Evan Worldwide - Global Youth Perspectives: Recent Episodes
Evan Sulpizio Estrada
The idea for this podcast came from everything I love: food, culture, languages and collaborating with young people from around the world. Everyone I connect with from my experience on Masterchef Junior as well as meeting other kids from around the world, is just as passionate about life and learning about different cultures. I found each of their lives and their world views to be so fascinating that I wanted to capture it to share with others. With my friend’s consent to be recorded, I started making videos, interviewing them and asking them to share their views on social, political, economic issues in their country and of course, we talked about food. From the traditional food of their country to their favorite dishes and some secret homemade recipes. I hope you enjoy listening different global youth perspectives and learning about different countries as much as I have.
Taller than any other country in the world on average, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the country with the world’s oldest national anthem. It is noticeable that the Dutch are very smart and innovative people as they are credited for creating many influential inventions such as the submarine, the telescope, bluetooth and chocolate sprinkles! I recently had the privilege to travel to the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam and The Hague. It was absolutely gorgeous and I had to keep reminding myself that I am below sea level which is mind boggling. In this interview, I got to speak with my friend Floor who I was especially excited to hear her perspective coming from a very small city since when most people think of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is the first city people think of. After thinking about her international friends and observations while traveling, Floor notices that a huge difference between European children and children in the United States, is the independence and responsibility that kids have in their respective societies.
Having grown up in San Diego, a city with around 1.4 million people, I was shocked when I discovered that the Republic of Montenegro had less than half of San Diego’s population. I was fascinated to learn that I myself am older than this country. After the fall of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, two member states, the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro maintained their political status as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which later transformed into the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. Then, the Republic of Montenegro gained independence and seceded from their political union on June 3rd, 2006 which makes me older than Montenegro by 1 year, 2 months and 28 days to be exact. Considering the small population, I was excited to meet my new friend from Montenegro, Dunja. My friend Dunja continuously described how Montenegro is geographically blessed with an incredible coastline and majestic mountains that would be covered in snow during the winter season. She even explained how in some parts of the country, one can find themself surrounded by mountains while swimming in the ocean! However, despite having incredible nature and delicious food, Dunja is worried about how many young people do not foresee a future in Montenegro which is resulting in hundreds of Montengrin citizens wanting to move abroad.
Geographically the largest landlocked country in the world, the Republic of Kazakhstan was the last country to sucede from the Soviet Union in 1991 by 4 days. Legend has it that Kazakhstan is the birthplace of apples, specifically from the largest city, Almaty which when translated into English, means city of apple trees. As someone who has always been fascinated by the Central Asian region, I was very excited to speak with Dameli about her country of Kazakhstan. She informed me about some incredible places to visit while in her country such as Kaindy Lake where trees can grow underwater! We also did touch upon conflict that is occurring in Kazakhstan. Specifically, the events that took place in January 2022, known as Bloody January. There were protests and riots in regards to gas prices and human rights violations and many casualties. Dameli later describes cooking to represent a love language in Kazakhstan as the people are very welcoming and hospitable. They put a lot of effort by making homemade dishes from scratch packed with flavor.
Originally spelled as two words, Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the 2nd largest exporter of coffee in the world. Vietnam is home to the Vietnamese language with contains the highest amount of accent marks than any other written language. The Vietnamese language is also very unique from other languages around Southeast Asia as their languages have received a lot of influence from French due to the french colonization. Learning from my friend Viet about Vietnam was so interesting, he has a unique global perspective as he has lived in and out of Vietnam his whole life. He brought up facts about the country's economic growth after the conflicts of war, and we discussed their national motto which translates to “Independence, Peace and Happiness”. He pointed out that this is the most peaceful time in Vietnam history and they have not engaged in war in the last 40 years. He shared his perspective that people should look at conflict as temporary in order to find resolutions and move forward towards peace. We spoke about one of my brothers favorite dishes Phở, which is very common to eat in the morning. A delicious broth with noodles and a choice of meat. I found it really interesting that Viet brought up the conflict within the cultural identity of whether they wanted to allow themselves to become more westernized as the country continues to develop.
