Karen and I are back with part 2 of our conversation from last episode where we discussed Karen’s experience growing up in Nigeria, living abroad Ukraine, Germany and now Portugal, and we are continuing our discussion about hot travel takes today. on this episode, we chat about: - the dark side of travel — racism and colonialism* - cultural exoticism/fetishization - voluntourism and how it’s problematic *disclaimer: Karen and I are NOT experts on this topic, and our intention isn’t to “school” a...
May 30, 2025•55 min
please welcome our FIRST SEASON 5 GUEST: Karen Amadi !! Karen was born and raised in Nigeria, and has lived abroad in different European cities since 2020 to pursue higher education. Karen is now in Porto studying as a medical student where she has found a second home. *this is PART 1 of a 2 part conversation with Karen :) on this episode, we chat about: - the multifaceted vibrancy of Nigeria’s culture - Karen’s unfiltered experience of living abroad in different cities in Europe - the best advi...
May 22, 2025•1 hr 3 min
listen to how my travel opinions have changed since I first began solo traveling :) *this is PART TWO of two episodes read the full article version here: https://gottacaseofwanderlust.com/2025/05/02/how-my-mindsets-about-travel-have-shifted-since-the-beginning/ welcome back and let’s kick off SEASON FIVE !! I re-listened to my older podcast episodes and realized I don’t hold entirely the same opinions as I used to… so I’m calling out my past self and sharing what I think about travel now. let me...
May 07, 2025•19 min
listen to how my travel opinions have changed since I first began solo traveling :) *this is PART ONE of two episodes read the full article version here: https://gottacaseofwanderlust.com/2025/05/02/how-my-mindsets-about-travel-have-shifted-since-the-beginning/ welcome back and let’s kick off SEASON FIVE !! I re-listened to my older podcast episodes and realized I don’t hold entirely the same opinions as I used to… so I’m calling out my past self and sharing what I think about travel now. let me...
May 07, 2025•22 min
joy is your birthright !! it’s NOT cringey to express your happiness — let’s feel every emotion to the fullest <3
May 06, 2025•6 min
Gi Shieh is a travel content creator known for her travel brand “The Sensible Fay” online. Gi is a Taiwanese American passionate about mindful living, slow travel, outdoor adventures, and sustainable fashion, who is alternates between New York City and Taiwan for her home base. on this episode, we chat about: - Gi’s favorite places in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Italy - benefits of slow travel - how can we ensure we are shopping sustainably? - and much more!! featured questions: 1. On your blo...
Mar 24, 2025•37 min
Sequoia Armstrong is a conscious travel consultant and entrepreneur who is the founder of the travel planning organization Puebla York, and host of the Soul Wanderer podcast. Puebla York designs custom travel experiences in Japan and Mexico centered around the principles of cultural connection, environmental sustainability, and conscious travel. on this episode, we chat about: - what is “conscious travel” and how do we implement it into our traveling? - the true value of traveling solo, especial...
Mar 18, 2025•45 min
Shania Stewart, who also goes by Kya, who was born in South Africa but raised in Switzerland. Kya started backpacking when she was 18 after deciding to take a gap year before university. Since then, she has solo traveled to dozens of countries — Scotland being one of her favorites. on this episode, we chat about: - the value of taking a gap year - travel tips before visiting to Scotland - meeting people while solo traveling featured questions: 1. What would you say to those hesitant about taking...
Mar 07, 2025•29 min
Ola is a solo female traveler from Poland but has been living abroad for the past 6 years in places like Germany and Denmark. Ola has solo backpacked on the continents of South America, Europe and Asia and prioritizes off-the-beaten track places that sometimes Google Maps can’t even find. on this episode, we chat about: - hiking advice and safety tips for solo female travelers - what to know before traveling to Patagonia - Ola’s personal favorite hikes - and much more! featured questions: 1. You...
Mar 03, 2025•31 min
Ems is from the Philippines who is currently an international student in Estonia. Ems is also a travel content creator with expertise in Southeast Asia, solo travel, and remote work. on this episode, we chat about: - shocks from living abroad in Estonia - Estonian culture compared to other European countries - Ems’ favorite countries in Asia - and much more! featured questions: Why did you decide to study abroad in Estonia? What is life like there? Were there any culture shocks or things tha...
