In today’s Episode we have a special appearance from someone you already know pretty well, It's a pre-recorded conversation with my former co-host and dear friend, Amy, before she embarked on her next adventure which is around the corner - Baby number 2!

In this oh so intimate discussion, Amy and I delve into our experiences growing up in mixed-race households, exploring the impact our parents' marriage had on us as children as well as our own mixed marriages. We'll also touch on the landmark Loving vs. Virginia case, a pivotal moment in history that legalized interracial marriage in the United States.

Last but not least - We have an EPIC voicemail story from one of our listeners.. So stick around to the end if you wanna crack up with me!!

Your support means everything. If you enjoy this podcast and would like to help us keep the conversation going, consider supporting us on Patreon at patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

Music by Mathias Kunzli www.mathiaskunzli.com

Find Amy Maghera on Instagram: @amy.maghera

Follow!

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

Some of you might recall today’s guests from Season 1’s finale episode about Holiday Tales from around the world.

They are the sweetest couple you’ve ever met - Gabriella & Rakesh Zope. Gabriella is a psychologist from Hungary, Rakesh an Ayurveda doctor from India, and they currently live in Budapest.

Together, they’ve worked to integrate their different expertise to guide and support intercultural couples through the intricacies of relationship and the journey into parenthood.

In this Episode we talk about their intercultural relationship as well as their insights on celebrating differences and building a foundation so strong that no challenge can sway you from each other.

Show notes:

• Gabriella and Rakesh's 3 fun facts! Chinese spirit animals, cleaning habits and their take on eating dessert before the main meal...
• Love at first site - How the met
• Why is took a year for them to get together - The impact of traditional expectations on modern love
• The cultural difference when it comes to the pace of the relationship and the timing of marriage
• How they’re families received them - needing parents approval or not in different cultures.
• Gabriella’s father’s initial rejection of the marriage / challenges they faced
• Cultural vs personality differences and how to tell the difference. Rakesh shares the role of Ayurvedic personality types in understanding relationship dynamics.
• Rakesh talks about Subtle cultural expectations. Gabriella shares how she experienced it on her first visit to India. Having conversations around expectations and well as Being willing to be flexible around generational cultural expectations.
• How can you be yourself and respect other cultures at the same time - Setting boundaries.
• Reverting back to the roles you play back home. Re-aligning with your home environment that might look differently than the home environment you created with your partner.
• Bring caught in the middle between the struggles of your partner adjusting and your family adjusting. Being able to listen during these times and noticing when someone is venting or when someone is looking for a solution to the problem.
• Intension is not always bad, but sometimes words can create turbulence. How to convey the messages to each other without hurting each other. Focusing on keeping the communication open during challenging times and not letting the emotions take over the expressions.
• Rakesh talks about tools to better control the emotions and choosing what you want to express.
• Tools that help you build resilience in relationships and endure difficult situations.
• Building a daily meditation practice to help you be less reactive while experiencing negative emotions.
• The challenges of balancing individual and collective cultural identities.
• Rakesh takes us through a 5 minute calming breathing exercise.
• Gabriella shares their approach and excercises to resolving conflicts in relationships without raising our voices or placing blame.

Contact Gabriella and Rakesh on Instagram @ourinterculturallife

For more breathing/mediation exercises you can reach out to Gabriella and Rakesh or they recommend checking out:

https://www.artofliving.org/us-en

Music by Mathias Kunzli www.mathiaskunzli.com

Editing: Hanna-Lee Sakakibara & Monet Alverado

Follow!

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

Step into the world of cross-cultural dating with First-generation Japanese-American Mami Sugita!

In this episode, Mami opens up about her whirlwind journey through relationships that span continents, cultures, and a whole lot of soul-searching.

Mami shares candid insights into the challenges and misunderstandings that shaped each romantic encounter. But beyond the typical relationship hurdles, Mami delves into the nuances of navigating different cultural expressions of affection and love as well as relationship status and commitment.

Growing up, Mami navigated the complexities of her dual heritage, often feeling caught between two worlds and like she wasn't fully accepted in the Japanese world. As she searched (the world!) for that perfect partner that would accept her for who she was, she ultimately realized it was up to her to cultivate self love and self acceptance.

Join us as we travel through Mami's cross cultural dating timeline!

Episode Breakdown:

• Introduction to Season 2 of Mixunderstood: introducing the themes and topics to be explored.
• Fun facts about Mami and Hanna-Lee’s friendship including anecdotes about Mami's supportive role in Hanna-Lee's life and Mami's passion for travel.
• Mami’s upbringing as the first born to Japanese immigrants including her responsibilities in bridging language barriers and navigating dual cultural identities.
• Mami's cross cultural dating journey: Her first boyfriend and what changed after that.
• The challenges and cultural dynamics in each relationship, such as struggles with communication styles and cultural expectations.
• Discuss how Mami's cross-cultural dating experiences ultimately led her to prioritize self-acceptance and embrace imperfection.
• The growth and transformation in Mami's current relationship with her Italian partner, including improvements in communication and alignment of familial values.
• The concept of "Wabi Sabi" and its significance in Mami's perspective on relationships and imperfection.

Music by Mathias Kunzli www.mathiaskunzli.com

Editing: Favio Esquivel & Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

Follow!

