Travel Wisdom Podcast -travel and learn languages for success and money
230 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 57 ratingsCan travel be more than just a fun thing to do? Could it also provide some benefit and learning experiences later in life? I have always thought this and this is why I have relentlessly travelled the world and now have been to over 80 countries. I have always thought that I was planting the seeds of wisdom while in faraway lands. Through experiences with foreign people, cultures, concepts, and ways of doing things I learned much more than anything I could've done while at home. I interview amazing guests, bestselling authors, scientists, successful business people, dating experts, travel junkies, polyglots (people who speak more than 3 languages), and anybody who I think is interesting for the growth of our listeners and I as people. I think by doing this we can plant the seeds of wisdom which will ultimately lead to our success in career, business, money, relationships, self-worth, and generally being a more well-rounded person. But it requires you to be active making this happen. What do you think?
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Episodes
Bonus Episode: Top Travel Podcasts 2017
September 04, 2017 10:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBHi Adventurers! This is a special bonus episode featuring some of my top travel podcaster friends! You will hear from each host for a couple of minutes so you can get a better feel for what they are like. Immersing yourself in a variety of travel, lifestyle, digital nomad, expat, and adventure podcasts is the best way to accelerate your learning on the topics! Of course, there are some great shows in addition to this list, but have a listen and see what piques your interest! The 6 Pack...
Fluent in 3 Months and how being a celebrity brings lots of haters with Benny Lewis
August 30, 2017 10:00 - 52 minutes - 59.7 MBAfter almost 2 years in the making, I was finally able to arrange a time with Benny, one of the most famous polyglots of Fluent in 3 Months. He knows 11 languages and speaks about 6 of them fluently. His big thing is to get started speaking from day 1.
The Fundamentals of Female Dynamics (and with all people) in travel with Michael Knight
August 23, 2017 10:00 - 54 minutes - 62.2 MBMichael and I met in Ukraine last year and really hit it off. We had so much in common but one of our common interests was learning dating skills (interpersonal skills). He actually used to run boot camps to nerds and other technical people on how to be able to talk to girls. In just a few days awkward men can go from never having touched a girl to getting their phone number or even getting a girlfriend! Michael wrote a book, Fundamentals of Female Dynamics where he talks about how to impro...
Learn about writing a book to talk at 50 conferences with Robin Farmanfarmaian
August 16, 2017 10:00 - 29 minutes - 34.1 MBRobin Farmanfarmain wrote the book The Patient as CEO, and since then has been booked on 50 conferences to talk about the future of medical technology. She was hospitalized for most of her childhood as well as having 3 organs removed. Since then she was determined to get medical breakthroughs, such as the one that eventually let her have a normal life. This interview was edited so that it fits with the Travel Wisdom theme but we also talked about Brain Implants in my other show, Neural Im...
Another language episode! Richard DeLong learned Slovak and lives in Georgia
August 07, 2017 10:00 - 54 minutes - 41.5 MBAnybody who learned the Slovak language is fine by me! I was shocked when I heard Richard DeLong on another show, Actual Fluency, because nobody learns Slovak! A hard language with a small population. I had Richard DeLong on because he had interesting ways to learn a language. He talks about focusing on the small wins and get those to perfection. So instead of always learning new things get the things you mostly know up to fluency. That is the best way to get to fluency.
Boost your creativity by being in a new place with Nick Tasler
August 02, 2017 10:00 - 40 minutes - 32.8 MBNick Tasler moved to Mexico and saw his creative output increase! He was able to triple the rate he wrote his book, Ricochet, because he also saw so many new things around him. This novelty triggered his creativity and he was able to do more! In this episode, we talk about how to draw inspiration from the new place you might find yourself.
Success and Luck, what roles do they play in your life? With Robert Frank
July 26, 2017 10:00 - 50 minutes - 34.4 MBRobert Frank almost died on a racquetball court when his heart stopped beating. 99% of people die from this particular disease. Robert was almost a part of that were it not for the ambulance a few hundred meters away which had been called to this rural location on a false call. In his excellent book, Sucess and Luck, Robert talks about how we perceive these two things. Most successful people have a hard time acknowledging the role of luck in their success but it most definitely is there....
