The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders

Learn how an anti-oppression lens can expose extractive tourism and help travelers make more empowering choices abroad.

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

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

Dr. Vincie Ho takes us on her journey growing up in Hong Kong, studying abroad in France, traveling through Europe, and having her social and political consciousness raised.  She explains the dynamics of the uprising in Hong Kong and then talks about her experiences doing refugee advocacy work in Senegal and learning the importance of solidarity and empowerment.  Vincie then discusses her transition from academia into the nonprofit space, and founding RISE Travel Institute in 2020.  She explains the problems with “voluntourism”, and breaks down some of the unsustainable tourism practices associated with the “extractive model” of tourism.  Vincie then explains the “regenerative tourism” model as an alternative and shares tips on how we can all be more responsible, impactful, sustainable and ethical travelers.  She explains the interconnected systems of oppression in the travel industry and why it’s important to use an “anti-oppression lens” when making travel decisions.  Vincie also talks about global vaccine inequity and gives some tips on making travel decisions during the pandemic.  Finally, she talks about the team at RISE Travel Institute, the courses and resources offered, and how she envisions the future of RISE.

→ 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 how traditional family expectations shaped her path to solo travel, life abroad, and greater personal independence.

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

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

Kareemah Ashiru talks about growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, and then moving to the U.S. and attending high school in Toledo, Ohio as one of the only Muslims in her school.  She explains how her love of travel developed growing up, and how she navigated her strict parents who had traditional cultural expectations in order to pursue her dreams of living abroad and traveling the world. Kareemah shares some of her travel highlights from Spain, the Basque Country, Turkey, Morocco, and Peru, including her experiences connecting with the local Muslim communities.  She then talks about founding Hijabi Globetrotter as an online platform to highlight underrepresented travel stories from a Muslim perspective and reflects on how it has grown and evolved over the years. Kareemah also talks about founding the “Muslimahs Who Travel” group as a supportive community for adventurous Muslim women who travel.  She then shares some of her top budget-travel hacks, tips for solo female travelers, and her #1 piece of advice for Muslim travelers. Kareemah also suggests specific ways non-Muslims can be better allies to Muslims. And, finally, she reflects on how travel has impacted her and what travel means to her today.

→ 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 why he weaves politics into unexpected stories and the techniques he uses to write tighter, more powerful prose.

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

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

Joshua Stephens discusses his writing techniques and shares his rationale for interweaving politics into long-form prose pieces that he publishes in some of the world’s top journals on seemingly apolitical topics, like coffee or football. He reflects on his life as a nomadic writer and discusses how the theme of “dislocation” has shaped his perspective and impacted his writing.  Joshua then shares some of his influences and discusses how his style of prose has evolved over the years.  He gives specific tips for honing the craft, writing more tightly wound prose, and becoming a better writer over time.  Joshua also discusses the influence of James Baldwin’s work on his life, politics, and writing.  He then reflects on what travel means to him, tells a story about almost getting kidnapped in the Sinai, and shares how that moment profoundly impacted him.  He then recommends some of his favorite books, his favorite coffee shops around the world, and his favorite travel destinations.

→ 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 conspiracy theories, class dynamics, and media blind spots can shape political movements across borders today.

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

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

Joshua Stephens shares his experience in the “Occupy Wall Street” movement in New York City, and explains how he then transitioned into the nomad lifestyle which he has maintained for nearly a decade.  He shares his experience traveling to Egypt during the Arab Spring to interview local activists, and also reflects on his experiences with Israeli “Pinkwashing”.  Joshua then talks about his experience on the ground in Athens during the Greek anti-austerity protests and explains many of the more nuanced dynamics that did not get much coverage.  He then defines “fascism” and provides context and explanation for its recent rise in the U.S. Joshua addresses the role of conspiracy theories in the fascist project, and contextualizes the QAnon and anti-vaccine conspiracies.  He also discusses the politics of negation, the proliferation of anti-mask and anti-vax sentiment, and its significance in this political climate.  Joshua then talks about the pro-democracy uprising in Thailand which he has been documenting while living in Bangkok for most of the last 18 months.  He explains wealth inequality in Thailand, as well as the institutional arrangements with the military and the monarchy.  Joshua then explains the class dynamics, as well as the role of skateboarding culture in this uprising.  He reflects on some of its most unique attributes, and why it is getting so little coverage in the media.

