Foreign Bodies

Foreign Bodies

Share this post

Foreign Bodies
Foreign Bodies
Monday Matter: Inshallah, filthy Russian idioms and 'Encanto'
Monday Matter

Monday Matter: Inshallah, filthy Russian idioms and 'Encanto'

Your weekly Foreign Bodies roundup

Fiza Pirani's avatar
Fiza Pirani
Feb 07, 2022
∙ Paid

Share this post

Foreign Bodies
Foreign Bodies
Monday Matter: Inshallah, filthy Russian idioms and 'Encanto'
Share

Every Monday, we send subscribers and gift recipients of immigrant mental health and storytelling newsletter Foreign Bodies stories we recently inhaled and adored. This is also a chance to do some housekeeping and give shout-outs and all that jazz. Roundups are usually written by Fiza and edited by Farah.

First things first

A little housekeeping

What’s lifting my spirits these days

I’ve been feeling so fulfilled outside of my work life lately that I want to savor this moment for all the times imposter syndrome creeps back up (as it inevitably will). I’m typing this a little later than I wanted, but I’m not even going to feel bad about the time I’ve spent in the sun and with good company. I deserve it. We all do. A few things giving me light these days:

  • the burritos at El Tesoro in Edgewood

  • Lata Mangeshkar and the joy she and her voice brought to my family </3

  • my cat Billie and my dog Lady and all the quirks of their budding relationship

  • girlfriends that have turned into family

  • the Carter Fellowship that led to this newsletter! Applications open :)

  • weekday lunch hangouts

  • weeknight outdoor dates (even in the bitter cold!)

  • book clubs!

  • access to my Prozac refill

  • this old episode of Girls Gotta Eat on single parenthood

  • sunshine on a Sunday

  • my trusty Everlane puffer that I saved up to buy for the mountains in Italy and now wear daily during the Atlanta winter lol

  • Wordle

  • postcards from friends

What's lifting your spirits?

A musical start to your Mondays 🎧

One song to groove to, cry to, drive to and share

I’ve had Sezen Aksu on repeat all week! She’s a Turkish pop singer, songwriter and producer considered the “Queen of Turkish Pop.” Aksu, who was born Fatma Sezen Yıldırım in the Denizli province of Turkey is best known for her collaborations with musicians like Sertab Erener, Tarkan and Gortan Bregović. According to this Culture Trip profile, Aksu “is known not only for her incredible voice, but also for her social activism and engagement,” particularly when it comes to issues like misogyny, illiteracy, discrimination, bullying and homophobia.

Recommend a song or artist!

Resource(s) of the week

Something helpful and interesting and cool (*storytelling opportunity)

  • Forced migration and its psychological effects: A one-pager from Şeyma Koçak, a clinical psychologist at Istanbul Gelişim University, offering a general overview of the mental health effects of forced migration on adults and children—and what can be done to protect and improve the well-being of both migrants and indigenous communities

  • How Institutions Can Improve AAPI Students' Mental Health: A guide from eight experts with the University of Michigan, the Steve Fund and the National Center for Institutional Diversity to help institutions better understand and support the mental health needs of their Asian American and Pacific Islander students by elevating their cultural competency

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Foreign Bodies to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Fiza Pirani
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share