Charities cause huge damage to people, except maybe Gret Glyer's one
July 19, 2017 10:00 - 43 minutes - 36 MBWhen Gret asked to come on the show to talk about his charity I warned him that it was not going to be a pleasant interview! After travelling across 17 countries in Africa in 2010 I personally saw the damage that well-intentioned charities had. Rich white people would simply get an idea like: 'I'm going to bring a million T-shirts to Africa' without having any thoughts about what damage that might cause. Imagine what would happen to your city if all the clothing stores suddenly had to shut d...
Want top companies to fight to hire you? Do what Austin Belcak did!
July 12, 2017 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBAustin was very methodical in his job search, he interviewed at 100 companies of which 40 called him back. But he wanted to the best job possible and was clear on his values and his role. So it took him a year to find the best job but in the end he had many companies like Google, Uber, Facebook and other tech companies fighting for him until he finally got hired at Microsoft. He did this by finding the role that he wanted within the company and contacting the supervisor for that role in th...
FAQ on learning languages like Thai in only a few weeks with Olly Richards
July 05, 2017 10:00 - 39 minutes - 31 MBOlly runs the I will teach you a language podcast where he gives tips and answers questions for those who are learning a language. Olly himself speaks many languages and recently learned Thai to a decent level in only a few weeks.
Eastern medicine explained using science with Andrew Miles
June 28, 2017 10:00 - 58 minutes - 38.6 MBIn this episode, I am excited to have on Andrew Miles. We had a great conversation and since have subscribed to his podcast, Botanical Biohacking. I have also listened to all of their episodes as well as recommended it to a number of friends! You may have heard about gut bacteria and its role in human health, but have you heard about communication using gasses in the body? These gases are vital to maintaining a healthy body and getting them out of balance will lead to many diseases. ...
Bonus: Creating the perfect suitcase for the airport with Diego Saez Gil
June 26, 2017 10:00 - 23 minutes - 20.3 MBDiego Saez Gil talks about his suitcase company, Bluesmart, which makes the perfect luggage for the airport. If you are not sure if you locked your suitcase, you can do so with the help of an app. If your luggage is lost, no worries, you can use the GPS to help the airlines find it much faster! And of course, it has a charger to charge all your electronics. We talk about this 'Internet of Things' product and how we might all have these kinds of things in the future! We also talk about en...
Culture matters in your success with Hunter Maats
June 21, 2017 10:00 - 1 hour - 54.1 MBIn this second round with one of my favorite guests, Hunter Maats, we talk about his trips to the United Arab Emirates and how their culture affects the way they think. We then talk about Hunter's experience on the Joe Rogan show and how that changed his focus for the following weeks. Otherwise, we talk about some of the big questions of how culture is one of the most important things in life. This is essentially the programming of the way you act and will determine your success. Follow him ...
Richard Nisbett on how how culture determines our outcome
June 14, 2017 10:00 - 1 hour - 38.1 MBRichard Nisbett is the author of 3 books which deal with the psychology of thought. His first book was about the differences between Eastern and Western ways of thinking. Eastern is more holistic and Western is more atomistic meaning that the ways they perceive things are completely different as well. His second book was about the different culture in the North versus the Southern United States and what that meant for outcomes. Finally, his last book is about we can learn better
Nasos Papadopoulos on how to be the most effective learner
June 07, 2017 10:00 - 48 minutes - 34.4 MBNasos is the host of the MetaLearn podcast all about how to become the most effective learner. When we met at the Polyglot conference in October 2016 we really hit it off and knew he would be a great guest! I love learning especially as it relates to languages. I also think that learning is enhanced while in a new environment like travelling. We talk about these things in this episode
Kris Broholm returns and we both talk about being sick of being nomads
May 31, 2017 10:00 - 47 minutes - 33.3 MBKris Broholm is the host of the Actual Fluency podcast where he interviews language learners and polyglots on how they got to where they are. I can credit him to getting into the polyglot community which I have grown to love! However, in this episode, we don't talk much about language learning but rather how we are sick of being nomads and always travelling around. Also, we talk about the direction of both our podcasts and what our audiences want from us (hint: tell us both what you want!!!)
