I Speak Engrish!
By Lilly and Anton
Two old friends reflect back on their escapades abroad and catch up over drinks.
Meet Anton, a former (ex-ex-) expat, and Lilly, a backpacker, as they tell their travel stories, share cultural tidbits, inspire you to travel or even encourage you make "that big move", and discuss current events through their Asian American lens.
Born and raised in the US to Asian immigrants, they deal with many misconceptions abroad, but there's one thing that we can clear up now; They speak English.
We try for 2 new episodes a months on Fridays!
I Speak Engrish!Dec 11, 2020
2 - 13 : Just Another Cinderella Story... but from Uzbekistan with mostly Zachary
Today, we continue our foray into Central Asia with yet another Cinderella story. Huzzah.
Except this one is not just a story, but actually a ritual to help women and girls achieve what they want. And... Anton ruined it because he's the one telling it (it's supposed to only be told by women or girls). We also talk about public executions... 'cause Lilly is like that. Zach is clearly not a fan.
This story involves toys (not like Toy Story toys, but circumcision/wedding ceremonies). If you know anything about those, let us know by emailing us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com. Also let us know what kind of public execution you'd go to. DM us on Instagram at lillytalksalot@ and whatsupanton@.
See you next time!
We are also continuing our partnership with Ana Luisa this Valentine's season. You can get yourself and your loved ones the perfect gift with up to 40% off. Check out Ana Luisa https://shop.analuisa.com/ispeakeng We know you'll LOVE them!
Link to the story:
https://culturalpropertynews.org/a-central-asian-cinderella-the-tale-of-bibi-seshambe/
2 - 12 : Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year!
Today, Zach and Anton listen to Lilly and her dad duke it out to see who tells the same story BETTER (kinda). This story is about bánh chưng and bánh tét, two Vietnamese savory rice cakes. Who created these cakes? How did these simple cakes beat the 17 other exotic dishes in Hell's Kitchen: Vietnam Edition? Tune in to find out!
Tell us who you thought told the story better! Email us at ispeakengrish@gmail.com, or DM us on Instagram: @lillytalksalot and @whatsupanton. Until next time!
Link to the story:
http://www.lionbrand.com.au/blog/the-legend-of-the-rice-cake-banh-chung-and-banh-giay
2 - 11 : Uyghurs and Ogres with Friends
Hey everyone!
In the first of two episodes focused on Central Asia (yes, they're Asian too!), Anton takes you to the land of the Uyghurs (also boycott China), where a black ogre (not racist) terrorizes the land by stealing all the young beautiful girls from a nameless city in the Taklamakan Desert. Black Shrek, however, faces a fate that will build his leg muscles for centuries to come, thanks to the wits of a student named Batur. What is said fate? Why is Mufasa in this episode? And what does the fox say? All shall be revealed when you smash that play button!
Let us know why you think Shrek is green by emailing us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com. Or you can DM us on Instagram at whatsupanton and lillytalksalot. Until next time!
We are also continuing our partnership with Ana Luisa this Valentine's season. You can get yourself and your loved ones the perfect gift with up to 40% off. Check out Ana Luisa https://shop.analuisa.com/ispeakeng We know you'll LOVE them!
Link to the story:
https://kashgar.com.au/blogs/tribal-culture/a-uyghur-fairy-tale-the-clever-young-man
2 - 10 : Cutting Thais with Cambodia
We are back with more folk tales from Cambodia!
Just kidding. This episode is actually about Thai folk tales, but Anton can't seem to forget Cambodia and Xieng Mieng. As is now customary on this podcast, we are featuring a whirlwind of a Cinderella story that involves yet another gobi fish! After that is a story of why humans have sex whenever they want (clearly the favorite of this episode). Followed by a story of a good intentioned but ultimately a not-that-smart husband, a deceiving monkey, and a boy who ate too much... Lessons? Don't marry for love (according to Lilly).
We are also continuing our partnership with Ana Luisa this Valentine's season. You can get yourself and your loved ones the perfect gift with up to 40% off. Check out Ana Luisa https://shop.analuisa.com/ispeakeng I know you'll LOVE them!
Let us know if you want Xieng Mieng back by sending us an email at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com, or DMing us on Instagram at whatsupanton and lillytalksalot. Until next time!
