Tracks From Abroad
Tracks From Abroad amplifies diverse voices at the University of Toronto through international music and open-minded discussion. The show features weekly interviews with international students, U of T professors, and local artists. It explores the multicultural city of Toronto, Canada. Contact the podcast at TracksFromAbroad@ciut.fm.
Episodes
Tracks From Abroad Finale
China - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 161
South Asian Diaspora Part 2 - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 160
South Asian Diaspora Part 1 - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 159
United Arab Emirates - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 158
Saskatchewan - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 157
Ireland Diaspora Part 2 - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 156
Ireland Diaspora Part 1 - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 155
Saudi Arabia - Tracks From Abroad - Ep. 154
Indigenous Canada Pt. 2 - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 153
Indigenous Canada Pt. 1 - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 152
Jewish Culture - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 151
Special 150th Episode - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 150
Finland - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 149
Venezuela - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 148
New Zealand - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 147
Serbia - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 146
Our guest, Ava, shares stories about her Serbian heritage!
Germany - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 145
Our director, Elžbieta, was able to travel to Germany in person to interview a U of T alum, Mia Lorenz about her experiences as a German-Canadian living in Cologne!
Dominican Republic - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 144
Meet The Team - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 143
Each of our team members share a bit about themselves, their roles at TFA, and the music they love in this first episode of Season 12!
Season's Favourites - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 142
A review of all of our favourite tracks from this past season!
Holiday Special - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 141
Hear from the guests of TFA throughout this season to hear about what makes this time of year special to them, and what songs they like to hear!
Zimbabwe - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 140
Albania - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 139
Philippines - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 138
British Columbia - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 137
Singapore - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 136
England - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 135
Czech Republic - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 134
Kazakhstan - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 133
North Macedonia - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 132
Chile - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 131
Switzerland/Morocco - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 130
Illinois - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 129
Cyprus - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 125
Newfoundland - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 124
Japan - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 123
Bermuda - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 122
Lithuania - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 121
Sierra Leone - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 120
Cameroon - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 119
California - Tracks from Abroad Ep.118
Guyana - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 117
We speak to Dakota about Guyana on the 117th episode of Tracks From Abroad. She shares about visiting the country to see family and also explains more recent economic developments in the country, shaping the country's future. We hear music from the likes of Bing Serrao and the Ramblers, a Canadian Guyanese band who have been around since the 1950s, as well as Jospeh of Mercury and Anjulie, both Ca
Congo - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 116
On the 116th episode of Tracks From Abroad, Tela and Tegra take us on a tour of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They reminisce about how big, supportive Congolese families let you experiment with different careers, and how a certain subgroup likes to spend their hard-earned cash on dazzling, colourful suits. Both looking good and feeling good is crucial to Congolese culture, so sit back or g
Afghanistan - Tracks from Abroad Ep.115
On the 115th episode of Tracks From Abroad we speak to Omer from Afghanistan. Seeking refuge from his home country, he first arrived in the United States before seeking asylum in Canada. Omer had a goal to study at the University of Toronto, and after retaking a year of high school, he achieved his dream and is currently pursuing a second degree at the University. Omer speaks about the importance
Taiwan - Tracks from Abroad Ep. 114
The 114th episode of Tracks From Abroad is all about Taiwan. We talk to Scott, who guides us through the island nation's combination of bustling city and tranquil forest. He also speaks about his heartache-tinged rom-com films and the universal appeal of country & blues. So strum your guitar to the tunes we play on this episode and find out what whether the Taiwanese feel the blues like we do!
Belize – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 113
Today’s special edition of Tracks From Abroad takes us to Central America, more specifically Belize. We first speak to Cha Chi, owner of Cha Chi’s Pizza in Placencia. He talks about the music scene in Belize, noting some famous acts that have been through his doors to preform. Lord Rhaburn, C-Wills and the Garifuna Collective are just a few of the incredible acts he mentions that we get to hear on
Germany – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 112
On the 112th episode of Tracks from Abroad we take a voyage to Deutschland and speak to student Victoria and University College Principal Marcus Stock. Victoria speaks about her time growing up in Germany, visiting many different cities, all with their unique charm. She also touches on the ethos of young German kids drinking away at Oktoberfest, listening to, in her humble opinion, unironically go
Pakistan – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 111
On episode 111 of Tracks from Abroad we speak to CIUT legend, ex-volunteer coordinator Razzak Noorani. Razzak hails from Pakistan, and brings us some lovely Chai to sip on throughout the course of our interview. Razzak also DJs and shares with us some of the trials and tribulations he’s faced over the course of his music career.
