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In this episode, I talk about a recent movie I had the privilege of watching, Laalo. This movie is in my mother tongue - Gujrati - and teaches a very important lesson through the Hindu religion. In this episode, I talk about the movie, the records it broke, and how the movie affected me personally. Email - [email protected] Listen, rate, and share!

Happy 2026!! In this episode, I stay true to my name and ramble about everything I've learned whilst having this podcast. Additionally, I share my visions for the upcoming year! Email: [email protected] Listen, Rate, and share!

Hi, this is part 2 of a series about my family's recent vacation to Italy. Part one was about Florence, a fantastic experience. This one is about the Amalfi region - near Naples, in the southwest part of Italy. We took a train from Florence to Naples and enjoyed the experience. From Naples we took a taxi to the town of Praiano, about 90 min away. The drive was along the side of a mountain with the sea on the other side. Some really beautiful views. We stayed at a family owned hotel called the Tramanto D'Oro with absolutely gorgeous view of the coast and the mountains. We hiked up to a convent in the mountains and I am really glad we did that. The entire hike was beautiful and the views from the convent were worth the 1200 step hike. And we met a group from Liechtenstein there! We enjoyed delicious food and small, cute stores in the village. I got to practice my Spanish a little because there was a sandwich place where the lady didn't speak English, we didn't speak Italian and so Spanish it was. We took the taxi back to Naples and spent an afternoon there. Very different vibes than Florence and Praiano. We enjoyed a traditional Neapolitan pizza - very floppy but very good. Also tried a fried pizza and I must tell you - it was much better than I had expected. Shoutout to Quinn who emailed me after hearing the Florence episode. She had visited there a couple of years back. You can always email me at [email protected] Like, subscribe and share this episode

Hey friends, I just got back from an amazing vacation to Italy. Our first stop was in Florence. What an amazing place! Full of history and culture and art and natural beauty! I enjoyed the food (pasta! gelato! panini!), the Tuscan countryside, the stunning art. Here's my description of my amazing few days in Florence. Have you been there? What do you think? Email me at [email protected] A big thanks to Daisy from Florida who wrote to me about the previous episode. Please listen, subscribe and share And email me: [email protected]

I am a member of the Harvard Microbiological society and I recently wrote an article about vaccines fort their blog. In this episode, I read the article out loud!You can also read the entire article titled "Vaccines - More Than Just a Needle" at https://medium.com/@harvardmicrosociety/vaccines-more-than-just-a-needle-b586b26c9a2d Overall, I think vaccines is one the most interesting topics, because of all the history as well as how they work! Email me at [email protected] with your feedback and suggestion for future episodes, or about anything else, and you will get a shout-out! Thanks for listening, and as always listen, rate, and share!

I finished Freshman year of HS! It wasn’t exactly what I had expected but to be honest, But I am not exactly sure what I expected.     Here's my main tips:  Be open – to people, to try new things, to new experiences Be open to new friends and friendships Be involved with school activities – sports, clubs etc. – which helps you meet different people. I really enjoyed homecoming because it created so many classic high school memories. Another highlight was my AP Human Geography class. Though the class was stressful, I loved the teacher and met a lot of good friends!   Now that it's summer, I am picking up a couple of hobbies!!   I love crocheting – and I have made baby blankets, plushies etc. I am also now learning to sew and to make a quilt I started because I saw a documentary on Netflix called “Quilters” which is about a group of men in prison who are making quilts, and it looked so cool!   Also I am also co-hosting a local radio show. Can you believe it? Me on a radio show! If you are in Dallas-Ft Worth, tune in to FM 104.1 on Sundays at 5 PM and call in! Listen to the episode for more details and more about how I'm spending my summer! What about you? How's your summer? Doing anything fun? Learning anything new? Seen any fun movies or shows?     Email me at [email protected] with your questions, comments and a list of things you are doing this summer   And shoutouts to: * my best friend, Sandhya * my cousin, Shruti * Dakota in Oklahoma – who emailed me about my Las Vegas episode As always, listen, rate, and share!  