Links to stories:
https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/8-disturbing-thai-folklore/
https://www.escati.com/8-southern-thailand-folk-tales/
https://www.sirinyas-thailand.de/2015/08/09/a-thai-folk-tale-the-clever-monkey/
2 - 9 : Korean Virgin Ghosts and Colds with Christine
Hey everyone!
In this episode, Christine comes back and kicks Anton out of the podcast, and Lilly shares with us Korea's obsession with virgin ghosts and long things that are usually attached to people with XY chromosomes. Among the lessons learned are to be accepting of yourself, even if you have big donkey ears, to cough before you enter a bathroom, and to avoid getting a runny nose whenever possible... Don't ask. You don't want to know... or do you?
That being said, we have also partnered with Ana Luisa this Valentine's season. You can get yourself and your loved ones the perfect gift with up to 40% off. Check out Ana Luisa https://shop.analuisa.com/ispeakeng I know you’ll LOVE them!
As always, email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com (bonus points if you tell us whether you would marry a chicken or an ostrich), and feel free to follow us on Instagram, Lilly at lillytalksalot, and Anton at whatsupanton. Happy New Year and until next time!
Links to stories:
The Crane Who Fell in Love With a Human
P.S. Anton did hate the audio shituation in the beginning of the episode.
2 - 8 : Stories from Mongolia
Hey everyone! We're taking this time to celebrate our Mongolian heritage ('cause we're all related to Genghis Khan somehow, right?). Anton shares a few Mongolian tales that surely would've kept Genghis too entertained to be pillaging your villages. Basically, Anton is the modern day Scheherazade, but more handsome. (You can thank him later). Among these tales are how to convince a god that you've been wronged even though you basically foiled their plans, and a familiar tale about a turtle... minus the smelly arm pits.
We hope you enjoy them! If you have thoughts about these stories, send them to us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com, or DM us on Instagram, lillytalksalot@ and whatsupanton@
References:
https://mongolianstore.com/folk-tales/
https://h2g2.com/entry/A580079
2 - 7 : Preah Ko and Preah Keo; A Cambodian Legend
And boy is it a doozy. Did you know that green mangos are dangerous? Yeah, that's right. Next time you go to your local supermarket, make sure to run away as fast as you can if you see green mangos, otherwise you might just give birth to a calf (yes, even if you're a dude).
If we haven't scared you off yet, give this episode a listen and let us know what you think it says about Cambodia's culture, peoples, and its relationship with Thailand. You can send us your thoughts to ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com. Also don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Lilly at @lillytalksalot and Anton @whatsupanton. Also, listen to Lilly on Real, Raw, and Racialized. open.spotify.com/episode/3esoSR1i6A77ACl9qMSVfJ?si=CBCCEQdiSVSJHJhv0TsEYA
See y'all next time!
www.leisurecambodia.com/news/detail.php?id=63
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preah_Ko_Preah_Keo
2 - 6 : Spoopy Japanese Urban Legends with Diana
Are you scared? 'Cause we're back from the podcast graveyard. Wooooooo.
In this episode, Diana shares some spoopy Japanese urban legends that are sure to make you avoid bathrooms, avoid woman who ask you if they are beautiful, and dismembered torsos. Yeah, sorry not sorry about the vivid imagery. Additionally, we catch up with Diana who has some of her own nightmares IRL to share.
Lilly promises we'll get back on track, so check us out in two weeks for the next episode! Happy Halloween!
Any spoopy stories to share? Email them to us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com
You can follow Diana's Instagram @_diana.dang_, or find her on YouTube at youtube.com/user/TheWallflowerStyle, Anton @whatsupanton, and Lilly @lillytalksalot.
2 - 5 : Laotian folk tales with Xieng Mieng
Xieng Mieng! We love Xieng Mieng so much, we decided to invite him onto our podcast. Unfortunately, he lost his voice recently, so Anton has decided to tell Xieng Mieng's Laotian stories on his behalf. But trust me, these are great stories. The Laotian people have a great sense of humor (email us if you can confirm this is true, ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com).
There's also a story that speaks poorly of men's armpits, much to Lilly's delight ('cause we all know how much she looooovees men).
Let us know if you love Xieng Mieng as much as we do. Here are the links to the folk tales, here, here, and here. You can reach out to Lilly and me on Instagram at @lillytalksalot and @whatsupanton, respectively.
