Episodes
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This week on Far Flung we’re excited to introduce TED’s newest podcast, Good Sport, hosted by veteran sports producer Jody Avirgan. What can sports teach us about life – and each other? Good Sport brings you invigorating stories from on and off the field to argue that sports are as powerful and compelling a lens as any to understand the world – from what happens when you age out of a sport, to how we do or don't nurture talent, to analyzing how sports arguments have become the mode for all arguments. Good Sport launched on February 8th and you can find it anywhere you’re listening to this. TED Audio Collective+ subscribers on Apple Podcasts can hear the whole season early and ad-free.
“Muck City”, Florida. Kinston, North Carolina. The courts of New York City in the 80s and 90s. These places share one unique trait: they found a way to produce a particular kind of great athlete, over and over. Is there something in the water – or is it something else? In our first episode, Jody talks to sports journalist Bomani Jones and Olympic table tennis coach Rajul Sheth about talent “hotbeds”, the role opportunity and access play in crafting success and the important distinction between having talent and achieving greatness. Transcripts for Good Sport are available at go.ted.com/GStranscripts
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In 2017, Alex Honnold did what even the world’s best rock climbers thought was impossible. He climbed to the top of El Capitan– a granite rock mountain more than 3,000 feet high– without a rope, harness, or net. His audacious feat was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo." On this episode of ReThinking, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, host Adam Grant explores with Alex what we can learn from his unique approach to managing fear. He opens up about how he regulates his emotions when he’s hanging on by just a few fingers, what still scares him, and how he stays motivated to pursue ambitious goals. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG2. For more conversations on the science of what makes us tick, follow ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you're listening to this.
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Missing episodes?
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Where do you go to feel a sense of community? On the outskirts of Istanbul, one refugee community gathers to recreate a sense of home and empower themselves at a boxing gym. Listen to how the Uyghur community in Turkey is fighting in and outside of the ring to preserve their culture and identity, and to heal trauma at a time when their very existence is at stake. And hear how boxing has turned into a tool of resilience and connection that's helping Uyghurs forge a new home and future.
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The Bean needs to move over—there’s a new art movement in Chicago, and it’s led by artists who are completely reimagining how residents think about the spaces around them. From an artist who turned abandoned homes into art by painting them in colors rooted in Black culture, to another who used a multimedia exhibit to examine segregation by connecting people who live on opposite sides of the city and more. Join Saleem on a bold, creative, and winding road trip to witness the power of place-based art, and the ideas that flow from the heartland.
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Where do you go when you sleep? An enchanted forest…or haunted woods? Flying over a breathtaking mountain top… or in a crowd, wearing just your underwear?! According to the Bön Tibetan Buddhist tradition, wherever you “go” in your dreams matters, and dreams can tell you a lot about yourself–if you know how to listen. From “dream yoga,” to dream journals, to lucid dreaming, journey into a realm where the conscious and unconscious blend and the hazy border between reality and illusion can lead you on a wild adventure of self-discovery—without ever leaving your bed.
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Barcelona is a city that can’t be separated from its art–you might picture Gaudí architecture, Picasso paintings, or flamenco and jazz spilling onto the streets and into the night. But there’s another art scene that’s breaking into the mainstream from the margins–led by the city’s street vendors, known as manteros. Listen to how this group of people, often immigrants without legal protections or rights to work in Spain, fought to form a union to gain the voice they needed, and ended up creating a global and people-centered fashion-label that highlights human rights in the process.
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When was the last time you really took notice of the wind? Whether it’s a cooling breeze on a hot day, or a dust storm blowing into every crevice of your body, the wind is an unpredictable and constant, yet invisible force in our lives. Countries and cultures around the world even have names, gods, and ancient mythologies associated with the winds; in the Italian city of Trieste, there’s even a wind museum! From Italy to the Alps, Catalonia to your backyard, you never know where the wind is going to blow, or what it’s going to bring with it. Hear the soft whistles and roaring gusts that have inspired, driven mad, enchanted, and even sickened humans throughout time— from Salvador Dalí and Vincent Van Gogh to, perhaps, even you.