Shout out to Ms. Daisy – I love how she tells everyone about my podcast. Thank you, Ms.Daisy!! And shoutout to Emma from Ohio – who listened to the podcast episode of my mom discussing her composting and emailed me!! In today's episode, I talked about my experience in speech and debate. My older brother did debate in HS and loved talking to me about his experiences. When I was in middle school, I wasn’t planning to do debate – I thought it was for nerds. But, I joined it in 8th grade to pick an easy class. Then, I took debate in 9th grade mostly because I was expected to by my parents and brother. I was planning to do the bare minimum in the class! Then came my first debate tournament. I chose to participate in extemporaneous speaking – where you have to prepare a 7-min speech within a 30-min of being given a topic. I also participated in “original oratory” – where I had to prepare a 10 min speech on a topic of my choice. I chose “Overthinking” as my topic. I met an amazing group of sophomores at the tournament and I met other people from other schools and started to have a good time. I also ended up watching one of my friend's rounds and loved it! I ended up getting placed 3rd in the tournament for the extemporaneous speaking!!! I then found out there was another tournament my birthday weekend in Amarillo and I asked my parents if I could go. I was so excited when they said ‘yes’ It was a really fun weekend and I had a great time with my friends. I did really well in my events and became super close with my team. This is when I truly understood debate culture – it is such a welcoming group of students and everyone’s watching out for each other. I realized that I could be actually good at this debate thing, and that I really enjoyed it! I made qualifying for the state tournament my goal. So I decided to go to every tournament in my 2nd semester and I worked REALLY hard before all the competitions. But I didn’t do as well as I had hoped for. It hurt so much – I was so bummed after every tournament. I have to give a heartfelt thank you top my coach- Mr.White, and my friends who always encouraged me to keep trying! I could not have enjoyed debate this year without them. Unfortunately, I did not qualify for the state tournament which was frustrating. But I then decided to focus on the district competition because they was a qualifying event for the national competition. I then decided to switch topics in my original oratory – I switched from “Overthinking” to “emotional desensitization” I worked so hard on editing and my delivery. I qualified for semi finals at the district competition (yay!) but I didn’t qualify for the national competition. It was hard and sad, but I'm so so proud of my friends who qualified. I am also so so proud of myself and all that I achieved this year! :) I am so happy I proved myself wrong and found debate as something I truly belonged in. So if there’s anything that you are hesitant about – just try it. You may just end up enjoying it. I encourage you to try out for speech and debate. There are SO many events that I am sure you will find something that interests you. Email me: [email protected] if you have questions about speech and debate or about anything else! You will get a shoutout! As always, listen rate and share!

I learned so much in this chat with Coach Calie – about managing stress, my diet, about giving myself grace, about focusing on the full picture. Let me know what you liked about this episode.   Here’s some highlights from our discussion: - We have over complicated our lives. And focusing on habits has a huge impact on our lives        - Typically, when we think of health, we think "doctors". Doctors focus on specific areas and usually prescribe medicines. But health coaches focus on lifestyle and daily habits. They look beyond the symptoms and focus on root cause. They empower the patients to improve their own lives. - The way we think of ourselves is a very important part of staying healthy. - Teens are under a lot of pressure. Too much information from social media etc. Take time to think who you want to be. - Focus on yourself and stop comparing yourself to other people. - Stress can be different types – some of which can be reduced by looking at your routine. Important actions: - Never skip meals - Eat well-rounded meals - Pick plants on your plate at every meal. And make sure to eat fiber.  The occasional bag of chips or Starbucks is OK – but as long as your body has good nutrition first. - Calm down before eating using simple box breathing techniques  Instagram: @CoachCalie Website: CoachCalie.com One course is free – for all girls and women Other course is more detailed – geared for women over 35  Interview with Nic (my soccer coach and Calie's fiance) was episode #75: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0LEv0yEPTXnmfADSGw0s2V Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riyas-ramblings-ep-75-a-chat-with-my-soccer-coach/id1503527022?i=1000644959750 Shoutout to Ms. Daisy (my mom's friend) and to Darshana, my friend. Email me at [email protected] for a shouout! Remember, listen, rate, and share!

I got to see Lebron LIVE! O M G! So much awesomeness!   We went to a Dallas Mavericks – LA Lakers basketball game last week and it was SO MUCH fun! Unfortunately, both Luka and Kyrie were injured. But we did get to see LeBron and Bronny play. It was pretty cool to see Lebron dunk. That clip that went viral? I saw that in person!   And then Bronny came in for a few minutes too. How cool is that! To see both Lebron and Bronny play in the game! :) I have been to NBA games, baseball games, MLS soccer games and have watched the US Women's Soccer team play. I am hoping to go see the FIFA World Cup games in Dallas!! Do you like watching sports? Who is your fav player? Have you seen them live? Email me: [email protected] to tell what you think of this episode for a shoutout!! Listen, Rate, and Share!  

In this episode, I talk about my fun trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. I “ramble” a lot about food options, overall activities, and give my honest, non-biased opinion about the city. For food, I think there are a lot of options, but make sure to make reservations beforehand to limit wait times. I personally loved Alexis, a yummy breakfast place! For day-to-day activities, the main thing is visiting other resorts on the strip. We lived in the Bellagio, home of the best fountain show in the world! Would definitely recommend living on the strip as it is very convenient. We visited the Hoover Dam, pretty nice but a little overrated (a recurring pattern 🙂) Favorite part was Mat Franco’s magic show by far! amazing showmanship and insane tricks!!   My honest opinion, its great for a one time visit, but definitely a little overrated. Listen for more details! Shoutout to Avery for emailing me about the podcast! Email me at [email protected] for a shoutout, and even possibly an interview! Remember, listen, rate, and share!