Feb 27, 2025•23 min
Taylor Alissa spontaneously moved from the U.S. to Japan and is here to talk about her experience living abroad and solo traveling to other countries in Asia. on this episode, we chat about: - living abroad in Japan - solo traveling to other Asian countries - the surprising relation between Jamaica and Japan featured questions: 1. Did you experience any cultural shocks in Japan? 2. How did you adjust to life in Japan? 3. Favorite foods in Japan? 4. Did your identity as a Jamaican American affect...
Feb 24, 2025•26 min
Kiran was raised in Kolkata, located on the Eastern side of India, and completed her MBA in Mumbai, one of India’s largest cities, on the west coast. Kiran is now living and working in Bengaluru, in southern India. on this episode, we chat about: - Kiran’s advice for solo travelers in India - Cultural norms to be aware of in India - India’s gastronomy: from the must-try dishes, street food, and regional differences - and much more! featured questions: 1. Would you say solo traveling in India i...
Feb 21, 2025•24 min
the day of love on all forms… most importantly self-love <3
Feb 14, 2025•9 min
Carolyn and I chat about our first year doing NALCAP (North American Language and Culture Assistant Program) in Madrid. “Do it for the plot — but know your Spanish phrases.” - Carolyn Parmer, English language aux 24-25 🙏 featured questions: Did you have teaching experience before this program? What is your teaching work schedule like? How do you go about lesson planning? Did you experience any cultural shocks coming to Madrid Spain? How did you adjust to living life in a new country? ...
Feb 12, 2025•28 min
Margherita Cara is a solo female traveler and also psychologist from Milan, Italy. Margherita prioritizes slow, cultural based travel and has backpacked through Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe. on this episode, we chat about: - Margherita’s solo travels in Latin America - solo female travel safety advice - traveling responsibly and ethically - and much more!! featured questions: 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the term “solo female travel”? 2. How do you balance pr...
Feb 08, 2025•43 min
Nicole Figura is a solo female budget traveler originally from the Philippines, but has also lived in Saudi Arabia and Canada. Nicole has traversed big cities from New York City and London to villages throughout South East Asia — and is currently working in food marketing. on this episode, we chat about: - budget travel advice - must try foods in Southeast Asia - food shocks in SE Asia - and more! featured questions: 1. How do you go about finding where to eat when you travel? 2. What are some o...
Feb 04, 2025•35 min
Lucie grew up in the Czech Republic and has traveled throughout Europe via Erasmus as well as through various work exchanges. on this episode, we chat about: - how Lucie travels the world on a budget - her favorite place she’s traveled to as an Erasmus student - the best food in the Czech Republic - and more! featured questions: 1. What are some of your favorite things about living and growing up in the Czech Republic? 2. Can you share how you’re able to travel so much? 3. Can you explain how th...
Feb 01, 2025•19 min
Darja Karstens, originally from Germany, has been living in Lyon France as an expat for 4 years. Daria has worked for as a travel tour guide and shares her insights from this experience as well as living abroad. on this episode, we chat about: - tips for adjusting to life in a new country - finding friends in a new place - advice for aspiring tour guides - and more! featured questions: What were some of the initial cultural differences between France and Germany? What was the most difficult pa...
Jan 28, 2025•23 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Joanne Fan is a Taiwanese American social media travel influencer extremely knowledgeable about Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. on this episode, we chat about: - how Joanne moved to Seoul, South Korea - expectations vs. reality about living abroad - working as a content creator on social media featured questions: 1. What were some of the initial biggest challenges you faced when adjusting to life abroad? 2. What advice would you wish you would’ve known beforehand? 3. If you had to choose, what’s ...
Jan 22, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 18
As someone who was born, raised and currently living in Egypt in the coastal city of Alexandria, Farah is an expert on Egypt and shares her advice for traveling to this amazing country. on this episode, we chat about - solo traveling in Egypt - cultural do’s and don’t’s in Egypt - must try food in Egypt - and much more! featured questions: What should solo female travelers know before visiting? What are some cultural “do’s and don’t’s” when traveling in Egypt? Must visit cities or experience...
