Beyond Asian: Stories of the Third Culture

Beyond Asian: Stories of the Third Culture

The Third Culture is what emerges at the intersection between your culture of origin, and the other cultures by which you’ve been shaped. Beyond Asian is a place for stories of global nomads with Asian roots, brought up in diversity. Together, we explore the interplay of our pasts with our presents, and our relationships with the multiple cultures we move in. These are more than conversations about Asian identity - they’re portraits of whole people - what keeps them up at night, what their hearts long for, and the impact they hope to have on their communities. I’m your host, Sen Zhan, a Third Culture Kid born in China, raised in Canada, and currently based in Berlin. This series is a first step towards making peace with my own Asian background, and it’s my hope that other Third Culture Asians will hear themselves reflected in our stories. New episodes on Sundays, every 2 weeks.

Episodes

October 30, 2023 58 mins
Welcome to the latest episode of the Beyond Asian podcast! We have something truly special in store for you today. This live panel interview takes us on a thought-provoking journey with a panel of 3 Asian-German women at the renowned Pod Fest Berlin, moderated by Sen.
Get ready to dive deep into the fascinating world of dual cultural identities as our panelists share their personal experiences and insights. From navigating societal ...
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Welcome to a special episode of "Asian and Amplified." You'll be joining a lively panel conversation delving into the world of podcasting and the unique experiences of our panelists within Berlin's vibrant Asian community.

Panelists:
  • Natalina Pereira: Host of "Asia is Not a Country"
    • Passionate podcaster exploring the diverse cultures and stories within Asia. Her podcast, "Asia is Not a Country," has gained recognition for its ...
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In this week's episode, we dive into the complex process of healing and improving relationships with parents, particularly in Asian cultures. Our new Ask Me Anything segment features psychoanalyst Dr. Salman Akhtar's article on "A Third Individuation, Immigration, Identity, and the Psychoanalytic Process," providing a resource for third culture individuals to understand themselves better.

Read "A Third Individuation", by Dr. Salman ...
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Welcome to Beyond Asian: Stories of the Third Culture, where we delve into the importance of community and communication in difficult experiences, particularly in the context of familial relationships. In this two-part interview series, we speak with Johnson Hsieh about their respective parental journeys, exploring the challenges and rewards of reconnecting with family after years of distance.

But that's not all - we also dive into...
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On International Women's Day, a narrated story about Mongolia's most renowned queen, Mandukhai Khutun, who lived from 1448-1510, and who united the warring Mongolian tribes 200 years after Genghis Khan.

Then, a sobering look at the state of women's rights around the world today, and an invitation to keep pushing for the change we all need.


Notes

Interested in producing for Beyond Asian? We are looking to expand our production team!

D...
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The month of May is Asian-American Pacific Islander month, but for those of us who might not see ourselves in these adjectives, I thought we could expand the description to TCA month - Third Culture Asian month!

So, for Third Culture Asian month, I’d like to share with you 3 back-to-back episodes that together frame the topic of the healing of intercultural and intergenerational conflict in the global asian diaspora community.

In th...
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The month of May is Asian-American Pacific Islander month, but for those of us who might not see ourselves in these adjectives, I thought we could expand the description to TCA month - Third Culture Asian month!

So, for Third Culture Asian month, I’d like to share with you 3 back-to-back episodes that together frame the topic of the healing of intercultural and intergenerational conflict in the global asian diaspora community.

On th...
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The month of May is Asian-American Pacific Islander month, but for those of us who might not see ourselves in these adjectives, I thought we could expand the description to TCA month - Third Culture Asian month!

So, for Third Culture Asian month, I’d like to share with you 3 back-to-back episodes that together frame the topic of the healing of intercultural and intergenerational conflict in the global asian diaspora community.

On th...
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By 17, Third Culture Kid Zac Steer had traveled to nearly 60 countries, and had lived for several years in China. What is returning to Canada like after such a journey? Check out this featurette of Third Culture Youth, on Beyond Asian
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September 11, 2021 25 mins
Welcome back for Season 2!
After a long pandemic-induced break, we're back today with Hansol Seung, a Korean-German musician, to hear how he transformed an aggression on the street into a punkrock song.

The single tells the story of anti-Asian racism from the perspective of Hansol (he/him), who is of Korean descent. SHORELINE teamed up with Asian-American Singer-Songwriter KOJI (they/them) to work on the song. 

KOJI was born in Peixt...
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Dear Listeners, this is a bonus episode for all of you on a topic close to my heart: Psychedelics.
I was invited by Frank and Cynic to guest on their podcast, No Stone Unturned, to talk about my experiences with psychedelics, the differences between the classical psychedelics: LSD, Psilocybin Mushrooms, and Ayahuasca, how to prepare for a psychedelic journey, whether psychedelics are for everyone, and much more!

Enjoy this fun bonus...
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Part 2 of Episode 9 with Julian, the only Chinese-speaking psychiatrist in a large Canadian city will cover:

- A psychiatric perspective on the trauma of immigration

- The role of extended history on the Asian continent in shaping the mindsets of present-day immigrants

- The shortcomings of both Eastern and Western frameworks in specifying the conditions for human flourishing

- A helpful perspective on the role of shame in relation to...
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The Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989, a fractured childhood with memory loss, and recovering from the trauma of immigration.

In Episode 9, Julian, the only Chinese-speaking psychiatrist in a large Canadian city weighs in on how the clashing of Western ideals with Confucian philosophy is at the heart of mental health issues amongst Asian immigrants and their families.
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How did growing up in a Catholic-Muslim family lead to the discovery of sexual freedom for a young Indonesian woman?

In Episode 8, Dewi tells the story of how she discovered her bisexuality despite a strict family and societal setting, and the freedoms she found upon leaving Indonesia.
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TL;DL?
- Episode 8 will be released in the week of July 26, 2020 - this episode was workshopped with the help of Bear Radio, and it'll be even better than the ones you've heard before!
- Beyond Asian is partnering with and will be hosted by Bear Radio, Berlin's English Podcasting Network
- Musical Interlude: "Hisen" by the late Susumu Yokota
- See you in Episode 8!
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What are Asians doing to find cultural fit in the online dating world?

In Episode 7, I’m speaking with Hanmin Yang, the CEO of Alike - a video-based dating platform designed with Asians of all backgrounds in mind. Hanmin describes his long journey of self-understanding and healing from a devastating divorce in the creation of this platform, and how he hopes to help Asians find meaningful connections with each other.

Sign up to be a...
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