Podcasts about czechia

Country in Central Europe

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Latest podcast episodes about czechia

Tennis Channel Inside-In
Sinner's Worrisome Knee, ATP Finals Race, Czechia Women's Tennis Dominance and More With Jan-Michael Gambill

Tennis Channel Inside-In

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2026 47:32


Jan-Michael Gambill joins the show to chat about a wide range of tennis topics, including Jannik Sinner continuing to miss time with a knee injury. Gambill gives his thoughts on Sinner's recovery process and what it means for the men's game, which has an sizable opening in the World No. 1's absence. The commentator breaks down Alexander Zverev's sustained success after notching the clinching victory in the Laver Cup, and the race for the ATP Finals which could feature several Americans such as Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz. Gambill also recaps Czechia's triumph in the Billie Jean King Cup, and explains why that relatively small nation has been able to pump out world class women's players for several generations. The broadcaster shares his fixes for all the late finishes at the US Open, reacts to a controversial decision to prevent Tatiana Prozorova from taking the court in Singapore, and ponders what next season could hold for Amanda Anisimova after she decided to conclude her 2026 campaign. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Football Weekly
The Premier League v Manchester City and England beat Czechia – Football Weekly

Football Weekly

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2026 47:59


Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, George Elek and Dan Bardell as the Premier League release their verdict on Manchester City and England win 2-0 in Prague. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/footballweeklypod. Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast

Served with Andy Roddick
Chanda Rubin on Her Best Tennis Memories PLUS Laver Cup and BJK Recap | Love All w/ Kim Clijsters

Served with Andy Roddick

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2026 67:27


Join 4-time Grand Slam Champion Kim Clijsters and tennis reporter Blair Henley as they welcome former World No. 6 and Australian Open doubles champion Chanda Rubin for a conversation about her career, her toughest matchups against Kim and Venus Williams, her unforgettable 1996 Australian Open run, becoming a trailblazer in tennis and her new children's book. Plus, Kim and Blair break down the Laver Cup's most viral moments, Czechia's Billie Jean King Cup title, the controversy surrounding Nadia Prozorova's concussion assessment, and Arthur Fils' unusual trip through Tokyo qualifying. Chanda's book Alora's Pajama Party and Her Secret Sleepover Squad arrives Nov 17th — available now for preorder at all major booksellers! Welcome to Love All! If you want to hang out with us behind the scenes follow us on all of our socials: https://www.instagram.com/loveallpodcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@loveallpodcast  https://x.com/loveallpodcast  Blair's Rec: Bath and Body Works Candles ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Welcome to Love All 4:06 Laver Cup: Agassi, Zverev & Favorite Moments 7:24 Laver Cup Fashion, Alcaraz & Behind-the-Scenes Stories 11:35 Czechia Wins the Billie Jean King Cup 13:17 Prozorova Concussion Controversy  19:40 Arthur Fils Plays in Tokyo Qualies 23:03 Chanda Rubin Joins the Show 24:06 Kim vs. Chanda & Their WTA Finals Matchups 29:01 Chanda's Best & Worst Career Matchups 31:42 Chanda's Incredible 1996 Australian Open Run 37:22 Life After Tennis & Going Back to School at Harvard 42:09 Chanda's Journey Into Broadcasting 47:53 Inspiring the Next Generation of Black Tennis Players 52:35 Chanda Rubin's New Children's Book 56:51 Rapid Fire with Chanda Rubin 1:02:21 Rec Room Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce
MAN CITY GUILTY: Sam Allardyce on ‘SHAM' Contracts & Expected Punishment

No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2026 42:41


Manchester City have been found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules — and Sam Allardyce has his say on what happens next.On this episode of No Tippy Tappy Football, Sam reacts to the independent commission's findings covering nine seasons between 2009/10 and 2017/18, including the use of “sham” commercial arrangements which the commission said artificially inflated Manchester City's revenue and reduced reported costs by more than £900 million. City deny wrongdoing and intend to appeal the findings.Sam discusses just how serious the situation is, whether Manchester City can escape the consequences, what punishment they could face and whether their trophies should be taken away.We also debate where Manchester City's situation sits alongside previous football scandals, including Juventus and Southampton, whether City fans should have sympathy, whether the club could still be in the Premier League next season and, most importantly, just how far this punishment could go.Could Manchester City end up outside the Premier League? Could the current squad stay together? And would Sam Allardyce really consider taking the job if City were playing in League Two?Then we turn our attention to England.Sam and Will review England's games against Spain and Czechia, discuss Trent Alexander-Arnold's return to the squad, Anthony Gordon's comments about his footballing IQ and what Thomas Tuchel needs to achieve to be considered a success with England.Sam also explains whether he believes Tuchel can be the man to finally deliver success with England._Make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe & turn on notifications so you know when a new episode drops.

Tennis Piochas
Episodio #251 - Team Europe gana la Laver Cup en casa.

Tennis Piochas

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2026 26:37


AGENDA: IntroResultados torneos fin de semana. Kimberly Birrell venció a Maya Joint 6-4, 6-2 para ganar el WTA 250 de Corea y el primer título de su carrera.Leylah Fernandez venció a Talia Gibson para ganar el WTA 250 de Singapur y el 6to título de su carreraAlejandro Davidovich-Fokina venció a Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 7-6 para ganar el ATP 250 de Chengdu y el segundo título de su carrera. Daniil Medvedev venció a Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-4 para ganar el ATP 250 de Hangzhou y el título 24 de su carrera. Lideradas por Karolina Muchova y Linda Noskova, el Equipo de Czechia venció al equipo de Ucrania 2-0 para ganar la Billie Jean King Cup por 12va ocasión. Team Europe gana la Laver Cup por sexta ocasión al vencer a Team World con marcador de 13-5. (6-3 el marcador global de todas las ediciones) Quienes fueron los mejores de cada equipo. Quienes fueron los peores de cada equipo. Conclusión final de que si estuvo buena esta edición de la Laver Cup o no. Agradecimiento al colaborador Lalo Sanchez. Torneos esta semanaWTA 1000 de Beijing Roads a la final de las primeras 4 sembras. Posibles CF por siembre. PicksATP 500 de Beijing. (Quienes entraron + Jannik Sinner se dio de baja por no recuperarse al 100% de la rodilla.ATP 500 de Tokio. (Quienes entraron) La academia de Rafael Nadal cumple 10 años y el sábado habrá un evento de exhibición entre el equipo de Nadal formado por: Nadal, Ferrer, Moyá y Gasquet y el equipo de Murray formado por: Murray, Thiem, Fognini y Safin. Top 10'sY más ...Instagram: @TennisPiochasTwitter: @TennisPiochasTikTok: @tennis.piochasEpisodio patrocinado por: Ese de Sandalo Reel con colección nueva de tenis de Ese de Sandalo Distribuido por Genuina Media Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Tennis Podcast
Are Czechia the best BJK Cup team ever?

The Tennis Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2026 97:10


Catherine, Matt and David were live on YouTube to talk about Czechia's triumph in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals and Team Europe's victory at the Laver Cup.Part one (00:00 - 46:22) We cover Czechia winning their first BJK Cup title since 2018, Linda Noskova's transformation in recent months, Ukraine's run to the final, and our overall feelings on the event after the second staging in Shenzhen. Plus, there's discussion of wins or Kim Birrell and Leylah Fernandez in Seoul and Singapore, and the concussion protocol situation of Tatiana Prozorova. Part two (46:23 - 1:09:55) Matt talks about what it was like to attend Laver Cup for the first time and we discuss the bits of the event that we continue to like (player interactions, seeing Carlos Alcaraz in action) and the bits that we don't. Part three (1:09:56 - 1:37:10) We discuss the new Grand Slam Player Council and a worrying update from Jannik Sinner about his knee. Plus, preview and predictions as events get underway in Beijing and Tokyo.For ad-free listening and bonus content, Become a Friend.Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠new merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Cut The Faff t-shirts are here!Talk tennis with Friends on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Barge! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt's Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@thetennispodcast) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Radio Prague - English
Brother, martyr, patron saint: Why Czechs remember Wenceslas on September 28

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2026 29:15


In Monday's Czechia in 30 Minutes, we travel back more than a thousand years to the violent death of Saint Wenceslas. Historian Robert Novotný explains how a murdered 10th-century prince became the patron saint of the Czech lands and one of the country's most enduring symbols.

Radio Prague - English
News, how EU citizens can vote in Czechia's local elections, LUSTR festival of illustration and comics, trip to Olomouc

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2026 28:42


News, how EU citizens can vote in Czechia's local elections, LUSTR festival of illustration and comics, trip to Olomouc

The Tennis Podcast
Alcaraz asks for end to late night tennis

The Tennis Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2026 56:08


Catherine, David and Matt catch up on the Billie Jean King Cup Finals action so far, with Czechia, Spain, Ukraine and Italy all reaching the last four. Part one (00:00 - 30:37) - After David runs us through his extraordinary mishap involving a laptop and a postbox, we turn our attention to what's happened at the BJK Cup Finals in Shenzhen, headlined by Italy's win over hosts China. How does Paolini keep delivering for her country? Plus, there's coverage of Ukraine's victory despite Greet Minion's heroics to beat Elina Svitolina, a tough win for Spain over Kazakhstan, and a dominant display from favourites Czechia against Great Britain. Can anyone stop the Czechs? Part two (30:38 - 40:29) - The Laver Cup content machine is in full flow and we chat about the terrible outfits in the ‘iconic' photo, Carlos Alcaraz revealing that he's a curfew guy, and the soft launch order of play on day one. Part three (40:30 - 56:08) - We react to the draw for the Davis Cup Finals and to Alexandra Eala's surprise defeat in Singapore. For ad-free listening and bonus content, Become a Friend. Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠new merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Cut The Faff t-shirts are here!Talk tennis with Friends on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Barge! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt's Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@thetennispodcast) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Served with Andy Roddick
Kim's Wild WTA Finals Stories, Holger Rune's Comeback & More | Love All w/ Kim Clijsters

Served with Andy Roddick

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2026 64:23


Join 4-time Grand Slam Champion Kim Clijsters and tennis reporter Blair Henley as they break down Iva Jovic's rapid rise and what makes the young American a potential future Grand Slam champion. Kim also dives into the challenges of Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, Holger Rune's return from injury, and the mental battle of staying motivated after the final major of the season. Plus, with the WTA Finals heading to Charlotte, Kim looks back on her three titles at the event and shares some stories from her playing days. Welcome to Love All! If you want to hang out with us behind the scenes follow us on all of our socials: https://www.instagram.com/loveallpodcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@loveallpodcast  https://x.com/loveallpodcast  Kim's Rec: Olbas Inhaler https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00016WRZO?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback&th=1  Blair's Rec: Mac Eyeliner https://www.maccosmetics.com/products/eye-kohl-eyeliner?shade=Costa+Riche  ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Welcome to Love All 1:45 Why more people should watch Challenger tennis 6:36 Iva Jovic deep dive: Defending her Guadalajara title 11:50 Love to win or hate to lose? The psychology of competitiveness 16:35 Peyton Stearns reaches her first WTA 500 final 21:10 Davis Cup: USA falls to Czechia & what makes a great team 27:20 Kim on why some players thrive in team competition 30:35 Holger Rune returns after 11 months out 33:42 Staying motivated after the final Grand Slam of the season 37:15 WTA Finals move to Charlotte & Kim's Finals memories 42:35 Kim's wild WTA Finals story 45:35 WTA Finals in Charlotte: Questions about the new five-day format 49:06 Rec Room 54:54 US Open player gifts & the rise of tournament gifting 56:40 Andy Roddick crashes Love All 59:22 Closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kilowatt: A Podcast about Tesla
Will the Roadster Fly? Obi Has a Theory

