India with Jessica | Navigating Indian Culture With Love
Episodes
95 | Five Things That Will Break Your Hindi!
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There are 5 common mistakes that most Hindi learners make and I have solutions for each of them. Whether is it speaking informally or following "...
94 | What No One Tells You About Indian-American Relationships
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica spills all the tea with Chandra Chandhok, who brings her into the Verona Matchmaking ecosystem, where there are no rules and ANYTHING can be s...
93 | 3 Ways to Build Bridges with Indian In-Laws
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us could use help in connecting better with our in-laws, especially when their is a culture gap. In episode 93, Jessica Kumar talks about her ...
92 | Culture Clash Real Talk with Indian - American Couples - Gunjan Saini Bradshaw
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gunjan Bradshaw Saini and Jessica have a completely different situation, yet much in common. Gunjan is Punjabi married to an American man. Jessica is ...
91 | Multilingual India | Conversation at Patna Women's College
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
India has an ecosystem of multilingualism. Yet there is an immense pressure to let go of indigenous languages which are less frequently used and adopt...
90 | Conscious Learning and Online School - with Ms. Lina Ashar with Dreamtime Learning
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do kids need to prepare for the future? Are the current educational philosophies of today cutting it? I dove deep into conscious, self-driven lea...
89 | The 5 Weirdest Questions You Will Get Asked in India
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of questions can you expect to be asked by the average person in India? As a person who has lived in India for almost 2 decades, I have hear...
88 | Navigating India Respectfully as a Foreigner
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does India seem intimidating? Are you afraid you'll do something which may offend people when you visit? Or even if you attend an Indian function outs...
87 | Navigating Scams in India with Fluent Hindi
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is India safe for foreign travelers? I believe that in 95% of situations, having the right skills and language will help you get out of sketchy situat...
86| MUST KNOW Phrases for Asking Questions in Hindi
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Asking questions in Hindi might be the most important thing you can learn. In this episode, Jessica talks about the importance of asking questions a...
85| Top 10 Pro Tips for Travel to India
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If this is your first trip to India or eighth, this episode highlights the top 10 pro pointers you need to known to reduce the headaches, inconvenienc...
84| Navigating the Indian Medical System | Featuring Melody Crisp, Physician Assistant
04 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating the Indian medical system can be incredibly confusing, intimidating and even downright frustrating if you didn't grow up in South Asia....
83| Predictions for the Future of Indian Podcasting with Indicast | Aditya Mhatre & Abhishek Kumar
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I've been following Indicast with Aditya Mhatre and Abhishek Kumar for 17 years. They are the hosts of India's longest running multi-person po...
82| India's Longest Running Podcast | Indicast Part 1
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Mhatre and Abhishek Kumar were two of the first people in India to start podcasting, and today more than 15 years later, their show theindicast...
81| Kids Hindi Lesson | Things NOT to Say in Hindi | Course Preview
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What NOT to say in Hindi as a kid! This is an preview from the Kids' Hindi Kickstarter Course coming out next week on www.learnhindianywhere.com. It ...
80 | Unfair & Lovely | Colorism in India with Mallika Thoppay
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 80, Jessica Kumar and Mallika Thoppay take on colorism in South Asian communities. Mallika shares about her activism and how coloris...
79| Best of 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS AND REFLECTIONS FROM THIS YEAR
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join me for a wrap of 2022 with snippets of the best episodes from this year. I'm very thankful for your support and encouragement through the past f...
78| Indian vs Western Education | A Guide for Moving Families
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever wondered what the differences are between the educational system in Western countries, this episode is for you. If you're an NRI ...
77 | Thriving as a Foreigner in India | Part 2 | Relationships
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build relationships in India? Part 2 of this 2 part episode deals with the relational dynamics of living in India as someone who didn't gro...
76| Thriving as a Foreigner in India | Part 1 | Practicalities
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are the crucial elements you need to life life well in India? Part 1 of this 2 part episode deals with the practicalities of living in India as s...
75 | Hindi Pronunciation Tips | Featuring Abhishek Kumar
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 75 contains a teaser of Jessica's upcoming course Overcome Hindi Pronunciation Pitfalls! Abhishek joins Jessica to work through some of the mo...
74 | All About Indian In-Laws Part 2
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica dives deeper about having Indian in-laws as a foreigner. In this 2 part episode, Jessica discusses listener questions about having Indian in-l...
73| All About Indian In-Laws | Part 1
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica tells all about having Indian in-laws as a foreigner. In this 2 part episode, Jessica discusses listener questions about having Indian in-laws...
72| What is it REALLY Like Being Married to an Indian Man?
