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Without Borders: Stories by the Inescapably Foreign.

Without Borders: Stories by the Inescapably Foreign.

By Nolan Yuma

Without Borders is a podcast for nomads, expats, immigrants, refugees, third-culture children and anyone else that feels inescapably foreign. All the episodes include transcripts for English learners.

Full podcast episodes come out every Tuesday.

Without Borders is a free podcast without any revenue from advertisements. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at withoutborders.fyi. Your support makes the project possible

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Currently playing episode

Why We Travel with Dr. Matthew Niblett and Dr. Kris Beuret

Without Borders: Stories by the Inescapably Foreign. Jan 24, 2023

00:00
01:10:59
Creating a better world without "woke" PC discourse

Creating a better world without "woke" PC discourse

"Developing nation? Bro. Let's get to the point. We're a poor country," says Aeron. In this conversation, Aeron DEllosa from  @animmigrantslifepodcast  and Nolan Yuma don't hide the truth with political correctness. Instead, they get right to the point when discussing immigrating to Canada, Filipino culture and psychology, Tagalog, decolonization, and racism.

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology ⁠⁠⁠bornwithoutborders.substack.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 00:00 - Intro 01:46 - Montreal vs Vancouver 06:07 - Becoming Canadian and staying Filipino. Individualism vs Collectivism 11:09 - Utang na loob & Corruption 16:19 - Pakikisama & Hiya & cultural differences in confrontation styles in Canada, the Netherlands, and the Philippines 26:12 - Political correctness isn't helping marginalized people 33:54 - Acculturating to Canada & types of racism 41:38 - Is the Philippines a matriarchal society? 52:47 - Decolonisation in Filipino culture 58:41 - How dangerous social media is for understanding culture 1:02:03 - Wrap up

Apr 11, 202301:04:47
A Muslim & an Atheist hash out spirituality, PC culture, racism, and marriage

A Muslim & an Atheist hash out spirituality, PC culture, racism, and marriage

Two close friends from different backgrounds discuss PC language, racism, growing up in a small town, returning to the Muslim faith, spirituality, and marriage.

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology ⁠⁠⁠bornwithoutborders.substack.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

00:00 Intro 02:30 - Brown versus white parenting & family dynamics & hierarchies. 13:27 - Testosterone, weight lifting and martial arts. 17:49 - PC Language & Curry Hill 23:36 - Growing up Muslim around Sikh people & Ramadan 29:43 - Culture & Mental Illness 34:21 - Returning to the Muslim faith & spirituality & Lying 47:54 - Arranged vs Love Marriages

Apr 04, 202353:02
How becoming a refugee led to self-actualization
Mar 28, 202349:41
Working as an Iranian expat in Africa & a refugee in Belgium
Mar 21, 202359:49
Dr. Michael Brein The Travel Psychologist and Ufologist
Mar 14, 202357:33
An Interintellect Series for Borderless Thinkers

An Interintellect Series for Borderless Thinkers

This is not an episode from the WithoutBorders podcast. I was interviewed by Linus Lu at Interintellect to talk about The Without Borders Salon Series. I would love for you to join the monthly discussion.

After living in Chile, Belgium, Canada, and now Spain, Nolan spends his days studying cultural psychology, interviewing people from around the world, traveling, and writing stories to break down borders. His project, Without Borders, is a collective of new articles, stories, videos, and podcasts each week, bringing insight and perspective to these experiences.

This series is for nomads, expats, third-culture kids, immigrants, or anyone who feels inescapably foreign. In this space hosted by  Nolan Yuma Janssens every Sunday at 18:00 CET, we will discuss ways to break down borders through cultural psychology research, immigration advice, and travel stories. After hosting the Without Borders miniseries in February, Nolan realized the discussions can’t be contained in one series and needed to be ongoing. He is constantly updating the material to build upon each previous salon.

The themes of the monthly discussion revolve around:

  • Abating polarization
  • Advancing the bureaucratic system and immigration process
  • Exploring universal truths about morality
  • Improving cultural competence
  • Increasing productivity for international organizations
  • Limiting xenophobia
  • Storytelling techniques for “The Inescapably Foreign.”