Bonus: 90% off Paradise Pack offer with my buddy Jason Moore
May 29, 2017 10:00 - 9 minutes - 6.92 MBMy buddy and former guest, Jason Moore is launching the Paradise Pack for one week only starting May 30th! There are some really cool deals in there on how to be location independent, learn languages quickly, and of course travel for much less! This is their 4th year offering this pack of 19 courses valued at $2600! But these deals are only valid for 1 week! From May 30th to June 5th during which they will be hosting live events with some of the creators of the products! Ch...
Britany Felix on how to travel with a partner who doesn't have the same drive
May 24, 2017 10:00 - 25 minutes - 18 MBBritany is the host of the Living Unconventionally podcast where she talks to people living in an unconventional way. She recently took a many month road trip after she and her husband sold all of their possessions as well as their house. However, a little bit into it, the husband didn't like it nearly as much as she did. We talk about relationships and travel as well as what to do when you partner isn't too crazy about travel. Since it was only a few weeks before the interview it was still ...
Gina Gotthilf on meeteing Obama and whats coming up in Duolingo
May 17, 2017 10:00 - 26 minutes - 18.6 MBI am a huge fan of Duolingo and credit it with me learning 3 of my extra languages. Because its like a game and you get the immediate feedback you can learn very effectively and much faster than in a course. Gina is the Vice President of Growth and Marketing we talk about what is coming up in Duolingo pipeline including downloadable courses. We also talk about her experience presenting at the White House including to former President Obama. Although this was a short interview I found it info...
Jon Levy on how to never burn out on great adventures
May 10, 2017 10:00 - 49 minutes - 33.7 MBJon Levy is the author of the 2am principle all about how you can have the best adventures. He says that the most interesting adventures are the ones that make the best stories. If it stands out in people's minds it will become more memorable. Therefore to live an engaged life you should always seek out something novel. After doing this for some time one would think you would get bored of it but he also recommends taking an adventure fast to reset your limits so you don't go crazy.
Bonus! JP Sears satirical comedy on University's limited value
May 07, 2017 06:53 - 6 minutes - 4.96 MBI recently stumbled upon JP's funny sarcastic videos and love them because they uncover our sometimes silly beliefs in a funny way. The newest one is on the value of a University education. He starts out with "I know the best way to start my career is with $100k of debt." Definitely check this out Here is what his assistant wrote me in terms of using this clip Hi Ladan, Thanks for reaching out to JP and also for your consideration in requesting to use the audio portion...
Ray Blakney on how to learn a language using Live Lingua Skype lessons
May 03, 2017 10:00 - 36 minutes - 24.4 MBRay Blakney is a former Peace Corps volunteer and the founder of Live Lingua which helps language learners find tutors through Skype. The advantage of their service is that they have a curator who finds what you needs and brings any and all tutors up to speed with your course material. In this way it is more like a course rather than a random person on the internet who thinks they can help
Idahosa Ness on how to use the Mimic method to be understood in any language
April 26, 2017 10:00 - 45 minutes - 29.9 MBIdahosa Ness has an amazing video where he raps in 8 different languages in 4 different cameras. He had to time each part of the song perfectly all in different languages. Really cool stuff! We talk about how he uses his Mimic method to be able to get the right accent and be understood right away. He says that with a better accent people are happier to talk to you and your interactions can be much more pleasant. Also, you are perceived as more fluent and smarter. The way to do it is to think...
Bonus! Promo for Neural Implant podcast, the other show I just launched
April 24, 2017 10:00 - 14 minutes - 12.1 MBAfter talking with one of my listeners, Carolien Caspers, I realized that some of you may be interested in the other podcast I've launched, the Neural Implant podcast. Although it is more science and technology related, a good portion of you might be interested! I talk to the leaders and innovators in the field of Neural Implants and break everything down in an understandable way. So check it out! Either search for it in your favorite podcast app (I recommend Podcast Addict for Android...