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hearing others' perspectives always brings out new perspectives. I interviewed two other women who are married to Indians who bring various cultural a...
71| Indian Childrens' Literature with Author Devika Cariapa
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Devika Cariapa is an award-winning children’s author who uses her background in history and archaeology to creatively communicate with a young audie...
70 | Hindi Hacks You Didn't Know You Needed | Hindi Course Preview
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are the top five verbs you need to now in Hindi to start most simple conversations? Jessica breaks down the basic verbs to listen for in Hindi co...
69 | Ethics in Language Learning with Eliza Keyton
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Eliza Keyton (Eli Kutty) and Jessica Kumar are both language learners of Indian languages. In the years since learning Malayalam and Hindi, Eliza and ...
68 | Learning Malayalam vs Learning Hindi with Eliza Keyton
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Eliza Keyton (Eli Kutty) is an American Malayalam learner and dedicated to sharing her learnings with other learners. Jessica and Eliza dive into the ...
67 | Best of 2021 | Highlights and Reflections on this Year
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
2021 was the year where I (Jessica) hosted only South Asian guests! Hear 2-4 min blurbs from 8 of our best episodes with powerful, empathetic and info...
66 | Reflections on Indian Culture | Ask Me Anything
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica takes a moment to reflect on some of the learnings about Indian culture she has observed in the last 15 years. The most common questions...
65 | Yoga is Dead Part 2 | Jesal Parikh & Jessica Kumar
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 2 of Jessica's conversation with Jesal Parikh, the co-host of the provocative podcast “Yoga is Dead.” She and her co-host Tejal Patel...
64 | Yoga is Dead Part 1 | Jesal Parikh & Jessica Kumar
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready to have your mind blown. Jesal Parikh is the co-host of the provocative podcast "Yoga is Dead." She and her co-host Tejal Patel, highlight i...
63 | Behind the Scenes of an Indian-American Marriage
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Should I share pictures of my life on social media even if I fear being judged by conservative relatives? What are the no-nos of social media in more ...
62 | The Way of Chai | Kevin Wilson
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Wilson has formed his identity as fitting in the spaces between black and white binary spaces throughout his life. Best known as "The CEO of Cha...
61 | How to Learn a New Language and Culture Without Losing Yourself | Burning Man | Camp Languages
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The dissonance caused by learning a new culture and language can be one of the most disorienting things that humans can go through. How ...
60 | Strategies for Learning Fluent Hindi & Any Indian Language
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to successfully learn Hindi? Jessica breaks down tips and tricks and answers the most common questions about how to learn Hindi flu...
59 | Help! I'm in Love With an Indian! | Cross-Cultural Relationship Advice
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you in a relationship with an Indian? Overwhelmed by the differences between your culture and Indian culture? In Episode 59 of the Invisible India...
58 | Inequality & Opportunity | A Review of "Maid in India" with Tripti Lahiri | Part 2
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Maid in India" is a masterful work that not only uncovers some of the biggest challenges to India's informal labor sector, but some of the greatest o...
57 | Inequality & Opportunity | A Review of "Maid in India" with Tripti Lahiri | Part 1
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Maid in India" is a masterful work that not only uncovers some of the biggest challenges to India's informal labor sector, but some of the greatest o...
56 | Teaching Kids Indian Languages
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica hosts Anita Sachariah to share on tidbits of how to teach Indian origin children heritage languages like Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Gujarati, M...
55 | Learn Gujarati Culture & Language | Sanskar Teaching with Vaishali Patel
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vaishali Patel is passionate about passing on the Gujarati and Hindi languages and cultures to others! Hear her story of how she immigrated to the US ...
54| Hindi Lesson for Kids | Fruits of India | Beginner's Hindi
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy this conversation lesson including Hindi words with English explanation. The lesson is 10 minutes, including simple instructional vocabula...
53 | Rashmi Chadha | Female Entrepreneurship & Overcoming Sexism
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rashmi Chadha is an entrepreneur, travel influencer and international speaker. Despite her ever smiling persona, there is depth and pain in her story....
52 | COVID Crisis in India? What is Happening Right Now?
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is really happening in India right now with the COVID Crisis? Jessica, an American living in India with her family tells a first hand acc...
51 | Patna's TOP 5 Historic Sites and Why They are in Danger
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Patna, Bihar’s historical sites are in danger. Kunal Dutt shares about the top 5 historic sites in Patna, the capital of Bihar, India. Kunal founded...
50 | The Top 5 Most Raw Experiences I Have Had in India
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In Jessica's 15 years in India, there have been countless interesting and exciting moments. Here in our 50th EPISODE she reflects on 2 d...
