Find out how John and Paula Vergara discovered their Italian/Canadian ancestry, not through the traditional way, but from a Google search.  Learn how their 3rd great grandfather, Antonio DeBassio, born in Italy in the late 1700s,  went on to fight in Napoleon's army during the Napoleonic war, and survived the disastrous and deadly March on Moscow in 1812, where 600,000 of Napoleon's troops went in, and only 100,000 survived. His fateful move to Canada shortly after the war changed the course of their family for generations. With a whole new way of learning about their ancestry at a much deeper level ,  the impact of these previously unknown stories (and people) can be profound. 

In Episode 10, musician-turned-contractor Joan Barton (and fellow Bostonian) tells us some fascinating stories about her uniquely liberal upbringing, and how her free spirit can be traced back to multiple generations, including her grandmother--the first woman to wear pants at the Ritz! She also talks about how she discovered her true Jewish heritage in her 30s, and married one of her employees (shhh...). One   story in particular really stands out:  Joan's Dad and his experiences with the Civil Rights Movement, and the bonds of friendship that proved to be life-saving.  This emotional story opened Joan's eyes to the racial inequality and prejudice in the US, which drove her to be the person that she is today.  For those listeners in New England...it's pronounced Joan "Baaaahtn", obv.  

In episode 9, actor, comedian, and entrepreneur Mike Dolan recounts the stories of his childhood growing up in a military family, as a third generation "army brat", moving every 2-3 years, while his Dad was in Colonel in the army.  As the oldest of three siblings, he grew up on military bases in such places as Saudi Arabia, Panama, Alaska, and Japan. He spent time camping in the desert as a boy scout, and watching camel races where women were not allowed. Coming from a conservative, Irish-Catholic family, he attended "secret" church on Fridays (he learned about the lack of religious freedom early on), and traveled in caravans for safety.  After moving to Alaska (his final military move), he was randomly "recruited" into a high school play by a new classmate, and it opened up a new world for him. Listen to find out what ultimately caused Mike to pay attention to his inner voice, and follow his true calling into comedy. 

In this episode, John and Paula tell the story of their father's journey to America to practice medicine in 1954. Pepe's plan to move to Venezuela after medical school was scrapped after a fateful night of drinking with friends lead him to a residency in New York City.  After a few long years in medical school in Valencia Spain, which included maggot races, a stomach-churning prank on an unsuspecting woman on a train, and building skeletons from discarded cemetery bones, Pepe Vergara landed in New York City with $10 in his pocket.

In this episode, Paula recounts the story of her first trip to Spain at age 15. Needless to say, the trip to Ibiza was cursed...witnessing a horrific car accident at 5am, and going on an eye-opening paddle boat ride next to a few naked guys were not exactly on her sight-seeing list.  On the plus side, this trip gave her a new level of respect for her Dad (a doctor), who jumped into action to help the accident victims. 

In the fifth episode of the Probably Speaking podcast, co-host John Vergara recounts two harrowing stories of survival while studying abroad in Madrid, Spain during his junior year of college (circa 1981).  He dodged a potential kidnapping in Alicante after getting separated from friends and luggage on a train, and narrowly avoided being shot and/or captured during an attempted coup d'état in Madrid, just a few months later. Let’s just say, he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.  Against all odds, he survived to tell the tales. Fortunately, the Vergara Bubble kept him safe.

In the fourth episode of Probably Speaking, Actor Kevin Rock tells a fascinating story about how (and when) he met his two half-sisters, Melanie and Bonnie, who had no idea they had a brother.  After a chance meeting at a movie premiere, Kevin set out to put the puzzle pieces of his family together, with little help from his estranged, biological father,  Clarence Rock.  He also tells the tale of how he met his wife, after almost crashing his plane.  

Growing up. It never really happens the way that you think it’s going to. It can often feel unpredictable, scary, and full of uncertainty. Yet somehow, it can end up being more meaningful as a result. In today’s episode, we welcome classically trained actor Anil Kumar, who shares some very raw stories about his early struggles with being Indian-American, his evolving relationship with his Dad, and how his Olympic diving dreams were crushed, only to experience a few full-circle moments that allow him to forgive his parents, as well as his himself.

In the 2nd episode of Probably Speaking, sibling duo John and Paula Vergara reminisce about Christmas past, including “Noche Buena”, and give listeners a taste of Spanish-style Christmas Eve foods. They also talk about their favorite childhood Christmas gifts that kept on giving, the uncommon Christmas tree topper, and Paula’s risky move at 3am on Christmas Eve. Things get serious, when they tell the harrowing story about their Spanish grandfather…a story that is guaranteed to give you goosebumps, as well as a good history lesson. So sit back with whatever is left of the Christmas cookies, and enjoy!

In this episode of Probably Speaking, John explains the true meaning behind the podcast title. Paula digs deep, asking John about his favorite Christmas memory (there is a dead body involved), and then John tells the famous (or infamous?) story of the Spanish FIG. Hint: It's not about a piece of fruit.