Whereabouts Tales | Stories of Belonging and Immigrant Experiences

Paul Puscas | Stories of Belonging and Cultural Exploration

Whereabouts Tales shares the real stories of immigrant experiences, belonging, and global journeys from expats, returnees, and cultural explorers. I'm diving into life between worlds unpacking identity, transformation, and what it means to belong. Each episode is a conversation about chasing dreams, navigating change, and discovering yourself far from home. Tune in for raw, thoughtful, and inspiring journeys across borders. 🎧 New episodes every 2 weeks | 🌍 Real people. Raw stories. Remarkable paths.

  1. 3d ago

    Ep 79 | Angela Part 2: Unlearning Control, Harvesting Meat, and Escaping the Matrix

    [The Hook] You bought the camper van and left the corporate grind—but what happens when the honeymoon phase ends? [Episode Summary]  In Part 2 of our deep dive with Angela, we leave the theory of escaping the system and face the gritty, unpolished reality of executing it. Angela breaks down the culture shock of arriving in rural Hungary with zero language skills and the immense mental friction of unlearning decades of systemic "German control" programming. This is a raw masterclass in building an off-grid life from the dirt up. We cover the physical toll of renovating an 80-year-old house, including the strategic necessity of driving a mini-excavator straight through the living room and the heavy emotional philosophy required to raise and harvest your own meat. Angela reveals how she found genuine safety and healing in the Hungarian countryside, proving that true freedom requires getting comfortable with being deeply uncomfortable. [Key Takeaway]  Stop waiting for a perfect safety net. As Angela says, you will never live a life completely free of fear, but you can ensure your courage is always a little bit bigger than your fear. Listen to Part 1 (Ep 77) here: Spotify, Apple Podcast Follow Angela: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_soul_soil_angela/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-rizzo-839530174/ Support the Show (The Growth Metric):  If this two-part journey inspired you to rethink your own rules, the best way to support Whereabouts Tales is to tap the FOLLOW button on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a brief review. It directly pushes us up the charts and helps bring more stories like this to the community. Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Arriving in Hungary with Zero Language Skills 14:00 - Ditching Apps for Real-World Language Learning 27:11 - Mental Breakdowns & Unlearning the "Control" Mindset 46:07 - Finding the 80-Year-Old Off-Grid House 1:10:10 - Driving a Mini-Excavator INSIDE the House 1:26:18 - The Reality and Respect of Harvesting Your Own Meat 1:48:49 - Healing from Trauma & Finding Safety 2:17:59 - Where is "Home" Now?

  2. Aug 21

    The Myth of Inspiration & The Cost of Assimilation | Michael Shokrian

    The Hook What happens when the parts of your identity you try to erase are exactly what make you valuable? The Episode In Episode 78 (Book of Tales 08), Paul deconstructs the illusion of cultural assimilation and the brutal reality of the creative process with attorney, publisher, and author Michael Isaac Shokrian. Centered around his debut novel, American Playground, Michael details his jarring transition from Tehran to 1970s Los Angeles as a seven-year-old. He explains why he adopted Bugs Bunny as his cultural guide and exposes the hidden, often irreversible costs of compromising your identity to belong. Shifting from the immigrant experience to the mechanics of art, Michael dismantles the romanticized myth of the "struggling artist." He breaks down the rigorous daily schedule required to balance a law career, family, and the founding of The Thieving Magpie literary magazine, proving why waiting for inspiration is a fool's errand. Chapter Markers 00:00 - The Tehran Memory: Belonging vs. The Outsider 08:44 - Landing in 1970s Los Angeles without speaking English 19:00 - American Playground: Storytelling through a 7-year-old's eyes 30:58 - Why Bugs Bunny is the ultimate American archetype 38:25 - The true, irreversible cost of cultural compromise 56:50 - Time as a Currency: Managing the daily 3-hour writing block 1:00:38 - "Inspiration is for kids": The absolute necessity of discipline 1:09:39 - The reality of publishing and founding The Thieving Magpie Resources & Links Read the Novel: Get American Playground by Michael Isaac Shokrian Read the Magazine: Explore The Thieving Magpie Support the Show: Hit "Follow" on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a brief review to help us bring on more premium guests. Join the Inner Circle: Visit WhereaboutsTales.com to join the premium Book Club.

