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Remember the 'Lonely Planet' days before the internet? All you needed was cash, a map and some resilience. Vanessa Varvas (UEL) tells the TFTDL flight crew how travel has made her a better person and a better leader. She takes us on a tour across Costa Rica, Serbia, Canada and China with a few car crashes on the way - and we learn to live Pura Vida, pure life.

A strong advocate for the power of diversity and inclusion in transforming lives and society, we discuss celebrating our differences, EDI and managing conflict. We also discuss why you shouldn't leave your toothbrush uncovered in your hotel bathroom and what to do in a bear attack. 

Final boarding call: San Jose, Costa Rica 

This episode is sponsored by Duolingo. Today ver 4500 institutions including Yale, Imperial and Trinity College Dublin have adopted the Duolingo English Test. If your university wants to join them then get in touch at www.englishtest.duolingo.com

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*NEW JINGLE ALERT* the 'No Status Blues' in Brazil. Brendan McGerty (Griffith College) left a drunken voice message in the TFTDL inbox about his airline status, so we just had to follow up. The result was this kaleidoscopic episode where we stagger from Speedos to a gun-to-the-head moment and eating scorpions via Amy Winehouse. 

Having spent 18 years in Brazil, first moving there to work for BMI Global, Brendan is the original 'gringo' now married with kids living in Salvador Bahia. He is fluent in Portuguese (well almost, leading to some inappropriate touching) and loving his-kinda-crazy culture in LATAM. 

A fellow podder, presenting on the popular Cheese Room podcast about Tottenham Hotspur, we were very pleased to welcome Brendan on to the show.  Explicit language warning. 

Final boarding call: Salvador Bahia, Brazil 

This episode is sponsored by Duolingo. Today ver 4500 institutions including Yale, Imperial and Trinity College Dublin have adopted the Duolingo English Test. If your university wants to join them then get in touch at www.englishtest.duolingo.com

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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Do you ever get a little bit nervous and find yourself talking nonsense on a podcast? The TFTDL flight crew get chatty with Ben McNally-Burn (Education New Zealand) about everything from airplane food to dating while overseas. Ben explains his airport security rage, his nervous disposition and how it feels to be replaced by a family dog called Lucy. We  also discuss the bright idea of swapping expensive hotels for a longer residential stay in-country. 

Things get messy when we revert back to some old-fashioned toilet humour (you've been warned) although I don't think Ben was laughing at the time. Expect another New Zealand sales pitch, although let's face it, we were all sold on that location several episodes ago! 

Final boarding call: Washington, New Zealand / Ho Chi Minh City 

This episode is sponsored by Duolingo. Today ver 4500 institutions including Yale, Imperial and Trinity College Dublin have adopted the Duolingo English Test. If your university wants to join them then get in touch at www.englishtest.duolingo.com

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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This is the money and power episode! Rupert Daniels has brokered some of the biggest commercial deals in the world, having worked for FIFA, Arsenal FC and his current role as director of services and skills for the UK's Department for Business and Trade.  He is the secret driving force behind the international education strategy along with industries including creative, digital, finance and sports that total a trillion pounds in export trade targets. 

He joins the TFTDL flight crew to discuss the allegations of corruption against FIFA, the joy of a cosmetic-grab bag, dealing with Saudi Arabia and what happens when your haircut is lost in translation. This is an incredible insight into carrying the economic health of a nation on your shoulders. Like it or not, education is big business and money makes the world go round. 

Expect cameos from Lionel Messi, Jim Walker, Arsene Wenger, Sepp Blatter, Sir Steve Smith, Wet Leg and Liz Truss.  

Final boarding call: Japan 

This episode is sponsored by Duolingo. Today over 4500 institutions including Yale, Imperial and Trinity College Dublin have adopted the Duolingo English Test. If your university wants to join them then get in touch at www.englishtest.duolingo.com

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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Could we do it live down under? With Amy Baker standing in as co-host for Andy, we somehow managed to record an episode on stage at The PIE Live Australia '23 with Louis Clay, associate dean at Trinity College, University of Melbourne. Listen very carefully and you can actually hear people laughing ;)

Louis was the perfect guest. A snappy dresser, he talks about his love for the finer things in life with some unique ideas on how to get upgraded for flights and get ahead in your career. He also explains to the Brits how to spot the difference between Kiwis and Aussies and what it is like to travel with academics. 

