The World Wanderers Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Knowing Your Travel Style and When to Come Home with Steve and Julia Patterson Aug 17, 2017

Show notes

This week we sat down with our friends Steve and Julia who featured on our episode about Japan. They've recently returned from traveling on and off for the last year and a half, and learned a lot along the way! Starting with a trip to Europe where they were quickly moving from one city to the next and struggling to find a balance between their remote work and traveling, they decided to return home sooner than expected for Julia's health. Once they discovered that the cold exacerbated her condition, they took off to New Zealand to escape the New York winter and leased an apartment in Auckland for two months. There they found a great balance where they loved the community and their new slow travel style! They are currently back in their hometown of Atlanta, and Steve has launched his podcast "Patterson in Pursuit," where he discusses interesting concepts and ideas with university professors.

On this episode we talk about some of the reasons why Steve and Julia decided to travel long-term, how they decided it was the right time for them to come home, and the factors that led them to decide to travel New Zealand. We also talk about how travel led them to become more globally minded citizens and break down stereotypes they may have had about certain places, leading them to think about places in a more people-centric way as opposed to solely what's portrayed in the media.

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

You can also check out our new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

Living Nowhere - Conversations About a Nomadic Lifestyle Aug 10, 2017

Show notes

When talking to people who aren't familiar with a nomadic lifestyle, it can sometimes be tricky to convey the Digital Nomadism as a career path where you can work as many hours (if not more!) than the average 9 to 5er based out of a single place. Sometimes family and friends expect you to settle down eventually, and can react a little strangely to the news that you plan to continue traveling long-term as a lifestyle choice. They may also get envious fantasizing about the "glamorous" life you're leading traveling the world, and it's important to stay honest and positive when conveying the pros and cons of your lifestyle along with what you do.

On this episode we talk about our experience being without a single home base for the past 14 months, some of the pros and cons of the Digital Nomad lifestyle, how it's taught us to value some stability, and our tips on navigating conversations with family and friends who may not be familiar with the lifestyle.

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

You can also check out our new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

You Don't Need a Long Term Plan to Make a Big Life Change Aug 03, 2017

Show notes

Whether it's a big trip or a new business idea, it can be difficult to take the decision to make a big change in life. The potential reaction from family and friends and uncertainty in what lies ahead can give us a lot to think about, and our fears can often keep us from taking the leap. We experienced these feelings when making the decision to quit our jobs and take a long term trip through South America in 2013. We were afraid of what a gap in our resume might mean for our careers when we returned and whether we were making the right decision. Looking back at the opportunities the trip provided and where we are today as a result, we are so happy we made the decision to go!

On this episode we talk about how people can often feel as though they need a perfect plan in place before making a big life change, travel related or otherwise, but how this isn't necessarily required. We also talk about pursuing what you want to do as opposed to what others say you "should" be doing, and the importance of realizing that you can always change your mind if you realize that what you decided to pursue isn't for you, but that the important thing is knowing you tried. Our advice: just go for it!

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

You can also check out our brand new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

Good Eats on the Road with Foodie Flashpacker, Nathan Aguilera Jul 27, 2017

Show notes

Originally from Oklahoma City, USA, Nathan Aguilera - aka "Foodie Flashpacker" - was inspired to plan a long term trip after meeting backpackers at a hostel during a humanitarian work trip to Kenya. On arriving home, Nathan began to plan his long term adventure and what started out as a plan for 6 months has evolved into him currently being on the road for more than 3.5 years!

On the anniversary of his second year away, Nathan decided to capitalize on his love of food and started his travel blog and developed a following by reviewing restaurants and dishes for every budget around the world, primarily based on local recommendations.

On this episode we talk about all things food with Nathan, including where he draws the line when it comes to his foodie comfort zone, as well as some of the challenges of being on the road and Digital Nomad life.

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

You can also check out our brand new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

8 Months in Asia and Coming Home to Canada Jul 20, 2017

Show notes

We left for our adventure to Asia on October 3, 2016, and traveled to more than 10 countries over eight months! Whether it was enjoying sunsets on the harbour, eating convenience store Onigiri, or coworking in Bali, we tried to make the most of each stop along the way, and made some unforgettable memories along the way. We returned home to Canada on June 1, 2017, and have been enjoying the transition back to a routine in the country we both grew up in. That said, we are looking forward to our next trip and can't wait to see where we end up next!

On this episode, we talk about our favourite attractions, meals, and cities during our 8 month trip to Asia, as well as a number of unique experiences that really stuck with us. We also share our experience with our welcome return home, what we will be getting up to over the summer, as well as our plans to travel to Latin America in the fall!

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Join us for our new weekly online hangouts every other Tuesday this summer, where we'll be joined by travel experts to discuss topics like Digital Nomad life and long term travel with children! Be sure to bring any questions and travel stories you'd like to share!

You can also check out our brand new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

A Week Exploring Seoul & Visiting the DMZ ft. Brock Groombridge Jul 13, 2017

Show notes

Our last stop on our Asian adventure was the South Korean capital of Seoul, where we spent one week. The city exceeded our expectations with its cool neighbourhoods, delicious food, and beautiful scenery and architecture! We started our visit staying in the Dongdaemun neighbourhood from where we visited the Seoul Tower and Seoul Fortress Wall, and appreciated the quiet seclusion you can get right in the city by visiting the mountains.

We took in some more cool neighbourhoods including Gangnam and Myeongdong and ate some great street food, noting how clean the stalls seemed in comparison with other market stalls in Asia. After meeting up with Backpacker Brock we traveled together to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the North Korean border, where we got to hear the story of a North Korean refugee and better understand the reality of how the contention between the two countries affects the physical border.

