Is home a person, a place, or a feeling? On this episode of the inbetweenish I speak with Mona Hassan who shares her unique experiences growing up at the intersection of Austrian, South Korean, and Egyptian cultures. Mona takes us through her multicultural upbringing and emphasizes the importance of family acceptance in fostering a sense of belonging within society. We discuss the fascinating parallels between South Korean and Egyptian values and how they can sometimes clash with Austria...

Can you find where you belong halfway across the world?In this episode, Shreya Sharma shares her unique experience growing up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) and moving to various countries in the Gulf region before becoming a naturalized Canadian citizen, where she found her chosen place of belonging. She discusses the impact of colonial beauty standards, the caste system, and her intersectional identity as a queer woman of color on her sense of self. Shreya challenges traditional notions of "c...

How has your gender impacted your sense of belonging? — with MalikOn this episode of the inbetweenish, we focus on an inbetweenish aspect that has seldom come up in previous episodes: gender identity. Malik is a bicultural transgender man who spent his formative years between America and Egypt. With Malik we cover his first identity crisis, discovering the spectrum of LGBTQ+, manoeuvring his gender identity within himself and also with his family, and complicated feelings towards the places y...

How do you connect with your different cultures?In this episode, I’m speaking with Fiona Livingstone, who balances her Dutch-Scottish heritage with her English upbringing. Fiona candidly shares her journey of navigating her cultural identity and the challenges she experienced along the way. She opens up about her childhood home, her desire to assimilate, and how her perspective evolved over time. From feeling silently judged to missing out on learning Dutch, Fiona reveals how she coped and ho...

Can we talk about taboos?  In this second episode with Amuna Wagner we explore taboos and the importance of processing them and addressing them. She also shares her views on the nuance and difference between religion and faith. This is particularly interesting to listen to given her life experience with a family that touches the three Abrahamic religions. Lastly, we also focus on her experience of growing up as an interracial child and touch upon her documentary Schwarz, capturing...

How has your family's past influenced your identity? In this first episode, Amuna Wagner reflects on her crisis of purpose and wonders out loud if she has a responsibility towards her identity. She walks us down her family history from her grandparents to her parents, from the Holocaust, to escapes, to refugee camps, and eventually to rebuilding of life as a marginalized community. Amuna’s background touches the three Abrahamic religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - which adds another...

What if you don’t fit the stereotype? In this episode, Sadia Azmat, a published author, podcast host and a stand-up comedian, brings a unique perspective to the discussion on cultural identity. Sadia is born in Britain to Indian parents and she is also a practicing Muslim, however, she does not quite fit the perception people tend to have of her. She shares her journey with embracing her hijab and how it became complicated due to media narratives and misconceptions surrounding it. Sadia also...

Part 3 of the ‘on Palestine’ series: Have you ever asked a Palestinian how they see a way forward? Or what is different about this generation of Palestinians? In this episode we dive into all that through the voices of our three Palestinian guests: Zeena, Faissal, and Nour. On Palestine is a three-part-series on the inbetweenish pod that focuses on the Palestinian identity, the struggle for liberation, and a way forward. Palestinians have often been misrepresented by the media, so in this...

Part 2 of the ‘on Palestine’ series: The Palestinian struggle for liberation is portrayed widely differently depending on who you ask, but have you ever asked Palestinians how they see and understand their own struggle for liberation? On Palestine is a three-part-series on the inbetweenish pod that focuses on the Palestinian identity, the struggle for liberation, and a way forward. Palestinians have often been misrepresented by the media, so in this mini-series you will be hearing from 3...

In your lifetime and exposure, how have you understood Palestinian culture and it’s people? On Palestine is a three-part series on the inbetweenish pod that focuses on the Palestinian identity, the struggle for liberation, and a way forward. Palestinians have often been misrepresented by the media, so in this series you will be hearing from 3 Palestinians that come from different backgrounds: → Zeena, Palestinian diaspora who was raised in the Arab world → Faissal, Palestinian diaspora who...

In this season's first minisode, we’re getting personal as I’m sharing a valuable lesson from Vovó (grandma in portuguese). Navigating a complex and ever-evolving identity can be confusing, to say the least, but today we breakdown why it’s normal. Confusion about your identity is a common human experience. We dive into how many identities we have accumulated and gathered through our lifetime. This is universal; you don’t have to be inbetweenish to be confused about who you are, but it...

The inbetweenish is back for Season 2: First episode launches Tuesday, October 3rd. Get ready to embark on a captivating journey exploring the fundamental concepts of roots, home, and belonging all while embracing the beauty of being different. This season we travel through the bridges we’ve built across cultures — understanding the decisions that shaped us, remembering the homes we had to leave behind, and celebrating the immense power in the freedom to choose your own future. Join us every...

