Own your voice
Celebrate your Accent
Podcast about language, identity
and everything in between.
We explore how language shapes our lives, the stories behind the voices we hear, and the wonderfully imperfect ways we communicate across cultures.
Sophie Paiges Hughes
“How you tell your storytelling is the most vital part. Do you believe in it, by calling yourself?” — Our guest
From South Wales to Barcelona, Sophie Paige Hughes, speaks six and a half languages (yes, the half counts!) and radiates the kind of energy that makes everyone feel seen and included.
Sophie shares how her passion for languages shaped her career in HR and DEI, her journey with Women in Tech, and what it means to build truly inclusive spaces, both professionally and personally.
What we talk about on this episode
— Growing up bilingual, embracing the “messy” side of language learning.
— How communication, love, and community all intertwine, from queer collectives to inclusive workplaces
→5th Episode
Based in Barcelona, Spain
from South Wales, UK
One of Sophie’s reflections:
“I think it’s genuinely interesting human beings that pushes me to learn more languages.” – Sophie
Ash van Ierssel
“Dad, I don’t want to speak English at home anymore. I want to speak Dutch.” — Our guest
In this episode with Ash van Ierssel, we explore what it means to grow up between cultures. From moving countries at the age of 7, learning one language while forgetting another, and working with multinational teams, Ash shares how empathy and adaptability shaped their journey. Traveling the world, meeting people from all walks of life, and discovering what truly represents you, this is a story about identity, resilience, and perspective.
What we talk about on this episode
Growing up between cultures and adapting to a new country at the age of 7.
The challenge of forgetting one language while learning another
Working with multinational teams and the power of empathy.
Traveling the world, meeting new people, and finding out what truly represents you.
→4th Episode
Based in Bergen, Netherlands
from Kunming, China
One of Ash’s reflections:
“It really opened my view to what else the world had to offer.”
Deyanira Guerrero
‘Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres’.
Learning German and its culture since high school opened the doors for Deya to move to Vienna, Austria, in search of a better future and quality of life. In her daily life, she navigates two non-native languages, sharing with us the fascinating relationship she has with each.
At Bad Accent, we felt that Deya was exactly the kind of profile we wanted to explore and ask questions. She’s a naturally curious person, someone worth getting to know and sharing with our listeners and language community.
→3rd Episode
Based in Austria, Vienna
from Barranquilla, Colombia
In today’s episode, “Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres”, wherever life takes her, Deya embraces it fully. From holistic therapy to UX/UI design, she blends cultures, ideas, and experiences like a well-shaken cocktail. We are like a mix of everything, and in this episode, we talk about mental health, creativity, and the beauty of living between worlds.
Jari Asselaman
Something Belgian, Belge, Belgisch… It is very difficult to say.
Jari’s deep curiosity about his own country, Belgium makes him the perfect guest for Bad Accent. With him, we go beyond the boundaries of Brussels to explore the wider Belgian landscape: What is Wallonie? —What is Flanders? And many other stories.
So in this episode, Bad Accent takes a journey from the local to the international journey. Jari’s unique perspective and passion for languages play a special role in helping us better understand Belgium’s diverse culture and regional identities.
→2nd Episode
Based in Aalst
— Belgium
Jari has just released his book, Gniffelen in ‘t blauw. Many of the character names in this book originate from his hometown, Aalst—a place known for its distinctive dialect within Flanders, as Jari explains during our conversation.
Nobuki Hironiwa
Architect and cultural exchange as a university student
This time on bad accent, we’re hanging out with our good friend and brilliant architect Nobuki Hironiwa joining us all the way from Tokyo.
We explored how languages shape the way we design and connect, the secrets behind public spaces in Japanese architecture, and took a sweet trip down memory lane to our university days sharing tiny rooms and big dreams in Lisbon.
→1st Episode
Based in Osaka
— Japan
Want to share your language journey on one of our episodes?
→ Project collaboration with
Sofia Vieira
Podcast co-host + producer
UX/UI Designer
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