Cities around the United States use food, through events such as food festivals, as a way to connect the diverse threads of their communities, and to introduce people to cultures they may not know much about.

Many of the stories told in the Gravy podcast are the stories you don’t expect to hear out of a show focused on southern foodways: immigrant stories, and the food that they’ve brought to the South.

For one U.S. Navy lieutenant, Southern Partnership Station 17 (SPS 17) is more than just a chance to exchange information. It is a way of connecting with her heritage, and a way to change the lives of people like her.

In this video, an Arabian Peninsula expert discusses greetings and gestures common to the Arabian Peninsula.

In this video, a retired Army major discusses the importance of learning the local language and explains a few key Arabic phrases.

In this video, an Army major discusses speaking English in Saudi Arabia.

In this video, a Saudi Arabia expert discusses hand gestures and tone of voice in Saudi conversations.

A service member discusses basic phrases in Bengali.

A service member discusses the importance of learning the local language.

In this video, an Algerian national discusses appropriate and inappropriate conversational topics in Algeria.