Episode 15: La Locura Positiva—Marrakesh, Where Sergio Walked from Sevilla

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they record journeys, the deepest symbol in literature ... Sergio walked the 800 kilometers from Sevilla to Marrakesh in 17 days.  We asked why such a good madness came over him ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“Following a road from beginning to end is particularly satisfying both in literature and in life.”

— Italo Calvino

Aquí puedes hallar la entrevista completa con Sergio en Pachilofeos.

Episode 14: In the Guise of the Most Ordinary Things—The U.S., Where Ramchandra Melted a Little

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they usually represent an initiation ... Ram, along with his wife Janhavi and daughter Sharayu, stood in line with us to get into Vatican City.  While waiting, we asked if they would tell us their best travel story ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“A novelist could never imagine possibilities such as real life offers every day by the thousand in the guise of the most ordinary things.”

— Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Episode 13: There and Back Again—Catalonia, Where Manfredi Was Saved by Columbus

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they bring us back where we've been ... Manfredi lost his way in Barcelona.  We asked how he got back to where he was going ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“Not all those who wander are lost.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien

Episode 12: Same Blood—Pisa, Where Souka Sells Watches

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, we have to listen to find our place in the world ... Souka migrated from Cameroon to Italy and now sells watches next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  We asked how he got there ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“And I have seen a ship run straight and swift across the sea for all its course, only to perish at last when entering the port.”

— Dante Alighieri

Episode 11: Two Ovens—Indonesia, Where Freya Fell Ill

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they remind us that people like to help ... Freya got sick traveling alone.  We asked whom she turned to ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“Viajar es intentar cambiar.”

— Gabriel García Márquez

Episode 10: The Hostel Grampa—Nicaragua, Where Kai Started to Heal

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they scab over wounds ... Kai embraced solo travel wholeheartedly when his wife betrayed him.  We asked why  ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“Many tasks give themselves better to the cool of night.”

— Virgil

Episode 9: A Piece of Glass Floating in the Air—Iran, Where Gordon Was Summoned

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they take us where we can never go ... Gordon's Iranian father-in-law summoned him from the UK in 1986.  We asked what awaited him there ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.  Check out Gordon's music too on Soundcloud.  And his furniture shop in Edinburgh, Retro Morrison Street.

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“Every experience is a moving force.”

— John Dewey

Episode 8: The Lucky Note—Málaga, Where Ann-Sophie's Friend Surprised Her with a Trip

Whether travel stories spring from joy or sorrow, result in change or status quo, they change the way we look at strangers ... Ann-Sophie's friend Flore planned all the details of their trip to Spain without revealing any of them.  We asked what happened when they got there ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.  Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé.

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“I jotted down these notes with the hope that they might provoke pleasant conversation among my readers and that they might be of some use to those who would travel the same way.”

— Matsuo Bashō

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.