Kilowatt: A Podcast about Tesla

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2026 33:26


Kilowatt Show Notes EVs made up a growing share of August car sales in several European countries, with Norway still far ahead. Bodie covers Waymo's $2.85 credit for riders connecting to public transit, Toyota's planned extended-range EV for China, and Rivian's expectation that the R3 will cost substantially less than the R2. He also weighs the practical value of Scania's longer-range electric semi, looks at the Silverado EV's starting price, and discusses a survey showing more Americans are willing to consider an EV despite concerns about cost. In Tesla news, he covers Czechia's approval of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for public roads. An airspace restriction around the planned Roadster event then leads to speculation about the reveal, including listener Obi's upside-down Roadster theory. Publications The Driven Electrek InsideEVs Not a Tesla App Teslarati News Links EVs set new sales records across Europe in August, reach 98.7% of new car deliveries in Norway Waymo riders can now get $2.85 back when pairing a ride with public transit Toyota joins the extended-range EV race, but not as you'd expect Rivian R3 Will Be Priced ‘Materially Lower' Than R2, CEO Says Scania's extended-range electric truck The Chevy Silverado EV is the most affordable full-size EV pickup More And More Americans Are Interested In EVs: Study Tesla FSD (Supervised) Approved for Launch in Czechia Tesla Roadster event requires restricted airspace, and the FAA obliges Art by Dall-e Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chasing Pars Golf Podcast
(Ep 233) Tereza Zapletal Kozeluhova

Chasing Pars Golf Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2026 55:10


In this latest episode I was pleased to be joined by this year's English Women's Open champion Tereza Zapletal Kozeluhova who joined  from back home in the city of Plzen, Czech Republic after a great run of form this year which has led to her currently being 4th on LET Access Series standings in prime position to return to Ladies European Tour for 2027. Tereza is from Plzen which is the 3rd most populous city in Czechia and would win 2017 Austrian Junior International, 2018 RB German Junior and represent Czechia at European Girls' Amateur Team Championships before turning professional in 2021. Tereza would also finish 6th at 2019 Czech Ladies Open on LET as an amateur. In Tereza's own words it has been fun but a lot of struggle on tour since turning professional and were times where she started to question whether Golf was right for her anymore with some struggles on LET This year in  2026 season though however has changed after a solid start of 17th at Madaef Golf's Open in Morocco and a 16th at Montauban, 21st at Czech Challenge & 61st at Royal Beroun for Czech Ladies Open then would come the best moment of her career as Tereza would navigate through a tough course at Manchester Golf Club to win at -12 by 1 shot to claim her maiden professional title at English Women's Open which being there on site to witness is was expertly done and very special to watch  and for Teri to win with her father on the bag will hold very special memories. After her win the good fork continued with a 3rd at Hanbury Manor, 8th at Irish Challenge, 4th at Himmerland in some of the most brutal weather conditions and 7th at Slovak Ladies Open. Thanks Tereza for letting me chat with you both after your win in England and on the podcast. All the best going forward!

The PodKaz: USCHO Women's Hockey
Meet new Syracuse coach Brian Idalski

The PodKaz: USCHO Women's Hockey

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2026 23:15 Transcription Available


The PodKaz continues its series of episodes talking with NCAA women's hockey head coaches in new locations with a conversation with Syracuse's Brian Idalski.Idalski is back in college after a season coaching the PWHL expansion team in Vancouver, and he talks about how this change has been different than others in his career, which also includes college head coaching jobs at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, North Dakota and St. Cloud State.He also is coaching Czechia, and he discusses how the scheduling change for the Women's World Championship will impact college teams.The PodKaz is a production of USCHO.com. Have a question for us? Reach out to Nicole (@NicoleHaase) or Todd (@ToddMilewski) on social media or email todd.milewski@uscho.com.

The Tennis Podcast
What's happened since the US Open?

The Tennis Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2026 79:37


Catherine, David and Matt are home from New York and convene to discuss everything that's happened in the tennis world since the US Open, headlined by some thrilling Davis Cup action. Part one (00:00 - 29:44) - We cover all the talking points from the Davis Cup as the Final 8 line-up was complete, including Czechia's brilliant win over USA, why Spain could be the favourites for the title, and how this week reminded us of the brilliance of the home and away Davis Cup format, as long as you can find it to watch on TV. Part two (29:45 - 45:21) - We discuss Holger Rune's long-awaited return after his Achilles rupture, an emotional week for Joao Fonseca, Iva Jovic defending her title in Guadalajara, and some more spicy quotes from Tallon Griekspoor. Part three (45:22 - 1:19:37) - We debate the pros and cons of the WTA Finals' new home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and look ahead to this week's action which includes the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen and the Laver Cup in London. Plus, who might Juan Carlos Ferrero coach next? For ad-free listening and bonus content, Become a Friend. Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠new merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Cut The Faff t-shirts are here!Talk tennis with Friends on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Barge! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt's Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@thetennispodcast) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nothing Major
216: Davis Cup Exit for US, Ferrero to Come Back & Race for Year End No. 1 | EP 216

Nothing Major

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2026 44:16


The boys are BACK after a little post US Open hiatus, and there's plenty to catch up on.The US is out of Davis Cup after a wild 3 2 loss to Czechia in Prague, Ben Shelton makes the trip straight from the US Open final, and Holger Rune makes his return after 11 months away.Plus, Juan Carlos Ferrero is returning to coaching, but who's he going to work with? We make our picks. Sinner lays out a packed schedule as he chases year end No. 1, Zverev has the same goal in mind, Novak makes an unexpected appearance with Kevin Hart, and the guys weigh in on the new Six Queen Slam in Seoul.Also, Sam's horseback riding weight loss journey begins, Stevie brings back some wild stats, and we settle the most important question of all: Davis Cup or Laver Cup? We have VERY different opinions... as always!00:00 Nothing Major Returns02:12 Sam's Horseback Weight Cut04:21 US Davis Cup Exit07:22 The Olympics Rule Debate13:29 Davis Cup Roundup14:45 Holger Rune Returns16:56 Davis Cup Finals 19:52 WTA Guadalajara Recap21:43 Who Will Ferrero Coach?25:01 Sinner's Race to No. 126:48 The Six Kings vs. Queens28:40 Novak's Kevin Hart Interview30:52 Six Queen Slam Debate33:06 Eala vs. WTA Rules36:57 Stevie's Stats & Novak's Outlook39:43 Davis Cup vs. Laver Cup41:00 Bracket Challenge Winners42:10 Wrap Up & Next Episode

Radio Prague - English
Czechia reaches Davis Cup final, UNICEF CR presents Paddington's Postcards, trip to Obora Hvezda in Prague

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2026 28:34


Czechia reaches Davis Cup final, UNICEF CR presents Paddington's Postcards, trip to Obora Hvezda in Prague

Czechia in 30 minutes
Czechia reaches Davis Cup final, UNICEF CR presents Paddington's Postcards, trip to Obora Hvezda in Prague

Czechia in 30 minutes

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2026 28:34


Czechia reaches Davis Cup final, UNICEF CR presents Paddington's Postcards, trip to Obora Hvezda in Prague

Radio Prague - English
An outsider's view of Czechia: Sceptical of change, but surprisingly quick to adapt

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2026 29:09


In the weekend edition of Czechia in 30 Minutes, Vít Pohanka speaks to Latvian-born Linda Zeilina-Cross, who chose Prague as the base for her work on sustainable finance in Central and Eastern Europe. She sees Czechs as naturally sceptical of new ideas, but says that once they are convinced, change can happen remarkably fast. Their conversation, recorded at Climate Week Prague, explores Czech attitudes to sustainability, investment and the country's potential for a greener economy.

Czechia in 30 minutes
An outsider's view of Czechia: Sceptical of change, but surprisingly quick to adapt

Czechia in 30 minutes

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2026 29:09


In the weekend edition of Czechia in 30 Minutes, Vít Pohanka speaks to Latvian-born Linda Zeilina-Cross, who chose Prague as the base for her work on sustainable finance in Central and Eastern Europe. She sees Czechs as naturally sceptical of new ideas, but says that once they are convinced, change can happen remarkably fast. Their conversation, recorded at Climate Week Prague, explores Czech attitudes to sustainability, investment and the country's potential for a greener economy.

Radio Prague - English
Film Volklore picks up silver in Toronto, Czechia dotted with contaminated sites, Mikulov

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 29:14


Student film Volklore wins silver at the film festival in Toronto, how many toxic sites need to be dealt with around the Czech Republic? Trip to Mikulov in southern Moravia 

Czechia in 30 minutes
Film Volklore picks up silver in Toronto, Czechia dotted with contaminated sites, Mikulov

Czechia in 30 minutes

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 29:14


Student film Volklore wins silver at the film festival in Toronto, how many toxic sites need to be dealt with around the Czech Republic? Trip to Mikulov in southern Moravia 

The Dunker Spot
Couper Moorhead returns for a Heat conversation! Team USA takeaways + Watch out for France

The Dunker Spot

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 84:20


We have a jam-packed episode of The Dunker Spot coming your way!First, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones are joined again by Couper Moorhead (HEAT.com, After The Buzzer Podcast) for a wide-ranging conversation about the Miami Heat. They talk through the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson acquisitions, next steps for Bam Adebayo, the importance of Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell, potential lineup combinations (#TallBall?) and much more.On the WNBA side, the guys discuss their big-picture and small-picture takeaways from Team USA's nail-biting win against Italy and their blowout win against Czechia. If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com0:51 -- Coup joins the show!51:57 -- Team USA thoughts01:15:40 -- FIBA World Cup shoutouts (France, Emma Meesseman, Puerto Rico) Subscribe to the The Dunker Spot on your favorite podcast app:

The Her Hoop Stats Podcast: WNBA & Women’s College Basketball
Overcome and Onward | The Her Hoop Stats Podcast

The Her Hoop Stats Podcast: WNBA & Women’s College Basketball

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 27:08


Team USA survived a rough shooting night against Italy, then throttled Czechia to finish Group Play undefeated. Now, the Americans turn their attention to Thursday's Quarterfinals as they await their next opponent. Brittany Carper and Marisa Ingemi discuss that and more.HerHoopStats.com: Unlocking better insight about the women's game.The Her Hoop Stats Newsletter: https://herhoopstats.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Her Hoop Stats Podcast: WNBA & Women’s College Basketball
Young and Turnt Game Won | The Her Hoop Stats Podcast

The Her Hoop Stats Podcast: WNBA & Women’s College Basketball

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2026 28:06


Behind a quartet of double-figure scorers and Caitlin Clark's double-double, Team USA routed China 94-61 in its World Cup opener. Brittany Carper and Tyler DeLuca break it all down and more. HerHoopStats.com: Unlocking better insight about the women's game.The Her Hoop Stats Newsletter: https://herhoopstats.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Radio Prague - English
Security incidents in Germany reverberate in Czechia, Masaryk death investigation, Dvorak Music Festival

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2026 28:10


Security incidents in Germany reverberate in Czechia, Masaryk death investigation, Dvorak Music Festival  

Radio Prague - English
Lost play by Václav Havel, Czech lace inspires new Žižkov mural, Václav Bartuška, Czechia's ambassador to the UK

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2026 29:09


News, Previously lost play by Václav Havel, Warning, to get its first performance, Czech lace inspires new Žižkov mural by Polish artist, interview with Václav Bartuška, Czechia's ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Prague Talk
Václav Bartuška: “The revolution was too velvety”

Prague Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2026 18:17


Václav Bartuška is today Czechia's ambassador to the United Kingdom. He first came to public attention as a student leader during the Velvet Revolution. Soon after he was tasked with investigating Czechoslovakia's recently deposed StB secret police, a subject the then journalist covered in a best-selling book. More recently, Bartuška served for nearly two decades as the Czech government's envoy for energy security – and we discussed all of these chapters in his fascinating life at our studios in Prague.