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Icelandic is an ancient and iconic language. So iconic, in fact, it was a major inspiration to J.R.R. Tolkien when he was writing Lord of the Rings. Iceland even has institutes that promote its longevity, and this care has allowed the language to persevere over 800 years! But with the digital age, and the strict rules surrounding Icelandic grammar, the language is losing ground all over the country—specifically to English. Now Icelanders are navigating a world where social and online interactions happen in one language, while formal and academic conversations happen in another. Lunch with grandparents? Icelandic. Flirting with a crush? English. Menus at a restaurant, or signs at the airport? A mix of both! Listen to why some Icelanders are concerned about this linguistic tug of war, and why others are celebrating this new, multi-language way of communicating.
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Sandy beaches, amazing wildlife, Caribbean blue seas—Puerto Rico is known as the Island of Enchantment for a reason. But it’s also one of the oldest colonies in the world. And as a U.S. territory, Puerto Ricans have very little say in the U.S. government. The island has a complicated history—but its people are constantly fighting to give Puerto Rico its place in the world. From building make-shift community networks after Hurricane Maria, to reconnecting with local cuisine, to making art that connects Puerto Ricans all over the diaspora, listen to how Puerto Rico is paving the way to a freer world through community-first approaches, delicious ingredients—and rhythmic, joyous, loving resistance. This episode was proudly co-produced with Manolo Lopez; check out Manolo’s podcast about Latinx culture called “Identity at Play” wherever you’re listening to this.
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To get to school, work, or another town in Nepal, it helps if you don’t have a fear of heights. That’s because this mountainous terrain (it’s home to Mount Everest after all) is connected via THOUSANDS of bridges. Whether permanent or seasonal, made of bamboo and rope or pulleys and wire, suspended above incredible mountains or rapid waters, the Nepalese have networked their country through amazing, unique, and exhilarating engineering. Find out how building and re-building bridges became a part of the nation’s culture, and how trusting that a treacherous trip is worth the risk shapes the way the Nepalese perceive connection, community, and what in life we ought to hold onto.
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It’s 1988, and Somalis are fleeing the city of Hargeisa. People are trying to get out, trying to save their families and sometimes their things. But in the city’s radio station, staff are packing cassettes and reel to reel recordings into a secret underground bunker. What's on them? A slice of the country’s musical heritage, to remain for years in an underground room—until now. Listen to songs from the episode on this special playlist on Spotify: https://tedtalks.social/3yct0Mj
This story was produced in collaboration with Kerning Cultures, a podcast telling stories from the Middle East and North Africa, and the spaces in between. You can find the podcast wherever you're listening to this.
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We all know that information is power; but what if you live in a country without a free press or regular access to the internet? You have to be creative, and find nimble ways to help your community stay informed. That’s exactly what journalists in Caracas, Venezuela are doing by delivering the news every weekday…on public buses all over! In this episode, hop on a music-filled and inspiring journey as El Bus TV combats misinformation and arms you with the hope that there’s always a way to take action on the things that matter—wherever you are.
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You don’t need to travel to feel thrilled about a new place; if the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that the ideas, cultures, and charm of our world can reach us wherever we are. This season on Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala, we journey across the globe to bring you incredible, unique and imaginative stories— from the unbelievable suspended bridges that connect Nepal, to hidden underground tapes that capture the culture of Somalia, to a museum that stores and exhibits… wind!? Get to know new amazing places and the ideas that flow from them–and pick up that awe-inspired, travel-bug-feeling with just your headphones.
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Jon Batiste has had a record year—he was the most nominated artist at the Grammys, winning five of his ELEVEN nominations across multiple categories, including Album of the Year. When he’s not making musical history, he’s a touring artist, late-night band leader, and Oscar-winning composer. In this episode, Jon talks with Adam about the creative process of making his genre-defying music, his prodigious background as a young musician in New Orleans, the role of focus and variety in building a successful career, and the power of art to make real change.
