Crossing Cultures Sebas van Aert

Meet Henrique, a 24-year-old journalist who grew up in Lisbon, where he was shaped by the city’s music scene. With ancestors from Goa, India, and a mother born in Mozambique – both former Portuguese colonies – his family ties are intertwined with his country’s colonial history.

Henrique explains me all about Portugal, for example the influence the Catholic church has on the country and how Portugal’s progressive drug policy has positively changed the lives of many, including some of those close to him. He also shares how he is navigating the Danish dating scene with his Portuguese time management, and I can spoil: that is not a good match.

Last week it was the one year ‘anniversary’ of the war in Ukraine. An undoubtedly sad moment that should not at all be celebrated. At the same time, it is a good moment to look back at the past year, and what better way to do that than through the eyes of a Ukrainian.
That is why I invited Linda, a Ukrainian journalist who left her country in September last year. We touched upon multiple topics, like where she was the night the war started, and how her life has changed since. We also talked about how it feels when foreigners get tired of consuming news about a war that inflicts so much pain and suffering on your people. And in general, what does war do to a country? In Linda’s words: “It is a big trauma everyone has to live with”.
Thanks for listening to this episode! Hungry for more? Check out the other episodes or the Instagram here 
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Episode 20 is out! This time I discuss Nepal with Abhushan, who is from the capital Kathmandu and worked there as a journalist. He guides me through the different strata of the country and shows me that Nepal is much more than a bunch of high mountains.

Abhushan tells me what life is like in a country where the caste system is still in place and what it means to be sandwiched between two of the biggest world powers India and China. He also shares his horrifying experience of the 2015 earthquake (almost 9.000 deaths), when he came home from basketball practice and the building suddenly started shaking violently. This resonated extra deeply with me in light of the recent events in Turkey and Syria.

Thanks for listening! Want more? Check the other episodes or the Instagram page here

If you liked this episode, don't forget to follow and rate/review the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and definitely don't hesitate to share it with your friends and family :)

In this episode, we discuss the first culture that is not an officially recognised country: Catalonia. It is the place where my guest Berta comes from. Having grown up in Tarragona  and studied in Barcelona, she knows this culturally rich region like the back of her hand.

Other than zooming in on Catalonia’s unique language and (food) traditions, we take a closer look at the independence wish of this corner of Spain. Where does it come from and how has it grown over the years? But also, what is its current status, five and a half years after the referendum was held. And what exactly happened on that 1stof October 2017 in Barcelona? Berta recounts in detail as she was there that day.

Curious for more? Check the Instagram here

If you liked this episode, don't forget to follow and rate the podcast, and don't hesitate to share it with your friends and family :)

This episode is about Russia, one of the two countries that have dominated the news over the past year. But instead of talking about the country from a geopolitical point of view, this episode intends to discuss the human side. In my perception, the struggles faced by ordinary Russians (which by no means compares to the Ukranian suffering) is a rather underexposed theme that deserves more attention.

That is why I invited Uliana, a Russian journalist from Moscow. She tells how the war has impacted the lives of her and her family and friends, and stresses how important it is to not reduce people to their nationality. Furthermore, she gives a unique insight in the isolated fortress that Russia today is.

Finally! After a wait of almost three months, season 2 of Crossing Cultures has arrived. To kick off the season, I invited Lorenzo to reflect together on his motherland Italy. A week ago, parliamentary elections were held here, with right-wing politician Giorgia Meloni emerging as the big winner. Lorenzo gives me his analysis of how this outcome came about and what it says about the current state of Italy.

Further, we talk about Lorenzo's city Bergamo and how it was so severly affected by Covid-19. We also touch upon the divide between north and south and what the words 'Polentoni' and 'Terroni' have to do with this.  Lastly, Lorenzo tells me what it's like to be Italian in a European context; does he feel more European or Italian?