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

Welcome to the second season of MixUnderstood, as we continue to explores the interracial and intercultural experiences. In our first season, we shared our personal stories as well as our collective journey in the entertainment industry, all centering around what it means to be 'mixed.'

In this new season, we'll delve deeper into the intricacies of interracial relationships, diverse family dynamics, and so much more.

With Amy embarking on a new personal journey, I’m thrilled to carry on the torch this season and keep the dialogue open for us to learn, grow, and evolve together. So, hold on tight as we journey into the complexities of what it means to be 'mixed' – the joy, the struggles, the laughs, and the tears. Welcome to MixUnderstood Season Two!! Officially kicking off on Tuesday, April 30th!!!

Want a sneak peek and exclusive content? Join the Patreon for early access to some episodes along the season and be a part of our MixUnderstood family.

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

I'v gathered some highlights from our upcoming episodes just for you...Hope you enjoy them and I'm looking forward to sharing the rest of Season 2 with you!

Mark your calendars and See you soon!

Hanna-Lee

Music by Mathias Kunzli www.mathiaskunzli.com

Follow!

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

After much thoughtful consideration, Amy, my most wonderful co-host and friend, has decided to step down from the podcast. While I will miss her terribly - I'm truly beyond grateful for the episodes we've created together. We've poured our everything into season 1 and it's one of the most fulfilling endeavors we've ever had.

Change is a natural part of life, and even though it's very hard for me to bid farewell to Amy, I'm excited about the new opportunities and creative directions that lie ahead for the podcast. Our time with Amy has been filled with laughter, thought-provoking discussions, and so many memorable moments, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to her for being an integral part of this journey.

I'm committed to ensuring that Mixunderstood continues to be a source of inspiration, entertainment, and valuable insights for all of you. Due to this change I will need more time as I prepare season 2, currently looking at a March release.

Thank you for your continued support, and please join me in wishing Amy all the best in her future endeavors as she gets ready to welcome baby #2!!

Stay tuned for more exciting content, and let's embrace the next chapter of MIXUNDERSTOOD together!

Your host,

Hanna-Lee

Music by Mathias Kunzli www.mathiaskunzli.com

Find Amy Maghera on Instagram: @amy.maghera

Follow!

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

In this week’s SEASON FINALE we go out with a bang by sharing a multicultural mashup of holiday stories from you, our amazing listeners! We truly felt rejuvenated and enriched after this episode and we hope you will too!

From how they do things in a British/Columbian/American household with post midnight Christmas eve parties, to the intricacies of how an intercultural Hungarian and Indian couple celebrate, to a Polish Ashcanazi Jewish Father and a Jamaican Mother learning about each others traditions and continuing them for their children, even when the other isn’t around, to how they do it in Finland with a deep respect for those who have past and saunas on Christmas day! It’s a multicultural feast and full of so many different perspectives with stories from people from all sorts of backgrounds and ages. We can’t wait for you to listen to it!

Thank you to our special guests!

Blake Pearlman

Michelle Boucher

Arun Entwistle

Cherisse Merren

Gabriella and Rakesh (instagram @ourinterculturallife )

Chloe Campbell

Mari Sakakibara

Naomi Sakakibara

Petra Sprecher

Mike Cantrell

Ariel Taub

Noam, Peja and Mayumi Sedan

Wendy Cardona

If you’d like to join our new Patreon Programme as we get ready for Season 2, please see the link at the bottom of this page!

Additional info on the Podcast:

Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

Music: Mathias Kunzli - www.mathiaskunzli.com

If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts. Please rate and review too! We highly appreciate it!

Follow us:

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

What’s it like to be mixed when it comes to celebrating the holidays?

In this episode we share our own stories about the joys, challenges, and quirks of our diverse holiday experiences. We talk about how it feels to live away from our families and explore the unique experiences that come from navigating the festive season within our own interracial and intercultural marriages, and how these blend into our holiday traditions.

We also discuss the often unspoken aspect of holidays - the pressure to conform to societal norms and the reality that sometimes, Christmas just isn't the joyous barrel of laughs that it’s made out to be. Whether our holidays are tinged with sadness, stress, or unconventional fun, we embrace it all.

Annnnnnd you can join our conversation! Next week, we'll be featuring some of the stories and experiences of our listeners. What do the holiday celebrations look like in your household? Do you have a unique holiday tale or tradition that you’d like to share? If you haven’t already then send us a voice message in an email to mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at (424) 272-1089. We're so excited to hear how you celebrate your holidays in your own special way!

If you’d like to join our new Patreon Programme as we get ready for Season 2, please see the link at the bottom of this page!

Additional info on the Podcast:

Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

Music: Mathias Kunzli - www.mathiaskunzli.com

If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts. Please rate and review too! We highly appreciate it!

Follow us:

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com

Patreon!

https://patron.podbean.com/mixunderstoodpod

To finish our mixed actors in the entertainment industry series, we share our own stories! We get into our first jobs, cringe worthy moments, career highs and lows, acting in different accents and languages, dodgy auditions, having an identity crisis at the most inappropriate times, bizarre situations and more.

Additional info on the Podcast:

Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

Music: Mathias Kunzli - www.mathiaskunzli.com

If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts. Please rate and review too! We highly appreciate it!

Follow us:

Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

Contact:

Email: mixunderstoodpod@gmail.com