Exchange Me

Denys Andrushchenko

A podcast about exchange programs, by alumni for alumni. FLEX, UGRAD, Chevening, Open World, Fulbright, DAAD and 100+ more...

  1. 07/16/2023

    16: Jeff Gospe (CA)🇺🇸 and his exchanges in France🇫🇷, West Germany🇩🇪, and communist Poland 🇵🇱

    How was it to be an exchange student before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall? How was it to come to Moscow during the transition of the USSR to a market economy? How was it to meet Gorbachov in person at Stanford and witness the dissolution of the Soviet Union? Denys, the co-host of this show, spoke with Jeff Gospe* about these and many other stories to feed your curiosity and listen to four decades of exchanges and wisdom. There was so much information that the ExchangeMe team decided to split it into two episodes, the second fitting into a Global Response series. What's inside this episode: 1:00 – meet Jeff! 5:30 – why taking tourism tours in 2-3 different languages; 09:30 – on national stereotypes before going to another country; 12:00 –  the US/USSR: on political systems comparison; 17:45 – Hoover Institute, meeting Gorbachov in Stanford and being interviewed by Ernst & Young (EY); going to Moscow eventually; 36:20 – youth exchange is even better education than Stanford because...  *Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Stanford University. Since November 2005, he has been working as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. He is also an active member of the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa, California, and a person with vast experience in exchange programs, including the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). Denys Andrushchenko is a FLEX 🇺🇸 alumnus, Future Leaders Connect 🇬🇧 member, EaP 🇪🇺 Civic Digital Fellow, past-president of the Rotary Club Cherkasy-Centre 🕊, and co-founder of the SUN Leaders Program 🇺🇦. Listen to this and other episodes of #ExchangeMe at https://anchor.fm/xmepod [Spotify for Podcasters] Share with friends and see the ways to help Ukraine today: https://supportukrainenow.org/ Want to unlock more value? Visit https://exchangemepodcast.com or send us a message at exchangemepodcast@gmail.com

    38 min
  2. 03/16/2023

    GR 3: A voice from Pakistan🇵🇰 with Saadia

    Hi, Listener. This is Denys from Ukraine, your co-host of the Exchange Me Podcast. My guest for the third episode of the Global Response series has a background in literature and visual culture and is based in Pakistan🇵🇰, where she's working as freelance development writer and researcher for local and international grassroots organizations. Saadia's previous work has put her at the intersection of teaching, creative practice and interaction–where she has witnessed the benefits of a people-first and co-creative approach towards community engagement and education. Saadia believes that respect, communication and an understanding that every person has the capacity to create change will lead us to a better and kinder world and is working towards a career in education that engenders this. What's inside: 00:01 – Meet Saadia! And why this episode; 06:40 – “I want big cars and easy money!” – meeting a 12-year-old boy in a village and why he wanted to become a politician; 08:55 – Pakistani perspective on the war in Ukraine; 12:00 – on 3 Pakistans; 23:30 – powerless/powerful? 29:30 – “Why are you still here? Get out of Pakistan!”; 35:00 – on responsibility to stay. Recorded on 08.01.2023 (it was also a death anniversary of her grandfather – a figure she admires a lot). Want to unlock more value? Visit: https://exchangemepodcast.com But it is still war in Ukraine. Please see the ways to help Ukraine today: https://supportukrainenow.org/

    41 min
  3. 12/25/2022

    XME 14: 2 alumnae, 1 family with FLEX'12 Anastasia Prokhorenko🇺🇦🇺🇸 and Co-host, FLEX'10 Tetyana Kondrya🇺🇦🇬🇧

    Merry Christmas, the world! Wow, we recorded this episode a year ago... But it is still war in Ukraine. Please see the ways to help Ukraine today:  https://supportukrainenow.org/ Especially, we encourage you to donate to the SUN Leaders Program which provides scholarship to young leaders of Ukraine who address specific social issues helping this fearless country to win in the mid- to long-term. What's inside this episode: - one family, different arrival stories; one context, different perception; - good relationships with family vs. good relationships with friends theory; - when Tetyana went to the US, her host family's daughter was only 10; instead, Anastasia had to deal with a teenager as her sibling during the exchange year; - Anastasia: a hilarious story of cooking mushrooms for her host family; - Tetyana: on meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger. After FLEX, Anastasia Prokhorenko🇺🇦 took place in the Ukraine Got Talent show (https://youtu.be/ESZtHR3JVtE). She also had to deal with her real mom's expectations. Currently, she lives in the US🇺🇸 covering her life on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClP647HvI5vezA_IsvmbTYA After her year abroad, Tetyana Kondrya🇺🇦 found FLEX across all her life activities; it helped her to: - obtain the first job; - get an apartment in Kyiv via a trusted contact;  - become a teacher assistant; - join an IT company (now for 8 years!); - and eventually move to the UK🇬🇧. Your other co-host Denys Andrushchenko🇺🇦 is also a FLEX program alumnus of 2012, member of a Rotary Club Cherkasy-Centre, and a founder of the Leaders Fund. He stayed in Cherkasy, Ukraine, throughout the war. Send us a screen of donation to exchangemepodcast@gmail.com to receive access to the full episode. Also, don't forget to leave your feedback about our show on the platform where you are listening. Or send it to us directly via email! Want to unlock more value? Visit: https://exchangemepodcast.com

    42 min
  4. GR 1: w/ Hasan and Ratul from Bangladesh 🇧🇩

    05/27/2022

    GR 1: w/ Hasan and Ratul from Bangladesh 🇧🇩

    "I would rather mark it as Invasion of Humanity by Russia in Ukraine." In the first episode of the Global Response (GR) series, we talked with two Ukrainians (Yaroslava and Vira) and two Bangladeshis (Hasan and Ratul) to unpack the war in Ukraine in a global context. We especially thank the latter for contributing a more holistic view on this tragedy in the midst of Europe in 2022. Both Hasan and Ratul represent GenLab, an organization that aims to create a platform for Bangladeshi youth to engage in social development process of the country by means of acting together to bring about positive change. Established in 2015, GenLab has a clear vision for an inclusive and resilient world through a sustainable approach. Their mission is to empower people, particularly the youth, towards developing a peaceful, just and a sustainable world where actions are driven by innovation, integrity, and coexistence. Guests: Chowdhury Hasan Ibne Obayed🇧🇩, a software engineer specialized in FinTech. He works as a software developer in the Central Bank of Bangladesh. Hasan is Study of US Institute 🇺🇸 (SUSI’12) fellow. Ratul Dev🇧🇩has founded GenLab. He is a development professional by choice and is focused on impact projects in his community. Ratul is the fellow of the following programs: JENESYS 🇯🇵(Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths); Professional Fellowship🇺🇸; Global Exchange on Religion in Society (GERIS)🇪🇺; the Swedish Institute Leader Lab🇸🇪; an awardee of the Global SDG Talent by UNLEASH🇩🇰, among others. We also introduced our GR host Vira Konstantynova who is currently conducting her PhD thesis at the National Institute for Strategic Studies. Vira is from Mariupol🇺🇦 and has almost ten years of professional experience working at private and governmental institutions. She’s also the FLC’21 🇬🇧 fellow. Joined by Yaroslava Fatiukha from Zaporizhzhya 🇺🇦 who is a FLEX’20🇺🇸 alumna and a President at Rotaract (RAC)🕊 club Zaporizhzhya (2022). Read more about the project: https://exchangemepodcast.com

    34 min

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A podcast about exchange programs, by alumni for alumni. FLEX, UGRAD, Chevening, Open World, Fulbright, DAAD and 100+ more...