Banana Q: a Filipino-Flavored Podcast

Ep 11: Can You Live in Japan Without Speaking Japanese?

We interview two guests on the importance of language and cultural context when living in a country far away from home. Edmund gives helpful tips on how to survive as a non-Japanese speaking expat in Japan. Shayne talks about her interesting experiences as a full time missionary in different countries.

Links: Edmund's YouTube page | Shayne's YouTube page

Ep 10: What’s in a Filipino Name?

We talk about Filipino name practices which confuse people of other nationalities, like our middle names are our mother’s maiden surname and sometimes we have nicknames that are nowhere to be found within our names.
We also bring up common naming practices in the Philippines like kids being named as a portmanteau of their parents’ names.

We discuss strange names and its possible impact on a person's life.
We reveal how we came up with our podcast name and explain what “banana cue” is for non Filipinos.

Ep 09: Why is Shopping So Addictive?

If a Shopee genie gave you 3 wishes, what would you put in your online shopping cart? We talk about Singles Day trivia and interview Pinoys from all over the world to get insights on their shopaholic tendencies and gather tips on impulse-buying.

Bonus: Fan Girl (2020) - A Spoiler-Free Movie Review

This bonus episode is about Filipina director Antoinette Jadaone’s film Fan Girl which premiered at the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival on 31st October 2020. 
Fan Girl follows the story of an overzealous fan (portrayed by newcomer Charlie Dizon), who somehow ends up in the same mansion as her celebrity crush, Paulo Avelino – who portrays himself in the film. 
Rey, Kathleen, and MonMon share their spoiler-free review. 

Link: More information and tickets

 

Ep 08: What Do ’90s Filipino Kids Remember?

It's all about '90s nostalgia as we build a list that only '90s Filipino kids will remember. We reminisce about sari-sari store snacks, neighborhood games, tree-climbing, pogs, MIRC, Backstreet Boys, cartoons, cassette and VHS tapes, landline phone pranks, and how precious camera pictures used to be when we were growing up in the Philippines.

Ep 07: Are Aswangs Real?

For Halloween and All Souls Day, we take a page from Magandang Gabi Bayan and talk about creepy creatures from the Philippines - aswang, mangkukulam, tiktik, manananggal, tikbalang, sigbin, tiyanak and white lady. We raise weird questions and share an epic ghost story experienced by a friend.

Ep 06: Why Do We Love Jollibee So Much?

Jollibee is the #1 fast food in the Philippines. Is it just because of panlasang Pinoy? But it's also making waves in other countries like Singapore. We interview several people of different nationalities in a quest to find answers. We discover patterns and form a conclusion. For the finale, we feature a special podcast episode, so don't miss it!

Ep 05: Are Your Thirties Better Than Your Twenties?

We hash out the pros and cons of being in our thirties. We commiserate about tiredness, back pain, and slower ability to learn new skills or make new friends. We celebrate being able to afford quality things and possessing more wisdom. We discuss whether it's really so bad to no longer be in the calendar.