Podcasts by CaucasTalk
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Further podcasts by Andrew & Eli
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CT114–😭End of the Road! 😭|**FINAL EPISODE**|Lessons Learned|Listener Statistics|Words of“Wisdom”|Farewell from Andrew&Eli from 2022-01-31T14:01
Well, “all good things must come to an end,” as they say. (Even though this isn’t actually true.) It has been our singular privilege and joy to bring you CaucasTalk for the last 4+ years, and we ar...
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Happy 2022 from CaucasTalk! from 2022-01-01T20:13:37
A Happy New Year note—with some news minutes—from yours truly at CaucasTalk! Tahseen from Rise’n’Glide: https://caucastalk.com/episode67
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CT113–Aghuls: In Their Own Words!|Losing One’s Own Language|Language Recovery&Advocacy|Avgaz.app from 2021-12-21T13:43:11
After three years of hanging in the wings just listening to CaucasTalk, Abdurahim finally steps up to the mic to represent his beautiful Dagestani people group, the Aghuls. (Thanks to some arm-twis...
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CT112–Elbrus Alpine Foundation: Matt Johnson on the West Face of Elbrus|Locally-Led Development|Lightning, Crevasses&Avalanches|Mountain Rescue|KLM Fail! from 2021-12-07T12:45
How does a truck driver from Wisconsin become a champion of local cultural developing a rural mountain valley in the North Caucasus? Matt Johnson tells us today, not only of his several and often h...
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CT111–Who Are the Cossacks? with Ian Tuttle|Military Caste|Cossack Saber Manual|Foreign Accents from 2021-11-16T12:59
Who are the Cossacks? And what is their connection to the North Caucasus? The fascinating history of this group of “free men” become warrior caste interweaves with the history of the whole region. ...
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CT110–Old Age in the North Caucasus|Centenarians|Dannon Yogurt|CaucasTalk in Print! from 2021-11-02T12:02
If there’s one topic that gets the blood stirring of the today’s young folk, it’s old age! Or… not. Actually, the fact that’s funny tells us in the West a whole lot about our own cultural views on ...
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CT109–Education in the North Caucasus|Madina, English Teacher from Ingushetia|Tutoring|ЕГЭ&SATs|Local Languages in Schooling from 2021-10-19T12:03
Education is a deeply-held value embedded in families and throughout the North Caucasus. From early childhood through the university years, high levels of academic achievement are considered “norm...
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CT108–Dargin: In Their Own Words!|“My roots were calling me”|Embroidery|Ancient Armor|Child Exchanges from 2021-10-05T12:20:54
The Dargin people inhabit mainly the middle latitudes of Dagestan, from the foothills up into the mountains. As our knowledgeable and articulate guest today, Saida, shares with us, the word “Dargin...
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CT107–Lezgins: In Their Own Words!|The Lezginka|Southern Dagestan|A Folk Song!|Shalbuzdag|Tasty Tea from 2021-09-21T14:02
Louisa the Lezginka shares today about the—you guessed it—Lezgin people! And yes, for those of you wondering (like Andrew), the word “Lezginka” refers not only to the Caucasus-wide national dance, ...
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CT106–Dining Out in the North Caucasus|Décor|Napkins|Play Places|Pizza&Sushi|“The Button” from 2021-09-07T08:04:59
We’ve talked lots about food on this podcast, but what about the actual experience of getting it? The act of dining out in the North Caucasus brings with it a whole host of quirks, habits, and cult...
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CT105–Retirement in the North Caucasus|Independent Living vs. Orphaned Parents?|Status Ascribed vs. Status Achieved from 2021-08-17T14:03
When you hear the word “retirement,” what comes to mind? Collecting shells on a beach? Sitting with an armload of grandkids? To some it means a life of independence facilitated through professional...
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CT104–Holidays in the North Caucasus|Igby|Rival Podcast??|Shout Outs! from 2021-08-03T14:02
While holidays may seem to be predictable parts of our cultures, dig a little deeper and they contain a treasure trove of insights and wonder. Holidays in the North Caucasus are no different. Today...
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CT103–Kabardians: In Their Own Words!|Tembulat&Zalina Champion Circassian Culture&Language|🎵Live Music! 🎵|Sister Cities from 2021-07-20T07:26:14
Today’s double episode [re-release of episode 27A&27B] is truly a tour de force. In this our second installment of “In Their Own Words,” our good friends Tembulat&Zalina take us on a deep dive into...
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CT102–“On Sight”Climbing Gym in Nalchik: Interview with Teddy|Community Development|Undeveloped Rock Climbing|Gerontology from 2021-07-06T09:03
Rock climbing is alive and well in the North Caucasus. In an environment in which a few sports are exalted above all others, rock climbing has begun to offer an alternative activity for all ages. T...
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CT101–Tabasaran: In Their Own Words!|World’s Most Complex Language|Multilingualism|Carpet making from 2021-06-29T19:02
Without a doubt, our most popular series has been “In Their Own Words,” in which we give you our listeners a chance to hear from the peoples of the North Caucasus directly. Not long ago we decided ...
