Crosscontinentals
Growing up speaking multiple languages and having parents from different continents can open a world of opportunities. It can also be lonely. Through interviews with “crosscontinentals,” this podcast explores ways in which straddling disparate cultures influences life experiences and worldviews. Season 1 is focused on what’s it like to be Japanese-Polish.
Episodes
A bit of Hollywood glam on this episode of Crosscontinentals. Thomas Golubić is a music supervisor who worked on shows such as Breaking Bad, Six Feet Under, and The Walking Dead. He pulls back the curtain on the American entertainment industry and describes how his multicultural background led to his job. We discussed:
- Working as a journalist in Yugoslavia during the wars in the 90s
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When Natacha Atlas began her career in the 80s, her music raised many eyebrows. Eventually, the world caught up, and the way in which she mixes global influences became so commonplace, it’s now heard everywhere.
We discussed:
- Natacha’s Rosicrucianism-influenced school
- Observing how world music became just music
- Natacha’s return to electro...
Yumi Ito’s parents, despite being musicians themselves, tried to dissuade her from following in their footsteps. She did it anyway—but in her own way, allowing her music to reflect her worldviews and Japanese-Polish heritage.
We discussed:
- Yumi’s parents’ journey from Poland and Japan to Switzerland
- How Yumi knew she should be a musician
- B...
Mark de Clive-Lowe is a musician, DJ, and producer whose career spans multiple musical genres, from jazz to house. In recent years, he has drawn more deeply from his heritage, creating some of his most personal work yet. As his music began to reflect more of Japan's influence, a series of unexpected events led him to move to Tokyo.
We discussed:
- The decision to not take up a teaching position in t...
Caitlin Magee 凱琳 is a musician and radio host who grew up around the world, moving with her family to follow her father who was an Australian diplomat. She describes how her peripatetic life led to unexpectedly finding a home in Taiwan, where she sings in English and in Mandarin. We discussed:
- Various challenges and opportunities stemming from growing up around the world
- Adjusting to gender attitudes in Saudi Arabia
- Becoming ...
Marita Albán Juárez is a Peruvian-Polish jazz musician who became an expert on Chopin because of a misunderstanding. She thought her teacher’s suggestion to write a book proposal was a mandatory assignment, and ended up publishing a book on Chopin, making a documentary, and becoming an authority who is often asked to share her expertise in the media.
We discussed:
- Growing up in a musical family
- Friends’ unexpected visits and...
Miki Berenyi might be best known as the lead singer of Lush, a British rock band that rose to fame in the nineties and split up after the death of their drummer, Chris Acland.
She grew up in London, a daughter of a Japanese actor and a Hungarian journalist. After her parents split up, she lived with her father and grandmother. She writes...
Crosscontinentals is going on a summer break. The show will be back with season two: expect more great guests and more in-depth conversations about straddling multiple cultures. If you’d like to be notified when the second season starts, subscribe here, or follow on Instagram: bit.ly/3NDZI0i
Franciszek Ślusarczyk’s move to Tokyo at the age of seven marked the beginning of a turbulent period in his life, during which he worked as a fashion model, flunked out of schools, and developed a drug habit. He had difficulties growing up in a place where he felt different, and it took him years to find balance and stability.
We discussed:
- Moving to Japan because of dad’s modeling job
- Read more
Leo Yamane thought of himself as unique, but in his 20s, he came across someone who shared many of his rare traits. This meeting was the start of a DJ duo consisting of two Leos, both Japanese-Polish, both raised in Germany, and both playing house music.
We discussed:
- Leo meeting Leo
- The discomfort around being marketed in Poland as “DJs from Tokyo”
- Read more
Emilia Okada grew up with people who didn’t look like her. Standing out made her curious about the Japanese side of her family, and when she was 17, she traveled to Tokyo to get to know them.
We discussed:
- Finding answers to long-standing questions during Emilia’s first trip to Japan
- Childhood in Sweden
- Attracting attention in Poland
Brothers Yasuhito and Masato Hayashi were born and raised in Japan. Masa was the first one to move to Poland. When Yasu went to visit him, little did he know, he would not be going back to Japan. Nowadays, they both live in Toruń, and their enthusiasm for Poland is so infectious, it prompted their childhood friend to follow them from Tokyo.
We discussed:
- Masato’s move to Poland and his appreciation ...
Sayuri Hayakawa, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Oklahoma State University, studies the role of language on how people make decisions. She talks about her research findings and their practical applications. She also answers listener questions.
We discussed:
- The physical differences in brains of multilinguals and monolinguals
- Tips for learning a new language
Vicky Inoue grew up in Stockholm, but never felt at home there. It wasn't until she moved to LA that she found a place that put her at ease. Vicky is a poet, and her multicultural background often features in her works.
We discussed:
- Vicky’s journey that led her from Stockholm to Los Angeles
- Finding dating much easier after moving to California
- Read more
At the beginning of her career, Asako Klimkiewicz spent three months in a hospital because of work-related burnout. She combined lessons from that experience with various Japanese cultural elements to excel at her current job in Germany.
We discussed:
- The sometimes troublesome, sometimes funny situations that happen in Germany as a result of Asako’s name
- Growing up una...
Tom Mori's childhood sounds like a nail-biting, action-packed thriller. When he was only a few years old, he and his mom ran away from his dad, who was a former gang member, and lived in small towns around Fukuyama. This was just the start of his journey that spanned two continents and involved learning Scouse.
We discussed:
- Tom's ex-yakuza dad
- Leaving his mom to move...
Joshua Thomson was born in Japan and spent most of his life there, but his looks make him stand out. His videos, in which he shares his unique perspective, have gained him a large online following.
We discussed:
- Joshua’s path to becoming an online content creator
- Differences between Japanese and Western humor
- Joshua’s multi-generational hist...
Julia Okuyama spent most of her life in Japan, but whenever she goes to Poland, she finds that she can express another side of herself that usually stays hidden in Japan. These multiple parts weave their way in and out through various aspects of her life, from learning languages to raising children.
We discussed:
- Julia’s father’s move to Poland in the 70s to start a business while the country was ...
Natalia Emi Hirai was born and raised in Japan, but she used to frequently visit her grandmother in Poland, and that’s where she came across Polish hip hop. Her interest in this type of music grew into a passion that she pursues to this day. She wrote a book on the topic a few years ago, and she’s working on another one coming out this year.
We discussed:
- The origins of Natalia Emi’s interest in h...
In his early school days, Karol Tomoki Yamazaki was trying to show his classmates the importance of seeing things from multiple perspectives. Over time, his awareness of just how relative everything is influenced art projects and graphic design work he creates as an adult. Karol Tomoki attributes this sensitivity to his Japanese-Polish background, which instilled in him an appreciation for considering diverse points of view.
We dis...
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