We listen to some of his music that’s been released to the world but
Tibet - Tracks From Abroad Ep. 110
Today on Tracks from Abroad we visit Tibet and speak to Phd student Thinley Gyatso. Not to be confused with the Thinley Gyatso who wrote about traditional Tibetan medicine, rather this Thinley is more focused on studying Buddhist religious philosophy. He explains to us his youth living in a nomadic community and Tibetan people's immense respect and connection to nature. We hear some of Thinley's f
France- Tracks From Abroad Ep. 109
While Tracks from Abroad has visited France before, today we are back with guest Baptiste on episode 109. Baptiste specifically shared his love for French hip-hop and gives us a musical tour from the early 90s to the new-wave gaining steam today. We briefly dive into Quebecois rap, and hope to return will a full episode on Quebec someday soon. Baptiste touches on the coldness of mathematics versus
Bali- Tracks From Abroad Ep. 108
On the 108th episode of Tracks from Abroad we speak to Dipta from the Indonesian island of Bali. We learn about their traditional silent day, where everything on the island shuts down and pepole take time to reflect upon the year. We learn about why Dipta came to study in Toronto and also about traditional Balinese Gamelan music. We listen to a Canadian Balinese Gamelan group called the Evergreen
China- Tracks From Abroad Ep. 107
On this week's episode of tracks from abroad we have a new host! Famous board tech Matthew hops on the mic to interview a friend from China, Arthur. They speak about linguistic varieties often supressed in China, as well as modern C-pop sung in Mandarin. We then take a listen to a wide variety of Chinese-Canadian musicians from Andrew Huang, a talented pianist, to Monsune, an up and coming indie p
Spain- Tracks From Abroad Ep. 106
The 106th episode of Tracks From Abroad is all about Spain. We speak to U of T student Cesar who shares with us Spanish music with unexpected influences, from the bagpipes and fiddle of Celitc-influenced northern Spain to prog driven by Spanish guitars. Cesar also teaches us about the wild west of mathematics, including unsolved problems (which are really difficult to guess) and the bounties place
Eritrea– Tracks From Abroad Ep.105
This week on Tracks from Abroad we speak to Soliana, a student at the University of Toronto representing the country of Eritrea.
She tells us about an event hosted recently by her student association, bringing people together from all across east Africa to enjoy a delicious meal together. She speaks on the similarities between Eritreans and Ethiopians, and describes a unique coffee ceremony that c
Kosovo – Tracks From Abroad Ep.104
On the 104th episode of Tracks From Abroad we travel to Kosovo. We speak to Vesa, who tells us about after-dinner walks, the growing Kosovar arts scene, and the recent split between traditional Kosovar folk and increasingly international pop.
After listening to Vesa's recommended folk songs, we speak with Sahati, an upcoming pop musician and product of the Kosovar arts scene. She tells us about he
Vietnam – Tracks From Abroad Ep.103
On the 103rd episode of Tracks From Abroad we travel to Vietnam. Sing along to a collection of Vietnamese pop hits and much more as we travel through the karaoke capital of the world!
Between songs we speak to Phong and Emily of the U of T Viet Student Association, and they were happy to shed light on the Vietnamese food, card-playing, and the interplay between music and business. Seth also brings
Georgia – Tracks From Abroad Ep.102
On the 102nd episode of Tracks From Abroad we go to Georgia (The country, not the state! As our guest, Leli, reminds us).
She speaks about some of the misconceptions people have about the Caucasus nation and shares about her own experience coming to live in Canada after growing up in Georgia. We also speak about Georgian polyphonic singing and hear from classical Georgian groups as well as a s
Hong Kong – Tracks From Abroad Ep.101
This week Tracks From Abroad voyages to Hong Kong and speaks to Young Luk. Young reflects on the British influence that prevails throughout Hong Kong, from the education system, all the way through to music and movies.