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CT100–Business Accelerator IARD in Dagestan: Interview with Vali|Community Investment Funds|Lak Nation|Village Trash Clean-Up from 2021-06-16T07:40:21
When you hear, “business startup,” your mind may go to Silicon Valley, Y Combinator, and high risk investments. Well now you can add to your list Dagestan’s very own business accelerator, IARD — th...
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CT99–Kaitag: In Their Own Words|Endangered Languages|Dargwa Dialects of Dagestan|Achieving International Recognition of a Language from 2021-06-01T16:13:51
A young man of only 20 years, Magomed is already making lasting change for his minority Dagestani language group, the Kaitag. Most people have never heard of the 20,000 speakers of Kaitag, and yet ...
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CT96–Announcing: Virtual Tours to the North Caucasus!|60-minute Interactive Online Experiences|Beyond Red Square from 2021-05-19T18:33:27
BeyondRedSquare Virtual Tours Website In the spirit of “sticking it to Covid,” today Andrew unveils a brand new, unique offering from his tour company, Beyond Red Square: Virtual Tours! Six virtual...
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CT98 – Interview: Dr. Daniel Wilson on the Didoi & Tsez in Dagestan | XRI Institute | Language Technology from 2021-05-11T17:38:13
“Every time a language dies, it’s like someone just dropped a bomb on the Louvre.” The treasures contained in a human language cannot be overestimated, according to Dr....
CT98–Interview: Dr. Daniel Wilson on the Didoi&Tsez in Dagestan|XRI Institute|Language Technology from 2021-05-11T17:38:13
“Every time a language dies, it’s like someone just dropped a bomb on the Louvre.” The treasures contained in a human language cannot be overestimated, according to Dr. Daniel Wilson, linguist and ...
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CT97–Top 10 Extreme Sport Adventures in the NC|Interview with Misha from M&M’s Tours|Rope Jumping|Arctic Surfing from 2021-04-27T12:32
Have you gotten the impression that the only options for sports in the North Caucasus are skiing and wrestling? We’re here today with Misha to put that misconception to rest. Misha left his profess...
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CT95–Interview: Punk Ethnographer Bulat Khalilov|Ored Recordings|“Live Tradition”|Music Samples Included! from 2021-04-13T15:46:46
LINKS to MUSIC BELOW!! 👇Riddle: What do you get when you cross Circassian death metal, two-stringed fiddles, sharp ears and a big heart? The audiological phenomenon—and our friends—known as Ored R...
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CT93&94–Our Wives Speak Out! Birth&Child-rearing in the Caucasus: Interview with Hollie&Cristi|Birth stories|Cross-Cultural Mothering from 2021-03-30T12:02
At long last, the stars aligned and not only did we record our first in-person recording session since 2019, but we brought our wonderful WIVES with us! Hollie and Cristi share from their years of...
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CT93&94–Our Wives Speak Out! Birth&Child-rearing in the Caucasus: Interview with Hollie&Cristi|Birth stories|Cross-Cultural Mothering from 2021-03-30T12:02
At long last, the stars aligned and not only did we record our first in-person recording session since 2019, but we brought our wonderful WIVES with us! Hollie and Cristi share from their years of...
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CT92–Interview with Hava: Ingush Entrepreneur|Squid Handbags|Fish Leather Lamps|4-Star Hotels from 2021-03-16T12:03
Hava is many things—an Ingush mother, a beloved grandmother, but also an entrepreneur who has opened two 5-star hotels, a polyglot, and an artisan. Most interesting, perhaps, is her artisanal work ...
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CT91–Interview with Three Female Fulbright Scholars from the North Caucasus|Living in the USA|“Go Hilltoppers!” from 2021-03-03T03:21:02
Welcome back to a new year of CaucasTalk! For our first episode back after our break, we were dazzled and privileged to interview three of the North Caucasus’ own female Fulbright Scholars. These y...
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CT90–End of 2020|Year in Review|Farewell“Dame Covidia”|Newsletter Sign Up! from 2020-12-29T13:02
We’ve done it! We’ve come to the end of the year, and what a year it has been. While the ride has been bumpy for all of us, we actually are grateful for growth and progress of CaucasTalk. We want t...
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CT89–Kids’Interview!|All about Life in the North Caucasus|Favorite Foods|Playground Wrestling|Quiz from 2020-12-16T13:03
Was it Bill Cosby who said that kids say the darndest things? This has always been true, and as it is our goal to give our listeners the most unfiltered view of the North Caucasus, what could be be...
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CT88–Driving in the North Caucasus|“The Circles of Stress”|Bukhankas|Leaning on Local Friends from 2020-12-01T13:01
Allow us to take you for a ride today—literally. As of the last month, both your CaucasTalk hosts have become proud car owners. This means we have gained first-hand driving experience in the North ...
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CT87–Growing Up in Grozny|Interview with Elina from Pyatigorsk on Life in Pre-War Chechnya|Big Announcement from Eli from 2020-11-17T13:30
We love to share with our listeners what life is like in the Caucasus today. But it’s also important to hear what life was like at other times. Elina, a Russian born and raised in pre-war Grozny,...
