VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE  82 
AIR DATE  08 09 2019  
TRANSCRIPT 
 

OPEN  ((VO/NAT)) 
((Banner)) 
On Air Shopping
((SOT)) 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
Welcome to another edition of the hit radio program Swap 
Shop. 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
I am still looking for a couple dressers for the Bush family.  
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner))
Generational Bonds
((SOT)) 
((Fredric Roi Marquez, Student Participant))  
I get to call so many residents.  I got close with grandma or 
grandpa.  Some of the residents don’t have, like, family.  So 
then, we’ve become their family. 
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner)) 
World of Belegarth
((SOT)) 
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
The hardest thing to teach people is to swing or the best way 
to to hit somebody.  This is a full contact game, so it’s got to 
be a full swing. 
((NATS)) 
((Open Animation))  
 

BLOCK A 
 

((PKG))  T-RADIO   
((Banner:  Swap Shop)) 
((Reporter/Camera:  Deepak Dobhal)) 
((Map:  Ogallala, Nebraska))    
 
((Pop-Up Banner: 
Before eBay & Craiglist, there was TRadio))   
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
Everybody I know, like, its 9 o’ clock, we turn Swap Shop on 
because they might have something you just might need.  
Right? 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
Welcome to another edition of the hit radio program Swap 
Shop.  If you have items to sell, rent, trade or give away, or if 
you're looking for something, call 308 284….. 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
But you got a call early because lot of these things go quick. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
Remember, Swap Shop is not for business or for commercial 
purposes.  And now, your host, Corey Andersen. 
Hi, Good morning everyone. 
((Corey Andersen, Radio Host, Swap Shop)) 
I've been doing Swap Shop here for about 28 years, since 
the spring of 1991.  It's a mostly a practical way of selling 
things that you're trying to get rid of and make some money, 
and it's a easy way to do it.  There is no, you don't have to 
spend any money.  All you have to do is make that phone 
call, and say what it is you're selling, and give your number, 
and then you just wait for people to call you.  
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
Good morning. You're in Swap Shop. 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
Good morning, Corey.  I am still looking for a couple 
dressers for the Bush family.  If they can give me a call that 
would be great.  Have a good day. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
And, thanks.  520….520.  I have a 2003 Ford minivan for 
sale.  A very nice little van.  
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
And there's a phone ringing.  We'll see.  
Hello. 
I am. 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
I have been doing a fund raiser for a family that lost their 
home here, and they need everything, and so there's specific 
things that they're needing and we're not finding.  I just 
called-in and asked for some dressers, and someone called 
me from Lake McConaughy, and they had a rental and have 
lots of furniture to give away.  So, I'm going to go look at it 
this afternoon, and it was, yeah, what two minutes that I got 
a phone call.  
((NATS)) 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
OK.  All right thanks, Billy.  We'll see you later.  Bye. 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
Dresser is found.  Sometimes, sometimes your phone just 
starts blowing up. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
((Corey Andersen, Radio Host, Swap Shop)) 
And, we're back on Swap Shop.  You are next.  Good 
morning.   
((Mo Schumm, General Manager, iHeartMedia, Denver 
Region)) 
It is the most popular program we have on the air.  
I can't explain the popularity of this program.  I don't 
understand it.  If I did, I'd bottle it up and we'd have 20 more 
just like it.  But, it's a combination of people needing things, 
wanting to get rid of things.  And, I think, visiting with Corey 
and Mike, we have a weekend.  They're comfortable with 
these guys. 
((Corey Andersen, Radio Host, Swap Shop)) 
There is that sense that we live in the same community.  I 
can trust these people because they live in the same area I 
do and we all believe, pretty much, that people in our area 
are, you know, honest and trustworthy and that they'll follow 
through on what they say they will. 
((NATS)) 
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
A lot of the older generations, farmers around here, 
ag(riculture) people, they don't have very good internet 
service still.  The radio is the one thing that, like, everybody 
still gets and you can check it, like, it’s that one day, that one 
time.  It's on at the same time every day and, you know, you 
can hear it. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
We'll take a short break and come right back with more of 
your stuff. 
((Corey Andersen, Radio Host, Swap Shop)) 
I think we get a wide range of people age-wise that call-in, 
but I think, the preponderance is probably of middle-age on 
up audience.  I don't think it's, I don't think you get a lot of 
20-somethings and 30-somethings calling. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
Two of the, two German shepherd puppies for sale.  
((Morgan Mcginley, Regular Listener)) 
Funny people call-in and they just got weird things like, you 
know, like, I don't know if they just need the money or, 
maybe, they just need to talk to somebody.  I don't know, 
which is cool and Corey is nice to them.  So, but yeah, 
there's a gal.  She calls in with a rental and two cars every 
day, and the cars change…..  
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
For sale, a wheelchair and some miscellaneous 
equipment….. 
((Mo Schumm, General Manager, iHeartMedia, Denver 
Region)) 
We've had some crazy calls before.  We've had people that, 
I can't even say on air.  This one guy wanted to call-in and 
thank his wife for the best night of his life, but he got pretty 
graphic, and that's when we put the delay in.  So, we do now 
have a delay. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
And, thank you.  289 691….. 
((Corey Andersen, Radio Host, Swap Shop)) 
It's been a part of this area and certainly a part of these radio 
stations for so many years, it's kind of like, you know, you 
get up and you breathe.  You don't think about it.  You just 
expect it to be there. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio)) 
Would love to have you back tomorrow morning to do it all 
over on the Thursday edition.  You have a wonderful, 
wonderful, really wonderful Wednesday. 
((NATS:  Swap Shop Audio))

TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up….. 
((Banner)) 
Celebrating Afghan Culture 
((SOT)) 
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attaché, Afghanistan Embassy, 
Washington DC)) 
People have gotten that image of war-torn Afghanistan 
through media.  I want them to focus on the beautiful side of 
the Afghan life, which is the Afghan culture. 
 

BREAK ONE									 
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))				  
 

BLOCK B   
((Banner:  Sharing…..)) 
 
 
((PKG))  AFGHANISTAN BEYOND WAR  
((VOA Korean)) 
((Banner:  Culture)) 
((Producer:  Eve Unshin Lee)) 
((Camera:  Sanghoon Lee))  
((Adapted by:  Philip Alexiou)) 
((Map:  Washington, D.C.)) 
((Main characters:  2 male, 2 female)) 
((NATS)) 
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attaché, Afghanistan Embassy, 
Washington, D.C.)) 
People have gotten that image of war-torn Afghanistan 
through media.  I want them to focus on the beautiful side of 
the Afghan life, which is the Afghan culture. 
((NATS)) 
((Abigail, Musician)) 
So, we are playing three kinds of music.  We’re playing, of 
course, the beautiful music of Afghanistan and we’re working 
hard to preserve and promote that music. 
((NATS)) 
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attaché, Afghanistan Embassy, 
Washington, D.C.)) 
As you know, Afghanistan is a diverse society.  We have 30 
ethnic groups in Afghanistan and they have different, you 
know, cultural diversities in all parts of the world. 
((NATS)) 
((Hamid Darmaan, Student)) 
I have the traditional Afghan turban, and then coming down I 
have my vest, and this is a traditional Afghan vest for men, 
and under that, it’s hand-stitched embroidery.  Most Afghan 
men wear this. 
((NATS)) 
((Bahishta Talash, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Afghanistan))   
I’m wearing Afghan traditional dress.  I was in Europe where 
we were to represent our country, so I dressed up the way I 
am right now.  My fellows were so much amazed.  They 
were like, “Oh, you’re wearing a very beautiful dress, but 
why you are not wearing your traditional dress?”  So, they 
were saying, “We saw what we see on the TV, on television 
that women are wearing the blue burka.”  So, I said, “That’s 
not my culture.”  So, the media has always focused, I would 
say, on the negative aspects. 
((NATS)) 
((Bahishta Talash, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Afghanistan))    
So, when I was born, due to the conflict that Afghanistan 
was going through, my parents migrated to Pakistan.  I used 
to listen to my mom and my dad and my grandfather when 
they were telling me their childhood stories, how they used 
to play in the street and how everything was fine due to 
stability.  Oh, I wish I was born at that time, so that I could 
spend my childhood in my country.   
((NATS)) 
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attaché, Afghanistan Embassy, 
Washington, D.C.)) 
We’re going through a war in Afghanistan, but the war is not 
happening in all parts of Afghanistan.  People, who go to 
Afghanistan, they enjoy Afghanistan, especially they enjoy 
the Afghan food.  They never want to forget it.   
((NATS)) 
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attaché, Afghanistan Embassy, 
Washington, D.C.)) 
The ancient history of Afghanistan, the museums of 
Afghanistan, the artifacts of Afghanistan.  The music is 
something that, you know, very unique in Afghanistan.  So, 
these are the beautiful sides of Afghan society that people, I 
think, we would, you know, advise them to focus on, you 
know, instead of the war-torn side of the country. 
((NATS)) 
 
