Global Yaadie

Back in China after vacationing in Bali, the reality deepens. Our guests continue their story of going through the motions under five months of quarantine and staying calm amidst the chaos. Fending off discrimination and managing their mental health. We all can attest life is not what we signed up for. This episode is an example of how we can roll with the punches.

How far would you go to be financially free? Learning comes with a price and these girls are paying it forward with the same route they took to their destination – education. The determination to be debt free led Cristine and Orsha from the sunny isle of Jamaica to the most populous place on the planet – China. They found themselves in store for much more than a cultural experience. In part one of this interview both ladies share their experience of assimilating into Chinese classroom and culture. Like the rest of the world they were caught off guard in the unprecedented pandemic. Listen as they take us through their early experiences in the pandemic, fending off discrimination and managing their mental health.

In this Season Two Premiere and first ever pod to pod episode, island girls with identical passions reflect on their role in the climate change space. Podcast hosts from separate platforms Dainalyn and Derval, exchange experiences and offload the challenges in promoting climate action and sustainability. There is no escaping the climate reality for Caribbean people whose paradise needs protecting from natural disasters, constant climate threats and old models of development.

What is it we aren’t saying in convincing people to switch to sustainable living? The truth is, it is an uphill battle and its quite the oxymoron tabling issues that are so important yet blindsided by more pressing, personal needs. Climate change is a current threat that seems so far away in our minds at times. Hence, the importance of individuals and entities who continue to hold the frame, so we are reminded of the bigger picture.

No (wo)man is an island. This episode exemplifies the importance of community and the coming together of like-minded individuals, placing collaboration over competition to achieve the same goal.

Here are some points from our conversation:

• It can feel isolated in the spaces you occupy but there is always a network within your niche. Finding your tribe gives you courage to push through.
• Representation Matters. Caribbean people are living the climate experience therefore climate leadership and action is also the responsibility of Small Island Developing States as much as the Global North.
• There is no one fix to climate change and taking climate action. The most important focus is exploring ways to convert awareness into action.
• Climate change affects every citizen of the Caribbean. It is important to be engaged in the climate conversation at every level as sustainabilty is not limited to policy makers and technocrats, it affects business owners, farmers and more.
• Sustainability must be an important consideration. It is important to push against the narrative that championing climate action is an “international norm”. It must be seen as part of local culture.
• There needs to be a wider framework or enabling environment to facilitate sustainability actions. eg. Waste management and recycling systems to promote possible environment practices.
• Solutions to local development challenges do not always reside in external parties. The creativity and innovation to solve challenges must come from local knowledge. There is a need to reclaim culturally relevant principles and practices that have served Caribbean people well in the past. eg invention of the steel pan in Trinidad and Tobago made from oil drums.

Connect with Derval at the climateconscious.com or The Climate Conscious Podcast

In this episode:

Interlude: 'Don't You Know' by Chavez Illmatiq

Outro: 'Country Breeze by Chavez Illmatiq

We have a guest podcaster in the house! Environment Management Professional and host of the Climate Conscious Podcast, Derval Barzey joins Global Yaadie to speak on sustainability from a Caribbean perspective

It’s our second pod to pod who knew it would be this fun when 2 Nerds Start a Podcast? Science podcasters and Molecular Biology PhD students, Eleanor Terrelonge and Derrick Horsham inject us with the truth about vaccines. Science class is in full session as we understand the process behind the COVID- 19 vaccines and how they reduce risk of transmission.

We explore vaccine skepticism, the categories of vaccines, novel vs. normal issues with vaccine manufacture eg. cases of bloodclots and more. Surf above deep fakes on the internet. We debunk the ridiculous myths associated with the vaccination process and what vaccines actually do to our bodies. We skim a little over socio-political issues like the statistical representation of ethnic minorities in vaccine trials.

Seek clarity through the science and not the next chain message on your social media.

Get the facts then get the vax.

Join Eleanor and Derrick in tackling conspiracy theories, science "news" and controversial topics at 2 Nerds Start a Podcast