Voices of Wrestling Podcast Network
Wrestling Omakase #311: AJPW 8/29 Ota, Sendai Girls 8/28 Yoyogi, Marigold Dream Star GP Nights 1 & 2, SEAdLINNNG 8/25 Korakuen w/ Velkej

Voices of Wrestling Podcast Network

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2026 211:49 Transcription Available


Omakase is back for another fun filled week, as John is once again joined by Czechia's hardest working farmer Velkej Bracha! They're checking in on a whole bunch of promotions they haven't talked about in a while (due to the combined trio of the G1, 5 Star & Princess Cup eating up a great deal of our time of course!), and it begins with All Japan's big show from EBARA WAVE Arena Ota! They talk about an unexpected result in the Triple Crown title match, where things might be headed with the Oudou tournament approaching, and a whole lot more. Then it's over to Sendai Girls for their own big show from Yoyogi Gym #2, another edition of "lol Chihiro wins". But also we get to talk about yet another amazing joshi rookie, of which there is apparently just an endless supply.Then it's over to Marigold for the opening two nights of the Dream Star GP tournament, which was actually a bit better than expected! John is very, very happy to have Victoria Yuzuki back at least! Finally, things wrap up with SEAdLINNNG's 11th anniversary show from Korakuen, featuring some really good action and also a pair of fake Mexicans winning their tag titles, for some reason. Yeah.Follow Wrestling Omakase on Twitter: http://twitter.com/wrestleomakaseFollow John on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/justoneenby.bsky.socialAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast)
Throwback Episode: Humility Is a Powerful Virtue

The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 29:41


We have a throwback episode for this week! Humility is often misunderstood as weakness, but it is actually a strength that opens the door to grace. Jeff discusses the powerful virtue of humility and its crucial role in living as an activated disciple. He shares insights from his recent pilgrimage to Poland and Czechia, highlighting the humble lives of saints like St.John Paul II, St.Maximilian Kolbe, and St.Edith Stein. Email us with comments or questions at thejeffcavinsshow@ascensionpress.com. Text “jeffcavins” to 33-777 to subscribe and get Jeff's shownotes delivered straight to your email! Or visit https://media.ascensionpress.com/?s=&page=2&category%5B0%5D=Ascension%20Podcasts&category%5B1%5D=The%20Jeff%20Cavins%20Show for full shownotes!

Radio Prague - English
Prague and Warsaw have responded to a disinformation campaign falsely claiming Poland planned to seize Czech territory, Beavers fighting drought in Czechia are “ecosystem engineers,” says zoologist

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 28:57


Prague and Warsaw have responded to a disinformation campaign falsely claiming Poland planned to seize Czech territory, Beavers fighting drought in Czechia are “ecosystem engineers,” says zoologist, Former president Václav Klaus says Czechia needs to “desubsidize” its economy 

SlowCZECH
347 Czech Supermarket Rules: The Secret Rules Nobody Explains

SlowCZECH

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2026 8:43


Czech supermarkets have their own unwritten rules. When a new checkout opens, everyone suddenly starts running. Discounts become impossible to resist, personal space disappears in the queue, and parking can become a competitive sport.In this episode of the slowczech podcast, we explore the funny everyday habits you might notice in Czech supermarkets while practicing your Czech listening skills.You'll hear about:what happens when a new checkout openswhy Czechs love a good discountpersonal space in the checkout queueshopping carts and getting through crowded aislesthe great self-checkout debatethe struggle to park as close as possible to the entranceThis is a fun way to practice intermediate Czech while discovering some of the everyday habits and cultural details you may encounter in Czechia.What you'll learnCzech supermarket vocabularyuseful everyday Czech expressionshow to talk about shopping situationsCzech culture and everyday habitsintermediate Czech listening practice???? Get the complete transcript to follow the conversation, learn new vocabulary and improve your Czech listening. Study at your own pace and come back to the episode whenever you want:https://slowczech.com/czech-podcast/New to slowczech?Download our FREE Real Czech Starter Kit:https://slowczech.com/kit/pod???????? Ready to speak Czech with confidence?Join our Immersion Program:https://slowczech.com/immersion/pod

SlowCZECH
347 Czech Supermarket Rules: The Secret Rules Nobody Explains

SlowCZECH

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2026 8:43


Czech supermarkets have their own unwritten rules. When a new checkout opens, everyone suddenly starts running. Discounts become impossible to resist, personal space disappears in the queue, and parking can become a competitive sport.In this episode of the slowczech podcast, we explore the funny everyday habits you might notice in Czech supermarkets while practicing your Czech listening skills.You'll hear about:what happens when a new checkout openswhy Czechs love a good discountpersonal space in the checkout queueshopping carts and getting through crowded aislesthe great self-checkout debatethe struggle to park as close as possible to the entranceThis is a fun way to practice intermediate Czech while discovering some of the everyday habits and cultural details you may encounter in Czechia.What you'll learnCzech supermarket vocabularyuseful everyday Czech expressionshow to talk about shopping situationsCzech culture and everyday habitsintermediate Czech listening practice???? Get the complete transcript to follow the conversation, learn new vocabulary and improve your Czech listening. Study at your own pace and come back to the episode whenever you want:https://slowczech.com/czech-podcast/New to slowczech?Download our FREE Real Czech Starter Kit:https://slowczech.com/kit/pod???????? Ready to speak Czech with confidence?Join our Immersion Program:https://slowczech.com/immersion/pod

Radio Prague - English
PM Babiš on Invalidovna overhaul: “It's a great project”, Returns to Brno: ŠTETL FEST revives the city's Jewish stories, Secret Soviet bunker built to survive a nuclear blast opens to visitors in Czechia

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 29:07


PM Babiš on Invalidovna overhaul: “It's a great project”, Returns to Brno: ŠTETL FEST revives the city's Jewish stories, Secret Soviet bunker built to survive a nuclear blast opens to visitors in Czechia, Why study Czech today? Neil Bermel on language, translation and the future of Czech studies

Radio Prague - English
Crystal Valley Week turns Liberec into a showcase of Bohemian glass, horseback archery slowly gaining ground in Czechia, Evie Harbury on the magic of Czech cuisine

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2026 29:00


Crystal Valley Week turns Liberec into a showcase of Bohemian glass, horseback archery slowly gaining ground in the Czech Republic, Evie Harbury on the magic of Czech cuisine

The Her Hoop Stats Podcast: WNBA & Women’s College Basketball
Looking to the FIBA World Cup | The Her Hoop Stats Podcast

The Her Hoop Stats Podcast: WNBA & Women’s College Basketball

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2026 26:00


Breaking down the Team USA roster. Who is the favorite to win it all? Are there any dark horses or sleepers? All of that and more with Helen Williams and Richard Cohen. HerHoopStats.com: Unlocking better insight about the women's game.The Her Hoop Stats Newsletter: https://herhoopstats.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Champs App Podcast
Episode 132: Brian Idalski, Head Coach of Syracuse Women's Hockey

Champs App Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 39:07


On this episode we welcome back Brian Idalski, the new head coach of the Syracuse women's hockey team and head coach of the Czechia women's national team. Brian was last on the show in Episode 85, when he was in his second year at St. Cloud State, and a lot has happened since. We start with the NCAA 5-for-5 rule change, the pending senior class lawsuit, and what a 26-player roster cap means for the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes, something Brian calls "COVID 2.0." Brian gives an honest accounting of the Vancouver Goldeneyes' inaugural PWHL season, including the toll of constant time zone changes and the Olympic break, and shares how he came to lead Czechia. We also discuss his plans for rebuilding Syracuse, why he builds programs around "solid B kids with A work ethic," how moving from the WCHA to AHA changes his measuring stick, and his advice for families stuck in an unpredictable recruiting cycle: it is our job to find you, so focus on becoming the best version of yourself.You can connect with Brian Idalski either on the Syracuse women's hockey website or via Brian Idalski's Champs App profile============================Champs App is your recruiting and development copilot. We help athletes, coaches, parents, and agents/advisors navigate the youth sports landscape. Create a free Champs App account to build a beautiful hockey profile and unlock free, high-quality content focused on recruiting and hockey player development.⁠Download Champs App for iOS in the Apple App Store⁠⁠Download Champs App for Android in the Google Play Store⁠===========================================Champs360 is the all-in-one recruiting and development copilot for players, parents, and coaches. It gives families the clarity and tools to navigate the recruiting process with less stress and more confidence.At its core, Champs360 brings everything together in one organized system. The College Search tool lets families filter and explore every school by size, location, admission scores and tuition. My Shortlist makes it easy to save and track the programs you care about, and for every school on your shortlist, the Team Dashboard delivers deep program intelligence: rosters, coaching staff, recruiting data, upcoming events, and school-specific articles and videos, all in one place.Communication is central to recruiting, and Champs360 makes it faster and more professional. The Messaging Center, completely redesigned for this release, lets players email coaches directly, receive replies, schedule messages, send to multiple recipients, and save drafts, all from one organized dashboard. Every Champs App user also gets a free professional recruiting email address through ChampsMail, choosing between @champs.email or @champsmail.com. Coach replies forward automatically to the player's personal inbox, or a parent's inbox. With Champs360, players can also send emails to coaches directly through their ChampsMail address. Champs360 also makes it easier for families to work together. Players can share access with up to two parents, with full control over what each parent can see and do across six areas of the platform. Players always keep final control, even if a parent owns the subscription. ChampsGPT, Champs App's AI recruiting assistant.===========================================Want honest feedback on where your game stands today? ChampsEyeQ delivers an unbiased evaluation of your potential. Submit at least ten minutes of edited game shifts (for skaters or goalies) and receive an objective, data-driven analysis from expert scouts. ChampsEyeQ is also available as a gift card, making it a great gift for motivated players. ChampsEyeQ evaluates players across 15+ attributes (skating, hockey IQ, compete level, intangibles, and more) and provides:An overall rating (1–10)A projection of NCAA Division I potentialClear insights on strengths, weaknesses, and development prioritiesVisit www.champseyeq.comSee a ⁠Sample Submission⁠View a ⁠Sample Report⁠

Radio Prague - English
Jan Svěrák's comedy Five Plums to hit UK cinemas under the title What a Way to Go, Pat and Mat turn 50: Czechia's clumsy handymen take DIY chaos worldwide, Inside Prague's summer school of Czech

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 29:02


Jan Svěrák's comedy Five Plums to hit UK cinemas under the title What a Way to Go, Pat and Mat turn 50: Czechia's clumsy handymen take DIY chaos worldwide, Inside Prague's summer school of Czech

The JD Bunkis Podcast
Pivotal Pieces for a Jays Run + Eric Sogard

The JD Bunkis Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2026 48:54


JD shares his perspective on the post-deadline vibe shift in the Blue Jays' clubhouse and fan atmosphere at the Rogers Centre. Then, Eric Sogard, former MLB infielder and Blue Jay joins the show (11:42) to discuss his short but memorable tenure in Toronto, playing alongside rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr., his involvement with youth development at PRO5 Baseball Academy, and his work with the Czechia national team. Lastly, JD and the producers go through "What We Missed" (39:40). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Raise the Line
The Unexpected Similarities of Elite Sports and Medicine: Samantha “Sammy” Kolowrat, Olympic Athlete and Anesthesiology Resident at Vanderbilt University

Raise the Line

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2026 21:21


What does it take to compete on the world's biggest stage and then pivot to one of the most demanding training paths in professional life? Today's guest, Samantha "Sammy" Kolowrat, has done both, and she has some fascinating insights into the commonalities of those two worlds on this episode of Raise the Line. “Something that really drew me to medicine is the team atmosphere that's there as you work towards a common goal, and there's this level of intensity that's very reminiscent of the experiences I had as a professional athlete.” Originally from Prague, Kolowrat represented Czechia at six IIHF Women's World Championships and the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and also captained the Division I women's hockey team at the University of Vermont while earning degrees in biology and pharmacology.  As she starts an anesthesiology residency at Vanderbilt University, she credits her athletic career with shaping how she handles pressure, feedback, and teamwork in medicine. "The more I improve, the more knowledge I acquire, the more skills I hone, the better care my patients get," she tells host Lindsey Smith, describing what drew her to a field that rewards the same relentless fine-tuning as elite sports. This engaging conversation also explores: How crippling performance anxiety as a Division I athlete ended up preparing Kolowrat for the operating room; Why she was drawn to anesthesiology's "well-oiled machine" atmosphere; The mentorship gap she's working to close for the next generation of athlete-physicians. Mentioned in this episode: Vanderbilt University Anesthesiology Residency Program If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

Radio Prague - English
Czech farmers change crops as weather shifts, Secret Soviet bunker opens, Jiřina Šiklová Library, Prague summer Czech school

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2026 28:00


Czech farmers turn to sunflowers, experiment with figs and olives, as drought and heat intensify, Secret Soviet bunker built to survive a nuclear blast opens to visitors in Czechia, Jiřina Šiklová Library offers over 9,000 books on feminism, gender and queerness, Inside Prague's summer school of Czech

Radio Prague - English
Czechia bids to host one of Europe's giant AI Gigafactories, Hantec added to South Moravian folk culture list, Who is the greatest queer Czech?, Who reads what?