This is part of a special series from the podcast WorkLife with Adam Grant. For more episodes on the science of how we can live more meaningful and creative lives at work and beyond, follow the podcast wherever you're listening to this.
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Great news—Far Flung will be back for another season in June. We can't wait to take you on ten new audio journeys across the world, from Puerto Rico to Nepal to Somalia to Chicago and beyond. But before that, something different. We're sharing an episode of another podcast Saleem hosts called More Than A Feeling.
Most of us have gotten at least a little emotional at some point recently. It’s natural. But why do we have emotions and how much should we pay attention to them on any given day? Can we learn to skillfully choose which emotions to listen to and which ones to just let move on by? On this podcast from Ten Percent Happier, Saleem will experiment with neuroscientists, dive into stories with historians and philosophers, and document how musicians, therapists, hairdressers and airplane pilots work with emotions. In the first episode, they get philosophical and ask: what are emotions anyway?
Saleem was always trying to figure this question out when he was growing up as a mashup kid: bouncing back and forth with his family between India, Japan and North Carolina. It turns out there are some hidden clues to be found in how we try to translate words for emotions from one language to another. And this opens up a new universe of possibilities for how we describe and relate to our feelings. If you like the show, you can hear more by following More Than A Feeling wherever you're listening to this.
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Did you consider moving over the last two years? If you did, you’re not alone. People all over the world for so many different reasons considered moving: to be closer to family, to live somewhere more affordable, to kick back in a warmer climate. When Mona wrestles with this question, she pulls out a spreadsheet and weighs her options: Want to maintain current friendships? Stay in New York. Want to be close to family? Go back to London. Money? New York. Self deprecation and sarcasm? London. As she wrestles with her decision, something weird happens. A bird THWACKS against her window, falling dead. Could this be a sign to fly back home, or a coincidence? Mona looks into the data to see the chances and then discovers something that will eventually tip the scales.
This is an episode of Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. For more episodes, follow Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi wherever you're listening to this.
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“I thought I'd come to paradise,” said Jane Ball Groom upon arriving in Soul City, North Carolina. It wasn’t amenities or location that made Soul City paradise, but the promise of what it could be: a city built by Black people, for Black people. Our guests take us back to 1969 when the city was founded and built from (below) the ground up — and while the city itself was short-lived, we’ll see how the seeds it sowed laid roots for spaces that celebrate and center Black culture today.
That's a wrap on the season! Share you stand out moments with host Saleem Reshamwala on Twitter (@Kidethic).
For photos from the episode and more on the history of Soul City, head to the Souvenir Book of Soul City in the North Carolina digital collections.
Special thanks to Shirlette Ammons who we could not do this story without, and our guests Charmaine McKissick-Melton, Jane Ball-Groom, Lianndra Davis, Lou Myers, Tobias Rose, and Derrick Beasley. Extra special thank you to Alan Thompson, who recorded the saxophone music you heard in this episode from Parish Street on Durham’s Black Wall Street.
Our unsung hero for this week is Sammy Case who manages the cross-promotions for all of TED's podcasts - if you found Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala from one of your other favorite shows, she’s the reason why!
Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala is produced by Jesse Baker and Eric Nuzum of Magnificent Noise for TED. Our host is Saleem Reshamwala. Our production staff includes Hiwote Getaneh, Sabrina Farhi, Kim Nederveen Pieterse, Elyse Blennerhassett, Angela Cheng, and Michelle Quint, with the guidance of Roxanne Hai Lash and Colin Helms. Our fact-checker is Abbey White. This episode was mixed and sound designed by Kristin Mueller.
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Traveling is tricky right now and, for most, the boundaries of our worlds have shrunk dramatically. So a lot of people are spending a lot more time in virtual places, like Sea of Thieves, Fortnite, Ultima Online and more. Explore how these online worlds help us push past real-world boundaries and have vastly new experiences, even become new versions of ourselves—all without leaving the comfort of home.
