Behind the Curtain
41 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago -An inside look at an expat life.
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Episodes
Interview with David, Part Two
January 10, 2024 20:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBDavid explains his experiences in England as a university student. Part Two.
Interview with David, Part One
December 17, 2023 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBDavid explains his experiences in England as a university student. Part One.
Interview with Kaja
September 28, 2023 09:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MBKaja shares her experience living and studying in Ireland.
Interview with Aneta
July 04, 2023 11:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBAneta has done an impressive amount of living in foreign countries and shares her thoughts on various places, adjustments, and cultures.
Authority Matters
June 12, 2023 19:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBJustin takes a look at the differences between American and Czech understanding of authority and the historical reasons for those differences. Using examples from his own experience and from his students' responses, Justin unpacks what constitutes good authority, cultural influences aside.
Interview with Terka
April 03, 2022 10:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBTerka delivers surprising answers to Justin's questions about life as a foreigner in Norway.
Interview with Miri
March 11, 2022 16:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MBJustin interviews a former Czech student studying abroad in Minnesota. What defines Americans for the outsiders in their midst?
Interview with Eva
January 27, 2022 17:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBJustin interviews a former student who now studies in Canada. Her stories and deep reflections prove that living overseas is an experience that changes you for life.
Interview with Ben
December 06, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBJustin interviews a former Czech student who lives and studies in Great Britain. Ben's insightful, funny, and thought-provoking answers will not disappoint.
Interview with Ben Janak
December 06, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBJustin interviews a former Czech student who lives and studies in Great Britain. Ben's insightful, funny, and thought-provoking answers will not disappoint.
Fear and Candy
October 30, 2021 13:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBThe holidays are almost upon us, but what does that mean for everybody? Justin takes a look at some different holiday traditions and unpacks the underlying causes and messages beneath some very interesting holiday customs.
The Tool Belt (Part Three)
September 22, 2021 13:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MBJustin concludes this series of episodes outlining the final five tools he's developed to step out of his own cultural posture and relate well to Czechs.
The Tool Belt (Part Two)
September 01, 2021 12:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBJustin continues this short series of episodes outlining tools he's developed to step out of his own cultural posture and relate well to Czechs.
The Tool Belt (Part One)
August 18, 2021 15:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBJustin begins a short series of episodes outlining tools he's developed to step out of his own cultural posture and relate well to Czechs.
The Tribe Speaks
August 06, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBJustin unpacks the intricacies of Czech meetings, detailing his own failures and successes in navigating another cultural arena.
Take a Hike
July 27, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBJustin describes his humorous and painful experiences in learning what a Czech really means when they extend an invitation to take a walk.
The Heart of Europe
June 19, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBDoes a country's geographical location affect its culture? Justin unpacks Czech's position in the European context and how this helps us understand the Czech mindset.
The M Word
June 05, 2021 13:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBJustin takes us through the culturally and psychologically complex phenomenon of Czech high school graduation tests.
The Level Playing Field
May 10, 2021 06:00 - 14 minutes - 9.94 MBJustin unpacks why hockey is more than just a sport in the Czech Republic.
Sponges and Mirrors
May 01, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 9.93 MBJustin begins Season Three diving into the relationship between a host culture and a foreigner --one of sponges and mirrors.
The Coat Room at the Ball
February 13, 2021 14:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBIn this final episode of season two, Justin uses his experience at a Czech ball to highlight a foreigner's inevitable otherness. Credit and sources: Engine (2x): https://www.zapsplat.com/music/car-start-idle-then-engine-off-external-recording-vauxhall-corsa-1-2/ Door open (2x): https://www.zapsplat.com/music/car-door-open-internal-recording-peugeot-307/ Door shut (2x): https://www.zapsplat.com/music/car-door-close-internal-recording-peugeot-307/ People (2x): https://www.zapsplat.com/...
Culture Shock
January 31, 2021 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBJustin discusses the experience of culture shock and its counterpart--reverse culture shock in one's home country.
Nachos in the Cinema
January 08, 2021 12:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBJustin explores the art of missing beloved items and people while living overseas and why craving can be a beautiful thing.
Are You Normal?
