A Road Trip Podcast
- an American Journey and Everything In Between
Lena Walther - from Swedish diplomacy and working for the CIA to creating awareness of Human Trafficking
Lena's young determination to see the world landed her a job at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and an assignment at the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. From there, she saw the neighboring country Laos fall apart while going back and forth across the Mekong River before standing face to face with North Korean border guards, hiding from enemy fire, living undercover in Paris, and working as an accountant for the CIA in Madrid, while her husband Ken - a deep undercover CIA agent - led the operation that finally brought down the Spanish terrorist group ETA.
Rikard Steiber - a Swedish Viking in Silicon Valley
Rikard Steiber's footprint spans Google, Modern Times Group, HTC, GoodTrust, electric trucks, flying cars, and the two books "Digital Legacy" and "Supercharge Your Life with AI". He's the epitome of a tech guru, a global advisor moving effortlessly at the forefront of the AI landscape, and the complete opposite of me.
Ross Fogelquist - the King of Fogelbo & Knight of the Polar Star
Sir Ross Fogelquist's grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Mora, Sweden, in 1891, and his family has lived in the Steiner log house on Oleson Road in Portland since 1952 - a house listed on the National Register of Historic Places and known as Fogelbo - a living museum of Swedish history, art, and artifacts.
- I met Ross to talk about his family's history, his collection of Swedish art and artifacts, and to ask why nurturing your roots in this way is so important to him.
Petra Hilleberg - the footprint of a Swedish tentmaker
In 1971, the company "Hilleberg" was founded out of frustration with the market for reliable tents. Bo Hilleberg decided to design his own - a tent where the inner tent and flysheet were set up as one - and with his wife Renate's practical mind and sewing skills, they launched their first tent, the "Keb", in 1973.
Today, their daughter Petra Hilleberg is CEO of Hilleberg Group and President of Hilleberg the Tentmaker in Seattle, Washington, ensuring the family legacy continues to push forward in design, innovation, and quality.
Eric Nelson - the Swedes of the Pacific Northwest
In the far northwestern corner of the Lower 48 states is Washington, with Seattle as its epicenter. A city (and state) notably shaped by Scandinavian immigrants and Swedish heritage.
How did they find their way all the way out here? And what about the area made people cross oceans, prairies, mountains, and deserts to get here?
Molly Steenson - the Swedish history of Minnesota and the concept of being Swedish
Is Minnesota as Swedish as it says it is? And what does it really mean to be a Swede?
I drove to Minneapolis to meet with Molly W. Steenson, President and CEO of the American Swedish Institute, and to learn about Swan Johan Turnblad, the Swedish newspaper publisher behind "Svenska Amerikanska Posten", (…)
Barb Hughes - learning Swedish to unlock your family's history
Barb Hughes' grandparents came to Minnesota by the beginning of the last century. They were Swedish woodworkers and cabinet makers, seeking a life in the growing city of Minneapolis, and soon became part of the city's Swedish community.
- This episode seeks to highlight the importance of a language and how it can be used to go back in time.