Someone had asked me recently, "What was a typical day like for you while living in a third world country?" This question referred to my time living in The Gambia as a Peace Corps volunteer. Well it just so happens that I once wrote a blog post that addressed this question, and this post is titled, A Day in the Life of a Peace Corps Volunteer. So I thought I'd share it for this episode of The Blog Readings! One day while living in my Gambian village, I took notes of the events that unfolded. Looking back on what I recorded that day was an interesting reminder of the challenges and the interesting occurrences that I experienced. It truly was an incredible experience, and I hope you all enjoy hearing about it in this episode!

Today I chat with my friend and fellow travel blogger, Kamelia Britton. Kamelia is the founder and owner of The Hackerette. A travel blog created to inspire and to teach others to travel the world on a budget that's affordable. And she does this by sharing her stories and her tips on travel hacking. A skill that she's honed throughout her own travels, allowing her to visit multiple places at unbelievable prices. This was a conversation that I was really looking forward to because Kamelia and I share a few things in common. We're both small town kids, and we both went to the same place for our first major travel experience... San Diego, California. Though we both went there for different reasons. She sought out a career as a nurse, and I joined the Marine Corps. In this episode Kamelia talks about her move to San Diego and her early international travel experiences. Which include backpacking through Europe, venturing around Southeast Asia, and living in Australia for months at a time. Discussing the highlights as well as some of the challenges that she faced along the way. She also shares some of her insight on travel hacking. Telling about how she traveled to multiple countries for $325, and how she stayed in a $1,500 a night bungalow for free! This was a conversation that I really enjoyed and got a tremendous amount of value from, and I know you all will too! Connect with Kamelia Website: www.hackerette.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hackerette Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehackerette/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thehackerette YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOhfOF2-_Mtxp0yvhDS4VDQ/videos Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hackerette/ Also check out some of her most popular articles: The Beginner's Guide to Solo Female Travel: 13 Tips to Stay Safe and Have Fun: https://hackerette.com/solotravel/ 4 Easy Ways to Save Money For Travel: https://hackerette.com/ The Power of Negotiation: 3 Easy Steps to Hacking Airbnb: https://hackerette.com/hacking-airbnb-3-easy-steps/ Lastly, Kamelia is offering a special discount for listeners of The All-Around Adventure Podcast at her Travel Hacks Academy! Enter coupon code ADVENTURE at checkout and receive 30% off the cost of enrollment! A very generous offer, so sign up today!: https://www.travelhacksacademy.com/courses/error-fares

Today I share an episode that I was recently interviewed for on the OutrageoU.S. Podcast with hosts Ray Benedetti and Matt Sams. In this one we talk about first world privilege and how we take so many things for granted in the U.S. I talk about my experiences while living in The Gambia as a Peace Corps volunteer and a lot of the challenges that I had to face. Many of which are things that most people probably don’t know. As I haven’t really talked about them very much before. But I decided to bring them forth during this interview. And we go on to talk about what I’ve observed upon returning home in regards to what we take for granted. And how many people get upset and complain about the most trivial things. I also share my insight on how you can find gratitude in your life. This is the first time that I’ve appeared as a guest on another podcast. So definitely go and check it out, and I hope you all like it! Connect with Ray and Matt OutrageoU.S. Podcast: http://outrageous.libsyn.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OutrageoUScast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outrageo_us_cast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/outrageoUScast

In this episode I talk with skateboarder and documentary film-maker, Mike Kosciesza. This was a conversation that I was really looking forward to because Mike had this incredible, and quite unique, story to tell. Back in 2008, Mike teamed up with a few friends in Chicago and they hit the road to head towards New York City. Though they didn't use a car, or a bus, or a train, or any other form of motorized transportation. They decided to make the long journey on skateboards! At the time Mike, along with a some of the others on the team, were studying film. And they decided to record their journey with the intent of making it into a documentary. Along the way they documented the incredible experiences that they shared, as well as some of the mishaps and challenges. Some of which included finding suitable places to sleep, enduring inclement weather, and being chased by animals! Though due to life circumstances, the production of the documentary was put on the back burner for a long time. Until Mike and the team came together once again to finish it. And after years of hard work, their film, titled Shred America, is now complete! And it will be premiering on March 24th, 2018 at The Patio Theater in Chicago! In this episode Mike tells us a little bit about the journey, what he's learned after having gone through it, and why you should pursue the things that you are passionate about. This was definitely a story that I really enjoyed hearing, and I hope you all like the episode! Attention all Chicagoans! Go watch the film on March 24th at The Patio Theater! Get your tickets at: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/3190867/shred-america-lake-barrington-the-patio-theater?partner_id=240 Connect with Mike Website: www.shredamericafilm.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shredamericafilm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shredamerica/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/shredamerica YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr2ic-g4zxlPVYGo8v2uvWw

In this episode of The Blog Readings, I read one of my earliest posts, titled; Getting a Free Lunch in The Gambia. I was inspired to read this post after having a chance to reflect on my service as a Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia earlier this week. I was interviewed by Ray Benedetti and Matt Sams from the OutrageU.S. podcast. And during our talk they asked me about my experience for an upcoming episode that they will be releasing. Now I won’t spoil anything, but our conversation really got me thinking about some of the challenges that I faced while living in West Africa. And how it wasn’t always easy for me to fulfill my most basic needs. But through the kindness of many Gambians that I came across, I never went hungry. So to go along with that, I decided to read this post that I wrote which talks about food in The Gambia. I hope you like it and find it insightful!

