Roman Pilipey is a Ukrainian photojournalist based in Kiyv. The first main event he witnessed as a photographer was the Euromaidan revolution in Kyiv, 2013-2014, when Ukraine showed its clear and unmistakable determination to be a part of Europe. It is no coincidence that the invasion and annexation of Crimea by Russian military happened only a few months later.  From 2014, Roman was covering the, then still isolated, war in eastern Ukraine, and, in the same year, became the staff photographer for European Pressphoto Agency (EPA). For the next few years, Roman's focus was mainly on Eastern Ukraine and its aftermath, while also working in other parts of the country.  In 2017, Roman relocated to Beijing for EPA where he worked on stories and covered major news events in China, becoming in 2022 the EPA bureau chief for the China region. Throughout his years in China, he has been traveling to almost every corner of the country. For his work in China he was awarded Photographer of the Year, POY Asia 2022.   When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Roman had just finished covering the Beijing Olympic Games. He immediately left China and went to his native country to cover the war. Since then he relocated back to Ukraine, where he works on stories of the ongoing war. In early 2023, after eight years in EPA, Roman left the agency. Since then he is actively collaborating with Getty Images, and works as chief photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP).  In 2023, with his picture from Bucha, which we will discuss in more detail a little later on, he was awarded Pictures of the Year International (POY) Finalist in "War in Ukraine: News" category, and in 2024 Roman was named Photojournalist of the Year, National at the 2024 National Press Photographers Association [https://nppa.org/] (NPPA) in the category Best of Photojournalism. An award he much deserves and I was very happy to see him receive. Having him in the van with us today, we will look at the Russian invasion of Ukraine through the eyes of one its most accomplished chroniclers by discussing a selection of Roman's images from the last two years. And I am, therefore, incredibly grateful to have him with us today. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Roman! --- SHOW NOTES Image Gallery https://bit.ly/yellowvanstories Roman on the Web https://www.facebook.com/roman.pilipey https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-pilipey-3a1a2367/ https://x.com/RomanPilipey Ukraine Aid https://www.hospitallers.life/ https://prytulafoundation.org/en https://savelife.in.ua/en/ --- MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the Show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] --- The Yellow Van on YouTube:   https://youtu.be/voAIEy4j4Lc

Today is a double premiere! For the first time I made an actual home visit and I conducted the entire interview in German! My apologies to all English native speakers, the next one will be for you again as well. Meine Reisegefährtin dieses Mal ist Iryna Schneider. Sie betreibt eine eigene Marketingagentur seitdem sie aus der Ukraine nach #München umgesiedelt ist. Über sich selbst sagt sie: "Tagsüber bin ich Marketingmanagerin und abends Künstlerin." Wir unterhalten uns über ihre Kunst entlang der Grenze von Großstadt und Natur, den Wert des Ehrenamtes in unseren turbulenten Zeiten, und wie die Kunst, vor allem Kindern die den Krieg kennenlernen mussten, bei der Trauma-Bewältigung helfen kann. Und, wie immer, vieles mehr. Neben ihrer ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit betreibt Iryna eigene Initiativen und Hilfsprojekt|e zur Unterstützung der Ukraine. Die Links dazu findet Ihr unten in den Show Notes. Willkommen im Yellow Van, Iryna! SHOW NOTES Schickeria [https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Schickeria] Kateryna Bilokur [https://reisen-kiew.com/kateryna-bilokur/] Banksy [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy] Tafel Deutschland [https://www.tafel.de/] Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V. [https://www.malteser.de/] Pablo Picasso [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso] ILIYA CHICHKAN On Mutual Art [https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Ilya-Chichkan/073633495B64AE80/Biography] Adamovskiy Foundation [https://adamovskiy.foundation/en/works/chychkan-illya/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/p/CnUH-rltdhv/?igshid=ODhhZWM5NmIwOQ==] IRYNA'S INITIATIVES https://www.instagram.com/irynas_artwork https://www.instagram.com/donate_for_children_ukraine MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan]

Mykola Kondrashev is an award-winning cinematographer and photographer based in Kiyv who also holds a master's degree in psychology. With his experience on a wide array of projects including commercial music videos, feature films, and television series, Mykola has honed his skills to create captivating and powerful visuals. Mykola's impressive portfolio of projects spans the globe and he has worked with huge names like Coca-Cola, Radisson and Nescafé. Mykola's dedication to his craft is evident in all of his work, and we are excited to welcome him on board the Yellow Van to learn more about his journey as a cinematographer, how his daily routine has changed during the war and how the deep divide of war can split right through the middle of a family. And, as always, a lot more. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Mykola! Shortly after the recording of our episode, Mykola received mail from the army to be registered with them. As I am recording this, Mykola, like countless other Ukrainians is waiting for his marching order. It could come any moment of any day. Alex Kraev from Odessa, who you might remember from one of the previous episodes, has already been at the front for almost two months now. In one of his latest Facebook-Posts, he wrote: "I am not dead, I am learning." War becomes something else entirely when you know the people who are thrown into it. SHOW NOTES Nyvky - a suburb of Kyiv [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyvky] V2 Rockets [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-2_rocket] Bucha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucha,_Kyiv_Oblast] Irpin [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irpin] Cossacks [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cossacks] Khokhol [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/khokhol] Oseledets [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseledets] Khmelnytsky Uprising [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmelnytsky_Uprising] Takflix, Ukrainian film streaming service [https://takflix.com/en] Wladiwostok [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wladiwostok] Sergei Loznitsa, Ukrainian director [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Loznitsa] My Joy, film directed by Sergei Loznitsa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Joy] Link to the episode with Alex Kraev [https://www.yellowvanstories.com/alex-kraev-punked/] Mykola Online Mykola's Personal website [https://kondrashev.com.ua/] Mykola's Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/kondrashev.mykola] Mykola's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mykola.kondrashev/] Donations Civilian: Psychological Association of Ukraine [https://www.npa-ua.org/donate?lang=en] Military: Eyes On Ukraine, Support for Drones [https://eyesonukraine.eu/] Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de/] Production.