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2026 31:04


Czechia bids to host one of Europe's giant AI Gigafactories, Hantec added to South Moravian folk culture list as enthusiasts eye UNESCO recognition, Prague Pride survey highlights unknown chapters of Czech queer history, Who reads what? The surprising patterns hidden in 17 million library loans

New Books Network
The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2026


What role do microbes play in aquaponic farming and cultivated meat production, and how might such novel food technologies impact microbiomes? In this episode, Ishita Dey of Gastronomica hosts Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova in a conversation about their new article, “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming.” In a discussion that connects food futures with environment, sustainability, health, and technology, the research team shares insights from their multisited ethnography of indoor vertical farms, bioreactors, and alternative food production in Czechia. They illuminate the emergence of new food technologies and the regulatory landscape, discuss the demand for protein and alternative protein sources, and reflect on the broader implications for microbial diversity and resilience-building in food systems. “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming” by Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova, appears in issue 26.1 of Gastronomica. Their article is one of eleven in a newly published special section on microbes in food and food systems. Learn more about the two-part special section and access the articles in the Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 issues of the journal. Lukáš Senft has a PhD in sociology from Charles University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. His work on food systems has explored topics related to small-scale farming, mushroom foraging, precision agriculture, and the use of medicinal plants through multispecies ethnography and public scholarship. Tereza Stöckelová is a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and also an associate professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Charles University. An expert in social studies of science, her current research on food and health focuses on extended metabolism in relation to bodies, ecologies, and technologies. Varvara Borisova recently completed her PhD in anthropology at Charles University and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences where she is pursuing research on science and technology, obesity, metabolism, and alternative proteins. Ishita Dey is an assistant professor of sociology at South Asian University and a member of Gastronomica's Editorial Collective. Her new book, a multisited ethnography of sweet-making titled Sweet Excess: Crafting Mishti in Bengal, was published by Routledge in 2025. Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies is published by the University of California Press. Quarterly issues are available in print and online. Listeners can now find the Gastronomica podcast on the New Books Network. Subscribe to Gastronomica's podcast feed to stay updated on the newest episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Anthropology
The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods

New Books in Anthropology

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2026


What role do microbes play in aquaponic farming and cultivated meat production, and how might such novel food technologies impact microbiomes? In this episode, Ishita Dey of Gastronomica hosts Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova in a conversation about their new article, “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming.” In a discussion that connects food futures with environment, sustainability, health, and technology, the research team shares insights from their multisited ethnography of indoor vertical farms, bioreactors, and alternative food production in Czechia. They illuminate the emergence of new food technologies and the regulatory landscape, discuss the demand for protein and alternative protein sources, and reflect on the broader implications for microbial diversity and resilience-building in food systems. “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming” by Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova, appears in issue 26.1 of Gastronomica. Their article is one of eleven in a newly published special section on microbes in food and food systems. Learn more about the two-part special section and access the articles in the Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 issues of the journal. Lukáš Senft has a PhD in sociology from Charles University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. His work on food systems has explored topics related to small-scale farming, mushroom foraging, precision agriculture, and the use of medicinal plants through multispecies ethnography and public scholarship. Tereza Stöckelová is a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and also an associate professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Charles University. An expert in social studies of science, her current research on food and health focuses on extended metabolism in relation to bodies, ecologies, and technologies. Varvara Borisova recently completed her PhD in anthropology at Charles University and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences where she is pursuing research on science and technology, obesity, metabolism, and alternative proteins. Ishita Dey is an assistant professor of sociology at South Asian University and a member of Gastronomica's Editorial Collective. Her new book, a multisited ethnography of sweet-making titled Sweet Excess: Crafting Mishti in Bengal, was published by Routledge in 2025. Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies is published by the University of California Press. Quarterly issues are available in print and online. Listeners can now find the Gastronomica podcast on the New Books Network. Subscribe to Gastronomica's podcast feed to stay updated on the newest episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

New Books in Food
The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods

New Books in Food

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2026


What role do microbes play in aquaponic farming and cultivated meat production, and how might such novel food technologies impact microbiomes? In this episode, Ishita Dey of Gastronomica hosts Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova in a conversation about their new article, “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming.” In a discussion that connects food futures with environment, sustainability, health, and technology, the research team shares insights from their multisited ethnography of indoor vertical farms, bioreactors, and alternative food production in Czechia. They illuminate the emergence of new food technologies and the regulatory landscape, discuss the demand for protein and alternative protein sources, and reflect on the broader implications for microbial diversity and resilience-building in food systems. “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming” by Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova, appears in issue 26.1 of Gastronomica. Their article is one of eleven in a newly published special section on microbes in food and food systems. Learn more about the two-part special section and access the articles in the Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 issues of the journal. Lukáš Senft has a PhD in sociology from Charles University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. His work on food systems has explored topics related to small-scale farming, mushroom foraging, precision agriculture, and the use of medicinal plants through multispecies ethnography and public scholarship. Tereza Stöckelová is a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and also an associate professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Charles University. An expert in social studies of science, her current research on food and health focuses on extended metabolism in relation to bodies, ecologies, and technologies. Varvara Borisova recently completed her PhD in anthropology at Charles University and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences where she is pursuing research on science and technology, obesity, metabolism, and alternative proteins. Ishita Dey is an assistant professor of sociology at South Asian University and a member of Gastronomica's Editorial Collective. Her new book, a multisited ethnography of sweet-making titled Sweet Excess: Crafting Mishti in Bengal, was published by Routledge in 2025. Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies is published by the University of California Press. Quarterly issues are available in print and online. Listeners can now find the Gastronomica podcast on the New Books Network. Subscribe to Gastronomica's podcast feed to stay updated on the newest episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/food

New Books in Sociology
The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods

New Books in Sociology

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2026


What role do microbes play in aquaponic farming and cultivated meat production, and how might such novel food technologies impact microbiomes? In this episode, Ishita Dey of Gastronomica hosts Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova in a conversation about their new article, “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming.” In a discussion that connects food futures with environment, sustainability, health, and technology, the research team shares insights from their multisited ethnography of indoor vertical farms, bioreactors, and alternative food production in Czechia. They illuminate the emergence of new food technologies and the regulatory landscape, discuss the demand for protein and alternative protein sources, and reflect on the broader implications for microbial diversity and resilience-building in food systems. “The Microbiopolitics of Novel Foods: The Pro- and Antibiotic Implications of Cultivated Meat and Aquaponic Farming” by Lukáš Senft, Tereza Stöckelová, and Varvara Borisova, appears in issue 26.1 of Gastronomica. Their article is one of eleven in a newly published special section on microbes in food and food systems. Learn more about the two-part special section and access the articles in the Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 issues of the journal. Lukáš Senft has a PhD in sociology from Charles University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. His work on food systems has explored topics related to small-scale farming, mushroom foraging, precision agriculture, and the use of medicinal plants through multispecies ethnography and public scholarship. Tereza Stöckelová is a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and also an associate professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Charles University. An expert in social studies of science, her current research on food and health focuses on extended metabolism in relation to bodies, ecologies, and technologies. Varvara Borisova recently completed her PhD in anthropology at Charles University and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences where she is pursuing research on science and technology, obesity, metabolism, and alternative proteins. Ishita Dey is an assistant professor of sociology at South Asian University and a member of Gastronomica's Editorial Collective. Her new book, a multisited ethnography of sweet-making titled Sweet Excess: Crafting Mishti in Bengal, was published by Routledge in 2025. Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies is published by the University of California Press. Quarterly issues are available in print and online. Listeners can now find the Gastronomica podcast on the New Books Network. Subscribe to Gastronomica's podcast feed to stay updated on the newest episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Commonwealth Club of California Podcast
Fair Play: Welcoming the World, Protecting Our Communities

Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2026 67:40


Celebrate Pride House SF's launch with soccer, celebration, community, and a powerful conversation on human rights in sports. Pride House SF officially opens its doors with an evening of celebration, community, and conversation. Join us as we launch the House ahead of a summer of programming, watch parties, and community events throughout June and July. The evening will feature opening remarks from Pride House SF founding partners and community leaders, including Jenn Valles, executive director of the SF LGBT Center, members of the San Francisco Spikes board, and the Pride House SF team, sharing what the community can expect from Pride House this season. We'll also present the second installment of our conversation series in partnership with The Commonwealth Club—"Fair Play: Welcoming the World, Protecting our Communities"—bringing together voices at the intersection of sport, inclusion, and social impact. And because this is Pride House, we'll keep the celebration going with food, drinks, community, and a live screening of one of the tournament's opening matches: South Korea vs. Czechia. Come celebrate the beginning of Pride House SF and kick off Pride season with us. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Radio Prague - English
Shortage of breast cancer drug in Czechia triggers emergency measures, Czech film Volklore wins Student Academy Award, Prague's Little Hanoi

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2026 29:14


Shortage of breast cancer drug in Czechia triggers emergency measures, Czech film exploring folklore in the age of social media wins Student Academy Award,  Prague's Little Hanoi

Radio Prague - English
Czechia is Europe's fastest-growing tourism destination, Villa Tugendhat marks 25 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Summer School of Slavonic Studies

Radio Prague - English

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2026 27:46


Czechia is Europe's fastest-growing tourism destination, Villa Tugendhat marks 25 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Summer School of Slavonic Studies

Recovery After Stroke
Kylie Ralston: Stroke, Bulgaria, and the Friend Who Flew Across the World

