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In this Beneath the Accent spotlight, Yannick shares reflections from his journey across Cameroon, France, and Canada—revealing how cultural identity, once seen as a challenge, became his greatest strength.
Through the lens of a powerful hummingbird legend, Yannick encourages newcomers to see their cultural roots as gifts, not burdens. He emphasizes that real belonging stems from staying authentic—even in the face of rejection.
This segment is a moving reminder that embracing your accent, values, and background can transform cultural differences into deep connections.
Follow the host and the podcast on Social Media channels below:
- My Thick Accent on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mythickaccent/
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- Gurasis's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamgurasis/
- Gurasis's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamgurasis/
__________________________________________
To contact Yannick:
- Yannick's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannick-oho-bambe-90ab003a?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3Bk2zcl6qrSoKLto12iumloA%3D%3D
- The Diary of A Diversity Champ Podcast - https://anchor.fm/yannick-oho-bambe
- I am more than the immigrant you had in mind Podcast - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL35c2EQo75hqwgTyfWqhw2twHFDi1q
Want to share your story? Or know someone I should invite next on the show? DM us or write to us at Hello@mythickaccent.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Gurasis (00:02):
now, in the final segment of the podcast I call it
beneath the accent I'm going toask a couple of questions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence or how.
So you feel like the idea isjust to know a little bit more
about you.
So ready, sure yes, let's go sothe first is what advice would
you give to your younger self,and at what age?
Yannick (00:22):
advice I would give my younger self.
Gurasis (00:24):
I would say stay the same, don't change anything okay
, what would you like to say toyour six-year-old self?
Yannick (00:34):
I would say I hope you're happy with the choice
that your younger self has madeokay, describe a moment when you
experienced a significantcultural difference that
surprised you.
Definitely, I would say.
In Atlanta, georgia, I had awhite girlfriend at the time and
(00:56):
she came to visit me in where Iwas living because it was a
predominantly black neighborhood.
It made me uncomfortable.
You know the way they justlooked at her and really, you
know, despised her.
I mean it's like they've neverseen, I guess, an interracial
couple before in their lives.
It was almost like surreal tothem, right, and that kind of
(01:19):
reflected in their looks.
Coming from France again, whichwas, like I said, much more
multicultural than that.
Gurasis (01:25):
Okay, what's the one dish from your home country that
always brings you comfort andnostalgia?
Yannick (01:31):
Plantains.
Yeah, I mean, it doesn't bringyou nostalgia because I can
access them here, so Okay.
Gurasis (01:43):
But it kind of reminds you of your heritage right.
Yannick (01:45):
Oh, definitely of your heritage.
Oh, definitely, definitely that.
Gurasis (01:46):
That is definitely that , yeah, yes I was also reading
that it's like a, like a sidedish for for anything yes, yes,
yes, literally it's like frieshere.
Yannick (01:59):
You know, you can eat them everything that you like.
Gurasis (02:01):
You know fish, chicken, anything, yeah so you know,
since any of you have lived likeall around continents, what's
your favorite cultural festivalor celebration that you have
come across, and do you actuallycelebrate it then?
Yannick (02:13):
one festival, the cameroonian festival.
Actually never experienced it,uh, physically, but my dad was
kind of like one of theorganizers of it at some point
and I've always heard about it.
It's called.
It happens every year inDecember in Cameroon, the tribe,
(02:34):
from which my parents are, likethe water, the water tribe
right, they're close to thewater, so there's all those
celebrations around the water.
It's almost like a waterfestival.
There are a lot of activitiesaround that races, fighting and
(02:55):
food degustation A lot of goodthings that are happening in
that time of the year.
What's?
it called it's called the NgondoN-G-O-N-D-O, the Ngondo
Festival, and so this is one ofthe festivals that I've, like I
said, I've been exposed to, notphysically, but I've always
(03:19):
wanted to be part of it, andalso that's another fun, fun
fact about Cameroon there areplenty of festivals like this,
depending on the tribe and thedifferent cultures.
All year round there aredifferent activities like that
that are actually celebratingthe culture.
So that's one.
(03:40):
You asked me for one, right?
Yeah?
Gurasis (03:45):
Share a quick tip for fellow immigrants who are trying
to adjust in a new country.