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CT86–UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje | Khabib Retires|Legacy of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov | Do Caucasus Men Cry? from 2020-11-03T19:36:05
History was made yet again last Saturday night when Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his undefeated record as the undisputed UFC lightweight champion of the world. He choked out American interim UFC ch...
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CT85–Music in the North Caucasus|Local Instruments|Rasul Gamzatov|EPIC REVEAL: Andrew Sings! from 2020-10-27T18:48:02
We give to you one of our most popular episodes ever – Music in the North Caucasus (Episode 13, December 15, 2017). It’s got some of the most listens of any of our shows. Check out the original sho...
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CT84–FEEDBACK WEEK!!|Survey&Questionnaire!|Let your voice be heard|Direct the future of the Podcast|Join the newsletter from 2020-10-13T11:00
The tables are flipped this week: We want YOU to do the talking. It’s Feedback Week here at CaucasTalk and we want to hear from you. Help us direct the future of the podcast. This year has thrown s...
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CT83–Religion in the North Caucasus PART 3/3|Religion Today|Nuances|Religion&Tradition from 2020-09-29T10:00:56
While religion may be a tender subject to bring up in mixed company in some parts of the world, in the North Caucasus, it’s unavoidable. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t talk religion with one fr...
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CT82–Religion in the North Caucasus PART 2/3|Mountain Jews|Derbent Juma Mosque|Sentinsky Church, Karachay-Cherkessia from 2020-09-15T10:00
Today’s conversation dwells on the multiplicity of religious influences that entered Dagestan through the ancient city of Derbent, as well as through the Western Caucasus. Judaism, Christianity, an...
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CT81–Religion in the North Caucasus PART 1/3|Overview of Religion|Focus on Islam|Star Wars and KBR from 2020-09-02T06:21:57
While religion may be a tender subject to bring up in mixed company in some parts of the world, in the North Caucasus it’s unavoidable. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t talk religion with one fri...
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CT80–The Wonderful World of Waters: Interview with Teacher and Mineral Water Enthusiast Roman!|Watery Neck-Dangling|Khabib vs. Gaethje UFC 255 from 2020-08-18T05:00:04
Got a rumbling in the tummy? Eyes aching? Liver flagging? Lungs languishing? The North Caucasus region has a solution for you: stinky water. That’s right, good old fashioned olfactory mineral ...
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CT79B–Top 10 Books on the North Caucasus|Interview with Ian Tuttle, Caucasus Fanatic and Bibliophile|PART B from 2020-08-07T02:00
Let’s be honest: some of us like to buy books, but others of us like to actually read them. Today we hear from a true bibliophile and, what shall we say, Kavkazophile—a lover of books and the Cauca...
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CT79A–Top 10 Books on the North Caucasus|Interview with Ian Tuttle, Caucasus Fanatic and Bibliophile|PART A from 2020-08-06T02:21:08
Let’s be honest: some of us like to buy books, but others of us like to actually read them. Today we hear from a true bibliophile and, what shall we say, Kavkazophile—a lover of books and the Cauca...
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CT78–Interview with Emre Basok, PhD.|Circassian Language Identity&Maintenance in Turkey|Bi-Literacy|Circassian Benevolent Association|UNESCO from 2020-07-22T21:56:52
Emre Basok is a Turkish-born Circassian pursuing his PhD in Ohio. He studies how language supports identity and heritage and has recently turned his interests to his roots. He comes in as the thir...
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CT77–Circassian Diaspora in Israel|Interview with David Shawgen|Research Fellow at Circassiologia|The NC’s Newest McDonalds from 2020-07-07T10:00
David Shawgen is the founder of Circassologia, an information portal devoted to the culture, history, and future of the Circassian people. He also works at a Circassian History Museum. What you mi...
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CT76–Offroad Camper Russia with Andreas&Sveta|УАЗ Буханка / UAZ Bukhanka Car Camping in Dagestan from 2020-06-23T21:12:17
Do you love driving? Do you love breathtaking vistas? How about a little adventure, a few bumps, and a lot of fun? And would you like all of that on a tour of Dagestan? Then meet Off-Road Camper, D...
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CT75–Interview with Suhein Beck, Circassian Cultural Champion PART II|ELAJ Skin Care|Lezginka in the USA from 2020-06-06T16:02:18
Here is the continuation and conclusion of our interview with Circassian cultural champion, YouTube creator, and founder of ELAJ skincare products, Suhein Beck. ——————-Once in a while, you run acro...
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CT74–Interview with Mover and Shaker Suhein Beck PART I|Circassian Cultural Champion|Migration from Syria to Turkey to USA from 2020-06-03T05:05:58
Once in a while, you run across a true cultural champion. For the Circassian nation, today’s interview guest Suhein Beck is such a champion. Her nearly nomadic past produced in her an eclectic pres...
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CT73–Weddings in the North Caucasus|Life Cycle Events|Videos from 2020-05-27T13:32:05
***SEE VIDEOS ON CAUCASTALK WEBSITE***Summer is nearly here, and in the North Caucasus one thing that means is weddings. (Well, usually it does. Not so much these days.) Lines of white cars decked...
