With next month marking 10 years since Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea in Ukraine, and 2 years since the start of the current war there, we will continue to keep Ukraine & Ukrainians in our ears, hearts, and minds with this special reissue of our “For Ukrainians, the sunflower is an incredibly powerful symbol” episode from April 2022. 🇺🇦 Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 Stay well & stay strong, dear listeners – and stay tuned for new episodes of Oops, Your Culture’s Showing! in the coming months.

Dean and Tom are back to talk about the use and importance of symbols across cultures, otherwise known as “going the full Robert Langdon” (you know, the main protagonist in Dan Brown’s novels). Being the super symbologists they are, Dean and Tom decipher what iconic symbols have to tell us about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while also decoding symbols that have arisen from other conflicts, such as in Hong Kong, the United States, and more. (For more on protest symbols in Russia, here is the April 15, 2022 episode of the Rough Translation podcast from NPR.)

Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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Happy holidays, dear listeners! Welcome back for the thrilling conclusion of our Cornucopia series, in which Tom and Torin now face off in the final two of six of Dean’s CultureQuizzes: that is, brief quizzes about fundamental culture concepts in different regions of the world. They’re playing for the prize of, well, it’s unclear, as the culture-curious fellows are now into their third successive episode of imbibing frivolity. As time passes and the point totals rise, the decorum tumbles, someone’s chin hits a microphone, and a producer is finally replaced (?). The focus of this episode’s slate of quizzes is on countries in Africa and then in Latin America, and one can’t help but wonder: Will the three-part contest simply peter out in the final round, or can Tom and Torin remain simpatico to finish out the bout? No need to wait to find out: this 52-minute listening adventure contains all answers, quiz-related and otherwise, for you. Enjoy & we’ll be back soon with new episodes in 2024!

***Subscribe to Dean’s Substack here to find ALL of Dean’s CultureQuizzes, including the CultureQuizzes from this episode and many many more.***

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. American listeners! Before, after, or perhaps while you’re feasting at the dinner table, enjoy feasting your ears on this continuation from last month’s episode about Dean’s CultureQuizzes, or brief quizzes about fundamental culture concepts in different regions of the world. This time, Tom and Torin take on quizzes about countries in Asia and then in Europe, while quickly losing their senses as they consume a few more sudsy potables. (Case in point: The phrase “I need to crush you” may be uttered at one point…all in good fun, of course!) Will our culture-curious lads face-plant, or manage to save face, on these quizzes? Click ‘play’ both to find out & to play along with them!

***Subscribe to Dean’s Substack here to find ALL of Dean’s CultureQuizzes, including the CultureQuizzes from this episode and many many more. The next and final part of this three-part episode series includes Dean’s CultureQuizzes about Africa and Latin America.***

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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As the three culture-curious mates remedy last episode’s sangria-lessness with beer and chianti, Dean (our resident global cultures expert) challenges Tom and Torin (our very-much-not-experts) to play six of his self-written CultureQuizzes – that is, brief quizzes about fundamental culture concepts in particular regions – against each other. Perhaps due to their mild inebriation or Torin’s overactive competitive side, or both, Tom and Torin agree to duke it out over two quizzes about Australia and the Middle East in this episode, all in pursuit of precious points (and possibly a jar of Vegemite). Can one of the blokes understand Strine in order to come out on top, or will continued drinking over this three-part episode series simply result in ignominious strife? Listen ASAP to find out!

***Subscribe to Dean’s Substack here to find ALL of Dean’s CultureQuizzes, including the CultureQuizzes from this episode and many many more. The next two parts of this three-part episode series include Dean’s CultureQuizzes about Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.***

PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded in September 2023. We are heartbroken by the escalating crisis in Gaza and Israel, and we invite you to give what you can to on-the-ground humanitarian organizations such as the World Food Programme and World Central Kitchen. Thank you.

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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It’s always nice to imbibe with a companion, so this month, we’re pairing up last month’s “Alcohol Across Cultures” chat with a companion piece on what to do (or not do) when drinking tea and other libations across the globe. So grab your potable of choice (potent or not) and please enjoy this special reissue of our second-ever episode, “Tea & Magnetic Pole Flips”, from March 2018! (Also: It appears that the topic of magnetic pole flipping has stayed in the news even five years later!)

This episode, Dean and Tom navigate the cultural dos and don’ts of drinking tea in Morocco, Japan, the U.K., and Argentina – not to mention coffee in Ethiopia, beer in China, and whiskey in Korea! And without even getting inebriated (or maybe they do, as it would explain a lot), they also broach the topic of magnetic pole flipping (not an Olympic sport) and its cultural implications. Get ready to imbibe this episode from a gourd with a silver straw, because, as we all know, “the best things in life are served in a gourd.”

Subscribe now! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach them on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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Dean may have neglected to bring sangria for this episode, but that doesn’t stop Dean and Tom from sliding into a spirited dialogue on Dean’s experiences with alcohol across countries & cultures: from gin amidst the dizzying dunes of Libya, to the “easy going down” caipirinha of Brazil (with subsequent lizard-negotiating), to early-morning Unicum in a Budapest boardroom, and much more. Plus, do Dean and Tom decide to push their limits after imbibing a few tequilas together in Mexico? Call us old-fashioned, but we know that you’ll have a happy hour (or 40-ish minutes) when you listen to find out!

***Don’t forget to subscribe to Dean’s Substack here for recent CultureQuizzes, updates on Dean’s next book, and much much more. It’ll definitely be worth a shot! (Okay, the alcohol puns end here!)***

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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In this episode, Dean lights some powerful incense (can you smell it?) before recounting his travels through the massively multicultural nation of India, and exploring personal instances of cultural dissonance in Pondicherry and elsewhere. Plus, Tom points out the elephant in the corner (of a Hindu temple), and Producer Torin needs to know if Dean walks the walk there. Remember: Everything will be okay in the end, so if things are not okay now, don’t worry; you’re just not at the end (of enjoying this episode) yet!

***AND: Don’t forget to subscribe to Dean’s Substack here for the Pondicherry Journal, recent CultureQuizzes, and much much more!***

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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As Dean and Tom (metaphorically) cross the Rio Grande in this episode, they find themselves wading into the rich complexities of Mexican culture and identity – particularly, into the shifting impact of the historical figure La Malinche. Plus, Dean revisits his great Mexican cultural faux-pas, which may or may not have involved male genitalia; you’ll have to listen to find out! Then, don’t forget to read about Dean’s greatest-ever cultural faux-pas, and much much more, by subscribing to Dean’s Substack here (yes, this is a plug)!

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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