It's Called Culture

Dating the milkman. Dating in church. Dating abroad. Dating an infant. Dating your cousin. This episode captures immigrant family dating sagas across multiple generations. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Millennials who came of age during the technology boom of the late 90's and early 00's will also appreciate the discussion on cell phone use, jaw-dropping bills, dial-up internet, and par...

Getting picked up from school by vavô was always a treat, just be sure to first wipe your feet.  Vavô's car interior was definitely covered in plastic.  And he may have had the motor-vehicle reaction time of a slug, but his wit was quick.  Our after school time was spent either doing homework at the bar of the local Portuguese social club (Kel) or watching MTV's spring break and Jer...

Harvest and press grapes, shoo away fruit flies, and consume wine with us in this episode.  Learn what will get you banned from participating in the winemaking process. And you know we can't talk about our luscious grapevines without complimenting the Azorean green thumb.  So green it has taken over the Christmas nativity scene.  But wasn't Jesus born in the desert? Lastly, find out what not to pu...

Adventure with us between the US and Canada in a time before cell phones and GPS.  Whatever you do, do not: (1) hide things in your glove compartment if you are going to need to open it at the border to get your documents, (2) use landmarks that are not visible at night for directions, (3) accidentally leave something valuable behind at a rest stop, and (4) complain that nobody helped you dri...

We dig in to some traditional Azorean delicacies and the true cost of consumption.  Sure the food may be cheap, but now I have to live with the mental image of my ham's last screams.  Does the cost/benefit for picking and eating periwinkles check out?  Is it worth getting fresh goat cheese delivered to your door before sunrise if you're going to think you're being robbed?  Plus...

Vacationing in the Azores was a breeze with 5-star amenities such as BYOT (Bring-Your-Own-Toilet), corn husk mattresses, and one singular light bulb in the whole house.  Plus, find out why Mel's mom had to wear an eye patch to the festa!

Experience the torture that came with wearing the all-weather catholic school sweater.  Why were our shirts made of single-ply toilet paper?  Why didn't Kelly get in trouble like the rest of us for wearing spaghetti straps?  What does "pocketing" mean?  And a couple of bonus teacher stories that could be the start of a Netflix special...

Part 2 explores the period of Lent including Jesus' makeup routine, the optimal place to sit in church on Palm Sunday to avoid car crashes, and how not to overstay your welcome if you rise from the dead.

Part 1 retells the drama of middle school confession, performing church readings, and attending midnight mass.

This episode continues to share our experiences attending the First Portuguese Catholic School in America in the 90s and early 00s. Journey with us from being haunted by holy ghosts while babysitting the Jesus wafer all the way to prison yard recesses and middle school raves.

The school we attended holds the title of the First Portuguese Catholic School in America.  This episode begins to share our experiences attending this school in the 90s and early 00s.  From Computer-Teaching Nuns to the Great Lice Outbreak of 1997 and all the forms of punishment in between.

Incredible accounts of Azorean immigration to the US in the twentieth century. Mel & Kel share their own parents' immigration stories and discuss reasons for immigration, the arrival process, and how they made it work in a foreign land despite being broke and lacking education. 

Culture is a way of life for an entire society. Hosts Melissa and Kelly met in Kindergarten 30 years ago. Their culture is from the Azores - a remote group of Portuguese islands. But they don't live there. They live in America as part of the millennial generational culture. This podcast is their experience as children of immigrants at the intersection of these cultures.  Visit their site folk...