Welcome to Weekend World

The pandemic has changed every facet of our lives, from how we work to how we socialize. But weekends are still weekends, right?  

In this special episode from VICE News Reports, we invite you to take a journey through one weekend across planet Earth, with a series of vignettes that all together depict one moment in time. From the mundane to the unexpected, this project includes a mosaic of young voices across almost every continent, including recordings from our own listeners. While one young man in Kabul writes lyrics to a new rap song, a young woman in Cusco, Peru, plans a trip to see her grandma for the first time in a year. Meanwhile in Kiowa, Colorado, a cowgirl gets her horse ready for the rodeo, and a radio DJ in London starts his final program of the week.

At a time when the news is dominated by uncertainty and chaos, “Weekend World” is a reminder to pause and listen, and to take comfort in the wonder and possibilities of the weekend. 

Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Google Podcasts, Spotify, Apple 

CREDITS:
This story was reported and produced by Sayre Quevedo and Sophie Kazis. 

VICE News Reports is hosted by Arielle Duhaime-Ross and produced by Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, Sophie Kazis, Jen Kinney, Janice Llamoca, Julia Nutter, and Sayre Quevedo. Our senior producers are Ashley Cleek and Adizah Eghan. Our associate producers are Steph Brown, Sam Eagan, and Adreanna Rodriguez. Sound design and music composition by Steve Bone, Pran Bandi and Kyle Murdock. Our intern is Leily Rezvani.

 Our executive producer and VP of Vice Audio is Kate Osborn. Janet Lee is Senior Production Manager for VICE Audio. 

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[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: Hi everybody. This is Jawad. 23 years old. I'm living in Kabul, Afghanistan. You know that weekends in Kabul starts from Thursday. So today is Thursday, July 29. 

[MUSIC]

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: I'm in the studio. Now we are recording our songs. I'm not going out more, so that I'm doing the art activities. I'm rapping, I’m b-boy-ing.

[VOICE NOTE] FRIEND: Money.

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: What you doing?

[VOICE NOTE] FRIEND: Writing man.

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: Writing what?

[VOICE NOTE] FRIEND: Writing some lyric shit. 

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: About what, about what?

[VOICE NOTE] FRIEND: That philosophical shit, man. 

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: I prefer to stay home. You know, the security situation is too bad that I don't risk. So I prefer to stay home and work on my rap skills.

[RAPPING OVER A BEAT]

[MUSIC]

SAYRE QUEVEDO: I'm Sayre Quevedo for Vice News Reports, and this is ‘One Weekend Around The World’.

[VOICE NOTE] NICO: It is Friday, July 30th, 2021. I am in El Salvador. 

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: Yo yo, it's Friday. 

[VOICE NOTE] ADIZAH EGHAN: It's Saturday, July 31st. 

[VOICE NOTE] PERSON: It's Sunday morning.

[VOICE NOTE] NAVAN: It’s a Sunday.

[VOICE NOTE] LYDIA : Sunday, August 1st. So what is my weekend going to look like?

[VOICE NOTE] SHAREN: Este fin de semana va ser un fin de semana largo.

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: It's Friday. Yeah! It's Saturday, Sunday. Ooh!

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Recorded by you. 

[VOICE NOTE] SALVADOR ESPINOSA: My name is Salvador Espinosa. From Long Island City, Queens -- born and raised. Checking in about my weekend.

[VOICE NOTE] BLAIRE WATERS: It is 11:09 PM in Los Angeles. I just came back from my very first date since COVID started.

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: I just wanted to ask for this thing, what does the weekend mean to you?

[VOICE NOTE] FRIEND: Is the best, the best three days of the week.