Gayane Arushanian is a multidisciplinary artist from Kyiv. She is the founder of the School of Experimental Art in Kyiv and the G-ART STUDIO in Zaporizhzhia. Gayané is not only an outstanding artist, but she also has a Master's in Urban Construction and Design and Economic Cybernetics from the Zaporizhzhia State Engineering Academy. Her mathematical knowledge and her artistic eye and love for colour enable her to create shapes, forms and colour patterns oscillating between harmony and chaos. She says: I have always believed that art was and is the source, the way, and the opportunity to be honest with myself and the world around me. Equilibrium is about finding the balance of the image of the world, the world within. Colour, shapes and composition are the only criteria of harmony for me. There is an ideal state of the world around - Chaos! And all of this is in the indefinite darkness that you and I reveal every day. Gayané was born in Armenia and had to flee her home when the first war between Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out. The Russian invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022 made a lot of those memories resurface. Today, we want to take a look at Gayané's very personal story of becoming an artist, the Ukrainian art world in a more general way and the challenges it faces because of the war. And a lot more, of course. It is a great pleasure and privilege to have her in the Yellow Van today! SHOW NOTES Cybernetics [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics] ARC Gallery, Chicago [https://www.arcgallery.org/] City of Kherson [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kherson] City of Uman [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uman] First Nagorno-Karabakh War [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nagorno-Karabakh_War] Khmelnytsky Uprising [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmelnytsky_Uprising] Fibonacci Sequence [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_sequence] Berlin Ensemble [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berliner_Ensemble] Gaia, Greek goddess [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia] Gayane's Inspiration Yuryi Khymych [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuriy_Khimich] (painter) Arkhyp Kuindzhi [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkhip_Kuindzhi] (painter) Vasyl Symonenko [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasyl_Symonenko] (poet) Myroslav Skoryk [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myroslav_Skoryk] (composer) Sergei Parajanov [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Parajanov] (film director) Gayane Online Gayane's Online Art Classes: www.airbnb.ru/experiences/1008843 [http://www.airbnb.ru/experiences/1008843?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=43765a1b-e94f-432e-a0ec-0cf00551a311] Gayane on Instagram: www.instagram.com/gaya_arushanian [http://www.instagram.com/gaya_arushanian/] Gayane's Website: www.gayanearushanian.com [http://www.gayanearushanian.com/] Gayane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayane-arushanian-702409ab New York Group Exhibition "Design On A Dime" [https://www.classy.org/event/design-on-a-dime-2023/e462193?c_src=social&c_src2=social] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de/] Production.

Anastasiia Sanzharovska is a producer, director, and video editor from Ukraine. She originally studied system analysis and maths but turned to her real passion film soon after finishing her studies. She has been working as a producer, director, 1st AD,  and video editor ever since. In February 2022, Anastasiia was in Egypt for a 3-week holiday but got stuck there due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She has been living there ever since. We'll talk about her early beginnings in filmmaking, why she chose film over maths, the Ukrainian TV scene, and her life in Egypt. And, as always, a lot more. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Anastasiia! Thanks for travelling with us. SHOW NOTES Links to a selection of Anastassia's works What Is Wrong With Me (Short Film) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnht2ciexWs] - Direction ZFeelZ Shame (Music Video) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znOKy1Zox5E] - 1st Assistant Director Тизер ДВДС 2 (Short Movie) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GojHEtv7v0g] - 1st Assistant Director Anastasiia's Social Media Channels Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/AnastasiiaSanzharovska?mibextid=ZbWKwL] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_snzh/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasiia-sanzharovska-601196104] Sinai Media Club in Sharm El-Sheikh [https://www.facebook.com/sinaimediaclub] Initiatives To Support Prytula Foundation [https://prytulafoundation.org/en/] - Support for the Ukrainian Army Come Back Alive [https://savelife.in.ua/en/] - Support for the Ukrainian Army National Bank of Ukraine [https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-vidkriv-rahunok-dlya-gumanitarnoyi-dopomogi-ukrayintsyam-postrajdalim-vid-rosiyskoyi-agresiyi] - Dedicated Account for the Humanitarian Assistance of Ukrainian Citizens MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de/] Production.

