Oops, Your Culture's Showing!

Last month, Dean entered a ryokan in Japan, so this month he - and we - are re-entering the Japanese bathroom in the FIRST-EVER episode of the "Oops, Your Culture's Showing!" podcast. Enjoy this special reissue of our March 23rd 2018 premiere episode, titled "Shaving & Japanese Toilets"! World cultures expert Dean Foster and longtime friend Tom Peterson dive into bathroom habits around the world in this episode, with the act of shaving and, yes, using the toilet. Join them as they dissect the features and cultural origins of the Japanese toilet, and why perhaps it isn't catching on in the U.S. (Or is it? No!) So relax, heat up your toilet seat, and turn down your 1812 Overture, because you're going to want to hear this. ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Happy spring! With cherry blossoms blooming all around, Dean and Tom float into an exploration of ikigai, a concept for finding happiness and purpose in everyday life, in Japanese culture. Along the road of their discussion, they also stay at a ryokan and relish wabi-sabi - all while occasionally being interrupted by the Licensing department. Whether you're subtly finding beauty in the imperfection of this episode (there's plenty here!), or you're taking the “full-blown, get-in-the-van” approach to finding pleasure here, we hope that your listening experience with this episode leaves you feeling quite content! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Clink clink! Dean and Tom would just like to take a moment (actually, several moments across this episode) to toast toasting and public speaking across cultures. After toasting all night long with a tamada in Georgia, they toast Dean's May 2024 article for Toastmasters - Speaking Across Cultures: Top 10 rules for communicating around the world - and Tom tries to guess some of the top 10 rules before Dean reveals them. If you can guess them correctly, dear listener, we'll happily toast you all night long as well! Enjoy and cheers! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

O Canada! With all the recent talk of Canada being the 51st U.S. state - it's not, and won't be! - Dean and Tom venture into the vast expanse of cultural differences between Canadians and U.S. Americans in this episode. Meanwhile, Dean encounters polar bears on the Canadian Shield, Tom's Canadian relatives enter the melting pot, and Torin searches underground for Montreal's Nuit Blanche (White Night). To learn if they all survive their respective Canadian adventures, pull up next to a crackling fire if you can - with a bowl of salad or poutine (or both) - and enjoy! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Hoping a magic carpet ride whisks you away to a magical "far far away" place this week? Well, you're in *luck*, because we're reissuing our August 2019 episode, "Do You Believe In Magic?", for that very reason. Enjoy being transported to Dean and Tom's realm of magic and wonder, and we'll see you on the other side! In this episode, Dean and Tom explore magical thinking across cultures, conjuring up the origins of good luck charms while clutching their rabbit's foot, knocking on wood, and spitting to ward off the evil eye. They also dive into how and why myth-making, from Harry Potter to Groundhog Day to Loch Ness, appeals to so many of us across cultures – but not before our friends at Licensing return to cut off Dean's rendition of “Do You Believe In Magic?”. Listen and enjoy now before this episode goes *poof*! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

It's a holiday-filled time of year and a heavy travel time across cultures, dear listeners; as such, we've been receiving your questions about how not to be the “ugly American (or fill in your country of choice) tourist” while traveling abroad. On this Boxing Day, Dean and Tom pause their gifting to unpack fears about this, and then to wrap up practical advice about it into a festive 40-minute episode! Plus: A holiday-themed Wordplay to shepherd us into 2025. Enjoy your holidays, thank you for listening, and we'll be back soon with new episodes in the new year! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for Dean's “UGLY (Fill in Your Country of Choice) TOURISTS.” article, plus CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. listeners! In this episode, Dean and Tom thank local caregivers for helping Dean survive sudden maladies across three different continents. They also explore culture's impact on the care he received, as well as lessons learned (and salt balls rolled…by butterflies?). Plus, the exciting premiere of not one but TWO spinoff segments (and soon-to-be fan favorites!): “Bad Wordplay” & “Grammar Time with Metaphors”, introduced by an “interesting” harmony. We've pulled out all the stops and the rehydration salts for this episode, so if you overindulge in anything today, make it this! (Maybe listen two, three, ten times - why not?) ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Are Burma and Myanmar the same place? How long does a zat pwe last? Why are only foreigners allowed into a certain garage in Mandalay? In this episode, Dean and Tom travel along Myanmar's central river, the Irrawaddy, to answer these very questions, all the while observing Buddhist temples and pagodas, holding hands with new friends, and donning a mustachioed purple t-shirt. They also seek to build bridges across a river of differences - and despite Producer Torin having just mixed river metaphors while writing this description, he (foolishly) continues his literary journey for one more sentence. In closing: Join us for this episode's journey to and through Myanmar; you won't soon forget it. ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Hungry for more food talk after last month's "Somebody Feed Dean" episode? We're serving it up to you on a silver platter with this special reissue of our July 2018 episode, “Fish Cheeks & Dining Myth Explosions”. Bon appétit! This episode, Dean and Tom remain hungry for traditional foods across cultures: fish cheeks in China, black pudding and haggis in the U.K., guinea pigs in the Andes, and many more (1:45)! Next, Dean answers a listener question about visiting the Middle East during Ramadan (15:30), and does his best to drink liquified yogurt on his recent trip to the Balkans (23:20). Then, take cover as Dean explodes pesky myths regarding perceived dining pretensions in France, Italy, Hawaii, and Japan (32:09). Please, slurp up this episode as loudly as you'd like - it's not at all rude! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

