Beyond The Bubble

Andras Baneth

Conversations with expats and locals in Brussels on their stories and ideas about the world. We discuss politics, global issues, AI, business, technology, society, ethics, religion, communication, marketing, psychology, self-discovery and more, to understand the world beyond the EU and outside our current paradigm.

  1. 4d ago

    #44: Acting; Authenticity; Storytelling; Psychology; The Human Connection

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Edward McMillan, founder of the Brussels Shakespeare Society, actor, director, and theatre producer, for a conversation about storytelling, performance, psychology, and the role theatre plays in helping us better understand ourselves and one another. Edward begins by sharing the journey of building an English-language theatre community in Brussels from the ground up,reflecting on the challenges of creating a cultural institution, attracting audiences, and bringing together people from diverse backgrounds through a shared love of performance. Andras and Edward discuss what makes great acting, why authenticity matters more than perfection, and how actorslearn to balance technique with emotional truth. They explore improvisation, rehearsal, stage presence, and why audiences instinctively recognise genuine human connection. The conversation then turns to storytelling itself, examining why theatre continues to matter in a digital world, how stories shape the way we see ourselves, and the unique experience of live performance compared with film and television. Edward explains how theatre creates a shared emotional space where performers and audiences influence oneanother in real time. Later, they explore the relationship between drama and psychology, discussing empathy, vulnerability, identity, andthe ways performance can help people step outside themselves, become more emotionally aware, and better understand the perspectives of others. The episode is a thoughtful conversation about creativity, human connection, storytelling, and why theatre remains oneof the most powerful ways of exploring what it means to be human.

  2. Aug 6

    #43: Why Holocaust Education Matters; Truth Distortion; Yad Vashem; Memory & Preservation

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel’s World Holocaust Remembrance Center, for a thoughtful conversation about Holocaust remembrance, historical truth, education, and the growing challenge of preserving history in the 21st centuryand post-7 October 2023 world. Dani explains why Yad Vashem is far more than a museum, serving as one of the world’s leading institutions for Holocaustresearch, education, preservation, and documentation. He discusses the importance of recovering the names and stories of victims, ensuring that every individual is remembered not simply as part of a statistic, but as a human being with a life and identity. Andras and Dani explore the purpose of Holocaust remembrance today, the lessons societies can draw from history, the rise of antisemitism across Europe, and the dangers of Holocaust denial, distortion, and historical revisionism. They discuss why confronting uncomfortable truths is essential for healthy democracies and why educationmust go beyond teaching historical facts to fostering empathy and understanding. The conversation also touches on the aftermath of October 7, the misuse and abuse of Holocaust comparisons and theterm “genocide” in public debate, and the responsibility of institutions like Yad Vashem to preserve historical truth while adapting to new technologies and the challenges of the digital age.

  3. Jul 29

    #42: Socialism vs. Free Market; Venezuela’s Oil; Blessing or Curse; Petro-states; Geopolitics

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Venezuelan-American economist Jorge Jraissati for a fascinating conversation about the rise and collapse of Venezuela, oil-driven populism, and what the country's story means for Europe, China, and Iran. Jorge shares his own story growing up in Venezuela during a deepening humanitarian crisis. He explains how a country that was once one of the 20 richest in the world ended up suffering the biggest economic collapse in the region's history without a war, and the longest hyperinflation ever recorded outside of wartime. Andras and Jorge trace the mechanics of the collapse: the oil boom of 1920-1980, decades of stagnation that fed politicaldissatisfaction, Chávez's rise to power, the politicization of the state oil company. They compare Venezuela's mismanagement to Norway's sovereign wealth model, and discuss why "free money", whether oil revenue or EU development funds, often creates worse incentives than it solves. The conversation then turns to Maduro's total price controls, the debt spiral, and a humanitarian crisis that pushed poverty from 40% to over 90% of the population and forced 8 million Venezuelans to leave the country. It closes on the dramatic turning point of January 2026, Maduro's arrest by the Trump administration, and what it means geopolitically, given Venezuela's oil reserves (which are larger than Saudi Arabia's), its ties to China and Iran, Argentina under Milei, the EU-Mercosur agreement, and Latin America's chance to become a unified geopolitical bloc. Jorge closes with a direct warning for Europe: economic stagnation and lost opportunity are what push societies toward radical, often destructive, political change.

  4. Jul 21

    #41: Integration & the Bubble Effect; Identity Shifts; Moving Abroad; Cultural Anthropology

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras speaks with Efrat Tzadik, an expat expert and researcher in cultural anthropology, migration and relocation, about what it takes to integrate into a new country.They discuss how she moved to Belgium 28 years ago, how her own experience led her back to university for migration studies, and why she uses “migration” to mean any longer-term movement of people despite the term’s political baggage.Efrat explains how cultural distance, personality, networks, language, and expectations shape integration, and why many people retreat into national or international “bubbles” to preserve identity.The conversation explores identity change, dependency within couples, challenges for partners and teenagers, CBT-based coaching, and practical preparation through language learning, observation, and understanding cultural and communication codes.00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Bubble01:31 Efrat’s Expat Journey02:30 From Experience to Research04:05 Migration vs Expat Terms07:42 Culture Distance and Factors12:12 Coaching Relocation Challenges16:20 Kids and Teen Integration19:34 Identity and Belonging24:00 Career Sacrifice and Resentment27:33 CBT Tools and Remote Work30:18 The Expat Bubble Effect33:28 Cultural and Social Integration38:58 Resetting Expectations Abroad41:37 Be an Anthropologist44:44 Voluntary vs Forced Moves46:34 Migration Mindset Shift48:21 Rebuilding Identity Abroad49:45 Family Pressure and Guilt51:45 Schemas and New Anchors53:54 Couple Dynamics and Dependency57:23 Research on Migrant Women01:00:38 Bubble Effect and Transnational Ties01:02:12 Returning Home Changed01:03:11 Culture Codes and Language01:07:17 Workplace Rituals and Communication01:10:04 Nonverbal Rules and Microcultures01:14:49 Observe Without Judging01:20:23 Coaching with Respect01:22:54 Closing Card and Farewell