Every Sunday at 18:00 CET

Note: You can purchase each salon ticket for $15 or a series ticket for $90 (save 50%), valid throughout 2023.

Mar 08, 202313:31
Fixing Misconceptions about Africa with Marmalade

Fixing Misconceptions about Africa with Marmalade

Nolan Yuma and Tola Alade, the CEO of Marmalade venture, talk about the misconceptions people have about Africa and how Marmalade fixes them through branding and raising awareness about African entrepreneurs and artists.

Nolan and Tola share their opinions about critical theory, Jordan Peterson, the rhetoric around slavery, and how to unify instead of divide. 

Subscribe and support Marmalade: https://www.marmaladecollective.com/

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology ⁠⁠⁠bornwithoutborders.substack.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

00:00 - Introduction

03:33 - Fixing misconceptions about Lagos, Nigeria & Africa

08:39 - Marmalade Collective & Africa's most valuable asset — Culture

16:49 - LGBTQ rights in Africa concerning branding

21:10 - Using Jordan Peterson, Nathan Nunn, and Magatte Wade to talk about African Economy.

25:04 - Slavery, Individualism, entrepreneurialism, and moving forward.

31:11 - Critical theory and intersectionality does not unify. 

39:10 - Racism in North America vs. Africa

49:40 - Breaking African Stereotypes & Discussing Stereotype threats.

56:29 - Wrapping it all up.

Mar 07, 202301:00:15
Dr. Forcina's Immigration Story: Italy - Argentina - America
Feb 28, 202301:04:59
How ChatGPT influences language learning and its ethical implications

How ChatGPT influences language learning and its ethical implications

Chat GPT researcher, Monica Albina, shares her insight on how Chat GPT impacts the educational industry and its ethical implication. Monica also shares her experiences as an Italian and Czech person living in Switzerland and Spain.   

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology ⁠⁠bornwithoutborders.substack.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠

00:00 Intro

01:08 - Chat GPT (With a focus on morality and language learning) 

20:51 - How writers and artists can use Chat GPT and Dall-E 

27:23 - AI & The 4 Hour Work Week & Universal Base Pay 

00:32:35 - How does Chat GPT affect language diversity and Western propaganda?  

00:41:46 - Monica’s multicultural personality & immigration story (Comparing Spain, Italy, and Czech Republic) 

01:03:33 - Comparing humour around the world 

01:08: 49 - Language and Personality  

01:11: 34 - Wrapping it all up

Feb 21, 202301:14:46
Acculturating to Canada & Slovakia Travel Tips

Acculturating to Canada & Slovakia Travel Tips

Nolan talks to his friend and former colleague Eva Briatkova about her acculturation and immigration experiences in Canada. They discuss what it was like for her to find work as a nurse and paramedic, cultural comparisons in drug use and open-mindedness, why nurses love to party, the experiential marketing world, acculturation techniques, and more. You'll also get some tips about travelling in Slovakia. 

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology ⁠⁠https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

00:00 - Introduction 

01:51 - Immigration to Canada from Slovakia as a Nurse 

05:28 - Quality of life as nurse in Canada vs Slovakia 

08:07 - Comparing work culture and social safety nets in Canada, Slovakia, and Spain  

16:35 - What is experiential marketing? And how to advertise tobacco in Canada 

27:37 - Drinking culture in Canada vs Slovakia + How nurses party  

32:52 - Becoming more Canadian. Discussing open-mindedness, mental health, recreational drug use, and acceptance 

44:58 - Identity & language  

59:58 - Why to visit Slovakia and Slovak etiquette

Feb 14, 202301:05:33
Discussing self-esteem, culture and morality with Dr. Steven Heine

Discussing self-esteem, culture and morality with Dr. Steven Heine

Nolan Yuma meets one of his intellectual heroes, Dr. Steven Heine. They discuss culture, how crops affect political views and culture, self-esteem variations around the world, morality, and Steve's latest book, DNA is Not Destiny.

00:00 - Intro 

01:26 - Defining Culture 

04:30 - What is universally true for humans, and what is culturally bound? 