Yannick (03:50):
Remember that you have something to bring to the
country?
I'm asked this question.
I always try to get people toremember the so-called soft
skills, right, right, that wethose those soft skills and and
(04:11):
that I believe as immigrant andpeople from the global south.
We almost inherit them in ourculture because I've I've been
around a lot of people fromdifferent culture in the south
and and you, you see a lot ofcommonalities as far as some of
those values that I was talkingto you about.
You know hospitality andsolidarity and you know just
(04:32):
respect for the elders and youknow just behaving in a certain
way when you're in public andtreating the others.
Are collectivist societies, asopposed to here in Canada or in
the West that areindividualistic societies.
Gurasis (04:48):
Absolutely.
Yannick (04:49):
Those skills that you have to bring.
Treat them as a gift that youare going to share with your
host community and use everyopportunity to share those gifts
with them.
If you have that mindset ofalways trying to create this
sort of like exchange, culturalexchange, then I think you'll be
(05:10):
good.
The journey will become easierand easier.
Gurasis (05:14):
I love that.
Thanks for that.
And since you spend most ofyour time in London, tell me
about a friend that you madethere and are you still in
connect?
Yannick (05:23):
I guess it's much more than a friend that you made
there and are you still inconnect?
I guess it's much more than afriend.
Uh, I mean, I think it's.
It's.
It's actually a lady who was,uh, uh, one of the the leaders
at at the church that weattended uh, my family and I, my
, my wife and my sister and I,and uh, and, over the years, um,
(05:47):
she became also, she, be, shealmost became like a, like a
mother to me, like a secondmother.
Right, and uh, we still in touchtoday.
Um, you know she's, uh, she's asenior citizen, obviously, but,
yeah, but, but but there's likethis, uh, very deep affection
and and love for her.
(06:08):
You know, so, yeah, so when, sowhen you talk to me, when you
ask me about a friend,immediately my mind went to her.
I mean, I don't know how that's.
That's the first picture that Isaw him because, yeah, she,
she's more, but she's more,she's much more than a friend,
she's more, but she's more,she's much more than a friend.
She's.
She's almost like a yeah, likea mother to me.
Okay.
Gurasis (06:27):
What's something you ate for the first time in Canada
, and did you like it?
Yannick (06:32):
Again, when I mean we talked about Tim Beats, tim
Hortons earlier.
Gurasis (06:37):
Yeah.
Yannick (06:37):
I would definitely say that.
You know, I mean that.
I mean, that's where my mindgoes to Tim Hortons.
Either Tim Hortons or the otherrestaurant is Hi-Hop.
They do pancakes and thingslike that.
So yeah.
Okay, if you could describeyourself as any creature.
(07:02):
What would it be and why, acreature?
It's funny that you say that.
It's funny that you say that.
It's funny that you say thatjust like now, because, I mean,
I'm actually talking to one ofour common friends, andrea.
Gurasis (07:20):
Oh, okay.
Yannick (07:21):
About the project that.
I don't want to say too muchabout it now, but it's like a
project that we are working onright now.
The symbol of that project isthe hummingbird.
Gurasis (07:32):
Okay.
Yannick (07:33):
And that's how I see myself, because there's a legend
, it's a native's legend.
One day there was a big fire inthe forest.
All the animals were justtrying to run away as fast as
possible from that forest.
From that forest fire, all theanimals but one, and it was the
hummingbird.
And the hummingbird started tocollect some water and started
(07:57):
dipping the water on the fire.
And then, when the otheranimals say to him, why are you
doing that?
You know, this is like such abig fire and what are you going
to do?
And then the hummingbird saidI'm just doing my part.
Gurasis (08:11):
I'm just doing my part Right.
I love that.
Yannick (08:13):
So, yeah, so there must be.
There could be a fire of hate,the fire of fear of the other,
but you know we all have to.
Just as long as we all do ourpart, then, uh, you know, we, we
never know what our part aremuch of a long way.
(08:34):
The fact of doing our part tojust take us in, uh, in getting
in, getting rid of the fire, so,uh, so for that I would say
definitely I'm a hummingbird and, like I said, yeah, thank you,
thank you and, like I said,there's a, there's a project
coming around the corner I'mlooking forward to that, and if
(08:55):
you could have one superpower,what would it be?