We're wrapping up an incredible season of inbetweenish pod! From vulnerability to raw reflections, these stories of belonging have been quite the journey. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of the season, sharing highlights, learnings, and even some embarrassing bloopers. Oh and guess what? Season 2 is on its way! So, stay tuned for more heart to hearts, explorations of identity, belonging, and culture. Thank you for following along and thank you for being a part of the...

Refugee, asylum seeker, internally displaced person, migrant, immigration—the news is abuzz with some of these terms. But do you truly grasp the differences between them? Join Baharak Bashmani and me as we fearlessly delve into this complex topic, breaking it down into simple terms. With Baharak's unique perspective as a former refugee, having experienced the entire journey from displacement to resettlement, and her work with the UNHCR assisting fellow refugees, she offers valuable...

What happens when you're inbetweenish? It's both a curse and a blessing as there are many internal and external battles that you face when you have multiple belongings. In this episode we try to unpack some of the common experiences— the good and the bad that comes with being inbetweenish. PS. Bob the cat makes an appearance 🐈 💭 reflections on: what is culture Tune into this minisode to understand the many complex layers of culture using the iceberg analogy. This goes in depth into...

How do you understand time? Is it linear? Do things progress with time? Or do they regress? Axel’s Two-Part Interview Episode 6, Season 1: 🎹  it is not with bones and skin, it’s all with feeling — with Axel [Part I]Episode 7, Season 1: 🎹  a man is synonymous with describing a soldier — with Axel [Part 2]More about: Axel Kacoutié Website  |  Instagram  |  Twitter — Newsletter Alert: The QUEST. Newsletter 👉 Click here to Subscribe  Basically I set out a QUEST and you have a month to nerd...

We talk a lot about culture around here, so I thought it was about time we actually break it down — what is culture? On some level, we all know what it is, but it helps to understand the nuances of the word and for this explanation I’m going with the iceberg analogy to illustrate the visible and invisible layers of culture. Newsletter Alert: The QUEST. Newsletter 👉 Click on this Link to Subscribe  Basically I set out a QUEST and you have a month to nerd out on it, before you get the next one...

Have you ever asked yourself what ‘home’ means to you? And did you ever stop to wonder how the words we use matter? From a young age, Baharak Bashmani, has had to navigate many worlds, each time moving for different reasons: from fleeing her 'home' country, to being resettled by the UNHCR, and later moving by choice. Every move comes with its own trials and tribulations, but ultimately her determination carries her through. As she makes her way through 7 countries, she reflects on her...

Have you ever stopped to wonder what rituals you practice from your inherited faith? Are they religious rituals? Or are they cultural rituals? Episode 9, Season 1 with Aakshi Singha 🌶️ the diversity that brings us together — with Aakshi More about: Aakshi Singha Instagram |  Twitter - In these 'SideTalk' episodes of the in-betweenish pod, I’ll be selecting side conversations extracted from recording sessions with our guests. Each SideTalk will tackle a specific subject.   - Curious about...

What is the strongest tie you have to your home country?  How does your schooling inform your own identity? On this episode, I chat with Aakshi Sinha about her upbringing, growing up all over India, and then going away for college at Minerva University. Aakshi bravely shares stories from her boarding school days, from complicated hierarchal relationships, to coping mechanisms through music and community building. Together we explore subjects of mental health, seeking therapy, discovering...

In this minisode we’re going back to the origin story of in-betweenish, explaining why and how it came to be. It all started with a few simple questions about a decade ago: Where is home?  What is a home? This lead me on a journey to discover the term Third Culture Kid (TCK). Researchers John and Ruth Useem, an American sociologist and anthropologist couple, first coined the term Third Culture Kids when they were living abroad in India with their family. According to Dr. Ruth Useem, being a...

Identity Crisis is a term that gets thrown around quite a bit nowadays. In this minisode, I attempt to understand, from a psychological perspective, what an identity crisis really is. In doing so, we also explore what identity is comprised of: experiences, relationships, beliefs, values and memories. Information shared in this minisode is based on the work and theories of Erik Erikson and James Marcia. PS. Read along this article if you want to understand how identity develops! Erik...

Have you ever tried to fit in so badly you changed your appearance? Were you aware of the subconscious reasons that may have lead to this decision? Nora Sundberg is a close friend and in this episode we dive deep into her roots and unveil a story of layered identity crisis. At a young age, Nora was adopted, then she spent her life growing up in various places, as a Third Culture Kid. On this episode you hear her navigate the delicate dynamics of being from a certain place, but always standing...

Old friends are often times a gateway to our past selves. Who we were as teenagers is not gone but only built upon. Today, I encourage you to reach out to an old friend from your teenage years, even if you’re no longer very close. They still know a past version of yourself that may be buried under layers of adulthood. PS. If you do reach out to an old friend and want to share your story with me, I’d love to hear from you. 🎙️ And you can actually send me a voice message through our website!...