Two cities. Endless chaos.We’ve lived in both Toronto and Mumbai—and the similarities are hilariously real. In this episode:

• Dug-up roads & constant construction
• TTC delays vs. Mumbai locals
• Sweaty summers, freezing winters, and monsoon floods
• Food, space, and finding “home” in the chaos

If you’ve ever lived in either city—or love immigrant stories—this one’s for you.🎧 New episodes drop every Thursday. Tune in wherever you listen!

Friendship in your 20s is nothing like the movies.

In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build and maintain friendships as adults—when schedules are packed, social circles are shifting, and boundaries actually matter.

From making new friends in a new country to navigating conflict, growing apart, and learning what healthy friendships look like—we’re unpacking it all. If you’ve ever felt like no one warned you how hard friendship would get as you grow up… this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in now to Desperate Times—new episodes every Thursday.

Toronto is vibrant, loud, fast-paced and honestly, kind of exhausting.

In this episode, Varun and Sakshi get real about living in Canada’s busiest (and most expensive) city:

🚆 The TTC chaos that makes you question everything

💸 The rent? Let’s not even go there

🏙️ But also, the city’s energy that somehow keeps you going

If you’ve ever tried to survive in Toronto or found joy in the madness, this one’s for you.

#TorontoLife #TTCStruggles #GroceryPrices #DesperateTimesPodcast #ImmigrantDiaries #LifeInCanada #CostOfLivingCanada #NewcomerLife

Montreal: where French menus meet freezing sidewalks and fashion feels like New York—but in survival mode.

In this episode, Sakshi and Varun unpack the highs and headaches of starting over in Montreal:

• Learning to live (and order food) in French

• Facing fashion pressure and frozen sidewalks

• Chasing Indian food, dodging inflation, and surviving the bureaucracy

Whether you’re a newcomer, immigrant, or just Googling “how to open a bank account in Quebec,” this one’s for you.

#MontrealLife #NewcomerStories #DesperateTimesPodcast #ImmigrantVoices #CanadaDiaries #FrenchInCanada #MontrealWinter #IndianInCanada #PodcastForNewcomers #LifeAbroad

From bone-chilling winters to blink-and-you-miss-it summers, Canada’s weather is a full-time personality.

In this episode, Sakshi and Varun talk about:

• Surviving -20°C days (and invisible black ice 😵‍💫)

• Celebrating the first 10°C like it’s July

• Mood swings, seasonal routines, and daylight savings chaos

• That awkward in-between weather that ruins your fits

  
  

Newcomer or not, if you’ve ever questioned why you still live here—this one’s for you.

#DesperateTimesPodcast #CanadaWeather #NewcomerLife #WinterSurvival #CanadianSeasons #LifeInCanada #ImmigrantVoices #SeasonalStruggles #BlackIceChronicles #WeatherMoodSwings

Part-time job hunting as an international student in Canada? It’s not just resumes and interviews—it’s survival mode.

Sakshi and Varun talk about what no one prepares you for:

• On-campus vs off-campus realities

• Under-the-table gigs and unpaid trials

• Cultural curveballs and mental tolls

  
  

If you’ve ever stood in line with your resume or Googled “student job Canada,” you’ll feel this one.

#DesperateTimesPodcast #InternationalStudentLife #StudentJobsCanada #WorkWhileStudying #NewcomerStories #PartTimeHustle #CanadaDiaries #LifeAbroad #ImmigrantVoices

What happens when two immigrants land in Canada with zero idea what’s going on? Absolute chaos—and some great stories.

In this episode, Sakshi and Varun rewind to their first week in Canada:

• Orientation nerves and direction confusion

• Apartment hunting fails

• Bank accounts, phone plans, and other “simple” tasks that weren’t

• Major culture shocks and tiny wins that kept us going

New country. No clue. If you’ve ever had to start over from scratch—you’ll get it.

#DesperateTimesPodcast #NewcomerLife #ImmigrantStories #MovedToCanada #InternationalStudents #LifeInCanada #CultureShock #StartingFromScratch #SurvivalMode

Think working at a 5-star hotel is all glam and luxury? Think again.In this episode, Sakshi spills the tea on her first job in hospitality sales—where the the politics was exhausting, and the sexism? Loud. From cold calls and corporate banquets to burnout and breakdowns, this one’s a raw look behind the velvet curtain.🎙 Varun takes the host seat this time, asking all the questions you’d want answered—how she got the job, what really went down, and why she finally said “enough.”If you’ve ever felt stuck in a job that looked good on paper but drained you daily… this one’s for you.👇 Drop your first job story in the comments—we’re reading them all.