Today with us in the Yellow Van is Andriy Dubchak, a correspondent and photographer for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty as well as the founder of the interactive media platform Donbas Frontliner. He specializes in telling the stories of soldiers and civilians caught up in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. He received a 2022 Free Media Award from the Fritt Ord and ZEIT foundations for his "courageous professional reporting from battle zones." Andriy also received a Lovie award for coverage of the Maidan protests in 2014 and a Gold Medal in the LifePressPhoto competition in 2020, and more. Andriy has captured the main pivot points of the younger Ukrainian history and I am thrilled that he has found the time to join us on the Yellow van today. I had the chance to speak to him after he had just returned from Bachmut, where heavy fighting is taking place. FOLLOW DONBAS FRONTLINER Web [https://www.frontliner.com.ua/]Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/donbas.frontliner/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/FrontlinerUA]Twitter [https://twitter.com/frontliner_ua]YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_kbW4p8By8rg3d9x30zDA]Telegram [https://t.me/donbasfrontliner] SUPPORT DONBAS FRONTLINER Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/donbasfrontliner] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de/] Production.

With us in the Yellow Van this week are Dafna Rachok and Ivan Shmatko. Dafna Rachok is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington. Her research seeks to understand how vulnerable groups in Ukraine respond to existing HIV prevention and treatment programs and how their attitudes to the state shape their desire or reluctance to seek those programs. Ivan Shmatko is a PhD student in sociology at the University of Alberta (Canada). Ivan has been a part of the volunteer movement in Ukraine since February 24. He has done research on policing in Ukraine and the imaginaries that shape how police officers see their work and interact with others. His doctoral research project focuses on the experiences of newly mobilized soldiers in Ukraine. Being on leave from their universities in February 2022, they decided to stay in Ukraine [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=ukraine&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7042191701821542400] when Russia [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=russia&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7042191701821542400] assaulted their home. Rather than escape to safety across the Atlantic [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=atlantic&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7042191701821542400] Ocean, they looked for ways and means to support their homeland [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=homeland&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7042191701821542400] and their fellow Ukrainians.  Join us as we talk about their #volunteering work, the importance of humour [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=humour&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7042191701821542400] in times of darkness and why Ukrainians collectively dislike  Elon Musk [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=elonmusk&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7042191701821542400]. And, as always, a lot more. Thank you, Dafna and Ivan, for joining the Yellow Van. Your bravery and empathy are an inspiration. SHOW NOTES Sociological group "RATING" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rating_(sociological_group)#:~:text=Rating%20(Ukrainian%3A%20%D0%A0%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3)%2C,approved%20by%20the%20ESOMAR%20and] International Red Cross and Red Crescent [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Red_Cross_and_Red_Crescent_Movement] World Food Programme [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Food_Programme] Leonid Kuchma [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Kuchma] Article by Dafna Rachok: On Trust, Transparency, and Learning from the Experience of the Extraordinary [https://huri.harvard.edu/trust-transparency-and-learning-experience-extraordinary] Article by Ivan Shmatko: A Voracious Beast - Emotional Energy in the Tsunami of Suffering [https://huri.harvard.edu/voracious-beast-emotional-energy-tsunami-suffering] DONATIONS Come Back Alive [https://savelife.in.ua/en/] Hospitaliers [https://www.hospitallers.life/] FOLLOW DAFNA AND IVAN Dafna's Twitter [https://twitter.com/DafnaRachok] Dafna's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dafnarachok/] Ivan's Twitter [https://twitter.com/shmatkoivan] Ivan's Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.krakun] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Nick Torzhevsky is a film director and producer from Kyiv with over 10 years of experience directing and producing broadcast TV series, commercials, and feature films. Nick's latest project, Ukraine Rebirth, is putting a focus on the rebuilding of Ukraine after the war - something that struck me as extraordinary as the war is still raging on without an end in sight. On the website of Ukraine Rebirth, the project is introduced as follows: "Our main message within the series, as seen from the title, is to show rebirth. Everyone has fallen, and it takes heart and strength to get up and keep going. Ukraine is very strong, and now this is noticed by the whole world. Ukrainians are brave, fierce, united and valiant, but also kind, passionate, full of love and hope. In the face of the enemy, we don't just prepare for the last stand, we prepare to win and then to rebuild our country, to rise from the ashes, better and stronger than before.We want to capture this spirit which helps Ukrainians keep going and to share it with the world, so that this hope and passion will blossom in the hearts of every viewer around the globe." How exactly the idea for the project was born and how Nick is feeding his seemingly inexhaustible optimism is something we will be discussing in today's show. And, as always, a lot more. SHOW NOTES Find Nick Here Ukraine Rebirth [https://ukrainerebirth.com] Instagram [https://instagram.com/n.torzhevsky] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nick.torzhevsky/] Ukraine Rebirth Collaborators LGBTQI+ Story Stanislav Morozov (director) [https://www.facebook.com/stanislav.morozov.796] Stanislav Medvedev (screenwriter) [https://www.facebook.com/stas.medvedev.37] Olexiy Gladushevskyi (creative producer) [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014720767273] Evgeniy Usanov (director of photography) [https://www.facebook.com/evgeniy.usanov] Kyiv Story Nataliya Torzhevska (screenwriter) [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012951876046] Stanislav Savchenko (director of