Curiosity and Connection

I am thrilled to continue the FIFA 2026 series! Each week, I will explore the vibrant football culture from various regions around the globe.In this week's episode, I connect with my two mom friends Anna Cruz (Rio, Brazil) and Juliana Alvez (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and get curious with their experience of football (soccer) culture from female Brazilian lens, along with Juliana's experience with Brazil FIFA 2014 and their thoughts on FIFA 2026. Anna and Juliana guide us through the deeply family-oriented culture of Brazil, highlighting the significant role football plays within it. For instance, families often gather for a meal and then come together every Sunday at 4 o'clock to watch their local clubs compete.Anna recounts how football was ingrained in her family life while growing up in Rio, Brazil. Even after moving to Canada, she maintains her connection to her family in Brazil through football, now sharing this passion with her children and husband.Juliana also reflects on how football was a significant part of her home life near Sao Paolo, Brazil. She vividly describes the atmosphere during the 2014 Brazil World Cup, where the spirit was vibrant and everyone embraced the celebration.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

I am thrilled to continue the FIFA 2026 series! Each week, I will explore the vibrant football culture from various regions around the globe.In this week's episode, I connect with my friend, Michelle Michiels and get curious with their experiences with sports from a Canadian Queer lens and their thoughts on FIFA 2026.Michelle shares an engaging narrative that begins with their early exposure to sports, starting as a child on ice skates. With their mother working as a hockey referee, she often had Michelle stay in the penalty box, which creatively served as a babysitting solution while she oversaw ice hockey games. From this unconventional start, Michelle contemplates their sports journey in a small town. Eventually, they transitioned to university, where priorities shifted, and sports took a backseat. It wasn't until moving to Toronto for their master's program that they reignited their love for athletics through a queer softball league, where team sports have consistently provided a welcoming space for community building and connections.Now, as a parent, Michelle is exploring the interests of their children in both individual and team sports.Additionally, Michelle shares their thoughts on trans athletes and FIFA 2026.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

I am thrilled to continue the FIFA 2026 series in June! Each week, I will explore the vibrant football culture from various regions around the globe. In this week's episode, I connect with my colleague, Adnan Mohammedi and get curious with Iraqi and Egyptian football (soccer) culture, Spanish football league, FIFA 2026 and Adnan's navigation of Canadian soccer landscape. Adnan takes us on an enthralling journey that starts with his first memory of watching the FIFA 2002 World Cup in South Korea with his family in Baghdad, Iraq. During this unforgettable moment, he and his brother proudly wore their team jerseys—Adnan cheering for Argentina while his brother supported Brazil. Even after they moved to Cairo, Egypt, seeking safety amidst the Iraq War, his love for football remained unwavering. He continued to play in the streets and local clubs alongside his brother.Upon arriving in Toronto, Canada, Adnan had to adapt to the local football culture. He shares valuable insights drawn from his varied experiences playing in different positions, transitioning from striker to midfielder, and eventually becoming a goalkeeper.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

I am thrilled to continue the FIFA 2026 series in June! Each week, I will explore the vibrant football culture from various regions around the globe.In this week's edition, I chat with my neighbor, Jerryn Cherian, to gather his insights on Indian football culture, English Premier League, and his views on FIFA 2026.Jerryn recounts his personal journey of discovering football during the early days of dial-up internet in Delhi, India. The only means to watch football were through thumbnail drives and burned CDs filled with highlight clips from the World Cup and the English Premier League that were being circulated in Jerryn's high school. This experience ultimately inspired him to conduct his own research on Arsenal, an English Premier League team, all thanks to the influence of the French manager, Arsène Wenger.Jerryn also credits football culture for enabling him to forge lifelong friendships, transcending language barriers.

