S4E4: Ladan Jiracek - ‘Cheating Death and Hitchhiking Africa’

Culture is one of the first things you might notice while you travel. While culture shock is a sizable and impactful thing, experiencing other cultures is vital to travel and vital to humanity as a whole. Learning about culture while traveling can help you learn about those that you share the world with, as well as learning more about yourself. Ladan Jiracek visits this week from his own podcast, the Travel Wisdom podcast. He has been to over ninety countries and loves to think about how travel can be a chance to learn. He and Hayden discuss how to learn from travel and how to find purpose and meaning from your adventures while traveling. 

They also have an in-depth talk about how important it can be to learn a language while traveling. Ladan also mentions that relationship cultures are among the most drastic differences he has found internationally. The two of them agree that exploring cultures outside of one’s own society is vital. Ladan also shares what he believes has been holding people back from traveling, while Hayden brings up the topic of podcasts and their impact on the travel world. They talk about one-upping, travel as a learning experience, the impact of certain countries, and their thoughts on marriage and children. 

Ladan discusses his time in Georgia, as well. “Cheating Death and Hitchhiking Africa,” Ladan’s tale of how difficult it can be to get from point A to point B, is full of conflict and twists. One summer, Ladan and his friends decided to hitchhike across Africa, and one thing after another started to go wrong while they were crossing the desert on a twelve-hour road trip into Somalia. Without water and with far too much sand, Ladan remembers vividly how journeying to Somalia was wrought with strife and amusing troubles. Culture is the most vital part of national identity. It is the root of language, of tradition, and of daily life in communities all around the world. Getting to know the cultures around you, and the cultures around the world, can drastically affect not only you as a traveler, but you as a person, as well. 

0:55 - Hayden introduces Ladan Jiracek, who hosts the Travel Wisdom podcast, has been to over ninety countries, and loves to think about how travel can be a chance to learn. Ladan discusses how to find the purpose and the meaning behind your travels, as well as how important learning a language can be when traveling. 

5:08 - Hayden and Ladan discuss exploring outside of their own societies, and how relationship cultures differ from place to place. Hayden asks Ladan what he has found around the world that he preferred to his own culture. 

10:33 - Ladan talks about what he thinks holds people back from traveling. Hayden mentions how podcasts and the dissemination of information can provide a well-rounded perspective on travel and on the world. 

13:30 - Ladan starts to tell his story, “Cheating Death and Hitchhiking Africa,” his go-to travel story. During the summer semester, Ladan hitchhiked across Africa, and found himself hunched over in a caravan to Somalia. Partway through the trip, they got stuck in the sand, and nobody had water.

Get in Touch with Hayden on Instagram: @backpackdigital