photography) [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004601086095] Cherson Story Julia Tribrat (director) [https://www.facebook.com/reallyjuliet] Lana Iermakova (screenwriter) [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081946741835] Support the Kickstarter Campaign here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ukrainerebirthlgbtq/ukraine-rebirth-lgbtq MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump [http://www.mindthebump.de/] Production Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Alex Kraev is a musical multi-talent who gave his soul to punk rock. He plays the drums, bass, and guitar in multiple bands and is an absolute musical powerhouse. His influences are many, but his goal is one and the same: to challenge stereotypes and self-imposed laziness of body and mind. His music is loud and gets under your skin. Challenging riffs, vocal cascades, energetic rhythms and climactic melodies tear you out of your comfort zone, sharpen your senses and abduct your body before they spit you out on the cold, ashen, concrete ground of human construction - only to find yourself naked, lusting for more. No more comfort, only raw emotion. Thank you very much! Punk, in its conception, has always been about protest and societal unrest, a mirror to the polished, self-righteous facade of civil society and, therefore, at the root of democracy - at least, according to me. Sid Vicious, the godfather of punk, said this once: "Undermine their pompous authority, reject their moral standards, make anarchy and disorder your trademarks. Cause as much chaos and disruption as possible but don't let them take you ALIVE." How this translates to the war in Ukraine and the simultaneous democratic process, I will discuss with Alex today! I am so happy to have you on board! SHOW NOTES Sid Vicious [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Vicious] Sex Pistols [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_Pistols] Odessa Grain Shipments [https://www.politico.eu/article/odesa-port-ukraine-first-ship-carrying-grain-food-crisis-russia-war/] Kalush Orkestra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalush_(rap_group)] The Offspring [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Offspring] Black Fly [https://www.facebook.com/blackflyofficial/] NoFX [https://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/] Bad Religion [https://badreligion.com/] Greenday [https://greenday.com/] Simple Plan [https://officialsimpleplan.com/] Yellowcard [http://yellowcardrock.com/] Radio Havanna [https://www.radiohavanna.de/] Black Flag [https://www.blackflagband.com/] Bezlad [https://www.facebook.com/bezladoi] ALEX' FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LeXXKraev ALEX' MUSIC & BANDS ВІДСІЧ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/11snryEzY3apIX8Axx9uZ1?si=4Cbkqqs7QyyGKFkY3iYV7g] FLAME [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0mrDHK5DN8juEGSjsKCqgz?si=XHREHDlNQFq-rkkXYA9iag] RAGTAG [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0CbSQPfhWQIZmlpSysVkXO?si=mWWBMI5rQT-6vZYyU2KAKQ] CONCRETE CONTROL [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1BEFfDquf0mT2aeXTYXS0e?si=FFG7F6ylSoi4C7tq0Y2w6Q] REDEMPTION [https://open.spotify.com/album/7AdiZek73SChGaLm9l35kn?si=IjRUin-kQI23lqLz2RLXRg] Дело Дрянь [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Qg2FUvMtNlbUxEOtMF6C7?si=M-ES50O4SrWu7dMBf013zw] ALEX NEXT SHOW More Music Club [https://facebook.com/events/s/the-cow-ragtag-wild-weed-super/367349802141404/] DONATIONS Alex' Volunteer Org [http://spilnameta.com/en/] Their Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/spilna.meta.ua] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump [http://www.mindthebump.de/] Production Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Oleksiy Martsenyuk is the Executive Director of the Center for Defence Strategies in Kiyv, an organisation that helps to monitor defence reforms and develop key government policies that will affect the country's security and defence sector. This certainly needs a little more explanation from you, Oleksiy! And we will get into that in the course of the podcast. Also, he served as a Civilian Deputy Minister in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence for just under a year. Originally, Oleksiy has a business background though. And because of this, Oleksiy's and my relationship actually goes way back. When I studied photography in Gent, Belgium, at the end of my first year all students had to choose a topic and project outside the curriculum, entirely self-sufficient and motivated by our own interests. This is now almost 18 years ago. As a foreigner myself, I chose the topic of migration and opted to take black and white portraits of people far away from home in Belgium. I put it all in book form, presenting them on a double page with their portrait in black and white on one page and the most cherished and valuable photo they brought with them in colour on the other.  Oleksiy was introduced to me by my dear friend Apoorva, studying with him at the time. A big shoutout and a big hug to you, Apu, who I don't see or hear nearly often enough! I remember the portrait of Oleksiy still so well after all these years. Standing in his rather modest and empty student cave, but with a big, bright Ukrainian flag on his wall. Leaning in, curiously observing me with a gentle smile while I was trying to create something lasting with the little that I knew at the time. But, in a way, I have; by having him with me today - 18 years after that photo was taken. I am so happy and grateful to have you with us today, Oleksiy, after all this time! SHOW NOTES New York Times, The Bodies Lay Dead in the Street [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/04/world/europe/bucha-ukraine-bodies.html] BBC News, Bucha Killings [https://www.bbc.com/news/60981238] VOX News, Ukraine Kidnappings [https://www.vox.com/23012456/ukraine-russia-war-disappearances-kidnappings] Deutsche Welle, Russia Uses Kidnappings to Intimidate Ukrainians [https://www.dw.com/en/russia-uses-kidnappings-to-intimidate-locals-in-occupied-ukraine/a-61309858] Golda Meir [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golda_Meir] Weimar Republic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weimar_Republic] Friedrich Ebert [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ebert] Philipp Scheidemann [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_Scheidemann] The Ebert-Groener Pact [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebert%E2%80%93Groener_pact#:~:text=The%20Ebert%E2%80%93Groener%20pact%2C%20sometimes,%2C%20on%20November%2010%2C%201918.] Sinking of the Moskwa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_Moskva] Bayraktar Drone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baykar_Bayraktar_TB2] HIMARS [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M142_HIMARS] Nord Stream 2 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nord_Stream_2] Rheinmetall builds military training center [https://www.defenceweb.co.za/land/land-land/russian-army-orders-training-centre-from-rheinmetall-as-military-modernises/] The Orphanage, Serhiy Zhadan [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serhiy_Zhadan] Kamil Galeev (@kamilkazani), Twitter Thread [https://twitter.com/kamilkazani?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bu [https://www.mindthebump.de]

