The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders

Learn about burlesque, Afro-diasporic dance, telling Black stories, and whether BIPOC travelers can be colonizers too.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Janna Zinzi joins Matt from New Orleans and they talk about meeting at Nomadness Fest.  Janna then talks about growing up in New York during the golden era of hip hop in the 90s.  She reflects on the role of dance in her life as a young person, and the history and significance of BIPOC women in burlesque.  Janna then talks about how she started traveling the world and telling Black stories.  She shares some of her top travel experiences from Haiti to Napoli to Costa Rica, and reflects on the type of travel stories she chooses to write about. Janna then shares some key takeaways from her talk to Nomadness Fest about whether BIPOC travelers can be colonizers too.  She also offers tips for people from dominant groups on how we can be better allies as we move through the world and create content about our travels.  Janna then reflects on teaching burlesque, connecting with cultures through dance, and the impact that travel has had on her.  Finally, she talks about co-founding WanderWomxn for BIPOC women and gender expansive travelers.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

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FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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ENJOYING THE SHOW?

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Learn where to find some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes and most extraordinary hiking and diving experiences.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Sandi Oluoch shares her experience growing up in Kenya and Tanzania, then moving to the U.S. for college and grad school, and then traveling the world for the last 5 years. She shares her top recommendations for East Africa, as well as her top hiking recommendations inside the U.S.. Sandi talks about her travels through Latin America, hiking Machu Picchu, and scuba diving in Mexico and Belize.  She then talks about learning to surf in Hawaii, learning to free dive in the Philippines, and shares her experience diving in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.  Sandi also talks about her trip to Namibia and explains the other-worldly landscape found there.  She then talks about her travel photography, explains how she works remotely and travels, and reflects on the impact all this travel has had on her as a person.  She offers tips for Black travelers from the Continent and for solo female travelers, as well as tips on how we can all travel more ethically and sustainably.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn how to travel the world inexpensively, make meaningful connections across cultures quickly, and find nomadic love.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Juky Lee joins Matt in person in Salvador, Brazil.  She talks about her experience growing up in Korea and shares what she loves about Korea.  Juky then talks about starting her world travels in South America, and then spending extensive time in Central America and Mexico.  She shares stories of living with a Mayan community in Belize, being pulled over by narcotraficantes in Mexico, working as a photographer for an extreme tour company, and writing a travel guide for the Yucatán in Korean.   Juky also talks about couch-surfing around the world, what she loves about Budapest, Hungary, and gives tips for budget travel.  She then explains how she makes meaningful connections quickly all over the world, whether plugging into cryptocurrency communities, joining in-depth book groups, or organizing “skip the small talk” meetups. Finally, Juky opens up about her experiences dating and finding love as a nomad and reflects on the impact that 6 years of full-time world travel has had on her as a person.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn how travel media can reproduce unequal power and how writers can use their platforms with greater responsibility.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

In Part 2 of this interview, travel journalist Joel Balsam explains how to effectively pitch publications, and how he structures his lifestyle of full time world travel.  He then reflects on the ethics of travel writing, the white man’s gaze, and the dynamics of the travel-influencer economy.  Matt and Joel share their experiences and inspiration from Langa Township in South Africa.  Next they reflect on genocides, ethnic cleansing, and the importance of supporting collective liberation.  Joel then reflects on the impact travel has had on him as a person and how Anthony Bourdain influenced him. Finally, Matt and Joel reflect on the importance of platforming marginalized narratives and standing in solidarity with oppressed people.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear the surprising stories that drew him worldwide and what reporting from overlooked places taught him about travel.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Travel journalist and full-time digital nomad Joel Balsam joins Matt over a bottle of wine.  He talks about his upbringing in Canada as the grandson of a Holocaust survivor and how that shaped his politics, his values, and his curiosity about the world.  Matt and Joel discuss what they love about Bolivia and Joel shares his path to becoming a professional travel journalist.  Joel then talks about some of the most interesting stories he has covered from the Creole Black cowboys in the American South, to surfing bore tidal waves in the Amazon, to venomous snakes that could cure cancer, to the mysterious naked night runners of western Kenya. He also shares his lessons on the politics, history, and travel experiences he had while writing the Lonely Planet guidebooks for Armenia as well as Albania and Kosovo.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn the self-growth potential of solo travel for women, and how to do it consciously, thoughtfully, and ethically.

