Banana Lab

Gwen joins Banana Lab for a conversation about growing up Chinese-Kiwi in Auckland, navigating identity and racism, and finding her place in the film industry.

Born in New Zealand to parents from Fuzhou, Fujian, Gwen reflects on how her school years shaped the way she thought about being Asian. She talks about being part of the “Asian group” at school, hearing friends say they wished they were white, and only later recognising some of the microaggressions and subtle racism they experienced growing up.

After high school, Gwen moved to Melbourne to study film and television before returning to New Zealand during COVID. She now works as a freelance filmmaker, directing music videos, developing short films and building towards a career doing the creative work she loves.

We talk about the trade-offs of freelance life, the importance of Asian representation behind the camera, and why seeing people like yourself in creative careers can completely change what you imagine is possible.

And, as always, the conversation goes everywhere — from family expectations and creative ambition to social media habits, Auckland food spots, matcha, and a surprisingly serious discussion about chips. 🍟🍌

Francisca Dodiat joins Banana Lab for a conversation about growing up Indonesian in New Zealand, reconnecting with culture as an adult, working in addiction and mental health, and taking a year away from work to travel the world.

Born in Indonesia and raised in Warkworth, Francisca reflects on what it was like growing up as one of very few Asian kids in her community, and how that shaped her relationship with her Indonesian identity. As she plans her wedding, she’s finding herself thinking more deeply about the parts of her culture she wants to reclaim and eventually pass on to her own children.

We also hear how a university lecture led her into addiction treatment, what residential rehabilitation actually looks like behind the stereotypes, and why the intensity of that work is very different from the version we often see on screen.

Francisca also shares what happened when plans to move to the UK turned into a year of full-time travel, and why she’s preparing to head overseas again.

Along the way, the conversation moves through adult friendship, Bali tourism, identity, café culture, and the small rituals that make life feel good.

A proper Banana Lab yarn 🍌 — funny, thoughtful, and occasionally very real.

Here's a podcast description that matches the tone of the episode and your previous Banana Lab episodes:

In this episode of Banana Lab, we sit down with Mariah to explore her journey from the Philippines to New Zealand, growing up in Lower Hutt, and building a career that aligns with her values.

Mariah shares the realities of adapting to a new country at a young age, navigating university and the job market, moving to Auckland for new opportunities, and eventually finding purpose in a marketing career within the medical sector.

Along the way, we dive into food, travel, New Zealand's hospitality scene, the Michelin Guide, and why work can become such a big part of our identity—especially in many Asian cultures. It's an honest conversation about career, culture, belonging, and creating a meaningful life beyond your job.

In this episode:

• Growing up Filipino in New Zealand
• Culture shock and life in Lower Hutt
• University, career challenges and moving to Auckland
• Finding purpose in marketing
• Identity beyond work
• Filipino and Kiwi food culture
• Auckland's restaurant scene
• New Zealand's Michelin Guide
• Travel stories from Canada and plans for Europe

Whether you're an immigrant, a foodie, a creative professional, or simply navigating your own career journey, there's something in this conversation for you.

What makes someone leave behind a successful career, family, and everything they've built to start over in a country where they know no one?

In this episode, Alex and Romy sit down with Andrea Halal to explore her remarkable journey from growing up in Baguio, Philippines, to building a new life in New Zealand.

Andrea shares the experiences that shaped her - from losing her father at just 10 years old, to leaving a toxic workplace, winning an unexpected trip to New Zealand, and ultimately making the leap to follow a feeling she couldn't ignore.

Along the way, we also chat about Filipino food, coffee culture, marketing, taking calculated risks, and what it really means to build a life from scratch.

This is a conversation about courage, identity, resilience, and choosing the life you want - even when it doesn't make logical sense.

Photographer David Fu joins Banana Lab to share a life that rarely went according to plan.

Growing up in Kaitaia as the only Asian kid, David watched his parents build a takeaway business from almost nothing before carving out his own unconventional career. From music school and culinary training to teaching in America and eventually becoming a self-taught photographer, every chapter of his journey was driven by curiosity rather than certainty.

We also discuss creative careers, Asian family expectations, freelancing, entrepreneurship, and what it really means to stay busy for the right reasons.

Growing up in China, Diana Winter's childhood was shaped by fear, instability and responsibility beyond her years. After her parents divorced, she learned to become independent early, before eventually leaving home to study abroad—first in Russia, then in New Zealand.

In this episode, Diana reflects on her journey as an immigrant, the challenges of building a new life, and how difficult experiences shaped her resilience rather than defining her. We also explore her career in the creative industry, her perspective on AI and authenticity, why curiosity has become one of her greatest strengths, and how music and exercise helped her navigate one of the most difficult periods of her life.

