Riya's Ramblings

Riddle: What cereal do snowmen eat?  (it is a pun)

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all have a wonderful 2021.

I would love to hear from you about what you are looking forward to this year. Please write to me at [email protected]  Email suggestions below!  

In this episode, I chat with my cousin sister about middle school. I am excited to be a middle schooler in 2021 and am curious how different it is from elementary school. We talk about learning to play the violin in a remote classroom, having different teachers for different subjects and other aspects of online middle school.

If you are in middle school or looking forward to it, you will enjoy our chat.  Even if you aren't, you will still have fun!

As always, listen, rate, and share!

You could email me at [email protected] about your online school experiences, episode suggestions, or the answer to the riddle!

I am sure you agree that 2020 was a pretty unique year - we experienced the world in new ways. My bedroom became my classroom and my family became my classmates. 

This last episode of 2020 is about how the year went, the world news, and my events in 2020. This episode was especially fun to record - remembering all the highs and lows of the year - , and I hope you enjoy listening.

What are you looking forward to in 2021? Write to me. I would love to include that in a future episode.

You can email me at [email protected]. I love hearing from y’all.

As always share and subscribe.

This week is the celebration of Thanksgiving in the US. 

Have you ever wondered how Thanksgiving became a holiday? And why is it on the 4th Thursday of November?

In this episode, I talk about the crazy controversial history of Thanksgiving. I discuss how it started, why it started, and all the problems that came along with it. I mention many important names and people, and how they contributed to the start of the holiday. 

Fun fact: Sarah Josepha Hale had been trying to make Thanksgiving a holiday for 40 years! That is perseverance! She is better known as the writer of “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. Pretty cool huh?!

I also learn a new word; Controversial- When there is mixed feelings about a thing - in this case, Thanksgiving.

I hope you enjoy this episode and walk away with some new information!

If you guys want to share another fact, what you learned, or anything else, you can email me at [email protected]. I love hearing from y’all.

As always share and subscribe.

Have you ever read an awesome book? Well, I have read many! In this episode, I talk about one my favorite books “The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl” by Stacy McAnulty.

I really liked the book (don't worry, no spoilers! :) and highly recommend it. This is a very unique story that I recommend listening about and then reading it.

I found this book through the “Bluebonnet” book program here in Texas. In the episode, I also explain what that program is. 

Here's some great information about the book and related activities: https://texasbluebonnetaward2020.wordpress.com/the-miscalculations-of-lightning-girl/ 

If you have read this book, have any other book recommendations, or want to introduce yourself, you can email me at [email protected]. I hope to hear from many of you!

As always listen, rate, and share!

This episode is all about voting and the US elections.

Here's the riddle for this episode: What has 4 eyes but cannot see?

Have your parents voted yet?  If not, encourage them to!  

In this episode, I share information about the voting process in the US.

The current election is not only for the President but also for the House of Representatives and part of the Senate.

I also mention a little about different types of government, and which one we have in the US.

Listen to the episode to learn more!!

Shoutout to Katherine and Diya!  

Great job Katherine for getting the answer to the riddle from a previous episode!  

(the riddle was -I am white when I am dirty, but black when I am clean. What am I? Answer- Black board/chalkboard!)

Thank you Diya for reading the "Benefits of being an Octopus". This was a book I recommended in Episode 13.  Thank you both!

And as always, listen rate and share!

Let me know if you have questions about voting or any other feedback and you can do all that at [email protected]

P.S. Goats are cool!

Riddle-“A man was wiping the windows of a 25 story building, he fell of his ladder but was not hurt. How can this be?” Do you know the answer?

Halloween is coming up and everyone has different ideas on how it should work. Well, in this episode I say how I think it should work. I believe that trick or treating should definitely stay on with all the precautions necessary. Halloween is the holiday which can bring joy to all ages!

CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/halloween.html

I mention my 3 favorite costumes I have dressed up as, why everyone should decorate their house and bring joy to others, and other Halloween related topics.

Enjoy listening! And as always listen, rate, and share!

If you know the answer to the riddle, email me at [email protected]. You can also email me about yourself, episode suggestions, you Halloween costume, how you think Halloween should work, etc.

Shoutout to Mr. Eric H (from Peru!) who emailed me about the episode on the International Space Station (Ep #13). Thank you Mr. Eric!

He has his own Spanish podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/6IARVXkC7kCuCafsjbXiQQ?si=T733GAqUTsyoTe97Y-qWGA

Remember- We can still be safe and have fun!

Happy international podcast day!! Since it is a really relevant day today, I thought I could do an episode on the podcast.

I share some background about how I started this podcast.

And the riddle for this episode: I am white when I am dirty, and black when I am clean, what am I?

Email me your answers: [email protected]

I have recorded 27 episodes so far. My favorite ones are:

- the one where I chatted with Mr. Bament - a math teacher in Australia

- the episode on the ISS (International Space Station) 

- the one where I talked about my spring break.

I have learned a few fun things through this podcast: communication skills, how to adjust, and being creative with the episodes.

My favorite parts- Talking to new people, learning new things, and the overall experience.

I hope you enjoy this episode! It was a fun and quick episode to celebrate International Podcast day!

Email me the answer of the riddle at [email protected], or about what you think about the podcast.

As always, listen, rate, and share!

In this episode, I talk to my grandmother (mom’s mom) about her childhood in Africa. She was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenya is a country in east Africa. We talk about safaris, what it was like growing up there and her later years in India and now the US.

I am fascinated how she has lived in three different continents.

Couple of other cool things about this episode

1. There’s a riddle! “I go around the world but stay in the same corner. What am I?”

Send me your answers to [email protected]

2. And there’s a phrase in Swahili (the language my grandma learned as a child in Nairobi).

Do you speak a language other than English? Send me a voice memo of you saying “How are you?” in that language. I would love to learn that phrase in different languages.

Listen, rate, and share!

In this episode I talk about a book I recently read called "Percy Jackson, the Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan. I talk about the plot, what I like about it and more.

Don't worry - no spoilers! :)

I loved how it it combines Greek mythology and modern times to create an amazing story! If you like adventures, you will love this. You will also learn lots about the Greek gods, while being on the edge of your seat.

I hope you enjoy this episode, and as always, listen, rate, and share!

If you have read the book, email me at [email protected].

You also email me with suggestions for future episodes or your feedback on past ones.

Have you ever wanted to talk to an Australian math teacher? Well, I did it for you!

This episode I talk to Mr. John Bament about his job, where he lives and more! This interview was a lot of fun because it was more of a conversation. It was cool to learn about Darwin, Australia, what he likes and loves in his job, and how he loves numbers and math!

I hope you enjoy this fun interview, and as always listen, rate and share!!

Email me at [email protected] about your thoughts on the podcasts, ideas for future episodes and anything else you want to share.