The Rough Translation podcast is a guide for better understanding the world. It explores how even simple things become complex in a global context. The host, Gregory Warner, is a former international correspondent for NPR as well as an award-winning journalist. He has spent his career traveling the world and reporting on fascinating cultures. That is also the theme of this show.

This NPR podcast series began in 2017. Each episode shares the repurposing of something familiar from a different culture. In the episode “The Cat Must Still Be Fed,” the podcast poses the question-what makes news local? A Ukrainian reporter applies for a job at a local paper in Red Hook, New York. Neither the editor-in-chief nor the reporter has visited each other's hometowns. What starts as a local view of a small American town becomes an education on living in war-torn Ukraine.

Rough Translation partners with the radio program Radiolab for more stories on Ukraine. One episode discusses the topic of pregnancy and the consumption of abortion pills. Another “Under the Counter” episode explores an amateur smuggling case within the country.

In other episodes, the podcast focuses on examining people and entrepreneurs at work. The episode “Epic Fails & Failure Epics” shares honest stories of failure in the workplace. Another, “Miles To Go Before I'm Me,” follows two female long-haul truckers. They discuss their new identities on the road and their passion for escapism.

In Rough Translation, Warner always finds commonality among countries. Relatable things are common ground, even when it spans cultures. The podcast explores the things that make people human. The host also wants his listeners to find common ground among each other. To that end, he has featured listener comments and tips throughout the podcast's run. Fans of interesting cultural stories may enjoy this program.