Montreal-born Angelo Tsarouchas is known as The Funny Greek. He cut his teeth in the comedy clubs of Ottawa and Toronto before heading to the United States, where he now lives. And his Greek heritage has been centre-stage in his comedy for over three decades. In this conversation with Philip Moscovitch, host of Countless Journey’s companion French podcast, D'innombrables Voyages, Angelo talks about how he draws on themes of home and heritage to hilarious effect ..read more

There’s nothing like food and friendship to warm up a cold night. On this episode, host Tina Pittaway heads to Antigonish Nova Scotia to drop in on a potluck dinner organized by the cast of New in Town, a recently staged community theatre show. Equal parts comedy and variety show, it brought together about a dozen recent immigrants from countries including Iran, Afghanistan, China and the United States. They formed strong bonds over the months of writing and rehearsing the show. Cast members and organizers pull back the curtain to share the experiences, stories and ideas that inspired the show ..read more

When Jordanian-born Nour Hadidi arrived in Canada to study commerce at McGill, a roommate introduced her to the world of stand-up comedy via YouTube. From that moment, Nour knew comedy was something she wanted to pursue. She finished her degree and worked for a few years in finance before taking the leap and working in comedy full-time as a television writer and stand-up comic. Brutally honest in her routines, Nour draws on her experience as a Muslim woman of colour making her own way on a career path that can sometimes be unwelcoming. “You know, it kind of takes over your life. There’s a rush ..read more

Sandy El-Bitar knows a thing or two about not doing OK. Her father died on the eve of her family’s immigration from Lebanon, she’s worked in palliative care, and, as a drama therapist, she spends her days helping people deal with emotional problems. But Sandy is also a comic — and instead of running away from the pain in life, she thinks there is something beautiful about finding the humour in it ..read more

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Toronto-born Hoodo Hersi knew the moment she made an elevator full of adults break out in laughter that she wanted to learn more about this thing called comedy. Born to a mother from Djibouti and a father from Somalia, Hoodo has pursued her dream of making it big in stand-up to New York City, where she lives now, making a living in one of the world’s toughest comedy markets. She tells how she landed a coveted spot on Late Night with Seth Myers on her second night in town, writing for television with Rami Youssef and opening for Hassan Minaj. She also discusses how she continues to hone her cra ..read more

A bonus episode recorded at the Dumpling Summit at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 ..read more

It’s been a tumultuous couple of years inside Iran, with protests over the killing of 22-year-old Masha Amini taking place in dozens of towns and cities around the world. In Toronto, which is home to the second-highest concentration of Iranians immigrants outside of Iran, the Mohyeddin siblings, Sally, Samira and Amir, have run Banu for eighteen years. Banu is an Iranian restaurant that blends political activism and delicious food. Alongside the heaping plates of pomegranate beef tenderloin and okra and eggplant stew are reminders of the politics of the home they left behind. Photos of Iranian ..read more

Apple and pear trees are common sights along the South Shore of Nova Scotia, but a new nursery just outside Lunenburg is bringing a vast array of new species of fruit trees to the area. Originally from Germany, Annette Clarke moved to British Columbia in the early 2000’s to study the ecosystems within the old growth forests of the West Coast. Her love of trees is a life-long one, and it eventually led her to open a nursery in that province. But when climate change brought the threat of intensified forest fires and longer-than-usual droughts, Annette began to look for a new home that would be s ..read more

For many people who are uprooted from their lives in their homeland, the foods of home are often the first things they want to share, and the last connection to home that they hang onto. That’s certainly true for Edmonton’s Reichert family. Saul Reichert was the sole surviving member of his immediate family when he arrived in Canada as a Jewish war orphan aboard the SS Sturgis in 1948. He was one of 1,123 orphans brought to Canada through the Jewish War Orphans Project, spearheaded by the Canadian Jewish Congress. Saul soon found work at a diner called Teddy’s Restaurant, and would go on to be ..read more