Oh, one superpower.
I mean I think I already havemy superpower, and my superpower
is my uniqueness.
It's a superpower.
My cultural uniqueness is asuperpower, it's a superpower.
And then, like you told me inyour quotes that you just shared
with me yeah, your quotes, uh,that you just shared with me,
(09:22):
yeah, it is something to beshared and to be, uh, you know,
shared with others as a gift,and that I think that, as we go
along, I mean, uh, you know, werealize that there's more more
people who are anything thatgive than, uh, than rejecting.
So, yeah, so I already have it.
Gurasis (09:34):
I already have it, my superpower so you know, since
you do like making documentaries, is there any topic at this
moment that you would like tomake a documentary on?
Yannick (09:45):
I guess just continuing to continue the conversation on
uh on, on what we justdiscussed today, which is, uh,
you know who is the immigrantand what is someone who has an
accent, and you know all those,everything that we just talked
(10:05):
about today.
I mean if I had a chance in thefuture to take it further as a
documentary, then yeah, I woulddefinitely love it.
And in fact it's also anotherproject that is kind of like in
the pipeline right now with theGreater Association of, I mean
(10:26):
the Victoria-based associationthat I'm working with the
Intercultural Association ofGreater Victoria.
I mean we are just indiscussion also about that,
about making maybe a possibledocumentary which is going to be
on immigration and just allthose topics, but just
(10:46):
continuing the discussionbecause obviously the podcasting
is.
I like the podcasting becauseobviously you take the time to
discuss with the guest and godeeper, but the documentary also
has another layer to theconversation.
Gurasis (11:04):
Absolutely, and also the long form right you can do a
lot.
Yes, yes, yes, yes so finally,anik describe Canada in one word
or a sentence.
Yannick (11:15):
There are two words that are coming to me.
Go ahead, share two Welcomingand embracing.
Welcoming and embracing yeah,welcoming and embracing.
That's my experience, at least.
The circles that I've navigatedso far.
They have been very welcomingto me as this unique and complex
person, right?
But the thing is, I don't wantto mislead people.
(11:35):
This unique and complex person,right, and but, but, but.
But, the thing is, I don't wantto mislead people.
I guess what I want to say isthat, in order for it to be
welcoming, one has to be themost authentic that it can be,
because people will, uh, respondto your authenticity and to
(11:55):
your uniqueness.
Gurasis (11:56):
Yeah, I guess that's that would be the best, the best
way to describe it, you knowhow I'm interpreting is like
it's welcoming towards all kindsof people and cultures and also
allows you to embrace who youare.
Yannick (12:10):
Yes, yes, but I think I would take it a little bit
deeper, because you might havepeople who would say, okay,
that's not my experience, right,because I'm different,
absolutely.
Gurasis (12:27):
Right.
Yannick (12:27):
I am of a different culture, but I haven't
experienced that to me.
I believe the reason why it'sbeen so welcoming to me is
because I've been able to toshow the version of myself that
is the most authentic and uniqueabsolutely but then the problem
is what happened to your uniqueself and your authentic self if
(12:52):
the first encounter that youhave, kind of like, make you
lose your voice, right Becauseof your accent, because of the
way you look?
So if, after your firstencounter, you are afraid to
show your uniqueness and yourmost authentic, authentic self,
then the welcoming is not goingto happen.
(13:12):
The gap between the welcomingpart, our first arrival, or our
rejection to become authenticagain and to be unique again and
to express it again becausepeople will respond to that.
People respond to who you arethe truest version of yourself,
right?
Gurasis (13:28):
that's what people respond to and they will welcome
that it's definitely a journeyfrom being misunderstood and not
being well welcomed, but to thepoint of really understanding
that, okay, I need to be my trueself and not change myself to
try to become somebody else.
You know, that's the journeythat one has to go through, and
(13:49):
all it doesn't happen likeovernight.
It's uh, it takes time and alot of introspection for sure.
Um, but, yannick, if you couldleave me with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Yannick (13:59):
oh man, I mean it's difficult because, uh, you're
already doing like, uh, I mean,I admire, I really do admire, uh
, you know what you do, uh, yourwork and uh, so I don't know if
there's much that I can say toyou, for that there's not this
much, I guess.
