Maria, a 25-year-old Ukrainian Muslim woman, was forced to leave her home country and seek safety in Germany following the 2022 Russian-Ukraine war. In this interview, she shares her lived experiences over the course of seven months, from her initial departure to finally settling into her own apartment with her cat, Muslima.

Amid significant adversity, Maria faced many of the questions common to young adults: how to find a home, build a new life, stay connected to family, and be independent. She reflects on navigating an unfamiliar culture and her identity as a young adult, while holding onto hope, her faith, and the responsibility of caring for those she loves—and carrying forward life-changing lessons.

No one prepares you for what to do when a war breaks out in your country. Today Salem and Tanya tell me what happened the day the Russian aggression started in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. One morning, everything changed for them in ways never imagined. Join me in such a profound conversation that truly changed the way I understood Ukrainians and their experience as they flee home.

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Primer episodio en Español [First episode in Spanish]! Listen in to hear the story of my friend Andy Capote as he shares his experiences living in Cuba and his story resettling in Ecuador. In this conversation Andy shares all about what it means and what it is like to live in a socialist country where food is rationed, and the concept of private property is non-existent. Despite all challenges lived and his current life in Ecuador now, Andy’s heart will always be in Cuba, the motherland [la madre tierra]. Join me as we bond over our Caribbean roots and as I learn about a man with great faith and love for others! Que viva Cuba y Puerto Rico, de un pájaro las dos alas [Long live Cuba and Puerto Rico, from one bird the two wings].