Housewife in Training

It's a brand new year and what better time to finally work on your some personal growth goals? This episode focuses on two very different topics: happiness and sex. Although no one wants to talk about COVID anymore, we can't ignore that how we think about happiness has changed so much since the pandemic. I open up about how hard it was to leave my job and start something new after years of selling myself crap about what I'm "supposed" to do in my life. What better segue into sex than first talking about your career? Just kidding, I needed a warm up/buffer before jumping into the next "uncomfortable" topic. It's time our culture becomes more open about sex. Gone are the days of abstinence only teaching. There are so many other ways we can encourage smart and safe decisions. Let's break cultural expectations and stop the shame and embarrassment around such needed conversations!

HUGE life update...I'm married!! This week's episode is all about the craziness of my life the past few months which includes how much I HATED wedding planning, what comes with having a traditional Assyrian wedding (family drama and all), and fighting for autonomy. I also talk about what life is like finally married and living with my husband, what we are planning for our future, and how we view starting a family. 

My fiance, Ted, and I want to be real and honest about being in long term relationship- it's NOT easy and it takes patience, work and dedication to remain in a loving one. BUT IT'S WORTH IT. We talk openly about our struggles when we first got together at age 18, common fights we've had, the moment we almost called it quits,  and what we value most in a relationship. Listen for a breakdown of challenges we have faced and what we've learned over the past 9.5 years we have been together. 

Sometimes society or our community may judge someone who's single and is still very much HAPPY that way. My best friend and I sit down to talk about her experience being single in her late 20's, insecurities about being single, DMs & dating apps, sexualities being questioned, advice for those who are not in a relationship, oh ya...and snapchat mistresses. 

As with most personality traits, our past shapes so much of our characteristics-being an introvert is one of them. I spent most of my school years constantly anxious trying to fit in. Being “lonely” became something I got used to and took comfort in. I love who I am now, I keep a close circle of friends, and I never feel like I have to be someone I'm not. But it was a long road to get here.

(Trigger Warning!) Grief presents itself differently in everyone and often times when we think of grief, we refer to it as something we feel once someone has passed away. I've been grieving for half my life-long before my nana passed away. Most illnesses attack the body, but Alzheimer's attacks the mind. It takes everything you love away from you. This episode is my diary entry, a way to process my grief and share my story with hopes to help others who have ever gone through the same thing. 

Interracial dating sometimes results in  a whole lotta  nerves and stress. For many cultures, interracial dating comes with its challenges, not just for the couple but also for the couple's friends and family. I am joined by one of my best friends to talk about her experiences dating men of a different race, what events led her to date her partner, and how she felt introducing him to her community.

There is no doubt we have all lied at some point in our lives, especially to our parents! But, when does lying become valued? Expected? Easier than telling the truth? If you've grown up in a middle eastern (or similar) household, then you know, sometimes, as much as we try to be honest with our parents, it's never rewarded. I discuss how lying became what I had to do and even what my parents WANTED me to do, the type of lies I told, and how I wished it was all different growing up. 

Living with your parents until you're married is very common across several cultures. For many, marriage brings a new found independence and freedom; however, change, no matter how good, can be terrifying. Urhay is joined by one of her best friends to talk about the transition from living with your parents to becoming a wife, the expectations they set for themselves and the realizations they must face in this new role. 

Shame is one of most powerful emotions that makes us feel like we are not good enough. Listen to a story about one of my first experiences feeling shame that has stuck with me for over 10 years, how my mom at a very young age taught me to protect my "pearl" of a reputation, how feeling like I have to uphold a certain image in society affected my personal relationships, and what it means to redefine how you value yourself in society.

Humor, sarcasm and laughter is how Urhay has always coped with having to follow middle eastern cultural standards. Being a young Assyrian woman, she has dealt with the frustrations that come with upholding an image of everything others want and expect her to be. Laugh (and maybe cry) along with her as she talks about breaking away from stereotypical middle eastern “housewife” standards, pressures both men and women face who come from similar ethnic backgrounds, and topics that are swept under the rug in her culture and community.