What can a lifetime of living, working, teaching, and communicating across cultures teach us about people?

In this episode of The Swades Podcast, Jay Panjwani sits down with Barbara Crawford, an intercultural communication expert, consultant, educator, and former journalist, for a deeply personal conversation about career, culture, identity, resilience, and finding belonging far from home.

Barbara’s journey has taken her across careers and cultures — from journalism and her experiences connected with NBC in the United States to eventually building a new chapter of her life in Finland.

She reflects on persistence, rejection, unexpected career changes, moving to another country, becoming an educator, and discovering new strengths at different stages of life.

The conversation also explores why intercultural communication matters in increasingly multicultural universities, workplaces, and societies. What happens when people with very different cultural backgrounds study and work together? Why do misunderstandings occur? And how can curiosity help us understand one another better?

Barbara also shares what Finland has taught her, the relationships she has built along the way, and what it feels like to say goodbye to a place that eventually became another home.

🎙️ In this episode:

• From journalism and NBC to a new life in Finland
• Persistence, rejection, and career reinvention
• Moving abroad and adapting to another culture
• Becoming an educator
• Intercultural communication and cultural differences
• Multicultural students, teams, and workplaces
• Identity, belonging, and human connection
• Finding new strengths later in life
• Friendship and building a family away from home
• Why curiosity can take us a long way

A conversation about much more than moving between countries — it’s about how the people, places, careers, and cultures we encounter gradually shape who we become.

🎙️ The Swades Podcast — TSP017
Hosted by Jay Panjwani

What does it mean to grow up in Argentina? How do curiosity, culture, and courage shape the person we become?

In this episode of The Swades Podcast, Jay Panjwani sits down with Candelaria from Argentina for a thoughtful conversation about identity, curiosity, mental health, speaking up against injustice, and the challenges young people face in today’s world.

Candelaria shares her experiences growing up in Argentina, reflects on the importance of family, education, and cultural traditions, and explains why she considers herself a “justice seeker.” Together, they discuss the pressures created by social media, the growing awareness of mental health, and how international experiences help us see the world from a different perspective.

The conversation also explores Argentine culture through its traditions, food, mate, and the values that continue to shape the country’s younger generation.

Whether you’re a student, educator, parent, or someone who enjoys learning from different cultures, this episode offers meaningful insights into personal growth, resilience, and the power of staying curious.

🔹 Topics Discussed:

• Growing up in Argentina beyond Buenos Aires
• The Argentine way of life and cultural identity
• Speaking up against injustice
• Mental health and young people
• Social media and unrealistic expectations
• Competition, resilience, and personal growth
• Family traditions and the culture of mate
• Education, studying abroad, and curiosity
• Building confidence through new experiences

🎙️ Hosted by Jay Panjwani

The Swades Podcast brings together inspiring conversations with students, entrepreneurs, academics, professionals, and changemakers from around the world. Through stories, cultures, and lived experiences, we explore the ideas that connect us beyond borders.

🎙️ TSP015 – How Rome Shaped My Identity & Changed The Way I See Humanity | Pierre Paolo

What shapes who we become?

Is it our family, our culture, the city we grow up in, or the experiences we collect along the way?

In this episode of The Swades Podcast, Jay Panjwani sits down with Pierre Paolo, an exchange student from Italy, for a thoughtful conversation about identity, culture, passion, creativity, and personal growth.

Growing up in Rome, Pierre shares how Italian culture influenced his worldview, why he believes in seeing people as human beings beyond labels, and how travel and international experiences can challenge our assumptions about life.

The conversation also explores cinema, following your passion despite uncertainty, balancing dreams with practical realities, overcoming fear, and the lessons learned through studying abroad in Finland.

Whether you are a student, a dreamer, a creative professional, or someone navigating life’s uncertainties, this episode offers valuable reflections on identity, courage, and personal growth.

🔹 Topics Discussed:

• Growing up in Rome and Italian culture
• Identity and personal development
• Seeing people beyond labels
• Passion versus career security
• Cinema, creativity and storytelling
• Following dreams despite uncertainty
• Exchange student experiences in Finland
• Fear, failure and resilience
• Life lessons and personal growth

🎙️ Hosted by Jay Panjwani

The Swades Podcast shares inspiring stories, immigrant journeys, student experiences, cultural perspectives, and meaningful conversations from people building lives across different parts of the world

In this episode of The Swades Podcast (TSP 014), we explore the mindset behind discipline, consistency, football dreams, and long-term self-development.

