Reality Bytes

For the 78th episode of Private Parts Unknown, hosts Courtney Kocak and Sofiya Alexandra are sending a love letter to Sofiya’s homeland: Ukraine — more specifically Odessa, the pearl of the Black Sea.  Sofiya grew up in Odessa, Ukraine, before immigrating to the U.S. in 1994, when she was in middle school. Now, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sofiya revisits the place she first called home, sharing her favorite memories and cultural touchstones, why it's Ukraine instead of "the Ukraine" (which undermines the country's sovereignty), how this war has made us realize our neglect of other conflict zones, and more. This episode was inspired by Sofiya's viral Twitter thread, which struck a chord with folks eager to learn more about Ukraine during this harrowing time.  We’re up for some Podca$h funding for the show, and, in addition to paying our team, we want to take a trip to Antarctica for a bucket list series about love and sexuality on the South Pole. Please write us a short love letter (just a sen