→ 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 how direct action, punk culture, and organizing abroad shaped his understanding of power, politics, and change.

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

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

Joshua Stephens shares the story of a non-violent direct action he was involved with as part of the “Free Burma” coalition in Washington, DC, that got him arrested at the Myanmar embassy and subsequently labeled a “terrorist in the pay of the CIA and the Vatican” in the official paper of the Myanmar military junta.  Matt and Joshua then talk about how they met doing activist work in the early 2000s, mostly in the Palestinian solidarity organization SUSTAIN, and reflect on the lasting impact that the experience and people had on them.  Joshua then opens up about his upbringing, the impact of moving between the US, Bermuda and Sicily, and reflects on how stand-up comedy, skateboarding, straight edge culture and punk rock music influenced the development of his politics and worldview.  He also explains Anarchism as a political practice and organizing framework, and shares historical examples of its implementation from revolutionary Barcelona in the 1930s to present day Rojava.  Joshua also talks about the Zapatista movement, and how his experience with Zapatismo in Chiapas, Mexico influenced him significantly.  And, finally, he reflects on his experience participating in the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Palestine, and how that solidarity work on the ground in Palestine was so transformative for him.

→ 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 how an inter-cultural relationship deepened her thinking about solidarity, allyship & storytelling across cultures.

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

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

Justine Abigail Yu takes us on her journey growing up in Toronto as a Filipina-Canadian, navigating that hyphenated identity, and living between two cultures. She describes how travel has impacted her and reflects on the impact of traveling back to the Philippines at different points in her life.  Justine gives tips on visiting the Philippines, where you should go, and why you should definitely not skip Manila. She also talks about attending the Fringe Festival in Manila, and how it functions as a space for the expression of gender fluidity within a conservative society. Justine then shares the story of how she met her relationship partner while traveling. She shares their experiences traveling as a mixed-race couple in Asia, and how it provoked some of her most profound reflections on the importance of decolonizing ourselves.  Justine also talks about her trip to East Africa and reflects on the evolution of her anti-oppression politics and the development of her 3DR Approach—Decolonize, Disrupt, Dismantle and Rebuild. She then talks about her magazine, Living Hyphen, reflects on the importance of storytelling for marginalized communities, and discusses the expansion and future of the project. Justine also talks about her role as the Marketing and Communications Director at Wanderful, and her involvement in developing their Anti-Oppression toolkit for content creators. She then explains her role as the senior advisor for the RISE Travel Institute which promotes responsible, impactful, sustainable & ethical travel.  And, finally, Justine reflects on the concepts of allyship and solidarity and what travel means to her today.

→ 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 what building a global travel company taught him about hiring, remote culture, leadership, stress, and resilience.

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

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

Learn what building a global travel company taught him about hiring, remote culture, leadership, stress, and resilience. Sam Pessin talks about his international upbringing in London, Jerusalem and Beijing, and how that impacted his life and his passion for travel.  He then talks about his professional career trajectory and ultimately deciding to co-found Remote Year in 2015.  Sam takes us through the evolution of Remote Year, refining the customer experience, scaling it to over 100 employees by 2019, and being acquired by Selina in 2020.  He then describes the current Remote Year offerings, ranging from one week retreats and one month workations to 4 and 12 month work-travel programs with a community of location independent professionals.  Matt shares his experience on the 12-month Remote Year program in 2016 and why it was the best year of his life.   Sam then describes the customer experience on Remote Year programs today and discusses safety, inclusion, positive impact, local immersion, and community building.  Matt and Sam also discuss the Remote Year alumni “Citizenship” program and why it is one of the most valuable parts of the Remote Year experience.  Sam then talks about the company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion priorities, and the progress Remote Year has made on its DEI goals over the last two years.  He then opens up about the impact that the pandemic had on Remote Year, the acquisition by Selina in 2020, his current role as President, and his vision for the future of Remote Year.  Next, Sam talks about Remote Year’s process for hiring amazing people, building company culture in a remote environment, and gives his tips on executive leadership.  He then shares his personal productivity habits, how he manages stress, his biggest lessons learned from building Remote Year, and what he would do differently if he had to do it all over again.  And finally, Sam shares his #1 Remote Year memory.