(14:20):
I think I think you're doing,you're doing well, um, I guess
the only thing that I I can sayto you is just uh, yeah, keep
keep being you.
Uh, you know, keep keep doingyour thing.
And uh, you know, um, I'mpretty sure that there have been
times when, uh, you know, youdoubted yourself, you felt like,
(14:41):
uh, maybe you know what's thereason of doing this, and and
are people even listening to me?
And uh, you know, but, yeah, butI mean, if there was just one,
I would just say I mean, no, youhave an audience and uh and uh,
yeah, and you just have to keep, keep, keep it moving and keep
(15:03):
going and uh, and we need you,we need your voice, we need your
voice.
So, uh, yeah, so, so, so, keepit up and uh, and you have us
here and uh and uh, we'd also doour best to uh, to share it
among, among our networks, andsupport you in any way that we
can, and uh, yeah, and uh, yes,uh, like you know, I feel like
(15:30):
I've known you for foreverbecause we have, like a very
deep connection and you alreadyfeel like a brother to me.
You know when I was telling youabout my tribe, so you're
definitely a member of the tribe, a member of the tribe, and
yeah, so we're there to supportyou.
So keep being you and keep uh,sharing your gift with the world
(15:54):
, brother yeah, keep sharing,I'm humbled.
Gurasis (15:56):
I'm humbled by your kind word.
Thank you so much and if peopleare listening, please reach out
to me.
I would love to hear from youand how you would describe your
experience being on the podcastit was awesome.
Yannick (16:09):
It was awesome, it was awesome.
It was a free-flowing, you know, conversation and yeah, I loved
it, I loved it, I loved it.
Just going back and forth likethat.
Typically I'm the person.
I mean we kind of switch rolestoday, you know.
Gurasis (16:26):
Yeah.
Yannick (16:26):
And, to be honest, I'd rather interview people than
being put on the spotlight.
This is just my natural kind ofinstinct, right?
So I always find it or I preferbeing the one who interviews.
But it was a joy to just havethat conversation with you today
(16:49):
and, yeah, thank you again forhaving me.
And it was really a joy to justhave that conversation with you
today and, yeah, thank you,thank you again for having me.
And it was really a pleasure tobe here.
Gurasis (16:55):
Oh, thank you.
Pleasure is all mine.
Thank you for being on thepodcast and adding value to me
and to my listeners.
Thank you so much.
Yannick (17:01):
Thank you.
Thank you, guru Ashish.
Gurasis (17:05):
Yes, I know how you taught me in the beginning,
naseem Nassum.
Yannick (17:10):
Nassum yeah, Nassum yes .
Gurasis (17:13):
I remember that.
All right, thank you so much.
Yannick (17:17):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, brother, thank you.
now, in the final segment of the podcast I call it
beneath the accent I'm going toask a couple of questions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence or how.
So you feel like the idea isjust to know a little bit more
about you.
So ready, sure yes, let's go sothe first is what advice would
you give to your younger self,and at what age?
Yannick (00:22):
advice I would give my younger self.
Gurasis (00:24):
I would say stay the same, don't change anything okay
, what would you like to say toyour six-year-old self?
Yannick (00:34):
I would say I hope you're happy with the choice
that your younger self has madeokay, describe a moment when you
experienced a significantcultural difference that
surprised you.
Definitely, I would say.
In Atlanta, georgia, I had awhite girlfriend at the time and
(00:56):
she came to visit me in where Iwas living because it was a
predominantly black neighborhood.
It made me uncomfortable.
You know the way they justlooked at her and really, you
know, despised her.
I mean it's like they've neverseen, I guess, an interracial
couple before in their lives.
It was almost like surreal tothem, right, and that kind of
(01:19):
reflected in their looks.
Coming from France again, whichwas, like I said, much more
multicultural than that.
Gurasis (01:25):
Okay, what's the one dish from your home country that
always brings you comfort andnostalgia?
Yannick (01:31):
Plantains.
Yeah, I mean, it doesn't bringyou nostalgia because I can
access them here, so Okay.
Gurasis (01:43):
But it kind of reminds you of your heritage right.
Yannick (01:45):
Oh, definitely of your heritage.
Oh, definitely, definitely that.
