Young Global Leaders

Christiaan Burger reflects on his global journey that didn’t go according to plan — and turned out better for it.  From South Africa to Japan to a small liberal arts college in the U.S., Christiaan traces how each new context reshaped who he was, often in surprising ways. What stays constant is his instinct to lean into the unexpected. The Baret Scholars year emerges as a turning point: a crash course in uncertainty, adaptability, and saying yes to what the moment offers. Along the way, he discovers something simple but powerful: connection gets easier when you remind yourself to connect with others on a deeply human level.Christiaan also speaks candidly about the disorientation of returning home, the seeming loss of an intense shared world, and the effort it takes to hold onto those relationships across distance. Follow Christiaan on Instagram @christiaaniss or on LinkedIn here.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

What a joy speaking with Kazim! Here are a few of the themes from our conversation:Identity & Belonging: Navigating a "binary" Northern Irish upbringing as a mixed-race Muslim, and finding a sense of home within international cohorts.The Power of Unlearning: Shedding first impressions and biases while learning to balance high-octane social energy with necessary solitude.Reentry Realities: The jarring transition from global travels to 12-hour factory shifts, and the value of staying grounded.Optimism in Action: Using grassroots initiatives, like forming a diverse football team, as an antidote to political apathy and a catalyst for systemic change.In the episode we mention an article Kazim wrote about integrating schools in Northern Ireland. It's a great read. You can find it here.Follow Kazim on Instagram @kaz7imIf you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Juliana Bakhtsizina and I cover a number of fun and interesting topics, including the "unlearning" required to become a global citizen. Juliana shares her transition from a rigid, plan-oriented academic mindset to one that embraces the unpredictability of experiential learning.From navigating the "logistical nightmare" of a lost passport in New York City, to co-founding the student-run magazine Étoile, Juliana shows us how growth is rarely a passive byproduct of travel; it comes from radical intentionality and sustained mental effort.Key Takeaways:Curiosity as Effort: Why Juliana forced herself to ask a question of every guest speaker, and how she treats curiosity as a muscle rather than a personality trait.The "Unlearning" Process: Breaking out of cultural molds and discovering new facets of identity through the modeling of more extroverted peers.The Reality of Re-entry: A candid look at the "lowest lows" of returning home after a transformative nine-month journey, and the strategies she used to bridge the two worlds.Creative Consolidation: The origin of Étoile and the importance of turning passive observation into active creation.Follow Juliana on Instagram here.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Zeynep Özcan reflects on resilience, cross-cultural friendship, and what it means to grow while navigating the world at 18.A few lines from our conversation:“It’s inevitable that there will be miscommunications—but the person in front of you is someone you care about.”“If everyone thinks their individual action won’t matter, nothing will ever change.”“Looking at the problems of the world and wanting to act is more important than just feeling sad about them.”A thoughtful conversation about growth, openness, and the courage to keep learning.Follow Zeynep on Instagram @zonkey_blog and on TikTok @zonkey.blog.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Come hear Maisie's reflections on her two (!) gap years, leading with integrity and persistence, and bridging across yawning gaps in belief systems.Keep up with Maisie on Substack and LinkedIn.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Malena shares about the joys and challenges of relating across differences, what it means to lead in different cultures, and her passion project: Étoile magazine. Treat yourself to another inspiring conversation with a young global leader.You can follow Malena on Instagram @anelam2073If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Mia shares about becoming more independent, some thrilling if dicey travel adventures, and her inspiring capstone project around death rituals. I hope you enjoy this fun and high-energy conversation.Follow Mia on Instagram @cheng.yifou, and check out her capstone project, C'est la Mort.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Jonas shares with us about his passion for STEM, his endless curiosity, and his commitment to making learning opportunities available for those (even) younger than him. We can all draw lessons from his persistence, how he learns quickly from his setbacks, and his eagerness to hear and understand perspectives different from his own.Follow Jonas on LinkedIn, or send him an email.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

What does it mean to "step on the ego," and what does this have to do with relating across cultures? Come hear from Iris about this, and enjoy her other mind-expanding reflections. Plus, learn about the impactful NGO she founded and led while traveling the world for over eight months.Keep up with Iris on LinkedIn and Instagram, and with her NGO on LinkedIn, Instagram, and the organization's website and blog.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Aïcha shares with us about her transition to college far from home, an impactful learning experience she created, and her drive to make a better world.Follow Aïcha on Instagram @aicha_nne, and on Substack.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Listen to Bohdan share about the hard but rewarding work of building cross-cultural bridges, and the challenges of living far from family in Ukraine as he pursues his college education in the UK.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Come hear about Rafa's exciting business to end doom-scrolling and reward curiosity, as well as his thoughts and reflections on gratitude, not taking things for granted, and other topics.Follow Rafa on Insta @rafaelhomemdemelo, and follow his app @thinkagain_appIf you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kynaat! Follow her on Instagram: @kyntatas (public) and @kynaatbeg (personal).If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Ellie Odero, who joins us from Nairobi, Kenya.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Follow Mina on Instagram @and.i.believe, or on LinkedIn here.If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.

Welcome to our first episode! My guest is Denis Mwangangi, who you'll learn about in the episode.For more from Denis, please visit his website. He also maintains a Substack. If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it.If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here.To learn more about me, have a look at my website and / or follow me on LinkedIn.