In this special roundup episode, I take a moment to pause and reflect on where we’ve been so far — from conversations on identity and intercultural communication to episodes on burnout, chronic pain, and language bias. Episode 22 highlights key takeaways from our recent guests and themes that shaped the first arc of WeCultivate: The Pod!

This episode also marks the start of a short summer break. I’ll be back with new episodes soon — but until then, thank you for listening and growing with us.

🎙️ Featuring guests from Episodes 5–21
🌐 Full archive + show notes: https://wecultivate.world/podcast

What does "empowered learning" really mean? How can learners AND educators learn to encourage greater agency in the classroom?

Michelle sits down with Christina J. of LoveToLingo to talk about what it really takes to learn a language: discomfort, curiosity, and ownership. From cultural integration to instructor burnout, writing strategies to shifting systems, this episode is a deep dive into why language isn’t just a skill—it’s a relationship. And how you get to define the terms.

🌍 identity and cultural friction

🧠 writing as a thinking tool

💬 how English becomes a status symbol

🚫 why traditional teaching often fails

✅ and how to build agency instead

Show notes & more: https://www.wecultivate.world/podcast

In this episode, Michelle speaks with Kax U., a former tech leader turned startup founder and coach for women in tech, about the layered experience of navigating global workspaces as a multilingual, multicultural professional.

💬 Topics include:

• Burnout, misalignment, and why success often feels empty
• Language bias and the myth of "perfect fluency"
• Internalized perfectionism in immigrant communities
• English-first workplaces and cross-cultural communication
• What it actually means to build a career that feels good

🎯 Actionable steps:

⏱ 12:00 – Redefine what “feels good” means in your work

⏱ 25:00 – Notice how language bias shows up in your workplace

⏱ 44:00 – Try a culture mapping activity with your team

⏱ 53:00 – Reframe "stakeholder management" as building trust

⏱ 1:10:00 – Consider how your environment affects your growth

This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt the weight of expectations and still kept going.

Listen in for deep insight, humor, and a reminder that you're not alone.

Bonus episode info coming later this year!

Visit https://www.wecultivate.world/podcast for transcripts, show notes, etc.