Who Run the World

It’s been a year since the August 4th explosion in Beirut. We wanted to commemorate the one year anniversary of the port explosion by having a conversation with our friend Farrah Berrou. A year ago, we had spoken to Farrah in the days after the explosion. We wanted to create a space of grief and support through conversation. This year we felt like we needed to do the same. Farrah was in Beirut on August 4th 2020, but has since left for California. From three different countries, the three of us shared how we currently feel about Lebanon, highlighting our different perspectives and processes of grief. We also spoke about how we’ve had to reimagine the meaning of home and of being Lebanese.

This episode is very much about how each of us are dealing with the situation in Lebanon from our own perspective and experiences as expats. We do not know what it’s like living in Lebanon today, but we do know that our country is in need of dire help. If you’d like to help out and donate here are a few organizations doing great things on the ground: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Also, if you need to talk to someone about the situation in Lebanon has affected you, we are always here. You can reach out to us on: [email protected]

In our last episode we talked about how to deal with conflict. In this episode we get to practice what we preach, as we have one of our long standing debates on the microphone: to binge watch TV or not to binge watch TV. In one corner, we have Marilyn who is the ultimate binger (her world record currently stands at watching TV until 5 AM in the morning). In the other corner, we have Rhea, who chooses to practice immense self control and only watches one or two episodes a night (complete madness if you ask Marilyn). This debate ultimately leads us to exploring why we watch TV in the first place, and of course to sharing some of our favorite TV shows of all time. 

We want to hear from you: are you a binger? Or do you prefer to savor your shows? Let us know by writing to us on [email protected] or by leaving us a comment on our Instagram account. And please don’t forget to subscribe, comment, binge listen and rate our podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

For our third episode of Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me but My Best Friend Did, we dive deep into a topic that our families and communities never really taught us how to navigate: conflict. We share our own experiences around conflict, and discuss how to engage in a disagreement while trusting our own voices and the voices of the people around us. 

Make sure to hit that subscribe button wherever you listen to your podcast, and to follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod. 

When she moved to the UK, Rhea had to spend ten full days quarantined in a hotel room. First things first: Rhea did not go crazy, and surprisingly enjoyed her time in between the four walls of her quarantine space. On day 9, Rhea and Marilyn sat down to reflect on Rhea's locked up experience, which ended up being a conversation about how we choose spend our most valuable commodity, which is time and why a dance party will solve all of your problems.

For more Who Run the World, make sure to follow us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod, and do not hesitate to write to us on [email protected].

After a year of living in the same city, Rhea is moving to London. This means that we are about to embark on a long distance relationship. We recorded one last episode together in person, and suffice it to say: it got emotional. Rhea talked about  her struggle in sharing her emotions, and feeling both excited and nervous about moving to a new city, Marilyn shared her frustration with often being misunderstood, and we both talked about how much we were going to miss living in the same city. We repeat: we’re not crying, you’re crying. 

Worry not, this is nowhere near being our last episode. In fact we have a whole bunch of content coming in the pipeline. To keep up to date on all things Who Run the World, make sure to hit that subscribe button and follow us on @whoruntheworldpod. 

One in four pregnancies end in a miscarriage, and yet the there is little medical and psychological resources available to guide women on how to go through this traumatic experience. Our friend, Tala Odeh was brave enough to come on our podcast to share her own story on miscarriage. She tells us about the different emotions she went through, how she felt let down by the medical system, how members of her community showed up for her, and what to expect when you are not expecting. 

This episode is part of a  new series we are creating called The Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me, where we talk about the things women just don’t talk to each other about. If there is something you’d like us to talk about, or you would like to share your own story please send us an email on [email protected]

You can follow Tala on Instagram on @featuringtala, and you can also follow us on @whoruntheworldpod

80% of women don’t know what their bra size is. Most of us also do not know what cup shape best suits us, or where to even begin browsing when entering a lingerie store. Pair all of that with the unrealistic standards of beauty set by the media and brands (we see you Victoria Secret Angels), underwear can be a source of anxiety or shame. So in this episode, we lay it all bare, and talk about our bras and thongs. Rhea shares how going shopping for new underwear has helped in her journey to loving her body, while Marilyn shares her views on customer centric lingerie brands and the evolution of underwear through the ages. 

We’d love to hear your stories about your underwear. Write to us on [email protected]

Also make sure to follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to your podcast. 

In this episode, we are joined for our version of  game night by Nathalie Marsi and Nadyn Chalhoub, the hilarious duo behind Coffee Break. We quiz Nathalie and Nadyn on who knows who better, we debate whether aisle or window is the way to go on a plane, and we discover that the ladies of Coffee Break do not have a sweet tooth (and thus began the great Oreo debacle of 2021). To close things off, we play the age old classic: Kill, Fuck or Marry - Prince Charles, Donald Trump or Gaddafi? You’ll have to listen to find out. 

To keep up with everything Nadyn and Nathalie, make sure you follow @coffee_break_lb on Instagram. 

Also, please make sure to follow us on @whoruntheworldpod, and do not forget to hit that subscribe button and leave us a rating

June Xie is a Senior Food Producer at Delish and is the host of YouTube series Budget Eats as well as other series on the Delish Channel. In this episode, June joins Marilyn and Rhea in  conversation on the challenges in producing food media in the world’s current climate. June talks about the pressures she faces as an Asian American in content, what her thoughts are on food culture appropriation and how she decided to not mask her mental health struggles on the screen.  

Make sure to check out June on YouTube as well as on Instagram. 

You can also follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod, and if you want to get in touch, drop us a line on [email protected]

During the early days of the pandemic, when the world went on lockdown, Marilyn started her own company: Cosmic Centaurs. For the past year, Marilyn and her team have been helping leaders and organizations shape the future of work and learning. During this special episode, Marilyn shares with us how she took the leap to launch her company in the midst of the pandemic, how she built her team of five centaurs, and she and Rhea discuss what are the ingredients needed to build a sustainable organization. 

To learn more about Cosmic Centaurs, check out their website, and make sure to follow them on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. 

Also, while you’re on your phone, make sure to follow Who Run the World on Instagram as well!