Travel Media Lab

Today, I'd like to share with you a conversation I just had last week, in New York, on stage at the WITS Summit, the largest gathering of women travel creators organized by the Wanderful community and its CEO, Beth Santos.I attended WITS to moderate a panel called Travel, Power, and the Role of Creators in the World on Fire.With my brilliant co-panelists Janine Jervis, communications director for Visit Jordan, and Dr Anu Taranath, University of Washington faculty member, educator, and consultant on human rights, race, and privilege, we spent an electrified 30 minutes channeling the pain, grief, and frustration so many feel.In front of 600 people, I delivered a message that has been in my heart for the last few years. This is the message I want to share with you today.I want to apologize to you for the quality of this recording. It's not the greatest, and normally, I would not share it. But I thought the conversation was just too important, and so it finds its way to you in this form. Check out the YouTube video that you can follow along with subtitles.Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Thanks to our Founding Member: RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel education.Featured on the show:Follow @dr.anutaranath on InstagramFollow @jamaykey on InstagramLearn more about WITSGoing Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today, we're speaking with Natasha Hakimi Zapata, an award-winning journalist based in Europe. She's also the author of Another World Is Possible: Lessons for America From Around the Globe. The book came out a few months ago and has given me so much hope and inspiration for the United States.Most of us are closer to being homeless than we are to being millionaires, with only one healthcare disaster, a lost job, or another calamity sending us to the brink. Yet, we often still buy into the myth of being "self-made" in the US, hustling hard to get to a better place one day.It's a promise that hasn't been delivered for many. In her book, Natasha travels to nine countries around the world to show how, in those places, instead of promising better futures tomorrow, there is already a better present now.Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Thanks to our Founding Member: RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel education.What you'll learn in this episode:Does the American Dream still exist?The palpable despair and the core problem of the USThe answer: what's already working in many places around the worldWhy you won't lose your home if you lose your job in hyper-capitalist SingaporeThe US is one of seven countries on earth that don't offer thisWhy Finland is the happiest country on earthMoving to another place versus staying and fightingThe convergence Yulia sees happening right nowWhat gives Natasha hope right nowFeatured on the show:Follow @natashahakimizapata on InstagramLearn more about Natasha on her websitePurchase Natasha's book, Another World Is Possible: Lessons For America From Around The GlobeCheck out House of Beautiful BusinessGoing Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations...

Today, we're speaking with Joe Baur, a Berlin-based travel, food, and adventure writer and filmmaker. We first connected on a media trip to Okinawa, Japan, last Fall.Born and raised just outside of Cleveland, Joe has now circumvented the globe, hitting the trails as often as possible in search of stories and new ways to torture himself–all of which he documents on his YouTube channel. Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Thanks to our Founding Member: RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel education.What you'll learn in this episode:How people learn the myth of America The GreatestWhy Joe considers himself an immigrant, not an expatWhy Joe moved to GermanyHow living in Berlin impacted Joe's views on American lifeWhat it's like running a marathon in the Omani desertWhy Joe travels to runWhat's aging in reverse and how you can do it tooWhat gives Joe hopeFeatured on the show:Follow @baurjoe on InstagramListen to Joe's Travel Tomorrow podcastRead Joe's newsletter, Without A PathWatch Joe's Okinawa film on YouTubeLearn more about the Oman Desert MarathonGoing Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today, we're speaking with Marie Ostblom from the Stockholm Archipelago Trail. The archipelago, larger than the famous Greek islands, is so close to Stockholm that it might just be the city's best-kept secret.The newly opened Stockholm Archipelago Trail connects 20 of the archipelago's 30,000 islands via a series of footpaths made by goats, sheep, and Vikings.Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Thanks to our Founding Member: RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel education.What you'll learn in this episode:Why Yulia loves Stockholm (and she's never been)The misperception of Vikings (were they original influencers?)What Vikings have in common with ancient nomads of Central AsiaThe right to roam everywhere vs the right to shoot trespassersWhy the archipelago is Stockholm's best-kept secretWhat life is like in the Stockholm ArchipelagoHow going on the trail helps travelers see the impact of the climate crisisHow the industrial world disconnected us from nature–and how to get it backWhat happened when we put up the world's first fence?What is eco-awakeningWhat gives Marie hope todayFeatured on the show:Follow Stockholm Archipelago on InstagramLearn more about Stockholm Archipelago TrailCheck out Yulia's favorite story, Karlsson on the RoofRead Vikings Beyond The StereotypeRead Yulia's TIME Magazine story about the new trailGoing Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia...

Today, we're welcoming Alex Reynolds, a traveler building a radically different hostel in Pakistan's Ishkoman Valley.Alex is an American travel photographer, writer, and solo female traveler whose work has been featured on Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, AP News, and more. She's scrambled up fortress ruins in Afghanistan, galloped horses across the Kyrgyz steppe, and motorbiked from Pakistan to France. Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Thanks to our Founding Member: RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel education.What you'll learn in this episode:What it was like traveling to ChechnyaHow colonialism shows up when we travelWhat Gaza has taught the worldTraveler vs tourist: why Alex thinks it doesn't matterBuilding a sustainable hostel in Pakistan's Ishkoman ValleyFrom nomading to settling down in brick and mortarWhy Alex and I both love the Kazakh steppesDoes Alex still have faith in humanity?Traveling as a woman in the world of creepy menWould women at the helm fix everything?Where Alex finds hope these daysFeatured on the show:Follow @lostwithpurpose on InstagramRead Alex's post on tourist privilegeFollow Alex's Chechnya storiesCheck out Alex's Pakistan motorcycle toursSupport the hostel with this GoFundMe campaignGoing Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the...