On this episode we talk about what we did in Seoul including the delicious meals we ate, the cool neighbourhoods we visited, and our thoughts and feelings on our visit to the DMZ.

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

You can also check out our brand new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

Shaping Your Ideal Life through Travel: A Conversation with Lauren Rudick Jul 06, 2017

Show notes

Lauren Rudick took off on a long term backpacking trip after graduating university as an escape, but found that the trip gave her fantastic insight into the kinds of things she wanted in life moving forward! She had completed her yoga teacher training during an earlier visit to Mexico, and after learning about a variety of yoga career opportunities beyond teaching at a conference she attended while teaching English in China, decided she wanted to pursue a career in the industry. On facing an adjustment and some reverse culture shock after returning home to Canada, Lauren realized she wanted to integrate her chosen career path with her love of travel and take her teaching internationally.

Lauren has let her love of yoga take her around the world to places like Bali and Europe. She founded the Yoga Academy International school with the goal of raising the standard in yoga education, and is currently living in Costa Rica offering a number of courses and retreats.

On this episode we talk about why Lauren started traveling and how she became interested in yoga teacher training, the importance of knowing what you don't like and how this can contribute to learning what you ultimately want in life, and the logistical and social challenges in maintaining a travel based-lifestyle.

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

You can also check out our brand new travel community on Facebook where you can ask questions, get travel recommendations, and find community members in your area!

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by YOU - this listener of the show! We just changed up our rewards on Patreon, and becoming a supporter of the show has never been better. Did someone say postcard from an exotic location? If you want to support the ongoing production of the show, please visit www.theworldwanderers.com/patreon/

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

From Cleveland to Costa Rica and Beyond: Talking Travel with Joe Baur Jun 29, 2017

Show notes

Joe Baur is a travel filmmaker, podcaster and author who realized his love for travel during a college trip to Thailand and India. After moving to Cleveland to work in the fitness industry after graduation, Joe made a shift to travel writing as part of a trip to Northern Ontario and eventually decided he wanted a lifestyle which would allow frequent changes to his surroundings.

Joe moved with his wife to Costa Rica, where his unique experiences and observations inspired him to write an English Language travel memoir aimed at North American travelers called "Talking Tico: (Mis)adventures of a Gringo in and Around Costa Rica." An opportunity with Trivago led to Joe moving to Dusseldorf, Germany, a location he describes as a great travel hub with lots of green space to enjoy! He is currently working on some exciting upcoming projects for Trivago's digital magazine "Room 5", and you can catch him on the Trivago travel podcast.

On this episode we talk to Joe about a number of travel and lifestyle topics, including knowing your working style to determine if you may be suited for a single or multiple career paths, the differences in family dynamics between North American and other cultures, his inspiration behind his moves and in writing his book, the joys of language learning and some of his upcoming projects.

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Our Trip to Taiwan Jun 22, 2017

Show notes

We traveled to Taiwan to refocus on work after some leisure travel in Japan, and visited a few different areas in the country. Our trip started with a visit to the capital city of Taipei, where we took in a number of interesting attractions including the Shilin night market, a beautiful sunset on Elephant Trail near Taipei 101, Yangmingshan Park, and some delicious Taiwanese food! From there we traveled to Kaohsiung to meet a friend and visited the beautiful Feilung waterfall, as well as the Giant Buddha and Formosa Blvd Station. On our eighth month of straight travel, we experienced a little travel burnout, but visiting a friend back in Taipei and getting out of our comfort zone helped bring us out and ensured the trip turned out to be a memorable one!

On this episode we talk about our favourite things to do in Taipei and Kaohsiung, as well as some other Taiwanese attractions we didn't get a chance to visit. We discuss the importance of locating yourself well when visiting a city based on our experience with needing to travel relatively significant amounts of time to visit Taipei attractions, and a few tactics on how to pull yourself out of travel burnout should you start to experience it. We wrap up the episode by talking about Taiwan as being a good option as a place to teach English in Asia, and some of the benefits over teaching in surrounding countries.

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Join us for our new weekly online hangouts every other Tuesday this summer where we'll be joined by travel experts to discuss topics like teaching English abroad and Digital Nomad life. Be sure to bring any questions and travel stories you'd like to share!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

Can Travel Expectations Influence Your Experience? Jun 15, 2017

Show notes

A visit to Taiwan came highly recommended to us by friends as a budget friendly destination with great food and interesting attractions, but a flight in to a more inconvenient airport, misrepresented accommodation, and less than beautiful scenery quickly started to cause our experience to not live up to our expectations of the visit. In keeping an open mind while exploring more of the country, and employing a few tactics like seeking out foods and activities we enjoy, we were able to turn our experience around and came away really enjoying our trip. This change in our experience made us think about how our high expectations coming into Taiwan may have caused us to inaccurately weight our few initial negative experiences, and how expectations in general can influence the way you view a place.

On this episode we talk about how factors like people's opinions, where you're coming from, and how long you're going to stay in a place can influence your expectations going into the destination, and ultimately your experience there. We discuss some tactics on how you may be able to turn around your view of a place where you're initially having negative experience by implementing a few strategies like establishing realistic expectations before you travel, seeking out foods and activities you enjoy, and planning your travel route around cost of living or a trip highlight. Keeping an open mind and working from your own experiences rather than overall recommendations from others can go a long way in helping you to make the most of your trip!

Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, join the community on Facebook, Instagram + sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Join us for our new weekly online hangouts every Tuesday in June where we'll be joined by travel experts to discuss topics like teaching English abroad and Digital Nomad life. Be sure to bring any questions and travel stories you'd like to share!

Music Credits:

www.bensound.com

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