→ 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 post-colonial power, local ownership, and allyship can shape more responsible travel choices across Africa.

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

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

With his roots in Botswana and the U.S., Wazha Dube shares his experience growing up in 6 countries on 4 continents before the age of 18, going to college in Hawaii, and then backpacking through China during the Olympics.  He shares his top highlights and recommendations after years of living and traveling in China.  Wazha then talks about his professional journey into the travel industry and eventually managing the Africa Collection of luxury travel and hospitality brands for Index Select.  Matt and Wazha then discuss the different regions of Africa and share their experiences traveling in North, Southern, East and West Africa, as well as the African islands.   Wazha then explains the post-colonial power dynamics of the travel and tourism industry in Africa, discusses Black-owned hospitality brands on the continent, and gives tips on how to make socially responsible travel decisions in Africa.  He also talks about the importance of avoiding the “white savior complex” and discusses alternative ways that white people can act as allies and advocates in ways that are empowering and respectful. Wazha also shares what travel means to him at this point in his life.  And finally, Matt and Wazha discuss hip-hop around the world, and Wazha names his top 5 hip-hop MCs of all time.

→ 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 Black travel history can guide safer trips, support Black-owned businesses, and challenge the travel industry.

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

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

Martinique Lewis shares her journey growing up in an immigrant family in Oakland, California, studying abroad in London, and her path to becoming an award winning Diversity in Travel Consultant. She talks about what she loves about London, and how she travels the world like a local as opposed to a tourist.  Marty then talks about her passion for learning about and connecting with the African Diaspora around the world.  She gives the history of the Negro Motorist Green Book, and talks about her inspiration for creating the ABC Travel Green Book to connect the African Diaspora globally, promote Black-owned businesses, and identify safe spaces for Black travelers.  She also talks about being the President of The Black Travel Alliance and shares their founding story, thier impact on holding the travel industry accountable on diversify and inclusion, and the launch of the new Black Travel History website. Marty then talks about her path to becoming a professional Diversity in Travel Consultant and breaks down the power dynamics that inhibit diversity in travel brands.  She talks about the impact she is making on the board of Conde Nast and the National Outdoor Leadership School. Marty then shares her reflections on racism in the U.S. through the lens of international travel.  She also reflects on her support and solidarity with the “End SARS” campaign against police violence in Nigeria. Marty then shares her thoughts on safety considerations for Black travelers, and offers her thoughts on how people can be better allies.  And finally, she shares 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 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 she turned a passion for travel into multiple income streams while keeping local connection at the center.

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

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

Jen Ruiz takes us on her journey growing up between Puerto Rico and Philadelphia, becoming an attorney, practicing law up until the age of 30, and then leaving her job to become a full time travel influencer. She talks about her decision to take 20 trips in a single year while working at a full time job in her late 20s, and then reflects on her decision to leave her office job for good, become a location-independent entrepreneur, and pursue her passion of travel.  Jen then shares some of her most epic travel experiences, like visiting the Sunken Forest in Kazakhstan, seeing snow leopards and holding eagles in Kyrgyzstan, visiting the Sea Caves in Portugal, and what to be careful of when swinging off the end of the world in Ecuador.  She also talks about why she is intentional about doing homestays, connecting with local people, and sharing their stories.  Jen then breaks down her business model, and explains the way she makes money through multiple streams of income.  She shares the tactics and techniques for how to monetize your passion, and clarifies the first steps to take if you still have a full time job.  Jen also shares 3 hacks for getting cheap flights and traveling the world inexpensively.  She then shares her tips for time management, optimizing productivity, and maintaining motivation in a remote work environment.  And, finally, she reflects on the impact that travel has had on her and why she continues to be so passionate about it.

→ 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!