Welcome back to season 12! Today, we're digging into what you can expect from us going forward, our thoughts on the kind of place we're building in our corner of the internet, and how you can join us. I'll also share 5 reasons to join our reader- and audience-supported community, including getting on a monthly group call with Yulia every First Friday of the month.Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Going Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Welcome back to season 12! Going Places features weekly interviews with people near and far who make our world better. At the core of it, it's about cultivating hope. And we need that feeling of hope more than ever right now.Here's a preview of who you're going to meet in Season 12:Natasha Hakimi Zapata, an award-winning journalist who wrote a book called Another World is Possible: Lessons for America from Across the WorldAlex Reynolds, a traveler building a radically different hostel in Pakistan's Ishkoman ValleyMarie Ostblom from Stockholm Archipelago Trail reminding us about the human right to roam and why we should not be afraid of the forestToday, I have a BIG announcement to make. We just launched Going Places as a reader-supported platform. On it, we feature Indigenous art collectives in Algeria and Quechua language guardians from Peru to center and celebrate Indigenous voices and build bridges, not walls.Reader-supported means that you can be in community with us on this journey. Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month and get the perks like getting on a group call with Yulia every month to ask questions, get advice, and be in community with each other.Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Going Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: our new season returns next week! Today, we're speaking with Janine Jervis, a dear friend who's worked for Visit Jordan for 17 years and who currently serves as their North American Communications Director.Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. The last day to join our trip is Friday, April 18th.Original Air Date: Jan 24, 2024.What you'll learn in this episode:Janine's extensive experience in the travel and tourism industryWhat Janine's initial perceptions of Jordan wereThe ongoing tragedy in Gaza and its impact on Jordan's mood and tourism industryThe role of tourism in supporting local communities and economiesJanine tells us about the women in Jordan who are making a positive impact in Jordan and the regionJanine and Yulia reflect on the hospitality of Bedouin communities in Wadi RumFeatured on the show:Connect with Janine on LinkedInRead Janine's Visit Jordan blog, Falling in Love with JordanLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, I'm sharing with you perhaps one of my most personal stories. It was published in AFAR Magazine in 2022. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. The last day to join our trip is Friday, April 18th.Original Air Date: July 5, 2023.Featured on the show:AFAR: In Barcelona for Vacation and Fertility TreatmentLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Nikki Vargas, a senior editor at Fodor's Travel, founder of Unearth Women, and author of "Call You When I Land." In this travel memoir, Nikki shares her experiences navigating cultures and finding love.Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. The last day to join our trip is Friday, April 18th.Original Air Date: Feb 21, 2024.What you'll learn in this episode:How the memoir writing process differs from other non-fictionAre books easier to write than articles?How Nikki overcame self-doubt and fear in the writing processNikki shares practical strategies for tackling a writing projectRecognizing the privilege of travel How Nikki's work supports women in travel, amplifying their voices through conscious consumerismHighlighting women making a difference, like Manal Kahi's Eat Offbeat.Nikki's upcoming book project inspired by a trip to NorwayFeatured on the show:Check out Nikki's travel memoir, CALL YOU WHEN I LANDNikki's book Instagram: @callyouwhenilandNikki Vargas website: nikkivargas.comNikki's Instagram: @niknakvargasEat OffBeat: eatoffbeat.comPitch your story idea to FodorsReview Fodor's pitch guidelinesListen to Episode 87: The Driving Force Behind Unearth Women with Nikki VargasLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a...

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Algerian-French language coach Feriel Temmar, who is based in Paris. Feriel was born in Algeria, grew up in London, West Africa, and New York, and worked in Canada before leaving it all behind and starting over in France. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. The last day to join our trip is Friday, April 18th.Original Air Date: Oct 21, 2020.What you'll learn in this episode:Growing up in a multicultural homeHow moving to New York was not as fabulous as it soundsWhy Feriel chose to pursue the path of “a real job,” inspired by her father's career at the United NationsHow Feriel's now-beloved-career started by a questionHow “fake it till you make it” is the advice that worked really well for FerielThe secret to a successful—and sustainable(!)—freelancing careerFeatured on the show:Follow Feriel on Instagram | @ferielisalanguagecoachConnect with Feriel on LinkedInLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Katalina Mayorga, the founder of El Camino Travel, a travel community for women with a passion for culture.Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. The last day to join our trip is Friday, April 18th.Original Air Date: Oct 7, 2020.What you'll learn in this episode:Growing up in a bilingual Colombian-American immigrant familyWhat taught Katalina to be vocal from an early ageThe pressure of success as an immigrant in the USKatalina's human rights activism in Latin America and D.C.How Katalina disrupted a major coffee corporation during her college yearsThe danger of the American DreamHappiness in Nicaragua versus the United StatesWhat it was like building El Camino TravelWhat being a global citizen means to Katalina Featured on the show:Follow Katalina on Instagram | @theyoufinderCheck out El Camino Travel Learn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Chicago-based journalist and photographer Karthika Gupta. Her work has been featured in Vogue, BBC Travel, USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodors, AFAR, Travel & Leisure, Robb Report, and more. Karthika is also the founder of Culturally Ours, a platform dedicated to promoting cultural understanding and celebrating global diversity. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. The last day to join our trip is Friday, April 18th.Original Air Date: Feb 28, 2024.What you'll learn in this episode:Meet a sustainable farm by one of the smallest tribal nations in CaliforniaThe flower markets of MumbaiThe misconceptions about traveling to the Middle East How Karthika travels with her two children Featured on the show:Read Karthika's Vogue Story, How One of the Smallest Tribal Nations in the U.S. Is Redefining Sustainable Living Follow Karthika on Instagram: @karthikaguptaListen to Episode 07: You're Good Enough To Do This Work with Karthika Gupta Learn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Sarah Munir, a journalist and tech executive who split her time between Karachi and New York before moving back to Karachi full-time. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. Original Air Date: Oct 13, 2021.What you'll learn in this episode:Sarah's philosophy: your life is always a work in progressSarah's principle of failing forwardShuttling between New York and KarachiWhy your passion and career don't have to be the same thingSarah's lessons from a career in media and journalismWhy women enjoy sex (and other things) more as they age Featured on the show:Follow Sarah on Instagram ​​@sarahmunirLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Lola Akinmade Åkerström, an award-winning storyteller, travel photographer, writer, creator, TED speaker, and multi-book author. She's a Hasselblad Heroine and she runs the Stockholm-based travel consultancy, Geotraveler Media and the Geotraveler Media Academy. In this episode, Lola shares how the manuscript for her novel was rejected 70 times (that's right, seven-zero!) before being picked up and how the book is now out with four different publishers. We cover pitching, rejections, and being prepared when National Geographic comes knocking on your door. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. Original Air Date: Aug 18, 2021.What you'll learn in this episode:Lola shares the story behind one of her most memorable photographsWhy Lola defines herself as a multipotentialiteLola's advice for those reliant on a job but eager to make the transition to full-time creative work: find anchor clientsTips for navigating rejection during the pitching processHow to stop putting yourself in a box and live beyond the expectations of others; the power of asking “why not?”Why blindly following trends is like trying to swim in a raging sea; be a surferLola speaks candidly about the challenges she has encountered on her journeyWhy Lola believes that comparison does not benefit creative entrepreneursFeatured on the show:Follow Lola on Instagram | @lolaakinmadeFollow Lola on LinkedIn | Lola ÅkerströmCheck out Lola's website at akinmade.comLearn more about Geotraveler Media AcademyWatch Lola's TED Talk, The power of asking "Why not?" Order Lola's book, In Every Mirror She's Black on AmazonLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and...

