Where We Land – Details, episodes & analysis

Abdi Iftin grew up in war-torn Somalia and moved to Kenya to escape, but was still in danger. He miraculously won the US visa lottery in 2013 and now lives in Maine. He has authored the acclaimed memoir, Call Me American. Abdi is a writer, public speaker, and advocate for immigrants and refugees.

We spoke with Abdi about avoiding capture during Somalia’s tribal wars, winning a Green Card to the US, and growing to love the winters in the East Coast.

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod
*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod
*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:
Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

In this episode, we discuss the parts of our identity we sometimes shed when we immigrate in order to fit in at a new place, and then later in life (sometimes much, much later) we decide we miss those parts of us and try to get them back or reclaim them, if you will.

We also talk about ceviche, forced napping in kindergarten, and quite a bit about donkeys.

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod
*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod
*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:
Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

Michelle MiJung Kim is a powerful voice in social justice, corporate equity, and activism. She is the award winning author of The Wake Up, closing the gap between good intentions and real change. She's also the CEO and Co-founder of Awaken, where she has guided countless Fortune 500 companies, tech giants, and non profits on their path toward real equity and inclusion. She is the host of the new podcast, I Feel That Way Too. 

In this episode we speak with Michelle about her journey of moving to America as a teenager, finding her passion in social justice work, and how her identity and immigration experience grew into a powerful source of strength along the way.

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod
*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod
*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:
Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

Welcome to the first episode of Where We Land! Luciana and Claudia talk about their own immigration journeys and how they got here. Luciana remembers their parents describing their move to America as “a trip to Disneyland,” Claudia recalls the shock of realizing little Claudia spoke Spanish with an American accent, and they discuss the difference between school lunch and real lunch.

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod
*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod
*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:
Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

Join sisters Luciana and Claudia as they dive into the very honest and sometimes wild journeys of immigrants navigating life in the U.S. Having moved from Peru to California as kids, then back to Peru, and finally returning to the U.S. as adults, they bring unique insight and humor to every conversation.

Luciana and Claudia share their own experiences, and also chat with fellow immigrants who have started fresh in America. The conversations are filled with laughs, unfiltered talk, and a genuine connection that transcends cultures. From navigating grocery aisles to embracing new customs —while holding on to old ones— these conversations reveal heartfelt stories of finding identity.

Whether you’re new to the U.S., have been here for decades, or know someone on this journey, Luciana and Claudia made this podcast for you.

Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app!

In this episode we discuss the guilt immigrants sometimes feel towards the people back home or towards their country of origin after they leave. 

We also talk about wearing makeup to school, mangos, kid’s snacks and cachangas!

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod

*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod

*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:

Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

Alex Klotz is an entrepreneur and marketing professional living in NYC. He is the founder of a retail business called Brooklyn Frenchie, which seeks to bring a piece of French culture to Brooklyn. 

We spoke with Alex about meeting his American wife in China, juggling two languages in one household, and the French words we use in English without even noticing (déjà vu, anyone?).

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod
*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod
*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:
Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of explaining who you are as an immigrant. It’s a fine balance between wanting to share yourself with others and avoiding being negatively labeled.

We also talk about mispronouncing words, binders vs notebooks, the World Cup and the Super Bowl!

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod

*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod

*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:

Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

In this episode, we’re bringing you our conversation with Aimee Hilado. Aimee is a licensed clinical social worker as well as an expert in immigrant and refugee mental health. She’s spent more than a decade working with newcomers, helping them navigate trauma, resettlement, and the challenges of starting over in a new country.

Aimee shares what Americans can do to support newcomers during these times of uncertainty and the powerful lessons we can all learn from those who come to the U.S. seeking a better life.

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod
*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod
*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:
Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.

In this episode we discuss our experiences trying to blend cultures with a partner from another country. While Luciana has been married to an American for eight years, Claudia has far less experience on this one. And yet we still both had a lot to say.

We also talk about handshakes vs kisses on cheeks, sex ed, and going to the opera.

Want to share your immigration stories or have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Shoot Us an email: WhereWeLandPod@gmail.com

*Follow WWL on IG: @wherewelandpod

*Follow WWL on TikTok: @wherewelandpod

*Follow Claudia on IG: @claudiavl8

About the Hosts:

Luciana and Claudia Valdiviezo know what it’s like to move to the U.S. – twice. They were born in Peru and lived there for only a few years until their parents moved the family to the U.S. The sisters kept in touch with their roots, speaking Spanish at home and every Christmas when they visited Peru for the holidays. Then, when they were 12 and 11 respectively, the family moved back to Peru. Growing up both Peruvian and American during those formative years gave Luciana and Claudia a deep understanding of what it means to belong, and not belong, at the same time.

The sisters eventually moved back to the U.S. Luciana is a marketing professional living in Washington D.C. with her husband and two young children. Claudia is a writer living in New York City.

Click here for a list of immigration resources / organizations you can support.