The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories &amp; Life Beyond Borders

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347: Why Brazil and Japan Are Uniquely Amazing, Wine Tasting in Serbia, and Founding “Girl Takes Mundo” for Latina Solo Travelers with Chris Davila Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Hear stories from Brazil, Japan, Serbia and get tips on budget travel, minimalist packing, and monetizing travel content.

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ON THIS EPISODE

In Part 2 of this interview Chris talks about building her remote freelance business and gives tips for spending time in the UK where she is currently based. Matt and Chris then talk about their experiences in Brazil and Japan and why those two countries are so uniquely special. Chris then talks about founding her blog “Girl Takes Mundo” for Latino solo travelers and shares some budget travel hacks, minimalist packing tips for women, and advice for monetizing your travel content. She then tells an unforgettable experience about wine tasting in Serbia, reflects on the impact traveling to 80 countries has had on her, and shares what travel means to her today.

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346: Running with the Bulls 6 Times in Spain, Falling in Love in Colombia, and How to Experience Guatemala with Chris Davila Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

Hear Latina-solo-travel stories from Guatemala, Sweden, Colombia, Easter Island, Bolivia, Madagascar, Spain and Vietnam.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Chris Davila joins Matt for a virtual wine night and starts off reflecting on speaking at the Latino Travel Fest in Chicago. She then shares her parents immigration journey from Guatemala to the U.S. and how she navigated her Guatemalan and American identities while growing up in an immigrant home in Chicago. Chris then gives her tips for how to visit and experience Guatemala, reflects on her trips back to the homeland, and explains how her interest in world travel developed. She describes her professional career journey, explains why she took an 18 month sabbatical to travel the world, and tells the story of spending Summer Solstice in Sweden with Benny from Abba. Chris then takes us on her journey solo-camping on Easter Island, visiting the world’s largest salt-flats in Bolivia, and meeting her husband in Colombia. She also describes solo-traveling to Madagascar and how visiting local villages there changed her perception of what it takes to be happy. Chris also talks about her experience Running with the Bulls 6 times in Spain and training others how to do it. She then explains why she became a vegetarian in Vietnam, how she celebrated a 42-hour long birthday while traveling from Australia to LA, and reflects on the impact of her 18 month sabbatical.

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345: From Colombia to Botswana: Life-changing Safaris, Immigrant Solidarity, and Co-Founding Africa Culture Journeys with Paula Gean Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

Learn about the similarities between Colombian and Botswana culture, and how to take a life-changing camping safari.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Paula Gean joins Matt for a wine night and talks about her experience being born in Colombia amidst the cartel violence of the 1980s, immigrating to Chicago and living in poverty, and then growing up in East Texas and navigating her Colombian-American identity. She reflects on the complex experience of going back to Colombia at age 14, then talks about the origins of her lifelong activist journey and gives tips on how to stand in solidarity with immigrant communities in the U.S. today. Paula then explains how she learned about Botswana through her husband, describes her magical first trip to the country, and shares her journey learning about the history and making connections between Colombian and Botswana culture. She talks about co-founding Africa Culture Journeys with local Botswana people, and explains how she navigated the neocolonial dynamics in the African tourism space to build a sustainable company that empowers and benefits local people. Finally, Paula describes how you can experience a life-changing trip to Botswana with Africa Culture Journeys and get a special Maverick Show discount.

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→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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344: Attending the Maha Kumbh Mela in India, Developing a Socially Conscious Travel Lens, and How to Become a Remote Freelance Writer with Lolly Spindler Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

Learn about the largest festival in human history that happens once every 144 years, and how to become a remote writer.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

In Part 2 of this episode, Lolly Spindler talks about her personal growth and healing journey in Mexico City. She then describes her trip to India and Nepal, the incredible hospitality she experienced, and her experience attending the largest festival in human history, the Maha Kumbh Mela, which only happens once ever 144 years. Lolly then talks about getting certified in trauma-informed yoga so she can teach it to prisoners. Next, she takes us on her journey of how she developed her politics and her socially conscious travel lens. Lolly then gives tip for becoming a freelance writer and explains how she optimizes her productivity and designs her lifestyle. Finally, Lolly makes a number of free offers, including a special Pride Scholarship for people in the LGBTQIA+ community to take her writing course at no cost.

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

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU:

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

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

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343: Falling in Love with Mexico City and Madrid & Building a Freelance Writing Business While Traveling the World with Lolly Spindler Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

Hear stories from traveling the world, living in Mexico, and how losing a job led to building a thriving remote business.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Lolly joins Matt from CDMX and explains how she fell in love with Mexico City and why she chose to make it her base for the last 8 years. She talks about efforts to combat transnational gentrification in the city, and also shares highlights from her other favorite places around Mexico. Lolly then talks about growing up in Southern California, living in Madrid, Spain and gives tips for visiting both California and Madrid. She then talks about unexpected losing her job and subsequently building her fully remote freelance writing business while traveling the world. Matt and Lolly reflect on their shared experience on the Remote Year program, when they traveled the world together for a full year with other remote professionals, and the impact it had on them. Lolly shares stories from Croatia, Colombia and reflects on the depth of cultural immersion that is possible when you speak the local language.