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: The best three days of the week. Yeah.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: [SPEAKS IN LATOKA] That means, “Hello. My name is Mato. I greet you with a good heart and a handshake.” That's customary in Lakota culture. This is Friday, take one…

[MUSIC OUT]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: Good morning. My name is Mato. I go by Mato Wayuhi as well. I'm 23 years old and I'm currently in the bedroom of the Airbnb of the place I'm staying at in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is 7:52 in the morning. That's why my voice sounds low and raspy and kind of sexy. It is Friday, July 30th. And one line about who I am? Well, I am an artist of sorts and just a cute guy overall. I am originally from South Dakota. I grew up in a town named Sioux Falls and I am sticking to the roots of my native Lakota culture and staying nomadic. So I kind of just roam wherever I find the buffalo. Buffalo in this case is money. Alright, so I'm going to pick this back up later in the day. Yeah. Beautiful. Alright [MATO BLOWS A KISS] Muah, see you soon.

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE:  [KNOCKING ON DOOR] Yo. It’s 8:46 in the morning on Friday. I think it's the 30th. 

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE [TO STEP-BROTHER]: Yo the water’s hot, yeah? The water’s hot. 

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: I’m Kago Moemise. I live in Botswana. I live with my step-brother and my step-dad and my mom and my grandmother. I’m getting my fit ready to leave. I'm dressed like I'm about to go do something in Texas. It's a striped button-up shirt and big ass chinos that are mad baggy. I might have to clean my room before I leave or, or, or I could just leave fast enough so that no one notices that my room is dirty before I leave. Cheat code. I don't think it's going to work like that. Dreads back or dreads in a bun? Dreads back look kind of cute. 

[SOUND OF HORSES] 

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: I'm Faith Hoffman. I'm 22 from Iowa, Colorado. College student. Rodeo athlete. We’re in Las Animas, Colorado, currently, on the rodeo trail. This weekend we're hitting three rodeos. 

[MUSIC IN]

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: There's people that go to pro rodeos and they'll hit way more than five. They live on the road pretty much. They make their living rodeo. And we're not that. Most times going to these amateurs, when they're just on the weekends, kind of call them ‘weekend warriors’. I guess I’d label myself as one for the time being. Maybe one day we can make a living off of it.

[BRUSHING HORSE]

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: Now I’m brushing Barbie off, just make sure she’s getting clean and nothing bothers her between the pad and the saddle. The saddle that I ride, it’s got my name. And then it has my favorite verse on the other side, Jeremiah 29:11. “Therefore I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” You know, just, uh, just a reminder, always it's in, it's in his hands. Like, He’s got a good will for me. I'm gonna go warm her up and get ready to rodeo.

[SOUND OF PEOPLE HANGING OUT]

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: The time is 11:41 AM, Friday. I'm just in the back chilling with a couple of my mates. My name is David Yang. I’m 22 years old. I am in a province called Yangju, which is located in the Northern area of South Korea. And right now I am serving in the Republic of Korean Army. I was born in Portland, Oregon. And although I moved to Korea when I was only 2 years-old, I spent most of my childhood in English speaking environments. So I never had the opportunity to really mingle with, with like super Korean friends. I think I was unsure whether if I would be able to feel a great sense of belonging here. And here is my mate, one of my mates, Chunyo, just climbed over to my bed, just annoying me. That was Sungpo, another mate calling me Cheung. Cheung is my Korean name. [ARMY MATE SINGING] That's supposed to be the soundtrack for Mission Impossible in case any of you haven't noticed yet.

[SOUND OF PEOPLE CHATTING

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Mi nombre es Natalia Sharen Huanca. Tengo 25 cincos años de edad.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: My name is Natalie Sharen Huanca. I’m 25 years old. 

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Acabo de salir del trabajo.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: I just got off work. 

[SOUND OF COWORKERS TALKING IN SPANISH AND LAUGHING]

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Y yo estoy en el departamento de Cusco, Peru.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: And I’m currently in the department of Cusco, Pero.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA:  Mis papas estan llegando y ellos quieren ir a visitar a mi abuelita que se encuentra aproxomaditamente 4 horas de Cusco. 