We speak about the golden age of Cantonpop and hear tracks from some greats of the byegone era, including Leslie Cheung, Andy Lau and Susanna Kwan. We get an English language tr
Mauritius – Tracks From Abroad Ep.100
On Tracks From Abroad’s landmark 100th episode we take a trip to the small island country of Mauritius. We speak to Henny, who also happens to be a CIUT volunteer, helping around the radio station with various different shows.
Henny teaches us about a special type of music in Mauritius, Sega, as well as the rise in popularity of Mauritian DJs, spinning their fare at parties all across the island
Bulgaria – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 99
This week Tracks From Abroad visits Bulgaria. We talk to Mina and, having lived in Bulgaria, Switzerland, and now Canada, she provides a well-rounded perspective on Canadian culture.
Mina contrasts Torontonian hustle culture with Bulgarian slow living, and she discusses how, in Bulgaria, it's not what you do, but who you do it with. But there is also much that Bulgaria and Canada share, as we talk
New Brunswick – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 98
This week, Tracks From Abroad stays local, in the sense that our guest comes from inside Canada. We talk to Cedric, a classical guitar student who hails from New Brunswick.
We hear all about the interesting places he’s performed, the difference between playing classical and electric guitar, as well as his experience being in two bands. Across the episode we listen to a smattering of music from the
The Bahamas – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 97
During one of the coldest weeks of the winter, Tracks From Abroad takes you to the temperate Bahamas.
We kick back with Adam Knowles, a student at U of T who enjoys both the complexities of neuroscience and the thrill of spear fishing. He tells us about what it's like to live in a popular tourist destination and how life on the archipelago is so closely tied to the climate, with hurricanes and cli
Estonia – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 96
Back from the winter break Tracks from Abroad returns with episode 96 on Estonia. We speak to a daughter-father combo of Kaisa Kasekamp and her dad, Professor Andres Kasekamp.
First, Kaisa talks about growing up in Estonia and teaches us about the vibrant Estonian community here in Toronto. She speaks about slow Estonian living and the natural beauty of bogs located in the country.
Professor Kasek
Meet the Team – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 95
Happy New Year from the team at Tracks From Abroad! On episode 95 we take you behind the scenes and into the minds of the wonderful people who work on the show. As Tracks From Abroad is a fully student-run show, we thought it would be nice to turn the spotlight inwards and hear what the crew has to say about the show they produce each week.
First we hear from editors Simon and Rosa, as they debate
Best of Season 9 – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 94
As the year comes to an end during this wonderful holiday season, enjoy our highlights from Season 9 of Tracks From Abroad!
Colombia – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 93
On the latest episode of Tracks from Abroad, we stay put in South America and travel across one border, to Colombia. First we sit down and chat with Nathalia, who studies linguistics and shares about her upbringing watching dubbed Spanish tv shows as a kid. She speaks about Colombian artists becoming more Americanized and also educates us about the many differences between Spanish spoken all aroun
Venezuela 2 – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 92
After a week in the Middle East, our Tracks From Abroad team is bringing you to South America on episode 92!
For the first interview, our hosts speak to Giovanna from Venezuela. After moving to Canada at 16, she first studied architectural drafting and is currently completing another degree in architecture at the University of Toronto. Growing up in the music capital of Venezuela, Barquisimeto, sh
Sudan – Tracks From Abroad Ep. 91
Tracks From Abroad is beginning our 10th season this week with a new country! Today we visit Sudan with two U of T students who joined our hosts for a double-interview.
Omar speaks to his Sudanese culture regarding food, as well as his upbringing in Dubai, and the differences he finds living now in Toronto. Omar's friend Aly tells us about his father, a tour guide, and mentions his dream to open
Kurdistan – Tracks From Abroad Ep.90
10 episodes down and new hosts Alex and Seth have traveled all across the world, listening to unique stories from the community at the University of Toronto. Today, landing in Kurdistan for episode 90, we hear from PhD student Sinem and learn about the field of Ethnomusicology.