Thumbnail art by @l.indatran
(Apologies for being late, we just had so much fun with Xieng Mieng, we lost track of time!)
2 - 4 : The Karaoke Catfish with the Trans
Episode 4 is finally here after over 2 weeks! (Sorry everyone! I had a very very very, extremely busy 2 weeks... not in the US! Yay travel! - Lilly being impersonated by Anton).
In this episode, we are joined by Kevin and Christine who share their perspectives on a famous Vietnamese catfish who would be superbly good at karaoke (Truong Chi My Nuong). Frankly, we're not even sure what the lesson was in the story, or whether the dad in the story knew the origins of the jade, 'cause it was all just so strange... If you know, let us know at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com. Also let us know if Lilly should stream video games on Twitch.
Speaking of Twitch, you can watch Kevin (and by extension Christine) stream games @thekevintran, or stalk him on Instagram @onlykevintran. You can slide into Lilly's Instagram DMs @lillytalksalot and follow Anton @whatsupanton.
Thumbnail art by @l.indatran
2 - 3 : Tales from Indonesia with Zachary... again...
So here we are again with recurring cast member, Zacharyyyyyyy. And this time, his sultry voice will bring us across the world to Indonesia, with two stories: Malin Kundan, and Bawang Merah Bawang Putih. From Malin Kundan, you'll learn that apparently men suck. Actually, that's also true in Greek mythology. (Yeah, we go to Greece too). And why is Anton not drinking Baileys?
As always, let us know what stories you liked at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com. And follow Lilly (and Zach) at @lillytalksalot and Anton at @whatsupanton. See you next time!
2 - 2 : The Golden Beetle and Why Asians Hate Other Asians
Welcome to episode 2 of season 2, or I guess S2E2 would be shorter ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Today, Anton (that's me) will be telling us a Chinese folktale called "The Golden Beetle", even though it's really about some loveable and very divisive creatures in our lives. But man, I really wish I had a golden beetle... I know it sounds weird, but smash that play button and you'll soon want a golden beetle all for yourself too. Trust me. We also discuss some China-centric views of Japan (please don't cancel Anton's mom).
If you want a golden beetle of your own, drop us an email: ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com (we probably won't give you one though).
Andddd, don't forget to DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (DM her telling her to change it back to the old one) and @whatsupanton.
Thanks and see you all next time!
2 - 1 : Cinderella, Stars, Rocks, and Trees with Zachary
Its also been about a year since we debut our podcast for the internet to hear and its been a mix of anxiety, stress, excitement, and happiness. I am so grateful to have you join us on our project!
For this season, we wanted to try something new. We are a "travel and culture" podcast, (very broad, I know) and for season 1, we focused more on the travel aspect. ( I know, I know, culture ties in with travel but I think you know what I'm trying to get at... I hope.) For season 2, we wanted to connect more to our own roots and who knows? Maybe even spark interest for Asian cultures. What better way to introduce a culture than through storytelling!?
Join us this season as we take you through some countries in Asia through myths/legends/fairy tales/folklore/superstitions/etc.
Today we start with folklore from Vietnam with Zachary, who you can reach the man behind the sultry voice on Instagram @crane962. If you are interested in the stories, Vietnam's Cinderella story is called Tam Cam, and you can check out Thich Nhat Hanh's book, The Dragon Prince.
Let us know what you think!
We have an email! ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com, and as always, you can DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (Yes, I changed my handle. this is easier than spelling it all out.) and @whatsupanton.
Thanks so so much for your support! See you next time!
20 : Christmas Balut with Andrew
Hey ya'll!
Episode 20 is here and its a double whammy! Its the last episode of season 1 and its the Christmas episode!!!
Our friend, Andrew, joins us to talk about his travels in Austria, Germany, Japan and his time in the Philippines for Christmas. We touch upon some heavy-hitter topics like race and if balut is delicious or not. Click here for the wiki history of balut. Hahaha.
You can find Andrew on Instagram @clevermrandrew or Bing him. Haha. And as always, you can email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com and/or DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton.
Hope you enjoy and join us again for season 2 in a few months!
This past year has been... something... but we have learned a lot from doing this podcast and are overwhelmed by the support we have received, so thank you so much for listening.
