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The More Sibyl Podcast is hosted by Mo! Sibyl - a Nigerian-born, US-educated, Korean-speaking, Struggling Intellectual. The More Sibyl Podcast is a podcast about culture and culture nomads designed for Blacks and Asians and those who love them. On The More Sibyl Podcast, Mo! talks mostly with an invited guest, who she is inspired by, on a variety of issues, related to cultural experiences or other lived experiences related to third culture. If your concept of home is fluid, you feel like you are neither here nor there, or you consider yourself a cultural hybrid, then this podcast is for you. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support
Episodes
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Loretta: The Life of a Creative and Other Stories
As a Nigerian who moved to the US in her 20’s, it was quite a challenge making long-lasting friends, especially due to cultural differences and well, inadequately managed expectations. All of which I talked about with my guest.
So meet Loretta Nwandu: who moved to the US at the age of 15 to begin college and later earned a Masters in Engineering Management. Listen to her story on how she acculturated, found community, and built friendship. Loretta and I both believe in multiculturalism and it's one of the many reasons we love the US! Today, Loretta lives in Atlanta where she does ministry work for Jesus and uses her skills as a creative to meet the needs of her clients.
In this episode, you also get to hear about the unique opportunity and challenges of being a creative person as well as the duality of being one while under the employment of someone else.
Loretta says: “The only person who can understand a visionary is another visionary.”--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support
Thursday Oct 31, 2019
Thursday Oct 31, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
The One with Cyrus: The Iranian-Mexican American & Football Coach – On Why We All Need to Fail
It’s my 33rd episode this year! How auspicious considering I am raising funds for my educational scholarship – The 33 Project. If you are yet to donate and will like to (really I accept all currencies and denominations), kindly click on the donate link below. The GoFundMe page is looking all lonesome without your contribution :-D. Also, we are now accepting applications for the scholarship beneficiaries (see link below).
For this week’s episode, I was honored to have Cyrus Mohseni on the show to talk about his life and passion who was born to an Iranian father and a Mexican mom (you need to listen to hear how they met – it’s a better love story than La La land (don’t @ me)) in Bellflower, California. Cyrus started playing football at the age of three in American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), eventually moving to Europe at 18 and even got signed with Icelandic club Vestri. Now armed with the title of a former professional soccer player, Cyrus has been coaching for over six years and through his charity – Giving Football, he provides underprivileged youth the opportunity to play football. Cyrus is also the founding party of the Keystone Team – a family-owned real-estate business located in Southern California.
In this episode, we talked about his upbringing, what soccer meant (and still means to him), how he navigated a career switch, and why we all need to rethink our attitude towards failure.
Cyrus says: “I am a big believer that failure is a positive thing. I think that you HAVE to fail, in order to be successful at anything, you HAVE to fail!”
- Random fact: Iran’s and Mexico’s flags are similar in color. Now I made you Google it, bahaha.
You can read more about Cyrus and his work here: http://www.cyrusmohseni.net/
🄳🄾🄽🄰🅃🄴 🄷🄴🅁🄴:
Best,
Mo!
Friday Oct 25, 2019
Friday Oct 25, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo! + CausePods – Why I Do What I Do
This week, I share an episode I did on Causepods; a passion project of The Podcast Consultant, Mathew Passy. Mathew’s platform is designed to interview folks who are using podcasts to raise awareness for a good cause.
During this time, we talked about why I started my podcast platform (hint, it began with my love of radio as a child of the 80s) and how I have been able to build community through my episodes. I also talked about my heritage as a Nigerian and my love for the Korean culture, as well as how I address tough issues for Black and Asian communities.
Finally, I shared my passion for education and how the gift of education has helped me become and what I am currently doing to give that gift to indigent children and families in Nigeria via my educational scholarship project – The 33 Project.
You can read more about Mathew here: https://www.thepodcastconsultant.com/about-me
🄳🄾🄽🄰🅃🄴 🄷🄴🅁🄴:
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-33-project
Paystack: https://paystack.com/pay/the33project
GTB Account, 0014352121, Motolani Ogunsanya
Venmo: @Mo-Sibyl
Paypal: alabaster002@yahoo.co.uk
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Claire Mukashyaka – From Rwanda with Love
Hear from Claire, on her life as a child growing up in post-genocidal Rwanda being born at the cusp of the Rwandan genocide. On how education paved the way for her as a young girl growing up in rural Rwanda, herding cows to now working in Boston as a PK/PD modeling (pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling) scientist working on precision genetic medicine for patients with rare genetic-based diseases. Hear about the change agents and sacrifices that got her there.
Claire also shared about her recent grad experience on academic failure. The hope is to encourage anyone struggling with grad school, especially when to make crucial decisions for when to take a pause and explore other options.