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

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU:

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

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→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

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Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

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A Quest for an Iconic Tattoo in the Philippines, Hot Air Balloon Rides in Laos, and How to Visit Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Kiribati with Jimena Serfaty (Ep 342) Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Hear stories of underwater mailboxes, treehouse hotels, volcano boarding & meeting a 98-year-old Filipina tattoo artist.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

In Part 2 of this interview Jimena Serfaty talks about her experience exploring the Gobi desert in Mongolia, taking a hot air balloon in Laos, and embarking on a quest to find a legendary 98-year old tattoo artist in the Philippines. She then talks about living in Australia and visiting Tuvalu where she ended up at a night club with the former Prime Minister. Jime then describes her trip to Vanuatu where she mailed a waterproof postcard from an underwater mailbox, stayed in a treehouse, and went volcano boarding. She also describes visiting the island of Kiribati. Jime then takes us on her journey becoming a fully-remote entrepreneur, describes how she structures her travel lifestyle, and explains why she wants to travel to every country in the world. Finally she shares some of her best travel hacks and reflects on how all this travel has impacted her as a person.

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FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

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→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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From Argentina to 92 Countries: Komodo Dragons, Rainbow Mountains, and Reflections on Genocide with Jimena Serfaty (Ep 341 Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

Learn about growing up in Argentina during the 2001 economic collapse and then traveling the world solo since 2009.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Jimena Serfaty joins Matt and they begin talking about meeting at the Extraordinary Travel Fest in Bangkok, and then discuss recommendations for spending time in Argentina. Jime talks about her family’s immigrant history in getting to Argentina, including her Jewish heritage and her Dad’s Moroccan heritage, and describes her family’s recent trip to Morocco. She then talks about her experience growing up in Argentina during the economic collapse of 2001, her childhood desire to travel the world, and her first backpacking trip through Europe at age 18. Jime then takes us on her journey living in New Zealand for a year, seeing the Komodo Dragons in Indonesia, traveling through India, and moving to the UK. Next, she reflects on spending time in Poland, visiting Auschwitz, and re-connecting with her Polish Jewish heritage. She also talks about her decision to visit the Killing Fields in Cambodia and shares her reflections on genocide. Finally, Jime talks about visiting China, seeing the Rainbow Mountains and the Avatar Mountains, and taking the TransSiberian railway through Russia.

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

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 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

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

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!

Connecting with Culture and Place Through Food, Diversifying the Face of Travel, and Personal Finance Tips with Elsie Paulino (Ep 340) Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

Learn how food, slow travel, local language, and storytelling can deepen cultural connection wherever you go.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

In part 2 of this interview Elsie Paulino starts off describing what she loves about Puerto Escondido and Guanajuato, Mexico, before giving tips on what to eat in New York City. She then talks about her journey becoming a travel creator, including the Nomadness-Intrepid mentorship program and how her personal brand has taken shape. Elsie then reflects on how travel has impacted her and previews her upcoming talk at Latino Travel Fest. Next, Matt and Elsie discuss personal finance tips, investing strategies, and travel hacks that you can use. Finally, Elsie talks about connecting with culture and place through food, the value of slow travel, the importance of learning some of the local language, what travel means to her today, and offers tips for Black and Latino travelers.

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

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 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

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

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!

An Afro-Latina’s Journey Through Sicily, Vienna, Sri Lanka, India, France, Mexico, Vietnam & Why Hanoi is a 10/10 with Elsie Paulino (Ep 339) Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

Hear an Afro-Dominican perspective on Sicily, Vienna, Sri Lanka, India, Strasbourg, the Paris Olympics, Mexico & Vietnam.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Elsie Paulino joins Matt in person in New York City for this conversation over a bottle of French wine, and they start talking about the recent WITS Travel Creator Summit that they both attended in NYC. Elsie then talks about her parents' story immigrating to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic and her experience growing up in an immigrant home in the NYC-area. She reflects on navigating the milieu of Blackness in the U.S. as an Afro-Latina and also the dynamics of anti-Blackness in the DR. Next, she explains how her interest in world travel developed and shares her journey studying abroad in Sicily in high school and Vienna in college. Elsie then shares travel stories from Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Strasbourg, and attending the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Finally, she talks about falling in love with Mexico and the life-changing experience of attending Dia de Los Muertos in Oaxaca.

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

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 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