Sun, sea and €1 drinks lure thousands of backpackers to Andrew’s hostel in a typical year. But 2020 was not a typical year.Confronting a doomed Summer season and 45 empty bedrooms, Andrew’s family turned their accommodation over to a diverse group of refugees, drug addicts, career criminals and victims of domestic abuse - converting their hostel, in the Cote d’Azur, in to a homeless shelter during Lockdown.As Andrew recounts to Olly, the experience opened his eyes to the realities of life on the streets - the mental health problems, alcoholism, and traumatic violence so often lurking in the background - but also gave him hope that it’s possible to re-make your life, even in the most dire of circumstances.  (Names have been changed.)

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads out into the bracing January fog for… a barbecue, of course! Can he ‘upskill’ his outdoor cooking abilities to create a Winter feast? Armed with little more than a plank of plywood and a side of salmon, he attempts to justify his hipster beard by mastering an authentic asado wood-flamed pit - and puts the trend for ‘sweet pizza’ to the test. The Zeitgeist is sponsored by below-the-waist grooming experts Manscaped. 

For 20% off and free shipping use the code MANN at Manscaped.com.

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox gets deep in the weeds of aphrodisiac seeds, and assists a lady listener who coughs each time she has sex. Could this after-sex reflex be a reaction to her partner’s semen, an allergy to linens, or even a vasovagal attack? Alix investigates, with the assistance of breathing expert Jane Tarrant.If you have a question of sex for Alix to answer, visit modernmann.co.uk and fill out our Feedback form.

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Finally, music this month comes from Dutch-born, London-based singer-songwriter Eyelar - and her current single, ‘Doin’ It Again’. Discover our whole Spotify playlist on our website.

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If you value what we do, here are THREE GREAT WAYS to support us in 2021:• Tell your friends! We’re @themodernmann on Twitter.

• Post a review for the show on Apple Podcasts. It helps others find us.

• Send us a donation. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us create the best show we can: https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beerHappy New Year - we’ll see you with something new on February 10th.

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Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Eyelar. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2021.

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