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: My parents are on their way here and they want to visit my grandma.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Visitar a mi abuelita que tambien no le veo hace mucho tiempo. No le veo en serio desde hace más de un año.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: I’m heading there now. I haven’t seen my grandma in so long. I haven’t seen her in over a year.

[VOICE NOTE] NICOLA CHAVEZ COURTRIGHT: Hi, this is Nico. It is the very start of Augustinas, the national holidays. And I am in Santa Tecla in El Salvador and I am doing nothing at the start of vacation. Staying in tonight, so enjoy the quiet sounds of the San Salvador suburbs. 

[MUSIC]

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: It is ‘Vibe Time,’ Moeed Majeed. Asian FX. You know what time it is. Every single weekday, 4:00-7:00 PM. And I have something cool to share with you actually, because I'm doing a project this weekend, which is very, very interesting. And I wanted to share that with you. So, um, yeah, I'm recording, uh, for, for VICE in America and they're gonna put together, like, people's weekends across the world. So multiple people throughout the world are doing the same thing I'm doing right now. So I'm wondering what you guys are doing this weekend. Obviously I'm doing my little recording thing. I've got a wedding to go to on Sunday as well, which I'm actually performing at. I'm playing the saxophone. I somehow got roped into performing at this wedding and I've been learning Whitney Houston since, like, Tuesday. I’m gonna do a little Whitney Houston number, which is quite funny actually. But yeah, I've been doing that. But what are your plans for the weekend? Hit me up on 07741800815 if you’ve got anything interesting going on. We've got some more tunes coming out right now here on Asian FX with Moeed. 

[MUSIC -- JAWAD SABERI IN THE STUDIO] 

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: Hi again. It is 6 o’clock PM on Friday. I’m still in the studio. It’s Friday. Let’s see what’s going on in other room.

[MUSIC BLARES FROM SPEAKER]

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: Oh my god. You hear that music? Get these niggas a better playlist...some Wu Tang…[ADDRESSING FRIEND] Eyyyy, eyyyyy, eyyy. What’s up big rasta? Yeah, we’re in the mall. I’m with Mowinder. We're entering the grocery store to get snacks and shit. 

[VOICE NOTE] MOWINDER: Let me show you why this is my favorite spot, the Mexican aisle. 

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: Oh my god, they’ve got tacos. Not the Mexican aisle, this is the foreign aisle cause they got soy sauce too bro, and teriyaki. Holy shit. Nah, you've opened my horizons. 

[VOICE NOTE] MOWINDER: “Made south of Mexico in Africa.” 

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: What they mean by that? What they mean by that? 

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: My name is Mato. My buddy DA and I...[SPEAKING TO FRIEND] DA, do you have anything to contribute? 

[VOICE NOTE] DA: I rarely have anything to contribute. 

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: That's not true. He's a cutie pie. Should we do a little impromptu song for the good people? 

[VOICE NOTE] DA: Sure.

[MATO PLAYS A SONG]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: [SINGING] Ooooh ooooh, I know my boy’s to my right. And we gonna have a good night. Oooooh. THere’s a Dyson vacuum on the wall...oooooohhhh. DA’s not wearing a shirt.

[VOICE NOTE] DA: [SINGING] Never wearin’ a shirt ever again.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: [SINGING] Ever again ooooohhhh.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: Alright. That's enough free play for y'all. Haha.

[BACKGROUND MUSIC UP] 

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: It's 8:24 PM. And the day is Friday. [SOUND OF ARMY OFFICER MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN KOREAN OVER THE LOUDSPEAKER] So that's our officer, um, broadcasting and telling us to start cleaning our rooms and designated areas. He’s kinda mad cause we didn't start cleaning although it's over 8:30. [SINGING] “Hands up in the air.” The song is called ‘Ice Cream’ by a Korean artist called MC Mong. 

