En este episodio en francés con subtítulos en español, entrevisto a Abdulkarim en el mercado de especias del Mellah de Marrakech, el histórico barrio judío cuyo nombre proviene del comercio de la sal. Abdulkarim explica la mezcla de comunidades que conviven hoy en la zona, contrasta las casas (dar) con los riads construidos con gruesos muros de tierra y piedra que aíslan del calor y del frío, y habla sobre la exposición al sol y la falta de vitamina D.

Describe su tienda alquilada, donde vende especias, tés, plantas medicinales, aceites, perfumes y cremas naturales, y sus más de 15 años de experiencia, señalando cómo las ventas por comisión pueden inflar los precios. Comparamos los tipos y precios del azafrán, y comparte su consejo de usarlo con leche. Abdulkarim cuenta cómo aprendió remedios con el tiempo, habla del turismo en callejones menos conocidos, de sus orígenes en Marrakech y su familia, del aumento del costo de vida desde la COVID y de sus esperanzas para el futuro.

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In this French episode with English subtitles, I interview Abdulkarim in Marrakech’s spice market in the Mellah, the historic Jewish quarter named for salt trading. Abdulkarim explains the area’s mixed communities today, contrasts houses (dar) with riads built with thick earth-and-stone walls that insulate against heat and cold, and discusses sun exposure and vitamin D deficiency.

He describes his rented shop selling spices, teas, medicinal plants, oils, perfumes and natural creams, and his 15+ years of experience, noting how commission-based selling can inflate prices. We compare saffron pricing and types, and his advice for using saffron with milk. Abdulkarim shares how he learned remedies over time, talks about tourism in lesser-known alleys, his Marrakech origins and family, rising living costs since COVID and his hopes for the future.

00:00 Introduction

01:04 The Mellah and its origins

01:48 Guéliz and the riads

02:47 Thick walls and climate

03:33 Sun, vitamin D and allergies

04:15 Inside the spice shop

05:38 Prices and secrets of saffron

07:44 Learning about medicinal plants

10:19 The real Morocco

11:54 Family and roots in Marrakech

14:41 Cost of living in Morocco

16:57 Dreams of a new shop

19:26 Respect

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Finding Yourself in Mexico City: Loss, Solitude and Vibration

I meet Alberto in Mexico City by chance after chatting at a street stall. Alberto, 53, recounts losing his father on his 33rd birthday, divorcing the same week, losing his job and contact with his young son, and nearly becoming homeless, leading to years of depression and alcoholism without professional help. He says time alone is essential to heal, forgive yourself, accept impermanence and stop seeking perfection in others. He emphasises personal responsibility, empathy and human equality, valuing simple, free things over wealth. Alberto describes reality as energy and vibration, shaping who we meet, and urges honesty with oneself, going through pain fully, respecting boundaries, learning and “going with the flow”.

00:00 Introduction

01:37 Why Alone Time Matters

04:50 Learning Self Love

05:54 Simple Living and Gratitude

06:38 Vibration and Inner Mirror

09:48 Depression

12:10 Giving Back and Humanity

16:46 Empathy and Untold Stories

19:56 Rebuilding Through Learning

21:30 Go With the Flow

22:33 Energy Is Vibration

25:28 Creation and No Vibration

26:14 Learning Over Years

26:48 Enjoy Life Without Extremes

28:35 Strength to Be Alone

29:26 Victim Aggressor Pattern

31:12 Passing the Same Tests

33:12 Honesty and Self Respect

35:05 Every Mind Is Unique

35:51 Final Message of Respect

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[ENG] This interview is in Spanish. Visit the Journiosity Substack for subtitles in English and an English-language blog post covering Sergio's fascinating life experiences.

[ESP] Esta entrevista está en español. Visita el Substack de Journiosity para ver subtítulos en inglés y una publicación en inglés que cubre las fascinantes experiencias de vida de Sergio.

ENG

Living the Journey: Sergio’s Hitchhiking Life, Three Years and Counting

In Puerto Iguazú, near Iguazú Falls, I interview Sergio, a 42-year-old Argentine backpacker from the province of Córdoba who has been travelling for nearly three years through much of Argentina plus surrounds, often hitchhiking, walking and camping. He highlights the marvels of El Chaltén and Patagonia, and says his tent is his best “room”, sometimes sleeping at gas stations for added safety, amenities and spontaneous social moments. Sergio contrasts slow, immersive travel with buses and planes, values nature and solitude, but also enjoys travelling with others for connection. He describes emotional highs and lows, fear, boredom and learning to release feelings, crediting a pivotal self-question—“How many hours do you have left to live?”—with pushing him forward. He discusses resistance from family, inspiration from strangers, living with less and his guiding ideas, including getting out and trying the “impossible”.