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CT72–COVID in the Caucasus|Local Relief Projects|Airplane Food at Home|Man Runs Marathon in Bedroom from 2020-05-05T19:49:41
Today’s episode comes to you out of the same quarantine many of you our listeners are in. Responses to COVID have varied significantly across the North Caucasus. Some republics are getting hit muc...
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CT71–Commemorating WWII in the North Caucasus|Nazis on Mt. Elbrus|Santa Claus in the Caucasus from 2020-04-28T05:00
Next month marks 75 years since the end of WWII. Its devastating effects touched every corner of Europe, but many are surprised to learn that the North Caucasus are no exception. Nazi forces aimed ...
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CT70–Interview with Trekker, Scholar, Writer Felix Light|Expats in Moscow|GoFundMe for Local Families in Need from 2020-04-14T20:48:47
***PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING OUR GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT CAUCASUS FAMILIES IN NEED*** https://www.gofundme.com/f/coronavirus-in-the-north-caucasus We often find ourselves explaining to people...
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CT69–A Day in the Caucasus Life #5: Dadding in Dagestan|Tools, Skills,&Special Abilities from 2020-03-31T10:00
Whether you live in Dagestan or Denver, Dubai or Des Moines, being a dad takes some special skills and wisdom. Andrew and Eli combine their collective years of experience “dadding” to bring you ins...
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CT68–A Day in the Caucasus Life #4: Things People Say|How to Become an Ethnographer|Ingush Wedding Story from 2020-03-17T10:00
Just when you thought daily life couldn’t get more interesting—we bring you our fourth installment of “A Day in the Caucasus Life.” It’s a truism that you can’t see what you can’t see—that is, unti...
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CT67–Rise‘N Glide: American Sports Tourism in Dagestan|CT Back for 2020|Announcement! from 2020-03-03T10:00
One thing we love about living in the North Caucasus is meeting other foreigners connected to the region. Most who we meet have real passion and interest in this place and its peoples. Today we tal...
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CT 2019 Year-End Wrap Up! Patreon Update|BRS Custom Tours for 2020|Happy New Year from CaucasTalk!! from 2019-12-31T14:00:03
Dear Listeners, what a year! Thank you for journeying with us for our third calendar year! We have some exciting Patreon news to share, plus Andrew unveils brand new, hot-off-the-presses custom tou...
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CT66–Travel Tips: Adygea! Sub-Tropical Hikes|Caverns|Cheese from 2019-12-30T23:00
If you can’t find Adygea (Adyghea/Adygheya) on a map, or if you never knew that sub-tropical forests grow in the North Caucasus, you’re not alone! Looking for soft rolling forests, deep caves, trai...
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CT65–Travel Tip: Ingushetia! Legends of the Mountains|Magas|Nazran|Tower Complexes from 2019-12-30T14:15:05
They say that good things come in small packages. That is undeniably true of Ingushetia, the smallest of the North Caucasus Republics. If you’ve been hearing about this place (which you have if you...
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CT64–A Day in the Caucasus Life #3: Getting Things Done (or Not)|Line-Standing Etiquette, Document Drama, Aposti-what?,“The Look of Mercy” from 2019-12-16T09:27:42
Paying bills has never been so entertaining! Andrew and Eli regale us with tales of trial and triumph as they travail toget things done from the depths of unfathomable bureaucracy. Yet even there w...
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CT63–A Day in the Caucasus Life #2: Public Transport|The People In Our Neighborhood from 2019-12-04T12:11:39
This episode will take you for a ride… on public transportation! And it’s a heck of a lot more interesting than it may seem. With deftness and penetrating insight—and quite a bit of experience—Andr...
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CT62–A Day in the Caucasus Life: Playgrounds|The Oldest Postal Woman|Patreon Update|Unveiling BRS Cultural Tours! from 2019-11-19T20:22:55
Some of the most mundane places we visit in daily life can actually teach us the most about ourselves if we look closely. Come with us as we visit some everyday places in the North Caucasus and unp...
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CT61–South Ossetia|Dima from Caucasus Explorer! from 2019-11-05T12:00:25
If there’s one thing the Caucasus is not short on, its complexity. Complexity of languages, cultures, borders, history, politics, religion, even food! But if there’s one thing that balances that ...
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CT60–Abkhazia|“The Caucasus Changed Me”|Dima from Caucasus Explorer! from 2019-10-29T12:00:37
If there’s one thing the Caucasus is not short on, its complexity. Complexity of languages, cultures, borders, history, politics, religion, even food! But if there’s one thing that balances that ...
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CT59–Travel Tips: Karachay-Cherkessia! Beyond Dombay|Unsung Arkhyz|Lovely Kislovodsk|Best Hotels|Salty-Bubbly Yogurt Drink from 2019-10-15T14:18:56
“Shurpa without ayran is like throwing your money to the wind.”—Rashid the Wise If you want to know the delicious meaning of this proverb—and you should—just listen to today’s dive into Karachay-Ch...