It's a food travel show for your ears! Dean ventures to his favorite worldwide hole-in-the-wall restaurants, street stands, and more in this episode, experiencing the best meals of his life from Sri Lanka to Shanghai and everywhere in between. Meanwhile, Tom risks losing his head in his search for the most spectacular chocolate mousse in and around Paris. We hope that you'll take the calculated risk to both venture out to that bus station shawarma stand with the long line, and into the artichoke heart of this episode - you (likely) won't regret it! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

We're popping open a bottle of Mirto from Sardinia in celebration of our 50TH EPISODE! First, Dean caps off our prior episode about music and dance with the happiest song he's ever heard, Jambo Bwana, from East Africa, and with an Italian version of the card game Spoons in which the losing player sings an aria. From there, Dean and Tom explore divisions between the north and south of Italy, the cultural prominence of “la bella figura” across Italy, and the intersection of transactions and personal relationships throughout Italy as well. Lastly, our friends at Licensing check in on all of the celebratory singing going on (and perhaps to enjoy some Mirto too?). Thanks very much for laughing and learning with us over these 50 episodes! Ciao bella, until next time! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

We're groovin' to the tunes in this episode! Join Dean and Tom as they explore varying expressions, along with common purposes, of music and dance across cultures: from an indoor wedding in Cairo and music bar in Dublin, to an outdoor opera in Rome and the salsa-filled streets of Havana. Everybody gather 'round now. Let your body feel the heat. Don't you worry if you can't dance. Let the music move your feet! (Well said, Gloria Estefan!) ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here for all of Dean's CultureQuizzes, “Culture's Consequences” articles, and much much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

