Stories Between Sips
Hosted by René van Niekerk, this podcast is about the stories of South African people that often go unheard. Grab a cuppa, sit down and let's chat! storiesbetweensips.substack.com
Episodes
What does it mean to grieve when you're far from everything familiar?
In this episode, I speak with Renate Mayer — someone I went to high school with — who now lives in the U.S. with her husband John and is currently on the path to becoming a death doula. We talk about the heartbreak of losing a parent while living abroad, the silence of family who don’t show up, and how grief can reshape your sense of connection and calling.
Renate ...
In this solo episode, I share the most personal story I've ever told — losing my mom in 2021 and my dad in 2024. I talk about the guilt of being far from home, how grief affected my relationship with my brother and my dad, and what it felt like when family didn’t show up.
This isn’t a guide to “getting over it.” It’s an honest look at what it means to carry loss — and to slowly find your way through.
Follow Stories Between Sips and j...
Grief changes everything — your identity, your relationships, your sense of home.
On Monday, I share my story of losing both my parents — my mom in 2021 and my dad in 2024 — and how that grief shaped me.
Then on Friday, I’m joined by my high school friend Renate Mayer, now living in the U.S., as we talk about grieving across oceans and the family who showed up… and who didn’t.
Two episodes. One honest conversation.
Follow @storiesbetwe...
In this deeply moving episode of Stories Between Sips, René sits down with Ilze Gopal — a wife, mother, poet, and lifelong friend — who shares her lived experience with bipolar disorder.
Ilze speaks candidly about her early diagnosis, the emotional highs and lows, her relationship with faith, family, and the role therapy and medication have played in her journey. This is a story of strength, survival, and ongoing healing — filled wi...
In this powerful solo episode, I open up about navigating mental health as a Coloured person in South Africa. From growing up surrounded by silence around emotional struggles to seeking therapy and medication after personal loss, this episode is a gentle but honest unpacking of stigma, survival, and healing.
🎙️ May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this conversation is for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, isolated, or unsu...
In this episode of Stories Between Sips, I sit down with LaToya Gabriel, a teacher, traveler, and expat who has lived and worked in China, Qatar, and beyond. We discuss the challenges of building a life away from home, navigating racism, and the constant search for belonging. LaToya shares her journey of teaching abroad, the complexities of adapting to different cultures, and how she has grown in the process. If you’ve ever felt li...
Leaving your home country sounds like a dream—new opportunities, a better lifestyle, growth. But what about the moments no one talks about? The loneliness. The milestones you miss. The quiet grief of being far away from everything and everyone that once defined “home.”
In this solo episode of Stories Between Sips, your host, René van Niekerk, opens up about the emotional cost of living and working abroad. From strained friendships t...
In this pilot episode of Stories between Sips, I share who I am, why I started this podcast, and what you can expect from this space.
Born and raised in Cape Town, I’m a teacher, poet, and storyteller who’s taught in South Africa, South Korea, and now Qatar. After losing both of my parents in recent years, I created this platform to reflect, heal, and connect—because I believe our stories matter.
Expect honest, thoughtful, and someti...
I'm launching my podcast this week. Please tune in!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit storiesbetweensips.substack.com
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