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Emy Rodriguez, a freelance journalist from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. His writing has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Fodors, and many more magazines. Emy currently lives in Barcelona, Spain, which is how we initially connected. In this episode, Emy shares his experiences as an immigrant in Barcelona and navigating the challenges and joys of living in a new country. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. Original Air Date: Oct 11, 2023.What you'll learn in this episode:The impact of AI on the writing industryHow being part of the LGBTQ+ community influences Emy's writingPersonal perspective versus objectivity in travel writingDispelling misconceptions about the Middle EastThe vibrant creative scene in Amman, JordanYulia and Emy reflect on the privilege of being able to travelWhat it was like for Emy to relocate to BarcelonaFeatured on the show:Follow Emy on Instagram @emyrodriguezRead Emy's article in Condé Nast Traveler, Returning to My Hometown in Puerto Rico, Where I'd Struggled to Come Out as a TeenagerRead Emy's article in AFAR Magazine, What It's Like to Be a Queer Traveler in the Middle EastLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by

Today, we're speaking with Vanessa Abbe, a travel advisor who joined me on my trip to Jordan last October. In this conversation, which we had live on Instagram recently, I wanted to hear her take on what it's like traveling in the country right now. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. What you'll learn in this episode:How Vanessa approached the safety question of traveling to JordanGaining a new perspective on the region through long conversationsThe impact of tourism cancelations on Jordan's tourism communityWhat it's like traveling in proximity to PalestineMeeting the people of Jordan: an Ammani photographer, a sustainable farmer in Madaba, the Bedouins of Wadi RumWhy hospitality looks like home-cooked meals in JordanWhy Petra By Night was one of the top experiences for VanessaWhat Vanessa has to say to someone considering going to JordanFeatured on the show:Follow Vanessa on Instagram: @adventures_vkabbeLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today's episode is a field guide for traveling to Jordan in 2025. We'll answer urgent questions about travel safety in Jordan, look at some of the most incredible places in Jordan you shouldn't miss, and hear from our past travelers who went to Jordan with me last fall. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here. Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. What you'll learn in this episode:Is it safe to travel to Jordan in 2025? Flight disruptions and cancellations in JordanFive places in Jordan that you should not missHow to get a different perspective on the Middle EastLiving close to nature versus an urbanized way of lifeWhat do The Dune, The Star Wars, and The Martian have in commonHow a stranger paid for our meal in JordanGoing Places travelers share their experience of traveling to JordanFeatured on the show:Follow Rum Planet Camp on Instagram: @rum.planet.campFollow Carob House on Instagram: @carob.houseCheck out my Condé Nast Traveler story, In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits Travel's ReturnCheck out my profile of Jordan in AFAR's Where To Go In 2025 listCheck out this Jordan Times article about the receding of the Dead SeaLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May hereGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by

Today, we're meeting Dana Barqawi, a multidisciplinary artist and urban planner based in Amman, Jordan. Dana's stunning multimedia work challenges colonial narratives and explores Indigenous identities and aspects of womanhood and community.Growing up with women who painted, sewed, designed, and made art, Dana has a long-standing fascination with detail. She works from a workshop studio in Jabal al Weibdeh - one of my favorite neighborhoods in Amman – fusing elements of painting, photography, and applied materials like gold leaves and beads in her politically and socially engaged artwork. Reminder: this May, you can join my 10-day group trip to Jordan where we'll meet artists like Dana and see their art. Get more details here.What you'll learn in this episode:Dana's path from architecture and urban planning to socially engaged artThe main element in Dana's artThe stories behind Dana's latest exhibit, (Re)Narrate: A Visual Commentary on Colonial Narratives in the Levant & AfricaHow the Black Panther movement in the US is connected to the Palestinian liberation struggleFeatured on the show:Follow Dana on Instagram: @dana_barqawiLearn more about Dana's work on her websiteCheck out the (Re)Narrate exhibit Shop Dana's art postersGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today, I'm sharing with you a conversation that is going to be quite different from anything we've done on the show to date. We're going to do a studio visit to meet a dear friend, a renowned calligrapher, artist, and designer Hussein Alazaat who lives and works in Amman, Jordan. Hussein is the founder of Elharf Studio, a platform showcasing rare books, design products, and sources of Arab visual inspiration. Most recently, Hussein worked on a project of re-designing the Jordanian currency.Hussein also teaches calligraphy workshops and travelers joining my 10-day group trip to Jordan this May 2025 will be able to meet him in person. The trip is now open and you can get more details here.What you'll learn in this episode:The ancient civilization that made gods for people in the regionThe origins of the world's first alphabetWhy Hussein is obsessed with coins Why a letter is a universe in itselfHow Hussein aims to preserve the vast trove of Arab cultural heritageFeatured on the show:Follow Hussein on Instagram: @hussein_alazaatFollow Elharf on Instagram: @elharfhouseLearn more about Hussein on his websiteCheck out the Beautiful Book Trove projectRead the article based on this interview, Guardian of CultureGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today, we're continuing part two of our conversation with Justine Abigail Yu, a Filipina-Canadian storyteller, community builder, and activist. Justine is the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home but has roots elsewhere.Get 20% off of any issue of the Living Hyphen magazine with code GOINGPLACES at the Living Hyphen online store. The beautifully produced magazine features artists and writers from all across Canada hailing from over 30 ethnicities, religions, and Indigenous nations who explore various themes of this multi-hyphenated identity in a collection of poetry, prose, photography, and visual art. Announcement: my 10-day group trip to Jordan in May 2025 is now open! Get more details here.What you'll learn in this episode:Seeing nature as a deity, rather than a resourceHow Indigenous languages shape our worldviewLearning Chuvash languageWhat radical imagination looks like to Justine Growing up in the Filipino diaspora in Canada Filipino identity versus Philippines as a placeHow we process our identity and look for belongingWeaving complexityFeatured on the show:Follow Justine on Instagram: @justineabigailFollow Living Hyphen on Instagram: @livinghyphenLearn more about Justine on her websiteFollow the work of Living HyphenCheck out the Living Hyphen podcastRead Justine's 3DR newsletterCheck out Dismantling The Master's Tools by Mathura MahendrenRead Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall KimmererGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to...

Welcome back to the show and welcome to 2025! Thank you for being with us all throughout this season.Today, we're talking with Justine Abigail Yu, the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home but who has roots elsewhere.Justine is a Filipina-Canadian and in our conversation, we discuss identity and belonging in the diaspora communities, radical imagination, and storytelling as a soft landing. This conversation was so big and important that we're breaking it into two equally powerful parts. In the next two episodes, Justine shares with us a healing and hopeful way to approach the new year.Get 20% off of any issue of the Living Hyphen magazine with code GOINGPLACES at the Living Hyphen online store. The beautifully produced magazine features artists and writers from all across Canada hailing from over 30 ethnicities, religions, and Indigenous nations who explore various themes of this multi-hyphenated identity in a collection of poetry, prose, photography, and visual art. Announcement: my 10-day group trip to Jordan in May 2025 is now open! Get more details here.What you'll learn in this episode:Growing up in between culturesConnecting the dots between local and global strugglesWhy travel is an inherently political actExpanding the idea of what activism looks likeHow Justine holds multiple truths at the same timeHow Vent Diagrams can help us with the complexity of the worldThe origin of Turtle Island and the power of wordsThe practice of pleasure activismFeatured on the show:Follow Justine on Instagram: @justineabigailFollow Living Hyphen on Instagram: @livinghyphenLearn more about Justine on her websiteFollow the work of Living HyphenCheck out the Living Hyphen podcastRead Justine's 3DR newsletterCheck out Vent Diagrams on Instagram: @vent_diagramsRead Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brownGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple...