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CT58–Travel Tips: Chechnya! Heart of Chechnya Mosque|Lake Kezenoi-Am|Chepulgash from 2019-10-01T10:00:30
Interest in Chechnya is at an all-time high. It is an ancient, fascinating, complex, and little understood place. Our good friend Abdula, local tour guide and couch surfing host, takes us on a virt...
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CT57–Presenting: Apricot Media&Consulting|Patreon|Logo|Khabib v. Poirier from 2019-09-17T14:59:08
Houston, the eagle has landed . . . in Dagestan! Today’s episode comes to you live (we love saying that) from the sunny shores of the Caspian Sea. There half of our team has permanently relocated! ...
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CT55–Georgia: In Their Own Words! with Giorgi the Surprise Ethnologist! from 2019-09-03T13:03:53
We continue our Trans-Caucasus tour with another visit “south of the border,” this time to Georgia. (The country.) Our guest Giorgi actually takes his name from his motherland. An aspiring ethnolog...
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CT54–Azerbaijan: In Their Own Words!|Oil Baths, Mountains, Beaches, and More from 2019-08-20T15:23:46
While not physically in the North Caucasus, the influence of Azerbaijan can be felt throughout region. Stretching from snow-capped mountains to subtropical citrus groves, it is a country of comple...
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CT53–“Gulyat-ing”: The Essential Russian Pastime from 2019-08-06T15:50:47
“In Russia, walking is exalted and extraordinary. It is not mundane. I’m not talking about the word ‘to walk’ (khodit), a verb that merely signifies moving from place to place by foot. This is abou...
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CT52–Travel Tips: Dagestan! With National Geographic Photographer Vladimir Sevrinovsky from 2019-07-16T12:54:07
If Elbrus is the crown jewel of the Caucasus, Dagestan has to be the treasure chest. And who to better unpack that for us than our guest today Vladimir Sevrinovsky. A National Geographic editor and...
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CT51–Travel Tips: North Ossetia! Vladikavkaz|Dargavs|Midagrabin Falls|Ossetian Pies! from 2019-07-02T13:38:27
North Ossetia, like its crown jewel capital city Vladikavkaz, sparkles like a small gem in the North Caucasus. Tucked in at the feet of some of the most spectacular mountains in the range, it offer...
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CT 50–The Dazzling Languages of Dagestan with Dr. Maria Polinsky from 2019-06-18T10:37:30
Listeners, thanks to your partnership, we have reached our 50th episode! For this our golden episode (hence the background color) today’s interview could not be more appropriate. Dr. Maria Polinsky...
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CT49–Dr. John Colarusso on the Narts Sagas from 2019-06-04T10:00:31
The Nart sagas lie like bedrock, or like groundwater, deep under the surface of the cultures here in the Caucasus. It is our immense privilege to welcome our esteemed guest Dr. John Colarusso to th...
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CT48–Travel Tips: Caucasus Mineral Waters! Mineralnye Vody, Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Essentukie,&Zheleznovodsk|MRV Airport from 2019-05-24T09:47:44
Where can you find gentle wooded mountains, miles of walking paths, sulfur baths, bubbly mineral waters, food from every part of the Caucasus, and the original Lobster Man? Welcome to the Caucasus ...
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CT47–Travel Tips to Kabardino-Balkaria! Mount Elbrus|Terek, Chegem, Baksan Valleys|Terskol, Tyrnauz, Cheget, Eltyubyu,&More! from 2019-05-23T19:32:59
If you’re looking for expert advice on travel in Kabardino-Balkaria, today’s Travel Tips are for you. We are joined once again by our good friend Shannon from Elbrus Elevation in Nalchik. He truly ...
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CT46–The Chislic Circle: The Story of How German Settlers Brought Shashlik to South Dakota with Special Guest Marnette from Heritage Hall Museum from 2019-05-07T21:50:20
Quiz: What do the North Caucasus, Germany, and South Dakota have in common? Yep: MEAT. Today we hear from our wonderful guest Marnette about how a fascinating turn of history led Germans settlers i...
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CT45–Karachai“In Their Own Words!”|Public Displays of Affection|Lezginka in Brooklyn from 2019-04-16T14:29:22
With their republic all but in our back yard, the Karachai are among our near neighbors and good friends. It’s high time we hear from them! Today we welcome three Karachai into the studio to share ...
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CT44–Chechnya“In Their Own Words!”|Abdullah the Tour Guide&Couchsurfing Expert from 2019-04-02T09:44:51
The people of Chechnya are probably some of the least well-understood in the Caucasus to outsiders. In the spirit of our ongoing series “In Their Own Words,” today we give the mic to our Chechen fr...
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CT43–Award-Winning UK Singer Daria Kulesh Tells Stories of Ingushetia from 2019-03-19T10:00:34
We are continually amazed at what a global community exists with strong ties to the North Caucasus. The cultures here reach out like branches across continents, as today’s guest demonstrates. Daria...
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CT42–Meat&Tea|Favorite Food Pastimes in the North Caucasus, a.k.a., Shashlik and Chai from 2019-03-05T10:00:46
Some things only improve with age. We feel that way about a few of our early releases. Today we are re-releasing one of our most popular episodes ever, no. 7, “Meat and Tea,” all the way from summe...
