Mo' Sibyl

소원과 희망| The One with Mo! – What The New Year Brings: Episode 1 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: What The New Year Brings

If I could make a list of the many ways I would have wanted to herald in the new year, undergoing a major surgery would never have been on that list. But it was precisely what happened this year. With the excitement of the new year also came the frightened resolve to put my life and body on the line, yet again, for a chance to have a somewhat pain-free life.

And while I cannot go into the specifics yet, in this episode, you will hear just how my surgical experience helped me with a perspective shift that could possibly last all through this year and beyond. Also, I did lots of shout-outs to my friends and family who saw me through this painful but illuminating period.

I hope this episode gives someone else too the courage to keep seeking answers to those health questions that seem unresolved. Here’s wishing you the best of health and may a lot of good things happen to you as well in this new year.

PS: With a single click, you can now rate the podcast. Kindly leave a rating/comments:

RateThisPodcast.com/mosibyl

집에 갈 때| The One with T-Dawg (Again) – On Going Back Home to Nigeria: Episode 43 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with T-Dawg (Again) – On Going Back Home to Nigeria

It’s been eight years since T-Dawg visited Nigeria. Before we boarded the plane, I did a sesh with him to gauge his expectations – which sadly were non-existent. But I did try to dig out some potential things to be excited about regarding going back home.

We also answered a personal question from one of our listeners about our braces.

Hint: If you are using your teeth, you are doing it all wrong. Well, you have to listen to find out what this is about.

Happy New Year, and may it be the best year yet!

자유를 위해| The One with Stephanie Fuccio – Hysterectomy Saved My Life?: Episode 42 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Stephanie Fuccio– Hysterectomy Saved My Life?

Hello Mosiblings! Merry Christmas!!!

Here’s reintroducing Stephanie Fuccio! Steph, as I call her, is an amazing ball of energy! She’s one of my podmentors who has blazed the trails for people like me. Steph was born in New York City and has intentionally taught English in a few countries in places in Asia like Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, and China. She currently lives in Shanghai. She is also the host of the Geopats Podcast.

Today, I am sharing Steph’s story of her hysterectomy. Though we both agree that this is a procedure that’s too overprescribed in the US, it did save her life and relieve her of excruciating and heavy periods. Listen to hear all about this and more, especially on why we need to create more spaces for women to be able to talk about their period and vaginal health.

By sharing this episode, we both hope to have a world where women are more comfortable talking to each other about these issues. To form allies and microcommunities and hopefully strike up a conversation with the woman next to us in the waiting room or checkout line.

극복 자| The One with Kelly Mendenhall – From Mess to Message; On Trauma Survival and Recovery: Episode 41 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Kelly “Nerdzilla” Mendenhall – From Mess to Message; On Trauma Survival and Recovery

How do you mourn the loss of your functionality, especially when you feel betrayed by your body? In this episode, Kelly “Nerdzilla” Mendenhall talked about coping with chronic pain and invisible illnesses and the process of grieving what used to be.

We also talked about medical gaslighting and the need for women, especially, to keep seeking spaces where they can be heard and understood. In the meantime, don’t forget to utilize your pharmacist as the no. 1 resource for drug safety.

Kelly Mendenhall lives in Middle Tennessee and, in 2017, became medically disabled and unable to work outside the home. Her mission is to show the world that a medical diagnosis does not have to mark the end of one’s story. She describes herself as a spoonie and is ½ of the @Nonmomhappyhour podcast

이민 연대기| The One with Five Immigration Stories - On Mental Anguish and Familial Separation: Episode 40 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Five Immigration Stories - On Mental Anguish and Familial Separation

Life in the United States ain’t easy; contrary to what many people think. In this episode, I share five unique immigration stories of people who moved to the US on different tracks. The common thread here is how they all overcame a lot of odds to be where they are today. The hope is to encourage those who are currently in these situations to never give up, especially international students who feel trapped in the US, particularly at this time of the year.

For those in the position to do this, reach out to an international student and if possible, invite them over for Christmas for dinner or something. Or even engage them in conversations and you will be amazed at how much these acts of kindness will go a long way.

PS: Thanks to Ada U, Olabimpe, Linda J, T-Dawg, and Morin for sharing their inspiring stories.

힐링 스토리| The One with Morin Omopariola - On Divorce Stories and X-Files: Episode 39 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Morin Omopariola - On Divorce Stories and X-Files

You asked; I listened. By popular demand, the audio version of my Facebook Live show with Morin Omopariola is now available on my website – www.mosbiyl.com as well as Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Anchor, and wherever you get your pod on.

