Europe is facing a level of geopolitical uncertainty it hasn't seen in decades. From the war in Ukraine to shifting US foreign policy, questions about the future of the European Union are more pressing than ever. One answer gaining momentum among young Europeans is the idea of a United States of Europe.

In this episode, I speak with Anna Strolenberg, Member of the European Parliament representing VOLT - a transnational European party - about what this idea actually means, how it would work in practice, and what the main risks and trade-offs are.

• What is VOLT?: how this transnational European party works across borders and why it was built this way
• The United States of Europe: what the concept means, what would change, and what would stay the same
• Defense and security: the case for a European army and what it would look like alongside existing national armies
• The veto: how unanimity voting works today, why some see it as a problem, and what alternatives exist
• European governance: how decisions are currently made in the EU, who holds power, and what a more democratic structure could look like
• Eastern vs Western Europe: different perspectives on European integration and how to address the gap
• Cultural identity: the concern that deeper integration threatens national cultures, and the counter-argument
• Representation in politics: on being the youngest Dutch MEP, diversity in parliament, and who gets to shape political decisions
• Human rights: why Anna sees this as the necessary foundation of any future European project

Is menstruation a private issue or a public matter? Most people assume it's the former - but the reality is far more complex.

In this episode, I host Dr. Maria Carmen Punzi, researcher, advisor, and advocate who has spent nearly a decade working at the intersection of menstrual health, gender equality, and public policy. From advising businesses and organizations to presenting research at the European Parliament, Maria Carmen is on a mission to break the silence around menstruation and reframe it as the systemic issue it truly is.

We cover a lot of ground in this conversation:

🩸 Body literacy — what it means to truly understand the language of your own body, and why most of us were never taught it
🩸 The workplace, gender equality, and who our systems were built for — and what needs to change
🩸 The "weaker body" myth — how we see as the male body as the default standard, and what that has cost women for decades

🩸 Period poverty in Europe — shocking findings from research presented at the EU Parliament, and why period poverty affects far more people than national poverty rates suggest

🩸 AI and period tracking apps — the hidden risks of free apps, data privacy, and what responsible design should actually look like

Whether you menstruate or not, this conversation will change how you think about our society healthcare, and equality.

00:00 Introduction
01:32 How Maria Carmen got into menstrual health research
09:59 What is body literacy?
14:43 The strengths of the menstrual cycle
19:20 Red flags you shouldn't ignore
23:31 Self-advocacy in the healthcare system
28:54 The menstruation taboo is everywhere
35:10 Free period products in public spaces
38:14 Menstruation as a gender equality issue
47:37 Period poverty in Europe
57:53 AI and period tracking apps
1:03:41 Key takeaways

Quin Blokzijl is on a mission to challenge an overlooked inequality in society: the divide between university-educated and practically educated people.

Despite making up a large part of the population, people with practical education are heavily underrepresented in politics, media, and public debate. Quin has experienced this firsthand — from being excluded based on educational level to working within institutions such as the European Parliament.

Today, he works as a garbage collector by choice, while using his platform to question how we define intelligence, success, and value in society.

In this conversation, we explore:

- Why are vocationally educated people underrepresented in politics
- How the system reinforces inequality
- Why many people feel excluded from democracy
- The link between this divide and rising populism
- What politicians and society can do differently
- How we currently determine one's worth, and what is the problem with this
- How to break out of our bubbles and why it is so important

This episode challenges how we think about work, intelligence, and who gets a voice. Quin brings bold ideas, like the need for politicians to do hands-on work, or for more people to work "50-50" - both outside and the office.

👷🏽‍♂️ Guest: Quin Blokzijl
Garbage Collector & Opinion Leader

Follow Quin's work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinblokzijl/
Or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinblokzijl/

🎙 Hosted by Vera Balo
Level With Me — nuanced conversations about the topics shaping modern life in Europe.

