Beginner
10 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 6 years ago - ★★★★★ - 72 ratingsIn 2003, I came to America with my family. Beginner trails me, a 24 year old Pakistani-American immigrant, as I learn to do the things I never did as a kid, and that are integral parts of an American childhood.
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Episodes
Learning to Float
December 28, 2017 15:51 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBIn this episode, Misha takes swim lessons and learns to float. She finally faces all of her fears and talks to her mom about where they come from. Produced by Misha Euceph, with help from Sammy Miller and Lyra Smith. Special thanks to Sajeela Euceph, Scott Bitner and Take Me to the Water Swim School. Music by Podington Bear and Usman Riaz.
If I Bend That Far, I'll Break
December 18, 2017 00:00 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBMisha finds another immigrant group that's found some sense of belonging in America. Produced by Misha Euceph, with help from Sammy Miller. Our story editor is Lyra Smith. Special thanks to Nate, Emily and Julie Miller; Micah Wexler; and my parents, Sajeela and Euceph.
You Must Be a Friend!
November 29, 2017 23:24 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBMisha goes all the way back in time and reads children's books she never read as an immigrant kid, finding a guide for her own quest. Special thanks to Emily Arrow and Yara Nasrallah. Produced by Misha Euceph, with help from Sammy Miller, Max Raskin and Jonah Browmwich. Music by Podington Bear and Emily Arrow.
Scotch on the Rocks
October 23, 2017 19:37 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBMisha learns to make a bed the American way and tries craft beer with her dad. Produced by Misha Euceph. Music by Podington Bear and Dee Yan-Key.
I Can Sing!
September 15, 2017 17:40 - 4 minutes - 4.45 MBMisha confronts her fear of singing by throwing a concert for her family in this bonus episode. Produced by Misha Euceph. Music by Coke Studio, Ali Sethi, Ali Hamza, Waqar Ehsin, and Podington Bear. Special thanks to Euceph Ahmed for musical accompaniment.
Part of that World
July 23, 2017 00:06 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBMisha gets a lesson with a professional jazz singer and gets over her biggest fear yet. This episode was produced with help from Sammy Miller, Maddy Russell-Shapiro, and Jonah Bromwich. HUGE thanks to Martina DaSilva from the Lady Bugs Band. Music by Podington Bear, Paul Simon, Euceph Ahmed, Disney and Pavarotti.
Bye Bye Bye
May 21, 2017 21:06 - 17 minutes - 16 MBMisha talks to her sister about what it means to be cool, makes flash cards for NSYNC songs and looks for the root of her insecurities as an immigrant. Produced by Misha Euceph, with help from Robin Miniter and Sammy Miller. Music by Podington Bear, Ali Farka Toure, Sanam Marvi and the Rumi Symphony Project by Hafez Nazeri.
Let Go! Let Go
May 01, 2017 13:37 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBMisha finally gets her butt on a bike. And digs into why she lied all this time about knowing how to ride. Produced by Misha Euceph with help from Robin Miniter and Sammy Miller. Music by Podington Bear and several Pakistani artists: Mai Dhai & Karram Abbas, Meesha Shafi, and Usman Riaz.
Coming to America
March 15, 2017 01:11 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBMisha decides she's not in Pakistan anymore and she's gotta find a way to belong. Produced by Misha Euceph with help from Laura Sim and Robin Miniter. Special thanks to Devon Taylor, Peter Bresnan and Sammy Miller. Music by Mai Dhai Band and Podington Bear.
Trailer
December 27, 2016 01:41 - 1 minute - 1.37 MBThis is the trailer for season one of Beginner, a podcast about learning to belong, one skill at a time. It follows Misha, a Pakistani-American immigrant, as she learns the things at 24 that Americans learn as kids. Episode one drops on March 15, 2017. Produced by Misha Euceph and Laura Sim with help from Robin Miniter and Sammy Miller. Edited by Misha Euceph. Narration by Issa Euceph. Music by Podington Bear.