My guest today is Paige Harker, a world traveler and avid beach enthusiast! She is also the creator of the travel blog, That Blonde Bikini Girl. A blog through which educates her readers on solo travel, how to travel on a budget, as well as how to stay fit and healthy while on the go. And the last one is what she and I discuss in this episode. For health and wellness is something that she’s very passionate and has made it a lifestyle. And not only has she found ways to make fitness both sustainable and fun, but she has also been able to keep herself beach ready at all times. Now she shares what she has learned through her blog. Offering her readers advice on preparing healthy foods for travel, implementing healthy habits and routines, as well as different food and cocktail recipes. She's also very active on her Instagram profile, and regularly shares her tips and inspiration through her posts and stories. This was definitely a conversation that I enjoyed, and I hope you all like it! Show Highlights -How to complete Hawaii's illegal hike; the Stairway to Heaven -Staying fit while traveling on a budget -Finding the best value through local foods -Skipping the diet and just eating healthy -Finding sustainable practices for a healthy lifestyle -How to establish successful routines -Finding your 'why' for staying healthy Connect with Paige Website: https://www.thatblondebikinigirl.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatblondebikinigirl/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatblondebikinigirl/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/misspaigeharker Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thatblondebikinigirl/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/paige-harker-777258920

For this 4th episode of The Blog Readings, I share a blog post that I wrote recently titled, The Best Self-Defense System for Travelers. I started writing more posts relating to travel safety after conversations with some of my friends. Most of whom liked the idea of traveling, though they were afraid to. They would hear about so many crazy and awful things that were happening around the world and they were concerned about their safety. This was something that I was also concerned about. For I’ve been in a few precarious situations myself during my own travels. So I made it a point to seek out proper training in order to prepare myself for any future incidents. I began taking firearms and concealed carry courses, and I also sought out combatives and self-defense classes. The latter was something that I’ve done extensively while I was living in the UK. For this post I talk about my experience doing so, and tell about a particular self-defense system that I believe you should seek out in order to better prepare yourself. Not only for threats that you may face while traveling, but threats that you may face at home as well. So I hope you like today’s reading and find it valuable! UK listeners! Check out Spartan's Academy of Krav Maga and book your free trial! Website: https://kravmaga-academy.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpartansAcademyofKravMaga Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spartans_academy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpartansAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKfgJcjYEP-QTBDZG479DwQ/videos

In this episode I had the honor to talk with Ryan Michler, the host and founder of the Order of Man podcast. Which is a show that is simply about becoming a better man. Helping men improve their relationships, their businesses, their health, and in other areas of life. All things that Ryan himself has worked to improve on. And a critical component to doing so was surrounding himself with the right people and building strong connections. Since starting Order of Man, he’s traveled extensively across the country to meet podcast guests, meet people at networking events, and seek out mentors and coaches. He’s also found travel to be a great way to further connect with his family. And they recently returned from a trip to Hawaii where they spent Christmas. All of these experiences played huge roles in his own journey to become a better man. And he's covered this topic in depth throughout the Order of Man podcast, as well as in his new book Sovereignty: The Battle For the Hearts and Minds of Men. Which is now an Amazon bestseller! This was a conversation that I really enjoy and gained a lot of value from, and I know you all will too! Show Highlights -The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people -Why you should attend conferences and networking events -The power of a coach and a mentor -How to ask for help -Mastermind groups and the value that they have -How to plan a family vacation -What children can learn from traveling -Synopsis of Ryan's book Sovereignty: The Battle For the Hearts and Minds of Men Connect with Ryan -Website: http://www.orderofman.com/ -Sovereignty: The Battle For the Hearts and Minds of Men: https://www.amazon.com/Sovereignty-Ryan-Michler/dp/1946697893/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= -Iron Council: http://www.theironcouncil.com/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orderofman -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orderofman/ -Twitter: https://twitter.com/orderofman Last thing, go tune into Ray and Matt over at the OutrageoU.S. podcast! A great show that you'll learn a lot from!: http://outrageous.libsyn.com/

In this episode of The Blog Readings I share one of my personal favorites! I'm a big fan of scary stories, so I decided to share one of my own from when I was growing up. This post is simply titled, A Scary Tale From My Home. Now the timeline for this post is a little bit weird. I wrote this during Halloween of last year, but the story itself takes place during the winter months in my hometown in Michigan. Seeing that the snow has fallen pretty heavily here, I figured it was high time to make this post into a podcast episode! And I hope that you all like it!

In this episode I talk with Rachel Walla, who is the creator of the travel blog, A Map to Anywhere. This was a conversation that I was really looking forward to because Rachel’s background is quite similar to my own. We’re both small town kids, both the second oldest of four children, and we both had dreams of visiting London when we were in high school. And we both have been there a few times now! So her story begins in a small town in Montana, but eventually she heads out to explore the world and has been to 35 countries so far. And most of this was done while working just a regular 9 to 5 job. Though now she has left that job and is off blazing her own trail and learning more about herself as she goes. In this episode we talk about how to free up more time for yourself if you are working a 9 to 5 job. How you can save money so you can travel more. And how to overcome fear so that you can pursue the things that bring happiness and fulfillment to your life. Definitely a lot that you can take from this episode, and I hope you all like! Connect with Rachel Website: http://amaptoanywhere.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMapToAnywhere/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_map_to_anywhere/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aMaptoAnywhere YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcJdNHvrflA0AeO13XpcHhw?view_as=subscriber