12:33 - The WEIRD (Wester, educated, rich, and democratic) problem. 

20:37 - Reasons for individualistic and collectivistic countries  

24:06 - How crops effect political and egalitarian views. 

27:37 - How self esteem and motivation varies around the world 

40:11 - Can we morally accuse a cultural tradition? 

48:34 - DNA is Not Destiny 

55:14 - Conclusion

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

Feb 07, 202357:25
Belgians vs. the Dutch + Becoming Irish

Belgians vs. the Dutch + Becoming Irish

Don't confuse Belgians and the Dutch. Rosie Van Den Broek (Principal Customer Success Manager at HubSpot) and Nolan Yuma discuss cultural and psychological differences and how they affect business and travel. Rosie also talks about her experience moving to Ireland and why she had to change her name. Nolan and Yuma also touch on identity, politics, the king of Belgium, blackface, and why beer keeps people from becoming separatists.

Support the show, access transcripts, read immigration stories, and learn more about cultural psychology https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/⁠⁠ ⁠

Jan 31, 202301:03:26
Why We Travel with Dr. Matthew Niblett and Dr. Kris Beuret

Why We Travel with Dr. Matthew Niblett and Dr. Kris Beuret

Dr. Matthew Niblett and Dr. Kris Beuret talk about their book Why Travel. Matthew and Kris share some personal stories about their gap years and travel experiences only available in this episode. Together with the host, Nolan Yuma, they explore new insights and questions that will lead to future research in the fields of travel and transportation. 

Join the conversation and support the show at https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/⁠⁠. You can also learn more about the Why Travel project at whytravel.org

Purchase the book.

Why travel? What motivations underpin the journeys we make? And how can we make decisions that improve our travel experiences?

Arguing that the desire to move is a purpose in itself, this book brings together leading experts to provide insights from multiple viewpoints across the sciences, arts and humanities. Together, they examine key travel motivations, including the importance of travel for human wellbeing, and how these can be reconciled with challenges such as reducing our carbon footprint, adapting new mobility technologies, and improving the quality of our journeys.

The book shows how our travel choices are shaped by a wide range of social, physical, psychological and cultural factors, which have profound implications for the design of future transport policies.

Offering thought-provoking and practical new perspectives, this fascinating book will be essential for all those who have ever wondered why we travel and how it relates to our fundamental needs.

More about the authors

Matthew is the director of the Independent Transport Commission, which is Britain’s foremost independent transport and land use think tank. Matthew holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford and was a Senior Research Associate at the University's Transport Studies Unit.

Kristine Beuret is the Director of Social Research Associates and a social scientist specialised in transport and urban policy. Kris has advised the House of Commons Transport Committee, TfL, the DfT and overseas governments on disability and diversity issues.


Without Borders is a free podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at withoutborders.fyi. Your support makes the project possible. You can also find my travel series on Youtube.


Jan 24, 202301:10:59
Partying with ISIS & Rave Culture
Jan 17, 202351:43
Exploring European Identities & Separatists
Jan 10, 202357:07
Adjusting to France & How to Better Immigration
Jan 03, 202301:04:37
Misconceptions about French Socialism & Work Culture

Misconceptions about French Socialism & Work Culture

Keaton Jackson shares his experience as a landscaper in Vancouver, Canada and Paris, France. He shares his insight on what it's like to be a union worker vs. a private employee and the difference between working in Canada vs. France. Nolan and Keaton also discuss certain misconceptions some people have about France's safety nets and working culture. They finish the conversation by discussing shit sandwiches, prejudice against Europeans in small North American towns, and why cities embrace people from diverse backgrounds. 

Support the show https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/⁠⁠ ⁠t

Dec 27, 202237:02
Empowering Women through Borderless with Tima Deryan

Empowering Women through Borderless with Tima Deryan

Nolan and Tima expand on last week's episode and dive into the different ways people can become part of the Borderless NGO. They discuss feminism, gender essentialism, and how Tima empowers Arabic women around the world. Tima Deryan became the 1st Lebanese woman and youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest at 26 years old, but you can learn about that on CNN, BBC, Aljazeera, and every major news channel. 

