Season 2, done and dusted! In this finale episode, Shan, Han and Evan chat about what's been going on for us in our personal lives. The common denominator? Transitions. Hence the title: Big Strides, Changing Tides. 

We also recap our Season 2 highlights, including truly humbling interactions with our listeners and connecting with Malaysians abroad to help flood victims back home.

Plus, we name our favourite episodes to record this season!  

We will be taking a break before Season 3 of the podcast, but don't expect radio silence. 

Stay tuned for MAPbites, our short 5-minute series recapping the most valuable insights of our past episodes. 

Thanks for listening, and see you in Season 3! 

Do you hide your Malaysianness or wear it with pride when you're living abroad? 

Oh, how the tables have turned! For a change, our podcast guest interviews Shan, Han, and Evan as we take a deep dive into our Malaysian identity. This episode is part 1 of our collab with Aaron Thaddeus (@aaronthaddeus.creates), a fellow Malaysian based in North Carolina. 

Our conversation explores how colonialism has impacted our identity as Malaysians. It has subconsciously weaved into our first choice of language to our own racial stereotypes. Also, we admit to ways we carry ourselves differently when living abroad. 

Yep, this episode goes pretty deep.

Stay tuned for Part 2 over at Aaron's podcast, Mind UnMute. Thanks for listening!

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the episode belong to the speakers only. We are by no means historians.

What is it like to become a new parent? What is it like to realize your career is no longer what you enjoy doing? We chatted with Dr. Kristal Lau who left her career as a doctor, moved to Germany, and raised her family there. 

Our conversation with this Malaysian mom revolves around how she found her own support community in a different country, how a woman's identity changes after becoming a mother, and her side-hustle which aims to help new moms to cope with the transition. 

Explore all this with us in this episode. 

Dr. Kristal is also writing a book on modern confinement practices for new moms. Follow her journey here: https://www.bridgesinhealth.com. 

Thanks for listening! 

What makes us who we are? Is it our environment, culture, or our community? We take a deep dive into this with Uncle Kok Mun, a professional counselor based in Oregon, US. We discuss the changes in our identity when we move abroad and how to stay rooted in one's identity. Uncle Kok Mun also tells us about the way different cultures and communities perceive romantic relationships as well as the biases that exist with popular personality tests like the MBTI. 

Whether you're a Malaysian or not, abroad or at home, we know this episode will speak to you. So much wisdom in this episode! If you're in need of some motivation or a wake-up call, THIS is the episode for you. 

Have a question for Uncle Kok Mun? Email him at [email protected].

Have you ever felt like your identity is strongly tied to your financial worth? 

In this episode, we speak to Michelle Chin about building a healthy relationship with our money. Michelle Chin, the creator of HerDuit @her.duit tells us about her journey into personal finance, what a good relationship with money looks like, and how to set healthy financial goals. 

Also, did you know that our personal life experiences and social media can impact how we perceive wealth? All of that and more in this episode. We hope you'll give this a listen -- we really learned so much from it! 

Dear Malaysians, how's your mental health? Mental Health Awareness Month is here, and we're honoured to have Shobana on the show. Shobana is a US-based behavioral coach manager and professional therapist by trade. 

In our interview with her, we look into questions like: Is going to therapy really a sign of weakness? Does going to therapy help or affect relationships? How do you find the right therapist? 

And since we're all Malaysians, we had to address the stigma around mental health in Malaysia. Does anyone else remember their teachers saying, "You belong in Tanjung Rambutan"? We talk about deeply ingrained issues like these that have lasted generations. 

We hope this episode inspires you to take steps towards caring for your mental health. Malaysia is definitely making progress, and we're all for it! Share your thoughts with us on our Instagram @malaysiansabroadpodcast. We'd love to hear from you! 

In Malaysia, the law dictates that a non-Muslim marrying a Muslim must convert to Islam. Such a law doesn't exist in Singapore, and inter-religious marriage is welcome. Peiru, a Malaysian Chinese married to a Malay Muslim man in Singapore, still chose to convert to Islam despite the freedom she had and the pushback from the older generation in her family. 

We chat with her about: 

Thanks for listening. Connect with us on Instagram @malaysiansabroadpodcast! 

Love always wins. Our guest today is Aisha, whose relationship is far from your average love story. 

Through her life experiences including living in the UK, Aisha's perspective has changed for the better. She has explored her identity as a bisexual, relearned her personal faith, and redefined romantic relationships. 

This interview with Aisha taught us a lot. Mainly, it reminded us that our identity comes first and foremost before being in love with someone. We hope you take some time to digest the contents of this episode and let us know what you think. 

And if you have a story to share, remember you can always reach us on Instagram @malaysiansabroadpodcast.

"Where are you really from?" 

When you're a third-culture kid, answering that question is tough... but not for Pavitra, who confidently answers, "I'm from Malaysia!" (no matter how many times she's asked). Pavitra shares why she is proud of her identity as a Malaysian, having lived in Dubai, Tokyo and London. We pick Pavitra's brain on adapting to new places, forming relationships, and staying true to yourself. 

What do you think of her story? Let us know on our IG @malaysiansabroadpodcast!

Despite the rainbow in the flag 🏳️‍🌈, life wasn't always sunshine and rainbows for our guests, Sharon and Willy.

In this episode, they share their stories exploring their identities as LGBTQ+ individuals and how their time in the States - during two very different eras - play a part in that. We dive into their journeys of bravery and fear, of acceptance and discrimination, and how their choices and experiences ultimately resulted in one of them returning to Malaysia and the other staying in the US.

Check out the episode and let us know your thoughts on Instagram @malaysiansabroadpodcast.