Diplobrat

As mentioned before, the life of a diplomat is filled with eternal goodbyes. This was the hardest of all. The Spinning Jenny's were no more and then they were gone. I hated it. 

I was a heavy smoker from the age of 15 to 37. How did that get started? 

The life of a diprobrat is relentless. Friends drop out of your life all the time. These days are inevitable. This is the story of all the times I had today goodbye to my friends, my schools, my life. And then having to start all over again. I would miss my friends too much. The were very formative in my life. This is the story of our goodbyes. 

This episode is all about how The Spinning Jenny's recorded their songs. Hr. Honn, our High School teacher, lent us his 4-track recorder. This is that story. 

Track 3 - Assmunch Sam This is the story of The Spinning Jenny's last song. 

Here's one about teenage love and substance abuse. Brazil in the 90's was crazy! Tequila Rock was excactly what it sounds like: a Mexican-themed bar that only played rock! And in those days, rock was still good. 

This is a story of how The Spinning Jenny's second song, Blindfold, came into being. It's a great song filled with a lot of teenage angst and frustration. Check it out! Stick around to the end to listen to the song in its entirety. 

There was a time when The Spinning Jenny's had a horn section! That was wild... Unfortunately, there aren't any recordings of that... 

This was the First song I recorded with The Spinnign Jenny's. 

The 1995 Battle of the Bands was my first Rock presentation 

Back in Brasília, The Misconceptions were the high school's rock band. The saga continues.

On Monday, the school was a sea of weeping, moody teenagers wearing black and a fashion show of Nirvana T-shirts. People were crying left and right. The silence was haunting. I don’t think anyone today understands just how impactful that day was. To quote Don McLean and his infamous “American Pie”, that day was the real “day the music died. And we were singing:”"With the lights out It’s less dangerous Here we are now Entertain us!”

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Diplobrat, I take you on a nostalgic journey through my early experiences with music. From my mom’s broken Spanish guitar to discovering The Beatles, Guns N’ Roses, and Nirvana, I explore how music shaped my childhood and adolescence. I also share anecdotes about learning to play guitar, road trips filled with Brazilian classics, and finally getting my own electric guitar.

Episode Summary:What happens when a burglary in one of the world’s safest countries changes a family forever? In this episode, Marcelo recounts the shocking discovery of a break-in at his family’s home in Switzerland and the unexpected chain of events that brought Baloo, an English Springer Spaniel, into their lives. From snowy Christmas mornings to evening walks through tree-lined streets, Marcelo reflects on the joy, comfort, and companionship Baloo brought to a family constantly on the move.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:The unexpected burglary that set the stage for Baloo’s arrival.How a tiny puppy named after The Jungle Book character became part of the family.Cultural differences between Switzerland and France in welcoming pets.Daily life with Baloo: seasonal walks, weekend trips, and restaurant adventures.Reflections on how pets shape our lives in times of change.Links and Resources:Support Le Chenil de la Maison Rouge, where Baloo was born: Donate Here.Previous episodes mentioned:A Life of Long GoodbyesThe Hosannah LegacyStay Connected:Subscribe to the Diplobrat podcast on your favorite platform.Follow Marcelo on Substack for more stories.Share your own pet stories using #Diplobrat on social media!

Episode Description: In this episode, I reflect on the challenges of growing up as a lefty in a right-handed world. From messy fountain pen mishaps in my bilingual school in Buenos Aires to the life-changing discovery of tilting my paper after moving to an American school, these experiences shaped my writing journey—literally. Join me as I share anecdotes about studying habits, cultural quirks, and the unexpected lessons learned along the way. Oh, and for you Gen-Z listeners, yes, we all had to write in cursive. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:Why my Hogwarts-like school in Argentina enforced fountain pens for Spanish classes and pencils for English classes.The unique frustrations of being a lefty writing with a fountain pen at six years old.A pivotal moment in 4th grade: the school nurse’s advice that changed everything.Reflections on the importance of small accommodations and how they can make a big difference. Tune in for this left-handed trip down memory lane!

What was lunchtime like at your school? For Marcelo, it was an experience straight out of the Wizarding World. In this episode, he takes us back to the great hall of Belgrano Day School in Buenos Aires, where lunch was a communal affair filled with long tables, self-serve meals, and the looming presence of the “bullhorn lady.”Marcelo shares memories of sitting at the long tables, advancing year by year to new spots, and the time he was sent to the director’s office for saying a word he didn’t understand. Hear the hilarious story of how a misunderstanding about the word “shit” turned into a nerve-wracking trip to the office—and ended with candy.It’s a nostalgic, heartwarming look at the little moments that shaped Marcelo’s childhood in Argentina.

In this episode, Marcelo reflects on his time at Belgrano Day School in Buenos Aires, where he experienced his first encounter with a uniquely British tradition: sorting students into houses. What started as a fascination with Hogwarts' sorting system turned into a nostalgic trip back to 1986, when Marcelo and his classmates were assigned to houses named after cardinal directions—North, East, South, and West.Marcelo recounts his anticipation, the friendships that shaped his early school years, and the heartbreak of not receiving his house t-shirt on sorting day. Join him as he explores how this tradition shaped his experience in a bilingual school as the child of a diplomat, weaving together personal stories, cultural insights, and the whimsical connection between real-world traditions and the Wizarding World.

