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As armies of white-collar workers funnel out of office buildings at the close of their working day, many janitors are just beginning theirs, preparing for long shifts that must be finished while their cities sleep. Lessons from the Night follows Maia Wallner as she reflects eloquently on the nature of her low-paying, under-appreciated and often solitary job, and the particular window it gives her into the psyches of those she cleans up after but rarely sees. Once an Arabic translator in her native Bulgaria, where she worked with world leaders, political turmoil forced her into exile while on assignment in Melbourne, Australia. Still living in Melbourne, she now gets through the lonely nights by finding humour and quiet dignity in her work.
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Wellbeing
Born in China, Zee seeks a gender-affirming life in the American Midwest
11 minutes
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Rituals and celebrations
A whale hunt is an act of prayer for an Inuit community north of the Arctic Circle
8 minutes
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Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
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The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
5 minutes
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
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Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes
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Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
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Art
‘If you’re creative, why can’t you create a solution?’ One artist’s imaginative activism
17 minutes