Recovery After Stroke

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2026


Next of Kin After Stroke: When Your 19-Year-Old Has to Decide For You Kylie Ralston was 56, living alone in Sofia, Bulgaria, and getting back into shape after a divorce. Three mornings a week she ran. On the morning everything changed, she was doing a local park run with her friend Rebecca when she slowed to a walk, then tried to run again and couldn’t. “It was like the message wasn’t getting through from my brain to my legs,” she says. No headache. No fatigue. Nothing that felt like an emergency. She finished the run, registered her time, and went home. It wasn’t until she collapsed getting out of the car that anyone understood what was happening. By the time Kylie reached hospital, she had suffered a left frontoparietal haemorrhagic stroke, a spontaneous brain bleed roughly 7.5cm across, with none of the usual risk factors. No high blood pressure. No cholesterol history. No aneurysm, no AVM. She was placed in an induced coma for four days. When she woke, she couldn’t move her right side, and she couldn’t speak. What “Next of Kin” Really Means When a Stroke Hits Abroad Kylie was a permanent resident of Bulgaria, not a citizen, divorced from her daughter’s father, and living on her own. When the hospital needed someone to authorise emergency surgery, there was exactly one person available to make that call: her daughter, then 19 years old, splitting her time between her separated parents’ homes. It’s a detail easy to skim past, but it sits at the centre of this episode: next of kin isn’t a role most of us think about until a hospital needs an answer immediately. Kylie hadn’t nominated her daughter out of any formal planning process; it simply fell to her, because she was the only adult relative in the country who met the age threshold. A 19-Year-Old Signing Consent-to-Operate Forms Kylie’s friends contacted her daughter directly. She rushed to the hospital, and unconscious, unable to advocate for herself, her mother’s care now depended on decisions made by a teenager under enormous duress. Kylie’s first memory afterward is her daughter arriving in the ICU in a hairnet and scrubs, holding her hand, telling her she loved her. It’s the kind of moment that rarely makes it into conversations about stroke recovery, because the focus so often lands on rehabilitation milestones: walking, speaking, returning to work. But before any of that, someone has to be legally empowered to say yes to surgery, and for Kylie, that someone hadn’t expected the responsibility for another few decades. The Gap Between Acute Surgery and Real Rehabilitation Bulgaria’s acute care, Kylie and her friend Nicole Nott both stress, was world-class surgery within roughly two hours of the stroke, the kind of outcome her friends still describe as a miracle given the size of the bleed. What came next was a different story. In the public hospital, physiotherapy visits totalled two sessions. There was no speech therapy. After 14 days, still unable to move her right side or speak, Kylie was expected to go home. Her partner, Guido, refused to accept it, and the couple began privately funding rehabilitation themselves. This is a distinction worth sitting with if you or someone you love is navigating stroke recovery in a country or even a region with limited public rehab funding: acute survival and functional recovery are not the same fight, and they are not always resourced the same way. When a Friend Becomes the Rehab Team Nicole Nott, an occupational therapist and Kylie’s friend since they were 16, found out about the stroke through a message she initially suspected was a scam. Within days she’d cleared her schedule and flown from Australia to Bulgaria. What she found in the private rehab hospital was a caring but under-trained care team, kind staff with, as Nicole puts it, “no rehab expertise.” Nicole spent close to two weeks restructuring Kylie’s room and routine around basic stroke rehabilitation principles: approaching from Kylie’s affected right side to address her spatial inattention, built-up cutlery to force use of her weaker hand, a balloon tapped back and forth for shoulder strength, word games layered on top for speech practice, pegs and curtains repurposed into arm exercises. She also pushed back hard against hospital staff who tried to stop her from helping Kylie transfer to a shower chair or toilet, at one point being told outright she wasn’t permitted because she was a woman. Her single goal before flying home: get Kylie toileting independently again, for dignity as much as mobility. Kylie called her from Dubai airport, mid-transit, to tell her it had happened. Living With Aphasia Fourteen months on, Kylie’s right-side weakness has largely resolved. What remains, she says, is the hardest part: expressive aphasia. “I can’t express myself like I used to.” It’s a small, telling detail of the condition that even the phrase “I can’t” is itself shaped by the aphasia; the words available to describe the loss are affected by the loss. The Unexpected Gains Both women point to what came out of the crisis alongside the hardship: Kylie’s relationship with her daughter deepened. Her circle of friends in Bulgaria proved itself in ways she hadn’t anticipated. And in the rehab hospital, her partner Guido proposed something; he told her he’d already decided before the stroke but simply hadn’t gotten around to asking. If this episode raises questions about who is legally positioned to make decisions for you and whether that person actually knows it, it may be worth a conversation with your own family before a crisis forces the issue. For a deeper account of navigating identity, recovery, and unexpected transformation after stroke, Bill’s book The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened is available at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. If this show has helped you, you can support it at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Kylie Ralston: Stroke, Bulgaria, and the Friend Who Flew Across the World When Kylie had a stroke abroad, her 19-year-old daughter became her next of kin, and a friend flew in to help her recover. Bill’s Book: The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened Support the Recovery After Stroke On Patreon Highlights: 00:00 Introduction – Next of Kin After Stroke03:47 The Day of the Stroke08:55 Rehabilitation Challenges in Bulgaria16:32 Coping with Language Barriers22:08 Reflections on Healthcare Systems32:50 Setting Goals and Achievements38:29 Family Dynamics and Support Systems45:36 Finding Meaning in Recovery54:44 The Impact of Caregiving58:22 Reflections on Recovery and Gratitude Transcript: Introduction – Next of Kin After Stroke Bill Gasiamis (00:00)And one of my first horrible thoughts was, is this a dreadful hoax? Is someone, you know, is this some horrible scam? And it made me feel quite sick actually And then I rang her son who lives in Australia and he’s like, Yeah, I’m so sorry. I haven’t told you. Yes, it’s true, mum’s had a stroke. Bill Gasiamis (00:16)Welcome back to Recovery After Stroke. I’m Bill Gasiamis, and today I’m joined by two guests, Kylie Ralston and her friend Nicole Nott. Kylie was 56 living in Bulgaria when she suffered a left frontoparietal hemorrhagic stroke, a spontaneous brain bleed with none of the usual risk factors. Nicole is an occupational therapist and one of Kylie’s closest friends since they were teenagers. And when she found out what happened, she got on a plane to Bulgaria to help. In this episode, we get into what it means to have a stroke far from home in a country where you don’t speak the language, and public rehabilitation funding barely exists. We talk about who becomes your next of kin when you least expect it, what it’s like to advocate for a friend inside a hospital system that won’t always listen. And what recovery actually looks like 14 months on, before we get into it, if you want a deeper look at identity, recovery, and unexpected transformation after stroke, my book, The Unexpected Way That Stroke Became, the best thing that happened, is available at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And if this show has helped you And you can support it to keep me on the path of getting to a thousand episodes, you can do so At patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke Bill Gasiamis (01:37)Kylie Ralston and Nicole Nott, welcome to the podcast. lovely to be here, Bill. Thanks for having us, Bill. Kylie, tell me a little bit about what life was like before the stroke. I was very active and I had a full life and I was working full time. and I was living in Sofia in Bulgaria, in my on my own, in my own apartment. I was renting, actually. and I was getting back to fitness. So I was g getting I was running regularly. So two two or three times a week I was hitting the gym and hitting the tr the treadmill. And that had been happening for like a few month like six months or something like that. but before that I was very fit and active. What kind of work were you involved in? I was a HR work. I was a ha HR leader and so I had my own consultancy I had a team of people that I’ve managed. I had thirty five people, so and that they were people in Germany, Poland, Czechia, Portugal, France, so everywhere in in Europe, basically. Yeah. Wow, how how does an Aussie end up in Bulgaria with staff or clients in that many countries? short answer is I came here with my family, so with my ex husband. and shortly after I arrived we separated and and ultimately got divorced. and I stayed on because my daughter is here. So she was only eleven at the time and I could just couldn’t leave her. The Day of the Stroke So you were living at home with your daughter? she was sharing her time between between us both. Yeah. got it. Okay. So both parents are there. So your daughter was going backwards and forwards. On the night of the stroke or on the day of the stroke, can you take us through that? What were you experiencing? Was there anything unusual that happened that made you think something was wrong? How did it go down? I was with my friend Rebecca. And she was running ahead of me as she she was faster than me, so sh and she often often ran ahead of me. and I’d slowed down to a walk and when I started to run again or try to run again, it it was like the message wasn’t getting through from my brain to my legs. And I thought, that’s strange, that’s that’s really odd. ‘Cause I didn’t feel like tired or anything and I didn’t have a headache and well stuff like that. and I just walked through the rest of the park run. And then when Rebecca saw me coming to the finish line, she waved me over and she said, come on, let’s go register your chip. and so I did that. and she said afterwards that there was a little bit of fumbling with with my phone and there’s a there was a little bit of fumbling when I put my jacket on, but other than that, I just seemed exhausted from a run. do you recall after the experience of feeling exhausted from the run where you ended up? Did you need help? Yeah, I do. So so she didn’t notice that I wasn’t talking because I n I’m normally an endless talker, so I she didn’t notice that I wasn’t talking. And she said that that that is one thing that should have alerted her to what was happening. but it it didn’t. And so I’d caught the bus to the park run and her husband was there and so he drove me home. And I j I remember the journey home and when when we when I went to get out, I just couldn’t. And so and Mark came around to my side of the car and help tried to help me out and I just collapsed against him. And so then that so then they said, quick, something’s wrong something’s I don’t remember what they  They they said, you know, they basically took me straight to the hospital. Yeah. And also rang Guido, my now fiance, but my partner at the time. Uh-huh. So you you went from the run, attempted to go home, and then from that attempt to get you out of the car, actually into your home, it was pretty clear that that wasn’t gonna happen and you ended up in hospital. so Did you guys drive to hospital? Do you recall that? Yes. Yes. We do how far is it from your home? it’s pretty close. I don’t know about kilometres or time, but it’s but it’s like ten or fifteen minutes. Yeah, so it’s not too far. But they didn’t know what was going on, of course. They just knew something wasn’t right and then they figured one of the best things to do is just get it to a hospital. You get to the hospital Do you know what happens after that? Do you get admitted? do you get tested for anything? I suppose what I’m asking is when is the first time you realise that that you’ve had a stroke? When do they report that back? When I came out of the coma. So I was put I was put into an an induced coma straight away. so I I obviously don’t remember anything of of that. and but Rebecca’s told me afterwards. so she’s filled in the f filled in the filled in the blanks for me. and by that stage her husband thought it was a stroke. So she’s he said he said to the staff at the hospital, we think she’s having a stroke. And so yeah. So how long were you in the coma, do you know? Has somebody told you how long it was? Yeah, four four days. Four days, okay. And do you know what kind of stroke you had? Yep. I had a left Frontoparietal hemorrhagic stroke. Wow, that’s a good effort. So you had a brain bleed. Yep. Do they know what caused it? No. It was spontaneous and I didn’t have any of the risk factors. So I didn’t have high blood pressure, a history of high blood pressure, but admittedly I’d hadn’t tested my blood pressure immediately before the stroke. but you know That’s un that’s unlikely to be the cause. And I didn’t have a hi a history of high cholesterol. and so they just and I didn’t have an aneurysm and I didn’t have like what’s the other thing? The An AV AVM. AVM, yeah, I didn’t have any of that. And how old were you? Fifty six. Okay. So you had a spontaneous Bleed in the brain. That happens. People do have that happen from time to time. And sometimes they don’t have any symptoms leading up to it or anything like that. and this is the bizarre nature of like there’s an unlimited number of ways, unfortunately, for people to have a stroke. Now, you woke up in hospital four days later. What kind of deficits did you have? I couldn’t move my right side and I couldn’t speak. Okay. Now I’ve got an idea of well, I haven’t got an idea, but my mind immediately kind of says like if you’re in hospital in Bulgaria, that’s not a hospital in Melbourne. That’s not the Royal Melbourne hospital where no shit is unreal, like it’s perfect and it’s got the highest technology and it doesn’t matter how many things we can bitch and moan about the system being here like compared to Bulgaria, my expectation is that we’re world class. Perhaps that’s not the case in Bulgaria. Would you agree with that statement? I would have agreed before and my my my expat friends here would have agreed before, but now we’re all saying maybe Bulgaria is better than we thought. That’s brilliant. Awesome. Okay, so Rehabilitation Challenges in Bulgaria As far as like medical interventions and all that type of stuff, you felt like that was handled like any other world class hospital would have handled it. Yeah. In that in that s it in that stage it was. but there’s no like that was a public hospital and there’s no there’s no public funded rehab after. or or very li very little. So so that’s where that’s where Australia is ahead. So when you knew you had deficits, was there any rehabilitation whatsoever? Did you get any of that while you were still in hospital? Minimal. So the the physio came to see me twice. and so that’s so that’s all and I got no speech therapy and stuff like that. and but when I was discharged from the public hospital here and went and so they they expected me to go home from the public hospital. And so Guido said she just can’t like like what what the fuck? After how many days? After how many days, how long? Fourteen. Wow, your right side was still offline and you still had problem. Yeah. Okay. So we we just paid for paid for private rehab. got it, right. Yeah. And how long were you in private rehab for? another like two months or something like that. Right. Okay, that’s pretty cool. So i even though you couldn’t access it publicly, you were still able to Access a private now. Are you a citizen in Bulgaria? Not a citizen, a permanent resident. Okay. So do you have are you as a result of the fact that you’re a permanent resident and not a citizen, do you have different things that you are able to access because of your status? No. no. I’m it’s I have the same rights as a citizen. The only one the only right I don’t have is I’m I’m not able to vote here and I’m not I’m not able to work in other EU countries. Got it. Okay. So that’s pretty traumatizing, the whole experience, and then to have to deal with overcoming your left side and your speech deficits after the two month mark, roughly where were you at where you where you are now? Because you kinda sound pretty good. Okay. No, yeah. no and and the other thing the other thing that I must say about Bulgaria is I don’t speak Bulgarian. very very little. So that was a problem. Yeah. I can imagine, yeah. so maybe you can come in here, Nicole, and and talk about where I was at when you came to see me, because that was very very very early on in my in in the private rehab hospital. Yeah, Nicole, tell me a little bit about what it’s like to receive a phone call to find out that your friend has had a stroke. I was absolutely hellish. the way I found out is I got a message through social media from someone saying, Hey, I’m a friend of Kylie’s and she’s in hospital in Bulgaria. And one of my first horrible thoughts was, is this a dreadful hoax? Is someone, you know, is this some horrible scam? And it really, you know, it made me feel quite sick actually thinking this is that’s not someone I know. It does look like a name I’ve seen in Kylie’s kind of social media world. And then I rang her son who lives in Australia and he’s like, Yeah, I’m so sorry. I haven’t told you. Yes, it’s true, mum’s had a stroke. and I was kind of beside myself because by training I’m an occupational therapist, but Kylie and I have known each other each other since we were about 16. and it was really hard to get the information that I wanted as a friend, but also as a health professional. I was wanting to understand what kind of stroke is it? Where is it? What’s the rehab? What can we do? How’s it going? And at that stage the information that I had was that you know, it was really seriously affected the speech part of the brain and obviously the hemiplegia, the weakness down the right side and knowing that Kylie was right handed. so, you know, it’s the friendship part that your heart’s breaking and it’s also the therapist part that’s wanting the information to be able to, you know, reconcile it for myself, professionally what that was going to look like as a consequence for Kylie. Yeah, and you’re so far away, so you really can’t do anything and kind of have to like take information second hand, third hand, and be kind of in a position which is really uncomfortable for, I imagine, a friend, but also a therapist, right? So as an occupational therapist, that’s not the information you work on. You work on actual facts, scans, reports, like a whole bunch of things. So are you also playing it out in your mind? Are you kind of Doom thinking it, like are you how does it affect you personally? I think for me I was all I was really very conscious of not stressing other people. So like friends, family, because sometimes when you are a health professional, you know, you have knowledge and information and you know, you sometimes you you’re keeping that to yourself to some extent because you do know what can happen to people and you do know what consequences can be. So I was really trying not to ask too many questions of people as well. but I was seriously desperate for information. And so I remember I’d gone to a party and I didn’t really want to go because I was actually, you know, upset and stressed for Kylie. And I did end up going to a party and during the party I was really kind of outside having a bit of a downer really by a campfire. but I got a phone call or a message to say that I think you’d said some words, Kylie, and were kind of waking up. so you’re still in the acute hospital then and that you’d been able to move your leg a little bit, I think. Yeah. And you know, joy in that moment. And yeah, I felt very, very far away. And then What happens over the next few days? Like do you guys continue to communicate somehow? Do you keep getting information? Are you being updated? Yeah. Yeah. I wasn’t able to get my into my phone or my any of my devices. So