Cracking the Cultural Code With Lorelou Desjardins

Aug 22, 2023

Lorelou Desjardins, a French lawyer, shares her experiences advocating for indigenous rights and rainforest protection. She gives tips on ethical travel to indigenous areas and cracking the cultural code. The conversation also includes the curiosities of life in Norway and their experiences as immigrants. Traveling as a child and desire for stability, encounters with a sick shaman in a remote Indonesian village, the impact of outside influences on indigenous communities, and the challenges and rewards of integrating into a new culture are also discussed.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Integrating into a New Culture and Writing a Book in a Non-Native Language

01:45 • 5min

Childhood Adventures and the Desire for Stability

06:18 • 23min

A Journey to a Small Village

29:40 • 8min

Indigenous Communities and Rapid Changes

38:00 • 12min

Promotion of Premium Podcast Feed and Newsletter, Importance of Conversations and Unique Experience

50:10 • 2min

Integrating into a New Culture: Challenges and Rewards

52:36 • 26min

Bike Trips and Kind Strangers

01:18:20 • 13min

Expressing Gratitude and Keeping Dreams Alive

01:31:17 • 3min

Integrating ourselves into a new culture allows us to meet more locals and enhance our travel experience. But how can we do this in the most authentic and ethical way?

Lorelou Desjardins is a French lawyer who’s lived in seven countries, speaks four languages, and has dedicated over a decade to addressing environmental issues and fighting injustice on behalf of Indigenous people worldwide. She is also a fellow immigrant to Norway and has a popular blog and book called A Frog in the Fjord, which has become a bestseller here in Norway.

During today’s chat with Lorelou, you´ll hear about her experience advocating for Indigenous rights and rainforest protection. She’ll share tips on ethical travel to Indigenous areas, advice for cracking the cultural code wherever you go so you can get the most out of your trip, and the importance of being unafraid to follow a different path that others may not agree with. We also commiserate on the curiosities of life in Norway and some of the quirky things we’ve experienced living here as immigrants!

Have you taken the time to immerse yourself in local culture while you travel? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

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Tune In To Learn:

How traveling as a child and witnessing Aboriginal injustice in Australia led to a life working in human rights
Lorelou’s advice for effecting change in areas that matter to you and dealing with the naysayers
The stigma and exotification of Indigenous cultures and her experience working for their rights and rainforest protection
The time she was asked to be the doctor in a remote village (you won’t believe how it ends!)
The irony of Indigenous shame when it comes to environmental reform and climate change
How tourism can be a powerful tool for Indigenous communities if done right
Why integrating into Norweigan culture was more difficult for her than in Indonesia
What life is like as a woman in Norway and why she feels this country allows you to have it all
What Lorelou loves most about calling Norway home and her favorite travel experiences here
How writing has allowed her to process the journey of integrating into a new country
And so much more

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Learn more about Lorelou, her work, and living in Norway
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This episode is also sponsored by US Bank's Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card, with the ability to earn up to 5x the points on travel-related expenses like hotels, and rental cars, this card will get you the most return on your next trip.