Bananafication: Recent Episodes
Alice and Ian
Banana (slur): an Asian person living in a Western country who has lost touch with their Asian cultural identity.
Raised in Asia, living in Australia - Hong Kong-raised Alice and "Malaysian enough" Ian explore the millennial Asian experience in foreign contexts. From culture whiplash to unsolicited love advice, we trade stories and thoughts on many topics. Oh, and we occasionally interview friends too.
Hit the Follow button on your preferred platform, and say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com and Instagram at instagram.com/bananafication.podcast! We'd love to hear from you.
Alice and Ian discuss their career “sins" and lessons experienced in Hong Kong and Australia: salary negotiation (or the lack of), employer bankruptcy and the desperation of taking $10/hour jobs as an immigrant.
This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa! Check out their range of carbon- and water-neutral jewellery with our code "BANANAFICATION" at shop.analuisa.com/bananafication for 10% off.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com,
And check out our behind-the-scenes content/memes at @bananafication.podcast .
Alice and Ian review the Netflix hit show, Love Is Blind Japan: who's G and who's trash, Japanese editing quirks, and what it reveals about love, marriage and taboo in the East vs the West.
This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa! Check out their range of carbon- and water-neutral jewellery with our code "BANANAFICATION" at shop.analuisa.com/bananafication for 10% off.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com,
And check out our behind-the-scenes content/memes at @bananafication.podcast .
Alice and Ian play "We're Not Really Strangers Online", an unofficial online version of WRNS, and dive deep into our behaviours: what we value, what we fear, and how these elements shape the relationships we have.
This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa! Check out their range of carbon- and water-neutral jewellery with our code "BANANAFICATION" at shop.analuisa.com/bananafication for 10% off.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com,
And check out our behind-the-scenes content/memes at @bananafication.podcast .
Coming up to Lunar New Year, Alice and Ian explore negative Asian communication patterns and the dreaded "Why you so fat? Why you no children?": the mechanics behind the behaviour, how the responses to pop star Wang Lee Hom's marriage breakdown and Singles Inferno's Ji-a counterfeit scandal tie into these patterns, and what you can do about it.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com
And check out our behind-the-scenes content/memes at @bananafication.podcast
For the new year, Alice and Ian give in to a guilty pleasure and discuss stories of their friends' love lives: how two girls catfished their matches to test them, and what happened when they failed the test; what kind of careers will lead to you getting swiped left on by Asians; and why going to the gym in Hong Kong is a terrible experience.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com ✉
And check out our behind-the-scenes content/memes at https://www.instagram.com/bananafication.podcast/ !
Alice and Ian discuss the polarised responses on Asian social media to Simu Liu’s casting in Shang-Chi based on his physical appearance, diverging beauty standards for men between the East and the West and how men typically deal with body image issues.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Or DM us on Instagram (work in progress): https://www.instagram.com/bananafication.podcast/
Aice and Ian revisit their favourite topic - money; on recently switching to "cheap" supermarket home brand groceries, the differences in how Australia and Asia view cheapskates and poverty, and how being frugal brings us closer to our Asian roots.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Or DM us on Instagram (work in progress): https://www.instagram.com/bananafication.podcast/
Alice and Ian discuss the major 'Asian' suburbs they've visited in Sydney to date, from cockroach-infested Campsie to glittering but toxic Rhodes: their favourites, their least favourites, first impressions and lived experiences. (Sorry Westies, we'll do a proper visit once COVID restrictions are over.)
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Or DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bananafication.podcast/
Alice, Ian and fellow Chhoa Josiah discuss their relationship with money; how Asian culture and their upbringing shaped their views, their most frugal moments and the real life Crazy Rich Asians in their circles.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Or DM us on Instagram (work in progress): https://www.instagram.com/bananafication.podcast/
Alice and Ian discuss how Chinese New Year is celebrated, and how their very different backgrounds influenced their traditions: why Ian was raised to never say "fatt choi", how Alice incurred the wrath of the Vehicle God, and why sometimes it's better to not greet someone with the phrase "Happy Chinese New Year".
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Or DM us on Instagram (work in progress): https://www.instagram.com/bananafication.podcast/
Alice, Ian and dating aficionado Julie discuss how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the West and East: gifting expectations (or the lack of), the “sacrifices” that men have to make and that one Asian guy who refused to give up.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Alice and Ian recall the best and worst of high school life in Malaysia, China and Australia: forced haircuts, teenage violence, and an anime love confession that didn't quite go as planned.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Alice, Ian and fellow Malaysian Ben discuss what it's like to make new friends as international students in Australia, confronting realities of living with friends and the secret sauce to building connections.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !
Alice and Ian discuss what it's like to spend Christmas and New Year's in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia: surprising differences in cultural interpretations of the holidays, how this shapes celebrations, and what the season means to us personally.
Say hi to us at bananafication.podcast@gmail.com !