Anna Pykhtina is a communication and PR expert from Kyiv, Ukraine, focusing on Ukrainian NGO work and civic education, currently living in Warsaw, Poland. After the outbreak of the war, Anna and her boyfriend fled Ukraine to Poland, where they are currently living with friends. Anna was the president of AEGEE-Kyiv [https://www.facebook.com/1aegee.kyiv/], Europe's biggest interdisciplinary student organization. She has been travelling extensively in Europe and is, I think it is safe to say, a strong proponent of the European idea. Additionally, she worked for the Free Russia Foundation, which supports civic society and democratic development in Russia, for almost two years and has, therefore, many Russian acquaintances and friends. Anna's work and experience are exceptional and I couldn't be happier to have her on board the Yellow Van today to hear her opinions and perspectives on a variety of topics. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Anna! SHOW NOTES Anna's Reading List [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bo0ZefEBzEBT0HW6pwnoKyCN6Sla6xHg/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100501379425446497566&rtpof=true&sd=true] INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT NGO "Girls" [https://divchata.org/en/] USCD [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_defense_in_the_United_States] Timothy D. Snyder [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_D._Snyder], American historian Eurotrip [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356150/], USA 2004, Jeff Schaffer Free Russia Foundation [https://www.4freerussia.org/] Tango of Death, Yuriy Vynnychuk [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuriy_Vynnychuk] Tiger Trappers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Trappers], Ivan Bahriyanyi [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Bahrianyi] Maria Berlinska [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Berlinska], Ukrainian film producer MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump [http://www.mindthebump.de/] Production Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Oleksii Isakov holds a Master in Intercultural Communication Studies and a Bachelor in Linguistics and Translation Studies. His main focus is literature and film. He was born in Odesa and has been living in Germany for the last ten years working at the European-University Viadrina [https://www.europa-uni.de/en/index.html] in Frankfurt a.d. Oder - the only university in Germany with a professorship for Ukrainian History, which says a lot about Ukraine's perception in Germany - and throughout the world. In preparation for our conversation today, Oleksii and I had a short Zoom call a few days ago to get to know each other. Oleksii was recommended to me as a guest on the show by Bastian Bielig, a friend of mine, and we had never met each other before. When I finally stumbled over his academic career in more detail, I was even more impressed than I had already been just by casually talking to him. With all this in my mind, I am extremely grateful for him to take the time and be here with me in the Yellow Van today - and also a tiny little bit nervous because I feel slightly underqualified. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Oleksii! PHOTO courtesy of © Heide Fest SHOW NOTES "Winter On Fire [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4908644/]", Ukraine 2015, Evgeny Afineevsky [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1017958/?ref_=tt_ov_dr] Maidan Uprising [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euromaidan] Kazimir Malevich [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimir_Malevich], Ukrainian painter Artem Volokitin [https://skyartfound.com/artem-volokitin-biography-en/], Ukrainian painter "Shadow Of Forgotten Ancestors [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadows_of_Forgotten_Ancestors]", Ukraine 1965, Sergei Parajanov [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Parajanov] Taras Shevchenko [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taras_Shevchenko], Ukrainian poet and writer Lina Kostenko [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_Kostenko], Ukrainian poet, writer and journalist Serhiy Zhadan [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serhiy_Zhadan], Ukrainian poet and writer Valerian Pidmohylny [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_Pidmohylny], Ukrainian writer and dissident Alexander Dovzhenko [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Dovzhenko], Ukrainian filmmaker IMDb List of 100 Best Ukrainian Films [https://www.imdb.com/list/ls049875378/] Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mykhailo_Kotsiubynsky], Ukrainian author Takflix [https://takflix.com/en/films/tini-zabutykh-predkiv] "Klondike [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16315948/]", Ukraine 2022, Maryna Er Gorbach [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3372295/?ref_=tt_ov_dr] "Servant Of The People [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6235122/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1]", Ukraine 2015-2019 Myroslav Skoryk [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myroslav_Skoryk], Ukrainian composer Kalush Orchestra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalush_(rap_group)], Ukrainian rap group INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT Viadrina Emergency Fund [https://www.europa-uni.de/en/struktur/unileitung/pressestelle/Ukraine/ukrainefonds/index.html] National Bank of Ukraine [https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-vidkriv-spetsrahunok-dlya-zboru-koshtiv-na-potrebi-armiyi] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump [http://www.mindthebump.de/] Product Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a

