Matt Fraser's Interesting People

Lainie has been living with the symptoms of epilepsy for 30 years and it's been a journey. From hiding the symptoms and not telling a soul, to being found out, diagnosis, and living with the debilitating side effects of medication, to rejection of the medical system and then eventually finding a balance. We can all learn from Lainie's story.  

Obi and I went over what it means to be a member of a tribe, the importance of family in Nigeria, what it's like to live in the U.K. after growing up in such a different culture and lots more.  

I talked with Iranian woman Saba about the Iranian people, their culture, and the disconnect that exists between many of them and their government. We talked about how it feels to be arrested for wearing indecent clothing as a woman and I asked her how she feels about the West given events like the 1953 U.K. and U.S.A. orchestrated coup to overthrow the democratically elected Prime Minister in the name of oil.  

Today is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand. On ANZAC day we remember the contribution and suffering of those who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. At 96 years old, World War Two veteran Bob Semple is a man from a different time and he remembers those times like they were yesterday. We can learn facts and figures about the war and those days by reading history books, but by talking to someone who was actually there we can start to get a sense of what it might have been like to experience those events as a human being. It was a privilege and an honour to have Bob as a guest. Lest we forget.

There is no denying that Antarctic Scientist, Dr. James Brundell has a cool job. James and I got together and talked about what it’s like down there. I also asked him to give me his take on the top reasons climate change deniers believe that anthropogenic climate change is a hoax.

We are hearing about Syria all the time on news and we naturally form our opinions one way or another, but not many of us have had the chance to actually talk to a Syrian. This podcast is the next best thing. Be prepared to throw your assumptions and preconceptions out the window as I talk to Nada about what her life was like growing up in Syria. I really learned a lot from talking to Nada and I think it's helped me to see the recent events from a much more real and human perspective.