 
((PKG))  SENIORS – YOUTH PROGRAM   
((Banner:  Time)) 
((Reporter:  Faiza Elmasry)) 
((Camera:  Adam Greenbaum))  
((Adapted by:  Martin Secrest)) 
((Map:  Springfield, Virginia)) 
((Main characters:  2 male, 2 female)) 
((NATS)) 
((Pop-Up Banner:  Erickson Living retirement community 
brings together seniors and young people)) 
((NATS))   
Hey!  How you doing?  
I’m doing well.  I’m actually really excited for today, because 
afterwards, we’re going to go to the Springfield Mall with my 
friends. 
((Fredric Roi Marquez, Student Participant))  
My grandparents, like, most of them passed away early on 
when I was little.  So, I didn't really have that grandparent 
connection that, like, some of my classmates had, and I was, 
kind of, a little bit jealous.  Especially, some people had their 
grandparents, like, down the street from them.  So then, this 
place, I get to call so many residents.  I got close with 
grandma or grandpa, and then some of the residents don’t 
have, like, family.  So then, we’ve become their family and 
it’s so, so beautiful. 
((NATS))  
Oh yes, ma’m.  Would you like lemon?  Would you like 
lemon?   
Alright, I’ll grab two lemons.  I’ll be right back. 
((Sally Pritchett, Resident))  
Their dedication to what they're doing.  They're so active in 
all kinds of stuff, not just at school and not here.  They're 
doing other things too and they're just wonderful. 
((NATS)) 
((Courtney Benhoff, Erickson Living))  
We have what we call the Scholars Program, and what it 
does is provides financial support to the students, and that 
financial support comes directly from the residents who so 
appreciate the wonderful service and everything that the 
students bring to our communities. 
((NATS)) 
((Roy O’Connor, Resident))  
It's just a great atmosphere.  They're full of fun.  You know, 
they're learning, because this is, for many of them, the first 
time working experience.  They can start as a freshman in 
high school, OK, and some stay all four years. 
((NATS)) 
Yo, what’s up?  Oh, you probably have to sign something 
later. 
((Fredric Roi Marquez, Student Participant))  
Honestly, the relationships that you make at this place is, 
like, one of my favorite things because you really get to know 
each other, because, like, how can you not?  You see these 
people, like, almost every day of the week. 
((NATS)) 
…..paid vacation, you know.  So, I've been racking those up.  
((Fredric Roi Marquez, Student Participant))  
A lot of the residents are very independent, like, I'm 
surprised when they tell me their age.  They're like: 90, and 
I’m like: No, you look like you're 60!  And like: Oh, you're just 
saying.  No!  I was just like, all the group trips they go to.  
They go out more than me! 
((NATS)) 
 