In our first episode of the new season, our guest is film director, screenwriter, and creative producer Mariia Ponomarova (1991, Kyiv). Mariia studied film directing and screenwriting at Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema & Television in Ukraine graduating cum laude in 2013. Focusing on character development in film during her course,  Mariia graduated from the Master of Film artistic research program in 2016 at the Netherlands Film Academy. Short fiction and documentary films written and directed by Mariia were screened at such festivals as Sarajevo FF, Vancouver IFF, VIS Vienna Shorts, Netherlands FF,  Odesa IFF, CineDOC-Tbilisi, Go Short ISFF, ArtDocfest, Molodist IFF, and others. Mariia's first producer's documentary project 'Fragile Memory' was a part of the Ex-Oriente Film workshop and received pitching prizes at Odesa IFF Film Industry 2018 & 2019, and East Doc Platform 2019. Mariia's directing debut documentary feature 'Nice Ladies' received a B2Bdoc Pithing Award at Producers Meet Producers. Mariia's works capture the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine, and, like a sculptor chipping away at a block of marble, she reveals the essence of Ukrainian identity, always present, but invisible to the untrained eye. She lives and works in Amsterdam visiting Ukraine for her film projects on a regular basis. And today she is with us in the Yellow Van and I couldn't be happier that she could find the time. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Mariia! MARIIA'S WORKS ponomarova.com [http://www.ponomarova.com] Ardea [https://directorsnotes.com/2019/08/05/mariia-ponomarova-ardea/] May 9th [https://vimeo.com/170656597] Family Hour [https://vimeo.com/170656597] Fragile Memory [https://vimeo.com/376224247] Nice Ladies [https://vimeo.com/654149167/081ae970ce] TOPICS The Fall Of Lenin [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7256354/], Ukraine 2017, Svitlana Shimko [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6950843/?ref_=tt_ov_dr] Olia Hercules, Ukrainian-British cookbook author [https://oliahercules.com/about/] Dziga Vertov, Ukrainian director & camerman [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dziga_Vertov] Everything Is Illuminated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Is_Illuminated_(film)], USA 2005, written and directed by Liev Schreiber [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liev_Schreiber] Killing Eve, TV Series, 2008-2012 [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7016936/] The Gulag Archipelago [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gulag_Archipelago], Soviet Union 1973, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Solzhenitsyn] What We Got Wrong About Solzhenitsyn, 2022, Essay by Blake Smith [https://unherd.com/2022/03/what-we-get-wrong-about-solzhenitsyn/] Svetlana Alexievich [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svetlana_Alexievich], Belarusian journalist and author Nikolai Amosov [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Amosov] On Photography [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Photography], USA 1977, Susan Sontag [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Sontag] Takflix [https://takflix.com/en] INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT Docu Help [https://docudays.ua/eng/help] Come Back Alive Foundation [https://www.comebackalive.in.ua/donate] 100 Drones Organisation [http://100drones.com.ua/] MUSIC Love In The Face Of Fear [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear], Jim Kroft [http://www.jimkroft.com/] Yellow Va Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a

Fonsi, the Yellow Van,  is ready to depart for another season. Find out what the season is all about in this trailer. Music: Jim Kroft "Love In The Face Of Fear" [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump [http://www.mindthebump.de] Production Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Today we come to you with the, for now, last episode about Myanmar. The initiative Print For Crisis, which has been on the road with us for the last four weeks, has come to an end and we thought it would be a nice opportunity to have a small retrospective of the conversations we were lucky enough to have in support of the initiative.  Through my conversations with Teza, Chiara, and Minn, I learned that there are a lot of reasons for hope and optimism for the future of Myanmar. One reason in particular is the role of the Burmese women, who are not only fighting for political freedom but for a society built on equality. Their blossoming self-esteem is a weapon and there is no turning back of the clock. If we continue to support Myanmar, change will come sooner rather than later. This isn't my optimism, it is the optimism of the Burmese people. _________ SHOW NOTES Print For Crisis Website [https://www.printforcrisis.org] Print For Crisis Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/printforcrisis] Print For Crisis Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/printforcrisis] I Support Myanmar [https://www.isupportmyanmar.com] Teza on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/tezaemsoe] Minn on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/minn-tent-bo-b516171a8/] Chiara's Website [https://www.chiaraluxardo.com/] Chiara on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chiaraluxardo] "How Democracies Die", Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, 2018 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Democracies_Die] "Coup D'Etat: A Practical Handbook", Edward Luttwak, 1968 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%89tat:_A_Practical_Handbook] History Of Myanmar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Myanmar] Thuma Collective [https://www.instagram.com/thuma_collective] Yangon Photo Festival [http://www.yangonphoto.com] Lensational (a collaboration for free photography education for women) [http://www.lensational.org] "Disclosure", Netflix, 2020 [https://www.netflix.com/de-en/title/81284247] History Of Myanmar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Myanmar] Get Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear] Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Teza Soe is a Burmese visual storyteller with a doctorate in photography, who received her PhD with a project focusing on the role of women in Myanmar society.  After reading the preface to her thesis, I felt that it would be a much better introduction than I could ever hope to craft for her. So, just this one time, I took the liberty of copying her own words, rather than write an introduction myself: I left my country, Myanmar, when I was 16 to attend a university in Thailand. The reasons for me to leave home, a familiar environment, at such a young age to study abroad did not come easy. I vividly remember getting into the biggest argument ever with my parents just after the matriculation examination results came out. I still remember my total score was 2 points short of the cut off point for the University of Medicinethat year for women. That year the Ministry of Education had decided to raise the entry requirements for girls and reduce the requirement for boys because they felt that there had been too many women and not enough men in the country's most pivoted profession. Up until that point, all my life I was told that the best thing I could achieve or the best profession I could get into as a woman in Myanmar, is the medical profession.In that moment, I felt like my whole world had ended as if everything I had worked for the past 11 years counted for nothing. And then I learned that my friend who got a lower score than I did could apply for the medical school, although his total score was 15 points lower than mine, just because the requirements are set much lower for boys. That was the first time in my life I felt so angry for being born as a woman. It wasn't that I had failed; it wasn't that I didn't try hard enough; my only shortcoming was being a woman.  