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CT41–Jobs&Economy in the North Caucasus: Agriculture, Tourism, Carpets, Caviar, and more from 2019-02-18T02:00
Local business director Zaur joins us today from the Elbrus region for an insider’s look at the economy of the North Caucasus region. While many sectors of the local economy do struggle, the situat...
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CT40–Skiing in the North Caucasus: Sochi, Elbrus, Dombay, and Arkhyz from 2019-02-01T02:00:09
Skiing . . . in Russia? That’s right. While many in the English-speaking world look to Europe’s Alps or the Rockies in the US, just under our noses here in the North Caucasus lies a little-known cl...
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CT39–Armenians“In Their Own Words”!|Akmat Grozny| from 2019-01-01T07:28:12
The year 2018 finishes out with a bang as we hear from Armenians in their own words. And have they got words to share! Our guests give us an insider look at what it means to be Russian-born Armenia...
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CT38A–Ossetians“In Their Own Words!”|Interview: Asheville Sister City with Vladikavkaz from 2018-12-17T13:41:30
In a region already teeming with diversity, North Ossetia pushes the boundary yet further. Unlike its neighboring republics in so many ways, we are delighted today to share an interview with some N...
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CT38B–Ossetians“In Their Own Words” from 2018-12-17T05:46:30
In a region already teeming with diversity, North Ossetia pushes the boundary yet further. Unlike its neighboring republics in so many ways, we are delighted today to share an interview with some N...
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CT37–Interview with British Trekker Rich Hartfield from 2018-12-01T04:11:50
Leicester, England is not known for its mountains. In fact, it has none. Hailing from those very flatlands, Richard Hartfield treks mountains the world over. This summer, his explorations brought h...
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CT36–Khabib v. McGregor UFC 229: Local Dagestani Discusses the Fight! Featuring Ravil from 2018-11-15T05:34:36
The dust has begun to settle. The shouting receded to a murmur. It’s time for us to weigh in on the now historic UFC 229 fight between Khabib and McGregor on October 6th, 2018. Enlivening this disc...
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CT35–Food in the North Caucasus PART 2|What they eat here|Special Guest: Cristi! from 2018-11-01T17:33:28
The feast continues in Episode 35 as we get into the specifics of what food people here actually eat. We take you on a mouth-watering tour through the food groups revealing a surprisingly colorful ...
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CT34–Food in the North Caucasus PART 1|Special Guest: Cristi! from 2018-10-18T16:56:47
What’s one thing that ties together culture, history, and tourism here in the North Caucasus? And ties together everything else? Everywhere? That’s right: FOOD. It’s no secret that food brings peop...
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CT33B–Ingushetia:“In Their Own Words!”PART B|Magas|The Teip System|The Wildest Mother-In-Law Custom On Earth|Ezdel|“Always Lezginka” from 2018-10-01T14:00:54
Having heard from the fellas, we now have a chance to hear a women’s perspective on Ingushetia. Some of our most articulate guests yet, these bright young women give us a new level of appreciation ...
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CT33A–Ingushetia:“In Their Own Words!”|PART A (*fixed)|The Ingush Thwertnick|Hard Facts about the Stone Towers|An Anthem! from 2018-10-01T14:00:08
FIXED: This episode was originally released majorly garbled (starting at minute 20, and following). The errors have been fixed now! Try again. Our apologies! We called in a double-episode for this ...
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CT32–Dagestan:“In Their Own Words!”|Tightrope Walking|Nurmagomedov UFC|Life in Makhachkala|Lions&Eagles from 2018-09-16T23:10:15
Our series “In Their Own Words” returns this week with a rich look at the peoples of Dagestan. With only one interviewee this time, this is admittedly a disservice to the fast array of ethnicities ...
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CT31–INTERVIEW: Kevin&Justin on Summiting Elbrus, Russian Banya, Touring with BeyondRedSquare from 2018-09-02T05:08:31
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is our great pleasure to introduce to you our No.1 fan, the model CaucasTalk listener, our very first emailer, Kevin Abernathy! Hailing form the deep south, Kevin and his p...
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CT30–Sports in the North Caucasus PART 2: Wrestling, Boxing,&Martial Arts from 2018-08-28T05:04:59
Last week we took a look at the place in the North Caucasus of one of the world’s most famous and beloved sports—football (soccer, if you’re an American). Today we look at the place in the world of...
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CT29–Sports in the North Caucasus PART 1: Soccer, Football,&the World Cup from 2018-08-10T23:13:10
The World Cup has just ended in Russia, but passion for football (or soccer, if you will) burns bright as ever—and that is no less true for the North Caucasus than the rest of the country. Today in...
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10 DAYS LEFT: CaucasTalk Adventure—February 2019! from 2018-08-05T19:36:09
Today is August 5th meaning there are 10 days left to inquire about the upcoming CaucasTalk Adventure. What’s that, you ask?? The trip of a lifetime specially-designed for our beloved CaucasTalk co...