Gurasis (01:46):
That is definitely that , yeah, yes I was also reading
that it's like a, like a sidedish for for anything yes, yes,
yes, literally it's like frieshere.
Yannick (01:59):
You know, you can eat them everything that you like.
Gurasis (02:01):
You know fish, chicken, anything, yeah so you know,
since any of you have lived likeall around continents, what's
your favorite cultural festivalor celebration that you have
come across, and do you actuallycelebrate it then?
Yannick (02:13):
one festival, the cameroonian festival.
Actually never experienced it,uh, physically, but my dad was
kind of like one of theorganizers of it at some point
and I've always heard about it.
It's called.
It happens every year inDecember in Cameroon, the tribe,
(02:34):
from which my parents are, likethe water, the water tribe
right, they're close to thewater, so there's all those
celebrations around the water.
It's almost like a waterfestival.
There are a lot of activitiesaround that races, fighting and
(02:55):
food degustation A lot of goodthings that are happening in
that time of the year.
What's?
it called it's called the NgondoN-G-O-N-D-O, the Ngondo
Festival, and so this is one ofthe festivals that I've, like I
said, I've been exposed to, notphysically, but I've always
(03:19):
wanted to be part of it, andalso that's another fun, fun
fact about Cameroon there areplenty of festivals like this,
depending on the tribe and thedifferent cultures.
All year round there aredifferent activities like that
that are actually celebratingthe culture.
So that's one.
(03:40):
You asked me for one, right?
Yeah?
Gurasis (03:45):
Share a quick tip for fellow immigrants who are trying
to adjust in a new country.
Yannick (03:50):
Remember that you have something to bring to the
country?
I'm asked this question.
I always try to get people toremember the so-called soft
skills, right, right, that wethose those soft skills and and
(04:11):
that I believe as immigrant andpeople from the global south.
We almost inherit them in ourculture because I've I've been
around a lot of people fromdifferent culture in the south
and and you, you see a lot ofcommonalities as far as some of
those values that I was talkingto you about.
You know hospitality andsolidarity and you know just
(04:32):
respect for the elders and youknow just behaving in a certain
way when you're in public andtreating the others.
Are collectivist societies, asopposed to here in Canada or in
the West that areindividualistic societies.
Gurasis (04:48):
Absolutely.
Yannick (04:49):
Those skills that you have to bring.
Treat them as a gift that youare going to share with your
host community and use everyopportunity to share those gifts
with them.
If you have that mindset ofalways trying to create this
sort of like exchange, culturalexchange, then I think you'll be
(05:10):
good.
The journey will become easierand easier.
Gurasis (05:14):
I love that.
Thanks for that.
And since you spend most ofyour time in London, tell me
about a friend that you madethere and are you still in
connect?
Yannick (05:23):
I guess it's much more than a friend that you made
there and are you still inconnect?
I guess it's much more than afriend.
Uh, I mean, I think it's.
It's.
It's actually a lady who was,uh, uh, one of the the leaders
at at the church that weattended uh, my family and I, my
, my wife and my sister and I,and uh, and, over the years, um,
(05:47):
she became also, she, be, shealmost became like a, like a
mother to me, like a secondmother.
Right, and uh, we still in touchtoday.
Um, you know she's, uh, she's asenior citizen, obviously, but,
yeah, but, but but there's likethis, uh, very deep affection
and and love for her.
(06:08):
You know, so, yeah, so when, sowhen you talk to me, when you
ask me about a friend,immediately my mind went to her.
I mean, I don't know how that's.
That's the first picture that Isaw him because, yeah, she,
she's more, but she's more,she's much more than a friend,
she's more, but she's more,she's much more than a friend.
She's.
She's almost like a yeah, likea mother to me.
Okay.
Gurasis (06:27):
What's something you ate for the first time in Canada
, and did you like it?
Yannick (06:32):
Again, when I mean we talked about Tim Beats, tim
Hortons earlier.
Gurasis (06:37):
Yeah.
Yannick (06:37):
I would definitely say that.
You know, I mean that.
I mean, that's where my mindgoes to Tim Hortons.
Either Tim Hortons or the otherrestaurant is Hi-Hop.
They do pancakes and thingslike that.
So yeah.
Okay, if you could describeyourself as any creature.
(07:02):
What would it be and why, acreature?