In this episode, I talk to my mom's aunt - my grand aunt about her amazing experiences and life journey. She is 83 years young and has been in the US for 53 years. Woah!! She learned conversational American English by watching TV shows like "The Price is Right" (super cool), started work as a sales clerk in the department store and went to college in her 50s. She is also a world traveler! Her favorite places are Western Canada and the southern island of New Zealand, both sound so pretty and I need to go soon! I loved listening to her experiences. And I am sure you will too! Email me: [email protected] to tell me what you think or about anything at all to get a shout out! A shoutout to Bri, Taylor and Anya who told me that they like listening to me ramble. You guys made my day so thank you so much!

In this episode I talk about my trip to Chicago! This time, I went with my cousins, whom I interviewed in episode 49 about their dog treat business. Here’s the highlights of my visit to Chicago:Chicago’s trains are amazing, they are so convenient and easy to use. Overall, a really good fun trip with my cousins! Have you been to Chicago? What did I miss?Email me at [email protected] Emmaline and Whitney

We spent two really fun days in Busan during our week-long trip to South Korea. Listen to the previous episode about our stay in Seoul! Busan is on the southern coast of South Korea and is the country's 2nd largest city. To get there, we took a high-speed KTX train from Seoul to Busan (No, I did not watch the movie). The train was super nice with free wifi as well! Our hotel in Busan was also amazing! It was on the 15th floor overlooking the beach, which provided an awesome view. First, we went to the Gamcheon Culture Village, which is on top of a mountain. We drove to the top (using taxi) and walked our way around, This was a super fun place to walk around because there were many shops set up selling different things, but also there was a beautiful mountain view. One of my favorite things from the trip for sure. We then went to the beach near our hotel. It was the Sea of Japan, and and was super cold, but I LOVE THE WATER so I enjoyed splashing around it in. It was super pretty with the bridge and mountains and buildings in the background. The sunset was stunning! The backdrop of the city lights, the ocean and the mountains created one of the best sunsets I have seen. The next day before our train, we headed back to the beach, dipped our feet again, and then headed to Hwangnyeongsan mountain. We drove up to the observation area, and hiked a little farther up. The view was soooo pretty and our cameras did not do it justice. It was really quiet and peaceful. It was a quick trip but I am really glad we visited Busan. The train ride, the beach, the people, the markets - all memories I will remember forever! Email me at [email protected] for a shoutout, just like Elizabeth and Amina this week! Thank you for listening and remember, listen, rate, and share!

This episode is about my recent vacation to... South Korea!We spent 4 days in Seoul and 2 in the city of Busan. The first couple of days we stayed in the Myeongdong area and visited a few very different places. We visited the Myeongdong palace, Bukchon Hanok village (a traditional Korean village) and the Namsam Tower.We then went to the Jogyesa Buddhist temple which has 3 very large Buddha statues. I loved watching the prayer service. They have a great set of activities for visitors and we enjoyed making paper lanterns that looked like the lotus flower.In the evening we went to the Namsam tower – hint: take the cable car up near sunset. Stunning views!(But watch out for the bugs)Fun fact: The light on the tower changes based on the air quality in the area. The next day, me and my mom went shopping. The most popular chain is Olive Young – a great place to buy cosmetics.We had an absolutely fantastic time walking through the market.We also walked a bit of the Cheonggyecheon stream that’s an amazing part of the city. It was so surprising to experience this in the middle of the city.We went back at night and walked around watching the dozens of food stalls selling some delicious food.We had the local dessert – Bingsu which is shaved ice covered with fruit and other toppingsThe next day we went to another Buddhist temple – Bongeunsa – and the Coex mall. That mall was impressive!Lots of people, lots of stores and lots of places to sit and just people watch!That evening we went to the Hangang River park and saw another pretty sunset.It was lovely to see so many people just hanging out and enjoying the evening. 7-11 is more than just a convenience store. It has sit-down tables where you can sit and have a quick snack.There’s one at almost every corner and it’s full of great snacks. Language can be a challenge – it really helps to know a few phrases for “thank you” and “hello”And you can use Google Translate to help. The subway system in Seoul is really good and as a bonus – has an underground mall! Shout-out to Ms. Deborah who wrote to me about the recent episode where I talked to Mr. Andre about his extreme marathon! And also to Taylor who told me how she loves listening to this podcast while working out! Anyone can get a shout-out if you email me at [email protected] about anything and everything for a shout-out! And remember, listen, rate, and share!

I really enjoyed talking to him about the the 24-hr race called “Death by 5K”. (It started on 8 AM Sat and he ran till 8 AM Sunday)You are supposed to complete a 5K race every 2.5 hrs for 24 hours!! If you finished sooner than 2.5hrs, you can rest, eat etc. till the next start.As if this wasn't tough enough, the entire race is on asphalt, so it got really hot during the day.Even though I did track in middle school and like to run outside of school, this is beyond what I can imagine! His goal is to qualify for the Boston marathon and he has promised me a follow-up interview when he qualifies.I wish him all the best and would love to learn about his Boston experience.His dream-team dinner guest list is:- Ariana Grande (big fan!)- President JFK (wants to ask questions about things only he knows)- Elon Musk/Jeff Bezos (wants to know what it feels like to run such an impressive company)What did you think? Would you run a race like this?Email me: [email protected]