Pop Your Cultural Cherry

In this episode we have Sramana Singh, who is originally from India but is now currently doing her masters degree in Munich. She left a decent paying job in India to pursue higher education in a foreign land. She recently got married to her now husband in India but unfortunately, she had to make the journey here alone. 

She talks about her life and experiences in Germany as a student and what it's like breaking this stereotype of married women from India not pursuing career oriented goals.

Sramana also runs her own YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgX2bcGHgIS-w4y-aCc493A, where she shares information about pursuing higher education in Germany. You can also follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dassramana/

If you're interested in learning about an easy way to send money internationally, you can check out our partner Rewire, you can sign up with this link https://app.rewire.to/signup/?code=5KWN

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

This is our 2nd episode in a row with David Wen. Last time, he spoke about his life as an Asian American growing up in California and how his path led him to Europe. He gave us a little glimpse into one if his hobbies, hiking.

In this episode David talks to us about his experience doing the Camino De Santiago (the way of Saint James). The Camino De Santiago is a very important pilgrimage that draws thousands of people annually from all over the world to walk hundreds of kilometers, starting  from different parts of Europe to the city of Santiago De Compostela in  Galicia,  Northern Spain. He breaks down his experience for us, such as how his daily routine looked like, things he learned during the hike, etc. 

David actually documented parts of his journey and posted a video on his YouTube channel, which you can find here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NqgAzEoKl8 . You can also follow him in Instagram @say.wen

If you're interested in learning about an easy way to send money internationally, you can check out our partner Rewire, you can sign up with this link https://app.rewire.to/signup/?code=5KWN

 If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

In this episode we sit down with David Wen, who is originally from California and grew up in a Asian American household.  He was raised with a typical road to success, predefined by his parents, who were first generation migrants originally from China. Finish from a top tier university with the best possible grades to get a good paying job from a very reputable company. 

David's path went a bit differently, and he now finds himself in Amsterdam, He tell us about his journey of moving continents, switching career paths and his love for hiking. He talks about some bigger questions in life that his recent experiences may have affected: meaning, family and success. 

David has some really cool content about his love for hiking (a 900k view video about the Camino de Santiago) and other videos about his life in Amsterdam. You can subscribe to his channel here https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidWenStudio/ .  You can also follow him in Instagram @say.wen

If you're interested in learning about an easy way to send money internationally, you can check out our partner Rewire, you can sign up with this link https://app.rewire.to/signup/?code=5KWN

 If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

In this episode we talk to Tobi Krick from Germany and his experience doing volunteer work in rural Philippines. We talk about culture shocks he experienced there and reverse culture shock, when he moved back to Germany.

He shares a lot about how that volunteer experience of his and how helped him become more self-confident and led him to eventually change careers. Tobi is now a personal growth coach. He runs a podcast called Selbstbewusstsein (in English self-consciousness/self-confidence). He used to run a YouTube channel, where he would share his experiences and learnings in the Philippines .

If you're interested in checking out Tobi's YouTube Channel you can visit this https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWjDT3SEYoHwzpwC9hT4R1A

If you want to check out Tobi's work and his podcast, you can find information on his website https://tobikrick.com/

By the way, we've teamed up with Rewire, which is an easy way to send money internationally, you can check out our partner Rewire, you can sign up with this link https://app.rewire.to/signup/?code=5KWN

 If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry.  

In this episode, we are joined by the Lucas "The Asian Polyglot" to talk about languages. Lucas was born in Hong Kong, grew up in Singapore, went to Uni in the UK and is now working in Luxembourg. Besides speaking his native Cantonese, he also speaks Mandarin, English, German, French and Danish. 

Lucas shares with us, how he got into contact with these languages, his technique in learning languages and how these languages have played a role in his life. 

If you're interested in checking out Lucas' YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3yw4zBv0a0SDxPBTAJZQZw

If you're interested in learning about an easy way to send money internationally, you can check out our partner Rewire, you can sign up with this link https://app.rewire.to/signup/?code=5KWN

 If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

In this episode we were joined by Megumi, who is Japanese American and grew up in Hawaii. She talks about her experience and her reasons for moving  to Italy. One of those reasons she sheds  light on is the difference in the health care systems in both countries. 
 
 If you're interested in learning more about Megumi, you can check out her website http://accordingtomegumi.com/
 
 If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

As part of last June’s pride month, I wanted to talk about the topic of the LGBT community and how differently people in the Philippines and Germany see this. This week we have Nadine from Berlin Nadine is a Filipina who moved to Germany from the Singapore but grew up in the Philippines.