If you've paid attention to U.S. national news recently *ahem Kristi Noem ahem*, you've surely been reminded that many U.S. Americans love love love dogs and have them as pets. Therefore, we thought it would be the perfect time for a special reissue of our May 2021 episode, “Pets Around The World! Meow.” Enjoy! While remembering pets both old and new, Dean and Tom take the op-purr-tunity to discuss which animals do and don't constitute pets across dif-fur-rent cultures. (Without any pet puns in the actual episode, we just had to include some here; thank you for understanding.) Plus: Wondering how long pet parrots can live, or where you can safely cross a piranha-infested river in the Amazonas? Well then, you've certainly come to the right pawed-cast (that's the last one, really)! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Earth Day 2024 was this past Monday April 22nd! In honor of our one and only Earth, Dean brings Tom (and us) along with him on his recent excursion to Antarctica in this episode, where he walked among thousands of non-tap-dancing penguins and giant calving glaciers on the warmest day ever recorded there to-date. Specifically, Dean details his conversations on his Antarctic journey with global climate leader Christiana Figueres on how cultural “DNA” underlies the US-American case, the Asian case, and the Latin American case for addressing climate change. As Dean writes in his July 2023 Substack article about this: “To ignore culture's role in how we advocate for climate and the environment ensures a protracted struggle, even with all the best science, and the best negotiations. However, when we understand culture, and leverage that understanding in the strategic service of global goals, like climate, we accelerate the success we need to have. When it comes to climate, in the limited time we have left, we cannot afford to overlook or ignore the cultural advantage.” ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here to read the whole July 2023 article titled “Climate & Culture”, plus check out Dean's “Culture's Consequences” articles, CultureQuizzes, and much much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Dean and Tom have truly “fallen down the rabbit hole” in this episode as they explore different idioms across cultures, offering context as well as advice on what to do when faced with unknown idioms on your travels. (A preview: An idiom in another country may feel like it “comes out of left field,” but give yourself some grace - you're not an ‘idiom idiot'!) We know that you'll enjoy listening to this idiotic idiomatic episode “as soon as possible” (when is this? that's up to you!) because you're all “pieces of bread”, “salt of the earth”, and other figurative fundamental foodstuffs! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here to find all of Dean's “Culture's Consequences” articles, CultureQuizzes, and much much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Introducing…Dean's new “Culture's Consequences” Substack column, in which he reveals the hidden cultural reasons behind the daily headlines! In this episode, Dean and Tom bite into Dean's February 2024 “Culture's Consequences” article about Dong Phuong Bakery's luscious King Cake, available only during New Orleans' Mardi Gras season, and how it represents a melding of New Orleans, Creole, French, and Vietnamese cultures. Plus, they float into talk of krewes and parades during Mardi Gras, involving some of the cutest dogs you've ever seen. We hope you find this episode to be the same as Dean's description in the article of the Dong Phuong King Cake: “layer upon layer upon layer upon layer of just-right.” Don't be afraid to drool if so, dear listeners, and laissez les bons temps rouler (i.e., let the good times roll)! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here to find ALL of Dean's “Culture's Consequences” articles, plus Dean's CultureQuizzes and much much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

With next month marking 10 years since Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea in Ukraine, and 2 years since the start of the current war there, we will continue to keep Ukraine & Ukrainians in our ears, hearts, and minds with this special reissue of our “For Ukrainians, the sunflower is an incredibly powerful symbol” episode from April 2022.

Happy holidays, dear listeners! Welcome back for the thrilling conclusion of our Cornucopia series, in which Tom and Torin now face off in the final two of six of Dean's CultureQuizzes: that is, brief quizzes about fundamental culture concepts in different regions of the world. They're playing for the prize of, well, it's unclear, as the culture-curious fellows are now into their third successive episode of imbibing frivolity. As time passes and the point totals rise, the decorum tumbles, someone's chin hits a microphone, and a producer is finally replaced (?). The focus of this episode's slate of quizzes is on countries in Africa and then in Latin America, and one can't help but wonder: Will the three-part contest simply peter out in the final round, or can Tom and Torin remain simpatico to finish out the bout? No need to wait to find out: this 52-minute listening adventure contains all answers, quiz-related and otherwise, for you. Enjoy & we'll be back soon with new episodes in 2024! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here to find ALL of Dean's CultureQuizzes, including the CultureQuizzes from this episode and many many more.*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. American listeners! Before, after, or perhaps while you're feasting at the dinner table, enjoy feasting your ears on this continuation from last month's episode about Dean's CultureQuizzes, or brief quizzes about fundamental culture concepts in different regions of the world. This time, Tom and Torin take on quizzes about countries in Asia and then in Europe, while quickly losing their senses as they consume a few more sudsy potables. (Case in point: The phrase “I need to crush you” may be uttered at one point…all in good fun, of course!) Will our culture-curious lads face-plant, or manage to save face, on these quizzes? Click ‘play' both to find out & to play along with them! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here to find ALL of Dean's CultureQuizzes, including the CultureQuizzes from this episode and many many more. The next and final part of this three-part episode series includes Dean's CultureQuizzes about Africa and Latin America.*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