[MC MONG MUSIC PLAYS AND FADES] 

[FIELD TAPE] RODEO ANNOUNCER: I'm going to ask a favor of you. And for just a moment tonight, would you join me in a moment of silence? Now the moment of silence tonight can be many things. But for me it means this: last year in 2020, that sound right there was a thing we got to hear at rodeo rings all over the United States of America. Ballparks, baseball fields. I would like for you to remember one thing and I’d like for you to put one thing in your hearts because you live in this place in this world that has an exceptional connection to things that are true and real, and may be grounded in a common sense that might be lacking in other parts of the world. And that is, last year, you were one of the few places that stood proud as Americans and decided to pursue the tradition of fairs and rodeos. You have a committee and a country that stands behind the things that are right. So would you do me a favor and make a little noise as we’re allowed to represent the great honor we have as Americans. Indeed we have that honor and we live it proudly. With that, I give you the greatest song in the United States, dare I say the greatest song in the world, that has been played on every country's grounds to represent the true meaning of freedom and patriotism right here in America. It is our National Anthem. 

[U.S. NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS]

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: This is Afghanistan. So now I'm in the street, walking with my friends. They are also going on my way. This is a beatbox. [BEATBOXING] So weekend is important for me because I can visit my family, friends. Going out, having fun in a country, in a country that is full of sadness. 

[BEATBOXING AND RAPPING]

[MUSIC IN]

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: Having fun is a risk here as much. I can say that you know, human needs having fun. 

[RAPPING FADES OUT]

[SOUND OF UNPACKING A HORSE TRAILER]

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: I didn’t let the calf have enough of a head start. So I got the ten second penalty. If I wouldn't, I'd been winning the rodeo, but it is what it is. I saw what I thought I needed to, and it just wasn't enough. So game plan didn't work. I'm bummed. I'd much rather be winning it. So we are loading up and headed to Montrose, drive all night til we get there. We're leaving right now, you know, by 10:00. Maybe get a couple hours of sleep and then we get up and we rodeo at 8:00 AM the next morning.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA:  Los viajes son realmente muy pesados.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: The journeys are really difficult. 

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA:  Ya que son 7 horas de viaje. La carretera no es asfaltada. Es aprocha. 

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: The trip is about seven hours and the roads are unpaved. 

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA:  Sin embargos estar con mis papas, estar con mis hermanos vale la pena todo esto. 

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: But getting to see my family and my brothers and sisters makes it all worth it.

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: I got home at like, around, like, half nine. Cause we have a curfew around 10, so yeah, it was a great day actually. It was an amazing day. So I could say it was an amazing day. I wouldn’t mind doing a day like that again.

[MUSIC OUT]

***BREAK***

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: I want to say good morning but my eyes won’t open. I am so tired. It’s 20 past 7:00. Hella early actually and yeah, I’m trying to wake up.

[VOICE NOTE]  NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: 

[SOUND OF NATALIE SAYING GOOD MORNINGS IN QUECHUA TO HER GRANDMOTHER]

[VOICE NOTE]  NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA:  Good morning, Grandma. How are you? How have you been?

My grandma is 90 years old and she still speaks her first language, which is Quechua. 

[SOUND OF QUECHUA FADES OUT]

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: It’s 7:23 AM. It's a Saturday morning and the weekend, usually the morning roll call takes place at 7:30 AM. But today I have the same task to raise the Korean national flag.  We raise the flag according to the beat of the national Korean Anthem.

[KOREAN NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS]

[SOUND OF RODEO]

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: Yeah. So we're here in Montrose. It's just a little after 10:00. And just getting done. Kinda tired with a little bit of sleep, kind of hungry, um.

[FIELD TAPE] RODEO ANNOUNCER: That’ll be no time for faith...

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: So my horse kind of slipped in the box, so we were a little late on the start and, um, it's not how we want it to go. So there's, there's probably a little more pressure to win this last rodeo because I haven't won anything yet this weekend.  I pay fees at every one of these rodeos plus, um, fuel diesel, you know, pulling the trailer, food, all the expenses that go into the weekend. Um, and so do you want to check that, you know, helps pay for it. So I, you know, there's a little more pressure to win.