  3. Aug 12

    The Illusion of Security: From Six-Figure Burnout to a Camper Van in Hungary

    The Illusion of Security: From Six-Figure Burnout to a Camper Van in Hungary What happens when your body physically rejects the corporate matrix? Angela had the prestigious automotive project manager title, the BMW, and the German corporate lifestyle. But behind the facade, she realized she was operating in a "factory of PowerPoints and Excel without real life skills," ultimately leading to a devastating burnout where she spent three months doing nothing but crying just to reboot her mind. In this episode of Whereabouts Tales, we dismantle the modern safety net. Angela shares her radical blueprint for breaking societal programming and trading "unhappy certainty" for "happy uncertainty". In this episode, we explore: The Systemic Trap: Why traditional education and corporate environments are engineered to breed dependency, strip away real-life skills, and force you into a single-player competition mode. The Breaking Point: How the crushing weight of matrix management—holding massive project responsibility without the actual authority to make changes—forced Angela’s brain to shut down. The Escape Plan: The serendipitous chain of events that led her to shovel horse manure to clear her head, sell her apartment, buy a camper van after just four days of searching, and relocate to Hungary. Redefining Security: Why true safety isn't found in a monthly paycheck, but in the mental and emotional freedom to step out of survival mode and own your time. If you've ever felt the urge to walk away from a life that looks perfect on paper, this episode is your wake-up call.

  4. Aug 5

    The Art of Making a Forgotten Cup of Tea: Post-Communist Psychology

    What happens to a nation's psychology when the government collapses? Author Faizah Mohamed breaks down the brutal reality of the 1989 Romanian Revolution. In this sprint of the Book of Tales, we dissect the psychological hangover of communism. We sit down with Faizah Mohamed, author of The Art of Making a Forgotten Cup of Tea, to analyze how decades of systemic oppression hardwire generational trauma into our daily operating systems—from irrational food hoarding to deeply ingrained institutional paranoia. This is not a polite literary review; it is an autopsy of post-communist survival. We confront the aggressive anti-immigrant prejudice Faizah experienced in the UK, exposing the profound hypocrisy of Western media bias and the "Eastern European" stereotype. We also tear down the gatekeeping of the traditional publishing industry, exploring why independent publishing is the ultimate leverage for protecting your intellectual property and cultural history. Order the book and Connect with Faizah- Read the Book: Get your copy of The Art of Making a Forgotten Cup of Tea by Faizah Mohamed here: https://amzn.eu/d/08wCHyU8- Connect with Faizah: - Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/fazbooks/ - youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@fazbooks  - All the other links: https://linktr.ee/fazbooks [Timestamps for Audio Indexing] 00:00 - The Generational Paranoia of Communism 06:20 - Growing Up Multicultural in Post-Revolution Romania 16:15 - Western Ignorance & The "Eastern European" Stereotype 24:20 - Systemic Media Bias & Anti-Immigrant Hypocrisy 36:40 - The Art of Making a Forgotten Cup of Tea 43:50 - The Paradox of Nostalgia for Ceaușescu 57:30 - Why Romanians Hoard Food (Generational Trauma) 1:07:25 - Why Independent Publishing is the Ultimate Leverage 1:14:50 - Adapting the Revolution for the Big Screen

  5. Jul 29

    Escaping the 9-to-5: Quitting an 18-Year Corporate Career to Travel the World | Jessica Roman

    What happens when you do everything right for 18 years, buy the house, raise the kids, and realize the "American Dream" is just a blueprint for burnout? In this episode of Whereabouts Tales,I'm sitting down with Jessica Roman, a former corporate IT manager who decided she was done waiting for retirement. At 47, Jessica quit her nearly two-decade career, sold her house in six days, gave away her possessions, and bought a one-way ticket to India. This conversation deconstructs the reality of solo female travel in your 40s, the mental shift required to stop "keeping up with the Joneses," and why slow travel is the ultimate antidote to the corporate grind. If you are feeling stuck in your corporate career or wondering if it is too late to completely rewrite your life's trajectory, this is your blueprint. Connect with Jessica:Website: https://beacons.ai/jessicarotravelsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicarotravels/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessicarotravels Timestamps 00:00 - The Reality of Corporate Burnout After 18 Years 08:04 - The First Solo Trip to Italy That Changed Everything 12:48 - The Courage to Quit a Secure 9-to-5 Job 16:55 - Rejecting the Counter-Offer & Selling the House 24:39 - Overcoming the Pressure to "Keep Up With The Joneses" 33:12 - Tourist Mode vs. The Reality of Slow Travel 48:16 - The Challenges of Solo Female Travel After 40 1:09:39 - Redefining the Meaning of "Home" If this episode challenged your perspective on how you spend your time, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Subscribe to Whereabouts Tales for weekly conversations exploring the philosophical and biographical journeys of the world's most interesting travelers.