00:00 Introduction

01:02 Three years backpacking

02:55 Hitchhiking and camping

04:07 Slow travel and nature

06:23 Gas stations and spontaneous moments

08:03 Travelling alone or with company

10:17 Emotions and fears

13:44 Why Sergio started travelling

15:38 Family on the road

18:08 Fear and the comfort zone

24:20 How travelling changed Sergio

28:48 Health, stress and money

31:46 Phrases and inspiration

33:48 Freedom has no price

35:21 The road as freedom

37:10 Venting without fear

42:40 Everything depends on you

44:58 Hunger and valuing food

47:06 Recognition and online work

49:48 The impossible doesn’t exist

52:09 Trying things to know them

58:55 Live your movie

01:02:29 Turtle vs hare

01:04:07 Letting go of the mental backpack

****

ESP

Viviendo el viaje: La vida de Sergio haciendo dedo, tres años y contando

En Puerto Iguazú, cerca de las Cataratas del Iguazú, entrevisto a Sergio, un mochilero argentino de 42 años, oriundo de la provincia de Córdoba, que lleva casi tres años viajando por gran parte de Argentina y alrededores, a menudo haciendo dedo, caminando y acampando. Destaca las maravillas de El Chaltén y la Patagonia, y dice que su carpa es su mejor “habitación”, durmiendo a veces en estaciones de servicio por mayor seguridad, comodidades y momentos sociales espontáneos. Sergio contrasta el viaje lento e inmersivo con los buses y aviones, valora la naturaleza y la soledad, pero también disfruta viajar acompañado para conectar. Describe altibajos emocionales, miedo, aburrimiento y el aprendizaje de soltar sentimientos, atribuyendo a una pregunta clave —“¿Cuántas horas te quedan de vida?”— el impulso para seguir adelante. Habla de la resistencia de su familia, la inspiración de desconocidos, vivir con menos y sus ideas guía, incluyendo salir y probar lo “imposible”.

00:00 Introducción

01:02 Tres años mochileando

02:55 Haciendo dedo y acampando

04:07 Viaje lento y naturaleza

06:23 Estaciones de servicio y momentos espontáneos

08:03 Viajar solo o acompañado

10:17 Emociones y miedos

13:44 Por qué Sergio empezó a viajar

15:38 La familia en el camino

18:08 Miedo y zona de confort

24:20 Cómo viajar cambió a Sergio

28:48 Salud, estrés y dinero

31:46 Frases e inspiración

33:48 La libertad no tiene precio

35:21 La ruta como libertad

37:10 Descargar sin miedo

42:40 Todo depende de vos

44:58 Hambre y valorar la comida

47:06 Reconocimiento y trabajo online

49:48 Lo imposible no existe

52:09 Probar cosas para conocerlas

58:55 Viví tu película

01:02:29 Tortuga vs liebre

01:04:07 Soltar la mochila mental

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Solo Travel, Starting Over and Building Olive: Gaby’s Journey from Ecuador to Buenos Aires

I’m interviewing Gaby, an Ecuadorian living in Buenos Aires, about starting over after a 13-year marriage ended. Gaby’s first solo trip to Argentina—originally for a Coldplay concert—led her to fall in love with the city’s walkability, friendliness, and opportunities, and to pursue an MBA at the University of Palermo, which she is finishing soon. She describes how solo travel helps her meet people and feel at home, including examples like attending a Dua Lipa concert alone. Gaby shares her business story: creating Olive, a healthy-food cafeteria in Ecuador (now with two locations), rooted in her culinary and hospitality training, feeding 200+ people daily and employing 14 people. She reflects on divorce, purpose, therapy and mentoring, and advises caring for body and mind through gym, healthy eating, meditation, and getting out even on hard days.

00:00 Introduction

00:58 Divorce and First Solo Trip

02:35 Chasing an MBA Dream

04:15 Building a New Life

05:10 Friendly City Culture Shock

05:53 Solo Travel Safety and Confidence

06:57 Meeting People While Traveling

09:19 Her Healthy Cafe Business

10:09 Chef School and Early Career

13:47 Scholarship and Business Degree

16:37 First Restaurants and Hard Lessons

19:19 Bootcamp Diets Inspired Olive

21:28 Winning Over Locals

23:20 Finding Purpose in Life

25:44 Love Life And Divorce

30:00 Reflections on Marriage

32:24 Life Dreams

33:44 Therapy And Mind Care

35:16 Look After Yourself

37:40 Final Reflections

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From Brazil to Bariloche: Ivna on Faith, Healing and Making Dreams Happen

I’m in a hostel in Bariloche, Argentina, interviewing Ivna, a 32-year-old Brazilian on her first trip outside Brazil. Ivna shares a lifelong dream of seeing the world sparked by a childhood movie, her belief that strangers become familiar through conversation, and her mother’s advice that speaking can take you anywhere. She describes saving money, adjusting travel plans while getting her driver’s license, and trusting God and intuition rather than coincidences. After multiple hardships including a breakup and depression, she chose life and her dreams, rebuilding faith through prayer, journaling, and a 10-day silent Vipassana retreat that helped her manage overthinking by returning to breath and the present. Ivna works remotely in content creation, supports hostel communications and hopes to teach video creation, travel more, and eventually marry and have a family.

