Beyond Friends

Hello and welcome to an episode of Beyond Friends.. Our last one.  In this episode, we reflect on our podcasting journey and our lives since we’ve started the podcast - so much has happened! Beyond Friends started as a passion project in the thick of the pandemic and we’ve been so grateful to share this space with you all. ❤ As time has gone by, our capacities have shifted and we’ve collectively a...

We’re ready to get down and maybe a bit dirty. 😉  In today’s episode Mai Xee, Pang, and Sunny are talking about their views of sex as mid-20 girlies in comparison to their adolescent years. We’re tapping into purity culture, familial upbringing, and how modern society views sex.  So strap-on and plug into today’s ride. We’ll be gentle. 💗 — Hosts: Mai Xee Vang, Pang Xiong, Sunny Thao Intro music...

The Song Poet, a memoir written by Hmong author, Kao Kalia Yang, becomes the first Hmong story adapted for the operatic stage. It’s a story about a Hmong father’s hope, art, and grief. In this episode, we talk about the stories in The Song Poet and how we relate to them. A few tears were shed as we thought about our parents and their journeys. What are your parents' stories? — Hosts: Mai Xee V...

We’ve all been there - messy, sticky, and sh*tty situations. In this episode, we dive into some stories from the Am I the Asshole (AITA) Reddit thread, Hmong Talk Facebook page, and submissions from listeners. Join us on these roller coaster of emotions, as we talk through these scenarios. Maybe it’s time to let that sh*t go… — Hosts: Mai Xee Vang, Pang Xiong, Sunny Thao Music produced by Pang Xio...

All aboard the ship to parenthood! Whoa.. sounds exciting but scary. As we grow older, more and more of our peers are entering new chapters of their lives - for many, it’s marriage and having kids. In this episode, we explore new parenthood by picking the brains of our friends, Alexis and Chewmeng, the first couple in our friend group to welcome a bundle of joy. We had a lot of questions on the jo...

New year, same trio! To start off the new year, Mai Xee, Pang, and Sunny got together and decided it’s time to spice things up! We asked you to send some spicy questions and they were hot. 🔥 Join us to find out what we did or didn’t answer. 😉 Special shout out to our listeners who sent some questions! We missed y'all during our break but we're excited for Season 4, so buckle up buttercups - it's...

You’ve probably heard of the many diets people could follow, or the workouts they can try. You’ve probably also heard about the concepts and language to use when talking about bodies - like body positivity and body neutrality. How much should you think positively about your body and love it? Or should you simply embrace your body for what it is: a body? In this episode, we talk about our bodies -...

“If there’s something weird and don’t look good who you gonna call, Ghost Busters ! Just kidding, us - Beyond Friends.” 😂 Your friendly neighborhood podcast.  Though the season of love has yet to approach us and Hot Girl Summer has gone with the wind, ghosting season is just in. Tune in to hear the trios' experience with being ghosted and ghosting others, and if you stick around long enough...

The last time we talked with Bert, we explored what our values were and how to leverage them. Today, Bert joins us again to share other great opportunities he has to offer from his work and additional life updates. What’s a masterclass? Has Bert told his parents about his significant life change? And how has Beyond Friends gone into depth with their values in themselves and dating? Tune in to hear...

As “Little Miss Got Bills”, sometimes it can feel like “we’re livin' on a prayer” with all this adulting. In today’s episode, the trio explores their spiritual journeys and expore the question: “How does growing up in a Christian household and a traditional Shaman household differ?” Tune in to this unexpected turn of events and share snippets of your spiritual journey with us as well! 😇

Life brings us a lot of unexpected things but never something we can’t overcome. In this episode, Mai Xee, Pang, and Sunny discuss their first big girl job, when to apply, how to negotiate salary, and much more. They will share what it was like for them as first-generation students and women of color exploring the realm of post-college.

Did you say DATING? You heard it right! Join us as we unpack some of our dating stories and struggles as women in their mid-twenties looking for our future someone. We’ll talk about what the “talking stage” is to us as well as some of our ickss. What time span for the “talking stage” is considered too long? Which of the co-host is currently talking to someone? Why doesn’t Sunny want to date a frie...

