Boston Harbor, Stray Animals, Culture Syndrome, A World Together, Mini Book Club, Mental Toll

Boston Harbor Islands National Park (0:00:00) When you think about a vacation, do you think of stargazing, camping, fishing, swimming, or visiting the coast? Today we’re talking about a national park that offers all of that and more to its visitors. Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park is just a few minutes away from downtown Boston, making it a unique and fun place to visit. Plus, you have the chance to check out their city’s fun shops and restaurants after enjoying the park. Cathy Radonic is an employee at Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. We’ve invited her onto the show today to tell us more about this beautiful place. Helping Stray Animals (0:13:57) Pets are adored by millions of people around the world–we idolize them through memes, capture their funny behavior, and even make them cute little outfits to wear. But with how easy it is to own a pet in our country, there comes an unfortunate side effect: pet homelessness. There are nearly 70 million stray animals currently living in the U.S. Because of these sizeable populations, it’s not uncommon to see a stray animal during your daily routine, but it’s hard to know what to do when you find one. So how do you identify if an animal is stray, and what should you do to help if it’s lost? Joining us on the show today is Sundays Hunt, the state director for the Utah Humane Society, here with us to discuss the best ways to help stray pets. Culture Bound Syndrome (0:33:47) Depression, anxiety, OCD—all mental illnesses with which most Americans are familiar, having either experienced it themselves or knowing someone who has. But what about a sickness like Koro or Hwa-byung or reflechi twòp? Unless you or your family comes from Singapore or Korea or Haiti, it’s unlikely that you’ve had any experience with or have even heard of these ailments. Rather, these are all examples of illnesses known as culture-bound syndromes. Here to discuss with us what culture bound syndromes are and how the American method of diagnosing and treating mental illness