About Claire: Born and raised in Rwanda in East Africa, she is the number five of seven children with three brothers and three sisters, five nieces and three nephews. She moved to the USA in 2012 for a college education at Oklahoma Christian University, where she graduated with BSc in Biochemistry in 2016. She then started graduate school at OUHSC in 2016, and just graduated with an MS in Pharmaceutical sciences in 2019.
Mo! says:
Academic failure as an African or Asian feels more than very personal. Because a part of you feels not only like you have failed yourself but the community of people and family (seen and unseen) that got you there. It is why failing academically feels like failing in life.
Still on education, the donation link is to open to help children like Claire get better opportunities in life via education.
Recommended Song: “Nimekupata Yesu” – Ambassadors of Christ (2017)
Murakoze Urakoze,
Mo!
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo! – On Bad and Good News
The past year has been a rollercoaster of fun and not-so-much fun stuff. In this bare-all episode, which was taped at the cusp of turning 33, I shared some good and bad news about a recent medical diagnosis and the odyssey it took to get there.
Giving how overwhelming as you expect this to be, I brought my therapy dawg – T-Dawg – back on the show for moral support. I also reflected on what year 32 great which included having the courage to face some personal demons, practicing vulnerability, responsibility, faith, and creative expressions.
Perhaps, the one message I will leave here to encourage anyone reading this is to remember that suffering is an integral part of life. We all suffer; we all are just not equipped in talking about it. Also that in suffering we can find meaning and I have found just that in mine and that is using my story to set people free and that by lifting a load off of others, I find my own pain tolerable. It’s why I started that #33Project. If you know me, you know I am big on education. So I implore you all to consider donating towards this cause. No amount is too small (see links below).
I also hope this episode serves as a reminder that in addition to the greatness that you all see that abounds in me, you now get to hear about some of the sufferings as well, to understand that this is just the right margin God needs to show his supremacy. And that his grace is just enough balm to sooth this wild ride of a life I am blessed to have. And even if it is schadenfreude you take out of my message, that’s also very OK, haha.
That said, I am grateful for life. Yesterday, I spent the whole day with my favorite person in the world doing things as simple as getting on a cable car, eating at my favorite Korean restaurant, going on a late-night movie date, and walking hand-in-hand chatting like a couple of teenagers in love without a care in the world. Life’s good, indeed.
Thank you all for your messages and calls.
I remain your lantern,
Mo!
PS: Created a Spotify playlist of some of my most-played songs in the past year. Check it out and let me know which ones you like.
RECOMMENDED SONG:
“Lanterns” – Passenger (2017)
DONATE HERE:
- GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-33-project
- Paystack: https://paystack.com/pay/the33project
- GTB Account, 0014352121, Motolani Ogunsanya
- Venmo: @Mo-Sibyl
- Paypal: alabaster002@yahoo.co.uk
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Dr. Elizabeth Unni - On Integrating Academia and Motherhood
Women rock! Especially in the workplace and more especially in academia. Despite an increasing number of women entering academia, research has shown that women (especially those with children) are less likely to achieve tenure than their counterparts without children. Whereas having children is actually a career boost for men.
As a woman who recently entered academia, I have always wondered if it is possible to have it all at once – family and thriving career and while I am yet to find the answer to this question, it has not stopped me to keep seeking answers. More than answers, I have more questions like “can we really have it all,” “have we been sold a lie about work-life balance?”
In today’s episode, I chatted with Dr. Elizabeth Unni on her decision to prioritize family over career and how she was able to forge a path in academia. We also talked about the perception of how the tenure track might be designed to force women to make a hard choice between career and family. She also talked a bit about her research which identifies patients' psychosocial factors – their beliefs or social factors that can influence medication-taking behavior. You also get to hear about tips for visiting India.
About Dr. Unni: She is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy who received her pharmacy degree from Manipal University in India, an MBA from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Later, she received her PhD in Pharmaceutical Socioeconomics from the University of Iowa. Dr. Unni is a health services researcher and focuses on the psychosocial aspects of chronic disease management. She loves traveling with her family, reading books, and dancing. She is an active member of the International Society of Quality of Life, International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, American Pharmacists Association, and American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
Show Notes:
- DONATE HERE:
GOFundme: https://GOFundme.com/f/the-33-project
Paystack: https://paystack.com/pay/the33project
Thursday Sep 26, 2019
Thursday Sep 26, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Patricia Kio - Mom in America
Nigerian immigrants make up a lion share of Africans in the diaspora. Today, I bring you the story of one of them – Patricia Kio. She immigrated to the US two years ago with her two little kids to pursue a Ph.D. in architecture at Texas A&M in College Station (that UT Austin wanna-be school). Patricia is an avid Scrabble player and has traveled to over ten Nigerian states and Malaysia to compete in Scrabble tournaments. In this episode, we talked about the struggles of moving to the US, especially the financial and emotional adjustments. We also chatted about gender roles, the traits needed to succeed in graduate school, and my experience teaching in American classrooms. Finally, Patricia answered my question on the many ways architecture, as a field, is embracing technology.