We will be talking about the historic role of women in Myanmar, why women are at the forefront of the democratic movement, and why female revolutionary leaders are a reason for hope. __________ In the face of the current Burmese struggle, please support the initiative Print For Crisis, founded by my friends Chiara Luxardo and Olga Stefatou: https://www.printforcrisis.org/ On their website, 80 photographers offer their limited edition fine art prints for a very affordable price. All net proceeds from the sales go to journalists, photographers, and artists in Myanmar. Print For Crisis will last another two weeks and prints are selling fast. Choose from the works of amazing photographers like Chris Steele-Perkins, John Vink, and Nikos Economopoulos - just to name a few. Go get yours now and catch me if you can. __________ SHOW NOTES Print For Crisis Website [https://www.printforcrisis.org] Print For Crisis Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/printforcrisis] Print For Crisis Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/printforcrisis] I Support Myanmar [https://www.isupportmyanmar.com] Teza on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/tezaemsoe] Thuma Collective [https://www.instagram.com/thuma_collective] Yangon Photo Festival [http://www.yangonphoto.com] Lensational (a collaboration for free photography education for women) [http://www.lensational.org] "Disclosure", Netflix, 2020 [https://www.netflix.com/de-en/title/81284247] History Of Myanmar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Myanmar] Get Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear] Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Chiara is an Italian visual storyteller based in the UK in London. In her work she explores identities, relationships and gender issues. She is an active member of Women Photograph [https://www.womenphotograph.com/], a non-profit launched in 2017 to elevate the voices of women* and nonbinary visual journalists.  The roots for her interest in identity and the power of relationships can be traced back to a farm near Milan, I believe, where Chiara grew up. It is a place that has been in her family's hands for many generations and her love for the place finds expression in her ongoing project Family Farm. The Family Farm is an examination of the visual residue of previous generations in the form of old pictures, juxtaposing the findings with new original visual concepts and, thereby, galvanizing a new interpretive, dialectic space that speaks of history as a living process - never complete in its evaluation and heavily dependent on the viewer's current perspective and emotional state. History, after all, is narrated. Chiara lived and worked in Myanmar from 2015 to 2019, where she focused on LGBTQI+ projects and the organization of Yangon Pride. [http://www.andproud.net/] In her project Burma Love, Chiara places gay couples in front of romantic studio backgrounds, heavily borrowing from the aesthetics of Burmese wedding photos, expressing the yearning of gay couples to be accepted into the common standards and rituals of society to be regarded, ultimately, as equals amongst equals.  Her love for Myanmar is still very strong. In the light of the current democratic uprising against the military junta with rising death tolls every day, Chiara and her friend Olga Stefatou, whom you might already know from a previous episode of the Yellow Van, launched the initiative Print For Crisis. We at Mind the Bump want to support this great idea as much as we can. In this episode, therefore, we want to focus on what it is that made Chiara fall in love with Myanmar, why we should care about what is happening there at the moment, and how help can be as simple as hanging a beautiful photo up on your wall. SHOW NOTES Print For Crisis Website [https://www.printforcrisis.org] Print For Crisis Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/printforcrisis] Print For Crisis Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/printforcrisis] Chiara's Website [https://www.chiaraluxardo.com/] Chiara on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chiaraluxardo] Myanmar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar] Yangon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yangon] Aung San Suu Kyi [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi] Get Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear] Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Claudia is a camera assistant from Munich in Germany. And, above all, my "baby" sister. For close to ten years now, she has been honing her craft in film and cinema, steadily rising up in the camera ranks. Her passion and joy are absolutely infectious, despite the obvious stigma of this particular adjective of late. She has been a part of many big German film and TV productions, working with some of the finest German actors, directors, and camera operators. I am extremely proud of her and I couldn't be happier to have her on board today to discuss with her the challenges cinema is facing during a pandemic and what it is like to be a woman in a still largely male dominated field. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Claudi! SHOW NOTES Claudia's Music [https://soundcloud.com/susan-mcbrown-1] Claudia on Crew United [https://www.crew-united.com/de/Claudia-Hector_385462.html] Käptn Peng (in German) [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A4ptn_Peng_&_Die_Tentakel_von_Delphi] Fabian Gamper, Camera Operator [https://www.crew-united.com/de/Fabian-Gamper_225934.html] Orson Welles [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Welles] Ani DiFranco [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ani_DiFranco] The Late Late Show with James Corden [https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLateLateShow] Minnie Driver [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnie_Driver] Minnie Questions, Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/5DlPRyvAlbyc4kJq1KMhx3?si=BHumrX1-RNOZ9FXuG7vs_g] Rutger Bregman [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutger_Bregman] Utopia for Realists, 2018, Rutger Bregman [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_for_Realists] Supergrass [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergrass] Road To Rouen [https://open.spotify.com/track/0Vte20nDgFbeiUjWe6AhDY?si=6A8EcAAKRt-5ZwnREcMU4g] Mind The Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.