So why am I releasing an episode on a Tuesday? Well because the lessons from this episode deserve such attention. Using an introspective and exploratory approach, Morin and I talked a lot about her divorce, missteps she took before and during her first marriage, the lies and traps she believed and fell for, and the red flags that were ignored that eventually led to her being jailed. Since our talk on Saturday, Morin’s commitment towards helping women especially those who are undergoing abuse in their relationship is renewed now more than ever.

Finally, remember that abuse, in any form, even the emotional kind is never OK. You are not as alone as you think and your salvation is just around the corner. Reach out today if you or someone you know is in a similar situation.

Morin has generously provided her email address if you need to talk to her directly - morinogunlade@yahoo.com

정신과 의사| The One with Dr. Manuel Mota-Castillo- On Attention-Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder: Episode 38 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Dr. Manuel Mota-Castillo- On Attention-Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder

Dear, Mosiblings!

I was honored to have had Dr. Manuel Mota-Castillo – a child and adolescent psychiatrist – on the show. Dr. Mota is Dominican Republic descent and for the past 28 years has served people of all ages in Florida, NM and Arizona and currently practices in Florida.

In this episode, we talk all things ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder); its definition, reasons for hyperactivity in children, and how it should be rightfully diagnosed and conservatively managed. Drawing from his clinical experience and using his latest book as a guide, Dr. Mota helps clarifies the differences between ADHD, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional-defiant disorder. Dr. Mota also provided answers to the audience questions on the roles of diet, vaccines, CBD oil on ADHD; resources for parents; reasons for over-diagnosis and overuse of stimulants; causes of ADHD; and implication for children in third-world countries with ADHD.

Finally, I hope this episode serves as a reminder for parents and caregivers to seek second and third opinions regarding these diagnoses before pumping your kids/wards with the wrong medications. In the meantime, go grab a copy of his latest book on ADHD; it’s a worthy read!

투병 중인 암| The One with Dr. Ernie Kaninjing – On Black Men and Prostate Cancer: Episode 37 (2019)

투병 중인 암| The One with Dr. Ernie Kaninjing – On Black Men and Prostate Cancer

Dear, Mosiblings!

In this episode, you will see me get my nerdy on, like for real. I began conducting cancer research since 2012 and my focus was on Black men. This interest was borne from a personal loss of my father-figure who lost his battle to prostate cancer in 2006. My research focuses on the socio-behavioral aspects of cancer and measuring outcomes related to the cancer continuum from prevention to survivorship.

While cancer is very difficult to understand, there are several proactive tips we can take to reduce our likelihood of getting it and also with early detection, improving our chances of not dying from it. In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Ernest Kaninjing – another cancer scientist who hails from Cameroon – to talk about why Black men are at the most risk of prostate cancer than men of other ethnicities and what we can all do to begin to close that disparity gap.

Together, we unpacked our collective experience, spanning several publications and collaborations with other scientists all over Africa, Caribbean, and the US, to explore stigma, myths, risk factors, awareness, prevention, detection, survivorship, advocacy, and so much more related to cancer. In this period of thanksgiving, in addition to bickering about politics over the dinner table, I hope we can use this opportunity to have meaningful discussions with our loved ones about their health. I hope this episode serves as a reminder to those reading this to get their health check done. Wives, girlfriends, baby-mamas, nieces, and sisters, let’s get to work on improving the health of the men in our lives.

If you liked this episode, please let me know and don’t forget to share.

Summary Notes:

Get a yearly checkup done; know your numbers!

Know your family history (if you can).

Exercise regularly and consume more food with beneficial nutrients.

We also made a video about this episode; you can watch the 1-hr long feature on YouTube: http://bit.ly/prostatecancerYT2019

Be well and Happy Thanksgiving,

Mo!

우리의 여권| The One with Two Nigerians - Renewing your Nigerian Passport in the US: Episode 36 (2019)

우리의 여권| The One with Two Nigerians - Renewing your Nigerian Passport in the US: Episode 36 (2019)

Ha! My dearest Nigerians! It’s that time of the year again when the holidays are around the corner and a lot of you are considering flying back to Nigeria to celebrate with family (don't do it)! But then you remember that your passport is expired and you are dreading to get it renewed.

Fret not, dear friends! This episode will help guide your passport renewal process, especially whether or not you have a US passport and if you need to apply for your underage child(ren). Knowing how scary the Nigerian embassy can be like, my guest – Dr. Temitope and I will be holding your hands all through with our detailed description and plentiful tips that abound in this episode. Whether you end up doing it in DC, Atlanta, or New York, know that a lot of these passport officials are still as scary and irksome as can be – so pop a Xanax or two beforehand (and don’t forget your Hail Marys and prayer beads too) because two angries don’t make a right.