I actually found Nadine because of her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXTWVVsOyNbPZkpPyQpgFQ and a recent video she posted about coming out in Germany. You can follow Nadine’s adventures on her Instagram page @jessieandnadine

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

Lia is an interculturist from Norway, who is well versed in topics around intercultural communication, leadership, psychology, learning and change. In this episode, she does not only share her own experiences, but also some of her thoughts that are actually backed by research.  She also spent quite some time in the Philippines and really understands the culture and speaks the Filipino language fluently. 

She runs an Instagram page with nuggets of information about culture - follow her at https://www.instagram.com/globalbonez/

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

Today's guest is Monica. She is Indian, but spent a good chunk of her childhood in the Philippines, before moving back to India. She is now based in the UK with her husband. She talks us through her journey of adjustment process, difficulties along the way and tips that helped with moving.

On the side, Monica is relationship coach and recently a fellow podcaster. She just launched her show called the Relationship Mirror. If you want to get in  touch with Monica directly. You can go visit https://bit.ly/3g8nIal

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

My first guest from Vietnam. Yen did her Master's in Germany, both in Eastern and Western Germany. She speaks a little bit about her experience as a student abroad and the preparation  required. She also talks about her fair share of dating in Germany. Germany has a big Vietnamese population and Yen sheds some light on this topic (a little history lesson for us). Lastly, she speaks about her YouTube channel, which focuses on her creative passion and life in Germany.

You can find her on YouTube under the name Cherrybrave Germany or click on this link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYNCC6RtKF-n1H9CKuxRmcQ/featured

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

The life of a academic researcher is not a life for everyone. In this episode we talk to Li-Yen Wong, who is originally from Malaysia. She later on finished her education and got her PhD in Australia, before moving to Maastricht in the Netherlands for her Postdoctoral research.

Li talks about her journey in pursuit of her career. She explains how having an Asian tiger mom shaped her to who she is today and how different the life in academia is in Australia and the Netherlands. Lastly, Li shares tips on how, she has  successfully rebuilt her social life in a her new home.   

You can find Li on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/li-yen-wong/ . She also mentions a couple social groups that she is a part of: https://girlgoneinternational.com/ and https://www.pintofscience.nl/

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

Looking for a new job is always tough, but it gets even tougher if you are looking for a new job abroad. If you're plotting  a life in a new country with  no network, no knowledge of the labor market, how do you actually begin your job hunt?

In this episode, we are joined by Chiara Cokieng, who is a fellow Filipino based in Germany. She is currently a Product Manager in Berlin. Simultaneously she also runs Gen Propel, which is an online cohort-based course that focuses on job hunting skills that could help people find work in a new country. 

You can learn more about Chiara through her website here https://www.chiaracokieng.com/ and if you're interested in participating in her course, you can check out https://genpropel.com/ 

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

This episode is a bit special. Instead of my typical interview with an expat or immigrant in Europe, I thought it would be nice to get insights on life on the other side. I stumbled upon Simon "Sim" Tschunko on YouTube.  He together with his wife Ruth have given up their comfortable lives in Germany to become development workers for the church. They have been living in the Philippines for almost 5 years now. Previously they were based in a very rural part of the Philippines called Samar, and  until recently moved to a small city called Tacloban, which is still to some extent recovering from a one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded. 

I wanted to understand why a young German couple would move half way around the world, to a place that to most people would consider very underdeveloped. The Philippines and Germany are worlds a part in a lot of ways - socially, culturally, economically, etc. It wanted to find out what type of challenges Sim faces and what important things he is learning from his experience there

Sim is also a YouTuber, where he shares experiences and learnings in his daily life in the Philippines. You can find the link to Sim's YouTube channel here  https://www.youtube.com/c/SimKosays/

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

The 2nd part of my interview with Christine Abrigana the UK based host of Lagim Podcast - A Filipino True Crime Podcast. Last episode, Christine spoke about her upbringing being German/Filipino. She also shed some light on the differences in educational systems she experienced in several European countries and in the Philippines.

In this episode we continue our interview with Christine, and she shares her motivation for starting her podcast and her thoughts on the growing podcast category of murder and crime.