Check out guest Wes Locher’s book, Braving Britannia: Tales of Melancholy, Malice, and Peril in Ultima Online. You can learn more about Russell Quinn’s computer game, Linda & Joan, at lindajoan.com. Huge thanks to Lee Yancy, whose conversations were invaluable for contextualizing the world of video games, and to Raph Koster for his insight into the virtual world. The computer-y music in this episode was created by musician Phil Cook. Our unsung hero for this episode is Emma Taubner, our super-star encoder who makes episodes of Pindrop available to listen on TED.com.
Pindrop is produced by Jesse Baker and Eric Nuzum of Magnificent Noise. This episode was produced by Kim Nederveen Pieterse along with Elyse Blennerhassett, Hiwote Getaneh and Sabrina Farhi, Angela Cheng and Michelle Quint and with the guidance of Roxanne Hai Lash and Colin Helms. Our fact checkers are Nicole Bode, Abbey White and Paul Durbin. This episode was mixed and sound designed by Kristin Mueller.
We're doing a survey! If you have a minute, please take it at surveynerds.com/farflung. It really helps make the show better.
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Imagine a view with almost perfect visibility, a near edgeless, perfectly black night sky. That’s the Painted Desert. Join us on a field trip with architect Wanda Dalla Costa, who will take us through the desert to explore the architectural practices of several indigenous tribes and reveal how light and design influence the way we move through the world. Oh, and we might just get a peek inside one of the most secretive, highly anticipated art projects in modern history. Want to talk more about this episode? Chat with host Saleem Reshamwala on Twitter: @KidEthnic.
Special thanks to Lemon Guo whose music was featured on this episode, as well as Byron Crenshaw of The Growth Eternal for sharing his music and video footage with us. You can stream his new album mentioned on the episode, Bass Tone Paintings, wherever you get your music. Abundant gratitude to Wanda Dalla Costa, Brian Skeet, Dr. Fowler, Richard Begay, Joseph Kunkel, Selina Martinez, Shenise Bryant, Neda Mohaved, Jessica Yu, Patrick Young and Edward Krupp for your time, guidance, and expertise in creating this episode.
Pindrop is produced by Jesse Baker and Eric Nuzum of Magnificent Noise for TED. Our production staff includes Elyse Blennerhassett, Kim Nederveen Pieterse, Hiwote Getaneh, Sabrina Farhi, Angela Cheng, and Michelle Quint, with the guidance of Roxanne Hai Lash and Colin Helms. Our fact-checkers are Paul Durbin and Nicole Bode. This episode was mixed and sound designed by Kristin Mueller.
We're doing a survey! If you have a minute, please take it at surveynerds.com/farflung. It really helps make the show better.
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Meet Liberato Kani, a hip hop artist in Lima, Peru—or as he says, “the Andean Bronx”. At his concerts, a typical call and response you hear is "Quechua es resistencia": Quechua is resistance. Though Quechua is spoken by nearly ten million people, Peru's native language is at risk of dying off because of anti-indigenous prejudice. Liberato and other musicians like Renata Flores are here to save it—and restore a country's pride while they're at it. Want to talk more about the show? Share your favorite artist from this episode with host Saleem Reshamwala (@Kidethnic) on Twitter.
This episode features music and interviews from Liberato Kani, Renata Flores, Kayfex, and Uchpa's guitarist and songwriter Marcos Maizel. Listen to more from these artists on TED's Spotify playlist, "Quechua es Resistencia”
Pindrop is produced by Jesse Baker and Eric Nuzum of Magnificent Noise for TED. Our production staff includes Elyse Blennerhassett, Oscar Durand, Kim Nederveen Pieterse, Sabrina Farhi, Hiwote Getaneh, Angela Cheng, and Michelle Quint, with the guidance of Roxanne Hai Lash and Colin Helms. Additional recordings by Whitney Henry-Lester and Hernando Suarez. Translation and transcription by Hernando Suárez, Eilis O’Neill, and Oscar Durand. This episode was mixed and sound designed by Kristin Mueller.
We're doing a survey! If you have a minute, please take it at surveynerds.com/farflung. It really helps make the show better.
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