  6. Jul 22

    David Deane Haskell: Toxic Shame, Codependency & Inner Child Recovery

    What if positive affirmations are actually disgusting? Author David Deane Haskell breaks down the brutal realities of toxic shame, addiction, and codependency.  In this sprint of the Book of Tales, we pivot from analyzing failing global logistics to analyzing the most complex, easily compromised system on earth: our own psychology. We sit down with David Deane Haskell, author of Wounded Angels, to dismantle the polite myths of the modern self-help industry. David provides a real-time autopsy of his recovery from severe substance addiction and codependency. We trace the origins of "unearned shame" back to childhood trauma and examine how adult triggers expose our buried wounds. We discuss the visceral discomfort of early recovery, the danger of treating your symptoms as proof of your brokenness, and why re-parenting your inner child requires radical self-acceptance instead of seeking external validation. This is not a polished five-step program; it is the raw, unvarnished work of survival. Chapters 00:00 - Why Positive Affirmations Feel "Gross" 01:50 - The Anti-Self-Help Manual: Wounded Angels 06:05 - Anatomy of an Adult Trigger 07:45 - From Substance Addiction to Codependency 12:00 - The "Shame-Shocked" Boy & Scapegoating 15:15 - The Visceral Reality of Toxic Shame 24:25 - Confronting the "Inner Critic" 27:45 - Escapism vs. Real Healing 50:00 - Re-Parenting & Adult Children

  7. Jul 20

    Escaping the American Dream: Danielle Nemesio’s Ego Death in Sicily

    We are often told that the pinnacle of success is found in the relentless pursuit of achievement. But what happens when you reach the top of that mountain, only to realize the view isn't what you expected? In this episode, I sit down with Danielle Nemesio, who traded a high-profile culinary career at Walt Disney World for a life in Sicily. But this is not a romanticized story of La Dolce Vita. Danielle peels back the curtain on the crushing bureaucracy, the abrasive culture shocks, and the profound ego death required to abandon a secure American life for a path where your resume means absolutely nothing. We dissect: The systemic trap of American "burnout culture." The psychological divide between a society built on achievement and a culture built on connection. Why the "demo version" of travel hides the reality of building a life abroad. The difference between "surviving" and actually "living." If you’ve ever felt the urge to strip away your safety net and start over, this conversation is your reality check.

  8. Jul 8

    The Fix by Declan Hill: Organized Crime & The 2026 World Cup

    Is the 2026 World Cup truly clean? We dissect Declan Hill’s "The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime," exposing how global betting syndicates, corporate logistics, and spot-fixing manipulate modern football. In this solo sprint of the Book of Tales, we pull back the curtain on the invisible infrastructure of international sports corruption. Tying the chaotic events of the 2026 World Cup—from late-stage VAR technicalities to unprecedented presidential phone calls overriding red cards—directly to the dark data models of organized crime, we examine the systemic vulnerabilities of the beautiful game. We strip away the national anthems and stadium lights to reveal a global corporate supply chain managed by underground syndicates. You will learn the mechanics of "shopping money," how "runners" exploit underpaid athletes and referees through psychological grooming, and why the multi-billion-dollar sports betting market relies on spot-fixing corners and yellow cards rather than altering final scores. Finally, we turn the lens on the audience to explore the philosophical burden of the spectacle: Why do fans willingly ignore the obvious rot just to preserve the tribal joy of belonging? The Book of Tales Club: Claim your physical copy of Declan Hill’s The Fix :https://amzn.eu/d/09Q7AwjSSupport the Show: Upgrade your own audio production with our Riverside affiliate link: https://riverside.sjv.io/QYP9A9Chapters00:00 WC 2026 moments05:47 PART ONE: WHEN SUSPICION ENTERS THE STADIUM08:22 PART TWO: THE ARCHITECTURE OF CORRUPTION12:30 PART THREE: THE KFC MEETING14:34 PART FOUR: A ROMANIAN STORY16:05 PART FIVE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COMPROMISE18:55 PART SIX: WHY THE ZWAYER MOMENT MATTERS20:33 PART SEVEN: THE FAN’S COMPLICITY23:59 PART EIGHT: CONCLUSIONS

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Whereabouts Tales shares the real stories of immigrant experiences, belonging, and global journeys from expats, returnees, and cultural explorers. I'm diving into life between worlds unpacking identity, transformation, and what it means to belong. Each episode is a conversation about chasing dreams, navigating change, and discovering yourself far from home. Tune in for raw, thoughtful, and inspiring journeys across borders. 🎧 New episodes every 2 weeks | 🌍 Real people. Raw stories. Remarkable paths.

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