In the spring semester of 2008 I studied abroad in China. I had taken a year and a half of Mandarin, and felt prepared and excited to go. It was not my first time traveling outside the country, but as my travel to Asia neared, I realized I had no idea what to expect. The culture would be different. But how different? I think there is a fear of communism in the U.S., and this was a communist nation. Would that effect me?

My time in China was one of the greatest adventures of my life, with many friends and memories stemming from it. One of the bars I remember visiting as a student was named Propaganda…it was a disgusting bar, but that’s besides the point. In a communist nation, the name struck me as ironic, because I thought propaganda would be used to influence citizens. I was not expecting the fun night club atmosphere frequented by Chinese and Westerners alike. Every excursion I have ever taken to another country has been an eye opening experience, but never to the level of my time in China. Many people in the U.S. believe communism is the enemy of democracy. While China is a communist nation it is also a capitalist, market economy, and its government is complex. This was not the first time I had begun to think of news as having a viewpoint, but this experience abroad displayed to me how, without personal experience, what we see or hear in the news can shape our opinions. All news is a story, and all stories have motives.

The reason I started listening to The Intelligence is because I am also a subscriber to the magazine that runs it: The Economist. The attraction was the same. I like to hear news from as many sources as possible and The Economist and The Intelligence both give more a world view instead of focusing solely on domestic events. The podcast is great. It comes out daily, typically posted by 7:00am ET. In total it runs about 20 minutes and summarizes some of the largest headlines from around the world, with interviews from experts in the different regions. At the end of the episode, the focus turns from major events to cultural or societal stories. For instance, the ending of one recent podcast episode focused on the price and quality of baguettes in France. With less of the French people eating bread than they used to, this national staple of France is feeling the effects. The lighter fare at the end of the podcast is appreciated. Overall, I find this podcast to be a great way to start my morning. It never seems to be as angry as the news I see on television, and it still makes me feel informed by the end. Highly recommend it.