  5. May 25

    #40: Science vs. Pseudo-science; Climate Panic; Critical Thinking; Luxury Beliefs & Dogma

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes philosopher, writer, and former Ghent University academic Maarten Boudry for a deep conversation about science, critical thinking, climate policy, ideology, and the Israel-Gaza debate. Maarten begins with his work on the line between science and pseudoscience, explaining why good reasoning is not limited to universities, but applies to everyday life, politics, and public debates. Andras and Maarten discuss Karl Popper, confirmation bias, peer review, and why even scientific institutions can be shaped by groupthink when politics enters the picture. They then turn to climate change, the IPCC, fossil fuels, nuclear energy, renewable energy, and the problem of turning science into activism. Maarten argues for a more realistic view of trade-offs, especially when Western climate priorities are imposed on poorer countries that still need cheap energy for development.The conversation later moves into “luxury beliefs”, Western arrogance, Israel after October 7, and the use of words like genocide and famine in the Gaza war. Maarten reflects on why he spoke publicly against the genocide accusation, how echo chambers form in academia and the media, and why sloppy or weaponized language can have serious real world consequences.

  6. May 12

    #39: Sound Healing Therapy; From Anxiety to Calm; Singing Bowls; Body and Sound

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Jorge Zain, an Argentinian music therapist, entrepreneur, and sound bath facilitator based in Brussels, for a conversation about sound, vibration, healing, and human connection.Jorge shares how he moved to Belgium during the pandemic while his company Vibracustica was growing in Argentina, and explains how he built a school and business around sound therapy, vibroacoustic therapy, and handmade instruments.He breaks down the difference between simply listening to relaxing music and physically feeling sound through vibration, including how low frequencies can calm the nervous system and help people enter deeper states of relaxation. Andras and Jorge discuss altered states of consciousness, intuition, clarity, overstimulation, and why sound can create space for reflection in a world full of constant distraction. They also talk about rituals, group intention, corporate sound experiences, the role of music in building community, and the danger of replacing real human connection with machines. Jorge explains the science behind vibroacoustic therapy, its possible benefits for pain, stress, anxiety, and sleep, while also being clear about its limits, risks, and the importance of common sense. The conversation moves from singing bowls and gongs to trust, creativity, and the power of shared experiences to help people reconnect with themselves and others.

  7. May 5

    #38: Surviving Brain Tumor; Iyengar Yoga; Fear vs. Surrender; From Paralysis to Purpose

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble Andras speaks with Shai Kaplan about her life-changing medical crisis she faced at 14: three brain tumors led to an emergency surgery, major vision loss, and years of pain, fear, and uncertainty. Shai reflects on what it meant to live through repeated operations, accept the possibility of dying young, and spend years moving around the world while trying to cope with physical suffering and a deep sense of isolation. She talks about how a chance encounter in India led her to Iyengar yoga at a point when she was not looking for healing, only a way to make each day a little more bearable. From there, Shai tells how she learned discipline, precision, and rehabilitation as she became an Iyengar yoga practitioner. This method uses props, sequencing, timing, and close attention to the body as a whole to improve general wellbeing and patients with various conditions. Shai explains how she got to know B.K.S. Iyengar himself, the pioneer and creator of the Iyengar yoga method and how years of daily practice with him gradually changed her condition, and restored her independence. She recounts how she eventually started an international project where she and her team cooperate using the Iyengar yoga approach with hospitals to help patients with severe injuries, neurological conditions, cancer, and other complex cases improve their quality of life alongside conventional care. The episode is an incredible story about survival, acceptance, discipline, perseverance, the intelligence of the body, and the possibility of turning extreme suffering into service for others.

  8. Apr 14

    #36: Europe: Owned Continent; American Control; US Cultural & Economic Impact; Ally or Adversary

    In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras speaks with journalist and author David Keating about his book The Owned Continent and the argument at its core: that Europe remains deeply dependent on the United States not only militarily, but also culturally, economically and psychologically. Dave discusses his path from the United States to Brussels, how his early belief in the European project was shaped by the Iraq War and America’s political dysfunction, and why he came to see the EU as a possible alternative pole in world affairs.The conversation then goes into the three main pillars of dependence he describes in the book: the dominance of American pop culture and media in European daily life, Europe’s reliance on US platforms, payment systems and financial infrastructure, and the long-standing military imbalance at the heart of the transatlantic relationship.They also discuss why many Europeans still struggle to imagine the US as an adversary, how weak civic understanding of EU politics feeds that dependence, why European leaders have been slow to act despite shifting public opinion, and what a more self-confident, federal and strategically independent Europe might realistically require in practice.

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About

Conversations with expats and locals in Brussels on their stories and ideas about the world. We discuss politics, global issues, AI, business, technology, society, ethics, religion, communication, marketing, psychology, self-discovery and more, to understand the world beyond the EU and outside our current paradigm.

Information

  • Creator
    Andras Baneth
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Andras Baneth
  • Show Website
    Beyond The Bubble