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CT28–BEST OF EPISODES 1-9! [INTRO FIXED 8.28.18] from 2018-08-01T10:44:18
[UPDATED INTRO! WAS LOST, NOW FOUND! 8.28.18] To commemorate our (approximate) 1-year mark of producing CaucasTalk, today we take a little walk down memory lane. Here for you now we present hand-pi...
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CT27B–Kabardians: In Their Own Words! PART B from 2018-07-16T21:51:04
Today’s double episode is truly a tour de force. In this our second installment of “In Their Own Words,” our good friends Tembulat&Zalina take us on a deep dive into the very heart of Circassian cu...
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CT27A–Kabardians: In Their Own Words! PART A from 2018-07-16T04:15:35
Today’s double episode is truly a tour de force. In this our second installment of “In Their Own Words,” our good friends Tembulat&Zalina take us on a deep dive into the very heart of Circassian cu...
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CT26–New Series!“In Their Own Words”—Russians! from 2018-07-05T01:46:54
We sometimes speak of “the Caucasus” as if it’s one thing. But as you know, it’s dozens and dozens—ethnicities, languages, cultures, and expressions. So after months of preparation, we are eager an...
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The CaucasTalk Adventure—February, 2019!! from 2018-07-02T18:18:06
What are YOU doing in February, 2019? Why not join us in the first-ever CaucasTalk Adventure—an 8-day/7-night tour designed especially for you, our esteemed community! Everything you’ve heard about...
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CT25–Lezginka Part 2: Learning to Dance from 2018-06-23T03:35:07
For the first half of 2018 our own host Eli was in Lezginka lessons with his son. For today’s episode, Andrew interviews Eli about what it’s been like to learn this rich Caucasus dance tradition. G...
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CT–LIVE Episode! from 2018-06-17T06:24:38
Our apologies for the delay! We skipped our June 1 release and took a little summer rest. But we’re back at it again. For any of you who missed it—or if you didn’t miss it and just want to hear it ...
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CT24–Lezginka! Part 1: What is it? from 2018-05-15T19:12:27
Have you ever felt that. . . you can’t stop the feeling? Well Justin Timberlake has. And he is not alone! Lezginka—the passionate, flashy, incendiary national dance of the North Caucasus—embodies t...
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How to Listen LIVE! **2-minute Announcement** from 2018-05-15T19:10:29
Listen to our first LIVE broadcast! Also, CHAT LIVE with Andrew&Eli during the broadcast! Go to caucastalk.com/live Wednesday 16 May, 2018 at 7:30pm (GMT+3) Pacific – 9:30am Eastern – 12:30pm
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URGENT NEWS!! Live Broadcast NEXT WEEK! — May 16, 2018 from 2018-05-08T21:25:45
BIG NEWS! Join us next week Wednesday May 16th, 2018 at 7:30pm Moscow Time (GMT +3) for the first-ever live audience recording of CaucasTalk AND a live online broadcast of the show! We couldn’t be ...
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CT23–INTERVIEW: Rashid–Levison Wood’s Guide to the North Caucasus, and YOURS! from 2018-05-01T12:09:49
Would you like insider advice on traveling the North Caucasus from an insider with 20 years of experience guiding throughout the region? Today we welcome Rashid to the studio! We heard of Rashid fr...
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CT22–Tourism Month! INTERVIEW: Jeff says“Choose to travel!” from 2018-04-20T02:00:21
Jeff, the founder of Experience It Tours, closes out “Tourism Month” with a bang. A veteran of many years running private tours in Morocco and beyond, Jeff casts a fresh light on the value of touri...
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CT21–Introducing“Beyond Red Square”!–INTERVIEW: Andrew&Josh’s New Tourism Company from 2018-04-10T02:00:48
It’s finally here—Beyond Red Square, your very own English-speaking tourism company geared entirely for adventures in the North Caucasus! Our very own Andrew and his colleague Josh, the company’s ...
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CT20–How to Tour the North Caucasus THIS Summer!–The Inside Scoop from 2018-04-01T02:00:39
The founts of wisdom (or at least suggestions) burst forth today as we give you travelers some down-to-earth advice about your upcoming visit to the North Caucasus. We invite you to take some notes...
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**BONUS EPISODE!** Tourism Month!|INTERVIEW: Josiah the Instagram Photographer from 2018-03-25T03:00:54
There are some folks doing romantic jobs in the world, and today we talk with one of them. We are joined by the talented Instagram photographer, Josiah William Gordon. What is an “Instagram photogr...
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CT19–Tourism Month!|INTERVIEW: Maddie the Londoner|Field Notes: Living Water from 2018-03-15T02:00:52
Tourism is getting a fresh new ‘doo as we kick off our very own Tourism Month! Summer is fast approaching so we decided to make certain our listeners are equipped with everything they need to launc...
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CT18–State of the Podcast|New Segments! from 2018-03-01T07:14:53
Brew a cuppa something hot and kick back on the couch for a relaxed conversation with Eli and Andrew today about the State of the Podcast! We announce some changes coming up which we think will def...
