What Lingers

Corrinke grew up in a strict religious community in the Netherlands where shame, control, and rigid rules governed emotions, the body, and desire. Leaving was only the beginning. Through burnout, a complicated breakup, and an ongoing search for herself, she unexpectedly found a path through BDSM, dominatrix work, and shibari—spaces that helped her reclaim her body, redefine control, and begin heal...

Born in Madeira and raised in Lisbon after his parents’ forced migration from Angola in 1975, Filipe grew up surrounded by unspoken truths. The most painful was the secret kept from him and his sister for years: their mother had died by suicide. In this intimate episode, Filipe reflects on uncovering that truth, the family silence that hid it, and the complex relationship with a father who chose s...

What makes someone leave a tech startup behind to open a comedy café in Lisbon? For Ash, it was the need for real human connection. In this episode, he reflects on growing up in India under academic and cultural pressure, his path through elite education and tech entrepreneurship, and the moment he chose stand-up comedy over startups. Ash explores the fine line between making people laugh and maki...

What does it mean to find your individual identity when you're born as one of three? For Alexa, the question of "who am I?" has always been more complicated than most. Alexa is an identical twin triplet, a biracial woman who grew up in a mostly white, small Portuguese town, a daughter of a traditional patriarch who struggled to accept her sexual orientation, and now, a social worker for Europe's l...

What do childhood pranks, undiagnosed ADHD, and professional magic have in common? For Luke Hamilton, they’re all part of the same story—one about learning to hold people’s attention, channel restless energy, and turn secrets into art. Luke’s story begins with mischief. As a kid with an international upbringing and adventures across Indonesia, he and his friend discovered the joy of pranking unsus...

Vanessa grew up in a small, conservative town in Peru where being different wasn’t just difficult—it was dangerous. Raised in a strict Catholic school environment, she navigated the painful intersection of faith, identity, and belonging. She faced homophobia daily, was outed against her will, and struggled to reconcile the God she loved with a community that told her she couldn’t be both queer and...

Harjeet Johal is a 46-year-old writer, commentator, broadcaster, and host of the podcast “The Boy Likes Gin,” based in Lisbon. In this episode, we explore his journey to making the audacious decision to run the Marathon des Sables—a 250-kilometer, six-day ultra-marathon through the Sahara Desert, often called “the toughest footrace on Earth.” But this isn’t just a story about physical endurance. I...

Miguel, a Portuguese journalist and storyteller from Lisbon, had eye cancer as a child. Since then, he’s lived with a prosthetic eye—a physical reality that shaped not just how he sees the world, but how the world sees him, and most importantly, how he sees himself. In this tender and vulnerable conversation, Miguel takes us through the internal emotional landscape of growing up with a disability....

In this episode, Jeremias takes us through an extraordinary odyssey across Asia—from trekking through the Himalayas to navigating the complexities of traveling through China, buying a horse in Mongolia for an off-the-grid adventure, and ultimately being deported from Russia due to visa issues. But this isn’t just a story about stamps in a passport. It’s about the emotional terrain we navigate when...

When her brother’s health crisis turned Amy’s world upside down, she found an unlikely path to healing: ultramarathon running. In this deeply personal episode, Amy shares how she went from zero athletic background to completing her first ultramarathon while navigating mental health struggles, self-compassion, and profound personal transformation. Recently relocated to Lisbon and facing significant...

We’re back! What Lingers returns for its third season , and we’re thrilled to kick it off with a powerful story of resilience, liberation, and self-discovery. In this episode of What Lingers , Robert shares his extraordinary journey from growing up inside Synanon , one of America’s most infamous rehabilitation communities turned cult , to rebuilding a life of freedom, healing, and purpose in Spain...

In our season 2 finale episode of What Lingers, Christian and producer Jonny flip the tables to put Liz in the hot seat as they explore her story from the theme "Second Chances." We listen to Liz's tale of a blackout night at her cousin's wedding that left her waking up next to a complete stranger, followed by an unexpected reunion a decade later when that same man reaches out via Instagram. Both...