I wasn’t able to able to because I couldn’t remember my password, right? And so and and I tried like d different ones and I you know I just got locked out. So and when I was able to get in then that made it it made it easier t because I was able just text short messages. So so Nicole and I kept in touch that way. and before English-speaking Before you came, Nicole, I think I was talking, but not not not as well as I am now. Yeah. So was it, Nicole, in your mind, you were always going to fly over to Bulgaria and beath your friend? Or did you guys have to work that out? Like what happened now? It’s so cool that you get to have a somebody in your corner that is also a Fred, but also a medical professional in the exact field that you’re struggling with now. Right. Like how do you just drop everything and go overseas and be with your friend? Yeah, well, very grateful that I had an up to date passport. So that was that was a good thing. Kylie, it was interesting because the texting, like if I go back and look at that history, it’s like you can see the progress in the texts. So you can see that Kylie was using kind of more single words and having struggles with spelling and putting sentences together. And then over time, you know, they became more fluent. but the thing that happened was that Kylie and I were talking and she was able to you know, she got some speech back and we were talking. And she was just saying about the rehab care that the the the kind of caring staff just seemed to have no rehab expertise. So the physios were amazing. I think they were great. There was no active speech therapy for Kylie. I think we ultimately found an English speaking speech therapist but who still had Bulgarian as a first language. And there’s very few occupational therapists in Bulgaria, seems to be some expats. And Kylie was talking to me a jab about just you know, really basic things like not being taken to the toilet. and that’s probably what broke my heart. It’s like I cannot leave her in bed, not being able to go to the toilet. I just can’t do it. And so I just said to my partner, I think I just need to go to Bulgaria. And luckily I’m self-employed. So I just kind of cleared my schedule, got on a plane and yeah, I was just I suppose I’m incredibly grateful to have the skill. incredibly grateful to have the financial ability to do it. and yeah, and the skills to do it. And you know, you don’t always get an opportunity in life to do the right thing, or sometimes you don’t make that decision and later you think, Why didn’t I do X, Y, and Z? I try not to live my life like that. I try to actually do those things. So, yeah, I got on a plane and basically arrived at the airport, got on a train straight out to see Kylie at the Rehope Hospital. You’re a real superhero. I’m very grateful to Nicole. Yeah. I rec you know, my story is kind of well, it has a similar kind of thread to it. I one of my best friends is a radiographer and he was a radiographer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where I was a patient for nearly two and a half years because I was in and out with a number of brain hemorrhages. I had three in total in the same spot, but over two and a half years, then I had brain surgery. And I can’t tell you how many scans I had, but being a radiographer, he was the one who was in the room taking the photos through the MRI. Yeah. And then he would come out. And he would tell us what he saw in the RI, which was against the rules. that’s why I won’t name him. But but that meant that we didn’t have to wait a month to get our results and the the meeting for the results was just more of we’ll go through the process and and have the meeting. Yeah. And and and it was like and I regretted my life when at school I used to throw his books on the roof of the canteen just to mess with him going to s to class late to get in trouble. and I’ve apologised profusely for that and thanked him every day for the fact that, you know, he was able to lend his well, you know, he was able to be in the room. He was able to have that conversation with us and he was able to ease our minds. over that two and a half year period and then you won’t believe it. Like his daughter had an AVM at seventeen. And she went through that and and has recovered from that somewhat now in the last few years. and I got to be I mean I hate that I had to be this guy, but I got to be the guy that supported him through that really acute phase and There is just nothing to describe what it’s like to be able to a repay the favor. and then but B, when I was in that situation to have somebody kind of well, you know, like put their arm around me and really walk me through every stage. Me and my wife and my family walk us through every stage of that part of it, other than intervening as a brain surgeon. But he was the one that put us in char in in touch with my brain surgeon. like Everything that happened was just the most amazing experience to be able to be guided like that. And I know it’s a privilege and many people don’t get that opportunity. so I see Chris, I haven’t told him this in person. I see him as like a bit of a superhero, but he doesn’t know that. I’ve told him I love him in the way men tell each other that they love each other by s abusing him and swearing at him and telling him that the team that he follows is terrible and all that kind of stuff. Reflections on Healthcare Systems so you arrived in Bulgaria. take me from the airport to the hospital. Like what happens? How is that? Actually the flight was really good. Customs was pretty easy. There was some annoying folk in front of me who I wanted to punch in the face and tell them to hurry up, but I was just, you know, needed to to get there. Kylie’s daughter met me at the airport. And then we got the train together out to the hospital. So, you know, obviously I’m seeing my first sight of Bulgaria. I’d never been there before. so not really taking a tourist route at this point. so went out to see Kylie. And, you know, when you just eyeball someone and I, you know, just thank God I’m here, I’m in front of her. Her she’d had a shaved head. she had some pretty spectacular surgical scars, a couple of very big scabs still on her head. she looked skinny, she looked pale, she had started doing a little bit of movement and the hospital room was really kind basic and crazy. Her friends had funded a pressure mattress for her that didn’t exist. And some of these things I had been liaising with Kylie’s friends in Bulgaria about what could we do, how you know, what do we want to prevent? So we want to prevent anyone pulling on from. Her weak shoulders and like don’t let anyone pull her by the arm. this is how I want, you know, to help her with posture in bed or in sitting. and you know, like speaking in single kind of actions at a time and just take your time, say something, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Just allow Kylie’s brain to, you know, take that information on board. Don’t speak for her. and when I got there, it was really clear that. She had an inattention to the right hand side as an effect from the stroke. So then I was a bit of a ball breaker, rearranging the whole room. No, no, no, no, no. Where, you know, everyone come from the right, everyone sit on the right. no cutler, you’re not allowed to have your phone in your left hand, you’re having your phone in your right hand. I’d taken some things with me from Australia to Bulgaria that I thought she might need. like some built-up cutlery, because I wanted her to use her right hand to feed herself. I took a couple of kind of activities that I thought we could do to look at some retraining for the right arm. what I’ll still bring with me, try to remember now. Benjamin. So yeah, just try kind of going into early stroke rehab principles. Yeah. Did you go there well you went there as a friend. But when you were there, were you able to be a professional and also have a conversation with the local team? Kylie and I laughing. Do you want to tell that story, Kylie? Which one are you thinking about? Where I got told off. No, I don’t remember that. well, Kylie was in act like, you know, there was still quite a lot of weakness, but she was also so determined for her own rehab. And in the system there their carers really don’t have a rehab focus. They have a I’ll provide you a meal focus and I’ll occasionally do some cleaning and I’ll occasionally change the bed linen and but really not a rehab focus. So I’ve personally found it quite easy to help Kylie to like stand move. And so the very first weekend I was there, it was a long weekend and what I didn’t realise later was that they were actually quite understaffed. Which worked in our favour because I was helping Kylie to get onto a shower chair, taking her to have a shower, us taking her to the toilet, because prior to that time they were just, you know, using pads for toileting because Kylie couldn’t stand up or move on her own. And because I’m trained, I found it very easy. She’s a lightweight person and she and I just work together and I could do that. I think it was the Tuesday, person who I refer to as Nurse Ratchet. remembering now kind of intercepted me bringing Kylie back from the bathroom to her room and just like, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. What are you doing? Stop that, stop that, stop that. and you know, she and I are having a bit of a a discussion. And basically she’s refused and I’m allowed to move Kylie. So Kylie is sitting out in the corridor. I think I’d luckily kind of covered you up for privacy. and she’s like, No, you’re not allowed to move her. I’m gonna go and get the physio. I think at least forty minutes went by and then she comes back, well, okay, and I said, Look, I am a trained person, it’s easy, it’s safe. no, I’ll think about it. And then after I think another fifteen minutes she pushed your chair into the bedroom. And then I think it was probably another fifteen minutes where she just decided to move Kylie herself at that point. even though that was out of policy and the physios had to do it. And then it was all this discussion with me that you can’t do it. And in the end it was you can’t do it because you’re a woman. Not strong enough, you know. so yeah. Then Kylie and I kind of would go on clandestine missions because again, from a rehab point of view, being able to stand transfer, it’s putting all the weight through the leg, it’s giving feedback to the brain. I really wanted to make sure Kylie’s bladder and bowel were gonna work properly. And you know, sitting in bed and that’s just not ideal. So then Kylie’s like, Nicole, I want to go to the toilet. I was like, I’m banned, I’m banned, Mother Nurse Ratchet, I’m not allowed to take you. And I was like, shit. So I would go on a little mission, go look down the corridor, make sure she was nowhere to be seen. And then I quickly stole the shower chair and then I found a bucket. And so Kylie and I were doing secret Wii missions in the bedroom. until w on one of our missions I just hadn’t quite got the bucket in the right place. And so then I it was also then later on a cleaning mission. So it was it was a pretty crazy environment. yeah, just for that lack of t whole team approach to rehab. Whereas, you know, in Australia the nurses would all be rehab trained. They would be transferring someone physios would come in, speech would be coming, OTs would be coming. So I was kind of desperately trying to convince Kylie or to get her rehab to a standard where she’d be able to come back to Australia to get some more rehab. You know what’s good about this conversation other than the hilarious nature of it also is that I as an as a person who hadn’t had a stroke before my hadn’t known anyone who had a stroke before my experience, if I had come across somebody who had had a stroke, I wouldn’t have known what to look out for and what to say to support them in a situation where perhaps something was being neglected. Because I don’t know what I don’t know. I’m not a professional, right? Just like those nurses and therapists that weren’t specifically trained. Yeah. In certain things. I mean, you may as well be not only talking a different language, but you may as well be making it up as you go because as far as they know, now this is what we do for stroke patients. This is how we handle that. is it a lack of understanding of what r stroke rehabilitation requires, or is it a lack of resources, or is it a little bit of both? Do you feel in Bulgaria when you were there? I think I think it’s a lack of of all all of that but it’s the lack of maybe money. So it’s a lack of training. So th there’s there’s not enough there’s not the the nurses or the orderlies or whatever they’re called here, are are aren’t paid very much. So they so And t just like, even though I was in a private rehab hospital, so you would have expected that more. It’s you would have expected more, but I just think that they just don’t have the money to to train those people. Yeah. it wasn’t really a role, was it, Kylie? Like they really were more like housekeepers in a sense. It was more like cleaning a meals. I have to say the physios were excellent. and a lot of the physios had good English as well, which was for your rehab was so important. because again a lot of the carers they would come into the room and you know, again, just from a speech therapy point of view, in Australia, say if someone came into the room who was the person who did the menus or filled up the water bottles or the cleaners, Kyler could have spoken to all of those people and had   incidental communication the whole day in English. But because of all of those p incidental people coming in didn’t speak English, you know, reasonably in Bulgaria. it just for me, I was worried about the lack of just exposure to English language as well. So not even speech therapy, just incidental language through the day. Which is very helpful and people don’t realise how helpful it is to be able to speak to a nurse about how you’re feeling or what’s happening. Yeah. And all the usual stuff. And Kylie’s chatty and friendly and she would have just been having conversations galore, but it just it it it couldn’t be. Yeah. Yeah, it’s another another barrier. so you know when you go overseas, it’s your friend and you’re a professional. How do you handle that? Because you know, like are you emotional? Are you trying to put a lid on it? Are you allowing yourself to Gonna be emotional. How does that work? We had some killer laughs, didn’t we? I mean, I’m a joker anyway. And so, like the first time Kylie got to do a poo on the toilet, I just did a poo dance for her. So I I felt half my job was you know, cheering her up and keeping it light and having fun and chatting about stuff we would just always chat about. as well as doing as much rehab because it was very exhausting because, you know, p after a stroke, it’s very fatiguing. you know, so to Kylie was really tired and needed lots of rest. So and because I had just you know, obviously dropped tools to go over quickly, I was just working sometimes. So I just have my computer and if Kylie was asleep I’d just stay with her and and her partner Guido as well, who was there with her as well. So just, you know, emotional support wise. But Yeah, I do some work. And I stayed in Kylie’s apartment. So I w was I just stayed at her place and I I train out to see her each day at the hospital. W how many hours would you spend in hospital with her? What do you think, Kylie? you would often arrive at like ten in the morning and you wouldn’t go till like five in the evening or six in the evening. Yeah. So technically visiting hours kind of finished at six. So I just try and stay most of the day. A full shift. Yeah. Yeah. Unpaid. Unpaid labour. Slave driver. Yeah. yeah. But nah. That’s what friends are for. I very what I very much wanted to stay the whole day because I did really, really wanna like especially the toileting thing. I just really wanted that. Setting Goals and Achievements I had this bit of a goal for myself for Kylie that she would be able to take herself to the toilet before I left the country. So just from a dignity point of view, from a mobility point of view, transfers, you know, bladder control. So yeah, that was one of my big goals. And she rang me when I was in transit at Dubai Airport on my way back to Australia and said, Nicole, I just took myself to the toilet. Wow, that’s cool. Yeah. Yeah. And and I was having physio two physio sessions a d a wi a day. So I was having other than Nicole. So I was having like about one session about of about an hour in the morning and one session of about an hour in the in the afternoon. Got it. You Kylie seem like pretty mm chill, pretty calm. how are you handling it though, emotionally? How’s the aftermath Treating you because there’s a little bit of you know, there’s all that acute stuff. It’s awesome when your friend is there, but then your friend goes home, right? So how how does that transition kind of happen? Yeah, I might start crying. because I’ve just recently spent seven months in Australia. So I I went to Australia in October last year and I came back in just in May. and I had more rehab there. So I had I had student led rehab at at first and then I got in got accepted into Birch, which is the brain injury rehab community and home in Ad in Adelaide. so that’s that is is a whole team of people. So I had I had physio and I and a occupational therapist and a a e exercise physiologist and a speech therapist and stuff like that so I th that’s really good. now the most frustrating part for me is the aphasia so I I can’t I can’t express myself like I used to. Yeah. You know what I love about interviewing people who have aphasia is when they say I can’t in a sentence to describe something to me it triggers the part of the condition which doesn’t allow the words to come out. It’s so interesting. That happens so so often. And it’s just a for me, I noticed this I’m saying it just from a perspective is maybe I can’t is not the right word. I don’t know. You might remember this, you might not, but maybe I can’t is not the right word. Maybe the right word is Something that helps you get to the word that you need to get to. And okay, now that’s just me, the uneducated stroke survivor on a phasia guy. Like I don’t know about that. But it’s so interesting, it happens every time. but then Nicole goes home, you go home, your partner is kind of now taking over the caregiving role, and you still have some deficits. phage is one of them. what about your right side? How offline was it? I I also moved in with Guido after the after the stroke. So so that was that was a has was ha was and has continues to be a challenge because we’re still getting used to living together because we weren’t living together before. and I was very in very independent before. And I was living in Sofia and he and he and I now live in a in a village. So I live in in a village just outside of Sofia. And I’m not driving yet. but I was medically cleared to drive in Australia before I left. So I’m going through the process here. so anyway, all of all of those things together make it very challenging. don’t get me wrong, I I l I love him, but but you know, and and I d and and I made that decision because my apartment is was was on the fourth floor and th there was no lift. Wow. Yeah. So back to your question. When I was when I was when I came here, when I was discharged, I continued with as an outpatient and and the physio continued to come at home twice a week. So I was having more physio maybe like five times a week. and like it were ha had started to come my right side had was all already back online, but I would I was just working on building strength and and I would get still very tired. Yeah. And did your daughter end up coming to live with you as well? No. but she she at the beginning she she was my next of kin. So at the ripe old age of nineteen, she signed the consent to operate forms. yeah, so that was that was very difficult for her. I didn’t know that at the time, obviously. but yeah. And did that happen, did she become your next of kin because your former partner, her dad, and you had separated and then his that role wasn’t gonna be his anymore. It’s just passed down to the person who was the closest to you. Like how did that happen? Family Dynamics and Support Systems We’re divorced. I I’m divorced from her dad. Yeah. So he’s definitely not my next kin. Right. So that ha changed after the divorce and she was the only person you could nominate because she was over is there an age limit to the next of kin? Eighteen. Yeah. Okay. So she had hit that criteria, you nominated her and then at nineteen she got to make a decision. Which she never and you never would have expected ever for that to be a