((PKG))  CAPITAL FILIPINO EATERY   
((VOA Korean)) 
((Banner:  Food)) 
((Producer:  Eve Unshin Lee)) 
((Camera:  Sanghoon Lee))  
((Adapted by:  Philip Alexiou)) 
((Map:  Washington, D.C.)) 
((Main characters:  2 male, 1 female)) 
((NATS)) 
((Richelle, Customer)) 
I got a rice bowl with chicken and it’s delicious.  I think the 
food is, you know, it’s simple enough to order, you know, find 
something that you want, not too, you know, not too much on 
the menu, not too overbearing, especially if you’re not 
familiar with Filipino food.  
((NATS)) 
((Jay Aceron, CEO, The Flipside)) 
Basically, it’s a restaurant that we want to present Filipino 
food to the masses.  I mean, everyone knows about Korean, 
Chinese, Vietnamese, but as far as Filipino, it’s not that 
much out there.  
((NATS)) 
((Carl, Employee)) 
So, what we have here is the Pork Adobo Belly.  So, like I 
said, this is what people actually go for.  And then, this is the 
chicken version of that Chicken Adobo.  
((NATS)) 
((Carl, Employee)) 
So, every household in the Philippines can actually cook 
Adobo.  So, we want it to be here.  We want that, you know, 
the culture, to introduce our culture, which, this is one of 
them.  So here you go, Adobo.  
((NATS)) 
((Jay Aceron, CEO, The Flipside)) 
I was born in California.  I don’t remember that, because 
every two years we moved to different places because my 
father was in the military.  I lived in Korea, Japan, Germany, 
Alabama, Florida.  At home I’m Filipino, but when I 
communicate to the world, I’m, like, still American.   
((NATS)) 
((Jay Aceron, CEO, The Flipside)) 
My father always used to say, he says, “You are a Filipino 
wherever you go.  So, you are a Filipino.  You have to strive 
harder.  You have to work harder.”  So, that’s why we try to 
excel in everything that we do.   
((NATS)), 
((Jay Aceron, CEO, The Flipside)) 
My roots are still Filipino, like, when all my cousins come 
through, and all of a sudden, you feel like a connection with 
them.  I’m not really like that, but you feel like them.  
((NATS)) 
((Jay Aceron, CEO, The Flipside)) 
You know, what I recommend is our national dish, which is a 
Filipino Adobo. 
((NATS)) 
((Patrick, Customer)) 
His cooking definitely hits home.  It’s the right flavor.  It’s the 
right seasoning.  He marinates his meat really well.  It’s also 
fresh.  In the past, I would say, 5 years, 5 or 6 years, you 
could see, you know, just hints of fusion.  But there’s also 
something like this which is just completely, just all Filipino, 
which is celebrated by all of us. 
((NATS)) 
 
 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up 
((Banner)) 
Foam Fighters 
((SOT)) 
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
The game is definitely a fantasy-based, medieval style 
game.   
 
 
BREAK TWO									 
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))	 			  

BLOCK C  
((Banner:  At Play)) 
 

