S3E10: Johannes Koeppel - ‘From Russia With Love’

There are two types of traveling - solo traveling, and group traveling. Both have their benefits, depending on the person, but neither one can be easy to accomplish. Johannes Koeppel, the CEO of WeTravel, visits Hayden to talk about his website, which helps travelers create and join group trips around the world. Hayden and Johannes also talk about Johannes’ travel experiences and why he wants to travel and give back to the world. They also discuss putting life in perspective, shifting your mindset, spending appropriate amounts of time in other cultures, and how traveling can shape a child’s open mindset. 

Johannes shares his Moscow-set story, titled, “From Russia With Love,” in which he attends Moscow State University and, while he still didn’t really understand the country, lived through a fire alarm that was an indicator of a much larger and more terrifying event. This experience left Johannes with the feeling of danger, of never feeling safe, of a constant unease. This wake-up call changed his outlook on life and his attitude while he lived in Russia. Before he leaves, Johannes talks about the traveling “itch” and the thrill that comes from not knowing where tomorrow will bring you. He also shares how he came up with the idea to create WeTravel, who uses it, and how to use it. There are two types of traveling, and Johannes Koeppel may be able to help you figure out the best choice for you. 

0:42 - Hayden talks about the two different types of traveling - solo traveling, and traveling with a group, and the benefits of either one. 

2:40 - Hayden introduces Johannes Koeppel, the CEO of WeTravel. WeTravel helps you create a group trip and join other group trips. 

3:57 - Johannes and Hayden talk about Johannes’ travel experience, where he joined Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross. After growing up privileged, Johannes wants to give back, and he wants to travel, as well. They also talk about putting life into perspective. 

9:35 - Johannes discusses values and how important it is to spend an extended amount of time in a country, because this can drastically shift both your perspective and your mindset. Hayden agrees, and talks about how travel can make you question your own life and mind. 

12:14 - Hayden and Johannes discuss traveling with children and how travel can shape a child’s life going forwards from their childhood. They talk about the traveling “itch,” not knowing where you might be tomorrow, and how difficult it can be to settle down. 

15:00 - Johannes starts telling his story, set in Moscow, titled, “From Russia With Love.” Johannes arrived at the Moscow State University, to his tiny room, with his tiny bed; he didn’t really understand the country yet. A fire alarm went off in the freezing cold late March, and he made a startling discovery as to the origins of the alarm. It left him with the feeling of danger, of never feeling safe, of a constant unease. His experiences left him with a wake-up call “from Russia, with love.”

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