Today, we're talking with Eliot Stein, a journalist, writer, book author, and deputy editor at BBC Travel. Eliot and I first got to know each other through our shared passion for stories that reveal something about a place through the lens of tradition and unique cultural practices.Eliot has edited a few of my stories at BBC Travel, where he started a column called Custom Made that highlights cultural custodians preserving vanishing customs. Eliot's book, Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, is now available.Original Air Date: Feb 14, 2024.What you'll learn in this episode:Writing "The Last Surviving Sea Silk Seamstress" for BBC TravelHow to build relationships and trust with people you're reporting onHow traditions shape places and peopleGoing beyond tourist attractionsEliot and I discuss changing reading habits Eliot's book "Custodians of Wonder" is now availableHow Eliot's journalism background set him up for the process of writing a bookThe intense commitment required to write a bookEliot gives advice to aspiring authors and shares resources like the Writer's Digest conferenceThe story behind a photo featuring traditional soy sauce production in JapanFeatured on the show:Eliot's book, Custodians of Wonder, is now available wherever books are soldFollow Eliot on Instagram: @eliot.steinRead Eliot's article on BBC Travel: The last surviving sea silk seamstressLearn about the Barrel-aged soy sauce, also available online at trf-ny.comPitch your book idea: writersdigestconference.comRead the BBC Travel author briefGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world....

Today on the show, we're traveling to Scandinavia because it's almost Christmas time.The holiday season is probably my favorite time to be in this region. I grew up in Estonia, a small country just south of Finland that, while not technically part of Scandinavia, has strong cultural ties with the Nordic countries. In my childhood, these Nordic ways to celebrate Christmas were common and today, I'm sharing these traditions with you from a story I did for Fodor's Travel called 12 Strange Things You Didn't Know About Nordic Christmas.Plus: as a special bonus, my very own AI clone, which I created just for this story, makes an appearance.What you'll learn in this episode:Growing up with Nordic Christmas traditionsThe pagan roots of ChristmasMeet Nordic Christmas characters: Grýla, Bjúgnakrækir, and JoulupukkiWhat Christmas feasts look like across ScandinaviaThe Finnish tradition of Christmas Sauna Featured on the show:Read my Fodor's article, 12 Strange Things You Didn't Know About Nordic ChristmasCheck out the Descript app Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Firas Zreik is a Palestine-born, NY-based composer and player of Kanun, a traditional Arabic string instrument. He has performed and recorded in varied styles including Arabic Maqam and jazz and collaborated with many international artists such as Residente, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Shreya Ghoshal, and others. His debut EP "Solo" came out in 2021 and his most recent release is a 2023 full-length album called "Salute.”Take a journey with us today to the land of Kanun, the Arabic tradition of Maqam, and world music.What you'll learn in this episode:Understanding the Kanun and its historyMaqam: the language of Arabic musicHow colonization and racism show up in the music worldGrowing up Palestinian and second-class citizen in Haifa and GalileeWhat it was like collaborating with Grammy-winning artist ResidenteThe role of artists and activism in the Palestinian causeFiras tackles the question of diasporaFeatured on the show:Opening credit: Prelude to Salute by Firas ZreikSee Firas play Kanun in my three other favorite compositions:Fields of FigsShamsLullaby for NatureListen to the song dedicated to the children of Gaza, in collab with Residente Learn more about Firas on his website Follow Firas on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at

Ric Gazarian is an avid traveler who has visited all seven continents and 181 countries on his quest to visit every country in the world. He is also the host of the popular long-format podcast Counting Countries and the founder of the Extraordinary Travel Festival. Travel with us to some of the world's lesser-known places like Abkhazia and Mauritania and hear what Ric learned about humanity by visiting 181 countries. What you'll learn in this episode:Chasing 193: the quest to visit every country in the worldExploring Abkhazia, a de-facto nation between Georgia and RussiaThe hospitality of the Caucasus regionDesert life in Mauritania and riding the Iron Ore trainThe Amazigh culture, identity, and quest for self-determination (why you shouldn't call them Berbers)The nature of borders and national identityHow we should think about visiting countries with inhumane recordWhy Ric founded the Extraordinary Travel FestivalWhat Ric learned about humanity from visiting 181 countriesFeatured on the show:Check out Ric's podcast, Counting CountriesCheck out Ric's blog, Global GazLearn more about the Extraordinary Travel FestFollow Ric on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Aisana Ashim is a Kazakh journalist and civil movement activist. She is the founder and head of the independent media agency The Village Kazakhstan, and the co-founder of Masa Media, a political education project. In 2021, Aisana launched Batyr Jamal, an independent media platform aimed at empowering women and girls in Kazakhstan, with educational resources focused on their rights, safety, and self-worth.Get ready to learn more about Kazakhstan and Almaty, the city I was born in, through one of its most prominent voices today.What you'll learn in this episode:Aisana's path to founding independent mediaLearning about Kazakhstan's history and geographyThe legacy of colonization in KazakhstanThe state of women's rights in Kazakhstan and the parallels Aisana sees in the USCan journalists be activists too?How our work can fit into the current landscape in the world Aisana's favorite places in Almaty and KazakhstanFeatured on the show:Watch Qazaq Tili, a documentary about the Soviet erasure of the Kazakh language and culture (English subtitles)Learn more about the ancient Kazakh warrior queen, TomirisLearn more about the unrest in Almaty in 2022Learn more about the role of radio in Rwanda's genocideRead Yulia's BBC Travel article about KazakhstanFollow Aisana on InstagramFollow Village Kazakhstan on InstagramFollow Masa Media on InstagramFollow Batyr Jamal on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down

Evita Turquoise Robinson is an Emmy award-winning storyteller who tells and amplifies stories about the BIPOC communities worldwide. She's also the founder of NOMADNESS Travel Tribe — a community of 40,000 Black and brown travelers worldwide with its own festival, the Nomadness Fest. Laugh, cry, and tune in with us as we unpack what it means to create in this time of poly crisis on Earth.Evita has spoken from multiple stages, including TEDx, and she uses the stages she's built to amplify messaging, use data storytelling, and pass the mic to those doing the work. But right now, Evita is embarking on a new phase in her journey, bringing her back home to herself and her roots as a storyteller, writer, and filmmaker.What you'll learn in this episode:our journeys to motherhood and love as we both turn 40what we can do to take agency of our fertilitygoing through a phase of rebirth in Egyptwhat outliving your dream looks likewhy we need insanity to get our creative visions into the world why we both love the desertwhy storytelling is urgently needed nowspeaking up for PalestineFeatured on the show:Check out Evita's Egypt filmCheck out Evita's Emmy-award-winning Palm Springs episodeLearn more about Evita's work on her website Learn more about NOMADNESS Tribe and NOMADNESS FestFollow Evita on InstagramSign Travel Industry For Palestine petitionGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC...