My experience doing Work Away and why you should try it too
April 19, 2017 10:00 - 8 minutes - 7.31 MBI share my experience over the last month doing Work Away in Southern France. I talk about how it was a great experience to work hard for 3 hours per day and then to have time for my own projects. I highly recommend this for those people on a tighter budget but still want to experience a place for a longer period of time.
Richard Simcott on how to talk to a gazillion + 1 languages
April 12, 2017 10:00 - 58 minutes - 39.4 MBRichard is amazing! He is definitely in the top 10% of episodes and guests. He is back on the show after a few years and many times that we had met in person. He runs the Polyglot conferences where language nerds can get together and speak the languages they have learned. The last one was in Greece in October 2016 and the next one will be in Iceland in 2017. In this episode, we talk less about learning the languages and talk more about the philosophy behind it. We also discuss why it is th...
Patrick McGinnis on how to travel to 79 countries as a 10% entrepreneur
April 05, 2017 10:00 - 53 minutes - 39.3 MBThis was one of my favorite interviews because Patrick is a mix of traveller, financial consultant, author and entrepreneur. Unlike other guests I have talked to on the show he does consulting but not in diet, life coaching, or anything else you don't need much experience in. He does financial consulting because he used to work for AIG! He then slowly transitioned out of that and was able to start his own consulting business just like he suggests we should. See, we sometimes hear about how ...
AJ Dunn from Abroaders on how to spend 100x less on plane tickets
March 29, 2017 10:00 - 45 minutes - 31.4 MBAJ has figured out how to travel for nothing! He found the code on how to get around the world to different locations for up to 100x less than what the airlines are asking! The secret is frequent flyer miles and finding the 'sweet spot' as well as some good deals to pay much less! He had one customer who would have paid $20k for a group of flights but they were able to get it down to under $200!!! AJ helps run Abroaders podcast and a company which shows people how to save lots of money...
Lydia Machova on how to learn a language by yourself
March 22, 2017 11:00 - 43 minutes - 29.4 MBLydia says that learning with a teacher is not the only way to learn a language! She actually says that learning yourself is the best way and then the teacher or tutor can be used as a guide. You have the power to learn what you want! That's why I love Lydia so much! You don't have to wait for the right class to come along, you can do what you want right away! In her Language Mentoring site (as well as her Slovak version of this site) she teaches how to go through and learn a language to a...
Derek Loudermilk on how parenting is not as hard as it seems
February 01, 2017 11:00 - 42 minutes - 57.7 MBIn this interview, Derek first talks about his 7-week old child and how it is actually easier than people say in order to raise it. If you have your own business and can change yours sleep schedule as well. With the help of grandparents and a support group, it makes things even easier. He then talks about how he has leveraged his successful Art of Adventure podcast in order to get free hotel accommodation in exchange for marketing. He gives some tips on this as I would be interested in thi...
Kallen Diggs on alternatives to going to University to get a career
January 25, 2017 11:00 - 48 minutes - 66 MBIn this episode, Kallen Diggs talks about how he started out helping people in his community get back to work. He has written a book Reaching the Finish Line for those that are looking for jobs or are not too enthusiastic about the traditional model of going to University before getting a job. He says that you do not need a college degree to have a good life. You can still earn $50k a year being an electrician or a carpenter and not be in debt or losing a few years of wages. Life is signif...
Jonny and Elsie on how to have the best destination wedding possible!
January 11, 2017 11:00 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBJonny and Elsie got married a few years ago and instead of having a normal wedding they decided to use their experience with events in Belize to put together an amazing wedding! Their wedding ended up being a week with their 75 guests with many cool activities such as cooking classes, chocolate making, and of course trips to a private island. They asked their guests to pay the costs and in this way they were able to have amazing offers for the wedding which lasted a whole week! They also t...
Hayden Lee on getting the most out of 'Travel Stories' on his podcast
December 14, 2016 11:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBHayden Lee is the creator of the popular Travel Stories Podcast which takes some of the best stories from popular travellers and sets these short stories to an orchestral score and sound effects. The concept is really cool and it must be incredibly time-consuming! We also find out that we are pretty much the same person: looking very similar, born in the same month of the same year, language lovers, and of course hosts of travel podcasts!
