for this episode, i invited Polina, an art-manager and a Sorbonne philosophy student currently based in Paris. You can find Polina on Instagram under @pauline_artcritic. Unlike me, she lived through a large part of her queer years while still based in Russia. as a child, Polina wished to be a guy to be able to date girls, while I was making girl Sims kiss. we reflected back on teen and young adult hair and fashion style choices as an act of rebellion. we even remembered our gay-awakening movies, and my way of covering up attraction to women by “feminism” to avoid peer judgement. Polina talked about coming out to closest family and facing self-identity/discovery, as well as her first intimacy experience, and rejecting feelings for women due to internalised homophobia.

im overwhelmed and tired. i feel simultaneously offered a vast variety of options yet be extremely limited to it. i feel free and trapped. i feel stuck.

in this episode , or may be best to call it a rant even, i will talk about everything in small bits of what i am going through/affects me, resulting in me feeling overstimulated and overwhelmed. the topics i touch upon are: the overwhelming rush of online trends, fast life pace, collective loneliness, doom scrolling, mental exhaustion, the crashed american dream, delayed life syndrome, identity crisis… basically riding out the storm of my 20s.

marking the 10th episode of The Current Podcast, we are joined by Aleksandra to talk about the difference between cults and cult-like behaviour.

it seems that this topic has recently gained popularity as a lot of cult-like activity seems to be taking place in the real world recently.

we will discuss how cults are formed, the different types of it, the good and the bad, as well as how to be aware of them and protect yourself from. we will also draw a comparison study by discussing cult-ish behaviour, like some spiritual retreats and gangs. let’s dive right in!

With this relaxed weekend chit-chat, Sonya and I are sharing our experience of growing up abroad as Russians.

talking about us developing into the women we are now, and the path we took to get here. discussing the feeling of belonging in one culture, but not quite; coming back home and not feeling belonging either. the nomadic lifestyle.

the stereotypes we learn about our own country through the eyes of our European peers. growing apart from people “back home” and making a new life abroad.

gender, sexuality and coming out through a slavic point of view, encountering homophobia in schools.

discussing career progression in EU vs. Russia and pondering of opportunities gained and opportunities lost.

tiptoeing around talking to some Slavics also living abroad about “western” ideas, and finding our place in the world — the world is our oyster.

in this episode, i talk about my experience with burnout and the life after it, exploring the societal pressures that contribute to it and my own examples of how to deal with it. i delve deep into self-love, my pathway to wellness and a holistic approach to my health and my life in general. i discuss the importance of setting boundaries and predicting how much workload one can one take on. all while challenging the guilt associated with taking breaks stemming from the patriarchal conditioning and offering practical strategies to well-being.

for this episode i am thrilled to welcome Regina Alvarez, a talented singer, an artist, and a creative director, as a guest. together, we take a stroll down memory lane of our Swiss boarding school days.

we discuss the insights gained, connections and friendships forged, and the personal growth experienced during and after our time there. through our candid conversation, we explore the unique challenges and rewards of this transformative educational journey firsthand, offering a firsthand glimpse into the reality of a boarding school life.

if you want to learn more about Regina, make sure to check out her social handles! you can find her latest updates on instagram and listen to her music on spotify all under the name of @nina.vlu

new year, new podcast episodes! i am switching it up with the arrival of 2024. we have seen my podcast morph in its style throughout the year, and while it will continue to do so, i feel like i am finally happy with it. i have prepared so many interesting topics to be discussed in front of my mic and present to you, my listeners, so stay tuned!

in this episode, i am discussing societal creative ceilings that so many of us face, closely related to imposter syndrome. it affects our will to grow and may create a stopper for some which they believe is impossible to overcome.

is the solution to the problem right in front of us or will some psyche digging be required? let us ponder.

In this holiday-themed episode, Maria shares her thoughts on New Year's resolutions, debunking why they rarely work in the winter months, and why should they kick-start in spring.

After a very long break, Maria comes back with a bang. Delving right into a stigmatised topic - anger. Elaborating on whether it is a positive or negative emotion, what is the source of it and how can it be safely channeled into something useful, acting as one of the roots of creativity. Sharing personal experience with managing anger, Maria hopes to foster meaningful conversations over the frowned upon and prejudiced emotion.