New Zealand’s iconic prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has announced she’s stepping down in the coming days. In honor of her 5+ years of Kiwi leadership, we’re heading back ‘down under’ with a special reissue of our “Island Hopping: New Zealand” episode from November 2019. Enjoy!

We’re back with a special “island hopping” episode: between the North and South Islands of New Zealand! Dean and Tom dive into Dean’s recent travels along the stunning TranzAlpine railway, and to the hub of extreme adventure activities in Queenstown on the South Island (where Dean may or may not have bungee jumped in the nude). Then, they visit the All Blacks rugby team and the haka, as well as cultural dynamics between ancestral Europeans and the Maori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa (Maori for New Zealand). Like the flightless kiwi bird – an icon of New Zealand – you’ll want to stay grounded in this episode!

Check out our NEW YouTube channel here (and/or the playlist below)! In honor of the pod’s upcoming 5th anniversary in late March 2023, we’re posting 2-3 of our original episodes, in the order they were released, each and every Wednesday into March. Our first TWENTY episodes are up now! If you haven’t heard them yet, or even if you have, head there & click Play today, and bring a friend along with you – thanks!

Listen today to “island hop” with Dean and Tom! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIn0wL8AODI7NhX9fIeX9IlXABKapDzaD