49 | COVID in India vs the US
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is COVID really worse in American than India? What did it feel like on the ground in India during the world's biggest lockdown. Why on e...
48 | Learning Indian Languages as Indian-Americans | w/ The Carolina Desi
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The standard for Indian-Americans is seemingly impossibly high wherever they go. Not fully accepted as "American" nor fully embraced as "fully Indian....
47 | Working in India - Navigating Professional and Personal Relationships in India with Craig Storti
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Direct vs indirect communication has been a painful point for Indians working with Westerners and vice versa. Craig Storti, author of “Speaking of I...
46 | Jessica Tells All | Learning Hindi & Marrying an Indian
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this bilingual episode, Jessica tells all the questions you may be wondering about what its like to be a foreigner in India, how she learned fluent...
45 | Growing Up White in India with Aparna Mulberry
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At first glance, one may assume Aparna Mulberry is a Western woman who has merely visited India. But only a few moments after speaking to her, you rea...
44 | The Realities of Transnational and Cross-Cultural Adoptions Among South Asians | Part 2
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This month we are focusing on Transnational Adoption and hearing the stories of 3 families who are perfectly blended, where at least one member of the...
43 | Tibetan-Nepali & American | Transnational and Cross-Cultural Adoptions Among South Asians | Part 1
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This month we are focusing on Transnational Adoption and hearing the stories of 3 families who are perfectly blended, where at least one member of the...
42 | What We Would Change About Our Indian Wedding
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Indian weddings are generally a multi-day affair, including a number of rituals and family get togethers. And lets not forget the food! After 10 years...
41 | Exploring Indian Education with Educational Expert Shubhada Ranjan
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
From the outside, the Indian educational system is a confusing landscape that produces some of the world's top talent, CEOs and world leaders, yet is ...
40: 10 Unique Aspects of Indian Weddings
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Indian weddings are knock-down, drag-out get togethers work remembering! What are 10 aspects that are unique to Indian weddings?
39: Karl Rock on Love and Making India Home
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Karl Rock, popular YouTuber in India, tells Jessica more of his personal story of marrying his Indian wife, making India home and learning Hindi.
38: Peepal Farm Founder Robin Singh on Organic Farming, Veganism & Rediscovering the Indian Dream
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Singh of Peepal Farm is going against the grain of consumerism in India. A practitioner of radical compassion, he and his colleagues started an ...
37: How I Learned Fluent Hindi - Tips & Tricks for Success (Bilingual Hindi & English Episode)
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to successfully learn Hindi? Jessica breaks down tips and tricks and answers the most common questions about how to learn Hindi. Wh...
36: Multicultural Black and Indian Family - Growing up Gupta - Part 2
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like to be a black woman married to an Indian man?
35: Multicultural Black & Indian Family - Growing Up Gupta - Part 1
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like to be a black woman marrying a North Indian man? In Episode 35, Nikita Gupta, multicultural lifestyle blogger, shares her beautiful st...
34: Why I Learned Hindi (English & Hindi Bilingual Special Episode)
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most common questions Jessica gets asked is "Why and How did you learn Hindi?" In Episode 34, she takes on part 1- what were the motivatin...
33: Jamie Alter - Breaking Stereotypes of Indianness
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jamie Alter is certainly a rare kind of person. 4 generations ago, his great grandfather moved to India from the United States, and their family has r...
32: Ask Us Anything- Part 2
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You asked? We told! Listeners wrote in to ask us anything! In Part 1, we answered real and off the cuff to your questions about cross cultural marri...
31: Ask Us Anything- Part 1
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listeners wrote in to ask us anything! We answer real and off the cuff to your questions about cross cultural marriage, overcoming cultural barriers a...
30: In Love with India. In Love with an Indian. - RED FM Interview
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a special salute to love. On Valentine's Day, Jessica went on air with RJ Visha with RED FM 93.5 in Patna to share her love story.
29: Meet the 2 Idiots- Traveling the World with a Toddler- Part 2
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the 2 Idiots, Abhishek and Natasha, who traveled 31 countries, comprising of 39 flights, 3 cruises, and almost a 100 destinations in 8.5 months. ...
28: Meet the 2 Idiots- Traveling the World with a Toddler- Part 1
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the 2 Idiots, Abhishek and Natasha, who traveled 31 countries, comprising of 39 flights, 3 cruises, and almost a 100 destinations in 8.5 months. ...
27: From India to Central Europe
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In 18 days, we covered 6 countries, 5 currencies, 8 hotels and we don’t know how many languages with our 2 young children. All on a relatively slim ...
26: Hinduism and Indian Ethnicity with Ajay Verghese
25 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Ajay Verghese, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California Riverside joins us to dive into two urgent topics affectin...