Jellis Vaes on gaining more wisdom through travels in his own project
December 07, 2016 11:00 - 25 minutes - 23 MBJellis reached out to me some time back but only now were able to talk. After a bit of research, I realized we were completely kindred spirits! He also thinks that a formal education is not nearly as useful as life experiences. Because of this he has started Inner Picture Stories which talks about how to gain wisdom through travel...sound familiar? We also talk about his experience with his travel photography and the crazy stuff that it got him into.
Guram Sherozia on being a minor celebrity in Georgia
November 30, 2016 11:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBOn my second trip to Georgia I met with what ended up being an incredibly interesting couchsurfer, Guram! He turned out to be a kind of minor celebrity in Georgia with a very popular blog and he used to be on many morning TV programs. During an interesting night I decided to interview him and learn more about him and how he got to the place where he is. He talks about how he juggles and prioritizes all of his projects. He has his work, his university teaching, TV interviews, and his blogg...
Georgia country report, return to my favorite country!
November 23, 2016 11:33 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBIn this episode I talk about how I went to the country of Georgia to kill some time before a conference I was going to. Georgia is my favorite country out of the 90+ that I have travelled to! The combination of alcohol that flows like water, beautiful scenery, great food, great people, cheap prices, great hospitality, unique language, unique culture and many more things make it amazing! I was a bit nervous to go back and possibly to discover it wasn't so great but that wasn't the case! I c...
Sue Bedford on her spot-on travel writing in "Its Only the Himalayas"
October 19, 2016 10:00 - 29 minutes - 19.9 MBIn this episode I talk to Sue Bedford who is the author of Its Only the Himalayas: And Other Tales of Miscalculation from an Overconfident Backpacker. This is the book that I should have written or, more correctly, that I no longer have to write since this exists! In this interview, we talk about Sue's year-long adventure around the world. She talks about the less glamorous side of backpacking that all those Instagram photos don't show! She also mentioned a few other stories that have happe...
Russia country report part 2, the second half of my Siberian adventure
October 12, 2016 10:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBIn this episode, I talk about my final leg of my 3 month trip after being deported from Germany. After finishing my meeting with my mom in Mongolia I went back to finish off the rest of Russia. Through Chita where I was on a TV news program, to the frozen swampland of Yakutsk, to the Alaskan-sister region of Kamchatka, and finally to Vladivostok. I also talk about my epic 164 hour (7 day) Trans-Siberian train ride all the way across Russia. It has been a good trip and although it...
Mongolia country report, what I experienced during my travels
September 07, 2016 10:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBIn this episode I am joined by my mom who I met in Mongolia and travelled together for 3 weeks. We talk about our experiences, our likes, our dislikes, and some of our takeaways from this trip. We talk about the Xhovsgul lake stay in the north, our trip to the Gobi desert, and of course our 3 day horse trip. We had a great time and it can easily rank as one of the most interesting and adventurous trips we have been on.
Russia country report, the first half of my Siberian travels
August 31, 2016 10:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBThis is my report about my first half of my Russian travels. Coming into Sochi and working my way through Kazan, Krasnoyarsk, Lake Baikal and finally off to Mongolia. This was an interesting trip full of 36 hour train rides, hiking, and almost watching somebody die. I finally put together my itinerary and was able to sacrifice spontaneity for a well organized plan. I saw some of the most interesting places including the paradise of Sochi, the incredible architecture of Kazan, the outdo...
Prinestrovia / Transnistra country report, what I experienced during my travels
July 27, 2016 10:00 - 12 minutes - 10.4 MBPrinestrovia / Transnistra is a weird little country that is unrecognized. Since it is officially part of Moldova but doesn't like Moldova's western attitudes, it has been its own Soviet-leaning country for over 20 years now. More or less it consists of the main city of Tiraspol and that's about it. It has issued its own money (some of which is plastic) and has its own border even though only 2 other countries in the world recognize it as autonomous. It was exactly my kind of place to cel...