((PKG))  CHERRY PIT SPITTING CHAMPIONSHIP  
((VOA Russian))
\((Banner:  Cherry Pit Spit)) 
((Reporter/Camera:  Roman Verkhovsky))
((Adapted by:  Zdenko Novacki)) 
((Map:  Eau Claire, Michigan))
((Main characters:  1 male, 3 female)) 
((NATS)) 
((Leona Foster, Judge))  
Each contestant picks out three cherries from a bucket, and 
one at a time, they put the cherry in their mouth and they 
chew all the meat off, so all that's left is the cherry pit.  And 
then, they stand with their feet on the line, and they spit the 
pit forward, and they do that three times.  And the longest 
distance is recorded by me with a special measuring stick as 
the official distance for each contestant.  
((NATS)) 
((Kevin Bartz, 2019 Cherry Pit-Spitting Champion))  
I actually started when I was 10 years old.  My dad was a 
cherry pit spitter.  He worked in the fields and things like that.  
You don't have to do a lot of training for this.  Once you've 
got your technique down, I found actually if you don't do too 
much training, you're better off.  So, you know, I'll go out in 
the driveway and maybe about a week before, spit anywhere 
from five to 10 a day, and that's about it.   
((NATS)) 
((Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship Participant))   
I personally think it's, kind of, fun.  My mother doesn't think 
that her daughter should know how to spit a cherry pit, as it's 
not very ladylike, but I enjoyed the fact that my dad taught 
me and it's a fun thing to do to come out here.   
((NATS)) 
((Leona Foster, Judge))  
The cherry pit spit is open to anybody.  It's free.  In the 
morning, starting about ten o'clock, people arrive, and they 
queue up, and they spit their pits, and based on those 
results, by noon, we determine the top 10 people in each of 
the age categories, as you see right behind me.  
((NATS)) 
((Lynn Sage, Organizer, Cherry Pit-Spitting 
Championship))   
Back in 1974, dad was looking for something to do with 
cherry pits.  You eat a cherry and there's this pit and there's 
nothing more natural than to spit it.  You can spit a 
watermelon seed.  You can, maybe, toss an apricot pit.  But 
we've stuck with the cherry pit spitting.  As dad used to say, 
you know, “There's nothing better to do with the pit after 
you've eaten the cherry.” 
((NATS))
 

((PKG))  MEDIEVAL FOAM FIGHTERS 
((Banner:  Softer Side of Battle)) 
((Reporter/Camera:  Mike Osborne))
((Adapted by:  Martin Secrest)) 
((Map:  Burns, Tennessee))
((Main characters:  1 male))
((NATS)) 
Are you ready to give it to them Tennessee and Kentucky?
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
My name is Nathan.  Out here, I go by the name ‘Vander’. 
Out here, you're seeing a game called ‘Belegarth’.  It's a full 
contact, medieval-style, foam fighting game.  Each game is 
mostly just a pickup battle where it’s just, we, kind of, split 
the teams evenly and we’re going to fight it out. 
((NATS)) 
You’re chosen!  You’re chosen, not me!” 
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
The hardest thing to teach people is not necessarily how to 
swing or the best way to hit someone, but fully just teaching 
them to hit somebody.  This is a full contact game, so we 
don't let just little taps, isn't what we're going to do.  It's got to 
be a full swing. 
((NATS)) 
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
What you'll see is in the big fights that a lot of those small 
units, people who fight together regularly are going to yell 
commands to each other. 
((NATS)) 
Come across, come across, come across!” 
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
The game is definitely a fantasy-based, medieval style 
game.  There's no necessarily historical references used.  A 
lot of the games started or originated from people reading 
‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ series, and wanting to 
be able to go out and relive that in real life. 
((NATS)) 
((Nathan Larkin, Foam Fighter, ‘Vander’)) 
It's a great way to meet people.  It's a great way to get out 
and exercise, get out in the fresh air.  Most of the people that 
I know are part of the community now.  They know my kids.  
So, it's nice that you can have that tight group community 
with everybody, you know. 
((NATS)) 
Fighters, to the fields! Fighters, to the fields!” 
 

