Super quick life update episode about what’s been going on for the past few weeks and some reflections about what I’ve personally been thinking about in terms of travel. I bought a one way ticket to meet my best friend in Guatemala and have lived a million lives in just the week and half since I’ve been here. Can’t wait to talk more about this incredible country

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In this episode of Eternally Evolving, I'm recapping the two places I went to during my first trip to Thailand! I know Thailand is one of those countries I will always go back to, so instead of trying to see as much as possible, I spent longer chunks of time in two places that are both so special to me. I spent a week in Bangkok by myself, my first experience with an Asian city, and it quickly became one of my favorite cities in the entire world. And while I planned to visit a few different islands in Thailand, I ended up staying for 2 weeks on Koh Phangan because I absolutely fell in love with the island.

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Introducing first ever guest on the podcast!!!! Introducing my best friend and travel partner who I've mentioned so many times on this podcast before. She has just completed an entire year of traveling the world and had so many incredible, unique experiences. Not only does she discuss her perspective and the way she views the world because of her education/background, but also how her perspective has expanded through all of the lessons she learned this year. Em discusses hallmark experiences like a month-long survival course in the desert in Utah, staying at a women's collective in Rwanda, hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, and completing a silent meditation retreat in Thailand. This was probably the most fun I've ever had recording an episode and I hope you guys have just as much fun listening to it while getting to know my best friend!

You can't understand me without understanding my deep connection to New Orleans, Louisiana. This is the first podcast episode I have ever recorded about a place in the United States and it's super fitting because I grew up going to New Orleans all the time because one side of my family is from there. New Orleans has always been my second home and going back feels like such a celebration of my Cajun heritage and culture that I grew up with, especially because so much of my family still lives there. I'm sure I will make many New Orleans episodes down the line but in this one I'm giving you a brief overview of what makes New Orleans so unique, the best places to eat, stay, and all of the incredible cajun foods you need to try if you go.

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Go check out 'While She's Away' Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/4uET75IYKHieFF6AtIsP71?si=7567bf62013f4271

It can be really overwhelming to try to understand everything that's going on in the world when you have no idea where to start. However, there's a lot going on in the world right now politically, and if you travel the world, I truly believe that you are obligated to keep up with international politics. So this episode, I am using my background/education to help break down 3 (kind of 4) of the most relevant and pressing political issues of the past week. Again, I do have a degree in international relations that helps shape my perspective while I travel the world, so I hope my analysis helps you better understand these complicated issues. Starting with the recent horrifying developments on the genocide in Gaza, then the misinformation surrounding the fraudulent elections in Venezuela, then the student riots that ousted the Prime Minister in Bangladesh, and finishing with some brief thoughts about the new official democratic ticket for the upcoming terrifying US elections.

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In the second part of my series about incredible cultural experiences I had in Cambodia, I'm detailing 3 main experiences in Siem Reap that I will remember forever: Songkran (Khmer New Years) water festival, getting a traditional Sak Yant tattoo from a monk, and experiencing the power of Angkor Wat, the largest religious complex in the world. I accidentally spent two weeks in Siem Reap (which most backpackers would definitely not do lol). Still, I really appreciated how deeply I could dive into Cambodian culture and history through solo traveling and developing a little routine there. The three main experiences I discuss changed my perspective on both myself and the world in so many ways, and I'll say it again, Cambodia is so severely underrated.

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My biggest fear while spending the past 3 months in Asia was honestly getting food sick or dengue or any other kind of illness while being in a remote place. You guys know that I am definitely a person who usually gets sick while traveling (peep the episode where I was hospitalized in Berlin lol) BUT I made it through all 3 months without getting sick! Here are all of my biggest tips and precautions that worked for me, plus a few other overall safety tips to help you if you're planning to travel through SE Asia.

Ubud defies so many of the negative stereotypes about Bali's party culture, influencer culture, and toxic tourism. Ubud is pure peace, it's the true cultural hub of Bali, where you can feel the power and beauty of Balinese religion all around you. Not to mention the most beautiful nature, amazing waterfalls, the sacred monkey forest, the most incredible authentic Indonesian food, and so much more. I loved everything about my time in Ubud, and in this episode, I'm sharing my reflections on the most impactful experiences I had while I was there. Waterfall hopping, the Tirta Empul water purification ceremony, a Balinese massage and flower bath, interacting with monkeys, exploring elevated Indonesian indigenous cuisine, connecting with spiritual leaders, and so so much more.

Especially in recent years, Bali has simultaneously become one of the most popular places to travel, yet also one of the most controversial. The risk of such an incredible place being destroyed by over-tourism, development, environmental ruin, waste mismanagement, cultural erasure, ignorant tourists, and more, is something that every single person visiting Bali needs to educate themselves about. In this podcast episode, I discuss the three biggest ethical conversations that need to be had when traveling to Bali and throughout Indonesia in general, to be a conscious traveler and to help remedy the problem. I also begin with an update about the genocide being committed in Gaza, and how that also relates to the type of information you need to understand before traveling to Indonesia.

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