Home to the highest capital city in the world, La Paz standing at over 11,000 feet above sea level, the Plurinational State of Bolivia is a country that can trace its history to over 5,000 years ago back to the Tiwanuku Empire. Bolivia is an ethnically diverse country as they have the largest proportion of indigenous people in all of America with 48% of the Bolivian population identifying as Indigenous in 2020. The largest indigenous communities in Bolivia are the Quechua, Aymara, Chiquitano and Guaraní people. My friend Christian and I spoke a lot about the political situation in Bolivia with the multiple political parties that exist. He adds perspective from more than one place in Bolivia as his parents comes from two different cities, La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Christian was very enthusiastic and excited while describing some of his favorite Bolivian dishes and how in Bolivia, one can find corn that is naturally colored purple. We also spoke about how some dishes in Bolivia are supposed to be eaten at specific times during the day and on different occasions such as Christmas. Something that really stood out in this interview was Christian’s opinions on confronting conflict with a peaceful mentality. He believes that in order for youth to be able to help spread awareness and advocate for peace in not just his country but worldwide, youth must make their voices heard in a peaceful manner while being willing to compromise allowing for peace to exist.
A group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The British influence can be seen worldwide, and tea is among the most common drinks. London is home to more than 8 million citizens and it is estimated that more than 300 languages are spoken in the city.
I met Connie while attending a film/cinematography class in Paris, France. We met so many amazing people over the summer while in the class. Connie feels that because of the internet and our global awareness there are less differences between young people of the world and we all have similar ideas and goals.
Connie shared the disparity that is visible between classes in England as well as the London centric mentality that the rest of the world has. She thinks that the UK has plain food, yet we spoke about amazing dishes such as chicken tikka, fish and chips, cheesy chips, sticky toffee pudding and Cadbury chocolate! She ended our conversation by sharing that Yorkshire tea is the best tea you will find!
I love that she shared that the younger generations care about global issues and that people need to be kind! She feels that If something is not affecting you.. Why do you care!?
If you spelled out this country’s name in Scrabble tiles, the Republic of Mozambique would score you the highest amount of points out of any one word nation. Mozambique is a Portuguese speaking country located in East Africa with world class beaches, beautiful wildlife and incredible tasting chicken. Mozambique is investing in clean energy with large solar farms and new electric cars for the police.
This interview will be the first time I speak with two different friends from the same country. Georgia and Tiago, offer unique perspectives and entertaining conversation. They both shared that many people in Mozambique work hard to provide for their families, and taking time off to protest or demonstrate for peace and less conflict takes away from their ability to provide.
Learning about Mozambique food they shared that it is often spicy, and they explained that the chicken in Mozambique is special, well known to be prepared with love. Marinated 12-24 hours in spices and flavor for the perfect taste. We had a fun conversation regarding KFC and the idea of Chick-Fil-A arriving in Mozambique.
One of the things that stood out the most in my conversation was their awareness of the stereotypical portrayal and generalization that African countries have. Africa as a continent is so vast and each country is so different yet, we often group our thoughts and ideas based on media portrayal.
Identified as the birthplace of democracy, philosophy and the olympics, Greece, also known as the Hellenic Republic, is a country rich in history, culture, food and dances as there are over 4,000 different traditional dances. With over 6,000 different islands and 80% of the country covered in mountains, Greece contains an extremely diverse landscape attracting more tourists than there are citizens living in the country.
My friend Ariadne and I had an amazing discussion talking about her home country of Greece. Ariadne is a very driven teenager who wants to make a change in society. She briefly explained how she is trying to make a difference in the make-up industry by creating Earthlips, a woman owned company that creates high-quality sustainable, cruelty free lipstick with a vegan formula. We also discussed the social issues that are prevalent in Greece and about the power that technology has on society.
