Behind the Yellow Curtain

Queer in Tokyo: Belonging, Boxes & Becoming Welcome back to Behind the Yellow Curtain ! In this episode, host Jess sits down with Luna Oliver , a multifaceted artist, magazine editor, and trans woman who was born in Mexico and grew up in Montreal before settling in Japan in 2015. Known for her drag persona Andromeda , Luna has dedicated her life to questioning gender and championing queer visi...

Queer in Tokyo: Belonging, Boxes & Becoming Welcome back to Behind the Yellow Curtain ! In this episode, host Jess sits down with Luna Oliver , a multifaceted artist, magazine editor, and trans woman who was born in Mexico and grew up in Montreal before settling in Japan in 2015. Known for her drag persona Andromeda , Luna has dedicated her life to questioning gender and championing queer visi...

Belonging Beyond Borders: A Journey to Identity in Japan Welcome back to Behind the Yellow Curtain!  In this episode, host Jess sits down with Rudy, a strategist from France. With roots in Algeria and the Caribbean island of Martinique, what led him to build a life so far from home in Japan? Despite graduating from elite schools and walking an enviable career path, Rudy always felt a sense of alie...

Belonging Beyond Borders: A Journey to Identity in Japan Welcome back to Behind the Yellow Curtain!  In this episode, host Jess sits down with Rudy, a strategist from France. With roots in Algeria and the Caribbean island of Martinique, what led him to build a life so far from home in Japan? Despite graduating from elite schools and walking an enviable career path, Rudy always felt a sense of alie...

Welcome back to the conversation with Kiwa on Behind the Yellow Curtain! In this chapter, "Reading the Air vs Saying It Out Loud: Love Across Cultures," we dive into how a multicultural background shapes the most personal part of our lives: relationships. Having grown up where direct communication was the norm, Kiwa gets candid about dating in Japan. The conversation centers on her curre...

Welcome back to Behind the Yellow Curtain! In this episode, "From Hong Kong to Tokyo: Finding Identity as a Multicultural Japanese," host Jess talks with her friend and former colleague, Kiwa. Born in Tokyo and raised primarily in the international city of Hong Kong, Kiwa always felt a step removed from her Japanese roots. Hoping to finally connect with her heritage, she made the decisio...

This time on Behind the Yellow Curtain, we have a special episode! Our host, Jess, steps onto the couch to answer questions from you, our listeners, in a special Q&A session. Jess opens up about her identity as a Taiwanese American, born in Taiwan and raised in the US. She also shares her passion and philosophy as a Creative Director at an advertising agency. "Where do you feel most like...

Episode 4 From Tourist to Dad: Parenting When Love Meets Culture ClashWelcome to the fourth episode of Behind the Yellow Curtain! In this episode, host Jess chats with Rob Walbers, a Belgian photographer who has captured world-renowned artists on camera. Having built a successful career in music photography shooting the likes of Madonna, The Rolling Stones, and Lady Gaga, Rob made a life-changing...

Welcome to the fourth episode of Behind the Yellow Curtain! In this episode, host Jess chats with Rob Walbers, a Belgian photographer who has captured world-renowned artists on camera. Having built a successful career in music photography shooting the likes of Madonna, The Rolling Stones, and Lady Gaga, Rob made a life-changing decision at the age of 30: to move to Japan. Why did he leave behind h...

Welcome to the third episode of Behind the Yellow Curtain! In this episode, host Jess chats with Ai Futaki, the world's only "Aquatic Expressionist" and a freediver who holds two Guinness World Records. Growing up in a liberal elementary school in Kanazawa, Ai was unconcerned with nationality. That changed when she entered a Japanese public junior high school, where she felt a deep s...