You can access the transcript, discuss language, and join the community at https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/. You can also find highlights of the conversation and comedic videos on the Without Borders Youtube channel.


Dec 20, 202231:10
Youngest Arab to Summit Mount Everest Joins Borderless

Youngest Arab to Summit Mount Everest Joins Borderless

Tima Deryan became the 1st Lebanese woman and youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest, but you can learn about that on CNN, BBC, Aljazeera, and every major news channel. In today's episode, we focus on the Borderless NGO. Borderless is an independent Lebanese non-profit organization with a mission to create a life-changing impact on the lives of vulnerable families. Tima and Nolan discuss how to volunteer, intern, and work for Borderless while focusing on the mental health aspect of the organization.

Make sure to tune in next week as Nolan and Tima hone in on cultural superstitions and ways to empower women in the middle east and around the world. You can stay updated and join the community at https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/. English language learners can access transcripts and ask questions about what they heard on the podcast. You can also find highlights of the conversation and comedic videos on the Without Borders Youtube channel.

You can also find a link to Tima's book, Curly Adventures.

Dec 13, 202225:03
Breaking American Stereotypes

Breaking American Stereotypes

"Opinions shouldn't define who you are; if they do, you'll never change them."

Walden Hudson describes people's stereotypes about him as an American and how he works to break them. Nolan and Walden differ in their views about gun control but discover they have more in common than they think. 

Join our borderless community (https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/.) for more travel stories and insight into cultural psychology. You can also access the transcripts and language notes. 

Check out "The Men Who Swallow" if you're interested in learning more about culture and why opinions shouldn't define us. The Without Borders community is always open for discussion.

More videos and content are available on the Without Border's Youtube channel

Follow IG @waldon.hudson


Dec 06, 202233:17
A Tearing Decision During COVID

A Tearing Decision During COVID

Nolan Yuma and Walden Hudson expand on their previous conversation about work culture in the United States versus New Zealand. Waldon Hudson (IG @Walden.Hudson) opens up about his family and friends that passed away during the COVID Pandemic and one of the hardest choices he ever had to make–go back to the United States to assist his family or stay in New Zealand to keep his job and everything he has worked for over the past several years.

Without Borders is a free podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/. Your support makes the project possible.


Nov 29, 202229:24
Bogans, Rednecks and Nudity in New York

Bogans, Rednecks and Nudity in New York

Nolan Yuma and Walden Husdon relive their first encounter and reveal how Nolan ended up naked in Times Square and in Walden's manager's basement. Walden then tells the story of how he went from being a model and actor in New York to a Leadership Development Coach in New Zealand. They also explore the differences between New Zealand bogans and Georgian rednecks. Their discussion comparing various work cultures around the world continues on in the second part of the episode. 

New episodes come out every Tuesday.

Walden's LinkedIn.  Walden's Instagram.

If you want to access transcripts or join the community, please visit https://bornwithoutborders.substack.com/.

You can also find Nolan's book, Living with the In-Laws, for more about his experience with Walden in New York. 

Nov 22, 202230:05
Part 2 - Exploring Mental Health and other Cultural Difference between Japan and North America
Nov 15, 202229:25
Exploring Mental Health and other Cultural Differences Between Japan and North America
Nov 08, 202226:48
Sailing Across the Atlantic & Brotherly Love

Sailing Across the Atlantic & Brotherly Love

Two brothers, Nolan Yuma Janssens and Yano Peter Janssens, compare and contrast their childhood experiences. They discuss their identity crisis as third-culture children trying to find a sense of home. Yano also talks about what it's like to sail across the Atlantic on a tall ship, and Nolan opens up about his depression. 

For transcripts, language notes, written stories, and cultural psychology visit withoutborders.fyi 

Without Borders is a free podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at withoutborders.fyi. Your support makes the project possible. 

Nov 08, 202227:27
A Vegetarian in Spain
Nov 08, 202228:48
A Nomadic Life With a Child During COVID.
Nov 08, 202230:52
An Easier Life in Sri Lanka than the UK
Nov 01, 202227:05
Trailer – Without Borders: Stories by the Inescapably foreign.
Oct 29, 202201:34