As the three culture-curious mates remedy last episode's sangria-lessness with beer and chianti, Dean (our resident global cultures expert) challenges Tom and Torin (our very-much-not-experts) to play six of his self-written CultureQuizzes - that is, brief quizzes about fundamental culture concepts in particular regions - against each other. Perhaps due to their mild inebriation or Torin's overactive competitive side, or both, Tom and Torin agree to duke it out over two quizzes about Australia and the Middle East in this episode, all in pursuit of precious points (and possibly a jar of Vegemite). Can one of the blokes understand Strine in order to come out on top, or will continued drinking over this three-part episode series simply result in ignominious strife? Listen ASAP to find out! ***Subscribe to Dean's Substack here to find ALL of Dean's CultureQuizzes, including the CultureQuizzes from this episode and many many more. The next two parts of this three-part episode series include Dean's CultureQuizzes about Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.*** PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded in September 2023. We are heartbroken by the escalating crisis in Gaza and Israel, and we invite you to give what you can to on-the-ground humanitarian organizations such as the World Food Programme and World Central Kitchen. Thank you. Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

It's always nice to imbibe with a companion, so this month, we're pairing up last month's “Alcohol Across Cultures” chat with a companion piece on what to do (or not do) when drinking tea and other libations across the globe. So grab your potable of choice (potent or not) and please enjoy this special reissue of our second-ever episode, “Tea & Magnetic Pole Flips”, from March 2018! (Also: It appears that the topic of magnetic pole flipping has stayed in the news even five years later!) This episode, Dean and Tom navigate the cultural dos and don'ts of drinking tea in Morocco, Japan, the U.K., and Argentina - not to mention coffee in Ethiopia, beer in China, and whiskey in Korea! And without even getting inebriated (or maybe they do, as it would explain a lot), they also broach the topic of magnetic pole flipping (not an Olympic sport) and its cultural implications. Get ready to imbibe this episode from a gourd with a silver straw, because, as we all know, “the best things in life are served in a gourd.” Subscribe now! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach them on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

Dean may have neglected to bring sangria for this episode, but that doesn't stop Dean and Tom from sliding into a spirited dialogue on Dean's experiences with alcohol across countries & cultures: from gin amidst the dizzying dunes of Libya, to the “easy going down” caipirinha of Brazil (with subsequent lizard-negotiating), to early-morning Unicum in a Budapest boardroom, and much more. Plus, do Dean and Tom decide to push their limits after imbibing a few tequilas together in Mexico? Call us old-fashioned, but we know that you'll have a happy hour (or 40-ish minutes) when you listen to find out! ***Don't forget to subscribe to Dean's Substack here for recent CultureQuizzes, updates on Dean's next book, and much much more. It'll definitely be worth a shot! (Okay, the alcohol puns end here!)*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

In this episode, Dean lights some powerful incense (can you smell it?) before recounting his travels through the massively multicultural nation of India, and exploring personal instances of cultural dissonance in Pondicherry and elsewhere. Plus, Tom points out the elephant in the corner (of a Hindu temple), and Producer Torin needs to know if Dean walks the walk there. Remember: Everything will be okay in the end, so if things are not okay now, don't worry; you're just not at the end (of enjoying this episode) yet! ***AND: Don't forget to subscribe to Dean's Substack here for the Pondicherry Journal, recent CultureQuizzes, and much much more!*** Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

As Dean and Tom (metaphorically) cross the Rio Grande in this episode, they find themselves wading into the rich complexities of Mexican culture and identity - particularly, into the shifting impact of the historical figure La Malinche. Plus, Dean revisits his great Mexican cultural faux-pas, which may or may not have involved male genitalia; you'll have to listen to find out! Then, don't forget to read about Dean's greatest-ever cultural faux-pas, and much much more, by subscribing to Dean's Substack here (yes, this is a plug)! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

