people who'll go out to dinner and fight over the bill? Not over who has to pay it, but who GETS to pay it?? This week we talk about how funny/awkward it was to see our family friends all but brawl over who gets to pay the bill when we'd go out to eat (plus some money-saving tips for your mango lassi)! Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

How would you feel if you grew up in a family that looks nothing like you? Or watched people get confused when they see your parents and you? This week, our friend Emily tells us her experiences growing up Irish, American, and Chinese, and her thoughts on family after being adopted into a very loving one. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Do you or your family friends give "return gifts" to guests at parties? How come your friends get more presents than you on your birthday?? Return gifts are weird, and we laugh about it as we explain the concept in this Quick Take. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

There are two types of people: those who admit they get competitive and jealous, and liars. What conditions us growing up to feel this way? How healthy is it (hint: not very)? Are we the only ones who went to birthday parties and were told to do math worksheets? This episode, we're exploring all these stories, from when we started feeling them as kids to what we think a happy and carefree life would look like. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

We're back from our break and kicking it off with an interview with congressional candidate Rishi Kumar! He immigrated to America at 22 and began working in the tech industry, but in recent years has pivoted to politics with different positions of advocacy on community boards, city council, and his current congressional run. We hope this episode provides some perspective and inspiration for why more people with immigrant backgrounds should make their voice heard in American politics. Oh and apologies for the echo in the audio - we had a last-minute "recording studio" change :) Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

As anyone with an "interesting" or "ethnic" name can attest to, sometimes you have to create an easy pseudonym to use at restaurants or cafes so you're not "that guy/gal" holding up the line while the barista asks you to repeat your real name 3 times. This Quick Take is about those struggles. Oh and sorry for the rustling in the background - Shan's dog was an unintended guest on this show. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

This quicktake is all about designer handbags and fancy underwear (well, at least for one of us). Do expensive things make sense? Honestly, who knows, but if people are happy, they're happy! As always, feel free to send episode and quick-take suggestions/feedback/questions to podcast@foreignandnational.com or on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook @foreignandnatl.

If you've related to any of our episodes so far, chances are you can relate to the debate about whether to pursue a career you love or a career with security. In our season finale, we're discussing the somewhat conflicting life-goals of pursuing passion versus pursuing profitability and security. We talk for nearly an hour about the motivations for immigrant parents to push for secure majors and careers, the idea of “social credit” and the implicit effect it had on us growing up, to what we would do differently if we could. We hope you enjoy listening and can relate to our perspectives in making these challenging decisions. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Knock on wood! Don't break that mirror! Cross your fingers! We've all heard about superstitions and know what they are, but this week we discuss some of the silliness and hidden purpose behind the superstitions in our lives. Some of them have been passed down generations without any logical cause, and others, as we find, are shared across cultures.  Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

It's time for our second guest! Our good friend Jess is on the show this time talking about her experiences and stories as she embraced her beauty, and what that often meant to her and those around her. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

This week we talk about religion, a topic that neither of us knows too much about, but has been a strong presence in our upbringing. We talk about how religion has evolved in its role in our lives and what each of us and our families practice. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

On this completely unstructured episode, we're looking back on the roller coaster of ups and downs that was 2020. But to keep it positive, we're talking about some of our highs during the year, such as career transitions, interests in hobbies, and a lot more! Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

This week we invite our old friend Antonio to share his stories growing up with his Latin American heritage and how that's influenced his ideas of culture, school, career, and life.  Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on  Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at  podcast@foreignandnational.com!

This time it's all about dating during the pandemic! We discuss everything from the awkwardness of virtual first dates to some of the less-known benefits of this new "dating normal." Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

Welcome to our first quick-take! These are short segments about topics that we don't want to spend a full episode on, but are still things we want to talk about (and laugh about). This first one is about Vibhu and his accents. Hope y'all enjoy! As always, feel free to send episode and quick-take suggestions/feedback/questions to podcast@foreignandnational.com or on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook @foreignandnatl.

In the second episode of our dating series, we look at some of our own relationships and stories, and how we've approached the topic with our families along the years. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!

In this episode, we talk about the somewhat controversial topic of arranged marriages, and why despite western perceptions of it, they have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Find us on Twitter (@foreignandnatl) for feedback and suggestions on future episodes!

In our first episode, we try to explore the ins and outs of living with family during a pandemic. We had a ton of fun making this and hope you enjoy what you hear. Want to suggest an episode idea or share your own story? Find us on Twitter/IG (@foreignandnatl) or email us at podcast@foreignandnational.com!