If it’s of any consolation, the Nigerian passport renewal process is lots better than Zimbabwe’s (listen to find out how so). Also listen to our suggestions to the Nigerian Immigration Service on how the renewal process can be made better, especially leveraging already existing technology in the US.

All in all, I hope that we can enter the passport office one day and be greeted with smiles, top-notch customer service, and certainly no NTA playing on an analog TV caged to the window. Or even better still, scrap the mandatory, costly trips to the doggone embassies and do the whole process online! A girl can dream.

If you liked this episode, please let me know and don’t forget to share. God bless Nigeria!

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙨𝙞 𝙅, 𝙊𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙚 𝙎, 𝘼𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝘼, 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙖 𝘼, 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖 𝙅 (𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙕𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙬𝙚), 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙙𝙖 𝙐, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.

열정적인 사람들| The One with Naga Subramanya: Strictly Podfessional – On Passion, Purpose, and Podcasting: Episode 35 (2019)

열정적인 사람들| The One with Naga Subramanya: Strictly Podfessional – On Passion, Purpose, and Podcasting: Episode 35 (2019)

Naga Subramanya, who is Indian and lives in Bangalore, is one of the guys trying to do great things in the world. You only have to hear his story to see his passion for living and purpose. And speaking of passion, he began a podcast with that same title - Passion People Podcast – while couch-surfing during a gap year he took three years ago. As a Nigerian, the concept of taking a gap year (except the JAMB-enforced kind) is as alien to me as adopting a vegan cat. And I think my fellow Indians might agree with me on this one. But hear from Naga, who did just that in 2016.

We also explored Naga’s childhood, the peculiarity and opportunities of dating in India, given the caste system and the increasing adoption of technology and dating apps. How he waited two years to ask his wife out and another nine years before he could finally get to marry her. So I made him leave, Krithika, his dear wife, a love note in his native tongue. Finally, Naga and I talked about his concept of self-love and body image.

창작자의 생활| The One with Loretta: The Life of a Creative and Other Stories: Episode 34 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 창작자의 생활| The One with Loretta: The Life of a Creative and Other Stories: Episode 34 (2019)

As a Nigerian who moved to the US in her 20’s, it was quite a challenge making long-lasting friends, especially due to cultural differences and well, inadequately managed expectations. All of which I talked about with my guest.

So meet Loretta Nwandu: who moved to the US at the age of 15 to begin college and later earned a Masters in Engineering Management. Listen to her story on how she acculturated, found community, and built friendship. Loretta and I both believe in multiculturalism and it's one of the many reasons we love the US! Today, Loretta lives in Atlanta where she does ministry work for Jesus and uses her skills as a creative to meet the needs of her clients.

In this episode, you also get to hear about the unique opportunity and challenges of being a creative person as well as the duality of being one while under the employment of someone else.

축구와 인생| The One with Cyrus: The Iranian-Mexican American & Football Coach – On Why We All Need to Fail: Episode 33 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Cyrus: The Iranian-Mexican American & Football Coach – On Why We All Need to Fail: Episode 33 (2019)

It’s my 33rd episode this year! How auspicious considering I am raising funds for my educational scholarship – The 33 Project. If you are yet to donate and will like to (really I accept all currencies and denominations), kindly click on the donate link below. The GoFundMe page is looking all lonesome without your contribution :-D. Also, we are now accepting applications for the scholarship beneficiaries (see link below).

For this week’s episode, I was honored to have Cyrus Mohseni on the show to talk about his life and passion who was born to an Iranian father and a Mexican mom (you need to listen to hear how they met – it’s a better love story than La La land (don’t @ me)) in Bellflower, California. Cyrus started playing football at the age of three in American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), eventually moving to Europe at 18 and even got signed with Icelandic club Vestri. Now armed with the title of a former professional soccer player, Cyrus has been coaching for over six years and through his charity – Giving Football, he provides underprivileged youth the opportunity to play football. Cyrus is also the founding party of the Keystone Team – a family-owned real-estate business located in Southern California.

In this episode, we talked about his upbringing, what soccer meant (and still means to him), how he navigated a career switch, and why we all need to rethink our attitude towards failure.

나의 열정| The One with Mo! + CausePods – Why I Do What I Do: Episode 32 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo! + CausePods – Why I Do What I Do: Episode 32 (2019)

This week, I share an episode I did on Causepods; a passion project of The Podcast Consultant, Mathew Passy. Mathew’s platform is designed to interview folks who are using podcasts to raise awareness for a good cause.