As Ariadne and I are both high school students, we even talked about how tiring a long school day can be and how comforting it is to arrive home and seeing your favorite food prepared, waiting for you at the table. Ariadne proposes that people must create more online campaigns and events in society to attract people and help them inform their friends about the causes we need to support, allowing peace to spread from person to person.
An island country in the southern hemisphere, the Commonwealth of Australia is the sixth largest country and the smallest continent. Australia has the biggest coral reef system in the world, 70% of its land is referred to as “outback” and is the driest inhabited continent.
My friend Imran and I talked about the people, culture, the land and different ways of life. We discussed the need to educate people about social issues, and how we must bring awareness to character and empathy in schools. We need to have conversations about choosing kindness over conflict. And it would be SO amazing to teach different perspectives from the beginning when kids are learning how to think. We need to teach and think about attitudes and perspectives.
He spoke about the food in Australia and it reminded me of the United States, as both countries were built from immigrants and it is common to eat a variety of different cultural foods. But I loved to hear that his favorite Aussie food was getting a snag outside of Bunnings on a Saturday. He spoke of his family's homemade recipes and it confirms that all over the world food connects us with special emotions and memories.
Gaining independence in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, The Republic of Uzbekistan is known for its incredible history, mosques and mausoleums. Situated along the historic Silk Road trade route, Uzbekistan boasts diversity in its culture and people, as throughout history travelers shared and traded art, languages, culture and ideas.
I learned a lot from my friend who spoke about her beautiful country of Uzbekistan. She shared that there is so much governmental regulation people don’t really talk about conflict as it has almost become normalized as they have learned to live under governmental control. Uzbekistan has had only two different presidential leaders since its independence over 30 years ago.
Talking with her regarding culture, we came to a realization that young students with international perspectives are molding a new type of global culture and awareness, separate from their own ethnic culture. We are learning to be more open minded and informed, creating a new global citizen culture. We spoke about how It doesn’t take away from our current culture or traditions, however it supplements who we are and allows us to have conversations and learn about each other. We understand that we might not have come from the same path, but we all want to go in the same direction.
Landlocked in the horn of Africa, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is home to many historical and archeological artifacts. The first identified hominid skeleton, Lucy, was found in Ethiopia and can be seen in the historical museum in the capital city Addis Ababa. It is the only African country to have never been under colonial control, and boasts the origins of a cup of coffee.
I spoke with my friend Mariamawit who I met through a human rights committee of Model United Nations. She was very informative about the current events and conflicts happening in Ethiopia and shared that the country still faces challenges against social issues and human rights and doesn’t have complete freedom of speech.
We spoke about her favorite dishes and the different types of bread and butter of Ethiopia, however she shared that you don’t butter your bread. She explained that food is always supposed to be eaten together and she gave her perspective on different types of youth and how younger generations and their beliefs can be influenced by their families.
With its capital city Islamabad known as the #2 most beautiful capital in the world, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan borders India, China, Iran and Afghanistan in south Asia. Pakistan has the highest paved international road connecting Pakistan to western china and reaches a height of 15,300 ft. Home to influential people such as the youngest Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai and world renown author Saadat Hasan Manto, Pakistan has the 5th largest population of more than 225 million people.
I spoke with my friend Hamdan about his home country of Pakistan. He is currently living in Qatar, however he is very knowledgeable and shared with me some of the social climate related to politics, sexism and how the Pakistani people are very patriotic and love their Country.
We spoke about the different locations and cultures of Pakistan, and the delicious food. Although people think it is similar to Indian food he expressed that they have their own unique dishes and cuisine. We even ended our conversation with some fun World Cup talk which will be held in Qatar in 2022. Hamdan shared that the youth are starting to make a difference through social media and the best way to create change is to get involved.
Known as Siam until 1939, The Kingdom of Thailand is a constitutional Monarchy and is the worlds largest exporter of Rice. Thailand has approximately 1,430 islands, and used to be referred to as “Venice of the East” because of all the waterways in Bangkok which are now filled in as streets.
