This episode is part of Podcasthon, a global podcast movement where creators dedicate one episode to highlight a non-profit organization making a real impact in the world.

In the first part of this episode, I introduce Enchanté, a Belgian non-profit founded in Ghent, and their powerful initiative called “Hartelijke Plekken” (Places with a heart).

Across more than 350 cafés, restaurants, shops and cultural spaces in 13 Flemish cities, people can walk in without judgement — to rest, connect, charge their phone, or simply be part of society.
Visitors can also pay it forward by leaving a prepaid coffee or meal for someone who needs it.

After traveling without money myself, I know how quickly you can feel excluded from everyday life — how something as simple as sitting in a café suddenly becomes complicated. That’s why this initiative deeply resonates with me.

From 10:40, this episode seamlessly flows into one of the most beautiful — and at the same time one of the most confronting — hitchhiking routes of my journey: Ruta 25 in Patagonia, Argentina.

It connects deeply to the story I share, because sometimes trust that is built in seconds can also crumble just as quickly. When you are vulnerable in the world — depending on others to survive — everything can feel okay one moment and then shift, twist, and turn the next.

What starts as a day filled with kindness and generosity slowly becomes a lot more complex.

• Moments of connection.
• Moments of discomfort.
• Moments where intuition speaks — and you have to decide whether to listen.

This episode explores:

• traveling without money

• hitchhiking in Patagonia

• trusting strangers

• vulnerability and intuition

• the thin line between kindness and discomfort

After sharing these stories, I was struck by how many women reached out to me with similar experiences of unwanted sexual intimidation.

Which is exactly why it matters to keep telling these stories.
To make space for them.
And to remind each other that we are not alone.

Links:

https://www.lovesharetravel.org/share#161223-ruta25

https://enchantevzw.be/

https://podcasthon.org/

In this bonus episode, we go beyond the surface of last week’s conversation about sexual assault and sexual coercion. This time, I open up about how these experiences shaped my journey while traveling — in ways no one would expect. It’s not just about trauma, but about awareness, boundaries, and how subtle forms of manipulation can change the way we see ourselves and others.

When editing the previous episode, Diego — my editor and friend of the podcast — broke down in tears. His reaction opened up an entirely new layer of conversation: how men experience and process stories of sexual violence, and how differently women live through it. We dive into the gender gap in emotional response, communication, guilt and empathy when it comes to consent.

We also discuss the devastating story of a young girl who was groomed and manipulated into sexual assault — a story that was shared with me after the previous episode aired. Her trust and honesty deeply moved me and before re-releasing this episode, I chose to pause and speak with her first. Because some stories deserve to be handled with care and the people behind them deserve to feel safe.

This episode is not about shame, but about understanding. It’s about giving language to situations many people struggle to name:

• When you say “no,” but it’s ignored.

• When pressure or manipulation turns your “no” into a “yes.”

• When society normalizes behavior that leaves deep, invisible scars.

Through open dialogue, we explore how power dynamics, culture and gender roles influence the way sexual coercion is experienced and (not) talked about — from both male and female perspectives.

By talking openly about these stories, we hope to break the silence around consent and emotional boundaries, empowering others to recognize early signs of coercion and to trust their intuition. Because the more we speak, the more we protect future generations — especially children and teens — teaching them that they are the boss of their own bodies.

Whether you’ve been directly affected by sexual assault, know someone who has, or simply want to understand the topic more deeply, this episode offers an honest and heartfelt conversation about vulnerability, healing and human connection.

In this episode, I look back on one of the most vulnerable moments of my journey — a time when I didn’t fully realize what was happening until much later. I open up about experiences that touched my boundaries, the weight of silence and the fear of not being accepted for who I truly am.

But this story is also about something bigger — it’s where my entire view on money and our society completely changed. Traveling without money showed me how kindness and humanity can exist beyond currency, but also how deeply unfair and unbalanced our money system truly is.

Through it all, Patagonia became a mirror — reflecting my fears, my lessons and a truth I could no longer unsee.

This episode is raw, real, and filled with heart. It’s about healing, questioning the world we live in and finding strength in honesty.

🕊️ A gentle trigger warning: this episode includes mentions of sexual assault and trauma. Please listen with care.

Sometimes you meet people that leave a lasting impact. you might not realize it in the moment, but years later they flow back in your life like a ripple effect of a single drop touching still water. Meeting Alejandro turns out into a friendship that will turn pages into chapters. Thank you Alejandro for my short - yet wonderful time in Bahia Blanca and for the close friendship we have almost 10 years later! Thank you for this very wonderful and meaningful talk.

Thank you Diego for the beautiful edit:

https://patrodenstudio.com

Thank you Feedspot for listening my podcast in the top 5 of traveling through South America 🙏🏻

https://podcast.feedspot.com/south_america_travel_podcasts/

Thank you Dokter geluk for the interview:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xiGVXH99Qivb4JBSY3Nkc?si=2xuUDgFxQJKZ7C6pOgnWOw

Thank you Jorim for the interview:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/361wbDTYrRKdHuI854eVtV?si=B1frUOBvQzuihbt3AXFEIA

Thank you Fhemti for the interview:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0pBxJgfeEz8ai7xxKaZ0GJ?si=7eYt0hCxQR2rRsVk1PytOg

A trip through Uruguay, meeting Diego, now a lifelong friend who saved this podcast and upgraded it with a unique tune. On a mission to meet ex-president José Mujica, better known as the world's 'poorest' president and our not so pleasant experience in Cabo Polonio, 'el ciudad sin luz' or 'the city without electricity.'

A clip from Pepe José Mujica in Human the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GX6a2WEA1Q

The stories and pictures of Urugay on my blog: http://www.lovesharetravel.org/share?geo=Uruguay

The original clip of the song that Diego's band covered when I was visiting him:https://youtu.be/joBCrR8NBHc?si=TTll_hgqz7TJyl6U

The hilarious cover of Diego's band: https://youtu.be/l-sTALqJqyQ?si=eJUvntLCG7ygD0gT

Diego's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@patrodenstudio?si=pOAkQhe1Xaw0RoBO

Diego's video services: caetanoguerra.com

Diego's music services: patrodenstudio.com

Diego's bands and projects:

Children Of Dragon Maiden (the old funny one)

The Locust Speculation (solo project)

Proyecto Bifröst (Diego does the music and Alejandro Spuntone sings)

An episode that explains how I almost got robed in Buenos Aires and how I met an amazing woman, who took me kayaking and sailing.

Pictures:

http://www.lovesharetravel.org/share#161128-sanisidro

Edit by Diego Caetano Guerra

Audio Specialist | Music Producer

patrodenstudio.com

caetanoguerra.com

An episode where I dive in my head and recollect the highlights of my first stay in Buenos Aires. Meeting Kurtis, Janina and Alexander. AND finding a Rabbit hole with food 😱

How did I feel after the last episode? How did I manage to see the waterfalls? Listen now to find out how my hitchhiking trip to Argentina took a different turn...