Foreigners & Fathers: Recent Episodes

Bruno & Pedro

The experiences of two nerdy foreigners coming to the UK to live, work, and become parents.

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In this episode, we take a break.

We would like to thank all of our listeners for staying with us for this long while we create this time capsule for our children. It has been our absolute pleasure.

Have feedback for us? Want the podcast to come back? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we get Christmassy, again! We do a deepdive on Christmas and what it means for us. Get a blanket, a hot chocolate, switch on your Christmas tree, and listen to us.

Episode resources:

  • When do Babies start talking?
  • Why is it called Boxing Day?
  • Aguinaldo in Mexico
  • 14 salaries in Portugal
  • Tradition and origin of salted cod
  • Mexico posadas
  • Mexico’s “Las Pastorelas”
  • Rooster’s Mass in Portugal
  • Azores’ Christmas cake
  • Portugal Christmas Food
  • King’s cake
  • What are angulas

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Bruno was late editing the episode... to many coughs! But Pedro will update the notes soon enough never despair.

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In this episode, we go over child and adult sickness and the impact that has on us as parents.

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we explore what we would like to do with Nico & Nim as they grow older.

Episode resources:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/eurostar-scraps-direct-trains-disneyland-paris-b1021732.html

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/forest-bathing-nature-walk-health

https://www.papalote.org.mx/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reino_Aventura

https://sm64-conspiracies.fandom.com/wiki/Reino_Aventura

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiko_(orca)

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In this episode, we explore the world after we became parents and how we adjust our own identity to the new reality.

Episode resources:

  • Keyforge Game - which Pedro alluded to
  • How women's employment changes after a baby

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we continue from the previous theme about joining a school and the inherent challenges of it! This week we focus more on the UK school system.

Episode resources:

  • Average attention span of a toddler 1-year-old is below 2 mins, not even 6!
  • The national anthem is not sang in UK schools, though some people would like it to be.
  • Length of school week in the UK - 32.5 hours
  • School starting age
  • Deferring your child's starting age
  • Primary school grading system
  • Special Education Needs in UK Schools
  • The human senses

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In which we talk about joining a guild and an unexpected ending takes place!

Pedro is away so the full description as well as the resources will be updated soon.

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Description coming soon...

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In this episode, we talk about mystical lore, more specifically childlore! We go over the 3 main myths in a child's life - the tooth

Episode resources:

  • Mythology meaning and definition
  • Weeks after the baby is born, it's the health visitor that comes around the house
  • Tooth fairy connections to the Vikings
  • Apparently, the jokes about "gallegos" came from a generalisation of "galicians" as "spaniards", and the spanish people themselves had jokes about "galicians" as they are from an isolated region, so it's just folklore.
  • How Saturnalia became Christmas
  • Is Believing in Santa harmful?

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICO & NIM!

In this episode, Nico & Nim turn 1! Cliche as it sounds, it's gone by incredibly quickly, and we celebrate and look back over the last year, reflecting on how amazing everything's been.

Episode resources:

  • The average birthday party in the UK costs £320
  • UK birthday traditions
  • Mexican birthday traditions; "la mordida"
  • Piñata song!
  • How to play the piñata
  • Evolution of the Piñata
  • Mexican Ancestry
  • A Reddit thread going into the Mexican Samurai
  • Mexican birthday party video

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we view and review some of the strangest British traditions!

Episode resources:

  • What's Bluey?
  • Traditions:

    • Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
    • Bog Snorkeling
    • Nettle eating contest
    • Wife carrying race
    • World Gurning Championships
    • Ozzy Man Reviews: Cheese Rolling Contest 2018
    • The history of Cheese Rolling
    • Chris Anderson, the master cheese roller
    • Netflix's 'We are the Champions'
    • Difference between Swamp and Bog
    • Origins of Nettle Eating Contest
    • Apparently eating nettles is not particularly bad for you, but it can give you stomach pains
    • Why can't people watch Scott's tots?
    • The 300-Year-Old Exploding Hammer Tradition of Mexico
    • Burning cats in Portugal
    • English news about village in Portugal with kids smoking
    • Exploding hammers in Mexico!
    • Recommendation: Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we explore what it means to travel with babies, toddlers, children, and anything in between. We speak to our guest Grace who speaks from her experience as cabin crew, and we learn some truly unique experiences in the sky above.

Episode resources:

  • Prince George also travels like the common mortals
  • Apparently some air companies do track your weight still!
  • Where is my mind? Podcast!
  • Grace Vintage Clothing!

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we take a stance and make a promise to not become helicopter parents... not that it's all bad! join us as we discuss types of parenting and what they mean.

"Words build bridges into unexplored regions."- Adolf Hitler

Episode resources:

  • Quiz - are you a helicopter parent?
  • Medical research on Helicopter parenting
  • Plugs in the UK are safe, no need to cover
  • In fact, you shouldn't cover them!
  • The meaning of Chancla

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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500 DOWNLOADS! Congrats us!

In this episode, we continue our conversation with the Mothers. In the second part of our first two-parter! We bring Hollie & Martina back to finish talking about their pregnancy experience!

Episode resources:

  • Babyname - Tinder, but for baby names.
  • Priority laws in Portugal
  • A female baby is born with all the eggs that she will ever have
  • Signs that Labour has begun

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we share our experiences finding the best way of leaving our children behind while we campaign to put food on their table! We look for the best alternatives to nursery and nursery itself, and all the little wonderful (and terrible!) things that come with it.

ERRATA- In the episode we discuss this being episode 16 because that was the original intention, but we have since changed numbering, which is why there is some confusion.

Episode resources:

AITA for not wanting to hang out with a friend who just had a baby?