Focusing on non-western frame drums, Sinem studies the significance of these instruments in female led circles across Nor
Argentina and Ecuador – Tracks From Abroad Ep.89
Episode 89 of Tracks from Abroad first brings us to Ecuador, where we speak to Tomas. He speaks about his love of the cello and his aspiration to play in symphonic orchestras. But it's not all strings and seriousness - we also hear about his affection for danceable Ecuadorian music, which he hears when he meets with other Ecuadorian-Canadians and which you will hear on this episode.
We then travel
Bangladesh – Tracks From Abroad Ep.88
Episode 88 of Tracks from Abroad brings us to Bangladesh, where we speak to Neha. She speaks about her interests while studying at the university and about how language plays a big role in Bengali culture. She reminisces on her time living in Bangladesh and later speaks to being involved in the community on campus, advocating for commuter students.
We hear some classic Bengali folk tracks as w
Rwanda/Madagascar – Tracks From Abroad Ep.87
On episode 87 of Tracks From Abroad, we take a visit to two African countries, one on the mainland and another off the coast.
We first speak to Skylar from Rwanda, who tells us about his journey moving to Uganda, and more recently about his time thus far in Toronto. He touches upon his love for film and fashion, as well as his artistic expression through writing.
We then speak to Madagascar-born D
Myanmar/India – Tracks From Abroad Ep.86
Episode 86 of Tracks From Abroad starts in India, where we talk to Harman Grewal, a PhD student from West Bengal. While chatting with us, Harman describes how his his family journeyed through the jungle from Myanmar to their current home in India. We make a similar trek as we cross the border into Myanmar, where we talk to globetrotting photographer Bryan Dickie and Napas Thein, president of U of
Hungary – Tracks From Abroad Ep.85
This week on Tracks From Abroad we speak to a Shaolin Kung Fu World Champion from Hungary.
@misskisswushu is an architecture student at @uoftdaniels at @uoft , and she sat down with TFA’s hosts to discuss Kung Fu competitions in China, the building of UFO-shaped homes in Hungary, and her method for goal-setting both in class and in the real world.
On this episode of TFA you’ll be exposed to Hung
Azerbaijan – Tracks From Abroad Ep.84
On episode 84 of Tracks From Abroad we visit Azerbaijan, a country situated at a crossroads of cultures.
Our TFA hosts spoke with Matin Muradli, an Azerbaijani exchange student studying biology with a focus on stem cells. Matin tells us about car racing in Baku, Azerbaijani cuisine, and his experience as a two-time Biology Olympiad.
Later on the broadcast we chatted with Artemis Sadeghi, founder o
Scotland – Tracks From Abroad Ep.83
On episode 83 of Tracks From Abroad we visited Scotland, a country with an especially strong cultural influence on eastern Canadian provinces like Prince Edward Island where 41% of the population is Scottish!
TFA's hosts spoke with Megan, an exchange student studying linguistics with a special interest in sign language. She is most familiar with British Sign Language, although she plans to take a
South Korea – Tracks From Abroad Ep.82
For episode 82 of Tracks From Abroad we finally visited South Korea!
TFA hosts Alex and Seth spoke with Ryan Cho, a student of Ethics, Society, & Law at U of T. Ryan talked about the appeal of K-pop, the changing values in Korean culture, and how he maintains his connection to the country.
You will also hear from Bill Ju, a human biology professor at U of T. We talked to Bill about his parent'
Greece – Tracks From Abroad Ep.81
For episode 81 of Tracks From Abroad we speak with Phaedra Archi, a Theatre and Performance & Cinema Studies student in U of T's drama department.
Phaedra talked about the Greek mythology that inspired her name, being bilingual, her love of the Greek mountains, Toronto's Greektown (does their food compare to authentic Greek food in Greece?), and her interest in the Performing Arts.
The music
Spain -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.80
We have been around the world in 80 episodes on Tracks From Abroad, and this week our outgoing host, Jesse, finished off with an episode on Spain.
Jesse visited Bilbao in the Basque part of Spain this summer, and today's episode you will hear music with traditional influences of the Basque Country. You will also hear music on this show played with traditional Basque instruments like the Txistu flu