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CT17–Mount Elbrus! INTERVIEW: Takhir the Trailblazer from 2018-02-20T14:45:37
As Andrew calls it, this episode is truly the “icing on the cake” to our mini-series on Elbrus. Born at the base of Elbrus, raised on its slopes, and now literally living of the mountain itself—fo...
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CT16–Mount Elbrus! INTERVIEW: Milo the Mountaineer from 2018-02-10T21:23:09
The first big news is that we’re upping the ante here at CaucasTalk. As threatened back in January, we’re moving to three releases per month. That’s right—3 (three) (III) (trés) (три). This will al...
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CT15B – Mount Elbrus! (part 2) from 2018-02-01T02:00:41
All right, enough with the facts and geology—Andrew takes us on a colorful tour of the zanier side of Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus. Today we learn about the world’s worst outhouse, and attem...
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CT15A–Mount Elbrus! (part 1) from 2018-01-15T11:30:55
Top of the morning and happy New Year to you! We’re kicking off the new year with a strong new mini-series: Mount Elbrus! For being the highest mountain in Europe, Elbrus is little known to the wid...
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CT14–The North Caucasus in Russian Literature from 2018-01-01T20:09:25
Welcome to the end of our mini-series on “The Arts in the Caucasus.” Have you ever wanted to dip a toe into Russian literature, but didn’t know where to start? Or maybe like some of us you’ve given...
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CT13–Music in the Caucasus from 2017-12-15T02:00:26
This episode is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. It’s a lump on the tip of the iceberg. It’s snow dusting the lump the tip of the iceberg. You get our point: the topic of “Music in the Caucasus” ...
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CT12–Film in the Caucasus from 2017-12-01T02:00:07
“Censorship in the West is like everywhere else, it forces my colleagues to follow certain rules—the first rule being the box office.” —Otar Iosseliani The first in a mini-series on “Arts in the No...
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CT11–The Caucasus Woman–Featuring Cristi! from 2017-11-15T10:00:45
On a stroke of insight, we thought it wise to ask a real live woman to help us out in an episode devoted to discussing women in the Caucasus. We are delighted to host Cristi, Andrew’s wife, on toda...
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CT10–The Caucasus Man from 2017-11-01T13:32:09
Down through history and across the entire North Caucasus region, certain characteristics have emerged that idealize what is a “Caucasus Man.” Today we discuss what are these characteristics as des...
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Non-Episode #1 — Previews, Awards,&Some Stats from 2017-10-30T21:22:03
Welcome to our first non-episode—a brief installment to check in, say hey, and share some details of what’s been happening and what’s to come. We want to share with you some of the feedback we’ve g...
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CT9–“Assuming Friendship”–3 Weeks, 5 Homes from 2017-10-15T19:53:38
The nick-name for today’s episode is “Story Time with Uncle Andrew.” Not only is Andrew actually a good story-teller, but he has good stories to tell. The past few months have furnished us with a w...
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CT8–Humanizing Stereotypes from 2017-10-01T05:41:32
Stereotypes . . . we all have them. Biases braid their way into how we interpret our daily experience. They inform our perception of reality, other cultures, and—most significantly—other people. An...
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CT7–Meat&Tea: The Food of the Caucasus from 2017-09-15T16:14:51
What’s in a barbecue? Have you ever thought about the cultural significance of this seemingly insignificant even? Well, here in the North Caucasus, two foods in particular hold incredible cultural ...
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CT6–Interview with Shannon Scarborough of Elbrus Elevation Mountain Tour Company|Quiz! from 2017-09-01T20:09:35
Buckle up for today’s info-packed, highly entertaining episode about tourism in the North Caucasus. Today we interview our first ever American guest on the show: Shannon Scarbrough. Shannon is the ...
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CT5–A Brief Look at the History of the North Caucasus|News Minute!! from 2017-08-15T02:00:39
What do Romans, pointy hats, mixed martial arts, and “articulate gobbledy-gook” have in common? Caucasus history! Now before you roll your eyes and skip this episode, assuming that history is borin...
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CT4–Culture: What Is It? And Our First Interview! **BONUS EPISODE!** from 2017-08-08T18:58:08
**BONUS EPISODE!** So eager are we to get this podcast up and running that we are jumpstarting things this month with BONUS EPISODES! Instead of one episode every two weeks, we’re posting every wee...
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CT3–Tourism in the North Caucasus, Part 2 from 2017-08-01T05:00:54
Tourism in the North Caucasus, Part 2 We’re jumping right back into our fly-by of the NC region where we left off last time. Having grazed the surface of Dagestan, Chechnya, and Ingushetia, we toda...
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CT2–Tourism in the North Caucasus, Part 1 from 2017-07-12T22:50:10
Tourism in the North Caucasus, Part 1 “What? Me, tour the North Caucasus?” That’s right. Today we begin a two-part series to introduce you to the marvelous republics of the North Caucasus. They are...
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CT1–Welcome to CaucasTalk! from 2017-07-08T05:09:47
What is CaucasTalk? Welcome to CaucasTalk—your source for culture, history, and tourism in the North Caucasus mountains of Russia! We are Andrew and Eli, two Americans who live here and want to sha...
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