Another year older… another year around the sun~ In this episode, we’re celebrating our amazing birthday girl, Sunny. You’ll get to hear reflections of turning a year wiser and the peaks and valleys of being 25 - along with a few surprises! Did Mai Xee and Pang accomplish catching Sunny off guard? Would Sunny like what Mai Xee and Pang have in store for her? Tune in to hear all about it! Content W...

Partnership with Ana Luisa - shop quality carbon-neutral jewelry: https://shop.analuisa.com/beyondfriends ---------------- Besties, our seasonal depression is finally dormant for another winter and you know what this means! HOT GIRL SUMMER is among us! 🥴 In this episode, we’re diving into what are the elements of a successful hot girl summer and manifesting what we’re going to be doing on our bre...

Partnership with Ana Luisa - shop quality carbon-neutral jewelry: https://shop.analuisa.com/beyondfriends --- Break-ups can be hard and difficult to navigate. The one person you spent so much time with, is suddenly gone and you’re not understanding how this all came to be. Who’s to blame - wait, can you even blame anyone? From those few sentences, you might have envisioned that we’re talking about...

Partnership with Ana Luisa - shop quality carbon-neutral jewelry: https://shop.analuisa.com/beyondfriends --- Is it just us or is it getting a bit stuffy in here? Maybe let’s crack a window to let in some Cua Tshiab? ✨ In today’s episode, the trio sits down with all-star, Yayoua Yang, the creative director of the hottest Hmong American girl group, Cua Tshiab (New Air). We’ll be peeling back the l...

In this era, to be a man “written by a woman” is the highest form of a compliment or at least that’s what Tiktok says. But what about being a woman written by a man; or let’s put it this way, to be a woman seen through the eyes of a man. In today’s episode, you’ll hear the besties’ experiences as women through their eyes and how the social construct of the male gaze shaped their upbringing - from...

Ahhh... our first dances. The awkward glances, sweaty palms, boys on one side of the gym wall and girls on the other. The room is a mixture of AXE body spray and Bath & Body Works Cherry Blossom mist. In this episode, the besties are taking a trip to memory lane and reminiscing their most memorable school dance.

It’s 2002, the biggest boyband is coming to town, and all your friends are going. They ask if you’ll be joining and you have to choose, be a good daughter or a good friend? Oh, you’re also a red panda. In this episode, the besties watched Turning Red and are sharing their favorite moments. Listen carefully to catch moments when they’ve turned red as a teen.

Happiest birthday to our hopeless romantic co-host, Pang Chai! This episode is dedicated to her and her impact on us.

Get in bestie, we’re going on a healing journey! In our last episode, we read anonymous letters from the website Letter to my Ex - now it’s our turn. (*anxiety activated*) We’ll be sharing our letters and reflecting on how these relationships shaped us into who we are today. Laughs will be shared and tears will be shed. So get cozy, grab a box of tissue, and pour yourself another glass of wine. An...

Ah, January came and gone, and now we’re in February. The month of love <3 But based on this episode’s title - we’re sure you already know what’s in store. The iconic girl group, Little Mix, once sang, “This is a shout-out to my ex… You made my heart break and that made me who I am.” In this spicy episode, the Beyond Friend trio explores the website Letter to my Ex and connects with anonymous w...

Have you ever met someone by chance and fast forward to meeting them again? Did you ever feel so starstruck where the whole room feels empty and there’s no such thing as time? Has someone ever held your hand to comfort you in a way to let you know “it’s okay”? In this episode Mai Xee, Pang, and Sunny share their K-Drama moments that might make them want to sing, “Baby I’m falling, head over heels…...

Coming at you with another minisodes from Beyond Friends with our series of “Hey bestie!” In these episodes, you’ll get 1:1 time with a host and we chat about topics that live in our heads (and hearts) rent free. In today’s Hey Bestie-sode, Pang will give you all a quick update from her “break” of podcasting and share with you all her solo trip to South Korea in 2019 and why you should take a solo...

" Cause I got issues, but you got 'em too, So give 'em all to me and I'll give mine to you " (yikes lol)  In our last episode of Season 2, Mai Xee and Sunny reflect on Sunny's recent visit to Seattle and their late-night convos about attachment styles. Tune in as they share bits of their personal stories and how their upbringing as children of divorced, immigrant, and refugee parents shaped t...