Episode 3　First Step: Be Kind to Yourself. Welcome to the third episode of Behind the Yellow Curtain! In this episode, host Jess chats with Ai Futaki, the world's only "Aquatic Expressionist" and a freediver who holds two Guinness World Records. Growing up in a liberal elementary school in Kanazawa, Ai was unconcerned with nationality.  That changed when she entered a Japanese public junior high...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our conversation with Richard! In this episode, Jess continues her chat with Richard, a Tokyo-based author, diving deeper into his journey of self-discovery. Richard shares how moving from London to Tokyo was a "shedding" process, allowing him to peel back layers of his old self. They discuss how his perspectives have evolved since publishing his book, how his v...

A new season of Behind the Yellow Curtain continues—welcome back! In this episode, Jess chats with her friend Richard, a Tokyo-based creative working in marketing, who’s also published his own book. With British and Japanese roots, Richard opens up about growing up between two cultures and how that’s shaped his thoughts on identity. They talk about his book BAND—A Philosophy , the big questions li...

A new season of Behind the Yellow Curtain is here—welcome back! This episode features Jess in conversation with her close friend Sara, a Colombian woman currently living in Japan. Together, they talk about cross-cultural identity, navigating daily life in Japan as a foreign woman, and the quiet moments that shape our sense of belonging. If you’re interested in stories about immigration, cultural a...

A new season of Behind the Yellow Curtain is here—welcome back! This episode features Jess in conversation with her close friend Sara, a Colombian woman currently living in Japan. Together, they talk about cross-cultural identity, navigating daily life in Japan as a foreign woman, and the quiet moments that shape our sense of belonging. If you’re interested in stories about immigration, cultural a...

💡 Finding your true self as a TCK isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the journey. 🌈 In Part 2, we continue exploring individuality with special guest Andromeda. 🎙️ #BTYCPod #TCKLife #EmbraceYourself #ThirdCultureKids

🌟 Being a TCK means navigating multiple cultures while trying to stay true to yourself. 🌍  In Part 1, we dive deep into what it takes to carve out your individuality.  Special guest @andromeda.offixial joins the conversation. 🎤  Be sure to check out the podcast @moto.iwakan run by our guest Andromeda too!! https://open.spotify.com/show/4JntTtznkaz7qvsFfLHKPo?si=0160bea427734a7f #BTYCPod #TCKSto...

From microaggressions to outright bias, TCKs know the struggle is real. 🌍 Tune in as we unpack how culture shapes discrimination. #BTYCPod #CulturalBarriers #TCKLife

Family, friendships, and the cultural connections that define us. 🌍👥 How do TCKs keep it all together when their world keeps changing? Tune in now! #BTYCpod #CulturalConnections #GlobalNomads 🎙️

Ambition: It’s a global game, but are we all playing by the same rules? 🌍💼 Tune in as we unravel how culture shapes our drive, hustle, and that burning desire to succeed. Spoiler: It’s not all sunshine and promotions. #ThirdCultureKids #btycpod 🎙️

Swipe left on cultural clichés about love. This episode, we decode whether your dating life is your own or just a series of cultural setups. 💘 #LoveLostInTranslation #SwipeCulturally #DateDebate

Swipe left on cultural clichés about love. In this episode, we decode whether your dating life is your own or just a series of cultural setups. 💘 #LoveLostInTranslation #SwipeCulturally #DateDebate Part 2 is scheduled to be released on July 23rd! Follow our Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/btycpod/

Unpacking how mental wellness is woven with cultural threads. From taboo talks to therapeutic triumphs, dive into the mind maze of TCKs. Listen now—let’s mentally mingle. #MindGames #GlobalMentalHealth #TCKTherapy

Is your swagger self-made or socially sculpted? From silent strength to loud pride, we dissect how TCKs navigate the confidence continuum. Listen and lean into the debate! #SwaggerSociety #TCKConfidence #CulturalCouture

Diving deep into the micro-assaults on identity that color our daily interactions. From ‘compliments’ to outright confusion—let's get real about the impact. Tune in and turn up the volume on TCK experiences. #CulturalComplexity #IdentityInsults #RealTalkTCK