Over Here, Over There: International Politics & Culture Podcast

The death of Russian political activist and freedom rights campaigner Alexei Navalny stunned the world for its open brazenness at the hands of Vladimir Putin and his government. There is little doubt that Putin was responsible for Navalny's death, although a Russian court of law will no doubt never adjudicate on the manner.  Navalny's death leaves Russia without a significant opposition...

'Life is too short to learn German', said Oscar Wilde. And even for a native German speaker, it does have its challenges. Over Here, Over There podcast co-host Claudia Koestler takes you through the quirky nuances and daunting tongue-twisters that give credence to Wilde's perspective. Still, it can be rather amusing to hear a German word that is as long as a football pitch or anothe...

'There's no place like home', said Dorothy in one of the most famous final lines in cinematic history in The Wizard of Oz. The concept of home has intrigued writers, scholars, travelers, artists, soldiers, students, and every human being who has ever walked the planet.  So it has with Claudia as she prepares to leave a place she has called home for twenty-seven years and start anew...

Our special guest has risen from relative obscurity over the past three years to be recognised by fans across a crowded New York City street. Such is the worldwide popularity of the TV show The Great British Bake-off, which he won in 2021, under stiff competition, and now is climbing the name recognition ladder, which – who knows? – may lead him to be a household name like ‘Gordon' Ramsey, ‘J...

In this episode, Claudia Koestler considers the 'Over Here, Over There' aspects of politeness and kindness in Germany relative to her experiences abroad. She provides three anecdotes that highlight the friendliness, or lack thereof, and unfeeling directness that make her wistfully remember how it was done 'over there'.  An interesting perspective from a frequent international t...

Bavaria's Sundays are slower than the rest of Germany and many other countries. Most public and private organizations are closed, which has its plusses and minuses. It's a matter of personal choice, Claudia says, but - spoiler alert! - for those wanting to get things done, she likes how Sundays are managed elsewhere.  OHOT will be bringing more episodes in different formats with internat...

In a world of increasingly scarce resources, it's important to understand and maximize one of the most important of them all: food. In this engaging and informative episode, we speak with German TV presenter, broadcaster, and science journalist Dirk Steffens, who with his filmmaker, director, science journalist, and biologist wife Sabine, work together to help save the planet by advocating sm...

In the 'Over Here, Over There' podcast, we discuss our differences across borders and divides and how we can learn from them. In this episode, we hear two different perspectives from Germany and the United States regarding the most influential figure in US foreign policy since World War II. The recent passing of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger stopped many people of a certain g...

In her recent point of view episode about the recent German elections, Claudia Koestler, Senior Editor at the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany's leading national daily, comments on the significant rise of right-wing parties. Is there any hope of stemming this rising tide? Claudia does her best not to despair when politicians and voters go wrong.

Over Here, Over There podcast host Dan Harris discusses with BBC Radio Kent's Steve Ladner the election of a new Speaker of the House, (R-LA) Michael Johnson.  'Finally, the nightmare in the US House of Representatives is finally different' (as opposed to over), so says late-night host Stephen Colbert. After three weeks of paralysis, the new House Speaker, second in line to the Pres...

Amidst the turmoil following Hamas's brutal attack on Israel, President Joe Biden traveled to Israel to show US support for its close ally and try to reduce tensions amongst the warring factions. BBC Radio Kent host Steve Ladner speaks with Dan Harris, international political commentator and co-host of the 'Over Here, Over There' podcast to determine whether Biden's peace-makin...

The value of international education is increasingly being realised, particularly in countries in which tuition fees have increased significantly over the years. As Anthony Nemecek, one of our expert panelists explains, more and more students are recognising the advantages of looking beyond their borders for higher education opportunities. While the financial incentives are becoming more apparent,...

According to a recent New York Times article , dual nationality is the new ‘gotta have’, and many people across the world are seeking a second or even a third nationality to improve their life chances. In this very dynamic, globalised world, gaining another citizenship is promoted or restricted depending on the political, economic and social trends within each country and across the world. Whether...

If you were the culinary ambassador of your country and had to offer one dish to attract as many visitors as possible, what would that be? A soul-searching question for our panel of international culinary professionals and foodies from France, Taiwan, Germany, UK and the USA. Their delicious, inventive and practical suggestions are entertaining and intriguing. No doubt our listeners will have thei...

Small talk is hard for some people. But what happens when a country's citizens find it difficult or don't engage in small talk culturally with their fellow citizens or foreigners? Is small talk an essential key factor for a functioning society or is it just superficial blah? And why are some countries better at it than others? Does it give them an advantage in international relations? Is...

He’s gone but certainly not forgotten. You know who I’m talking about. Long, dark coat, long red tie, orange hair. The man who dominated the airwaves for four chaotic years of his presidency, culminating in a riotous mob attacking the heart of US democracy at the Capitol, the impact from which will be felt for who knows how long. But the podcast is not all about him. We’ve divided into two parts:...

In this podcast, we have a great mixture of professionals with first-hand experience of health systems in different countries, including Claudia Koestler, Senior Editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung , Mike Bellissimo, a former senior executive at Humana and the Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Charlie Vivian, Director of Icarus Health Solutions in the UK and a former director in the NHS. If you've ever...

Social responsibility has been a critical imperative before the vaccines for the COVID-19 virus were developed and it remains vital for the safety and well-being as the vaccines are rolled out across the world. But some countries have fared better since the beginning of the outbreak, and we’d like to discuss the reasons for this and what we can learn from each other across the world, in true ‘Over...