It's funny that you say that.
It's funny that you say that.
It's funny that you say thatjust like now, because, I mean,
I'm actually talking to one ofour common friends, andrea.
Gurasis (07:20):
Oh, okay.
Yannick (07:21):
About the project that.
I don't want to say too muchabout it now, but it's like a
project that we are working onright now.
The symbol of that project isthe hummingbird.
Gurasis (07:32):
Okay.
Yannick (07:33):
And that's how I see myself, because there's a legend
, it's a native's legend.
One day there was a big fire inthe forest.
All the animals were justtrying to run away as fast as
possible from that forest.
From that forest fire, all theanimals but one, and it was the
hummingbird.
And the hummingbird started tocollect some water and started
(07:57):
dipping the water on the fire.
And then, when the otheranimals say to him, why are you
doing that?
You know, this is like such abig fire and what are you going
to do?
And then the hummingbird saidI'm just doing my part.
Gurasis (08:11):
I'm just doing my part Right.
I love that.
Yannick (08:13):
So, yeah, so there must be.
There could be a fire of hate,the fire of fear of the other,
but you know we all have to.
Just as long as we all do ourpart, then, uh, you know, we, we
never know what our part aremuch of a long way.
(08:34):
The fact of doing our part tojust take us in, uh, in getting
in, getting rid of the fire, so,uh, so for that I would say
definitely I'm a hummingbird and, like I said, yeah, thank you,
thank you and, like I said,there's a, there's a project
coming around the corner I'mlooking forward to that, and if
(08:55):
you could have one superpower,what would it be?
Oh, one superpower.
I mean I think I already havemy superpower, and my superpower
is my uniqueness.
It's a superpower.
My cultural uniqueness is asuperpower, it's a superpower.
And then, like you told me inyour quotes that you just shared
with me yeah, your quotes, uh,that you just shared with me,
(09:22):
yeah, it is something to beshared and to be, uh, you know,
shared with others as a gift,and that I think that, as we go
along, I mean, uh, you know, werealize that there's more more
people who are anything thatgive than, uh, than rejecting.
So, yeah, so I already have it.
Gurasis (09:34):
I already have it, my superpower so you know, since
you do like making documentaries, is there any topic at this
moment that you would like tomake a documentary on?
Yannick (09:45):
I guess just continuing to continue the conversation on
uh on, on what we justdiscussed today, which is, uh,
you know who is the immigrantand what is someone who has an
accent, and you know all those,everything that we just talked
(10:05):
about today.
I mean if I had a chance in thefuture to take it further as a
documentary, then yeah, I woulddefinitely love it.
And in fact it's also anotherproject that is kind of like in
the pipeline right now with theGreater Association of, I mean
(10:26):
the Victoria-based associationthat I'm working with the
Intercultural Association ofGreater Victoria.
I mean we are just indiscussion also about that,
about making maybe a possibledocumentary which is going to be
on immigration and just allthose topics, but just
(10:46):
continuing the discussionbecause obviously the podcasting
is.
I like the podcasting becauseobviously you take the time to
discuss with the guest and godeeper, but the documentary also
has another layer to theconversation.
Gurasis (11:04):
Absolutely, and also the long form right you can do a
lot.
Yes, yes, yes, yes so finally,anik describe Canada in one word
or a sentence.
Yannick (11:15):
There are two words that are coming to me.
Go ahead, share two Welcomingand embracing.
Welcoming and embracing yeah,welcoming and embracing.
That's my experience, at least.
The circles that I've navigatedso far.
They have been very welcomingto me as this unique and complex
person, right?
But the thing is, I don't wantto mislead people.
(11:35):
This unique and complex person,right, and but, but, but.
But, the thing is, I don't wantto mislead people.
I guess what I want to say isthat, in order for it to be
welcoming, one has to be themost authentic that it can be,
because people will, uh, respondto your authenticity and to
(11:55):
your uniqueness.
Gurasis (11:56):
Yeah, I guess that's that would be the best, the best
way to describe it, you knowhow I'm interpreting is like
it's welcoming towards all kindsof people and cultures and also
allows you to embrace who youare.
Yannick (12:10):
Yes, yes, but I think I would take it a little bit
deeper, because you might havepeople who would say, okay,
that's not my experience, right,because I'm different,
absolutely.
