Culture Chaos : Stories of An Indian Abroad

This December, our country witnessed the strangest obsession with with outrageous weddings but if you're thinking that the wedding wave is finally over, think again..because the NRI wedding season is just beginning and it promises to be a bigger and a gaudier circus with every passing year.

In this podcast, I try to look into where the thin line is between extravagance and outrageousness and how NRIs are changing the Indian wedding industry.

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

What would our long distance relationships with our family be without video chats? This episode is dedicated to all the apps on our phones and computers that have stayed with us throughout our NRI lives and have magically transported us back home and our parents and them to us with every call, just like that. 

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

While immigrants and expats are more widely accepted than ever before, they all continue experiencing subtle hints of racism in their daily lives.

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

The festival of light is celebrated with the same spirit the world over but Abroad waali Diwali comes with a slight twist and in this podcast, I share how some basic diwali things can be a little convoluted for NRIs.

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

Twitter: @culture_chaos

Facebook: Isha Soni - Culture Chaos Podcast

Ever wondered why the humble papad is known by the complex and vague name 'papadom' in the west? If you have, than you aren't alone. Check out this week's podcast where I try to find answers about where this word really came from and how it became the new brand name of this humble desi crisp.

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

Twitter: @culture_chaos

Facebook: Isha Soni - Culture Chaos Podcast

The #MeTooIndia movement in India has opened a whole new set of dialogues which are finally approaching the issue of women's safety in the subcontinent and all over the world, with a progressive point of view. In today's episode, I share my take on this revolution which is storming our nation and on why it is important for our generation to ensure that these dialogues are carried forward responsibly. 

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

Twitter: @culture_chaos

Facebook: Isha Soni - Culture Chaos Podcast

Last week, I was able to visit my home in Mumbai after almost three years and my favorite thing during home visits is revisiting my old memories and giving myself a good dose of nostalgia before I get on the place to return back to my NRI life. This episode is dedicated to nostalgia and all those products that build the foundations of our lives and memories growing up back home. 

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

Twitter: @culture_chaos

Facebook: Isha Soni - Culture Chaos Podcast

A historic judgement was recently passed in India decriminalizing homosexuality. While this judgement was a long awaited step in the forward and progressive direction, I take a minute to question if it is time for us Indians to rejoice at #LoveIsLove just yet? 

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

The thing about popular culture and its references is, that it changes faster than the seasons. From being the life of a party with my Bollywood treasure-trove of knowledge ready at the tip of my tongue to being completely clueless in conversations and not getting some of the most basic of jokes, comments and references without depending on urban dictionary. In the west, a FOB's struggle with popular culture is very real. In this episode, I talk about how I still fail to get most western popular culture references and crave for my meet ups with 'apne log' every chance I get! 

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!

Contrary to common assumptions, Indian festivals are celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and pomp abroad and us desis don't leave any stone unturned when it comes to making a party out of our festivals. This podcast is a little sneak peak into how the mood is during the long festival season spread over the last 4 months of the year. 

Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at [email protected] or leave your feedback/review on iTunes. Thank you for listening!