[SAXOPHONE PLAYING A RENDITION OF ‘I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY’ BY WHITNEY HOUSTON]

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: It’s Moeed Majeed. I don’t know but I’m a bit nervous for this performance tomorrow. Tends to happen just before performance. This is the first time I’ve played saxophone at a gig in about three years.

[SAXOPHONE FADES OUT]

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: I’m at the bus, uh, in town, um, waiting for a mini bus to texting. The mini bus taxis all have different routes and shit. So you go to different places in the city. And right now, like so many routes that I don't need. I want to fucking scream.

My anxiety is popping actually. Everybody and their father is staring. Oh my God. Actually earlier, I was, like, at the stop in my neighborhood. Um, I'm very androgenous looking apparently. These men in a car driving past. And they starts to holler until they realize that I'm a gent and like starting screaming at me... Hm, you know, I'm like, I, I mean, that's kinda, that's kinda wild, bro.

All these mini buses are full. I think I'm just anxious here. Probably just nervous about this.

Eyy it's the route, a jah praise.

[AN ATTENDANT GIVES AN ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PLANE SOUNDS]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: What is up? This is Mato. I'm currently en route to Northern Minnesota. And yea, y’all are gonna meet my family. They’re gonna be stoked to say a few words. They’re all very animated, such as myself. That’s probably where I get it from. Alright much love, buh bye.

[SOUND OF TELEVISION PLAYING]

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: Life in the military is pretty restricted. I couldn't go home for the first time until like 250 days. One thing I always tend to do when I feel homesick -- I just call my family. 

[DAVID ON THE PHONE SPEAKING IN KOREAN]

[DAVID’S PHONE CONVERSATION FADES INTO PIANO MUSIC]

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED [to his brother]: What do you want? 

My brother’s in my room interrupting my editing. 

What do you want?

Gimme me your phone, brother.

Why are you hitting me with the toy sword? 

Leave me alone, man. I’m trying to do work.

[SPEAKING IN QUECHUA TO GRANDMA]

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: La conversación en quechua que tuve con mi abuelita estaba conversando sobre cómo era su casa porque ya vivía super lejos. 

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: I was talking with my grandma in Quechua. And, I was asking her about how her house was before because she used to live really far.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Estaba explicando en quechua que no hay carretera que vaya a su casa.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: I was trying to explain to her in Quechua that there aren’t any roads that lead to her home.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA:Y me estaba diciendo que si, en su tiempo existía una carretera. 

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: She was telling me that back in her day, yeah there was a road.  

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Y que quisiera llegar a su casa.

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: And that she wished she could go home.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Y que extrañaba mucho a su casa. 

JANICE LLAMOCA [translating]: And she told me that she misses her home so much.

[PIANO MUSIC FADES OUT]

[FIELD TAPE] RODEO ANNOUNCER: We're going to go out to Kiowa, Colorado now. Faith Hoffman is gonna be the next one to rope for us.

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: So we're at the last rodeo of the weekend here in Norwood.

[FIELD TAPE] RODEO ANNOUNCER: Oop! How ‘bout 2.9 for Faith Hoffman? 2.9 for that last cowgirl...whoooo!

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: I drew a good calf, nailed the start and roped the calf and, uh, ended up second in the rodeo with the two nine. Barb did her job and it was just a good confidence boost. You know, a reminder. Even, even though I know I can rope and I've done it on bigger stages, it can be kind of tolling when two in a row don’t go well. So it makes the drive home a lot easier when you end on a good one. 

It's a beautiful night here. Oh my gosh. It's so nice. And it's just gorgeous scenery behind us. I think...It's always nice to go off on a win.

