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Leigh Turner diplomacy and writing

by Leigh Turner

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Latest episodes

  • 78. How to ace interviews

    October 1, 2026 · 13 min

    How did I get into the British diplomatic service after one of the most disastrous interviews of all time? I really made a mess of it! For more about real-life diplomacy and the nuts and bolts of what diplomats and ambassadors really do…

  • 77. Don't let jobs destroy you

    September 16, 2026 · 10 min

    "Don't let jobs destroy you" looks at the case of a former colleague of mine whose health was damaged by overwork. What could she have done differently? Was the problem a bad boss? Discrimination? I look at why you shouldn't jump to…

  • 76. How to learn languages

    August 29, 2026 · 13 min

    One of my most popular TikTok videos is called "How to learn languages". Maybe people like it because I reveal how difficult I myself find learning them! My book "Lessons in Diplomacy" contains several stories showing how hopeless I've…

  • 75. Anyone can be a diplomat - true or false?

    August 15, 2026 · 11 min

    When I published a video on my Instagram saying "Anyone can be a diplomat", I got a lot of support - and a lot of pushback. Some people found the idea that anyone could be a diplomat empowering. Others said "it's just not true. You have to…

  • 74. Costa Rica: Turtles, beaches, jungles and gold

    June 27, 2026 · 37 min

    Costa Rica is home to some of the most spectacular natural beauty on the planet, as well as teeming with wildlife and world-class beaches. The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum in San Jose is a marvel of design and beauty. On the Pacific Coast…

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  • 73. Colombia: tragic and hopeful

    April 25, 2026 · 24 min

    Colombia at last! Who knows the main sights of Colombia, a country as large as Germany, France and the Netherlands combined? I visited Medellin, with its tragic history and story of hope; and Cartagena, with its Caribbean beat, mighty…

  • 72. Ecuador: The Galapagos, Cotopaxi and more

    March 28, 2026 · 32 min

    From an icy climb up the Cotopaxi volcano to a boat trip around the Galapagos, Ecuador is breathtaking.  Explore the highest active volcano in the world, spectacular Quito, and the world-famous fascination of the Galapagos…

  • 71. Peru: Machu Picchu and The Sacred Valley

    February 28, 2026 · 38 min

    Peru is home to some of the greatest treasures in Latin America, including Machu Picchu. But there's much, much more to explore, from the ancient Inca capital of Cusco, the astonishing fortress of Saqsayhuaman, the Sacred Valley…

  • 70. Chile: Glaciers, Volcanoes and Deserts

    February 1, 2026 · 39 min

    Chile is one of the world's most spectacular countries. Join a life-changing exploration of everything from the glaciers, fjords and vanished peoples of Patagonia in the south to Moon Valley, geysers and the Atacama Desert in the north. In…

  • 69. "Luxury Spa": an Austrian Hotel Story

    January 10, 2026 · 19 min

    “Luxury Spa” is the thirteenth in Leigh Turner's "Hotel Story" series, and the first set in Austria. Ms N is the world’s most glamorous, brilliant and mischievous hotel manager. She loves to solve problems – especially when they are caused…

  • 68. Salonica, City of Ghosts

    September 13, 2025 · 10 min

    "Salonica - City of Ghosts" is an eery, elegiac portrait of a city that - in many respects - had a completely different identity to modern Thessaloniki. " This podcast is based on my review of Mark Mazower's book of the same name about…

  • 67. Lessons in Diplomacy: Germans and other stereotypes

    August 16, 2025 · 8 min

    "German punctuality is a myth that German diplomats work hard to dispel. I... regularly attended meetings of European Union ambassadors where our German colleagues seemed to make it a point of honour to be the last to arrive." From Chapter…

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About the show

Speaker, writer and ex-ambassador Leigh Turner explores diplomacy, books and writing.