Moldova country report, what I experienced during my travels
July 20, 2016 10:00 - 16 minutes - 13.8 MBThis is a country that I didn't know existed a few years ago. Although I consider myself good at geography I could not have told you where it was! One of the coolest things in this country is that it is functionally bilingual. Both Russian and Moldovan / Romanian are languages you can converse in within the country. I had never really seen a place like this especially with such different languages. Otherwise I didn't really venture too much outside of the main city of Chisnau and didn't...
Ukraine country report, what I experienced during my travels
July 13, 2016 10:00 - 28 minutes - 24.4 MBIn this first country report I talk about the first country that I went to after being deported from Germany. I came into Ukraine about 2 years after the revolution that brought the country to its knees. However, you can hardly tell and it is very beautiful in many parts. Of course there are many areas that are still unsafe but generally these are hard to get to. This country is very nice and very cheap. Bad news for the country means good news for you and the result is one of the chea...
Special thanks to Socrates club who are improving their lives every week
June 22, 2016 10:00 - 8 minutes - 7.18 MBI had the privilege of talking with the Socrates Philosophy club a few weeks ago. They are a group based in India who want to see personal growth among their members. They share inspirational stories, watch talks, play music and generally try to make their lives better. I play some of the amazing music they recorded for me and have been humming it all day! I also talk about the aspects of social life you need to be healthy: family, neighbors, friends for hobbies, friends for fitn...
Back after this pause from being deported!!
June 15, 2016 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.28 MBAfter being deported from Germany and then having computer issues I have finally resolved everything and can start recording again! I will be recording episodes weekly now about the countries I have been going through on my way to Siberia!
I'm getting deported from Germany, now what?!?
April 27, 2016 10:27 - 12 minutes - 9.3 MBAfter coming back from India and successfully finishing my Masters degree, I found out that I had overstayed my visa. So I am being deported from the whole Schengen region of Europe for the next 3 months before I am able to come back. I was going to go travel in Russia and Siberia anyways so this may not be the worst thing. I guess it just forces me to do it a month earlier than I had expected. I will be talking more about an idea to make money while on the road...selling tacos in S...
Jan van der Aa on the quickest method to learn a language at an intermediate level
April 13, 2016 10:00 - 37 minutes - 26.3 MBJan van der Aa is originally from the Netherlands and has been working location independently since his graduation from college in 2012. His work has allowed him to live on 4 different continents and to visit over 85 countries. Besides his native Dutch, Jan also speaks English, Mandarin, German, French, Portuguese, Cantonese and Spanish. This allowed him to help found Language Boost, a language learning method which helps learners get to an intermediate quickly. In this episode we talk a...
Troy Erstling on having a career-building internship in the developing world
April 06, 2016 10:00 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MBTroy Erstling is the founder of Brain Gain which helps young professionals find employment and internships with startups in emerging economies. What started as a simple Facebook group led to questions flying in from all over the world. Questions like “How did you find a job in India?”, “How are you working for a start-up?”, “I hate my job and I want to travel, what should I do?!”. Seeing that there was a significant demand of people just like himself who want to travel and work abroad, he wa...
CJ Hunt on Finding the Perfect Diet and putting your money where your mouth is
March 09, 2016 11:00 - 49 minutes - 35.9 MBCJ Hunt is an independent filmmaker who created his 2012 film entitled “In Search Of The Perfect Human Diet” that takes a look at what nutritional approach our bodies were made to run most efficiently on. He travels through time and around the world on an unprecedented global exploration to find a solution to the exploding epidemic of overweight, obesity and diet related disease. The Perfect Human Diet takes us on a 2-million year evolutionary journey to discover breakthrough scientific fact...
Connor Grooms on how to learn Spanish in a month while being location independent
March 02, 2016 11:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBConnor Grooms is is location independent at only 20 years old, traveling and living around the world as he runs his business online, from Saigon to Barcelona to his new homebase in Medellín. In November 2014, he gained 26 pounds of muscle in a month after a lifetime of being skinny. This past June, he achieved conversational level of Spanish in a single month and self-produced the film, "Spanish in a Month: A Language Learning Documentary" about the experience, which has been featured in ou...