The Great Escape
It's been almost impossible to "get away from it all" this year. No theatres to get lost in a film or play. No parties or get-togethers to unwind. No hopping on a plane for a tropical vacation.
But on this Now or Never, you'll meet people finding creative ways to escape, without ever leaving home.
For the last year, international exchange student Saman Bazmi has been stuck in limbo, isolating in a near-empty dormitory at Memorial University. But then he got "Tiger" - a navy blue, second-hand Nissan. We ride shotgun with Saman on the cow-paths of St. John's as he explains how "Tiger" has opened up a whole new world of possibilities - even if it's just a trip to Costco.
Julie Matlin was depressed, struggling to get writing gigs, and coping with the death of her mom. So she started writing erotica. How that helped her cope with grief, reignited her writing career, and led to some interesting conversations with her teenager's dentist.
You've likely seen videos of figure-skating sensation Elladj Baldé, backflipping and moonwalking his way across backyard rinks and frozen ponds. He tells us about the freedom he feels in blowing up expectations of the sport, and how skating has been an escape in a troubling year.
Like a lot of parents, Trevor Dineen has spent a lot of time at home with his kids this year. And sometimes, you just need a break - even if it's just hiding in a fort for twenty minutes (we're looking at you, Trevor). Now or Never listeners call in with their funniest - and most ingenious - ways to get a mini-escape from their own kids.
For Gift Tshuma, the trash-talking, raucous game nights he plays with his childhood friends over Zoom isn't just a fun way to pass the time. They're his lifeline to the outside world.
In the last few months, the Sauzède-Freedman family has experienced France, Brazil, Japan and Mexico - all without leaving their living room in Gatineau, Quebec. How organizing elaborate theme nights has been a welcome respite from the monotony of COVID life.
And when Megan was attempting to get away from an emotionally abusive relationship, she turned to Twitter for help. How a group of strangers and survivors came together to help her move out, and showed her she wasn't alone.
If you are experiencing intimate partner violence, click here for a list of resources:https://endingviolencecanada.org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services/
Originally aired in April, 2021