After Dean and Tom kicked off last month's episode by recalling their very first island-hopping episode, "Island Hopping: Iceland & Malta," we felt it'd be the perfect time for a special reissue. Here is that legendary land-leaping conversation from September 2018, provided for you in its entirety. Enjoy! Don't despair, dear listeners! While the days may be getting shorter, Dean and Tom are back to boost your spirits in this episode as they “island hop” from incredible Iceland to majestic Malta (5:20). Along the way, they explore the world's first parliament, eat rancid shark, and get their passports stamped in an apartment house that's also a sovereign state (15:40, 23:30, 39:05)! Listen today to "island hop" with Dean and Tom! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Drumroll please! In the thrilling conclusion of this two-part series, we crown the winner of last month's game show, and discover what Dean and Tom can possibly remember about the first ten episodes of their own podcast - all in celebration of FIVE YEARS of ‘Oops, Your Culture's Showing!'. Plus, vital questions for humanity are broached in this episode, such as: Is five years, in fact, "more than enough"? IS this "the final episode of the podcast"? (The answer to both: Umm, no! We'll return with new episodes very soon.) Here's to the next five years of "culture at its best"! We invite you to play along with Dean and Tom - AND, a quick reminder that THIRTY-SEVEN PAST EPISODES of the podcast are now up on our NEW YouTube channel here, for your listening (or re-listening) pleasure. Enjoy! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Join us, dear listeners, as we celebrate FIVE YEARS since the launch of ‘Oops, Your Culture's Showing!'…with a game show! In part one of this jubilant two-parter, Dean and Tom begin accessing their “brain castles” to recall what in the world (literally) they gabbed about in selected episodes over these past five years. We invite you to play along with them - AND, a quick reminder that ALL THIRTY-SEVEN PAST EPISODES are now up on our NEW YouTube channel here, for your listening (or re-listening) pleasure. Enjoy! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Want more Oops Your Culture's Showing!, but not too much? In this episode, Dean and Tom deliver just that as they comfortably wade into an exploration of how the Swedish ethos of ‘lagom', which roughly translates as “just the right amount,” relates to Scandinavian, Dutch, and in some ways, Japanese cultures. Plus, after returning to fan-favorite segment Wordplay!, they can't help but go a little overboard when briefly introducing new segments Analogy Hell and Therapy Time. We've already overstayed our welcome in this episode description, so we'll simply encourage you to (calmly, cozily, relaxingly) dive in and enjoy! (Here is the referenced ‘lagom' article by Jonny Thomson on Big Think, from August 2022.) Check out our NEW YouTube channel here (and/or the playlist below)! In honor of the pod's upcoming 5th anniversary in late March 2023, we're posting 2-3 of our original episodes, in the order they were released, each and every Wednesday into March. Our first TWENTY-EIGHT episodes are up now! If you haven't heard them yet, or even if you have, head there & click Play today, and bring a friend along with you - thanks! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

New Zealand's iconic prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has announced she's stepping down in the coming days. In honor of her 5+ years of Kiwi leadership, we're heading back 'down under' with a special reissue of our “Island Hopping: New Zealand” episode from November 2019. Enjoy! We're back with a special “island hopping” episode: between the North and South Islands of New Zealand! Dean and Tom dive into Dean's recent travels along the stunning TranzAlpine railway, and to the hub of extreme adventure activities in Queenstown on the South Island (where Dean may or may not have bungee jumped in the nude). Then, they visit the All Blacks rugby team and the haka, as well as cultural dynamics between ancestral Europeans and the Maori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa (Maori for New Zealand). Like the flightless kiwi bird – an icon of New Zealand – you'll want to stay grounded in this episode! Check out our NEW YouTube channel here (and/or the playlist below)! In honor of the pod's upcoming 5th anniversary in late March 2023, we're posting 2-3 of our original episodes, in the order they were released, each and every Wednesday into March. Our first TWENTY episodes are up now! If you haven't heard them yet, or even if you have, head there & click Play today, and bring a friend along with you - thanks! Listen today to “island hop” with Dean and Tom! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIn0wL8AODI7NhX9fIeX9IlXABKapDzaD

