What happens when belonging becomes a hierarchy?

In this episode, Hostion and Andrea unpack the viral Wasian Meetup that took social media by storm — a gathering organized by Half Asian Spring for mixed white-Asian individuals during AAPI Heritage Month. On the surface, it looks like community-building. But beneath it, a more complicated story emerges about colorism, racial desirability, and who gets to belong.

Drawing on scholars and activists, they explore what ethnic studies can actually tell us about mixed-race identity, affinity spaces, and racial hierarchy. Why did so many people react to this meetup with discomfort? And what does that reaction reveal about how we navigate race, power, and proximity to whiteness — right now, in North America?

The conversation is warm, honest, and genuinely curious. Together they ask the kind of questions that stick with you long after the episode ends.

This one's for the mixed kids, the margin-dwellers, the belonging-seekers along with anyone who cares about building communities where more people actually feel seen.

Content note: This episode discusses race, colourism, colonialism, and the politics of identity.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever been told to chew with your mouth closed? What if that rule was considered rude in another country?

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Hostion and Andrea go around the world to unpack the surprising, funny, and deeply human world of dining etiquette. They explore why burping is a compliment at the dinner table in parts of Asia and the Middle East, how slurping noodles in Japan is practically a love language, and why chugging wine in Georgia (the country, not the state) is an act of honour.

But it goes deeper than just food noises. The duo unpacks how Western "good manners" developed from classism, how the disorder misophonia is showing up in unexpected ways, and why letting people eat with joy — loudly — might be one of the most culturally intelligent things you can do.

Plus: a Canadian food trivia quiz that reveals what cuisine Canadians really love (hint: it might surprise you), and a spicy fact about Portugal that will make you think twice before reaching for the salt shaker.

Funny, educational, and a little bit messy — just like the best meals.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Keywords: cultural intelligence, dining etiquette, food culture, misophonia, cross-cultural, table manners, classism, Asian food culture, relational leadership, world cultures

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does love actually look like when words aren't the primary language?

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Andrea and Hostion dig into one of their favourite frameworks — love languages — but through the lens of Asian culture and heritage in honour of Asian Heritage Month. They explore why acts of service and food are often the dominant expressions of care in many Asian households, why verbal affirmation can feel hollow or even suspicious in certain cultural contexts, and how saying "have you eaten?" is so much more than small talk.

They get personal too — sharing real stories of cultural misunderstandings, the generational gap between immigrant parents and their kids, and what happens when two people are speaking completely different emotional dialects. The conversation also ventures into business relationships, lateral violence, and the beautiful challenge of learning new love languages without abandoning where you came from.

Warm, funny, and genuinely insightful — this one's for anyone who's ever felt loved through a plate of food, a quiet act of care, or a comment about their weight that somehow meant "I see you."

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.