During this time, we talked about why I started my podcast platform (hint, it began with my love of radio as a child of the 80s) and how I have been able to build community through my episodes. I also talked about my heritage as a Nigerian and my love for the Korean culture, as well as how I address tough issues for Black and Asian communities.

Finally, I shared my passion for education and how the gift of education has helped me become and what I am currently doing to give that gift to indigent children and families in Nigeria via my educational scholarship project – The 33 Project.

You can read more about Mathew here: https://www.thepodcastconsultant.com/about-me

고마운 여행| The One with Claire Mukashyaka – From Rwanda with Love: Episode 31 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Claire Mukashyaka – From Rwanda with Love

Hear from Claire, on her life as a child growing up in post-genocidal Rwanda being born at the cusp of the Rwandan genocide. On how education paved the way for her as a young girl growing up in rural Rwanda, herding cows to now working in Boston as a PK/PD modeling (pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling) scientist working on precision genetic medicine for patients with rare genetic-based diseases. Hear about the change agents and sacrifices that got her there.

Claire also shared about her recent grad experience on academic failure. The hope is to encourage anyone struggling with grad school, especially when to make crucial decisions for when to take a pause and explore other options.

About Claire: Born and raised in Rwanda in East Africa, she is the number five of seven children with three brothers and three sisters, five nieces and three nephews. She moved to the USA in 2012 for a college education at Oklahoma Christian University, where she graduated with BSc in Biochemistry in 2016. She then started graduate school at OUHSC in 2016, and just graduated with an MS in Pharmaceutical sciences in 2019.

모의 일기| The One with Mo! – On Bad and Good News: Episode 30 (2019)

모의 일기| The One with Mo! – On Bad and Good News: Episode 30 (2019)

The past year has been a rollercoaster of fun and not-so-much fun stuff. In this bare-all episode, which was taped at the cusp of turning 33, I shared some good and bad news about a recent medical diagnosis and the odyssey it took to get there.

Giving how overwhelming as you expect this to be, I brought my therapy dawg – T-Dawg – back on the show for moral support. I also reflected on what year 32 great which included having the courage to face some personal demons, practicing vulnerability, responsibility, faith, and creative expressions.

Perhaps, the one message I will leave here to encourage anyone reading this is to remember that suffering is an integral part of life. We all suffer; we all are just not equipped in talking about it. Also that in suffering we can find meaning and I have found just that in mine and that is using my story to set people free and that by lifting a load off of others, I find my own pain tolerable. It’s why I started that #33Project. If you know me, you know I am big on education. So I implore you all to consider donating towards this cause. No amount is too small (see links below).

I also hope this episode serves as a reminder that in addition to the greatness that you all see that abounds in me, you now get to hear about some of the sufferings as well, to understand that this is just the right margin God needs to show his supremacy. And that his grace is just enough balm to sooth this wild ride of a life I am blessed to have. And even if it is schadenfreude you take out of my message, that’s also very OK, haha.

That said, I am grateful for life. Yesterday, I spent the whole day with my favorite person in the world doing things as simple as getting on a cable car, eating at my favorite Korean restaurant, going on a late-night movie date, and walking hand-in-hand chatting like a couple of teenagers in love without a care in the world. Life’s good, indeed.

Thank you all for your messages and calls.

I remain your lantern,

Mo!

운니 교수님| The One with Dr. Elizabeth Unni – On Integrating Academia and Motherhood: Episode 29 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Dr. Elizabeth Unni - On Integrating Academia and Motherhood

Women rock! Especially in the workplace and more especially in academia. Despite an increasing number of women entering academia, research has shown that women (especially those with children) are less likely to achieve tenure than their counterparts without children. Whereas having children is actually a career boost for men.

As a woman who recently entered academia, I have always wondered if it is possible to have it all at once – family and thriving career and while I am yet to find the answer to this question, it has not stopped me to keep seeking answers. More than answers, I have more questions like “can we really have it all,” “have we been sold a lie about work-life balance?”

In today’s episode, I chatted with Dr. Elizabeth Unni on her decision to prioritize family over career and how she was able to forge a path in academia. We also talked about the perception of how the tenure track might be designed to force women to make a hard choice between career and family. She also talked a bit about her research which identifies patients' psychosocial factors – their beliefs or social factors that can influence medication-taking behavior. You also get to hear about tips for visiting India.