Happy holidays, dear listeners! We're doubling your dose of joy this holiday season with BOTH parts of our 'two-part gleeful gabfest' from Nov/Dec 2021, "Joy To The World!" - packaged together in this supersized, super-special reissue. Both episode descriptions are below, plus the link to our new YouTube channel (while on a plane ride or road trip these holidays, head there to hear or rehear our original episodes!). A very happy new year to all, and we'll be back with new episodes in 2023! PART ONE: What's so funny? In this jolly episode, Dean and Tom gleefully gab about what is, and is not, considered funny across cultures – and how laughter can also be interpreted differently depending on where you are. Plus, Grammar Time makes a brief cameo! You don't have to wait anymore for the punchline; it's here for you. En-joy! PART TWO: In the finale of their two-part gleeful gabfest, Dean and Tom continue to delight in the complexities of humor, language, and culture. Then, they elatedly explore similarities and differences in how joy is expressed communally across cultures, in Bhutan, Denmark, Brazil, and the U.S., and in birthday celebrations in Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. Happy holidays everyone! Check out our NEW YouTube channel here (and/or the playlist below)! In honor of the pod's upcoming 5th anniversary in late March 2023, we're posting 2-3 of our original episodes, in the order they were released, each and every Wednesday into March. Our first TEN episodes are up now! If you haven't heard them yet, or even if you have, head there & click Play today, and bring a friend along with you – thanks! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Happy Thanksgiving to our US American listeners! In this episode, Dean dishes to Tom about both experiencing US American holidays like Thanksgiving while in different countries, as well as immersing himself in different countries' holidays over the years - from Slovakia to India to China, and many more! Plus, Tom searches for wordplay (but does he find it?) and producer Torin calls out semantic satiation when he hears it (but can he say "satiation"?). Enjoy gobbling up this episode, and thank you for listening! Check out our NEW YouTube channel here (and/or the playlist below)! In honor of the pod's upcoming 5th anniversary in late March 2023, we're posting 2-3 of our original episodes, in the order they were released, each and every Wednesday into March. Our first two episodes ever ("Shaving & Japanese Toilets" and "Tea & Magnetic Pole Flips") are up now! If you haven't heard them yet, or even if you have, head there & click Play today, and bring a friend along with you - thanks! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIn0wL8AODI7NhX9fIeX9IlXABKapDzaD

Listening to this while eating lunch in the workplace? Fais attention (be careful!) because if you're in France, that's illegal. In this episode, Dean and Tom get to work contrasting how countries from France to Japan to the US value, and even legislate, work-life balance - and, bien sûr (of course!), how it's all grounded in culture. Plus, a Grammar Time segment somehow sneaks up on all of us...est-ce possible? (Here are the referenced NPR articles on the French lunch law and the Portuguese 'right to disconnect' law, from June 2022.) Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Why did Dean, the global cultures expert, cross the road? To chat with Tom about navigating street crossings in cities from Rome to Hong Kong, and the corresponding cultural implications - of course! Plus: Don't miss the exciting premiere of Wordplay!, a subset of Grammar Time, later in the episode. We're giving you the walk sign to stroll through this episode and enjoy it, hopefully without jaywalking involved (but if you do, we won't - and can't - tell on you). Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

We hope you're staying as cool as can be, listeners! Since Dean and Tom will be chatting about global transportation customs in next month's brand-new episode, we're ‘crossing the road' to there with a special reissue this month of our “Taxis & Malaysian Smiles” episode from May 2018. Enjoy this off-the-rails (or whichever transportation idiom you prefer) episode, hopefully while sipping on an ice-cold beverage! In this episode, Dean and Tom share taxi adventures and delve into what to do, and not do, when in the backseat, or maybe the front seat, in India, Australia, and Japan - all while they swat away malarial mosquitos and sing "Oh My Darling, Clementine" (6:22). Next, Dean answers a listener's question about cultural differences around smiling and laughing in Malaysia and the U.S. (19:57). Then, the topic of men's outerwear somehow comes up, so put on your culturally-appropriate listening shorts and enjoy! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Hey (literal) baby! In this episode, Dean and Tom toddle over from a prior discussion of elders to the other end of the age spectrum: kids, and how we adults view, rear, and set expectations of children similarly and differently across cultures! Pay special attention for mentions of defenestration, Victor Borge, and dunce caps, children, because there will be a quiz afterwards. Plus: Grammar Time boldly returns to ask the question on every child's mind; where has the semicolon gone? Please be seated criss-cross on the carpet; we need to see your eyes on your phone and your ears listening; now you're ready to enjoy! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Listen up, you whippersnappers! Dean, Tom, and baby/producer Torin impart some wisdom about how cultures value their elders and the “elderly,” especially by comparing perceptions and customs in US culture with those in cultures in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Plus, you'd be wise not to miss the long-anticipated launch of Grandma Time (or perhaps it's the long-awaited return of Grammar Time, who can say?). Pull down those earlobes, open up those ear holes, and enjoy! (Referenced in this episode: Stephen Colbert receives broadcasting wisdom from Tom in this Daily Show segment from fall 2001, at around the 2 minute 55 second mark.) Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Dean and Tom are back to talk about the use and importance of symbols across cultures, otherwise known as "going the full Robert Langdon" (you know, the main protagonist in Dan Brown's novels). Being the super symbologists they are, Dean and Tom decipher what iconic symbols have to tell us about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while also decoding symbols that have arisen from other conflicts, such as in Hong Kong, the United States, and more. We hope you'll crash some cymbals to commemorate this discussion of symbols, symbolizing a celebration of all our new 2022 episodes coming up! (For more on protest symbols in Russia, here is the April 15, 2022 episode of the Rough Translation podcast from NPR.) Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

