Learning through Life, Education & Stories: Sonia Tiwari interviews Maria Xenidou

Today, Sonia Tiwari interviews Maria! Together, they unpack Maria’s learning journey, education and memorable life experiences in Greece. 

Sonia facilitates an engaging conservation and provides wonderful insights as Maria talks about her childhood growing up in Athens and spending her summers in the Greek countryside. 

Maria shares her accidental homeschooling experience, her interest in speaking local dialects and her curiosity to explore different cultural norms and lifestyles. 

She talks about her love for chemistry and physics and remembers her teacher, who affirmed her career path when she was only 17! 

Maria reflects on her mother’s stories and guidance that motivated her to build a better life through education and hard work.  

As Sonia puts it, Maria found her purpose in life through crisis and insights. We hope you enjoy listening to this insightful conversation filled with childhood memories and deep reflections. 

 

Listen to this episode and explore:

Flipping the interview: Sonia Tiwari interviews Maria (1:04)

Maria’s accidental early-childhood experience with homeschooling (3:12)

Starting to learn English at a private school in Athens  (6:00)

Learning to understand and speak local dialects in the Greek countryside (7:46)

Reflecting on her curiosity to explore new cultural norms and her desire to connect with locals (12:48)

Studying for the national exams for her dream to get into the university (13:30)

Unpacking her interest in STEM and her decision to study Chemistry (14:52)

Remembering her Physics teacher who affirmed her career path (16:12) 

Unpacking her interest in science and understanding the world around her (16:54)

Deciding to pursue her PhD in polymer chemistry and material science (19:10)

Discussing her broad interests in history, literature, philosophy, and arts and her experience growing up in the Greek culture (20:02)

Reflecting on suggestions from the extended family to become a lawyer or a medical doctor (22:15)

Appreciating her mother’s guidance to get educated and become independent (24:00)

Sonia’s thoughts on how Maria found her purpose through crisis and insights (26:16)

Deciding that education was the path to build a better life; experiencing working-class life and learning from her mother’s childhood stories (27:10)

Sharing some of her mother’s stories and the impact they had on Maria’s choices (29:54)

Exploring her intellectual interests through learning and education (33:40)

Discussing how career exploration has evolved over the years due to technology (37:00)

Sharing her experience and choices that led Maria down a corporate career path  (39:30)

Shifting her focus on the future of learning and education: how life experience and informal learning guided her choices (43:54)

The Impact Learning purpose and the change Maria seeks to create during her lifetime (46:10)

 

Where to find more about Maria Xenidou:

LinkedIn

Twitter

 

Where to find more about Sonia Tiwari:

Sonia’s website

LinkedIn

Twitter

 

 Mentioned in this episode:

Sonia’s Impact Learning interview in Episode 82. 

 

 Production team:

Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou

Introduction Voice: David Bourne

 

 Conta