Today, stories matter more than ever. This season on Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk, we travel across the world to bring you imaginative stories about the people we meet: from the journalist fighting for women's rights in Kazakhstan to the man who believes borders are but a fiction and the Finnish keeper of ancient sauna traditions. Get to know incredible places and the people that call them home–and get closer to understanding all the wonderful, awe-inspiring parts of humanity.Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today, we travel to the heart of Wadi Rum Desert in Southern Jordan with Ahmad Mara'yeh, a Bedouin man and co-founder of Rum Planet Camp.In this episode, Ahmad shares why understanding the local culture and connecting with its community is as vital as experiencing its landscapes.We also touch on the impact of tourism on Wadi Rum and how Ahmad has incorporated sustainable practices into his family's camp. You'll also hear about his experience meeting Matt Damon in the desert.Original Air Date: Oct 3, 2023.Featured on the show:Last chance to join me this Fall on a 10-day trip to JordanFollow Rum Planet Camp on Instagram @rum.planet.campRead my article in AFAR Magazine, Heading to Jordan? Skip the Bubble Tent and Stay Here Instead.Learn more about Lindsay's projects Dance Afrikana and The New Red BookGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.Our theme music this season, Abbad El Shams, is provided by Rawan Roshni, a Palestinian/Balkan singer based in Jordan.

Today, we're speaking with Lindsay Gary, a Houston-based professor-scholar, multi-disciplinary artivist, and social entrepreneur on a mission to educate, connect, and empower the African diaspora in the US.In this episode, Lindsay talks about staying true to your purpose, finding time in our busy days to dedicate to what matters, and the value of asking important questions as a method for finding our paths forward. It's what has led her on her journey in becoming a choreographer, educator, founder of a nonprofit, and artist. Original Air Date: Feb 24, 2021.Featured on the show:Join me this Fall on a 10-day trip to JordanFollow Lindsay on Instagram @doctor_lindsCheck out Lindsay's website Learn more about Lindsay's projects Dance Afrikana and The New Red BookGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

In today's episode, I speak to Khadija Farah, a travel and documentary photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya. Khadija's work appears in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Guardian and more.Khadija is a member of Inland Stories, an international cooperative of long-term documentary photographers. Her work is part of the 2020 Lit List by Authority Collective, Women Photograph, Diversify Photo, and World Press Photo's African Photojournalism Database (APJD). Khadija's projects includes In Bibi's Kitchen, a cookbook with recipes and stories from eight African nations for which she produced all on location images. Original Air Date: Nov 11, 2020.Featured on the show:Join me this Fall on a 10-day trip to JordanFollow Khadija on Instagram @farahkhadCheck out Khadija's website Learn more about In Bibi's Kitchen, a book of recipes and stories from the African continentGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Growing up in Mumbai with her extended family, Vibha Chokhani was destined to live a traditional lifestyle. Women in her life were married young and spent their days as homemakers, yet this path never felt right to her. First woman in her family to get divorced, to get a master degree, and to live in a foreign country, Vibha has learned how to step into the unknown and in this episode, she traces her journey of transformation and acting in spite of fear on a path that took her from India to the United States and back. Today, Vibha is a leadership and transformation coach based in Mumbai where she is supporting leaders worldwide to build capacity of “skillful human presence” in themselves in order to build capacity for their teams and organizations.Original Air Date: Oct 14, 2020.Featured on the show:Join me this Fall on a 10-day trip to JordanFollow Vibha on Instagram @vibhachokhani Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today on the show, we're exploring the idea of rest (including cognitive rest), how the US culture sees it differently from Europeans, and what the relationship is between rest and creativity. And stick around in the end for a special announcement. Featured on the show:Read the CNBC report on US attitudes toward vacationRead the Financial Times article, Europeans have more time, Americans more money. Which is better?Check out the 2023 World Happiness RankingsRead this article on the history of the 5-day workweekLearn more about cognitive rest from this Harvard Business Review articleCheck out what Lola Akinmade has to say about restGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Aziz Abu Sarah is a peace builder, cultural educator, entrepreneur, author and international speaker. He's also a Palestinian man who lost his brother to the Israeli soldiers and who is currently working with his Israeli partner, Maoz Inon, to imagine a new vision for both Palestinians and Israelis. If there is only one episode you will tune in to this season, let it be this one, because it will give you an idea of how to talk to people who don't have the same values as you when it comes to Palestine - Israel, one of the most important issues and injustices of our time.Aziz is a National Geographic Explorer and a TED Fellow who co-founded Mejdi Tours, a travel company that takes people to places like Palestine/Israel, Northern Ireland, and South Africa and presents multiple narratives about those places. His recent efforts with Maoz Inon include a Ted talk titled A Palestinian And Israeli, Face To Face, and meeting Pope Francis in time for the G7 Summit. What you'll learn in this episode:What it's like to meet with Pope FrancisHow Aziz stays engaged in the face of pain and lossA Palestinian and an Israeli joining forcesAziz tells the story of losing his brother and becoming a peacemakerWhat it's like living under the Israeli apartheid structureWhat Aziz wants people to see when they see PalestiniansThe power of poetry in Palestinian cultureMejdi Tours and the Dual Narrative methodSeeing beyond tourism stereotypes in EgyptThe asymmetry between Palestine and IsraelThe crux of Aziz's peacemaking approachMoving beyond pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli labelsFighting fear with hopeWhat the peacemaking vision in Palestine and Israel looks likeHow you can get involved in the peacemaking processWhy Aziz thinks hope is an actionFeatured on the show:Learn more about Aziz on his website Read Aziz's Ted Ideas story, How I Learned to Forgive My Brother's MurderersCheck out the Ted Talk by Aziz and Maoz, A Palestinian And An Israeli, Face To FaceRead Al Jazeera op-ed by Aziz and Maoz, When It Comes to Israel-Palestine, True Naivety Is Believing in Endless WarLearn more about Mejdi ToursLearn more about Land For AllGet involved at InterActLearn more about the Palestinian poet Samih al-QasimFollow Aziz Abu Sarah on InstagramFollow Maoz Inon on InstagramCheck out Aziz's book, Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler's Guide to World PeaceGet more information at: Going...