thing. I didn’t nominate her, it would just happen. So I was I I was unconscious at the time that she signed those forms. So yeah. So my friends actually contacted her. and she she rushed to the hospital. so it was all under duress. It was like this is what happened to your mum, you’re her Next of kin, whether you like it or not, you have to decide. Yeah. Far out. Okay, that’s pretty full on for a 19 year old. Yeah. Yeah, seems like she did a good job. How did she handle this whole mum’s not well situation, this stroke thing? Like how did she deal with it? she was very good. my first memory actually is of her coming into the ICU with with the with the whole, you know, the whole like the the hairnet and the mask and the and the and the what’s it called the scrubs. Scrubs, yeah. and she held my hand and said t that she loved me. so that was pretty special. And incidentally I have an a another memory of Guido coming into the ICU as well and singing singing to me. So he he said that he said that I always wanted him to sing and he refused before. And so did did I want him to sing to me now? And I squeezed his hand or on the on the left he’s was holding my left hand and I squeezed his hand and so he knelt down beside my bed and started singing. Wow. Can he actually hold the tune or is he hard to hear? Yes, see he’s he’s very musical. Okay. Thank God. If my wife had asked me to sing a w if I had asked my wife to sing, it wouldn’t have been a good experience at all for either of us. Yeah, he was he was a busker in i in his younger years. Yeah. and now he decided to come good. Fair enough. Well that that’s important. You know, things like that are important. It lightens the the mood and it makes Yeah. You kind of feel like your family’s around and that you know you know, maybe kind of things might be all right. Like it gives that glimmer of hope. Is that how you received it? Yeah, I did. yeah, but I’m also very, very determined. So I’m a I’m a very normally very strong woman and so everyone said to me that if if well not to me, but w we had a we had a group WhatsApp chat so and I was added to it later and everyone said in that that if anyone can get through this, Kylie can. Yeah. So you know when you’re told you’ve had a stroke, you wake up with all the deficits and everything. Are you like how do you take it? I woke up, couldn’t use my left side. I I did not for one minute. It did not cross my mind like for one minute that this is not a good thing. Like I mean, clearly I wasn’t able to move, etcetera. But it never kinda went a lifesaver, I’m fucked. Like I never had that happen. Me as well. yeah. I I’d I’ve never thought that. I don’t know whether I even thought that It was n like you said, that was not a good thing. I just put one foot in front of the other and or not literally, but the Yeah. Metaphorically. Yeah. Metaphorically. so one foot in front of the other and just got on with it. Yeah. Nicole, like you come across in your work, you come across a lot of different versions of patience, right? Like you get people who might just be by design more negative to a bad experience and then people that are half class full to a bad experience. Just from a professional perspective, what’s the difference like when you’re trying to rehabilitate somebody that has kind of that different mindset? From perhaps what Kylie and I described. Yeah, I mean I’m probably in the last half full camp as well. So as an OT, I suppose we always meet people where they’re at. because everyone is a combination of their past experiences, aren’t they? So and cultural things, like there’s a very significant cultural differences in how people respond to pain or disability and expectations of kind of family and I suppose cultural expectations in Australia are even about you know, what what what should be publicly available. So, you know, from an expectations point of view, I think a lot of it is based on, you know, previous experience. So as a therapist, we’re obviously there to support, you know, emotional well being, physical well being, and try and find the things for people that connect with them. So meaningful, like OTs are our absolute core is meaningful occupation. So how do we find something that’s meaningful to that person that we think is going to get them from kind of, you know, here to there and it’s gonna be very different different motivators, you know. Kylie is probably, you know, very self motivated as described. Sometimes it’s about people really have a d strong desire to get back to work, or people have a really strong family structure that they want to be able to get back to do something with their family. So finding the way or the thing hopefully that’s going to motivate them. But we certainly work with people who you know, have a high level of distress from what’s happened to them and and on an ongoing basis. One of the things I’ve got a little quote on my desk that you can’t see here, but it says, I’m still me, just a different version of me. And it’s what someone one of my clients told me recently who has MS. and often we find need to find the new version of someone. and the new meaning for someone if that, you know, needs to happen. So that’s our great challenge, I suppose. That’s a big job, especially very early on when identity is so tied up into who they were literally days ago. You know, like a week ago. The mobile person, the working person, the money making person, the father, the mother, the whatever. Finding Meaning in Recovery And then, you know, you’re dealing with a physical crisis, the existential crisis, the identity crisis, like you’re dealing with it all in the one moment, and you’re trying to get them to sort of see, well, you know, you’re still you and how we’re gonna move forward with the still you person, like we’re still gonna move forward with that person. And then later does come an adjustment of what that you looks like. did for me like it’s a massive adjustment into what me looks like. But my identity wasn’t so much tied up in a one label specifically, although, you know, I s I was the person who felt like they needed to be the main breadwinner, you know, that you know ran a business that did all these things. I I had a big strong identity. But I think one of the things this is going to sound weird or might even sound logical depending on like w who you are and why you’re listening to this podcast. But for me, the fact that my brain went offline was a really good thing because it and that allowed my emotional side to come to the fore. Like it really enabled me to see things with a different intelligence, you know, and access part of me that my emotional intelligence perhaps that I hadn’t that I perhaps suppressed previously, you know, and just battled through things. And that kind of allowed my identity to come with me, it allowed me to leave some stuff behind and allowed me to bring into my identity this emotional side of me, you know, which who cried, who got excited about new and different opportunities, you know, that my head didn’t convince me out of. You know, so there was a lot of silver linings that I didn’t I wasn’t able to iterate back then. I wouldn’t have been able to tell you that it was a silver lining. But now and a few years later, after it all happened, I was definitely able to talk about those silver linings. Kylie Do you you’re fourteen months or so out, right? So maybe you’re not there yet, I don’t know. But are there some silver and I know a hundred percent Nicole was one of those silver linings, I get it. but do you see some silver linings in this whole saga? Yep. I do. my relationship with my daughter got stronger. Yep. So that was all s that was definitely a silver lining. and you know, I I’m was very grateful before, but it cemented how g how grateful I am for my circle of friends. Yeah. Kylie’s friends were amazing. Yeah. Your friends were amazing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Big family still in Australia is is there a big family in Australia, Kylie? Not not a big one, but my mum and dad are still still alive. So they’re they’re in Melbourne. and my sister is in on the Gold Coast and my brother is in Melbourne as well. Yeah. And my and my son is in Adelaide. Okay. So you still have some family here, but then you were able to create a community in the years before the stroke in Bulgaria. Yeah. you you were doing it a little bit tough after the stroke. Yeah. Correct. Yep. So that’s spot on. Did you Nicole tag team with some of those people as well? Yeah, so Kylie’s friends were beautiful and they were looking after me too. So When I was in Bulgaria, they were looking after me, you know, giving me dinner and what have you, and kind of giving me emotional support as well. And I think they were grateful that I was there from a skills point of view, like they were doing a beautiful job of supporting Kylie emotionally. But and I did kind of train them up a little bit in in some rehab as well, you know, how to help with approaching from the right and how to communicate and also just even doing some activities. Kylie and I had the balloon and we were tapping it back and forward to each other for strengthening up the right arm. And then we’d play some kind of word games as we were doing that for some speech therapy. So I was educating her friends around that kind of stuff. But the other thing, Kylie, that you and I have spoken about is, you know, after the stroke is knowing what’s important and how to let some sh shit go that would have been, you know, annoying or you know. focus on something and now it’s just you you just know it’s just not important. Yeah. Being able to just let crap go. Correct correct. and the other silver lining is that I got engaged. Yes. Did he propose soon after? Yes, in the in the rehab hospital. what a romantic Yeah. But he but he said that he’d already decided before the stroke that he wanted to marry be ma be married to me. So he just hadn’t got around to asking me yet. Yeah, fair enough. That stroke has a way of interrupting people’s plans and the things that they think they’re gonna do. so Nicole you normally treat your patients. They get to a stage. Usually they’re a lot better than they were when they first met you. And part of what you do is you send them off into the big wide world like a kid. I’ve grown you know, I’ve raised them, you know, like they know how to comb their hair now. And you kinda send them off and it’s kind of bittersweet, I imagine, but also a very important part that the people who you’re helping get better actually go off into the world on their own. And stop needing to be supported by you. I know there’s some people who need more support and that continues for longer and some people who don’t get enough and it and it’s never enough. But what’s it like knowing the job is not done, but you still have to leave and go home? that was heartache. I mean, Kylie and I both balled our lies out. it was a long flight home. Yeah. Yeah, it was a long flight home. with lots of reflections. I suppose the good thing at that point was Kylie was easily able to speak on the phone or message each other. So and also, you know, I think at that stage maybe I got to see the brain scan and I was just like, my god, how have you even survived this? ‘Cause I think was it about a seven centimeter bleed, Kylie? Yep. seven and a half. Yeah. To be precise. It truly felt like a a miracle. And again, full kudos to the surgeons in Bulgaria, truly, for that acute care. Because I think Kylie, I feel like you were in surgery in about within about two hours or something after the stroke, which is phenomenal. And, you know, your friends really saved your life. taking you straight to the hospital and prevented like, you know, more serious outcomes from the stroke. So yeah, so for me, I was proud of myself as well. and I, you know, I like to live my life by thinking I can look myself in the mirror. And I felt like I can really I’ve got a tear, really look myself in the mirror. Yeah. Doing the right thing. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You came to the need of somebody who was in need and needed specifically not only your love and support as a friend, but also your skills. Like you had the complete package for them at that time. How long did you end up staying in total? Was I ra away about just under two weeks probably with the flights and everything like that? So yeah. so yeah, leaving was leaving was horrible. But the goal of being able to go to the toilet was met. and also just the skills for, you know, skilled up a few other people and Kylie, you know, had her good networks. I also went out to Kylie’s property out in the village to have a look at any home modifications. So that was another kind of OT type role that that was done. and she’s got an amazing property out there, but it is kind of needs a bit of love and so that was also just reassuring her partner too, like reassuring Guido that no, look, Kylie’s got this. There were a few times where it was like, Nicole, I don’t want her to do this. Like I’m like Guido, she’s safe. She can do it. She’s got sitting balance. She’s okay to sit over the side of the bed. She can wiggle sideways. But he was anxious. And so again, part of my job was to reassure him to make sure that he let her do things. and didn’t step in too quickly. And so as an O T, we’re all used to like sitting on our hands and taking time and letting people struggle a bit. And it was hard for him to let Kylie struggle. So to just encourage him to let her struggle a bit so that she could do it herself and just wait. Just take the time, especially with communication. so yeah, I I kind of obviously knew there was a lot more rehab to be done, but I also had seen Kylie’s determination and that, you know, she kind of knew what to do. and and so that was I I was grateful again for that. Kylie, what was it like when your friend had to leave? I was heartbroken. The Impact of Caregiving I felt like she was a lifeline and I felt like that that had been cut because obviously she speaks English and obviously like Obviously we have a really good relationship. and I felt like I was in a like how do I describe it? In a in a sea of not n of people not understanding. So yeah, not my friends, but the hospital staff, basically. So not the not the physios. Like Nicole said, the physios were exceptional. but, you know, just the hospital staff. Yeah, just generally speaking. So did you feel like she had put you on the right path? Were you more confident with kind of where she left you as opposed to where you guys started and was that enough to kind of give you the foundation for what you needed to take responsibility for when she left? Definitely. yeah, definitely. Yeah. Man, w what a kind of interesting whole situation. You know, if this was fifty years ago, there’s no way anyone’s going anywhere to help anyone with anything. you know, like your hospital s experience in country like Bulgaria after what they’ve been through would have been completely different. You know, your s the chance of surviving telling your story is probably s you know, very much decreased. I know this is gonna sound weird, but like it’s never been a better time to have a stroke in in most of the world. Like let’s face it. the the possibilities are just endless. I’m a miracle from all the medical professionals that put all their time and effort in. I am eternally grateful to my occupational therapists and physios and surgeons and people who invent X ray machines and people who make C T scanners and The plastic bottles where drips go in, like every single thing is just an an absolute miracle of God or medicine or science or I don’t care what, like whatever you want to call it. And it just to me, it you know, here’s a really terrible situation and here and and but look at all the amazing things that came out of it. Somebody from the other side of the planet to be able to come over and intervene in that way, train people up. Like, man, it’s the Perfect like feel good story, you know. Everything’s going okay, things turn shit, and then something good comes out of it and yeah hopefully there’s more good to come, you know. Like, man, it’s just an amazing experience. I just feel really privileged to be able to hear it and share it further. No, not not not me, personally. but now that you say that I will s I will think about it now. the most thing that that Nicole and I reflect on is, you know, like like we’ve already said, how good was that my friends got me to the hospital quickly? How good was the the surgeons the surgeons because it could have all gone wrong. or gone gone a different way. so that’s the stuff we reflect on more. and just just like my amazing recovery. Reflections on Recovery and Gratitude Because I recovered so quickly and so well, like I’ve thrown everyone away here. So so my new my neurologist, my my physios, ever everyone here is like well, back then was like really surprised. So we it’s when I first walked into the n neurologist, she said, like, wow, No one expected you to recover that quickly from such a severe stroke. Yeah. That’s such a good outcome. I like to I like to think that those things wouldn’t have been possible without your most amazing superhero friend Nicole. Nicole, your final thing I’d like to kind of run by you is that your whole career you’re working towards making things better. Yep. Like for people who are going through all really difficult times. have you had you ever dealt with a family member who needed your intervention or family friend or someone like that that needed an intervention with your specific skills before this? man. yes. So when I was quite a young therapist, probably in my early twenties, my dad told me that his One of his like great aunts or cousins elderly relative had had a stroke and she was in hospital and I didn’t really know her. Like she wasn’t someone in the family that I I had knew had known. And I said to Dad, I’ll go and visit her in hospital. And and so I went to the hospital and I found out she was in this room and I walk into the room and there were four people. And I see this gorgeous little old lady who is all crumpled in her chair and squashed and nearly falling out. And I I just walked in and I was horrified. And I just walked straight over to her. And I just said, look, can I help get you more comfortable, get you into a better position? And then I realized it was it was my own relative. and I said to her, I’m Nicole, I’m John’s daughter. you know, dad’s asked me to come and see you. And and she just said the most cutest thing ever. She said, when you walked into the room. You just look so lovely and I hoped you were here to see me, but I I wouldn’t have known what I could have done to deserve that or something something dead cute. anyway, she’d had a very dense stroke and they were basically saying that she wasn’t a candidate for rehab and that she should go straight to a nursing home. And her daughter was a nurse. And she said, Nope, Mum’s not going to a nursing home and she ended up taking her home and I used to go every night after work and do rehab with her. she ended up being able to walk quite with a pretty awkward gait and a and a stick. but she got back to, yeah, walking and living at home and I just again always think that if she didn’t have her daughter, the nurse and myself, she probably would have ended up not not walking. Yeah, being in a nursing home. It’s not that quality of life. So there’s people who definitely go through that. And what I love about you sharing that part of the story is there’s people listening and they’re paying attention and maybe they haven’t been given the amount of therapy that they feel they deserve or need. And maybe that’s going to trigger people to go, you know what, stuff this, I’m gonna find a way to get more therapy, I’m gonna ask. I’m gonna hassle some people, I’m gonna be a pain in the butt to some people, I’m gonna do more. for myself to get me further. I love that you shared that part of the story. That’s kind of the unique experience that a that a a seasoned occupational therapist can kind of impart on us who are early on in the recovery about like how you need to advocate for somebody or yourself for more physical therapy. And and even if you Can’t access that people listening and watching YouTube channels. Go to YouTube. There are a ton of awesome therapists on YouTube showing people how to do exercises at home. Yeah. And I mean, I just took some really basic things. We s I, you know, stole some things out of Kylie’s flat to take in. And Guido’s son gave me some toys and we use those like stacking things to, you know, do rehab with Kylie’s hand. I took some pegs from her house and we made an activity of pegging up the curtains to do shoulder and arm rehab. So you can often do a lot without, yo