In anticipation of the FIFA 2026, which will be held in North America this June, I am excited to kick off May with a special series focused on the event. This series will feature weekly episodes that dive into the rich football culture from diverse regions around the world.In this week's episode, I connect with Italo Aliaga and get curious with him regarding Peruvian football (soccer) culture along with his thoughts on Ted Lasso, Canadian Soccer, and attending Qatar FIFA 2022.Italo invites us on an inspiring journey that begins in Lima, Peru, where his maternal heritage sparked his enthusiasm for Peruvian football. Even after relocating to Toronto, Canada, this love for the game continued to play a vital role in his life. Although his passion for football momentarily waned as he ventured into other interests such as music and baseball, his commitment to Peruvian football remained steadfast.He closely followed the careers of several players, including a Peruvian goalkeeper, Pedro Gallese in MLS with Orlando and Claudio Pizarro who eventually made his way to Chelsea in the English Premier League. This rekindled his love for football culture and strengthened his admiration for the English Premier League.In addition, he immersed himself in Canadian soccer culture, cheering for both national and local teams in Toronto, always supporting the underdogs. Now, he shares this enduring passion with his son, as they had the chance to embark on their first World Cup adventure together in Qatar 2022.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

In anticipation of the FIFA 2026, which will be held in North America this June, I am excited to kick off the month of May with a special series focused on the event. This series will feature weekly episodes that dives into the rich football culture from diverse regions around the world. In this week's episode, I connect with my friend Arish Jamal and explore Tanzanian football (soccer) culture, English Premier League, and FIFA 2026. Arish invites us to explore his deep-seated passion for football, tracing it back to his earliest memories with Mwanza, Tanzania's Ismaili Community Football Club alongside his father, brothers, and uncle. He reminisces about his high school days in Nairobi, Kenya, and shares how he became a devoted fan of Manchester United in the English Premier League, fueled by his admiration for Ryan Giggs and his reflection of FIFA.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

In anticipation of the FIFA 2026, which will be held in North America this June, I am excited to kick off May with a special series focused on the event. This series will feature weekly episodes that dive into the rich football culture from diverse regions around the world.In this week's episode, I connect with my friend Joe Taylor and get curious regarding UK football (soccer) culture, English Premier League, along with thoughts on Ted Lasso and FIFA 2026.Joe invites us on an exploration of how football culture is deeply woven into the very fabric of life in the UK. From family get-togethers during the FA Cup final to involvement in local clubs, his passion for Manchester United and Roy Keane shines through. His many adventures span from Yorkshire to Edinburgh and even to Nepal, highlighting some of his most unforgettable moments. As a father, he has cultivated a deep appreciation for the sport's lasting legacy, experiencing it anew through the eyes of his children.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

In anticipation of the FIFA 2026, which will be held in North America this June, I am excited to kick off May with a special series focused on the event. This series will feature weekly episodes that dive into the rich football culture from diverse regions around the world.In today’s episode, I connect with my friend Orjan Lundberg as I get curious with exploring the nuances of Swedish football (soccer) culture and his active involvement with the Qatar FIFA 2022 and his current consultant work for FIFA 2026.Orjan shares his extraordinary journey, beginning with playing football in a charming Swedish farm town and leading to an exciting adventure in Sydney, Australia, where his enthusiasm for sustainability in civil engineering blossomed. Eventually, he discovered an amazing opportunity in Doha, Qatar, enabling him to merge his passion for football with his position as a sustainable engineer for the world’s largest tournament, Qatar FIFA 2022. He continues this endeavor as a consultant for North America's FIFA 2026.Connect with Orjan Lundberg here: Home - D'Niche Inc.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

In this week's episode, I have an engaging conversation with my cousin, Amy Dao, as we delve into the captivating world of cosplay culture. From anime cosplay to gaming cosplay, we discuss the importance of finding a community where you can truly express your authentic self.Amy shares her journey, reflecting on her early experiences accessing anime through rudimentary YouTube, her progression from creating simple anime costumes to more intricate designs, and her attendance at various anime conventions such as Toronto’s Anime North, Toronto’s Fan Expo, and Montreal’s Otakuthon Anime convention.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

In this week’s episode, I connect with my cousin, Hung Doan as we delve into his journey as a DJ, tracing his passion from the early days of mixing cassette tapes to the era of dial-up internet, and exploring the evolution of music in the digital age. Together, we examine how he has navigated this shifting landscape through an Asian lens.Connect with Nga Do here: https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

In this inaugural episode, my dearest lifelong friend Feven Haddish takes the role of interviewer, allowing me to share the story behind the creation of the Curiosity and Connection podcast, helping listeners gain a deeper insight into its origins.Connect with Nga Do here : https://linktr.ee/Flightofthedodobird

Welcome to Curiosity and Connection with Nga Do - Launching April 17th. New episodes will drop twice a month.