This city is gross!

This week we discuss the differences of life in cities, rural towns, and suburbs. We discuss our respective moves to New York City, including the benefits and drawbacks of different community types. We also reference a Pew research study on the differences within urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Reference:

What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/05/22/what-unites-and-divides-urban-suburban-and-rural-communities/

Write to Us:

interculturepodcast@gmail.com

@interculturepod

http://interculturepodcast.com/

Your intercultural podcast returns! This week we have a casual discussion about immigration. What are the challenges of immigrating to a new country? What drives us to immigrate? We also discuss American and Turkish attitudes towards immigrants, including concerns about culture shift and government representation.

Write to Us: interculturepodcast@gmail.com

@interculturepod

http://interculturepodcast.com/

We are joined this week by Dr. Salvatore Forcina, a first-generation immigrant, former chief of surgery, and author of the forthcoming book The American Doctor. Dr. Forcina shares his journey of determination to study medicine and pursue his goals in a new country. He describes how he remained motivated after starting over many times, from learning a new language and culture to establishing his reputation in the medical community.

Donate to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria:

https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-responding-after-massive-earthquake-syria-and-turkey/40803

Pre-order The American Doctor:

https://www.amazon.ca/American-Doctor-Salvatore-J-Forcina/dp/1592112099

Dr. Salvatore Forcina:

Facebook: Dr. Salvatore Forcina

Instagram: @drsalvatoreforcinamd

Twitter: @DrSalForcina

Write to Us:

interculturepodcast@gmail.com

@interculturepod

http://interculturepodcast.com/

Can you make friends in a new country even if you are new to the culture and language? Spoiler- Yes. But are you ready to face possible rejection? This week we discuss all the paths to finding friends in a new nation, including student activities, social clubs, social media, hostels, and more.

@interculturepod

Write to us! interculturepodcast@gmail.com

This week we talk about ethnic enclaves around the world and right at home in NYC. What are the benefits of living in an enclave such as Chinatown? Should governments be concerned about immigrant assimilation? And where can we expect an American enclave to form in the future?

@interculturepod

Write to us! interculturepodcast@gmail.com

How much does our culture affect our mental health and sense of belonging? This week we discuss mental health, the impact of social media, and the post-holiday blues. We also spend some time thinking about the importance of finding the right therapist.

@interculturepod

Write to us! interculturepodcast@gmail.com

Need Help? Find free resources for mental health services:

https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/tools-resources/individuals/index.htm

https://www.oprah.com/omagazine/free-online-resources-for-mental-illness

Is animal breeding all that different from eugenics? Should we start letting our house cats shit outside? This week we discuss beloved animal companions- both fuzzy and scaly. We also think about how pets are valued, whether as family members or status symbols.

@interculturepod

interculturepodcast@gmail.com

We are jumping back in after a much-needed holiday break with a new segment: multicultural movie reviews! For our first movie review, we look at Green Book (2018)- a heartwarming film with a side dish of controversy. We discuss how the characters ultimately grow to understand each other's differences, and celebrate the incredible artist, Donald Shirley (1927 - 2013). We also discuss the misstep of writer Nick Vallelonga in choosing not to involve Shirley's family in the making of this film. We wrap up by reflecting on the film industry's evolving portrayal of racial issues in United States.

Watch along with us, but be warned: Spoilers ahead! 

@interculturepod

interculturepodcast@gmail.com

Reference:

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/green-book-portrays-a-symphony-of-lies/

https://www.politifact.com/article/2019/feb/07/green-book-oscars-fact-check-true/

https://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/jazz-noun-don-shirley-extraordinary-pianist.php#:~:text=In%201982%20he%20told%20a,not%20respected%20like%20Arthur%20Rubinstein.

https://shadowandact.com/the-real-donald-shirley-green-book-hollywood-swallowed-whole

This holiday we celebrate and worship at the altar of capitalism. How can we keep the sentimentality of the holidays alive? We also discuss how Turkey's rising religiosity has turned people away from celebrating "Western" holiday traditions.

We at Interculture wish everyone a very happy Christmas and holiday season.

interculturepodcast.com

Write to us! interculturepodcast@gmail.com

After a brief catch up, we discuss attitudes towards the elderly, the healthcare needs of aging populations around the world, and also the human desire to leave a legacy after death.

@interculturepod

This week we discuss various economic systems used around the world and how they might influence our cultural values. Ibo discusses the decline of the Turkish economy, where inflation has reached an increase of 84%. And Jenna speculates about whether Shanghai's stock market exchange will eventually surpass the US.

How have generational differences impacted parenting? How do the values and expectations of parents differ around the globe? This week we talk about the differences of familial expectations from Turkey, the US, and China. We also make predictions on the direction of Gen Z parenting.

Why do the Turkish and Greek people still hate each other? What is the exact definition of a dictator? Should we dump all politicians in the toilet? We will unravel it all.

As we unravel the uncomfortable concept of racial fetishes, we touch on the topics of dating apps, Disney's Aladdin, slavery, and pornography. We also look back at the roots of racial stereotyping in colonialism and Hollywood.

This week we talk about differing standards of etiquette around the world and our own feelings towards traditional etiquette. We also discuss the lack of manners in online spaces. How do we decide what is "proper" in the global, modern age?

Will the billionaires of tomorrow own farmland? Should you be vegan? Are you ready for bug-based protein? This week we discuss how diets and modern methods of agriculture are changing throughout the world. And of course gripe about our corporate overlords.

This might be a strange one. Our relatively straightforward conversation about relationship expectations devolves into the burning question of whether muslims are allowed to masturbate. Then we round out our topic by discussing traumatic circumcision.

For our first episode we decided to discuss one of the most common problems for intercultural travelers- language barriers. We discussed our own experience with learning languages, the difficulties of accents, and how there are many more resources for learning languages with the rise of online media. We also discuss being mindful and patient with those learning your language.

How much do we really need drugs? This week we discussed the pervasive drinking culture in the United States, the emergence of new pharmaceutical drugs, and public perception of addiction.

This week we discuss the growing global shift away from organized religion and talk about our personal relationship with Catholicism and Islam. Ibo discusses how leaders in Turkey use their religiosity for political gain, and Jenna talks about the dangers of giving power to the religiously ordained. We also ponder the existence of hell and if we should be fearful of what lies beyond death.