Erik is an author, publisher, moderator and podcast host from Berlin, Germany. He has published an impressive amount of work, ranging from travel guides, travel books, short story anthologies to magazine articles and more. He is also the founder of Weltwach (which roughly translates to world awake), a German online magazine for adventure and travel topics. The related podcast, hosted and produced by Erik, already has produced 188 episodes and counting. Since last year, the Weltwach podcast produces an English offshoot called Unfolding Maps. The impressive guest list includes Laura Dekker, the youngest person to ever sail around the world solo, the endurance artist "Iceman" Wim Hof, and, one of my personal role models, National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Especially beautiful to me is the book series How We See It, which is an anthology of short stories focusing on a particular country by offering the perspectives of the many. Each voice is acting as a building block emphasizing cultural abundance. Kind of like the mathematical letter PI that offers more accuracy with every single digit behind the comma, attempting the impossibility of squaring the circle. Just like it, culture needs many voices to be representative. Erik's books make that very clear to me.  Originally, Erik studied International Marketing and Business Management in the Netherlands, Hongkong and Great Britain. If he would have studied travel, if that had been a viable study course option at university, or if his cultural thirst was acquired through his higher education, we will discuss in today's episode  - and, as always, a lot more. SHOW NOTES Weltwach German Podcast [https://weltwach.de/] Weltwach on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/weltwach/] Weltwach on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Weltwach] Unfolding Maps English Podcast [https://unfoldingmaps.com/] Unfolding Maps on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/unfolding.maps/] Unfolding Maps on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/unfoldingmapspodcast/] List of Erik's books [https://weltwach.de/erik-lorenz/] The One & Only Jim Kroft [http://jimkroft.com/] Peter Willers, Defusing mines in Cambodia [https://weltwach.de/podcast-002-kambodscha/] Khmer Rouge [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge] Christine Thürmer [https://weltwach.de/ww068-christine-thuermer/] Eric Adams [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Adams_(musician)] Manowar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manowar] Hans Rosling on Population Growth, TEDx [https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_global_population_growth_box_by_box] Massai [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massai] Jared Diamond [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Diamond] Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond, 1997 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel] Upheaval, Jared Diamond, 2019 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upheaval_(book)] Japanese Meiji era [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_(era)] Matthew C. Perry [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_(era)] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a

George is an author, a radio DJ and presenter, a musician, photographer and filmmaker. But above all he is a traveller, exploring the shared essence that makes us all human. His thirst for the world and its people is hard to quench and the moments of connection and mutual exchange always leave him wanting more. No wonder then that he turned to photography and its scientific promise of turning ethereal visual impressions into lasting memory, making good on one of mankind's oldest dreams. Here is what George has to say about this himself, better than I ever could: "Photography was a one-night-stand for me. Perhaps something you try just to get a kick of awesomeness right after a break up rips your world apart. Herberts were soon replaced by shutter clicks and as life would have it, what was meant as a fleeting encounter turned into love at first sight.  From street photography in Barcelona, to festivals in Asia, to voluntary humanitarian missions in Africa, my lenses have been my eyes and my camera my best travel companion ever since. I've never considered myself much of an artist. Some people like fishing, other love hunting - I belong to the group of folks who are dazzled, inspired and driven by photography's ability to change the world. To stop age at 20. To keep a smile resonant and beautiful forever. To preserve a feeling or an emotion until it's thawed and relived once more by the warmth of a familiar gaze. To inspire travel, induce exploration and shape public opinion." George has written a book about his travel experiences called "Stories From The Road" in which he recounts impressions from all parts of the world. Vicky and I have recently been invited to his weekly radio show "Off The Beaten Track" and the music he played on air was a celebration of diverse cultural origins, taking us with him off the beaten track, putting us in touch with the abundance of human creation. It painted the picture of a man free of boundaries or preconceptions. Of a man believing in the beauty of all humanity. What better guest for a yellow camper van traveling the world? SHOW NOTES George's Photography Website [https://jorgedonios.com/] Follow  The Mini Diaries [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghn4zmQGSHo] Every Tuesday, tune in with George on Radio Nowhere [https://radionw.gr/members/donios-giorgos/?fbclid=IwAR1JbpMnp8gVBd-QuFm9NILURYhTje46D4hPDHQSAATWy5YGQh6KXbHMQRk] Read George's book: 8+5=13 Stories From The Road [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49697575-8-5-13] Alec Issigonis - The Austin MINI designer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Issigonis] Austin MINI [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini] Pygmy Peoples [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_peoples] Konstantinos Kavafis [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_P._Cavafy] "Ithaka", 1975, by Konstantinos Kavafis [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51296/ithaka-56d22eef917ec] Gora, musical instrument [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesiba] Sona Jobarteh [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sona_Jobarteh] Lucky Dube [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Dube] Ali Farka Touré [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Farka_Tour%C3%A9] Music of Mali [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Mali] Get Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" [https://jimkroft.bigcartel.com/product/love-in-the-face-of-fear] Mind The Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yellowvan] Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump [https://www.mindthebump.de] Production.