Gurasis (12:27):
Right.
Yannick (12:27):
I am of a different culture, but I haven't
experienced that to me.
I believe the reason why it'sbeen so welcoming to me is
because I've been able to toshow the version of myself that
is the most authentic and uniqueabsolutely but then the problem
is what happened to your uniqueself and your authentic self if
(12:52):
the first encounter that youhave, kind of like, make you
lose your voice, right Becauseof your accent, because of the
way you look?
So if, after your firstencounter, you are afraid to
show your uniqueness and yourmost authentic, authentic self,
then the welcoming is not goingto happen.
(13:12):
The gap between the welcomingpart, our first arrival, or our
rejection to become authenticagain and to be unique again and
to express it again becausepeople will respond to that.
People respond to who you arethe truest version of yourself,
right?
Gurasis (13:28):
that's what people respond to and they will welcome
that it's definitely a journeyfrom being misunderstood and not
being well welcomed, but to thepoint of really understanding
that, okay, I need to be my trueself and not change myself to
try to become somebody else.
You know, that's the journeythat one has to go through, and
(13:49):
all it doesn't happen likeovernight.
It's uh, it takes time and alot of introspection for sure.
Um, but, yannick, if you couldleave me with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Yannick (13:59):
oh man, I mean it's difficult because, uh, you're
already doing like, uh, I mean,I admire, I really do admire, uh
, you know what you do, uh, yourwork and uh, so I don't know if
there's much that I can say toyou, for that there's not this
much, I guess.
(14:20):
I think I think you're doing,you're doing well, um, I guess
the only thing that I I can sayto you is just uh, yeah, keep
keep being you.
Uh, you know, keep keep doingyour thing.
And uh, you know, um, I'mpretty sure that there have been
times when, uh, you know, youdoubted yourself, you felt like,
(14:41):
uh, maybe you know what's thereason of doing this, and and
are people even listening to me?
And uh, you know, but, yeah, butI mean, if there was just one,
I would just say I mean, no, youhave an audience and uh and uh,
yeah, and you just have to keep, keep, keep it moving and keep
(15:03):
going and uh, and we need you,we need your voice, we need your
voice.
So, uh, yeah, so, so, so, keepit up and uh, and you have us
here and uh and uh, we'd also doour best to uh, to share it
among, among our networks, andsupport you in any way that we
can, and uh, yeah, and uh, yes,uh, like you know, I feel like
(15:30):
I've known you for foreverbecause we have, like a very
deep connection and you alreadyfeel like a brother to me.
You know when I was telling youabout my tribe, so you're
definitely a member of the tribe, a member of the tribe, and
yeah, so we're there to supportyou.
So keep being you and keep uh,sharing your gift with the world
(15:54):
, brother yeah, keep sharing,I'm humbled.
Gurasis (15:56):
I'm humbled by your kind word.
Thank you so much and if peopleare listening, please reach out
to me.
I would love to hear from youand how you would describe your
experience being on the podcastit was awesome.
Yannick (16:09):
It was awesome, it was awesome.
It was a free-flowing, you know, conversation and yeah, I loved
it, I loved it, I loved it.
Just going back and forth likethat.
Typically I'm the person.
I mean we kind of switch rolestoday, you know.
Gurasis (16:26):
Yeah.
Yannick (16:26):
And, to be honest, I'd rather interview people than
being put on the spotlight.
This is just my natural kind ofinstinct, right?
So I always find it or I preferbeing the one who interviews.
But it was a joy to just havethat conversation with you today
(16:49):
and, yeah, thank you again forhaving me.
And it was really a joy to justhave that conversation with you
today and, yeah, thank you,thank you again for having me.
And it was really a pleasure tobe here.
Gurasis (16:55):
Oh, thank you.
Pleasure is all mine.
Thank you for being on thepodcast and adding value to me
and to my listeners.
Thank you so much.
Yannick (17:01):
Thank you.
Thank you, guru Ashish.
Gurasis (17:05):
Yes, I know how you taught me in the beginning,
naseem Nassum.
Yannick (17:10):
Nassum yeah, Nassum yes .
Gurasis (17:13):
I remember that.
All right, thank you so much.
Yannick (17:17):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, brother, thank you.
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