What happens when you leave the place you grew up and discover that the world is much bigger than you imagined?

In this episode of Tell Me, Sam sits down with her friend Carmen, a Bavarian living in San Diego, to talk about what it means to grow up between cultures and how traveling can change the way you see yourself.

Carmen shares what Bavaria is really like, why Germany is much more culturally diverse than outsiders might realize, and the traditions behind the Bavarian Dirndl and Lederhosen.

They talk about dialects, Oktoberfest, regional identity, and the surprising differences between Bavaria and the rest of Germany. But the conversation eventually goes much deeper. Carmen talks about leaving Germany for Australia at 18, experiencing independence for the first time, and then returning home to a profound experience of reverse culture shock.

They discuss loneliness, depression, mental health, journaling, spirituality, emotional expression, and the ways that our childhood environments can shape how we communicate and understand ourselves.

Sam and Carmen also explore the value of traveling, learning from other cultures, letting go of people-pleasing, and allowing yourself to live outside the expectations you grew up with.

Sometimes finding yourself means getting far enough away from home to finally see it clearly. If you've ever felt caught between cultures, wondered what life would be like somewhere else, or simply felt like you're still figuring out who you are, this conversation is for you.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Tell Me is a podcast with Sam Stokes where friends and strangers alike talk about the things they're passionate about, the experiences that shaped them, and the things they could easily talk about for hours. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to subscribe.

#TellMePodcast #CultureShock #Bavaria #Germany

#SanDiego #Travel #MentalHealth #selfdiscovery

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro: Meet Carmen

02:00 Growing Up in Bavaria

08:30 Dirndls, Lederhosen & Oktoberfest

15:00 Leaving Home & Seeing the World

25:00 Moving to Australia at 18

31:00 Reverse Culture Shock

36:00 Mental Health & Learning to Ask for Help

43:00 Emotional Expression & People-Pleasing

50:00 Travel, Growth & Finding Yourself

57:00 Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Tell Me podcast, host Sam Stokes sits down with aviation enthusiast and pilot Fred Clarey. Fred shares his incredible journey of growing up under a military flight path, joining the Civil Air Patrol, and flying an airplane entirely solo on his 16th birthday, before he even had his driver's license.

Together, they explore the profound joy of flight, the psychological differences between trusting an airplane versus fearing heights, and the sheer sensitivity of an aircraft's controls.

Fred also brings his expertise as a San Diego Air and Space Museum docent to the table, walking us through the history of the Wright brothers' groundbreaking wind tunnel discoveries and their patents on pitch, roll, and yaw.

Whether you love flying or are completely terrified of it, Fred’s passion will completely change how you view taking to the skies.

Cameron is a professional tubist and music educator. In this episode, Cameron brings not one, but TWO tubas to the studio to discuss everything from the history of the tuba to physical design of the instrument. You don't have to be a band geek to geek out over this episode!

Instagram Cameron Holt: @camthetubaman