============================

Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

Delia Colantuono joins Matt over a bottle of wine on the Nomad Cruise, and starts off reflecting on Matt’s Keynote speech about the importance of consistently standing with oppressed groups around the world as we travel.  Delia then reflects on her personal journey growing up in Italy, and how the development of her political consciousness was intertwined with her early travels.  She then talks about her journey as a solo-female traveler and eventually a full time digital nomad.  Delia shares stories from her travels to over 60 countries, especially around her main passions of scuba diving and free diving.   She also reflects on over-touristification, digital nomad gentrification, how we can be better allies with marginalized groups as we travel, and how we can be more environmentally sustainable, socially conscious, and thoughtful as we move through the world. And, finally, Delia talks about her mentoring program for aspiring solo-female travelers and her upcoming women’s retreats in the Canary Islands.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn how travel writing can become a career and how downsizing, nomad life, and intentional choices can reshape life.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

Rosie Bell joins Matt in Tenerife in the Canary Islands to discuss her books “Escape to Self” and “The Art and Business of Travel Writing”.   She also talks about her journey downsizing to carry-on luggage and designing her dream lifestyle.  Rosie then talks about dating and finding love as a digital nomad, and explains how she mentors people on getting into the digital nomad lifestyle.  Next, she reflects on how travel has impacted her as a person and what travel means to her today.  Matt and Rosie then discuss Afrobeats and Hip Hop and Rosie names her top 5 artists in each genre.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn about the beauty and magic of Panama, Brazil, Mexico, Bonaire, Buenos Aires and building a life of world travel.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

Rosie Bell joins Matt in Tenerife in the Canary Islands to record this interview before embarking on the Nomad Cruise together. Matt and Rosie start off talking about their love for Brazil. Rosie then talks about growing up in Nigeria, moving around the world, and the impact of being a third culture kid. Next she opens up about deviating from her traditional career in London to start traveling the world and eventually becoming a digital nomad. Rosie talks about what she loves about Panama, Cuba, Bonaire, and Mexico. Matt and Rosie also talk about the value of travel in debunking negative stereotypes about places ranging from Mexico to Buenos Aires to Nigeria.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU:

See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

You can buy me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Learn about Afro-Mexican history, culture and how you can go on an immersive small group trip to experience it yourself.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

Diva Green starts off talking about her Panamanian background, growing up in New York City, and navigating her Afro-Latina identity. She then talks about how her interest in travel developed, and the experience of taking her first solo trip to Europe. Diva shares how the police murder of Michael Brown impacted her decision to focus on serving the Black community through travel. She explains how Victor Hugo Green’s “Green Book” inspired her as she grew her company “I got your Black”. Diva explains how and why she created the LatinX Travel Guide for New York City, as well as the Black Guide to Havana, Cuba. She then talks about Afro-Mexican history and culture, and describes the trips she runs for travelers to experience and immerse in Afro-Mexican culture. Next, Diva gives tips on navigating anti-Blackness globally, and being in solidarity with other marginalized groups while traveling. Finally, Diva reflects on what travel means to her.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU:

See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

You can buy me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Learn about Doctors Without Borders, Seeing the World through the Lens of a Culture Kid, and Visiting Sudan & Uzbekistan.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

In Part 2 of this interview, Roshni talks about her experience growing up in the UAE, spending her summers in Bangladesh, and navigating her identity as a third culture kid.  She reflects on the treatment of South Asians (particularly construction workers) in the UAE, as well as her observations going to the UK and Canada.  Roshni also shares her apprehensions about moving to the U.S., and what shocked her when she arrived.  She then talks about meeting her husband, attending political events together, getting married, and integrating world travel into their relationship.  Roshni reflects on her travels through Sudan and Uzbekistan, and Matt talks about his experience in Kazan.  Roshni then talks about her relationship with Doctors without Borders, their work around the world today, especially in Palestine, and how people can contribute to support their work.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!