Imagine spending two years in a Covid-free country, and then returning to the US in March, 2021. That was Professor Dana Polanichka’s reality. According to RateMyProfessor.com, Professor Polanichka is a “ball of sunshine” and an “incredible human being.” But why trust student reviews from 2011 when you can tune into today’s episode, and hear Dana talk all about Bhutan, a small Himalayan nation steeped in ancient tradition. Dana led a group of Wheaton College students to Bhutan in 2019, and thanks to Covid, got stranded there for nearly two years. We discuss the utter shock of returning to a Covid-ravaged US, the beautiful, ancient traditions of Bhutan, and the much-misunderstood “Gross National Happiness.”

In Hot Takes, Eben considers planning a trip to North Korea, and Tim talks about his most impulsive moment.