Did you catch the title reference to Edie Brickell & New Bohemians’ song The Wheel? Moving constantly, as I did growing up, made that song almost prophetic. Every move meant everything changed—friends, schools, the shows on TV. My parents tried to make each new place feel like home, even though it was a constant challenge. The familiarity of little things—my toys, our VHS tapes, even cereal boxes—became my grounding elements in the whirlwind.We clung to routines, like Saturday night movie marathons featuring our favorite recorded classics, complete with the commercials my dad sometimes missed while editing. These were our moments of ‘normalcy’ before the inevitable uprooting would start again. Disney World pit stops before each move became one of my parents’ traditions for us—a sweet pause before each new chapter. Looking back, each trip marked my journey from kid to young adult, finding threads of constancy in the most transient of lives.Thanks to social media, I’ve reconnected with old friends, though many friendships faded naturally, as they do when your entire life is spent on the move. Reunions and conversations have shown me how time distills memories into shared nostalgia. Friendships come and go, leaving their marks before life pulls us in different directions again, as a line from Casablanca aptly puts it: “We will always have Paris.”

In this episode, I dives into the personal and political twists that led his family to Switzerland in the early '90s. Join him as he shares stories from Brazil’s turbulent 1989 election, his father’s complicated role in the political arena, and the familial ties that helped orchestrate their escape to Geneva. From the first taste of Swiss snow to navigating the world of Brazilian politics, this episode blends family anecdotes with an insider's perspective on diplomatic life. For a unique blend of humor, nostalgia, and a glimpse into the surreal world of diplomatic assignments, don’t miss "The Big Cheese."

In this heartfelt episode of Diplobrat, Marcelo Hosannah takes listeners on an emotional journey into his family’s storied past. This narrative intertwines personal childhood memories with a rich historical background, focusing on the legacy of Marcelo’s maternal grandfather, Dr. João Jacques Dornelles.Key Highlights:Childhood Memories: Marcelo opens with a vivid scene of arriving at his grandmother’s house in Rio, filled with the excitement of family reunions. He shares how, as a child, the unique chime of the doorbell signaled the start of vacations.Family Legacy and Roots: The episode provides an engaging account of the Dornelles family's origins, tracing back to Portuguese settlers in the 1700s who became prominent rice farmers in Rio Grande do Sul. Marcelo’s grandfather, born on November 11, 1910, in Alegrete, was the 10th of 11 children in a tight-knit, complex family dynamic.A Life of Resilience and Achievement: After facing early hardships, including the death of his father when he was five, João Jacques pursued higher education in Medicine and specialized in oncology at Johns Hopkins University. His career flourished as he brought innovative medical practices back to Brazil and served as the director of Miguel Couto Hospital.A Personal Connection: Marcelo reflects on his grandfather’s luxurious lifestyle and love for travel, watches, and photography, while acknowledging his struggles with smoking, which ultimately led to his passing from lung cancer in 1984.A Moment of Truth: The episode closes with a poignant memory from Marcelo’s early childhood, capturing the moment his grandmother shared the news of his grandfather’s death with a simple, yet profound, “Honey, grandpa died.”This episode of Diplobrat blends the personal and historical seamlessly, shedding light on how Marcelo’s heritage has shaped his identity and storytelling.Listen to this episode for a touching exploration of family, legacy, and the bittersweet truths of life.

Episode 2: The Hosannah Legacy – A Diplomatic Family's StoryDescription: In this episode of Diplobrat, Marcelo Hosannah delves into the rich legacy of his family, tracing the roots of his diplomatic lineage. He shares the story of his grandfather, Eduardo Moreira Hosannah, a distinguished Brazilian diplomat whose career spanned some of the most pivotal moments in Brazil’s history. From navigating the political corridors of Brasília to prestigious assignments across the world, Ambassador Hosannah left an indelible mark on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Marcelo takes listeners on a journey through time, highlighting the challenges, achievements, and personal anecdotes that shaped his family’s path in the diplomatic world. From the early days in Rio to postings in Rome, Montevideo, Paris, and beyond, this episode offers a glimpse into the intricate dynamics of a career in diplomacy.Episode Highlights:How Marcelo's grandfather’s career began in the post-WWII era, and his journey from law school to the Rio Branco InstituteThe competitive nature of diplomatic postings, especially coveted ones like Washington, London, and Paris, and the behind-the-scenes politics that secured themThe family’s connection to Brazilian history, including links to former Governor Jesus Burlamaqui Hosannah and the legacy left behindMemories of Ambassador Hosannah's storied career, spanning postings during Brazil’s military regime and through the transition back to democracyTouching moments from Marcelo's own memories, including seeing his grandfather’s enduring respect at the Itamaraty Palace, decades after his retirementTune in to discover how one family's story of resilience, ambition, and diplomatic service continues to inspire across generations.

Episode 1: The Never-ending Habit of Starting Over – Navigating New BeginningsDescription: In this inaugural episode of Diplobrat, Marcelo Hosannah takes us back to one of his earliest memories as a young, wide-eyed Brazilian diplomat’s son. From the moment he moved to Argentina at the age of five, thrust into a classroom where Spanish was a strange new language, to the sense of confusion and embarrassment he felt as he navigated this unfamiliar world, Marcelo shares the poignant experience of adapting to new cultures and environments.This episode dives deep into the challenge of starting over, again and again, in a life where change is the only constant. Marcelo reflects on the unique experiences of growing up in a diplomatic family, where academic calendars never quite aligned, and every relocation was a step into the unknown.Episode Highlights:Marcelo’s first experience with a foreign language in an Argentinian kindergartenThe complexities of educational systems around the world and how they impacted his upbringingInsightful memories of life in Brasília, the planned capital city of Brazil, with its distinctive layout and vibrant diplomatic communityA glimpse into his family's history, including his father’s journey as a diplomat and his mother’s life-changing decision to embrace a global lifestyleThe sense of constant adaptation and resilience required of a ‘diplobrat’Listen now to join Marcelo on a journey through the joys, challenges, and unforgettable memories of life as a global nomad.