You can find the link to Christine's podcast here https://instabio.cc/20820TsHy92 or you can also follow  her on Instagram @lagimpodcast

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on Facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

In this episode we are joined by Christine Abrigana, who is the host of Lagim - A  Filipino True Crime Podcast. This is a podcast that talks about popular murder cases that took place in the Philippines. Besides being behind this podcast, Christine is also half German and half Filipino, who grew up in both countries. To make her story even more interesting, she has studied basically in 4 different countries , including most of her childhood in a city in the Philippines called Davao. She is currently based in the UK.

This is a 2 part episode - so do join us next week for the 2nd part of my interview with Christine, where she talks about her podcast - Lagim and her motivations behind starting it. She also sheds some light on the crime/thriller podcast genre that is so popular these days. 

You can find the link to Christine's podcast here https://instabio.cc/20820TsHy92 or you can also follow  her on Instagram @lagimpodcast

If you want to stay updated with the latest regarding the show, don't forget to follow us on Facebook @popyourcutluralcherry or give us a like on facebook Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

Carnival season (Karneval how it is spelled in German) just ended. The Corona pandemic put its breaks on one my of favorites festivals in Germany and the Netherlands (and yes it is technically celebrated during the same time the Carnival in Brazil). Typically February in Northern Europe is cold and miserable, but during Karneval season, different cities come together and celebrate on streets in cool costumes, with loud music and alcohol. 

In this episode  you will learn about the why, when, where and how Karneval is celebrated in this part of Europe. You will also learn a little bit about the Christian liturgical calendar and the Lenten season. 

Shout out to The Expat Cast - if I hadn't collaborated on a new episode, I probably would not have thought about this topic. If you're interested in more interesting stories from expats based in Germany, you can check them out here  https://www.theexpatcast.com/

In this episode we are joined by a German Job Coach - Lisa Janz. She is a seasoned HR development specialist (human resources) with tons of experience in recruiting, talent sourcing and people/leadership development. She currently supports  foreigners looking to further their career in Germany by improving their employability in this country. 

This episode is filled with practical advice for people looking for a job in Germany or who want to understand the job market here. We will learn just how unique the labor market here is, as well as industry trends and possible effects of the Corona pandemic. Get tips on "the little things" that will really make an impact on your next interview in Germany. 

Lisa actually interviewed me in the past for her YouTube channel, which you will notice is my 12th episode of the show, where she is actually interviewing me. If you're interested in getting in touch with her, you can visit her website https://www.lisajanz.com/

Globalization, with the help of technology has been bringing people, countries and continents closer together at an increasingly faster rate every year.  With the rise of companies such as Amazon,  it has been increasingly easier to "physically have your products available and sell them internationally". But making your products available and actually successfully developing your brand in a new market are 2 different things. 

In this episode we are joined by Kathryn Read, who is originally from the UK, but now resides in Austria. She is currently a marketing consultant, where she supports companies from Europe trying to enter Asia and vice versa. She has a lot of interesting stories and experiences, working with both cultures.
 

This episode is a little different. I was recently interviewed by Lisa Janz Job Coach Germany for a Facebook Live event. She is an experienced HR professional and now coaches job seekers and helps them adjust to the German labor market. 

This interview was about how I ended up in Germany, how it was like living and working here, the challenges I come across day to day and most importantly the things I like about this amazing country. 

This episode is a product of that interview - it is about 80% of the original interview, which you could find on Lisa Janz's Facebook Page or YouTube channel. 

My first interview happens to be with a good friend of mine, who is also from Asia (Japan) and lives in Aachen (Germany). Connected to my last episode, I met Haruki through one of these Couchsurfing or Meetup events and Aachen and since then we've been really good friends. 

In this episode, we explore the differences or similarities living in Germany and Japan. We also take a look at a few things that Japanese people could actually learn from living in a country like Germany.

I personally have not met a lot of Japanese people, who have decided to call either the Netherlands or Germany home. So I thought this would be an interesting first interview.

We continue the discussion from last week's episode of my impression of making friends in Germany.  Which again, is a difficult part of moving to a new a country. 

This episode, I share some ways I found very effective in making friends, while living in a new country or new city. Some of them are free applications or websites, while the others are paid, yet still inexpensive ways to meet new people.  A few of the examples I've given are even applicable during the Corona pandemic. 

Join me in this episode as I share some hacks in making friends abroad.  

