One thing I'm sure you've noticed is that there is no product placement on my blog. Although there have been opportunities to cash in on my website, I have failed miserably, simply because I have never tried. If there are any billboards, advertisements, or spam messages flashing while you are reading this, rest assured that they did not come from me, nor did I ever approve of them. The reason for this is simple: I can't think of many people who have benefitted from the information superhighway more than I have, so this is just my way of giving back to the internet community.

Having said that, I am not above endorsing places (which is what the Worldchump blog is about), people, or hotspots, if I think my readers can benefit from it in any way. My travel activities have been cut short for the time being (Covid just torpedoed a trip to Denmark), so that I have had time to watch new shows, read new books, and listen to new podcasts.  

One podcast that caught my attention is How Did We Not Know That by Jac and Nat, two young ladies studying for the Foreign Service Exam. What Jac and Nat are learning these days is that foreign affairs, including some of the U.S. history involved in said affairs, is not as simple as a New York Times headline, a CNN sound byte, or even what your government says it is. So they decided to dig a little. And then dig some more. 

During their podcast, Jac and Nat compare notes and discuss. There is no bias. There is no slant. There is no subject matter expertise lacking a basis in fact, also known as unsolicited opinions. Just a chat between two citizens regarding key moments in world history. There is loose, humorous dialogue instead of the tired, rigid dogmatism from other media outlets. It almost seems like Jac and Nat are educating themselves as much as they are educating their audience. 

Ever wonder about our role in Latin America? Hint: Their most recent episode deals with the end of one empire (Spain) and the rise of another (the U.S.), plus our history with Cuba and the prospects of Puerto Rico gaining statehood.

The Middle East? How about socialized medicine? Ever wonder about the difference between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland? The Brexit ramifications? Again, HDWNKT helps you learn along with Jac and Nat. I can't think of a better way to start when it comes to foreign affairs. The U.S. spends almost a trillion dollars per year on the military and the diplomatic corps. Wouldn't it be prudent for a voting U.S. citizen to learn whether that money is well spent? This is your chance. You can find HDWNKT at www.hdwnkt.com, or among the Apple podcasts. 

Jac and Nat couple their findings with fun facts (see presidential assassinations; liberalism versus realism), a fresh enthusiasm, and a wonderful, uncanned sense of humor that is sorely needed when dealing with foreign affairs...an overbearing, no-nonsense topic, if you allow it to be.

In the days of social mass media and reality shows, it's good to know that Jac and Nat care about what actually matters, which is world affairs, past and present. If these are the next diplomats representing their country, consider ourselves blessed. 

Being a bit of an inquisitive mind myself, I asked Jac and Nat to fill out a questionnaire, which they promptly did and is printed below.

1. What made you start the podcast HDWNKT and how do you want your listeners to benefit from it?

We were on facetime together just catching up when we realized that we were both studying for the Foreign Service Officer Test. We wanted to find a way to study together and set a schedule for a weekly call to just share history topics with each other to prepare. We realized we could turn it into a podcast, so we did! We hope that our listeners benefit from it the same way we do by being comfortable admitting what we don’t know and making an effort to learn more about others and the world around us.

2. To you, what is the most appealing thing about joining the Foreign Service?

Jac: For me, it’s serving my community while living abroad. I am very passionate about cross-cultural communications and would really love to work with and learn from others around the world as well as  build stronger relationships between the USA and other countries through diplomacy.

Nat: I really love talking about world history and current international politics with anyone who will listen. I believe that a career in the Foreign Service will allow me to maintain productive and effective conversations with people all around the world about our past, our present, and our future. As a public servant, I would strive to turn these conversations into policy that is beneficial and sustainable for everyone involved.

3. What is the most interesting period of history and why? 

Jac: I’m a little biased with this question being a computer science major, but I believe the internet is one of the greatest technological achievements we’ve had. Both the PC era in the 80s as well as the internet going public in the 90s were incredible achievements, and even though it’s more recent history it’s still my favorite!

Nat: I personally love learning about the Cold War. In such a short period of time, the world was completely shaken and almost every nation had to re-evaluate its identity and values. In middle and high school, my history classes always ended with World War II, so it really wasn’t until university that I learned about what has happened since the 1940s. Most recently, I’ve been interested in how the US engaged in proxy wars in the fight against communism. I currently live in South Korea, so I’ve been trying to learn more about the Korean War from the Korean perspective, as well as how it has affected international relations in East Asia today.  

4. Which historic figure appeals to you the most and why?

Jac: I wanted to choose someone other than Abraham Lincoln for this since we talk about him so much, but he really is one of my favorite historical figures. The more we study history and conflict the more I appreciate his leadership and commitment to moving our country forward in a time where the status quo was very against it. I also really admire Harriet Tubman, we haven’t covered her yet but she has an incredible story with seemingly endless amounts of bravery. I aspire to become a strong leader like them!

Nat: I am also a huge Lincoln fan so I will second Jac and say that my favorite historical figure is Abraham Lincoln. Of course I had grown up hearing about Lincoln’s successes and triumphs, but now that I’m older I feel like I can really appreciate his leadership and courage.

5. What is the best trip you have ever made in the U.S.? What was the best trip abroad?

Jac: I haven’t traveled the USA as much as I would like, but Hawaii is my favorite so far! The food is amazing and there are so many places to surf. The annexation is really heartbreaking though and I was very emotionally moved by the strength of Queen Lili'uokalani. My best trip abroad would be the Galápagos Islands! I love the pace of life on the islands and there is such a deep history in that archipelago. The diversity of flora and fauna is really breathtaking and the islands are the inspirational source of the theory of evolution!

Nat: My older sister used to live in Seattle, and one of my favorite trips in the US was to the Pacific Northwest. I visited in the summer so I conveniently missed the rainy season, but I really enjoyed the nature and climate of the region! As a Midwesterner, it was such a refreshing change. As for my trips abroad, I would say my favorite was when I studied in Tokyo, Japan. Nothing is better than being a university student in one of the most modern and exciting cities in the world. I had to leave the country rather abruptly because of the pandemic, but this has just made my desire to return to Japan and live there long-term even stronger!  

6. Which place is at the top of your list for foreign travel? 

Jac: I have wanted to visit the Faroe Islands for the past few years! They are a territory of Denmark with a tradition of beaching pilot whales, known as ‘the Grind’. The locals have been demonized for this on a global scale, but I would be really interested to gain a deeper understanding of the ancient tradition.

Nat: For me, I’d really love to visit Mexico. Most of my family lives in Mexico (mostly spread out between Mexico City and Merida), but I’ve never actually visited the country before. My grandma recently moved back to Mexico after raising her family in the US, and I haven’t been able to see her for almost 2 years now. As soon as it’s safe, I’d love to visit/meet all of my family and eat delicious food! 

7. How did you spend your time during the pandemic? What did you learn from it?

Jac: Reading, writing, spending time with loved ones, and working on the podcast of course! I’ve loved working with Nat to build out the podcast and I’m so glad we can share this hobby together. We’ve learned so much more about history as well as what it takes to run a small podcast! 

Nat: I actually ended up moving to South Korea during the pandemic. I pretty much had my whole career path mentally mapped out since I was in high school, but when I graduated from university in August 2020 my plans quickly fell apart. Somehow, I ended up on the opposite side of the world, and I am extremely grateful that my life took such an unexpected turn. I think we’ve all come to realize that life is wildly unpredictable. I never would have thought I’d be co-hosting a podcast with Jac while we’re thousands of miles apart, but I’m so happy with everything we’ve achieved.