This conversation reflects on the reality of working toward goals when nobody is watching — waking up early, training consistently, building habits, and staying focused even without immediate rewards.

We discuss the importance of discipline over motivation, how habits gradually shape identity, and why mindset plays a major role in personal growth. The episode also explores neuroplasticity, meditation, gratitude, emotional intelligence, and the impact of environment and social circles on life direction.

Beyond sports, this is a conversation about becoming capable — mentally, emotionally, and professionally.

We also reflect on:

• learning Finnish and adapting to Finland
• avoiding negative environments and intoxicants
• the role of consistency in achieving goals
• advice for young people struggling with focus and direction

This episode is for anyone trying to build themselves step by step while navigating life, ambition, and personal growth.

In this episode of The Swades Podcast (TSP 013), we explore a journey shaped not by titles or degrees, but by people, conversations, and real-world experience.

From working as a bartender to building a professional life in Finland, this conversation highlights how communication, curiosity, and human connection can influence career paths in unexpected ways.

We discuss the value of customer-facing work, the role of networking when moving to a new country, and how adapting to different cultures builds perspective and resilience. The episode also reflects on studying and working abroad, staying relevant in a changing world influenced by AI, and navigating personal challenges along the way.

Beyond career development, this conversation touches on mental well-being, the importance of environment, and how stepping into new spaces can help reset direction and rediscover purpose.

This episode is for anyone trying to find clarity in their career, build meaningful connections, and understand the real value of people skills in a global world.

In this episode of The Swades Podcast (TSP 012), we explore a deeply personal journey through sport, identity, burnout, and recovery.

Sebastian shares how his life in ice hockey and sports culture shaped his identity, and how personal challenges, loss, and burnout led him to question everything.

This conversation reflects on mental well-being, therapy, purpose, and the process of rebuilding life after losing direction.

It is a story about identity beyond performance, and about finding meaning beyond expectations

In this episode of The Swades Podcast (TSP 011), we explore what truly makes Finland different — through the lens of culture, discipline, and academic insight.

Our guest reflects on how punctuality, structure, and societal trust shape everyday life in Finland. We discuss the deeper values behind the Finnish education system, the relationship between economics and sustainability, and how culture influences mindset and long-term growth.

This conversation also challenges a fundamental question:

Is your career your identity — or simply one part of who you are?

Blending cultural perspective with academic depth, this episode offers thoughtful insights for international students, educators, migrants, and professionals navigating identity across borders.

The Swades Podcast features candid conversations with individuals who rebuild and redefine themselves abroad — exploring discipline, resilience, belonging, and growth in a global world.

In this episode of The Swades Podcast, we sit down with a guest from Ukraine to explore how life choices, migration, and unexpected challenges reshape perspective.

This is a conversation about resilience.

About starting over.

About rebuilding identity in a new country.

We discuss what it truly means to leave home, adapt to change, and grow through experience. Sometimes strength is not loud — it is built quietly through decisions that redefine who we are.

The Swades Podcast shares real stories of immigrants, entrepreneurs, and professionals navigating life beyond borders — while carrying their roots within.

If this episode resonates with you, follow the podcast and share it with someone who believes in growth through experience.

We explore a deeply personal journey of career transition, identity loss, and rediscovery — moving from Sri Lanka to Finland.

In this episode of The Swades Podcast (TSP 009), our guest reflects on how relocating abroad often forces people to question who they are beyond job titles, degrees, and expectations. We discuss what it means to start over in a new country, how routines and resilience shape personal growth, and why a career should support your identity — not define it.

This conversation is especially relevant for international students, migrants, and professionals navigating uncertainty, career shifts, and life abroad.

🎙 The Swades Podcast brings candid conversations with people rebuilding their lives across borders — sharing stories of resilience, belonging, and purpose.

In TSP 008 of The Swades Podcast, we explore how trade and business shaped the global journey of the Gujarati community, particularly across Africa.

This episode focuses on why Gujaratis have historically gravitated toward trade, how business became a cultural identity rather than just a profession, and how migration helped build strong commercial communities far from India.

We discuss trust-based trade networks, adaptability, entrepreneurship, and what today’s business owners can learn from the Gujarati approach to commerce and long-term thinking.

This is not just a story about business — it’s a story about movement, mindset, resilience, and legacy carried across borders.

Gujarati business, Indian diaspora, trade history, India Africa trade, business culture, entrepreneurship, Swades Podcast