미국에 사는 엄마| The One with Patricia Kio – Mom in America: Episode 28 (2019)

Nigerian immigrants make up a lion share of Africans in the diaspora. Today, I bring you the story of one of them – Patricia Kio. She immigrated to the US two years ago with her two little kids to pursue a Ph.D. in architecture at Texas A&M in College Station (that UT Austin wanna-be school). Patricia is an avid Scrabble player and has traveled to over ten Nigerian states and Malaysia to compete in Scrabble tournaments. In this episode, we talked about the struggles of moving to the US, especially the financial and emotional adjustments. We also chatted about gender roles, the traits needed to succeed in graduate school, and my experience teaching in American classrooms. Finally, Patricia answered my question on the many ways architecture, as a field, is embracing technology.

Mo SibylSeptember 26, 2019Comment

내 반쪽| The One with T-Dawg – On Enneagrams and Marriage: Episode 27 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with T-Dawg – On Enneagrams and Marriage

What do you get when a 7w8 meets a 1w2 or when an ENTP-T collides with an ESFJ-A (his E is highly questionable, BTW)? You get Mo! and T-Dawg! And what do these alphabets and numbers even mean? Well, glad you asked! The former is from the Enneagram while the latter, the Myers-Briggs’ – both personality tests. If you are yet to figure it out by now, T-Dawg is my current husband (haha) of almost a decade and best friend of almost two decades. We are quite the pair of imperfect people, oddly matched but striving to perfection by God’s grace. To know our story is to know that God is involved in the affairs of men. And our story is one we hope to slowly share more of with you as time goes on.

Listen to this episode to hear from a man that I highly look up to and the man who’s behind and beside the tour de force that is Mo! The one I call 내 반쪽(Google that :-D). He is a man of quiet strength and one who does not announce his strength to the world. Also, get to hear our responses to a question sent in from one of the listeners.

모의 일기| The One with Mo!- Mo!nologue II: Unmasking my Thoughts: Episode 26 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo!- Mo!nologue II: Unmasking my Thoughts

Another monologue coming your way this week courtesy yours truly. In this episode, I got a bit intimate with the mic and shared a lot of the thoughts circulating in my head. Think of it like I was reading my diary aloud.

So, what things did I unearth in this episode, exactly? A lot, actually. Beginning with some personal reflections on stress, rest, and therapy. I also talked about all the travels I did this summer – spanning 11 cities and states and one foreign country, the 5-week cancer fellowship done at the NIH (National Institute of Health) and the amazing people I met, the implications of my beloved therapist quitting her practice, and how my imminent birthday is giving me major depression vibes.

Finally, I am turning 33 in a couple of weeks and I’d like ALL of the attention from that to go towards my educational scholarship – The 33 Project. My goal is to identify and shortlist 33 indigent children in Nigeria who will benefit from the scholarship for a given period of time. I am hoping to raise $3,300. Look out for more information on that, especially how you can be a part of that (yeah, I need your money :-D), please and thank you!

리지의 이야기| The One with Lizzie Lopez – Mexican-American, Korean-Speaking, Spanish-Learning Lizzie: Episode 25 (2019)

Meet Lizzie! A Mexican-American who is learning Spanish! I met Lizzie at my language school (s/o to Northwest Baptist Church); she was also one of my former Korean teachers. Lizzie spent a year teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to Korean elementary students (K-6) in Gunsan, South Korea. Lizzie is also an artist who teaches arts to children and the elderly. She belongs to the Canadian Valley Art Guild (CVAG) and loves to paint human and animal portraits, abstract art and illustrations.

In this episode, we talked about her cultural history and what her identity means to her, especially the pressures of cultural expectations. We also talked about the year she spent in Korea and why she won’t be moving back there permanently. She also shared some tips for those considering teaching abroad. Finally, we explored the downsides of being creatives, how to cultivate friendship, and what her faith means to her.

Spotify Playlists featuring songs from Seasons 1, 2, 3, & 4! Enjoy!

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Episodes

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 창작자의 생활| The One with Loretta: The Life of a Creative and Other Stories: Episode 34 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Cyrus: The Iranian-Mexican American & Football Coach – On Why We All Need to Fail: Episode 33 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo! + CausePods – Why I Do What I Do: Episode 32 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Claire Mukashyaka – From Rwanda with Love

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Dr. Elizabeth Unni - On Integrating Academia and Motherhood

미국에 사는 엄마| The One with Patricia Kio – Mom in America: Episode 28 (2019)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with T-Dawg – On Enneagrams and Marriage

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Mo!- Mo!nologue II: Unmasking my Thoughts

리지의 이야기| The One with Lizzie Lopez – Mexican-American, Korean-Speaking, Spanish-Learning Lizzie: Episode 25 (2019)

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