Follow for my journey of building the podcast, as well as critical thinking material:

Substack: https://substack.com/@verabalo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vera-balo/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6RJfOMuau3H2bPJPqj6qAn?si=389f7f4e32b54451
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/level-with-me/id1876229836

0:00 Intro
1:13 Quin’s journey & early influences
4:27 Experiencing the education divide
5:19 Why he became a garbage collector
7:21 Life on the job & social perceptions
11:38 Elites vs workers: key differences
14:15 Core issues: money, pressure & recognition
15:53 His mission explained
17:29 Are vocational workers excluded from democracy?
21:57 Representation & political inequality
27:14 Why many feel disconnected from politics
30:15 The communication gap in public debate
34:18 Should politicians do physical work?
40:30 Solutions & what needs to change
44:12 What happened to unions?
46:05 Climate, class & communication
51:23 Quin’s future plans
53:52 What individuals can do
55:08 Breaking out of your bubble
57:14 Outro

We live in the most medically advanced societies in history. And yet, when serious illness enters someone’s life, families often feel completely unprepared.

In this episode of Level With Me, I speak with Nara Moripen, founder of PAL, about what really happens when a diagnosis changes everything.

We talk about:

• What “serious illness” actually means
• The shock of diagnosis and the importance of asking about prognosis
• The hidden role of family caregivers
• Caregiver burnout and how to prevent it
• Why palliative care is misunderstood — and why it should start earlier
• The funding and systemic gaps across Europe
• Why we need to talk more openly about death, grief, and serious illness
  

This is a conversation for patients, caregivers, colleagues, friends — and anyone who will one day face serious illness in their circle. Because we all will.

00:00 Why serious illness still catches us unprepared

01:05 Nara’s story: From consultant to caregiver

04:28 The patient journey: Medical, emotional & practical challenges

16:11 The diagnosis phase and asking about prognosis

27:34 The conversations families need to have

30:53 What it really means to be a caregiver

38:55 What palliative care actually is (and why it matters early)

43:55 System gaps: Funding, access, and inequality

49:02 Caregiver burnout and balancing work & life

53:33 How workplaces, friends & society can do better

1:00:10 Innovation, AI & hope for the future

1:04:05 Breaking the taboo around illness, death & grief

Does democracy actually work the way we think it does?

In this episode, I speak with political philosopher Jason Brennan, author of Against Democracy, about the fundamental flaw he sees in modern democratic systems: voters have almost no incentive to become informed.

We discuss alternatives to democracy, such as epistocracy, the rule of the knowledgeable. But we also talk about the concepts of rational ignorance, tribal politics, democratic backsliding, and the potential of technology.

Level With Me explores polarizing topics shaping modern life in Europe through nuanced conversations that encourage critical thinking.

Introducing Level With Me, a podcast I’m creating to encourage critical thinking, especially here in Europe.

I plan to explore the issues shaping modern life — from culture and politics to technology, business, and lifestyle.

Most conversations today take place in echo chambers. Podcasts often let guests present their narratives without challenge, nuance, or context. Level With Me is my attempt to do things differently: to ask challenging questions, think more deeply, and explore the complexity behind the headlines.

If you’re curious about the world, bored of oversimplified narratives, or want to hear perspectives that challenge your assumptions, I’d love to have you on this journey.

What does it really mean to have an impactful career? Do you need privilege, elite education, and work on the world's biggest problems to make a difference?

In this episode, I’m joined by Jan-Willem van Putten, co-founder of the School for Moral Ambition, for a deep and honest conversation about purpose, responsibility, and what meaningful work looks like in an unequal world.

We talk about:

• What a career with positive impact actually is (and what it isn’t)
• Why many people might be wasting their talent
• The idea of moral ambition
• The “Triple S framework”: sizable, solvable, and sorely overlooked problems
• Whether hands-on jobs like teaching or nursing are recognized as impactful
• Acting locally versus solving complex global problems
• Privilege, responsibility, and who should do more
• Burnout, trade-offs, money, and the real lifestyle behind impact careers
• Why community matters
• Practical first steps you can take - even if you can’t change careers right now
  
  This episode is for you if you’ve ever:
  
• Felt stuck in a job that pays well but feels empty
• Wanted to “do good” but felt overwhelmed by the scale of the world’s problems
• Questioned whether small actions really matter
  

Visit the School for Moral Ambition to take the first step towards a job with a positive impact: https://www.moralambition.org/