Funboat Diplomacy

Gard Ulven Bahlk is from Norway. He has completed a month in his year long travel toward his goal of homesteading in the woods of North America. We discuss the delicate balance of wildlife and the ecosystem, Scandinavia and the Vikings, trolls, and finding your way in life.

Bente Schreurs is from the Netherlands and Lavinia de Lucci is from Italy. Bente and Lavinia are completing their study abroad experience in San Francisco. We discuss their trip to Las Vegas, hitchhiking the Pacific Northwest and into Canada, as well as some political topics and the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.

Read about their travels at the blog Wild Young Minds

http://parismorningsnewyorknights.blogspot.com/2015/12/hitchhiking-our-way-across-west-usa_9.html

Mike Santini is from the United States. He is the Development Director at the Prospect Theater in Ridgefield, Connecticut providing vocational training to people with disabilities. We discuss his work at the theater and its mission, the changing dynamics of the cinema-going experience, and the upcoming Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens among other films.

Check out The Prospector Theater here:

http://www.prospectortheater.org

Pacific Tradewinds Hostel Discount Code:

WEIMINXMASDEAL

David Leik is from the United States. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1973 and served for 22 years. David recently retired from the US Department of State where he was an intelligence analyst and Chief of Station in Tel Aviv, Israel. We discuss his experience in the military and civil service, war and politics, and reflections upon life and family.

Mohamed Morsy is from Egypt. He currently lives in Cologne, Germany where he earned a Master of Science in Web Science and where he intends to open a hostel for travelers. He also writes for his travel blog and project, The Road Mo Traveled. We discuss his travels in South America, life in Cologne, growing up in Cairo, and the Egyptian Revolution.

Check out his blog and project at:

theroadmotraveled.com

Richard Chan is from Venezuela. He is an entrepreneur, world traveler, and marathon runner based in San Francisco. We discuss his experience growing up in Venezuela, the societal and political conditions in his home country, his year abroad in Hong Kong, and travels in Asia.

Richard’s Blog

rchrdchan.com

Tomás Bastos and Felipe Carvalho are from Brazil. They know each other from Rio de Janeiro and were fellow Erasmus students in Lisbon studying photography. We discuss Portuguese and Brazilian politics, the history of the military dictatorship in Brazil, and the baffling dance called Surra de Bunda, literally “Punishment by Ass."

Alicja Białek is from Poland. She recently finished her Masters Thesis on Migration from Former African Colonies to Lisbon, Portugal. We discuss this in more detail as well as the recent Polish parliamentary elections and her experience in Israel. Meanwhile, a turf escalates during our recording session.

Marcus Moody lives in Washington DC and is the head of Hip Hop Orchestra at the University of Maryland, College Park. Marcus also works with Words Beats & Life, a DC organization dedicated to Hip Hop education, culture, and arts. We discuss Marcus' projects and listen to the new track 'Peter Sparker' by collaborative partner Kassim.

Check out the Hip Hop Orchestra:

https://www.facebook.com/TheHipHopOrchestraAtUmd/timeline

Check out Kassim:

http://kassimmusic.com

Check out Words Beats & Life:

http://www.wblinc.org

Corey Kendall is from Canada and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Advanced Mathematics and Calculus at Western University in Ontario. We discuss hookers, drugs, and the enriching lessons of travel.