Fun fact for you: Did you know that Scrabble was invented by an architect named Alfred Mosher Butts? He originally named it Lexiko.
PS: The education scholarship has been officially launched. Kindly go on to my GoFundMe page and see how you can be a part of this great initiative: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-33-project
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support
Thursday Sep 19, 2019
Thursday Sep 19, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with T-Dawg – On Enneagrams and Marriage
What do you get when a 7w8 meets a 1w2 or when an ENTP-T collides with an ESFJ-A (his E is highly questionable, BTW)? You get Mo! and T-Dawg! And what do these alphabets and numbers even mean? Well, glad you asked! The former is from the Enneagram while the latter, the Myers-Briggs’ – both personality tests. If you are yet to figure it out by now, T-Dawg is my current husband (haha) of almost a decade and best friend of almost two decades. We are quite the pair of imperfect people, oddly matched but striving to perfection by God’s grace. To know our story is to know that God is involved in the affairs of men. And our story is one we hope to slowly share more of with you as time goes on.
Listen to this episode to hear from a man that I highly look up to and the man who’s behind and beside the tour de force that is Mo! The one I call 내 반쪽(Google that :-D). He is a man of quiet strength and one who does not announce his strength to the world. Also, get to hear our responses to a question sent in from one of the listeners:
Why did you choose him then, and why do you choose him now?
PS: The education scholarship has been officially launched. Kindly go on to my GoFundMe page and see how you can be a part of this great initiative: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-33-project
PPS: Wanna win $20 (yes, open to everyone)? How well do you know Mo! and T-Dawg? The hints you need in acing this quiz can be found in this new episode? You can maximize your chances of winning, in addition to taking this quiz if you follow my page on Instagram @mosibyl. The winner can reside anywhere in the world. Payment will be transmitted via PayPal, Venmo, Paystack, or Zelle. Winner will be announced by Monday, Sept 23, 2019. Take Quiz Here: http://bit.ly/MoTeeQ2019
Recommended Song:
“By You” – Simi ft. Adekunle Gold (2019)
New Blog Article on Substack:
- Shame in Rest - https://mosibyl.substack.com/p/shame-in-rest
Thursday Sep 12, 2019
Thursday Sep 12, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo!- Mo!nologue II: Unmasking my Thoughts
Another monologue coming your way this week courtesy yours truly. In this episode, I got a bit intimate with the mic and shared a lot of the thoughts circulating in my head. Think of it like I was reading my diary aloud.
So, what things did I unearth in this episode, exactly? A lot, actually. Beginning with some personal reflections on stress, rest, and therapy. I also talked about all the travels I did this summer – spanning 11 cities and states and one foreign country, the 5-week cancer fellowship done at the NIH (National Institute of Health) and the amazing people I met, the implications of my beloved therapist quitting her practice, and how my imminent birthday is giving me major depression vibes.
Finally, I am turning 33 in a couple of weeks and I’d like ALL of the attention from that to go towards my educational scholarship – The 33 Project. My goal is to identify and shortlist 33 indigent children in Nigeria who will benefit from the scholarship for a given period of time. I am hoping to raise $3,300. Look out for more information on that, especially how you can be a part of that (yeah, I need your money :-D), please and thank you!
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Lizzie Lopez – Mexican-American, Korean-Speaking, Spanish-Learning Lizzie
Meet Lizzie! A Mexican-American who is learning Spanish. I met Lizzie at my language school (s/o to Northwest Baptist Church); she was one of my former Korean teachers. Lizzie spent a year teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to Korean elementary students (K-6) in Gunsan, South Korea. Lizzie is also an artist who teaches arts to children and the elderly. She belongs to the Canadian Valley art Guild (CVAG) and loves to paint human and animal portraits, abstract art and illustrations.
In this episode, we talked about her cultural history and what her identity means to her, especially the pressures of cultural expectations. We also talked about the year she spent in Korea and why she won’t be moving back there permanently. She also shared some tips for those considering teaching abroad. Finally, we explored the downsides of being creatives, how to cultivate friendship, and what her faith means to her.
Listen, download, share, and please leave a comment to support the show!: http://bit.ly/LizzieL2019
Recommended Song: “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” – Selena (1994)
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support