Episode 7: Ser Alguem Na Vida—Holland, Where All of Lucas' Dreams Were Just ... Real

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they're told with a little more deliberation ... Lucas' father always taught him that "to be someone in life" (ser alguem na vida) he needed to make a lot of money, but Holland changed him.  We asked how ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.  Check out AIESEC.org which also played a role in his transformation.

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“With a little more deliberation in the choice of their pursuits, all [people] would perhaps become essentially students and observers, for certainly their nature and destiny are interesting to all alike.”

— Henry David Thoreau

Episode 6: The Getting Out—Borneo, Where Rhum's Handler Had a Bit of an Epiphany

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they're never really meaningless ... Steve is a falconer.  We asked him how ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“Of course, nothing can possibly be really meaningless.”

— H.L. Hawkins

Episode 5: My Easy Yoke—Sevilla, Where Jesus Stands Perfectly Still

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they're always worth investigating ... It's Holy Week, Semana Santa, in Sevilla.  Everyone is celebrating by walking through the streets.  We set out to find Jesus and ask him why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“Ask and the answer will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

— Jesus

Episode 4: Jaw of Gold—Tunisia, Where Faustino Met Stares

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they always surprise ... Faustino does not like Tunisia.  We asked him why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician who provided our opening and closing, Dana Boulé.

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“In fact, just as there is an art of storytelling, strictly codified through a thousand trials and errors, so there is also an art of listening, equally ancient and noble, but as far as I know, it has never been given any norm.”

— Primo Levi

Episode 3: The Art of Listening—Liverpool, Where Ophirah Has Made Not One But Two Pilgrimages

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they always sound fascinating ... Ophirah has twice gone to England to see her heroes' homes.  We asked her why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician who provided our opening and closing, Dana Boulé.

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“If I let myself really understand another person, I might be changed by that understanding.”

— Carl Rogers

Episode 2: Passing by the Door of Night—America, Where Moonif Learned to Smile

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they always teach us something ... Moonif found it easier to smile than to not when he moved to America.  We asked him why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician who provided our opening and closing, Dana Boulé.

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“Hospitality is always an act that benefits the host even more than the guest.”

— Parker Palmer

Episode 1: Too Many Times in a Row—Vietnam, Where Will Did Something He Regrets

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they always give vicarious pleasure ... Will had a good life in Australia, but something dislodged him from the office where he worked and sent him on his first experience living abroad.  We asked him why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician who provided our opening and closing, Dana Boulé.

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“I came back from each of my journeys a little different ... it never occurred to me that my new experiences were having an effect on me, and it was not till long afterwards that I saw how they had formed my character. In contact with all these strange people I lost the smoothness I had acquired when, leading the humdrum life ... I was one of the stones in a bag. I got back my jagged edges. I was at last myself.”

— W. Somerset Maugham

The Observer Effect

"Why am I going back?"    "The why of the trip comes first ..."    "In America, I learned to smile."

We have started recording the stories of the travelers we meet.  Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they always give vicarious pleasure.  In one episode, Freya explains why she never wants two ovens.  In another, Nigel takes his son to Ghana to teach him the meaning of wealth.  Ophirah has made not one but two pilgrimages to Liverpool.  A pair of refugees recount their escape from Syria.  We hope listening like this evaporates borders.

STARTING MARCH 2016.  Subscribe in iTunes→

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”

— Martin Buber

Upcoming episodes:

Best Friends for the Week—Switzerland, Where Alexa Fell in Love with Google Translate

The Lucky Note—Málaga, Where Ann-Sophie's Friend Took Her on a Surprise Trip

A Sickness—New Caledonia, Where Frederic Hunted Bats

The Art of Listening—Liverpool, Where Ophirah's Made Not One But Two Pilgrimages

Little Hello Honks—Ghana, Where Nigel Took His Son to Learn about Wealth

The Hostel Grampa—Nicaragua, Where Kai Found Maternal Solace

Two Ovens—Indonesia, Where Freya Learned the Risk of Travel

Able to Look Forward—Portugal, Where Flore Fell in Love with a German Boy

Learn about our favorite non-profit, Kiva, and maybe micro-lend, by clicking here.