More than anything, this is a conversation about perspective. Looking back, Diana no longer sees hardship as something to escape, but as something that shaped who she is today.

If you've ever questioned where you belong, wondered how people rebuild after adversity, or found yourself chasing the next milestone, this episode is a thoughtful reminder that perhaps life isn't about the pursuit of happiness—it's about the happiness of pursuing. 🍌

Youjin Choi joins us on Banana Lab to share her journey from moving to New Zealand from Korea at the age of nine to building a career in hospitality marketing, leaving home for a working holiday in Germany, and eventually returning with a different perspective on family, identity and what it means to be content.

Youjin reflects on arriving in New Zealand without speaking English, learning the language through cartoons and friendships, and growing up as the eldest daughter in an immigrant family. She shares the responsibility she felt translating for her parents and becoming the “fixer” in her family, as well as the resentment she experienced growing up and how living abroad later helped her better understand the challenges her parents had faced as immigrants.

We also talk about Youjin’s career in experiential marketing, her relationship with photography, discovering running, and why she decided to move to Germany before turning 30. She shares stories from working in a café, learning German, travelling around Europe, navigating cultural differences, and transporting a rescue dog from Greece to Germany.

The conversation also explores the complicated experience of growing up between cultures. Youjin reflects on not always feeling Korean enough to fit into Korean communities, standing out when visiting Korea, navigating questions around relationships and family expectations, and learning to stay curious without changing herself simply to fit in.

Ultimately, Youjin’s year abroad challenged the idea that moving somewhere else will automatically create a better life. She reflects on comparison, gratitude, faith, perspective, and learning to find joy by being content with what she has.

Topics include:

• Growing up Korean in New Zealand
• Being the eldest child in an immigrant family
• Translating for parents and family responsibility
• Experiential marketing and photography
• Moving to Germany on a working holiday
• Learning German and working abroad
• Travel and cultural differences
• Korean Kiwi identity and belonging
• Family expectations and relationships
• Faith, gratitude and finding contentment
• Returning home and adjusting to ordinary life

A warm, reflective and funny conversation about immigration, family, identity, adventure, and learning that sometimes the biggest change isn’t where you live, but how you see the life you already have. 

Jin Kim joins us on Banana Lab to share his journey from moving to New Zealand as a child to becoming a pharmacist, content creator and traveller.

We talk about growing up Korean in New Zealand, arriving without speaking English, boarding school life, and how a conversation with a maths tutor led him into pharmacy.

Jin also reflects on discovering YouTube during COVID, documenting life through vlogs, and why he decided to spend 14 months living in Korea to experience both the good and the bad sides of a country he still considers home.

Along the way, we dive into solo travel across Asia and Europe, life in Seoul, cultural differences between Korea and New Zealand, and how the experience changed the way he approaches life.

Topics include:

• Growing up Korean in New Zealand
 • Community pharmacy and healthcare
 • Content creation and YouTube
 • Living in Korea for 14 months
 • Solo travel and bucket-list destinations
 • Identity and belonging between two countries
 • Korea vs New Zealand lifestyle and culture

A warm and funny conversation about career, creativity, travel and what it means to feel connected to more than one place.

Ashley joins us on Banana Lab to share her experience growing up Filipino in New Zealand and finding her own identity between cultures.

Born in the Philippines and raised in Hamilton, Ashley reflects on moving to Auckland for university, transitioning into full-time work, and navigating the pressures of hustle culture and adulthood.

We talk about reconnecting with her Filipino roots, the challenges of balancing cultures, and how her family’s sacrifices and work ethic have shaped the way she approaches life today.

The conversation also touches on community, faith, food, favourite spots around Auckland, and the importance of slowing down, resting well, and learning to embrace who you are.

Warm, thoughtful, and full of relatable young adult moments, this episode is a conversation about identity, growth, belonging, and what it means to feel at home in yourself.

Topics include:

• Growing up Filipino in New Zealand
 • Hamilton vs Auckland life
 • Transitioning from university into the workforce
 • Hustle culture and work-life balance
 • Faith, family and community
 • Reconnecting with Filipino identity
 • Food, culture and finding belonging

In this episode of Banana Lab, we’re joined by Inna Goodwin.

Inna shares her journey from the Philippines to New Zealand, reflecting on immigration challenges, identity, career pivots and finding belonging.

We also discuss life as a Filipino woman in construction, queer identity, travel, and the realities of building a life in a new country.

A warm and honest conversation about resilience, community and home.