Meet the Pinoy-Aussies cracking the cheat codes for living between two cultures

With a blend of humour, authenticity, and cultural quirks, four Filipino Australian creatives have created a podcast where audiences navigating the “in-between” can feel a sense of connection and belonging.

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Key Points

• In an interview, The Cheatcoders hosts Raf Flores, Don Valix, and Christian Garcia shared how their podcast has grown into a celebration of shared experiences, turning their unique perspectives into fun and engaging stories.
• They laugh at the peculiarities of both cultures while unapologetically celebrating the beauty of their perfect cultural mash-up.

Born in the Philippines and raised in Australia, the hosts of The Cheatcoders have lived through the struggles of fitting in while staying true to their heritage. They’ve faced the pressure to downplay their cultural background to assimilate into mainstream Australian society—a struggle shared by many in the Filipino diaspora. Instead of avoiding these challenges, the hosts embrace them, using humour to tackle topics that many would shy away from.

The name The Cheatcoders draws inspiration from the world of gaming, where cheat codes offer shortcuts or clever ways to navigate difficult levels. Similarly, hosts Natz, Raf, Garcia and Don offer their own “cheat codes” for understanding and embracing Filipino culture. Source: The Cheatcoders

For these podcasters, it's not about choosing one culture over the other—it's about embracing both and creating something powerful in the process.