Beth Santos is a passionate entrepreneur and community builder who many women in the travel industry will recognize as the CEO and founder of Wanderful, an international collective of travelers and travel content creators on a mission to make travel better for all women. Beth is the author of WANDER WOMAN: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World (2024). In this conversation, we discuss the stories that make this book so special, the challenge of not only writing , but also marketing and promoting the book, breaking through the noise, and what we can do to reclaim our space as women in travel, a true majority in the travel industry that still gets treated as a niche.We also talk about AI and its impact to our fragile storytelling and media eco-system. I try to surprise Beth by asking my ChatGPT bot questions about Beth and her work and prompting the bot to impersonate Beth. What we learn about AI in the process is fascinating! What you'll learn in this episode:Beth reads an excerpt from Wander WomanThe challenge of writing a bookRethinking the traveler versus tourist narrative and the privilege of travelReclaiming our space as women in travelBook publicity and the fairy godmother complexYulia talks to AI about BethThe impact of AI on travel creatorsHow Wanderful plans to use AI Beth responds to ChatGPT impersonating BethIs there a digital space that is safe to build our businesses in?Celebrating 11 years of WanderfulBuilding one DEI table in travel Featured on the show:Learn more about Beth on her website Check out Beth's book, WANDER WOMAN: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the WorldLearn more about Wanderful, a community of travelers and content creators redefining travel for women worldwideGet your free solo travel guide from Wanderful Check out WITS, a conference for women in travelListen to Beth's podcast, The 85 PercentFollow Beth on InstagramFollow Wanderful on InstagramCheck out Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World, a book by Dr. Anu TaranathCheck out Black Travel AllianceCheck out Native Women WildernessGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at

Villain hitters. Fortune tellers. Bamboo cage makers. Meet the people keeping Hong Kong's traditions alive. Lindsay Varty is an author and former professional rugby player from Hong Kong who writes about Cantonese culture and history in an attempt to generate a greater love and understanding of her home for herself and her readers. So today on the show, we're traveling to Hong Kong with Lindsay and me. Lindsay is the author of several books including Hong Kong Slang, Welly the Wild Boar and the local best-seller, Sunset Survivors, which features a collection of photographs and interviews with local artisans who work in some of the city's oldest, most traditional trades.What you'll learn in this episode:Meet the keepers of some of Hong Kong's disappearing traditions like villain hitters, fortune tellers, and bamboo pole noodle makersWhy some Hong Kong artisans don't want more salesIs growth always good?What Hong Kong leaves behind when it moves forwardHong Kong's real estate problemHow to avoid the cliches of Hong KongLooking for identity and belonging as third-culture kidsHong Kong's walking tours with LindsayLindsay's upcoming book on third culture kidsFeatured on the show:Learn more about Lindsay's work on her website Check out Lindsay's book, Sunset SurvivorsFollow Lindsay on InstagramFollow Lindsay's Sunset Survivors project on InstagramCheck out VoiceMapCheck out The Impossible City: A Hong Kong Memoir by Karen CheungGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show

Today on the show, I'm sharing with you an episode that first came out last September, in which the table is turned on me and I am, for once, in the guest seat, as my friend and podcast producer Noelia Sanchez interviews me about Jordan, one of my favorite places on Earth.What you'll learn in this episode:The origin story of my relationship with Jordan Yulia's favorite places in JordanWhat people get wrong about Jordan and the Middle EastWhat first time travelers to Jordan should see and experience Yulia's group trip to Jordan in Oct 2024Original Air Date: Sep 20, 2023.Featured on the show:Join me this Fall on a 10-day trip to JordanRead my CN Traveler article about traveling to Jordan this yearCheck out Noelia's company, Noteworthy Lab Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Today on the show: Part 2 of our conversation with Nada Raphael, a journalist, storyteller, and traveler based in Beirut, who, together with her partner Joelle Sfeir has co-founded Tourleb, a socially responsible tour operator that aims to promote local, women-owned and family operated businesses while changing the narrative about Lebanon. This is Part 2 of our two-part episode.What you'll learn in this episode:The origins of Lebanon's joie de vivre, creativity, and resilienceHow Beirut is doing after the blast of 2020Why making plans in Lebanon is impossibleMust-see experiences for a first-time traveler to LebanonWhy Nada loves TripoliWalking the Lebanon Mountain TrailExploring Lebanon through dishes like kibbeh and freekehWomen traveling solo in LebanonFeatured on the show:Check out the TourLeb websiteNada's book, Hyphen Islam ChristianityJoe Sacco's Gaza comic bookWanderful's Lebanon chapter announcementFollow TourLeb on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Nada Raphael is a Lebanese journalist, storyteller, and traveler, who, together with her partner Joelle Sfeir has co-founded Tourleb, a socially responsible tour operator that aims to promote local, women-owned and family operated businesses while changing the narrative about Lebanon. Get ready to travel to Lebanon with Nada and me and dismantle some myths about it while we're at it. This is Part 1 of our two-part episode and next week, we'll share Part 2 of our Lebanon conversation with Nada.What you'll learn in this episode:The complex narratives and histories of LebanonHow Nada's book project led to the eventual launch of TourlebStarting a new kind of tourism in LebanonWhat the west gets wrong about the Middle East Nada unpacks the statement "It's complicated"Dispelling the myths and misconceptions about traveling to LebanonIs it safe to travel to Lebanon now?Featured on the show:Check out the TourLeb websiteNada's book, Hyphen Islam ChristianityJoe Sacco's Gaza comic bookWanderful's Lebanon chapter announcementFollow TourLeb on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Imani Bashir is a world-traveling storyteller, mother, and advocate who's lived in five countries across four continents, including Egypt, Poland, and Malaysia. Her work focuses on culturally immersive social media content highlighting various atrocities and initiatives to support marginalized communities worldwide. Get ready to be immersed in this important topic: how do we travel in a way that is generative (to use the term on everyone's minds right now), and not destructive?Imani has worked with The New York Times, Cosmo, The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, and many others. She just took on a new role as the director of communications at BEAM, which stands for Black Emotional And Mental Health collective.What you'll learn in this episode:Imani's experience of being a Black digital nomadHow living abroad shaped Imani's global citizenshipTraveling with kids & mom culture in the US and abroadTravel as a way to gain empathy for immigrantsTravel media industry's handling of GazaThe ethics of press tripsThe history of Black Islam in AmericaMisconceptions about IslamDid anything change since the murder of George Floyd?Featured on the show:Learn more about Imani on her website Read Imani's story, Life As a Black “Digital Nomad” Isn't the Same Read Imani's story, A Reflection on What It Means to Be a Black American MuslimCheck out the work of BEAMSign the Travel Industry For Palestine initiativeListen to the Upstream PodcastFollow Imani on TikTokFollow Imani on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by

Today, I'm sharing a story I wrote for Conde Nast Traveler called In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits Travel's Return. I traveled to Jordan this February amid the ongoing war on Gaza by the Israeli government. This story was the outcome of this trip. Featured on the show:Read Yulia's CN Traveler story, In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits Travel's ReturnListen to Episode 113, Palestine, Orientalism, and Solidary Movements with Matt Bowles on Apple Podcasts or SpotifySubscribe to Yulia's Going Places newsletter to get notified about Yulia's October group trip to JordanGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