I spoke with my friend Candy who shared that she feels the conflict comes from the differences between the youth and the older generation. She explained that in Thailand gender equality is one of the main issues she would like to see change, as it has been deeply rooted in history but she is hopeful that the younger generation will continue looking to the future with new ideas and values. We spoke about the delicious dishes in Thailand, and she shared her personal favorite dishes all include rice, either fried rice or rice and eggs. Candy explained that she feels people think of Thailand as less modernized but they would be very surprised to see how modern the capital city, Bangkok, really is.
White sand beaches, a rich dance culture and the most wins in the world famous singing competition, Eurovision, the Republic of Ireland is also known as the Emerald Isle for its beautiful green scenery. Just recently, Ireland’s population reached 5 million people for the first time since the tragic potato famine of 1845 to 1852.
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with my friend Sarah who is a young leader in her community. Sarah informed me of the cultural pride Irish people have highlighting the large heritage center outside of the capital city, Dublin and multiple castles all over the country representing Irish culture. She also explained that in addition to English, they have their own Irish language and shared with me her favorite dish, a full Irish breakfast. Sarah gave me her perspective that although we are raised in different societies with different values, Sarah finds more similarities than differences between the youth all over the world.
The Republic of Ghana has been called the Gold Coast and is one of Africa's most peaceful nations with diverse ethnic groups and boasts the largest man made reservoir in the world, Lake Volta.
I spoke with my friend Priscilla who is the youngest person I have interviewed so far, however at the age of 14 her wisdom and perspective is so mature. She was born and raised in Ghana then moved to Qatar with her family when she was 6. Her global environment gives her an educated and open perspective about the world. She was very honest about her frustration of the stereotypes she experiences regarding African culture and shared a little bit about the friendly rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria's debate about who has the best food. She shared some of the dark history of the Slave trade and talked about the slave castles that are still standing along the western coast of Ghana. She has amazing insight into how the youth can make a difference and she talks about how it all starts at home.
With a name that translates to “great depths” in Spanish, The Republic of Honduras is part of Central America and has the second largest coral reefs in the world. Honduras gained its independence in 1821, 200 years later, they just elected their first female president.
I spoke with my friend Chris. He is so well spoken and knowledgeable about current events and has such an open perspective to understand both sides of different conflicts. Chris explained how he is encouraged and felt there is definitely progress within Honduras for better human rights and positive change. He had my mouth watering describing the endless possibilities of ingredients when creating a baleada, a typical Honduran dish, and explains how Honduran food can comfort and help you feel complete and satisfied after a long day. He shared his views on the challenges the youth encounters to create change. He feels there needs to be a shift in perspective of adult leaders to be more open to allow the youth to integrate and create ideas for positive changes.
Occupying half of South America’s landmass, The Federative Republic of Brazil, is the 5th largest country in the world. Brazil boasts 4600 miles of coastline and has more animal and plant species than any other country in the world. Brazil gained its independence from Portugal after 322 years of Portuguese rule in 1822 and is the only country in South America to speak Portuguese.
I spoke with my friend Eduardo who lives in one of the largest cities in the world, Sao Paulo. I loved hearing him talk about how Brazil embraced the Black Lives Matter movement that started in the US to form their own protests in an effort for social activism. Eduardo and I spoke about Brazilian food but he shared that his family cooks all kinds of food at home and eats dishes from all over the world. Eduardo emphasized how food represents getting together and having fun being with each other. He also spoke about how technology allows young people to learn and share ideas to make a difference in the world.
Known for Kimchi, global brands such as Samsung, SK Holdings, Hyundai, LG and Kia, South Korea is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world - where they are even known to have blazing fast internet. South Korea's advancement in technology comes as no surprise as they focus on education and teaching is one of the most prestigious and well paying jobs in the country.