Happy Holidays!
Stay safe and healthy!
19 : Getting Artsy with Jessika
Episode 19 is here and we are joined by one of my closest, dear friends, Jessika!
Jess recounts her favorite place that she has traveled to, dealing with old school Asian parents, her decision to go to art school, and moving to to a whole different state! In addition to that, she schools us in art because we don't know crap about it. Haha. What even is modern art?!
To check out more about Jessika, visit her website, jessikama.com! As always you can find us on Instagram at @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton.
Hope you enjoy!
Until next time!
18 : Canadian Thanksgiving with Diana Dang
Episode 18 is here and we are joined by Diana, an Asian Canadian!!!
Diana, an aspiring youtuber, joins us this Thanksgiving weekend to talk about her experiences growing up as an Asian household in Canada. Do we ever grow up in the eyes of our parents?! Why do they also need to celebrate genocide?Why do Canadians always copy Americans? Haha.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
You can check out Diana on Youtube and Instagram @_diana.dang_ and as always, you can DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton and/or email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com !
*For real though, I encourage you to educate yourselves on Native history this weekend. Happy Turkey Day.
17: Woo Woo Stuff with Lillian So
What's up Engrish majors?
Welcome to episode 17 (the most random number according to MIT undergrads). We have a guest this time (thank heavens) and it is Lillian So, life coach and holistic healer.
Lillian shares her backstory and how she went from fitness to spirituality, and coaching others to self-heal and be more connected with themselves, all while Anton fanboys in the background 'cause no one talks about spiritual stuff with him. We also touch upon stigmas in the Asian American community regarding seeking help and therapy. And then there's the woo woo stuff, like Lillian's chakra drum.
Have we piqued your interest yet? (The answer should be yes).
You can find out more about Lillian at https://meetlillianso.com/ or on Instagram @meetlillianso. And as usual, you can email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton.
*** Also, thanks to Lilly's niece for the new thumbnail! Holla if you want work done by her! Her Instagram is @l.indatran.
16 : Spooky enough for ya? (REMEMBER TO VOTE!)
Episode 16 is here and its about to get spooky!!!! Actually, maybe not. We frighten a bit too easily. Hahaha.
Join us this episode as we tell our experiences on Halloween. Halloween is not really celebrated in other countries, at least not until the recent years and only because of how commercialized it has become, but there are a few places that celebrate this day differently.
We do not talk about Dia de los Muertos because that takes place on November 1st and 2nd, however it seems to be very similar to my experience in the Philippines. I wish there was more about Halloween in the Netherlands.
Fun fact: Halloween in the Netherlands, which actually takes place on November 11 and is called Sint Maarten. I was really excited for this episode, but then I got scared while we were recording. Haha. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a huge scaredy cat, but for some reason I keep coming back for more.
If you all have any scary stories or celebrate Halloween different, let us know! You can email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton!
Happy Halloween!
***P.S. Remember to fulfill your civic duty as an American and vote on/by November 3rd! Stay safe and vote them out or we’re going to have another 4 more years of being scared!
Places mentioned: Bulacan, Phillipines
15 : Who wants a souvenir?
Episode 15 is here! This episode we talk about Sweden, low cost carriers, knock-offs and souvenirs. Doesn't really sound like they go together, huh? Oh well. It is what it is. This episode has a few unanswered questions but I think the most burning one is, why doesn't Anton want to be my friend? Haha.
We have an email now! ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com or you can DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton. Let us know if you have any crazy stories with low cost carriers or if you have any knowledge you want to drop about knock-offs.
Place mentioned: Gamlastan, Stockholm, Sweden
14 : Why is Henny a Viet staple?
Colonialism, that's the answer.
Episode 14 has arrived and its all about alcohol. We question our taste in alcohol. Are we boring? Maybe we'll try something new another time. Lol.
What alcohol stereotypes is your country known for? Let us know! Email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton.
We hope you enjoy! See you in 2 weeks!
Alcohol mentions: Hennesey, Remy Martin, Heineken, Oud Bruin, Dzika Pszczoła, Krupnik, Goldwasser, Żubrówka
Please drink responsibly.
13 : 'Scarnon?
That was Australian for "What's going on?
Any language lovers out there? This episode is for you!