If I could summarize this conversation with one phrase, it would be something Shannon said: “When people meet each other they find out that the other is not so other.”Shannon Stowell is the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, an organization for travel industry partners that believes travel can be a powerful force for good in the world. Shannon has spent over 30 years working in adventure travel, e-commerce, outdoor retail, and environmental science. Shannon and I met in person on a trip to Jordan this February, and we immediately connected around our shared belief about what travel could be. In this conversation, Shannon takes us to Kurdistan, an autonomous region in Northern Iraq, where Shannon traveled with his son in 2017. You'll learn about the meaning of the Kurdish saying “The Kurds have no friends but the mountains,” and what it feels like to visit the Yazidi sacred village of Lalish. We also discuss Shannon's must-see places for people like me who have already traveled a lot, the tomorrow's air initiative led by ATTA, why Shannon believes travel is a privilege, not a right, and what is a soft ambassador.What you'll learn in this episode:How Shannon defines adventure travelShannon's trip to Kurdistan in 2017What living off the grid in nature is likeWhat Maslow's hierarchy of needs has to do with modern depressionMust-see places for people who've already traveled a lotThe impact of media on destinationsMeeting the current moment: travelers' role in times of strifeThe story of “To kill a white person”What gives Shannon hope right nowFeatured on the show:Learn more about the Adventure Travel Trade AssociationCheck out Explore Mesopotamia tours in Iraqi KurdistanRead The New York Times story about KurdistanCheck out Shannon's book, Riding The Hula Hula to the Arctic OceanLearn more about the Tomorrow's Air initiativeFollow ATTA on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people

Welcome back to Going Places!Matt Bowles is a veteran location-independent entrepreneur and host of The Maverick Show. I recently sat down with Matt to do a two-part series for his show. Matt has been doing activism work in solidarity with the Palestinian movement for the past 25 years, and in this conversation, we cover how he and I first became aware of the Palestinian struggle and movement, Orientalism, the asymmetry of power, the student encampments currently taking over the US and the world, what activism inside solidarity movements looks like, and more. If you like this conversation with Matt, head to the Maverick Show to listen to the full two-part interview series we did on his feed. What you'll learn in this episode:Matt's story: joining the Palestinian solidarity movementWhat Orientalism looks likeHow the asymmetry of power is related to injustices around the worldMultiple ways to become an activistFeatured on the show:Listen to The Maverick Show's episodes with Yulia: Episode 282: Growing up in the Soviet Union, Traveling Through Africa, and Falling in Love with Jordan and Episode 283: The “Travel Industry for Palestine” Petition, Unpacking Orientalism, and Writing Great Travel StoriesVisit Travel Industry For Palestine to learn moreFollow Matt on InstagramGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Welcome back to Going Places! We're speaking to Jen Ruiz, a lawyer turned full-time travel writer, blogger, and content creator. Jen is a 5-time Amazon bestselling author, 3x TEDx speaker, and 4-time award-winning journalist. She is also the solo female traveler behind Jen on a Jet Plane, with an audience of over 350,000 social media followers. In this conversation, Jen and I discuss dating while traveling, our strategies for finding a partner for life, why we don't want to put all our eggs into one basket as entrepreneurs, and what passive income streams Jen is currently working on. Jen will also share her approach to achieving so many incredible accomplishments in the span of several years, like self-publishing a book, becoming a TEDx speaker, and getting a book deal based on an article she wrote 5 years ago. The book in question, 12 Trips in 12 Months is available to pre-order!What you'll learn in this episode:Jen's story: Giving Up Dating to Travel the WorldThe evolution of travel journalismChallenges and opportunities in monetizing travel journalismHow Jen is diversifying her income streamsNavigating the volatility of freelancingFinding love and building relationships as a digital nomadFeatured on the show:Jen's book, 12 Trips In 12 Months, is available to pre-order now!Check out Jen's story, Giving Up Dating to Travel the WorldGet Jen's free list of 17 flight alert websites and apps to get notified of flight deals (business class, too!) Jen's Ted Talks: The Power of Flying Solo; Why Can't We Be Friends?; Remote Work FreedomCheck out the Jen On A Jet Plane websiteFollow Jen on InstagramFollow Jen on TikTokFollow Jen on FacebookGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by...

Welcome back to Season 10 of Going Places, everyone! I'm your host Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel photographer, writer, storyteller, community builder, podcaster, filmmaker, educator, and entrepreneur working on stories from around the world for top global publications, traveling to places like Botswana and the Arctic Circle, and producing stories about people that live and work in those places that I'm excited about.Going Places is my show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far. We hope to foster a space for real conversations to occur as we celebrate humanity in all its forms and hope to build bridges, rather than walls, with our work. How does one move through the world in this moment in time? This will be the central question we will explore on the show this season. How do we stay engaged with the world that has so much injustice and pain in it? How can we, through our individual actions, improve the situation around us? How do we stay open to the joys of travel while recognizing how our political and societal structures impact, and often oppress others? These are all complex questions that I don't have an answer to. But I am inviting a host of smart and kind people on the show to help me tackle them.Thank you so much for listening and stay tuned for the first episode coming to you next week!Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Welcome back to Going Places, everyone! This season on the show, we learned about Bedouin hospitality, heard from Ammani artists on Gaza, traveled to Italy in search of the world's rarest silk, and more.I hope you enjoyed the new show format - and if you did, please take a moment to leave us a rating or a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify. I appreciate it! This episode and the entire season of the show are brought to you by Visit Jordan. Be sure to visit myjordanjourney.com to learn more about Jordan. I loved partnering with this organization because, as you know, I love the country of Jordan so much, and I loved the opportunity to talk about it at length. Today is our last episode and we're going on a short hiatus, but before we do, I want to leave you with final thoughts on whether or not travel can change the world. This episode will talk about and reflect upon my latest trip to Jordan in February 2024.Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.Our theme music this season, Abbad El Shams, is provided by Rawan Roshni, a Palestinian/Balkan singer based in Jordan.