If you've have some hacks in making new friends, while living abroad that I did not discuss in this episode, kindly share them on our Facebook page and Instagram  at Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

Making friends is a big and very important topic, when moving to a new country. In some countries it could be a bit easier, but in some countries it's really tough. It gets even more complicated when you're older and don't speak the local language. This is a challenge for a lot of people and it does not have one single answer.

In this episode I try to share my impressions in making friends in Germany, more specifically making friends with the local people.  Let's say I've been living here 2 years and I'm only beginning to scratch the surface. The pandemic obviously did not make things easier. 

Join me in this episode as I explore this important aspect of life as an immigrant in a new country.

If you've had your own experiences, do share them in our Facebook page and Instagram  at Pop Your Cultural Cherry. 

Moving to a new country is always tough.  Especially when you have to say good bye to the customs and surroundings you were used to in your home country. Things get exponentially more difficult when you're older, have no network and don't speak the language in the country you are moving to.

In my case the move to Germany wasn't easy, especially in the beginning. Culture shock is real! And in this episode I talk a bit about some of these unexpected challenges that caught me off guard.

At the end of the day, they are differences that we need to learn to live with if we want to embrace our new environment

To stay updated, don't forget to follow Pop Your Cultural Cherry on Facebook and Instagram

After spending more or less 2 Christmases in Germany with a German family in a small village, the country's way of celebrating Christmas is starting to grow on me. In this episode find out what makes celebrating Christmas in Germany unique compared to the other parts of the the world.

To stay updated, don't forget to follow Pop Your Cultural Cherry on Facebook and Instagram.

My amazing time in the Netherlands  had come to an end, because of a pleasant surprise in the form of job  in the nearby city of Aachen, Germany.  In this episode I retrace the whole process of looking for an apartment in Germany, and physically moving there.  Moving to a new country  with a new culture and language is never easy. After having slightly adjusted to the Dutch culture, my adventure takes a new unexpected turn. For me this transition wasn't easy, but it was a learning experience. 

To stay updated, don't forget to follow Pop Your Cultural Cherry on Facebook and Instagram.

After a year and a half of living in the Netherlands and having visited different cities there, I've compiled a few things that make the Netherlands an ideal place to live or study.

1. Cycling - From having safe lanes, to urban planning that is centered around cycling and abundant bike parking, it  remains a paradise for people who love to cycle.

2.  Tolerance and open mindedness of Dutch society 

3. Dutch fondness for traveling and knack for learning languages - they are all pretty fluent in English

4.  And of course the wonderful variations of high quality beer and cheese

Follow the Pop Your Cultural Cherry Facebook page to get up to date with what’s new on the podcast https://www.facebook.com/popyourculturalcherry.

In the third episode, Lawin talks about his time living in the Netherlands and the biggest culture shocks he encountered. Moving to a new country is never easy, especially if you come from halfway around the world. The host highlights the differences that exist in Dutch culture versus Filipino culture.  From gong Dutch, raw herring to Dutch directness, various topics are covered in the episode. No matter how different things may be, living with these cultural differences just make life more interesting. 

Follow the Pop Your Cultural Cherry Facebook page to get up to date with what’s new on the podcast https://www.facebook.com/popyourculturalcherry.

In the second episode of Pop Your Cultural CHerry, Lawin talks about his preconceived notion of Europe. What contributed to that preconceived notion. And most importantly  what those notions actually were. 

He shares his thoughts on interesting topics such as beer, food, travelling, technological advancements, expenses and safety. 

Follow the Pop Your Cultural Cherry Facebook page to get up to date with what’s new on the podcast https://www.facebook.com/popyourculturalcherry.

The first episode of Pop Your Cultural Cherry is meant to introduce you to what this podcast has in store for you. Lawin talks about why he wanted to start podcasting and what to expect from his succeeding episodes. He also gives you a brief background of himself and where he comes from and a several experiences that have helped shape his perspective. Most importantly you will learn exactly why you should start listening to this podcast.

What to expect in this episode:

1.      Setting the premise of how stark the differences are between Europe (Germany) and the Philippines

2.      A brief summary of how & why Lawin moved to Europe

3.      How he ended up in Germany

4.      Various reasons why Lawin’s perspective is unique

5.      A hint on content for the following episodes 

If you’re new to Europe and want to listen to how other people are doing in terms of integrating into society here, then this might be interesting for you. If you have plans of moving to Europe and want to have some hints of how life is here, then you might want to listen to this podcast.

Follow my Facebook page to get up to date with what’s new on my podcast https://www.facebook.com/popyourculturalcherry.