[HOPEFUL BEAT DROPS AND THEN MUSIC FADES]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: [SOUND OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS IN BACKGROUND] This is Mato again, it is 11:51 in the PM. And as you can hear, our nation's song is playing. Might I add it could use some revamping. I don't know if I'm alone in that regard, but we ran into some, uh, vehicular, uh, malfunctioning, if you will, but we're getting there slow and steady. We'll be to the marina soon. And God bless the United States.

[SOUND OF CUMBIA SLOWLY FADES UP]

[VOICE NOTE] NICO CHAVEZ COURTRIGHT: This is Nico. It is 11:55 PM. I’m in San Salvador, El Salvador at a venue, listening to my friends play Cumbia and now they’re at the encore. People are dancing very hard. I haven’t seen people like this for years…

Technically concerts are illegal but people are still playing music. But clearly people are still playing music. 

There’s always the chance that the cops or the military will roll up and tell you to turn the sound down.

But people continue on. People press on.

[CUMBIA SOUND FADES OUT]

[CUMBIA INTO WATERFALL INTO A MONTAGE OF SATURDAY NIGHT]

[A GROUP SINGS HAPPY BIRTHDAY]

[FRIENDS SING THE SAME MELODY. SOMEONE JOINS IN WITH A WHISTLE]

[A GROUP OF FRIENDS SINGS ALONG TO ‘U DON’T HAVE TO CALL’ BY USHER]

[A VOICE SAYS, “LIKE I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, YOU BETTER SHAKE THOSE ASSES PROPER”]

[A VOICE YELLS OUT FOR LAST CALL]

[A VOICE SAYS, “IT IS THE NEXT DAY. THE SUN IS COMING UP. WE’RE WALKING HOME. HAPPY”]

***BREAK***

[MUSIC]

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: Uhhh the time is 8:19 Sunday morning, I just woke up. Uhhhh.

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: It's 8:14am Sunday morning. 

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: It's Sunday morning, um, 25 past 10:00.

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: I have another checkpoint shift today from 12:00 to 2:00. Expecting to sweat a lot outside. 

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: I'm going to leave for the wedding venue shortly. 

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: I’m at home. Think every Sunday bangs when you wake up at home. This bangs a bit different, ya? I’m sitting on the porch at the back. And I’m in, like, my grandmother's garden. It's so serene and like, comforting to be, like, around, like, big ass trees that have been here longer than I have. We also have, like, an empty pool in the backyard. It's been empty for years now, like, since I came from South Africa. It's kind of become kind of like a little pond or whatever for, like, birds and stuff like that. Not the safest water to put your feet in. It's really nice to just look at. You see, like, all the life coming in and out of it. 

[MUSIC SHIFTS]

[SOUND OF WATER LAPPING]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: [WHISPERS] These are the water noises. Water, water, water, water.

[SOUND OF WATER LAPPING]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: For the last time, this is Mato. And I’m reporting live from Cass Lake in Northern Minnesota. This has been a wild journey we've had this past weekend. Blessed day -- went hiking, went swimming, hung out with family. 

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S NIECE: Lalalala.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: Okay, so you just heard the powerful noises of my lovely niece, Ifetayo.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S NIECE: Hello. 

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: I'm with about half of my lovely family that's here. I’ll let them all introduce themselves.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S SISTER: Iris Jacob, sister extraordinaire.  

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S MOTHER: I’m Clara Jacob, I’m Mato’s mother -- from whence everything began.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S SISTER: From whence…

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: From whence...

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S MOTHER: ...where…

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S SISTER: ...from whence my womb. Hahaha.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S MOTHER: Right.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: We've been going here for generations...

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S SISTER: ...generations... 

[VOICE NOTE] MATO’S NIECE: ...and generations... 

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: ...and generations. Now we're here on the, on the dock listening to the water ripple its little waves. 

[WATER SOUNDS]

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI: Alright. Bye.