With both the Lunar New Year and the Winter Olympics in Beijing this month, we're heading back to China in this special reissue of our "Goat Eyes & Chinese Banquets" episode from June 2018! Please enjoy this classic offering, and stay tuned for tasty new episodes in the coming weeks. Happy Year of the Tiger! Dean and Tom are back in this episode to sink their teeth into what to do, and what not to do, when presented with traditional foods across cultures: goat eyes in Kazakhstan, natas in Portugal, fried mayflies in Mexico, and the list goes on (3:26)! As the honored guest at a Chinese banquet, Dean also guides us through the ins and outs of this formal ceremony while respectfully passing along his fish head - yes, you read that correctly (9:13, 27:34, 48:25). Then, Dean and Tom launch into an informal edition of Grammar Time, and digest the bizarre fact that “bizarre” and “bazaar” each contain a single z (38:17). Who knew? So pop five natas into your mouth, avoid those one-eyed Portuguese cats, and enjoy! Subscribe today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Needing some tropical warmth this winter (for those in the Northern Hemisphere, that is)? Well, look (or listen?) no further, because here's a special reissue of our "Island Hopping: U.S. Virgin Islands" episode, recorded in St. Thomas exactly two years ago: January 2020. Sit back in your indoor beach chair and soak it in! Dean and Tom are on location in the U.S. Virgin Islands to explore features and culture in St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, and to sip great rum. Plus, find out what makes driving in the USVIs different than anywhere else in the United States. In these trying times, we invite you to grab a beer, to relax on a virtual beach with us, and to enjoy. Listen today to "island hop" with Dean and Tom! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

In the finale of their two-part gleeful gabfest, Dean and Tom continue to delight in the complexities of humor, language, and culture. Then, they elatedly explore similarities and differences in how joy is expressed communally across cultures, in Bhutan, Denmark, Brazil, and the U.S., and in birthday celebrations in Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. Happy holidays everyone, and we'll see you in (a hopefully far more joyous) 2022! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

What's so funny? In this jolly episode, Dean and Tom gleefully gab about what is, and is not, considered funny across cultures - and how laughter can also be interpreted differently depending on where you are. Plus, Grammar Time makes a brief cameo! You don't have to wait anymore for the punchline; it's here for you. En-joy! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

With All Hallows' Eve & Día de los Muertos rapidly approaching, it's a frighteningly perfect time to reissue our episode on death celebrations and festivals across cultures, “Who Died?”, from July 2019. The episode description is below, and we'll be back soon with new episodes about joy of a very different kind! Enjoooooooooy!

In this episode, Dean and Tom dig into the cultural origins of US norms & practices that can come off as a bit odd to our global neighbors - from the beach, to the restaurant, to the bathroom (not necessarily in that order!). They reference an article from Insider named “23 things that are considered 'normal' in the US but that the rest of the world finds weird” - click here if you'd like to follow along in the article. Or, embrace US rejectionism and don't follow along there; we leave it to you! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

Bonjour mes amis! In this episode, Dean and Tom promenade along the riverbanks of French culture, from Descartes and Cartesian Logic to French cheese, wine, champagne, fashion, and art, to bringing dogs inside of restaurants. We invite you to revel in the hosts' joie de vivre without delay, s'il vous plaît; à bientôt! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: "Little Idea" - Bensound.com

