In episode #31 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to his new friend Izzet about his roots as an indigenous person to Crimea. What is Crimea? Before 2014, most people probably had no idea about this historic peninsula in Eastern Europe—that is, until it was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Russia, planting the seeds for the present-day war. Izzet talks about the geopolitics of the region and its long history, as well as Tatar culture which has its roots in Turkey. From his childhood in Uzbekistan, to his boarding school years and travel, Izzet has a unique story that is at once wild and inspiring. And tune in to hear Drew reflect about why Ukraine is one of his favorite countries in Eastern Europe, and how he got detained in Russia before the war on the border of North Korea!

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In episode #30 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to Kamya Buch, a digital nomad and spiritual educator, about her Hindu roots. Ranging from meditation, yoga, and ancient health practices, Indian heritage is alive in the present, because of people like Kamya. Born in England, Kamya has a lot to say about the Indian diaspora. But she’s traveled far and wide throughout Southeast Asia, and she hits it off with Drew in discussing India’s different regions—a perfect conversation for anyone planning a trip. Drew reminisces about his solo trip in India, that ended in a bus crash, while the two talk festivals, women’s rights, fasting, and South versus North Indian food—Which is better? Tune in for a fast-paced conversation about one of the world’s most exciting countries, home to perhaps the deepest spiritual community there is.

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In episode #29 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to his new friend Sayeeda about Bangladesh. Based in Sydney, having lived around the world in places like South Korea and Dubai, Sayeeda brings her Bangladeshi roots to every travel experience. Bangladesh, a country of nearly 180 million people, is the size of Iowa. Drew and Sayeeda talk about the traffic in Dhaka, the capital, as well as Bangladesh’s beautiful scenery, including one of the longest beaches in the world. Most people don’t know that Bangladesh is a Muslim majority country, absorbing the influences of its neighbors into its own traditions for centuries. What do women’s rights look like here? And is it part of South Asia, or Southeast Asia? One thing Drew and Sayeeda have in common, is the mission to put Bangladesh on the map, as a massively underrated country with some of the best cuisine and cultural heritages in the east.

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In episode #28 of Roots of Humanity, Drew hosts a Q&A after a 5-month trip around the world, from Europe, to Africa, to Asia, visiting countries like Serbia, Qatar, South Sudan, Vietnam, Japan, and more. Now back home in sunny Arizona, he is ready to respond to your questions — over 2,000 of them! From how it would be different to travel as a woman, to how to keep a healthy diet while on the road, and how to respond to stressful situations in dangerous places, he lays all his tips and tricks out on the table. Not without diving into his ancestral roots, which is what this podcast is all about! Will Drew ever go to space? Looking ahead to his wedding with Deanna, is Drew planning to have any kids? Tune in to hear Drew spill the tea in his most intimate podcast to date!

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In episode #27 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to his travel agent G about his Swiss roots and how to globe-trot like a pro. After visiting every country in the world, and continuing to travel to non-traditional destinations like West Papua, Drew needed someone to score the best flight routes and hotel deals that most people wouldn’t know about. That is to say, G’s experience is top level. But what about Switzerland? Most people think it’s wealthy, and it is! But G helps Drew understand that the high wages correlate with the high cost of living, with simple food items going for 3 times the prices in the United States, so when you do the math, things start to match up. What is it about this seemingly perfect country that makes it one of the best in Europe? For starters, it’s a melting pot, just like fondue. G fills us in about the neighboring countries that influence Switzerland, from the Italian-speaking city of Lugano to the German city of Lucerne. Tune in to hear Drew and G’s thoughts on Swiss cuisine and chocolate, and how to make it as a traveler and a citizen in one of the most desired places on earth.

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In episode #26 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to his Production Manager A.J. about his Italian-American roots. Fresh out of college with several creative writing awards under his belt, A.J. combines his love of storytelling and travel by helping Drew manage a team of 15 editors. A.J. tells what it’s like to share the same last name as one of the biggest Italian mafia families, period. Drew asks him how moving to New York City as an eighteen-year-old helped him feel connected to his ancestors, and how he balances his two identities of being gay and Catholic. A discussion of the suburbs prompts A.J. to share the story of his hometown, Newtown, CT, the site of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting. How do activism and traveling intersect? Tune in to hear Drew and A.J.’s thoughts on trekking the Trans-Siberian railway before the war in Ukraine, and how filming in the Hassidic Jewish part of Brooklyn opened their eyes to a world outside themselves.

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In episode #25 of Roots of Humanity, Drew interviews Vít Jedlička about how he founded Liberland, the world’s newest micro-nation. In 2015, Vít became the first president of the small plot of land between Serbia and Croatia, an island not claimed by either country. A libertarian from the Czech Republic, Vít tells Drew how he saw an opportunity for freedom, how taxation in Liberland is voluntary, and how his government is moving towards blockchain based systems. Culturally, Drew reminisces about the Floating Man festival, Liberland’s biggest party, and how he and Vít tried to cross the border this summer but were stopped by the Croatian police. There are 900 citizens of Liberland and they all have their own legit passport, and Drew is one of them, but over 700,000 people are currently in line for e-residency. Could you be the next Liberlandian? Tune in to find out what it takes.

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In episode #24 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to Charles Hoskinson about his roots and cryptocurrency. An entrepreneur like Drew, Charles was a co-founder of the Ethereum blockchain platform, as well as Cardano and the blockchain engineering company Input Output Global, Inc. What was it like to be at the center of the early days of bitcoin? Why is it that so many people in the crypto world are fond of traveling? At 72 countries, Charles is catching up to Drew. He shares his collection of Babylonian tablets, and the two talk about Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, and Hawaii, where Charles was born. Tune in to hear about this inspirational figure’s melting-pot roots, from Nazi fighting ancestors in Norway to southern Italy, and their eventual immigration to New York and Montana.

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In episode #23 of Roots of Humanity, Drew interviews Norwegian pop-duo Marcus & Martinus about how they made a splash in Europe’s competitive music scene at younger than 20 years old. With three albums and numerous awards, M & M talk about selling out stadiums, touring with Jason Derulo, creating during the pandemic, and following your dreams. To Drew’s surprise, they are not from Oslo, but a small town in the north where you can see the northern lights and fish for salmon in the backyard—but they have to travel 4 hours by car whenever they go on tour. What is it like being twins? They share their bonds as brothers and performance partners, what they fight about, their girlfriends, concerts in Prague, winter sports, and Norwegian fresh air. Tune in for a fun, goofy conversation between brothers, who will leave you feeling inspired to just go and create whatever it is you feel passionate about.

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In episode #22 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to his new friend Kacper about Polish culture, history, and food. Kacper’s Poland is very different than his parents’ Poland, because he was born after communism and speaks English, while his parents fought for food rations and learned Russian. Kacper recalls how his grandmother used to smuggle jewelry from Romania, and how his grandfather remembers when Nazis came to steal their pigs and cows. In turn, Drew opens up about the Holocaust and his Jewish ancestors, which sparks a discussion of World War 2 and the influx of Ukrainian refugees coming into Poland. From the modern capital of Warsaw, vs. the historic, old town feel of Krakow, listen in to find out why Poland is the most underrated country in Europe, a conversation that will surely leave you hungry for pierogis.

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