((PKG))  ESCAPE ROOMS   
((VOA Ukrainian))  
((Banner:  Escape Rooms)) 
((Reporter:  Maxim Moskalkov))
((Camera:  Andrey Degtyarev))  
((Adapted by:  Zdenko Novacki)) 
((Map:  Washington, DC..))
((Main characters:  1 male, 1 female)) 
((Sub-characters:  1 female)) 
((Pop-Up Banner:  
In escape room games, players search for clues, solving a 
mystery to ‘escape’)) 
((NATS))
((Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, Owner, The Ginger 
Companies))
In escape rooms, our typical clients are the 25 to 45 year-old 
corporate team builders, and more recently because we 
started marketing for this, birthday parties.  So, we have a lot 
of children's birthday parties and the kids really enjoy the 
rooms.  You can do our rooms ages 5 and up.   
((NATS)) 
((Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, Owner, The Ginger 
Companies)) 
When I was young, I had a very curious mind and was 
always trying to find puzzles and brain teasers that I could 
do.  We started with one escape room here in Georgetown.  
We were looking for a space that was right on historic M 
Street and walking distance to other bars and restaurants 
because we knew we alone weren't a complete night out.  
((NATS)) 
((Cameron, Game Master))  
One thing that you end up finding in this room is just this 
small, little laminate with a couple of little symbols on there.  
And so, the idea is that this room is primarily focused on 
communication.  So, you're usually finding information in one 
place and then finding another place to utilize it.  
((NATS)) 
((Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, Owner, The Ginger 
Companies)) 
The rooms that we have here at Escape Room Live 
Georgetown are also very themed.  The outside of the 
subway looks like you're entering into a subway.  So, it's 
always an immersive experience when you step into one of 
my games.  
((NATS)) 
((Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, Owner, The Ginger 
Companies))  
Many of the escape rooms that we went to were, kind of, 
dark and creepy and in basements, a little bit scary.  I could 
tell that a woman did not have their hand in it.  So, what I 
decided to do was bring escape rooms out of the dark.  Get 
rid of the zombies.  Get rid of all the basement clandestine 
type things and create a beautiful room that's scenically 
pleasing and on theme and also have puzzles that were 
doable and related to the theme.  
((NATS))
You are on the right track.  So, just continue to hold on that. 
((Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, Owner, The Ginger 
Companies))  
Sherlock's door is exactly 221B Baker Street.  The door into 
the wizard room is like a castle door.  The door into Poe is a 
historic door that would be on his home.  And downstairs 
here, Escape Room Live Georgetown, our mummy- themed 
room looks like it's in a pyramid.  
((NATS))
((Halle Heiden, Player))    
This is my third time in an escape room circle, second time 
for him, and we enjoyed it.  The puzzles were good.  They 
actually all meant something with the escape room itself.  
So, it wasn't just random.  
((NATS))
((Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, Owner, The Ginger 
Companies)) 
I really love hearing people laugh and cheer and have a 
good time.
((NATS))


CLOSING  ((ANIM))     
voanews.com/connect   

NEXT WEEK 
((Banner)) 
Next week….. 
((Banner)) 
Child Marriage 
((SOT)) 
((Ashley Duncan)) 
My name is Ashley Duncan.  I’m 25.  I live in Steele, 
Missouri.  I’m a stay-at-home mom and I’m a Christian.  I 
have four boys.  I have a 7 year-old, an 8 year-old, a 5 year-
old and a 4 year-old.  I got married when I was 15. 
((NATS)) 
((Kathleen Burns, USA?????))  
OK, Kathleen Burns.  I live in Dyersburg, Tennessee.  I work 
all the time, take care of my baby and the husband, hang out 
with my buddies.  That’s about it.  Well, I met him about, 
when I was like, 13, 14.  They lived next door to me and 
hung out and I got pregnant underage and that was, kind of, 
what had us go ahead and get married so I wouldn't send 
him to jail.  
 

((PKG))  FREE PRESS MATTERS 
((NATS)) 
((Pop-Up captions over BRoll)) 
Near the Turkish Embassy 
Washington, D.C. 
May 16, 2017 
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters  
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten” 
“They should not be protesting our president” 
“They got what they asked for” 
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it  
reliably 
accurately 
objectively 
comprehensively 
wherever the news matters 
VOA 
A Free Press Matters


BREAK                   

        SHOW ENDS