00:00 Introduction

01:22 First Trip Abroad

03:33 Talking to Strangers

04:31 Saving and Trusting Timing

06:32 No Coincidences and Heartbreak

07:47 Choosing Dreams Over Darkness

11:34 Overthinking and Breathwork

12:25 Vipassana Retreat

16:05 Rebuilding Through Art

18:53 Remote Work and Content Creation

21:28 Future Goals and Family

22:12 Closing

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From La Plata to aerial heights: on solo travel, changing tracks and flying high

I interview Facundo at a hostel in San Martín de los Andes, Argentina, where he is vacationing alone from La Plata near Buenos Aires. Facundo says solo travel is easier for meeting people if you are sociable and brave. He describes switching from an engineering degree (after two stressful years with only 2–3 hours of sleep) to a tourism degree, supported by his mother despite family doubts, and later starting physical education to better understand the body and teach aerial circus. He explains how the pandemic and lack of a computer disrupted his tourism studies, while he now works five days a week and studies on the other two with only two weeks off annually. Facundo trains in aerial silks despite fear of heights, has injured fingers, performed shows, worked a month in a Jujuy hostel that improved his English, hopes to visit Chile and Brazil, and explains the communal tradition of drinking mate.

00:00 Introduction

01:05 Solo Travel Confidence

01:54 From Engineering to Tourism

03:16 Family Doubts and Choosing Yourself

04:16 Tourism and Physical Education Studies

05:50 Pandemic Pause and Stress

09:05 Aerial Circus Passion

11:28 First Solo Trip

12:46 Learning English on the Job

14:04 Dream Trips and Chilean Spanish

15:20 The Importance of Mate

17:00 Wrap Up

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Young Argentinians on Milei’s Reforms: Inflation, Taxes, Hope and Daily Life in Mendoza

In Mendoza, Argentina, October 2025, I interviewed Juli, a lawyer, and Tomi, a small business owner/engineer, about changes under President Milei after recent elections that ostensibly strengthened his position in Congress. They describe life before Milei as marked by extreme inflation, product shortages, import restrictions and high taxes, with people using instalments to cope and some abusing government benefits due to weak oversight. They discuss “ventajeros” as taking advantage of situations, including with tourists, and explain how heavy taxation and instability made professional salaries feel insufficient. Under Milei, they report greater price stability, more predictable salaries and hope that young professionals may return from abroad, though they note the transition has been exhausting and that pensioners and public services still struggle. They also share views on Trump, corruption in past governments, and Argentina’s welcoming culture and natural beauty.

00:00 Introduction to Mendoza and Guests

00:53 Election Win and Hopes

02:03 Life Under Inflation

03:13 Import Controls and Shortages

04:57 Welfare State and Abuse

07:07 The Ventajeros Culture

09:29 Taxes, Travel and Chile Runs

10:59 Installments and Beating Inflation

12:18 Young Professionals' Frustration

14:36 Stability Under Milei

16:45 Dollar Pricing Logic

17:20 Peso Swings and Brazil Trips

18:03 Hopeful Economic Outlook

19:22 Work, Wages and Brain Drain

21:24 Fairness and Public Services

23:13 Milei Crazy or Genius

24:31 Trump and Immigration Views

26:22 Corruption and Voting Change

29:36 Why Argentina Is Special

31:35 Farewell and Invite to Mendoza

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How do we deal with trauma that bubbles to the surface years down the road? What can that journey look like?

In this episode, I’m speaking with Catalina in a cafe in downtown Santiago, Chile. What starts out as a conversation about her background and her unconventional career path turns into a multi-layered story of navigating the buried trauma that eventually becomes impossible to ignore, and what it means to face the inevitable. A bold, brave conversation—with a pinch of streetside noise.

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Is it possible to find strength in traumatic events? How can we empower ourselves despite life’s challenges?

In this episode, I’m speaking with Marian, a young law student from Mexico City, interning in Ottawa, Canada. Despite losing her father at a young age and having her trust abused by another family member, Marian has an appreciation of the unique things life has taught her, a deep desire to support other women and grand visions for her future.

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