Episode 13 has arrived and starts with Anton telling us a bit about the Dutch language, you know, linguist stuff. We also talk about how American culture when it comes to saying certain phrases, like, "How are you?" Does anyone really even want to know how I'm doing? Does Barbara sell rhubarb pie to barbarians? Watch this and let us know.
Since I've only lived in countries where English was the main language, I've brought up some Aussie words or phrases that we, as Americans, don't use. (Does this count? Am I linguisty now?)
Look out for a future episode specifically for Aussie slang, I have a bunch on my list of favorites to share.
On another note, none of my Aussie friends wanted to be on a podcast, so if there are any Asian Aussies, hit us up to be on an episode! I would love to reminisce on my time in Australia. I can't believe I've been back in the US for 5.5 months.
Email us at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton if you are interested or to just to say hi! I promise we won't bite, only because of Covid. Hehe.
Oh! Also, please don't mind audio at the end. My laptop died on us like the last two episodes, so we had to make due with another setup to finish recording. It'll be better next episode, I promise!
12 : Biking with Zachary
Episode 12 is here and we are joined by a familiar voice. He's a first time guest, but he's been in all out episodes. You might've heard him if you decided to not skip the ads before our episode begins. We welcome, my "special friend", Zachary and his "sultry" voice, as Anton calls it. *barfs* Zachary tells us some stories as my travel companion, a bit about identity, and a lot about biking. Maybe too much?
A lot of our transitions were cut off. So with this episode like the last one, and soon to be next one, a lot of audio was cut off and was unsalvageable. My laptop freezes often now and has cut off a lot of audio, so please, enjoy what's left of this! Zachary and I are probably too cringe to listen to, but its not my faulty he's in love with me. Haha.
You can't follow Zachary, but you can see him occasionally on my Instagram stories @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) . You'll mostly see me baking or cooking. You could maybe even find his videos of mountain biking in Moab on youtube. You can also follow Anton at @whatsupanton. We have an email now! Email us stuff at ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com. I respond to everyone. hehe.
Hope you enjoy and hope to see you again soon!
Places mentioned: Italy, Ireland
11 : Cruisin’ through Grad School with Feng
Episode 11 is here and we are joined by Feng to talk about his travels while getting his MBA, which goes to show, it is possible to travel while pursuing a degree. He talks about Portugal and Scotland, countries that most of our friends have not yet visited and shows off his bougie side on the subject of food. Haha.
This is a bit on the short side because I will forever have problems with one thing or another on this podcast. Feng will join us again on a later episode but for now, please enjoy the stories and hopefully, it has inspired you to book a trip post Covid. Also the castle with the view that Feng went to is called Castelo de S. Jorge.
You can connect on Linkdin with Feng Wu and as always, you can reach us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton. We have and email now, too! ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com.
Let us know if you have any stories while renting a car while traveling, how you find the means to travel while going to school, and/or if you know any bombass Scottish food that we should try.
Hope you enjoy! See you next time!
- Lilly
Places mentioned:
Porto, Portugal
Azores, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
Inverness, Scotland
Scottish Highlands (NC 500)
10 : McDonald's or Burger King?
Can you believe we're on episode 10? Double digits, baby!
We talk about fast food in this episode! Let's be real, everyone has a love/hate relationship with fast food. KFC wins over all because its everywhere. Sorry, In N Out.
Is it because my period is lurking around the corner that we are talking about fast food or did we come by this topic organically? Who knows? I don't. Was that bit too much information? Mayhaps. Who even reads this? Probably just Kevin. Hi Kevin! Also, has anyone ever heard Anton so passionate about a topic? Haha.
I'm happy with this project thus far and excited for the future! We are changing it up and giving you new episode every 2 weeks instead of every week. This is partly because I want to give you better content, partly because I work now, you know, because apparently I need money to do things, and mostly because I started playing Overcooked and might be obsessed with the headaches I get from not blinking when I play. RIP me. Why am I like this?
Oh, we got opened an email, ispeakengrishreally@gmail.com ! Since, not everyone has Instagram, we figured we would at least start with this. No dick pics please, I have enough of those, thank you very much. Email us feedback, if you want to join the podcast for an episode, or even just say hi! And as always you can follow us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton.
Enjoy!
