Imagine you’ve spent your whole life wondering… Why were you given up? Were you unwanted? Why didn’t they keep you? Was is forced or by choice? Where did you get your nose from? How about your cheekbones? Which parent had your widow’s peak? What about your photic sneeze? Who did you inhere your affinity for music from? When will you ever get answers to these questions? Now, imagine that you do. Imagine that it happens all at once, in a foreign country, with a different language, surrounded by strangers… who also aren’t strangers because, though you’ve never met, they look like you, sound like you, walk like you do, and all that wondering you’ve done your whole life finally stops. What happened next? Listen to this episode to find out what came next for Matt.

As recent as 15 years ago, the normalized standard of American beauty was tall, white, and thin. Confirmed by television ads, magazine covers, and models walking down a runway, it was the only way a woman could be considered beautiful. A skinny nose, thick lips, and big eyes were the only accepted arrangement of features that was considered attractive. 15 years later, society has, for the most part, come to their senses. Nowadays, it’s commonplace to see women and men of all colors, shapes, and sizes, with any number of arrangements of facial features, in a 2-page spread or on the cover of a magazine. While American beauty standards still have a long way to go, the idea that beauty comes from within is slowly taking hold… Or is it? Why does there need to be anything American about beauty in the first place? Has this country’s notion about what is attractive really changed so much, if society only treats those who act American, never mind look it, better than those who don’t? On this episode, we discuss how acting American can change your appearance more than, puberty, glasses, makeup, or plastic surgery ever could.

Let’s set the scene: You’re walking down Main Street with your family to your usual, every Thursday night dinner spot. You’ve walked down this street and eaten at this restaurant countless times, and each time, 1 of 2 things always happens… If you’re not adopted, people don’t spare more than a glance in your direction because you look the same as the company you’re with. But if you are adopted, peoples’ eyes linger and you can see, behind their gaze, their minds trying to figure out why you look different than others in your group. Now, imagine a 3rd possibility - you are adopted, but nobody stares because you look like your mom or your dad. Are you grateful to be spared those lingering awkward glances? Or does it make your adoption feel invalidated? Do you even notice? Do you even care? Lily is no stranger to this 3rd possibility, and on this episode, she chats with me about what it’s like to live it every day.

Forget everything you know about American norms, because in this episode, I chat with Hana. She lives in Australia, and if you’ve ever wondered what life as an Asian Australian is like, then this episode is for you. Are Australians more or less racist towards Asians than Americans? Has the dark history of Aboriginal repression had the same societal effects as slavery? Does Australia even have daylight’s savings time? Don’t worry. Hana answers all these questions, and more.

We’ve all heard the term "Exotic" before. Whether it’s in reference to animals, plants, or far-away travel destinations, there’s a good chance that we’ve all used the phrase at one time or another. Now consider what happens when this word is used to describe people. Maybe your mind conjures up the image of a person with Exotic beauty, Exotic features, or an Exotic aura. And while none of that is, by the textbook definition of the word, wrong, what your mind doesn’t tell you is that the word Exotic also facilitates objectification and perpetuates unrealistic assumptions. In this episode, I chat with Molly, someone who knows firsthand what the experience of being seen as Exotic is like, and just how damaging it can be.

Who am I? It is the most existential question and impossible to figure out alone. My friend, Siena, and I, haven't spoken in over 10 years, and on this episode, we reconnect in an effort to answer it by discussing how asking other hard questions like, Was I unwanted? Am I privileged? Do I belong? What is my identity? How will I know for sure? Now What? may be the only way to find out.

Imagine you’re browsing the isles of a bookstore, looking for a book on how to train your new dog. The dust cover has a photograph of a cute puppy with big eyes and the author pictured on the back seems experienced and knowledgeable on all things canine. You buy the book and arrive home, excited to begin training, only to realize there’s been a terrible mistake. Not only is this not a book about training dogs, it’s not a book about training anything! It’s a cookbook telling you how to make the perfect curry dish. In this episode, I chat with Michelle about her experience living in the south after growing up in Upstate New York, what it’s like to date as an Asian-looking woman, and the general idea of, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.

I met Addie when I was 8 years old, at summer camp just outside New Paltz, NY. By the end of that first camp day, we had already scheduled our first playdate, during which we would eat Pocky and play Polly Pocket. It's been almost ten years since then, and the last time we spoke, that I can remember, was back in 2016. Now, 4 years later, we both finally had time for a phone call. On this episode, we talk about how being adopted has affected our lives, how having older parents made us weird, and why the media plays such a key role when it comes to shaping ones identity.

Ever had a quarter-life crisis? Join. The. Club.

If you haven’t, well then… stay tuned! In this episode, I discuss how the pandemic, the BLM movement, and the loss of my dad, all culminated into me having, essentially - one big freak out. From being certain about who you are to having absolutely no clue, I touch on what it’s like to be adopted, and how it feels to exist somewhere between.

Welcome to the first episode! Today’s teaser is all about setting “the vibe”. From the sound of my voice, to my weird personality quirks, from an anecdote or two about my childhood, to what’s in store for the rest of the season, I get real, get deep, and ask you to join me as I, along with, well, everyone, figure out…. now what?