Final boarding call: India

The PIE Live Australia will return in 2024! Check out www.thepielive.com for details including dates, speakers and sponsorship opportunities. 

We respectfully acknowledge the people of the Yugambeh language region, the traditional owners of the land where we recorded this episode, and pay our respect to their elders past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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Joe Shaw is the head coach at Saracens Rugby Club based in North London, and the current Premiership Rugby Champions. A former school mate of Andy's, this is a rare interview where Joe opens up about the importance of team culture in elite sport. Andy is also joined in this episode by Isobelle Panton (UA92) as a special guest host. 

Teaching and coaching in different cultures is no easy task and Joe explains some of his mistakes along the way.  From breaking team mates out of jail in Manila to team building trips to Lollapalooza, this is a fascinating insight into the bonds we create with each other along life's journey. The pack, the ruck, the scrum. Good teams are for life. 

Final boarding call: Hong Kong

This episode is sponsored by us! Please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review or share with a friend. It really means a lot to us and it helps share the TFTDL fun to new listeners. Do it now because you know you will forget later. Love you.

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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We've teamed up with the lovely people at Duolingo to create the perfect travel mix-tape playlist on Spotify! Inspired by the guests, stories and destinations from the Tales from the Departure Lounge podcast. Listen to TFTDL Radio now!

Link: https://spotify.link/R7MNuCESvDb

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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In this short interlude episode we get to know Stefan Loncar and Loncom Consulting who have been sponsoring the podcast. As well as making data sexy Stefan has some strong opinions on Australian immigration, Czech tourists and Mexican cartels. Note to self - don't watch a whole season of Narcos on the flight to Mexico, it will make you paranoid. 

Your stories includes suggestions for a new episode format from Chris Tagg (Coventry University) and a jingle request from Brendan McGerty (Griffith College Dublin). As you wish! Thanks as always for listening and supporting the show. 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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Life is just one big opportunity to explore. In this episode the TFTDL flight crew meet pro-vice chancellor for future students, Bronte Neyland  (Swinburne University of Technology) from Melbourne, Australia.  Living like a real life Dora the Explorer or Dian Fossey, Bronte loves the anticipation of getting up close and personal with nature. From gorillas in the mist to some of Australia's deadliest animals, she has been ticking off her bucket travel list, animal by animal from an early age. 

Also in this episode our love affair with Japan continues as we talk obscure festivals, earthquakes and adult nappies. Bronte reveals she is our second DVT patient on the show and takes us through her ritual of injecting blood thinner and giving 'fake' gifts to her children when she returns from her travels. 

Final boarding call: Rwanda 

This episode is sponsored by Loncom Consulting! Helping agents, language schools and institutions integrate and configure their CRM systems like HubSpot and Salesforce - check out www.loncomconsulting.com/education 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

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You can take the boy out of the Faroe Islands but you can't take the Faroe Islands out of the man. This is dark, brooding, nordic noir from the North Atlantic. If you like your international directors with a rugged beard and a sardonic sense of humour then look no further than Jogvan Klein (University of Queensland).

In this episode we explore Jogvan's relationship with his own father who is an acclaimed Faroese musician, and his misadventures growing up in a Danish hippie, music school.  He recalls the traumatic premature birth of his daughter while living in Vietnam, with his wife going in to labour whilst he was away on a trip. Expect gallows humour and more proof that it will all be alright, even when it's not.

This episode ends with an extract of Kaj Klein singing Bob Dylan's Forever Young. You can find Síðsta kvøldmáltíðin (The Last Supper) along with his other albums on Spotify, Amazon Music and iTunes. Please check it out because it is really, really good. Legacy. 

Final boarding call: The Faroe Islands

This episode is sponsored by Loncom Consulting! Helping agents, language schools and institutions integrate and configure their CRM systems like HubSpot and Salesforce - check out www.loncomconsulting.com/education 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com