December 19, 2020 11:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBJustin compares two versions of cultural questions and what they reveal about the two cultures. Listen to Justin's guest interview on The Moving Roadmap here: https://www.avvinue.com/podcast/justin-loy-meeting-love-abroad-returning-to-czech-republic-together
The Grocery Store Chronicles Part Two: The Hunt
November 26, 2020 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11 MBJustin describes the Hunt--a constant search for hard-to-find, home-culture products in stores.
Stick Your Finger Through Your Throat
November 09, 2020 20:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBJustin tries to wrap his head around language and his tongue around a few impossible Czech tongue twisters while also sharing some of his top language gaffes.
Country Roads
October 27, 2020 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.63 MBJustin contrasts cultural norms from his childhood with the Czech experience and manages to find a connection in an unexpected way.
The Wilson Effect
October 15, 2020 15:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBJustin discusses common foreigner coping mechanisms and when, how, and why to abandon them.
Corn Stealing
October 01, 2020 08:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBJustin unpacks two contrasting ways a foreigner handles cultural differences: assimilation and separation. He details his failed attempts at both, bringing him to a third way.
Season 2 Introduction
September 30, 2020 08:00 - 5 minutes - 3.58 MBA quick hello to start up Season Two.
Bonus: Something Old, Something New
August 22, 2020 14:00 - 6 minutes - 4.82 MBJustin wraps up Season One with a quick behind-the-scenes from the first ten episodes and a teaser for Season Two, starting in September.
Q and A: Six Feet Under and Dinner at Five
July 17, 2020 13:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBJustin answers listener questions about life as a foreigner.
Big Brother Polka and Other Local Quirks
June 29, 2020 14:00 - 13 minutes - 9.38 MBUsing announcements and articles from the local community magazine, Justin discusses several cultural peculiarities that he's learned to love and follow...almost.
Dances and Statues
June 08, 2020 19:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBIn the fourth and final relationship series, Justin discusses the differences in cultural responses when chaos breaks down male-female relationships and finds the anecdote hidden within the culture.
Reciprocity Reexamined
May 24, 2020 15:00 - 12 minutes - 8.89 MBIn the third part of the Relationship Series, Justin unpacks the tradition of gift giving, especially in neighborly relationships. And makes us hungry for apple pie.
Grandmas in Unlikely Places
May 15, 2020 09:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBIn the second part of the Relationship Series, Justin tells about his first days in Europe and how the influence of one person changed his story.
To Tykat or Not to Tykat, That is the Question
May 08, 2020 10:00 - 11 minutes - 7.82 MBRelationship Series #1 Some languages create a conundrum for Americans who are unused to defining relationships with complicated uses of pronouns. Justin tells stories of how he has navigated through the cultural rules of language to build stronger relationships.
As the Stork Flies
April 28, 2020 12:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBWhat do storks and expats have in common? In this episode, Justin takes a look at a stork's life and three ways it's similar to an expat's experience. Here's a link to a live cam on a stork next in the Czech Republic: https://www.ipcamlive.com/5ca7589bb4c42?fbclid=IwAR3R7rWfSrbbwfubWlzI4leUuoNn1Il9EWgiHsAlXSBqKGUZuaVeDava-XA
Unmasking Hard Times
April 21, 2020 07:00 - 12 minutes - 8.43 MBIn this episode, Justin finds several advantages to wearing face masks and discusses other benefits we can find in today’s unusual circumstances. Resources mentioned: Uses of Adversity by Timothy Garton Ash https://amzn.to/2xNRZcl USA Today article: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/04/04/czech-government-implemented-face-mask-requirement-help-combat-coronavirus-column/2940393001/
Grocery Store Chronicles Part One: Cashiers, Customers…and Me
April 14, 2020 09:00 - 13 minutes - 9.56 MBIn this episode, Justin breaks down the drama of a grocery store check-out line from the perspective of a foreigner. His issues with such a simple task bring him to a helpful conclusion about interacting with others.
Introduction
April 04, 2020 12:00 - 8 minutes - 5.9 MBIn this initial episode to the Behind the Curtain Podcast, host Justin Loy introduces himself and outlines the setup of the podcast.