Today I want to introduce my friend TK who comes from the beautiful capital city of Seoul. In today’s interview, TK and I discussed Korean education, traditional values and how gender equality has been an important initiative for the Korean government and has made some great improvements over the years. From the culinary side, it was so touching to hear how much his grandmother's food brings him special memories and how he feels food preferences have shifted with new generations, with fried chicken being the meal of choice at Korean baseball games. We wrap up our conversation hearing his take on the widely popular Netflix TV show Squid Game.
Divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories, the Dominion of Canada is home to almost 38 million people. Canada has more than 3 million lakes, making up more than half the lakes in the entire world. Approximately 1.4 million Canadians refer to themselves as indigenous or aboriginal people.
I spoke with my friend Madilyn about what it was like growing up in Canada, and how different each province is from the other. Madilyn spoke about some interesting and unique food preferences in Canada and she had my mouth watering when she mentioned one of my favorite Canadian dishes: Poutine. We discussed political and cultural conflicts between Canadians and how important it is to embrace the French-Canadian phrase “La Joie de Vivre” which can be translated to: the Joy of Living. I was encouraged to hear that she feels that the young people of Canada are very active in helping make changes for a better world.
Located off the coast of mainland Southeast Asia and formerly known as the Dutch East Indies, the Republic of Indonesia is made up of approximately 17,500 islands. Indonesia boasts the second largest coastlines in the world. It is home to the largest volcanic lakes on earth and is considered the hottest spot on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Culturally, Indonesia is extremely diverse as it is home to over 1300 recognized ethic groups with over 700 different languages and dialects.
Hailing from Jakarta located on the island of Java, my friend Antonio shares with us how culturally significant rice is in his country and his love for instant noodles. During our interview, Antonio had an uber driver call him about a food delivery and I just could not help but think of how similar young people my age are despite being on different sides of the world. Antonio shared with us some of the conflicts in Indonesia along with the struggle for freedom of the neighboring island of West Papua. Antonio explained some ongoing social issues relating to race and religion within Indonesia, and gave amazing insight into his own views on religion and human rights.
Known for its excellent wine, food, music and dance, the Argentine Republic offers a diverse landscape containing beautiful beaches and snowy mountains. The famous Asados are enjoyed every Sunday, full of meats and sausages grilled to perfection.
I loved learning about Argentina from my friend Martina. She is so knowledgeable about the country, food and political climate. She shared with me that it is not common for young people to focus on politics and she is alway trying to teach her fellow classmates about global issues. She discusses the economic conflicts in Argentina which play a part in the main social issues related to classism, and identified that there is a huge differentiation between the rich and the poor.
Martina shared how she loves learning about politics through model united nations and that she loves meeting and learning about people all over the world. Interestingly enough, that is exactly how I met Martina. She commented that Model UN conferences allow her to learn about other cultures around the world and recognize how different yet similar we are as humans.
Indigenous temples, Cenotes, the largest underground water tunnels in the world, and known for its vast variety of cuisine, Mexico, officially titled the United Mexican States, has been referred to as land of extremes with its incredible geographical diversity, from beaches to rainforests to deserts.
I was excited to learn more about my friend Daniela and her family's Mexican culture and traditions. My ancestry is part Mexican, with my father born in San Antonio, Texas to parents of migrant workers. I unfortunately do not have a strong cultural connection with my Mexican heritage, so I was very eager to learn from Dany about her family. Growing up in San Diego, and being so close to Mexico, I have been exposed to delicious Mexican food and beautiful Mexican culture.
Dany shares how there are such amazing variations in the cuisine and ingredients depending on where you are in Mexico. I loved to hear Dany talk about her family's connection with each other and how food brings them together. She talked about her family coming together to enjoy delicious meals every Sunday. Their strong connection through cooking and the unity of coming together as a family can be found in so many cultures around the world.
Known as the Biblical Holy Land, The State of Israel sits on the Mediterranean Sea and is home to beautiful architecture and pristine beaches. It is only 290 miles in length and 85 miles wide, with a population half the size of New York city. With many new startups businesses, Israel is second to Silicon Valley in high-tech companies, with many research and development facilities and products originating in Israel.
