Conversational Cuppa is a new podcast by friends and business partners Andrew Lopez and Mags Thomson. We've both lived in different places, we're half a world away from each other, and we have these conversations about culture, geography and history and being a human being in this world, at this time.
Our best conversations are about the perspectives and nuances that make us human. There's never any judgment or anything, and there's always room to question ideas. From a human emotional perspective, but also from a cultural perspective, because we grew up in different places in the world with different ways of doing things and viewing things. That invites a whole different level of introspection.
But we also just want to have a lot of fun. We want to Google silly facts and take you on virtual trips around the world. We want to learn together and satisfy our curiosity.
Are you joining us for a Conversational Cuppa?
Runonlaulajan Pirtti in Ilomantsi (FIN)
Joining us on Conversational Cuppa is Trine Daimi Kalliomäki. She is taking us to Runonlaulajan pirtti, The Bard's House, in Ilomantsi Finland.
Abbotsford - the home of Sir Walter Scott (UK)
Joining us on Conversational Cuppa is Jacqui Hoitingh. She shares the location where she will be hosting her Art 'n Soul retreats this year: the home of Sir Walter Scott.
Litzelstetten, Baden-Württemberg (DE)
Joining us today is Louisa Stewart, who is originally from Australia and currently lives a town over from Mags in Leiden, the Netherlands.
Today however she is taking us to Litzelstetten in Germany where she first lived on the European continent.
Hirado, Nagasaki (JPN)
Joining us on Conversational Cuppa is Mags' friend Remco Vrolijk who takes us to his home in Hirado, Japan.
North York, Ontario (CAN)
Our friend Cathy Nesbitt takes us back to the street she grew up on in North York Ontario.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow (UK)
Today Mags is taking us to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, one of her favourite places in Glasgow, where she first moved as a student and lived for about 6 years in total.
Language & Perspective
In this episode, we didn't go to a place. Instead, we spoke about language learning and how different languages can provide us with different perspectives and registers when it comes to our communication.
Egebjerg Skov (DK)
Today Mags is taking us to Egebjerg Skov, a forest in Denmark that she spent many hours exploring as an exchange student. We talk about Waldeinsamkeit, which is a German word that describes the transformational power of being alone amongst the trees.
Turfmarkt, The Hague (NL)
Today, Andrew is taking us to Turfmarkt in The Hague, where his Dutch adventure started. We talk about the moment when it first hits you that 'you are not in Kansas anymore' and how impactful it is to live abroad for a few months.
The Hofvijver, The Hague (NL)
Today, Mags is taking us to her home town of The Hague, where she settled almost a decade ago after cutting ties with her family. We also explore her dog's political leaning and we talk about feeling grounded and rooted in a place.
Dam Square, Amsterdam (NL)
Today we are taking you to Dam Square in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Andrew shares the first time he experienced the Dutch concept of Gezelligheid.
"I'd heard the word from other people living in the Netherlands and the whole meaning and the feeling of gezellig and gezelligheid. But I hadn't felt it yet."
Welcome to the Conversation
I think the world just needs more conversation. The beauty of having a conversation with someone is that we go into all these different directions and down all these rabbit holes. We can start talking about a work thing and end up talking about the state of the world.