Men In Blazers
Vini Jr and Brazil topple Scotland, Mexico win again, and Canada fall to Switzerland featuring Jonathan Northcroft: Night Cup 06/24/26

Men In Blazers

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2026 70:57


Rog and Rory Smith are back to break down a massive day of footballing action, including Scotland's heartbreaking loss to Brazil that may send the Tartan Army packing. Plus, Mexico go undefeated in the group stage after a win against Czechia, Canada lose to potent Switzerland, South Africa advance with a shocking win against South Korea, Bosnia and Herzegovina get through with a win against Qatar, and Haiti bring joy to the tournament despite a loss to Morocco. Then, Chief Football Writer of The Sunday Times Jonathan Northcroft joins the show to break down Scotland's tournament of joy, the magic of the Tartan Army, and how Boston has been forever changed by this tournament. Join us tomorrow, June 25, for our third Match Day Live stop in LA at Union Station: https://mibcourage.co/43OuPy7 Livestream the show at 5:45pm PT / 8:45pm ET: https://mibcourage.co/4wcrrJzCatch our Morning Cupdate preview of the USA-Türkiye match tomorrow morning: https://mibcourage.co/43OuX0z Link: Get your Go Go USA Collection & Unofficial Third First Kit for the knockout stage: https://mibcourage.co/4esUKl8See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.