30 hours childcare costs covered from 3 year old

Preschool education system in Portugal

Childcare in Mexico

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we are joined again by a couple of friends, this time neither fathers nor foreigners, but someone who can share a unique insight on how we changed since fatherhood and what it meant to have us as foreigner friends.

Episode resources:

  • Redheads go to the cinema for free
  • Command & Conquer franchise
  • Star Wars: Ahsoka audiobook
  • Most popular British pets (yes it's cats and dogs)
  • Survivor US
  • Parkrun UK
  • The Always Sunny Podcast - our podcast rivals

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we have 2 guests to share new perspectives about being a foreigner and a father. They have more experience than us, so they share what's to come!

Episode resources:

  • Population of the UK by country of birth and nationality: year ending June 2021,
  • The story of Robert Sidaway
  • Screen Media Exposure and Obesity in Children and Adolescents
  • To MacGyver something
  • Ultima Online

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we say what our plans are for educating our children, whether that's country history, family history, language, or school.

Episode resources:

  • MyHeritage - track your family history and even some genetic tests
  • Illustrated Harry Potter books
  • Types of Schools in the UK
  • You can join a Faith School even if you're not religious; but they may prioritise religious students - Source
  • Montessori school fees example
  • Checking the best schools nearby

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this extra meaty episode, we explore old and new rules when it comes to education - how were our parents educated? How did they educate us? Please join us to find out.

Episode resources:

Dungeons & Dragons editions

The Mexican Revolution & the haciendas system

Dictatorship in Portugal

Ludo Board Game

The path of the €uro

You just lost The Game

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we talk about what it was like to be at home in the first few days with a newborn, and we go over the expectations and realities of ourselves, family, and friends when it comes to bringing a baby to this world.

Episode resources:

Paternity leave in the UK

Subreddit - Am I the Asshole?

Helpful advice for when your friend had a baby

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we talk to some special guests - our partners, the mothers of our children, Hollie & Martina! Today's topic is pregnancy, and there's no one else better to talk about their experiences with it other than the people who actually went through it! Come listen to our first guest episode!

Episode resources:

  • Pregnancy resources in the UK
  • Ectopic pregnancy information
  • Sands charity
  • Smoking and pregnancy

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we explain our decision to bring a child into this world and what it means to us.

Episode resources:

  • Why Choosing to Have Children Is an Ethical Issue - an interesting read on the implications of having children.
  • How to get your life ready for a baby
  • Covid effects on UK birth rate
  • Adopting a baby in the UK - and its costs
  • World fertility rates
  • Maternity benefits in the UK

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we dust the old fairytale books and we add a chapter of our own separate love stories.

Episode resources:

Erasmus Programme

Bonus - over one million babies were born due to the Erasmus Programme

MSN Messenger - nostalgia on a webchat

Demisexuality

Apply for a European Commission traineeship

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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In this episode, we go political. Well, as political as it gets when it affects our identity and what it means to be a foreigner and a father in the UK. Have you ever thought or cared about what a foreigner had to say about Brexit? No? Well, listen to it anyway.

Episode resources:

200k EU nationals left the UK since 2020

Windrush Scandal

Have feedback for us? Send us an email at contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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A journey is meaningless if completed alone. Join us on our campaign for parenthood while we explore what it takes to make it as a foreigner & as a father in the UK.

In this episode, we talk about our love for Brighton and then we go beyond the South of England and open our horizons to other areas of the map. We also share our impressions of other mythical places such as London and Milton Keynes.

Episode resources:

Keep Brighton Weird!

UK's famous trainspotter

Naked Bike Ride

Avebury stones- the cheaper alternative to Stonehenge

Have feedback for us? Send us an email to contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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A journey is meaningless if completed alone. Join us on our campaign for parenthood while we explore what it takes to make it as a foreigner & as a father in the UK.

In this episode, we explain what it is like to switch on and off a different language. We do so by making more English mistakes than normal!

Episode resources:

Languages of Mexico

About a third of Portuguese people speak English

Etymology of Facade

Cockney rhyming slang

Car names you can't say in other languages

False Friends examples

Bilingual Memory

Have feedback for us? Send us an email to contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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A journey is meaningless if completed alone. Join us on our campaign for parenthood while we explore what it takes to make it as a foreigner & as a father in the UK.

In this episode, we explain what it took for us to feel integrated into UK life & culture, from finding a job, stable accommodation, and starting our nerdy hobbies.

Episode resources:

How to Write a CV for UK employers

Meetup - find your SO through D&D like Bruno. Results not guaranteed.

International Political Economy MA - in case you're interested in studying it.

Have feedback for us? Send us an email to contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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A journey is meaningless if completed alone. Join us on our campaign for parenthood while we explore what it takes to make it as a foreigner & a father in the UK.

In this episode, we go over our first impressions when we arrived in the UK, where we stayed, and any culture shocks.

Episode resources:

London's St Christopher's Hostel

Brighton's Railway Station

Spare Room

Gumtree

Club Chocolates

The Mexican art of Albur

Have feedback for us? Send us an email to contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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A journey is meaningless if completed alone. Join us on our campaign for parenthood while we explore what it takes to make it as a foreigner & as a father in the UK.

In this episode, we explain the very beginning of our campaign: the reasons why we decided to come to the UK and leave our home country.

Meet Bruno - 35 years old. Nerd with a passion for everything gaming, manga and anime, originally from Mexico. Living in the UK for 6 years.

Meet Pedro - 31 years old. Videogame and board game nerd, originally from Portugal. Living in the UK for 9 years.

Episode resources:

Applying for a visa to come to the UK

More than 20% of Portuguese people live outside the country

Portuguese PM incentivises young people to emigrate

Opening a bank account in the UK

English Folklore

PIIGS

Have feedback for us? Send us an email to contact@foreignersandfathers.com

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