XX, Will Travel: A Podcast for Independent Women Travelers

Nash Vegas. Music City. The Minneapolis of the South?* That's right - we're talking Nashville, Tennessee. Inspired by Ines's recent impromptu road trip and Kathy's many visits, we talk about what's good in Tennessee's capital city. From music to bars to BBQ, we cover it all. We also delve into the bonds that form between roadtripping friends, bar fights we've been in (What? I know!) and how you, too, can pass yourself off as a music producer to sneak into Jack White parties. 

Special thanks to friend of the podcast (and Kathy!)/Nashville local Shannon Noble for all her recommendations. 

* At one time, Nashville's claim to fame was that it rivaled Minneapolis in flour production. Who knew? At least it's not the Underwear Capital of the World - that's Knoxville, TN, a title which is also disputed by Minneapolis. What's up with these cities? 

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There's no way around it: travel documents are tedious, annoying and a bureaucratic pain...but we are determined to make them sexy! After all, you can't get anywhere without them. As part of our "How to Plan a Trip from Scratch" series, we break down the necessary paperwork for trips. We'll give you tips on getting a passport, explain the differences between being a tourist, a resident, and a citizen, offer our sketchiest stories with immigration officials and consulates, and give you some insight into how the wonderful world of legal statuses affects your ability to travel. 

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Writer Jennifer Poe, author of Hola, Morocha!, arrived in Buenos Aires armed with contact info for the only stylist in a 50-mile radius who could do black hair and a sense of adventure. Shortly after, she encountered a word she hadn't heard before: morocha. According to Poe, “I thought people were calling me a roach—granted, some exotic breed of roach that only skittered through luxury—but a roach! When I found out they were basically saying, ‘Hey, black girl, hey!’ I took it as a term of endearment.” This was one of many things Jennifer would learn while living as a black woman in Argentina, where only 0.4 percent of its 41 million inhabitants identified as Afro-Argentine in 2010, the first time in its history that the census counted race.

We also dispel some common Argentine stereotypes (Sexy, steak-eating cowboys dancing the tango in front of technicolor buildings? Think again.), discuss why BA rivals Paris as one of the best cities for artists, and talk about the eternal battle of "vacation self" vs. "real-life self."

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Packing may sound simple but can prove challenging to even the most seasoned travelers. As part of our series "How to Plan a Trip from Scratch", we share our favorite packing trips and strategies for any kind of trip. We discuss the essentials we keep in our carry on, mistakes that have kept us from being our best packing selves, moments of triumph in the world of luggage, and the emotional issues that come up when opening or closing that suitcase. 

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Traveling with parents may be scary, but we're here to help! Kathy recently returned from a successful trip to Iceland and England with her parents in tow, while parental travel has always been a part of life for Ines. Together we give tips and and insights for a successful trip with the people who love you the most (or at least they did before the trip). In addition to offering overall survival strategies, we talk about the importance of picking a place (and a pace) that you can all enjoy, ways to include your folks in the trip planning process and how your parents will surprise you in the most unlikely ways. We also share listener stories and advice for surviving and thriving when traveling with your elders.

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Beth Santos is the founder and CEO of Wanderful, a global membership community of over 15,000 independent, adventurous women travelers. She is also the creator of the Women in Travel Summit, an annual summit for female travel influencers and industry members. Beth joins us to discuss how she became a travel entrepreneur, why she created a women-centered network of travelers, and offers tips on making your own travel-centric business come true. Find out how Wanderful can help you in your own travel journey and discover exciting details on this year's Women in Travel Summit in Milwaukee taking place on April 21-23. 

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Beth Santos is the founder and CEO of Wanderful, a global membership community of over 15,000 independent, adventurous women travelers. She is also the creator of the Women in Travel Summit, an annual summit for female travel influencers and industry members. Beth joins us to discuss how she became a travel entrepreneur, why she created a women-centered network of travelers, and offers tips on making your own travel-centric business come true. Find out how Wanderful can help you in your own travel journey and discover exciting details on this year's Women in Travel Summit in Milwaukee taking place on April 21-23. 

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here.

Like XX, Will Travel on Facebook: www.facebook.com/xxwilltravel/

Follow XX, Will Travel on Twitter: @XXWillTravel

Follow XX, Will Travel on Instagram: @XXWillTravel

Char Stoever is an LGBT diversity trainer and Peace Corps alum assigned to Nicaragua who coined the term "vulnerable traveler." She joins us to talk about how to view vulnerability as a learning tool and relationship builder instead of as a weakness. Opening up is never easy and does require care, particularly for members of marginalized groups. But, as Char discusses, the rewards often outweigh the risks and can lead to a more authentic travel experience. We also touch on self care while traveling and avoiding the "1000 Things to See Before You Die" trap. 

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Creator of the Brown Girls web series Samantha Bailey joins us to talk about her experience shooting her short film, Raina's Not Here, in Ghana. We discuss the logistics of making a movie in a foreign country, why Accra should be on your bucket list, the economic barriers of traveling and the personal freedom she found in the African continent, among other fascinating topics. We left the interview wanting to be Samantha Bailey when we grew up and we're sure you will too. 

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Certified nurse midwife and Chicago NOW board member Christina Tanner joins us to talk women's health while traveling. We cover menstruation options for long-term travel, yeast infections, UTIs, birth control and reproductive health around the world, traveling while pregnant, scary bathrooms and squat toilets, managing meds and so much more! So join us for a special V-day celebration (where V stands for vagina) by learning more about your lady bits and all the responsibilities that go with taking care of them, especially while traveling.

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