I met Halel through a friend of a friend, and although we have grown up on different sides of the world, we share a lot in common of how we see the world and how people should be treated. She and I spoke about conflicts in Israel relating to the land and the people. We talked about the possibility of a two state solution and how she had to take final exams in a bomb shelter at school. We spoke about how Tel Aviv is one of the most liberal cities in the world, and how she loves that there are cities that break through stereotypes and segregation and where people of different walks of life can live together in peace. I appreciate her openness and neutral position on sensitive topics regarding her home of Israel.
The Republic of Turkey is one of the most historical crossroads on our planet. Turkey is the bridge between two continents, Europe and Asia and is home to multiple cultures. This transcontinental location has been the birthplace of many influential items in our world such as Santa Claus, Air Travel and even Money! Turkey is home to one of the largest cities in the world, Istanbul which is the only city to be located on 2 different continents, Europe and Asia!
Getting to talk with Can was a huge privilege as he has amazing insight and perspective as a young leader in his country of Turkey. I was shocked to hear about the amount of conflict that’s occurring in his country and I could tell the turmoil in his homeland deeply affects him. Once I started to ask him questions about food in Turkey, he started to feel way more relaxed and calm as it gave him great memories of his living grandparents. Can shares about the conflict, culture and cuisine of Turkey.
In this episode we will meet one of my favorite French connections, Ambrine. I met Ambrine during THIMUN, an international Model UN conference, where we worked together on writing two resolutions for our MUN committee. I was instantly drawn to her erudition, leadership and ability to articulately express herself with confidence. Since THIMUN, Ambrine has traveled off to college where she is studying political science and I know she will be successful in everything she does. During our interview, Ambrine details some societal conflicts occurring in France that are very similar to the same challenges we are currently facing in the US. Finally Ambrine paints a picture of what life is like living in France: from French Football Rivalries to how to pick the best French restaurants, and we wrap up with Ambrine sharing some of her favorite home cooked meals...What can I say? Interviewing Ambrine was a delight...I hope you enjoy it too!
This episode of Evan Worldwide, we are meeting my friend Ricardo who gives us some insight into Conflict, Culture and Cuisine in his home country of Ecuador. Later in the podcast you will hear Ricardo highlight some of the different food combinations so unique that he believes you will not find them anywhere else in the world. We start todays discussion off with a youth perspective on how Ecuador is plagued by Government corruption, high levels of racism and sexual assault towards women. I am encouraged to hear that progress from the younger generation has been taking shape slowly through protests and social media.
In this episode we are meeting Marco from Madrid, Spain. I first met Marco in a virtual forum of international students that lasted for six hours. The group discussed topics from world peace, conflicts, fashion, music and food. I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable group conversations I have ever had. From the moment I started chatting with Marco, I knew he was a kindred spirit sharing his passion for food, cooking and his love for world culture. On a recent trip to Washington DC where I was touring some colleges, I was fortunate to meet Marco and his wonderful family. We shared a few meals and toured some of DC’s most famous museums. In the upcoming interview, you will hear how Marco explains Spain’s accepting culture toward diversity and equality and even shares how Spain has held protests in support of Black Lives Matter and other important topics towards human rights. We wrap up talking about Spain’s culinary delights, the importance of saffron, tapas bars and of course the national dish of paella.
On this episode of Evan Worldwide: Global Youth Perspectives we are going on a journey to to the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan. Home to the UNESCO Heritage site of Petra and bordering the Dead Sea, Jordan is located in the Middle East, geographically situated as a crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe. With approximately 10.5 million people calling Jordan home, 95% of the population are ethnically Arab and follow Islam as their religion.
We will meet one of my most amazing friends, Karma. Karma is an extremely bright, passionate, young leader that will provide some amazing insight into some of the struggles facing Jordan today. She will share some unique perspectives into Jordanian culture and as always, we will wrap up our talk about some amazing Middle Eastern food.