After hearing Skye tell their story and hearing about all their experience on stage, we knew we had to pick their brain for storytelling tips. This is a special bonus episode where we deviate from our traditional format and nerd out about how to tell a story on stage. Skye is an an experienced actor, writer, and theater company director who shares the intricacies of overcoming stage fright and mas...

Skye shares a hilarious story of feeding pot brownies to unsuspecting nuns at their Catholic school in 1976. Our conversation explores the reasons for teenage rebellion and the unexpected consequences of transforming from “bad kid” to honor student. We talk about anger as life force, dealing with family dysfunction, claiming authentic identity as a non-binary person in an era without language for...

In this engaging conversation, Miguel shares his unique experience of receiving emails meant for someone else due to his childhood nickname. During fifth grade, he jokingly created an email address for him using Riberalves, a Portuguese cod brand, in it because classmates had nicknamed him that. Years later, during COVID, Miguel began receiving emails from a woman named Liliana who worked at a cod...

In this emotional interview, Christine recounts her personal journey of transformation through storytelling. After experiencing a toxic relationship that left her feeling lost and broken, Christine finds solace and healing in the street art of Amsterdam and the compassion from the street artist Laser 3.14. She discusses the challenges she faced, the significance of her storytelling at Storytelling...

In this episode, Janet shares her exhilarating journey to the stage of the iconic game show "Press Your Luck." The conversation begins with Janet recounting how, while facing the dual challenges of needing two hip replacements and financial uncertainty, she made a bold decision to audition for the game show she had watched with her father as a child. The episode delves into the intense audition pr...

Hania shares her deeply moving love story with Bill, evolving from years of friendship into a profound relationship marked by meaningful coincidences (sometimes while watching Korean television dramas) and small daily gestures of love. She opens up about the sudden loss of Bill and her journey of "grieving well" - embracing her emotions fully while honoring his memory through storytelling and conn...

In this episode, Zak, an artist living in Lisbon, shares his transformative experience at Being Gathering festival following a tumultuous breakup and his father's sudden death. The conversation explores Zak's evolution from identifying as a gay man most of his life to embracing bisexuality during the pandemic. At the festival, he forms two significant connections: an intense non-verbal attraction...

In this episode, Seb, a Swede living in Lisbon, delves into his experience of performing a deeply personal story about his grandmother, whose influence shaped his interactions and emotional openness. Seb explores the therapeutic power of storytelling and the cultural nuances of Swedish masculinity. The episode highlights the emotional range of life and death, from laughter about his grandmother's...

In this episode of What Lingers, professional hiker Shilletha, known as Dragonsky on the trails, shares her remarkable journey of traversing the Appalachian Trail and beyond. Amidst facing racist and hateful backlash from an online hiking community to confronting the physical and emotional challenges of through-hiking, Shilletha reveals the complexities of her life as a Black queer woman in a pred...

John manages a tricky feat: he tells a very funny story about death. In our conversation with him, he opens up about his unique experiences as a tour operator dealing with the unexpected deaths of tourists abroad. From his first encounter with a fatal heart attack to managing logistical challenges and emotional impacts, John shares how these moments shaped his approach to life and death. Hosts Cri...

Origins, Outtakes & One Late Christmas Special: The Story Behind Us, The Podcast, and Storytelling Lisboa Who says you can't celebrate Christmas whenever you want? We're wrapping up our first season with a festively delayed holiday special featuring the whole gang - Liz, Cristian, and producer Jonny, plus guest appearances from your favorite storytellers. Get to know the team behind Lisbon's f...

In this powerful episode of What Lingers, Cristian Figueroa takes the stage to share a deeply personal journey that began with an unexpected HIV diagnosis at the age of 22. Recorded live at Tribe Social Club in Lisbon, Cristian recounts his experience of navigating the complexities of his health, the stigma surrounding HIV, and the transformative impact of sharing his story with others. Joined by...

In this poignant episode of What Lingers, Emanuele shares a heartfelt story about his relationship with his father. As he reflects on their complex bond, Emanuele delves into the memories that shaped him, from childhood weekends filled with high-tech gadgets to the literary treasures found in his father's eclectic library. With a mix of humor and vulnerability, he explores the lingering impact of...