Raise a glass?
Episode #132: 'From Mississippi to the Mekong' w/ Deborah Pembleton
In this episode, I got to have a conversation with my longtime friend, Dr. Deborah Pembleton, who shares the story of her upbringing in small-town Mississippi and the evolution of her deep sense of connection with Thailand and the Asian region. Deborah is Professor of Global Business Leadership at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Minnesota, and has led study abroad programs to the Bahamas, China, and Thailand.
In our conversation, we refer to a few culturally-specific terms and places:
A ‘tuk tuk’ is a three-wheel motorized version of a rickshaw that one finds in abundance on the streets of Thailand.
Khon Kaen is a city in the northeastern part of Thailand.
The Hmong people are indigenous to East and Southeast Asia — many Hmong live in disaporic communities in places including the U.S. state of Minnesota. For more information, check out the Hmong Cultural Center in St. Paul, MN.
Episode #96: Fact or Favor?
When is gratitude ‘required’?
Episode #95: New 'Roomie'
Getting to know a (furry) new roommate.
Episode #39: Ambiguity
How comfortable are you with those ‘muddy’ moments?
Episode #22: ‘In Between’ w/ Adil Arshad
In conversation with Adil Arshad about some of his experiences as an international student in the U.S. (and from his perspective as a teacher in his native Pakistan) and finding himself ‘in between’ his home culture and U.S. culture.
Episode #18: Unresolved
The 'blind spots' that each of us can have in our cross-cultural interactions.
Episode #15: Hello? Smile!
Reflections on some U.S. cultural norms and what they might mean.