- Lilly
New places mentioned:
Dordrecht, Poland
Warsaw, Poland
Stockholm, Sweden
9 : Selling Out with Andrew Chen
Episode 9 is here and we are joined today by rising Youtuber, Andrew Chen!
Andrew is actually friends with our younger siblings, and went to the same high school as us. He tells us about his Youtube journey so far, his taste in music, and his travels. In this episode, we also see a bit more of Anton's background in music and linguistics.
You can follow Andrew's Youtube channel and/or Instagram @justanice6uy. As always, you can follow us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I actually changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton. Let us know if you prefer East Coast or West Coast, which is your preferred seat on a plane, and your feelings towards EDM.
***Again, we do not think there is one right way to travel, or one way that is better than the other. Everyone is different and we have different priorities. We just don't condone being disrespectful assholes. Also, names are important and should be pronounced correctly, or at least the effort to learn them needs to be there. Don't be a dickhead.
- Lilly
8 : Why does my stuff always get stolen?
Episode 8 is here and its back to just Anton and me.
It feels a bit lonely and I don't think we remember how to talk to each other. Haha. #awkward
We don't ever have a plan when we start recording these episodes. We kind of brush upon topics and see where it goes. Initially, I wanted more stories with positive vibes, but somehow Anton's story of sleeping on a bench has triggered me and managed to lead us to all the times someone stolen something from me while traveling. I'm not so self obsessed, don't @ me. We might just be too cynical for stories with happy endings.
I decided post-edit to not include the last story mostly because it is on the longer side but because its really almost... unbelievable. It deserves to be told with all the details.
Hopefully you haven't had much stolen from you while traveling, but if you have any stories, or just want to say hi, DM us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I actually changed my handle after we recorded this!) and @whatsupanton.
*Disclaimer: I wanted to keep it on the shorter side, partly because its just only the two of us (I don't want you all bored of us so soon!), but mostly because I was severely drunk (not celebrating July 4th but coincidentally celebrating my father's 38th anniversary of arriving in the US), and had to edit a lot of content out since I made zero sense. You will notice that my grammar and word choices are a bit off. (That might be a normal thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )The quote, "Write drunk, edit sober." has never resonated with me so much until now, and I wasn't even writing. Haha.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy my cackling laugh. - Lilly
Places mentioned: Breda, Netherlands Paris and Nice, France Naples and Sorrento, Italy Prague, Czechia Copenhagen, Denmark
7 : Sneaking into an Onsen with Kevin
Episode 7 is here and we are joined by our friend from high school, Kevin!
This episode is mostly Lilly catching up with Kevin since Kevin and Anton are besties. Haha. Kevin talks about his travels, including worst travel story and future travel plans, what to do if you have tattoos but want to go to an onsen (hot spring), and photography. Kevin also throws out some facts about credit card churning, how credit cards works in terms of points. Although we touch upon it very briefly, it is something that many Americans have considered doing/done to help fund parts of their travel. Oh, and the mountain/temply place in Bali is called, Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang.
Follow Kevin for his photography (its VERY good!) , @kevintangy, and/or @peoplebykevin. Also, his website. DM him if you are in the Boston area and need portraits! And as always, you can follow us on Instagram @lillytalksalot (I changed my handle after recording this!) and @whatsupanton.
Thanks for listening! See you next week!
Places mentioned: Japan, Poland, Bali
Food mentioned: fugu, sashimi, yakitori
6 : Being a Sore Winner with Jason
You've asked for it (yes, many people have actually requested) , and we delivered! This is our first longass episode.
Episode 6 is here and we have another guest, my "best frandddd" Jason.
We bring Jason in today to talk about his experiences studying abroad and working in Asia, which is completely different than our experiences in Europe and Australia. Jason tells stories of his time in China as a Chinese American, working in Thailand, and some travels we took together. He answers questions like; Why China? Are Americans sore winners? (Guilty!), Best bowl of noodles ever? and you'll be completely mind-blown by what the best restaurant in Bangkok (number 2 best restaurant, currently) actually serves.
We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it! (Editing it, though, was another type of feeling, haha) But please, let us know your thoughts on this episode! Should we keep the episodes long or go back to shorter ones? Do you have any stories you want to share? You can DM us on Instagram at @lillytalksalot and @whatsupanton <<< We changed our handles after recording this.