25: Invited- The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness with Leslie Verner
05 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Author Leslie Verner approaches how Western cultures can learn from other cultures posture of open hospitality. Author of “Invited- the Power of Hos...
24: India's Unique Sanitation Challenges with Chris Hyun
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What are some the unique challenges that India faces in managing toilet waste, water and everything in between? Sanitation expert Chris Hyun, PhD Ca...
23: The Good and Bad of Voluntourism
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Even with the best of motives, short term volunteer trips can create chaos and unintended long term problems, especially in developing countries. Wh...
22: How to NOT Lose Your Mind as an NGO/Aid Worker
10 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is for the people who are long term NGO employees, aid workers or those volunteering in an under-privileged environment. Maybe you are bu...
21: Misconceptions About the West in India
27 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Do Westerners have a lot of money? Life in places like the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe must be easy. Why do Westerners "abandon" the...
20: Teaching Kids Gender Equality
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Misogyny, sexism and restrictive gender roles are all challenges that this generation of children are standing up against. In India, we have unique ch...
19: Debunking Misconceptions About India
30 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we take on the top misconceptions about India and debunk them one by one. Do all Indians have arranged marriages? What is all the fuss abou...
18: Surviving the Most Common Inconveniences of Life in India
16 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Maybe you’ve heard that India is a rough place to live. If you live like locals, there is a lot you can do to prepare yourself and prevent some of t...
17: The REAL India Experiential Bucket List
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Once you’re past the surface level touristy phase, you get into what makes India the real deal. How well traveled are you in India? More than checki...
16: Indians and the Smartphone Revolution
17 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Smartphones have changed the world. But something quite peculiar has happened in India where the use of the smartphone challenges many social norms an...
15: Gender Based Inequality and Violence Against Women in India with Shefa Sikder
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Gender Based Inequality and Violence Against Women in India with Shefa Sikder Shefa Sikder is a hero for women’s issues. She is broadly informed on ...
14: Varanasi- Gayi, Ghat & Ghanti
29 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Varanasi is where the ancient and modern collide in 21st Century India. Hear about the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world with 5000 year...
13: Breaking Myths on Kids' Food Habits in India (HINDI & ENGLISH)
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why kids are picky or refuse to try different foods? Have you been frustrated with the mess that feeding your child creates? Do...
12: Learn Hindi Like A Pro
01 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 12, Jessica interviews Jon Rider, a linguist, translator, web developer, trainer, cultural liaison and founder of HindiUnlocked.com. In our...
11: Raising Bilingual Kids
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There is no formula to raising bilingual children. In this episode Jessica talks philosophy of language learning and what you as a parent can do to en...
10: Thailand For Indian Travelers
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are no shortage of podcasts and blogs about visiting Thailand, but most of the sites and advice blogs are geared towards Westerners. We take thi...
9: Being White in India - Privilege, Hierarchy & Cultural Adaptation
04 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like to be a foreigner in India? What about a person who stands out like a sore thumb? In this episode, Jessica shares a bit of our backsto...
8: Ayurveda 101: A Conversation with Dr. Shari Krishna on the Basics of Ayurvedic Medicine
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Want to learn about Ayurvedic medicine? Hear from Dr Shari Krishna from Kairali Ayurvedic Center as we talk about her introduction to medicine, life a...
7: What Did We Do in a 5 Star Hotel?
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hear our comedic take on "5 Ways to Be Tacky in a 5 Star Hotel" and how we exhibited questionable behavior on a recent trip to Gurgaaon.
6: Dreamy Udaipur - Palaces, Coffee and a Model City of Cleanliness
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Voted the highest quality of life in India, Udaipur way exceeded our expectations. We loved every minute of this beautiful, historic, clean and naviga...
5: Pushkar And Ajmer - Hippies, Camels, Temples & Islamic Shrines
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we cover a wide variety of information about Rajastan’s vegetarian hot spot, Pushkar and touch on Ajmer’s Khwaja Sahib Shrine. We ...
4: Giving Birth in India
14 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hear Jessica's story about giving birth in India and fighting against cultural norms to try for a natural, unmedicated birth. There is a gaping hole...
3: Pilgrimage to Bodhgaya
14 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to one of Buddhism's most holy sites in Bodhgaya ushers one into the mind blowing nature of India’s clash- the modern and ancient all in one...
2: We Went Through an International Travel Crisis
12 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine, you are on a vacation with your family and the unimaginable happens. Your most important documents, money and devices are stolen out from und...
1: Intro to Us. Why Did We Move Back to India?
11 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Introduction- Who are we? What is this podcast all about? For those of you who don’t know us, we are a cross cultural couple (Indian and American)...