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: So I just returned from my checkpoint shift. I’m gonna go wash some of my stuff. [SOUND OF WATER IN SINK] So I think that about ends it. Thank you for listening.

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: The time is eight minutes past 2:00. So I've been rushing around, had a rehearsal for the wedding, did that. Now I'm back home. My sister's doing my hair. She's going to braid it. So I’m gonna look like Snoop Doggy Dogg. So that’s the plan. She's told me to get some... what do you call it? [SINGING] Whatchamacallit? Hairspray. But I don't know where it is. Aleena, I can’t find it. The gold thing. Where is my gold one that I had? Why’d you take it? It’s mine, bruv. As in I’ve had it in my room for about a year. I’m about to get hair sprayed. 

[SOUND OF HAIRSPRAY] 

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: Uh my neck. [SINGING] Whatchamacallit? [SPEAKING AGAIN] Think it’ll look alright for the wedding?

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: It’s 5pm. I've been chilling on the porch all day. Um yeah, it's been, it’s been a great Sunday. I'm grateful for a lot actually. I was cooped up in the house for like maybe two months. It was cool to have solitude, I mean, from working every day at that time. It was also very lonely, you know what I mean? Yeah, I'm looking at the sun setting actually, it's on its way down.

[MUSIC]

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: And the sun rays are like, you can see the sun rays through the trees. It's very, very, very beautiful because they’re like, different parts of the tree that's greener than the other. I mean, it's just, it's cool. Yeah. So, yeah, I'm out. Kago Moemise.

[MOEED PLAYING SAXOPHONE RENDITION OF ‘I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY’ BY WHITNEY HOUSTON; PEOPLE CLAPPING AND SINGING ALONG; ENDS ON APPLAUSE]

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Special thanks to David Yang.

[VOICE NOTE] DAVID YANG: I think that about ends it. Thank you for listening.

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Kago Moemise.

[VOICE NOTE] KAGO MOEMISE: So I will be signing off for the night.

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Faith Hoffman.

[INTERVIEW RECORDING] FAITH HOFFMAN: This mornin’ I was tired -- I was like, I’m not ready, let’s go back to bed. But now I’m like, yup let’s pack up the trailer and go to another one. But we don’t have another one to go to, so we’ll just go home and prepare for the next one.

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Mato Wayuhi.

[VOICE NOTE] MATO WAYUHI]: Alright [SAYS GOODBYE IN LAKOTA] Bye.

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Nicola Chavez Courtright.

 [VOICE NOTE] NICOLA CHAVEZ COURTRIGHT: Nico again, I am in San Salvador, El Salvador and I’m calling it a night.

[VOICE NOTE] NATALIE SHAREN HUANCA: Chao…Chao tía...

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Sharen Huanca. Moeed Majeed.

[VOICE NOTE] MOEED MAJEED: It’s been a long-ass day y’all. [YAWNS]. Excuse me. Bedtime methinks. On the morrow.

SAYRE QUEVEDO: And Jawad Saberi.

[SOUND OF GLASSES CLINKING]

[VOICE NOTE] JAWAD SABERI: Cheers.

SAYRE QUEVEDO: Since recording his weekend for us, Jawad was forced to flee Afghanistan for his safety. His studio in Kabul was destroyed and he is now living elsewhere as a refugee.

[SOUND OF A WATERFALL]

SAYRE QUEVEDO: To everyone else who shared their weekends with us -- thank you.

[VOICE NOTE] STEPH BROWN: I happened upon a little waterfall, thought I would share some of these sounds -- staring at it right now, feeling calm.

[VOICE NOTE] CECILIA: I’m hungover laying on the floor. I took my shirt off because it’s helping with my hangover. Hehe.

[VOICE NOTE] BABY: [CRYING/LAUGHING]

[VOICE NOTE] LYDIA AMES: [DEEP BREATH] Smells especially nostalgic for me today. I don’t know what it is. It’s just pretty. It feels right.

[BEAT DROPS IN THE MUSIC]