Canadian Salad

The world has voices which we all need to hear. I'm not talking about the oppressive voices. I'm talking about the powerful ones . . .the voices of beauty, courage, strength, weakness, mourning and resistance. The voices of the oppressed. In this last episode of 2023, join Andrea has she shares four poems from four different countries presently in conflict. Hear from the powerful prose s...

What is your favourite food? Is it hot, spicy ramen? Is it chicken paneer, sushi, hamburgers or just plain old bread? Whatever the food you love, it says something about who you are and where you live. Join Hostion and Andrea on this culinary episode where they explore what food really is to a culture, a society and what it can mean to just one person. Learn where Korean Fried Chicken really origi...

Ah yes. Twinkle lights. Trees. Candles. Songs. And no, we're not just talking about Christmas. Join Andrea and Hostion as they briefly explore the holidays of December celebrated by people of the world. From Mexico to Japan, Persia to California, Norway to England, you'll find this episode is a celebratory trip around the world. Learn about the only holiday in December which celebrates a...

Some say love is blind. But the reality is true and authentic love actually has eyes wide open. If you’re in an interracial relationship or considering one, take a listen.   Join Hostion and Andrea as they explore the dynamics of healthy interracial relationships and the things to avoid. Listen as Hostion and Andrea both advocate for learning and unlearning race  - what that means for us as indivi...

Immigrants are leaving Canada at the highest rate ever on record. Why? What is it about Canada that is making people leave? And why do some stay? If Canada has the highest immigration targets ever in her history, retaining those targets will be crucial in the next decade. In this episode, Hostion and Andrea, will confess their personal moments when they were tempted to leave Canada. They’ll explor...

Sex. Yup. We said it. Let’s be honest . . . there are a host of social stigmas around the topic of sex. Buy why?  In this episode, Hostion and Andrea will be honest and open about the ways in which sex can weaponize and dehumanize others. Hostion will share his journey of understanding what sexual liberation is and what that can look like for everyone. Andrea will be honest about the impact of bot...

Global conflict. There are currently over 32 active conflicts in our world today. Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen, Palestine, Ukraine, Algeria, Libya, Lebanon. . . the list goes on. For many immigrants currently in Canada, their home, their friends, their families are all experiencing conflict, leaving a grief that sometimes has no words. Global conflict affects us all. It can be overwhelming. We live w...

Remembrance Day. Immigrant veterans gave everything even when a country did not give back. Their battle was not only on the battlefield but right at home. In honour of both the National Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, we remember Canada’s unsung heroes - immigrant veterans. Who participated in both world wars? Were they fighting only to end global evils? Listen to Hostion and Andrea a...

It's about me. No, it's about you. No wait. It's about us.  It might be hard to see how our individualistic or collective cultures influence us as we live within them. And we may never know until we have the exact opposite challenging and surrounding us. What if you're used to collective thinking, honour and shared living? Is it wrong or selfish to aspire to your own dreams?  W...

Men are great. Men are wonderful. Men are hurting. Patriarchy. What is it exactly? As much as it privileges men, does it also hurt men?  If you’re a boxer or briefs person (or none at all) this episode is for you! Hostion and Andrea bravely unpack patriarchy examining the obvious ways it enables men to power and privilege but also examining the ways it is slowly killing and hurting men (as it is a...

Religion and faith. Some immigrants come to Canada seeking freedom to express their faith without persecution. Some immigrants come with religious traditions but cannot find a community to express them. Other immigrants come with no religious affiliation or faith expression at all.  How do we normalize talking about religious beliefs in a way that doesn’t alienate, proselytize or exclude anyone? I...

Saying ‘thank you’. Tipping wait staff. Giving gifts. Each culture has its own traditions and expressions of expressing gratitude. Does saying ‘thank you’ to everyone for the smallest acts of service cheapening gratitude? What happens when you want to tip someone for your meal but another person completely disagrees with it? And how do you make sense of gift giving? Take a listen as Andrea and Hos...

Chinatown. Chinese New Year. Fireworks. We see the beautiful expressions of Chinese culture in major cities and towns across Canada. What brought the first Chinese immigrants to land on Vancouver Island? What happened when they arrived? And how did Chinese immigrant communities find a place where they belonged? In this episode, Hostion will share the history of Chinese immigrants to Canada. Althou...

As immigrants to Canada, we arrive with joy and excitement to make this new country our new home. But what happens when we learn the truth of Canada’s treatment, history and systemic injustice towards the First Peoples of this land? What happens when our dreams of Canada become disillusioned with reality?  In this episode, Andrea and Hostion share their experiences upon hearing the truth of Canada...

Being Human. It’s a beautifully messy and complex way to be. But it’s also worth honouring and celebrating. This episode will explore the intersectionality of identity: a framework for understanding how race, economic class, gender and other identities are all interlinked with oppression and discrimination in society. Hostion and Andrea will ask the timeless question of what it is to be ‘Canadian’...

Sometimes who you are cannot be defined by where you are from.  Meet Andrea.  Host of Canadian Salad and an immigrant to Canada from the United States, Andrea shares her immigration story and journey of self-discovery apart from where she came. Hear how stories at the US-Mexico border should compel Canada to be a safer country for refugees from the Global South. Hear what shocked her when she came...

Pink. Lots and lots of pink. And a lot of attention globally on the themes and messages regarding feminism. Some loved it. Some hated it. Hostion and Andrea? Well, you’ll have to take a listen.  We explore the themes of feminism . . . more specifically white feminism and how it relates to the immigrant woman here in Canada. What can we appreciate about white feminism? What can we be critical of? A...

Joy comes in many forms. It can come quickly or slowly.  Other times, it hides and you just have to look for it.  Meet Hostion. Now a citizen to Canada, his journey to get here was simple but filled with complexities as he navigated a new community, a new culture and a new country. As an Asian, Queer man, he shares his story of what brought him here, how he found joy being himself and how we, as i...

What does it mean "Canada is like a salad?" If you're an immigrant and even if you're not this podcast is for you - honouring Canadian culture and the thousands of cultures that live and make the Canadian Experience. Meet Hostion and Andrea - immigrants to Canada, celebrating themselves and the place they now live.  In this first episode we talk about what it means when people...