Jan 16, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Faatimah is a solo female traveler passionate about local cultures, photography, and travel planning for Muslims. on this episode, we chat about: - advice for Muslim solo female travelers - Faatimah’s favorite destination - Faatimah’s experience getting scuba certified - and more! Featured questions: 1. What advice would you give to those wanting to solo travel? 2. Can you describe how traveling as a Muslim woman may look different than non-Muslim women? 3. Which destination was particularly mem...
Jan 13, 2025•25 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Petra was born and raised in Thailand and now works as a digital nomad in the United States. Petra also has cultural-based travel expertise in South Korea and Brazil. On this episode, we chat about: - what it was like for Petra growing up in Thailand - the gastronomy of Thailand and South Korea (must eats!) - how to have more local cultural experiences - and much more! Featured questions: 1. As someone who grew up in Thailand, can you share any aspects of the culture you appreciate? 2. What reco...
Jan 08, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Sivan advocates for responsible and cultural travel, imperfect sustainability, and vegan-friendly foods. If you’re interested in being a better traveler, this episode is for you! on this episode, we chat about: - actionable advice to be a better traveler - does “supporting local” actually make a difference? - the difference between sustainable vs. regenerative travel - and much more!! highlights: 1. What sparked your wanderlust? (00:58) 2. How do you define sustainable travel? (03:31) 3. What’s ...
Dec 26, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Vandana is a digital marketing specialist and travel expert in Sri Lanka. on this episode, we chat about: - traveling to Sri Lanka - cultural differences between Sri Lanka and India - Vandana’s experiences living abroad in Pakistan, Sweden and Denmark - and much more! ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━ connect with Vandana! ✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vandiihettii?igsh=djM1c21vM3Rma3Nx ✨Travel guides: https://www.thatch.co/@ResponsibleRoamer ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━ connect with me! :) Instagram: ✨ @lydi...
Dec 17, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Aditi is a solo female traveler who prioritizes slow, immersive travel off the tourist trail. Aditi’s travel content focuses on South and Southeast Asia, and most recently, the gorgeous Seychelles Island off East Africa. on this episode, we chat about: - Aditi’s advice for those wanting to slow travel - travel in the Seychelles islands - pros and cons of remote working - and more!! ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━ connect with Aditi here! ✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.beachybitch?igsh=Z2JzOHh6dz...
Dec 13, 2024•21 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Sonja is a seasoned Nepal trekking specialist who was born and raised in the Netherlands. Sonja has been to Nepal over a dozen times and now partners with a Sherpa Trekking company in Nepal that prioritizes responsible tourism . on this conversation, we chat about: - what travelers should know before going to Nepal - how Nepal captured Sonja’s heart - best places, trails, and foods to try in Nepal - and more!! highlights: What sparked your wanderlust? (0:33) Can you recall any cultural shocks yo...
Dec 10, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Maia grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Tasmania Australia. Learn about how she did it and her advice for you! on this episode, we talk about: - the logistics of moving abroad - cultural shocks coming from the USA to Australia - how Americans can work in Australia - and more! shownotes: 1. (00:31) You have been living in Australia for 3 years now. But you’re originally from New Jersey and went to school in Rhode Island. Can you tell us how you needed up where you are now? 2. (04:06) Would yo...
Dec 01, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 10
reading poetry on a beautiful sunny day in La Rosaleda, Retiro Park 🌹 “resist the urge to resist for nothing forever persists.”
Nov 30, 2024•4 min•Season 4Ep. 9
“How do I responsibly travel but also how do I responsibly engage with the culture?” - Mark Fedoronko Mark is a professional travel planner with expertise in Northern Africa and the Middle East. on this episode, we chat about: - Mark’s lessons learned with travel and itinerary planning - best resources for researching a destination’s safety before going - how to have more meaningful travel experiences - and much more! ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━ connect with Mark! ✨Thatch Page: https://www.thatch.co/@ma...
Nov 29, 2024•26 min•Season 4Ep. 8
you don’t have to always be “polite”.
Nov 27, 2024•4 min•Season 4Ep. 7
