The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders

Learn about growing up as a Palestinian-American, traveling to Gaza as a kid, and how you can help stop the genocide. ============================ 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 Rasha joins Matt from Dahab, Egypt, and starts by haring what she loves about Egypt. Rasha then talks about her parents’ experience growing up in Palestine and immigrating to the U.S.. She then reflects on growing up in Detroit in the post-9/11 era, taking trips back to Gaza as a kid, and her connection with the Black community and hip-hop culture in Detroit. Rasha then talks about her passion for riding motorcycles and how she has incorporated that into her travels. She then talks about her career trajectory, entrepreneurial journey, path to becoming a digital nomad, and building the ‘Roam with Rasha’ brand. Next, she gives budget travel tips and reflects on the impact travel has had on her. Finally, Rasha talks about the experience of her relatives in Gaza during the genocide and shares ways you can help to stop the genocide. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 how to help stop the genocide in Palestine, unpack Orientalism, and improve your travel writing and photography. ============================ 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 my interview with Yulia Denisyuk, she starts off by talking about her first trip to Palestine in 2017 and how fundamentally transformative it was. Matt reflects on his experience doing Palestine solidarity work in the U.S. over the past 25 years, and Yulia explains why she created the “Travel Industry for Palestine” petition. She then reflects on the power dynamics of travel writing and talks about the importance of unpacking orientalism de-exotifying the Middle East and the global south. Yulia talks about her work business helping people become travel journalists, her small group trips to places like Kazakhstan and Jordan, and her podcast “Going Places”. She then talks about how to take better travel photographs and how to turn your experiences into great travel writing. Finally, Yulia reflects on the impact travel has had on her and reflects on the power of travel for communal action instead of just personal growth. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 how to transition into travel journalism, and seek out people-centric stories and experiences around the world. ============================ 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 Yulia Denisyuk joins Matt for a virtual wine night and starts off talking about her parents’ cultural background, and her experience of being born in Kazakhstan and growing up mostly in Estonia. She then talks about moving to the U.S. at age 16, the culture shock of landing in Miami, and coming of age in the U.S.. Yulia then explains her decision to join the U.S. Navy, and talks about how serving in Iraq and Afghanistan impacted her politics and her understanding of U.S. imperialism. She then talks about getting her MBA and pursuing a traditional corporate career path until a trip to Morocco changed everything. Yulia discusses her life pivot into becoming a travel journalist and tells stories about spending time in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Jordan. She explains why Jordan is so close to her heart, why she spends so much time there, and what her favorite places are, and concludes by talking about a powerful and emotional podcast interview she hosted with artists in Amman shortly after the genocide in Palestine began. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 how to overcome distraction, overwhelm, and disempowerment to become more present, creative, courageous, and wild. ============================ 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 Dom Francks joins Matt from a van in the Western U.S. for a virtual wine night and begins talking about the role of sports in his life growing up. He reflects on achieving excellence in golf, nearly going professional, and the lessons on peak performance he has taken from that into other areas of his life. Dom also talks about the origin of his passion for climate activism, his professional career in the climate-tech space, and his choice to pivot into becoming a wilderness guide so he could connect more deeply with nature. He shares some of his top experiences in nature, from competing in The Grand Traverse, to riding dog-sleds across the Boundary Waters, to his most epic downhill ski experience. Dom also talks about wilderness guiding in Chilean Patagonia, Alaska, and explains why the High Sierra in California is his favorite place in the world. He then talks about his experience studying with the Animus Institute and the Conscious Leadership Group, and eventually developing his own program: The VIVIFY Regenerative Leadership Program. He explains how Maverick Show listeners can participate in VIVIFY and get a special discount. And, finally, he explains “the nature pyramid” and gives tips on how busy people in urban areas can better connect with nature. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 black community building across geography & language, challenging the gender binary & decolonizing ourselves. ============================ 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 Shayla Lawson joins Matt for a wine night and starts off talking about growing up in Kentucky, becoming a poet, and documenting her travel experiences. Shayla talks about writing “How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir”. They reflect on the African Diaspora Renaissance in Lisbon, the impact of James Baldwin, and how to travel in a way that allows it to play a role in personal growth. Shayla then reflects on B/blackness globally, being in solidarity with other colonized people, and the Black community building beyond geography and language. They then talk about they/them pronouns, colonial enforcement of the gender binary, and the anti-LGBTQIA+ bills in Ghana and Uganda. Shayla also reflects on liberation and the importance of decolonizing ourselves. They then open up about living and writing with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and traveling as a disabled person. Finally, Shayla talks about their writing process and gives tips on how to turn your travel experiences into great writing. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 the real nuances of travel safety, develop a personal risk profile, leave your comfort zone, and travel better. ============================ 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 Beth Santos returns to The Maverick Show and starts off talking about the latest developments in the Wanderful community and what it offers to female travelers today. She then talks about the upcoming WITS Travel Creator Summit and Bessie Awards that Matt will also be attending. Next, Beth discusses her new book: Wanderwoman: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World Solo. She reflects on her choice of the title and her decision to platform the voices and perspectives of a very diverse array of travelers. Beth then explains the importance of challenging and reframing the women’s travel safety narrative, creating a personal risk profile, and intentionally leaving your comfort zone. She also talks about how to make more thoughtful economic, environmental, and cultural choices while traveling. Beth reflects on a major travel lesson she learned in an Istanbul barbershop and offers some tips on navigating relationships with loved ones who haven’t had the same transformative travel experiences that you have. She also explains why travel doesn’t automatically make you a more enlightened person. Finally, Beth gives tips on finding travel experiences wherever you are and how we can be at home wherever we find ourselves. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 how NomadMania’s free platform helps you to design, plan, track, measure, and visualize your travels over time. ============================ 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 my interview with Harry Mitsidis, we start off talking about travel ethics, including how to avoid voyeurism and objectification of local communities, particularly low-income and vulnerable groups. Harry shares tips on how to travel in ways that are more socially responsible and environmentally sustainable, and how to design culturally immersive experiences. He then talks about his platform, NomadMania, and explains how it has divided the world into 1301 culturally distinct regions to visit. Harry describes the free tools and resources available on the NomadManaia site for travelers to plan, track, measure, and visualize their travels. He also explains the gamification, awards, verifications, and how travelers can improve their ranking for both the slowness of their travel and the recency of their travel. Harry then talks about NomadMania’s “Series” lists of travel ideas by category, including the DARE (Distinctive Alternative Remote Extremes) list, as well as their in-person events and trips. Finally, he reflects on how travel has impacted him, how his conception of travel has changed over time, and why he continues to travel today. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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! :)

Hear travel stories and lessons from 1 of only 3 people on the planet who has visited every country in the world twice. ============================ 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 Harry Mitsidis joins Matt for a wide-ranging discussion of his extensive travels. He starts off talking about his cultural background, and how his interest in sociology overlapped with his passion for travel. He then shares about his experience learning 10 languages, including Serbian, and gives detailed recommendations for places to visit in Serbia. Next, he talks about his experiences in Ukraine and Palestine, and why both places are special to him. Harry then shares stories from his 4 visits to Yemen, including his experience getting arrested and spending a night in jail. Matt and Harry then reflect on the bribery economy in certain places around the world. Next, Harry talks about his road trip around Nigeria, his visits to Somalia, and his travels across the Democratic Republic of Congo, including his experience going gorilla trekking there. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 tips for traveling the world with a toddler, eating vegan, and reflections on travel safety as a Black woman. ============================ 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 Cara Celeste West joins Matt to talk about her decision to slow travel the world full-time with her husband and toddler. She explains the concept of “world schooling” and describes how it has worked in practice for her two-year-old daughter. Cara talks about the company “Boundless Life” which provides turnkey solutions to help families slow travel the world by providing accommodations, education and social interaction for kids, workspace access for the parents, and local cultural immersion events. She describes what she and her family loved about living in Portugal, living on the Greek Island of Syros, and she gives tips for eating vegan while traveling the world. Cara also reflects on travel safety as a Black woman and gives tips on nomading full-time with a toddler. She then talks about her journey to becoming a professional content creator and gives tips for growing a social media audience, monetizing your content, and building multiple streams of income. Cara then talks about her choice to use her platform to raise awareness about injustice and talks about her personal journey learning about the Palestinian struggle and taking a stand against the genocide. Finally, she reflects on the impact travel has had on her as a person, on her marriage, and on her daughter. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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 tips for Queer travelers, Queer dating in the digital nomad lifestyle, and being in solidarity with Palestine. ============================ 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 This is Part 2 of Matt and Dianni’s afternoon wine sesh. Dianni shares travel tips and resources for Queer digital nomads. She also talks about Queer dating in the digital nomad lifestyle. Next, Dianni talks about hosting the “While She’s Away” podcast and discusses one of her interviews with a Palestinian guest. She describes her journey learning about the Palestinian struggle, and why she is now committed to both using her online platform and protesting in the streets in solidarity with the Palestinians. Finally, Dianni reflects on the impact all of this travel has had on her as a person. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ 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! :)