Oi! With the U.K. being in the news a lot lately - from the G7 summit to Wimbledon to England's heartbreaking loss in the Euro 2020 final - we feel it's bloody high time that we reissue our U.K. (and U.S.) focused episode, Brits & Yanks, from September 2018. The episode description is below, and we'll be back soon with a new episode about another European country with a massive cultural influence regionally and globally. Until then, enjoy, mates! In this episode, Dean and Tom hop across the pond to explore cultural differences between the U.K. and the U.S.! The two begin with some surprisingly different customs between the two countries, like how Britons order two pints in a pub (a.k.a. two beers in a bar) versus how U.S. Americans use forks and knives inefficiently while eating (7:50). Next, they dive into an extended round of “Grammar Talk” to parse out some scary differences in English on both sides of the pond: for instance, should Tom ask for a “bathroom” or a “loo,” compliment a “fanny pack,” or eat “spotted dick” (19:35, 28:30, 37:00)?? Finally, the two chat about the royals in light of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent wedding, and why perhaps U.S. Americans care about the royal family at all (35:25). Don't get your “knickers in a twist” waiting in the “queue” for this episode to drop; listen and enjoy today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

While remembering pets both old and new, Dean and Tom take the op-purr-tunity to discuss which animals do and don’t constitute pets across dif-fur-rent cultures. (Without any pet puns in the actual episode, we just had to include some here; thank you for understanding.) Plus: Wondering how long pet parrots can live, or where you can safely cross a piranha-infested river in the Amazonas? Well then, you’ve certainly come to the right pawed-cast (that’s the last one, really)! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

Fully vaccinated, Dean and Tom jump into a discussion of changes, as well as the lack of changes, in behaviors and cultures resulting from the pandemic this past year (and thankfully, they also decline to bungee-jump naked off of a building in Queenstown New Zealand, at least for now). Plus, Dean offers some tantalizing cultural predictions. Cue the trumpets! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

In the grand finale of their two-part shroom-inations, Dean and Tom return to the Balkans, where they find literal dividing lines in Sarajevo as well as cultural similarities & differences between Serbia and Croatia, plus a few no-nos to bear in mind when traveling between countries, and much more. We recommend that you sip some rakia (fruit brandy popular in the Balkans) while you listen and enjoy! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

In this new episode (recorded September 2020, when it was still warm enough in the northeastern U.S. to record outdoors!), Dean and Tom repel giant squirrels while they ruminate (or perhaps shroom-inate?) on mushroom-picking in the Baltics. Plus, they dig into differences between the Baltics and the Balkans (hint: start by looking to the ends of one's "Bal"s). Mycologists and non-mycologists alike, enjoy! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” - Bensound.com

Last Wednesday’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a tragic & unprecedented example of what happens when elements of culture are manipulated by powerful political interests at the expense, in this case, of democracy. Politics, like every aspect of human activity, is profoundly determined by culture, which can be manipulated for good or bad by those with the power to do so, and last week in the U.S., fundamental elements of U.S. culture, following a harrowing historical playbook, were abused for political ends. We discuss this phenomenon of manipulating culture for political agendas in our “The Political Climate. Ahh!!” episode from October 8th 2020. In advance of the upcoming inauguration of Joe Biden as president of the United States, we felt it critical to re-release this episode now. The episode description is below, and we’ll be back with new episodes starting next month. Until then, stand up for those aspects of your culture that advance democracy, wherever you are. It's the biggest October surprise of all! We're dropping this episode on the same day as the previous episode because there's no time to waste: it's October of a presidential election year in the United States. Millions of votes have already been cast through mail-in ballots and early in-person voting, so Dean and Tom head outdoors again to explore how U.S. culture has directly affected today's political climate. Make your voting plan TODAY at iwillvote.com. Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” - Bensound.com

Happy holidays! When you're giving holiday gifts to friends or colleagues in other cultures, how, I ask, can you possibly have an idea whether your gift may delight or distress them? Well, I'll tell you: By listening to and enjoying this reissue of our Gift-Giving: Tips & Taboos episode from December 13th 2018! The episode description is below, and we'll be back soon with new episodes in 2021. Adiós 2020! Enjoy! In this episode, Dean and Tom present you with tips for giving culturally-appropriate gifts in the U.S., Europe, and East Asia, along with plenty of taboos to avoid as well. For instance, you’ll learn how to give money to a friend on their birthday in New Orleans, whether to give someone an even or odd number of flowers in Europe, and why giving a colleague four clocks in a white box is not exactly the best idea in China. Subscribe today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com. Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com