- Lilly
Food mentioned: la mian 拉面, phở, ramen, Taiwanese beef noodle soup, schnitzel
Places mentioned:
Shanghai, China
Bangkok, Thailand
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Ha Noi, Vietnam
5 : Travel Precautions with Marieme
Episode 5 is here and we are joined by a special guest, our first official guest, my friend, Marieme.
Marieme shares some of her experiences as a Black womxn while traveling, provide some advice, and help me gang up on Anton.
Follow and/or donate to Marieme's nonprofit, NdarNdarBi Assistance, Inc. She, along with her mother, created this nonprofit to alleviate poverty in underserved communities through sustainable programs in health, education, and other developmental programs.
You can also follow Marieme's new public instagram page, that she created a few weeks after recording this episode with us, @theofficialmarieme.
And as usual, you can follow me @lillytalksalot and Anton, @whatsupanton. We actually changed our handles after we recorded this.
DM us if you have any suggestions on what we should talk about next or if you want to be on the podcast!
Thanks for listening and hope you enjoy!
- Lilly
New places mentioned: Senegal and Hawaii
4 : Am I friends with a fugitive?
Episode 4 is here and begins with a story with Anton being called into the immigration office. Is there something he isn't telling us? Haha.
With traveling, there is soooo much good, but unfortunately there are some bad that we have to deal with. We move on to some stories about being scammed and questioning motives from people that seem harmless.
Is it racist if you are in a foreign country and people want to talk pictures with/of you because you are different? Just something to think about.
As always you can follow Lilly on Instagram @lillytalksalot, and Anton, @whatsupanton. We actually changed our handle after we recorded this.
We hope you enjoy episode 4 and please, let us know if you've had experiences similar to ours.
Places:
Athens, Greece
Thessiloniki, Greece
Istanbul, Turkey
Bali, Indonesia
Sopot, Poland
Gdansk, Poland
3 : Is 30 old?
Episode 3 celebrates 3 decades. Anton just turned 30 in early May, and I turn 30 in late December. Is this considered our prime?
Not outright condoning excessive drinking, but if you should take a shot each time I say 30, you might be drunk. Haha.
We talk about acceptance, concerns, and hopes that come with this milestone and move on to a topic of dating, that I apparently am always amped up to talk about because I am so single.
Is fetishizing a form of racism? What's the line between flattery and outright racism? We talk mostly interracial dating because we haven't been dating other Asians lately. They just don't seem to like us, so that's not on us. Haha. No, I'm kidding, but really, we talk about fetishizing, which generally, we Asians don't experience within our own race.
As always you can follow me @lillytalksalot and Anton, @whatsupanton (We actually changed our handles after we recorded this) and I hope you enjoy how (straight) men are trash! Haha.
- Lilly
2 : Is there a wrong way to eat?
Episode 2 is here and its about food!
Do you think there is a wrong way to eat? What's the best/worst food you've had in your country? Ever had a lunchbox moment?
We would love to know! DM us on Instagram, @lillytalksalot and @whatsupanton. <<< We changed our handles.
Grab a glass of wine, a bánh mì, and have a listen.
Food: kielbasa, bánh mì, lamingtons, pavlova, bigos, flaki
Phrases: bon appétit, smacznego, mời ăn, dziękuję
1 : Who the heck are we?
Welcome!
I Speak Engrish! is a podcast about travel and culture.
The title is simply because many people assume we don't speak English on the single basis that we look Asian. Well, we are, but not really at the same time. With years of people making fun of Asian accents, we're taking it back for us, and spitting it back in your face. And while we acknowledge that not all Asian accents sound the same, did you know we're not all Chinese?, this has been the accent most associated with the Asian American community we grew up in. Accents are associated with our culture, so let's celebrate it!
This podcast will primarily focus on our travel stories.
Since we are Asian Americans, however, it has affected our experiences abroad and especially at home, in the US. We wanted to debut this podcast in May, which conveniently happens to be AAPI, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. AsAm empowerment, WHAT!?
Get to know more about us in Episode 1 and if you want, follow us on Instagram, @lillytalksalot and @whatsupanton. <<< We changed our handles.
We hope you enjoy and join us weekly to hear more.
- Lilly and Anton
Countries Mentioned: Australia, Netherlands, Poland, Vietnam, China