Welcome back to Going Places! Today, we have a conversation with Amelia Bilbasi, co-founder of Maida Olive Oil, known as Onsuri Olive Oil in North America. Amelia produces one of the world's most premium olive oils on a farm deep inside a Jordanian desert. Tasting this olive oil, designated ultra premium quality, a coveted grade only 5 percent of the world's olive oil producers meet, has opened my eyes and my palette to what quality olive oil should taste like. Olive oil is central to Jordanian culture, and today, Amelia and her team are well on their way to elevating its status worldwide. To get the taste of this incredible oil, head to onsurioliveoil.com. And be sure to use code GOINGPLACES, all caps, to get 10 percent off your purchase. Onsuri ships free to North America. This episode and the entire season is brought to you by Visit Jordan. Be sure to visit myjordanjourney.com to learn more about Jordan.What you'll learn in this episode:Significance of olive oil in Jordanian cultureHow ONSURI became a top olive oil producerHow to tell if the extra virgin olive oil is of high qualityChallenges affecting olive oil production (e.g., climate change)Traditional vs. modern approaches in agricultureThe role of women in olive oil productionWhere olive trees come fromCultural significance of olive oil in the Middle EastSustainability practices on Amelia's farmONSURI's environmental sustainability efforts (it's carbon-negative)Amelia's journey to becoming an olive oil sommelierBenefits and versatility of extra virgin olive oil in cooking and bakingVarieties of olive oil offered by Onsuri and their recommended usesTours and visits to Onsuri Farm for travelers What it's like for Amelia to be a part of her father's dream Featured on the show:To get a taste of this incredible oil, head to onsurioliveoil.com and use code GOINGPLACES to get 10% off your purchase. Onsuri ships free to North America!Get more information at: Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com. Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel...

Join us in this episode in conversation with Chicago-based travel journalist and photographer Karthika Gupta. Her work has been featured in Vogue, BBC Travel, USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler. Fodor.s, AFAR, Travel and Leisure, Rob Report, and more. Karthika is also the founder of Culturally Ours, a platform dedicated to promoting cultural understanding and celebrating global diversity.In this episode, Karthika and I cover great distances. We travel to the flower markets of Mumbai, the deserts of Jordan, and the sustainable farm run by one of the smallest tribal nations in California. Karthika shares with us the backstory to her latest work for Vogue magazine, the motivation that enables her to keep pitching her beautiful stories and get published in places like Vogue, AFAR, and others, and how knowing people from places we visit can exponentially increase our understanding of the world.We also discuss the misconceptions about traveling to the Middle East and why traveling with her two children is Karthika's favorite way of learning something new about herself and others. Discover the motivation behind her compelling stories and her insights on how connecting with locals can deepen our understanding of the world.This episode and the entire season of the show is brought to you by Visit Jordan. Be sure to visit myjordanjourney.com to learn more about this beautiful place.Get full show notes and more information at: https://www.goingplacesmedia.com Want to know how to publish your travel stories? Download my free guide in which I share with you the 10 steps to take now to get your work out into the world.For more BTS of this podcast follow @travelmedialabNeed support and accountability? Join our Facebook group!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @travelmedialab!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Travel Media Lab or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Travel Media Lab with Yulia Denisyuk is a podcast about people and places that make our world a fascinating place to be. Each week, we bring you stories from places near and far and sit down with the world's most exciting travelers, journalists, creators, and people working in the travel space. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer working with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about Travel Media Lab at travelmedialab.co.Mentioned in this episode:Visit JordanThis episode and the rest of this season are brought to you by Visit Jordan. Jordan is a beautiful country in the Middle East that has something for everyone: in a relatively small area, it packs diverse landscapes like the Mediterranean forests of Ajloun, deep canyons in Wadi Dana, the Mars-like desert of Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. Let Jordan be your host for your Middle Eastern adventures. Go to Visit Jordan to learn more.Visit Jordan

Welcome back to Going Places! Today, I'm thrilled to reconnect with Nikki Vargas, a remarkable individual whose journey continues to inspire. Nikki, a senior editor at Fodor's Travel and the founder of Unearthed Women joins me to discuss her latest book, "Call You When I Land." In this captivating travel memoir, Nikki shares her profound experiences navigating different cultures, finding love, and discovering herself along the way. Throughout our conversation, Nikki sheds light on the transformative power of travel and its ability to shape our personal journeys and our careers. We discuss the unique role travelers play in supporting the communities they visit, echoing Nikki's commitment to championing women's voices worldwide. From her experiences founding Unearthed Women to her latest book project, Nikki's wisdom and passion for exploration shine through, offering listeners a fresh perspective on the intersection of travel, self-discovery, and advocacy."Call You When I Land" is out now and promises readers a captivating exploration of wanderlust, resilience, and pursuing one's dreams. Whether you're an avid traveler or simply curious about the world, Nikki's story will surely resonate. This episode and the entire season is brought to you by Visit Jordan. Be sure to visit myjordanjourney.com to learn more about Jordan.What you'll learn in this episode:Introduction and overview of Nikki's new book, "Call You When I Land."Excerpt reading and discussion of pivotal moments from the bookComparison of the writing process between Nikki's first book, "Wanderess," and her memoir, "Call You When I Land."Challenges and rewards of book writing compared to articlesOvercoming self-doubt and fears in the writing processPractical strategies for tackling a writing projectThe influence of Nikki's career as a travel journalist and editor on her book writingThe power of memoirs and travel narratives in inspiring transformationRecognizing the privilege of travel and finding accessible ways to exploreSupporting women in travel and amplifying their voices through conscious consumerismHighlighting stories of everyday women making a difference in their communities, like Manal Kahi's Eat Offbeat.Importance of authenticity in social media, particularly TikTokBalancing personal life milestones with professional endeavorsNikki's upcoming book project inspired by a trip to NorwayInvitation to join Nikki on her book tour and connect in personFeatured on the show:Order Nikki's travel memoir, CALL YOU WHEN I LANDNikki's book Instagram: @callyouwhenilandNikki Vargas website: nikkivargas.comNikki's Instagram: @niknakvargasNikki's Twitter: @MsNikkiVargasCatch up with Nikki on her book tour. Follow Nikki on Tiktok: @authornikkivargasEat OffBeat:

Today, we'll learn about the story of the world's rarest silk with writer, editor, and now book author Eliot Stein. Eliot and I first got to know each other through our shared passion for the types of stories that reveal something about a place through the lens of tradition and unique cultural practices.Eliot has edited a few of my stories at BBC Travel, where he currently serves as the deputy editor, and where he started a column called Custom Made that highlights cultural custodians preserving vanishing customs. Eliot has recently completed a book inspired by this column that will be published this fall.This conversation has given me a sense of joy and lightness that I haven't felt in a while. You're going to hear about our shared passion for telling stories about people preserving cultural traditions, like the last remaining sea silk seamstress in Sardinia and Japan's craft soy sauce brewer who still makes shoyu in a traditional way. We also discuss what the book writing process was like for Eliot and hear more about his upcoming book. If you want to learn more about Eliot and receive updates on his upcoming book, follow him on Instagram @Eliot.Stein.This episode and the entire season is brought to you by Visit Jordan. Be sure to visit myjordanjourney.com to learn more about Jordan.What you'll learn in this episode:Discussion about the story "The Last Surviving Sea Silk Seamstress" for BBC TravelImportance of highlighting the person, tradition, and craft rather than the writerInsight into the process of building relationships and trust with subjects for storytellingImportance of traditions in shaping places and peopleRecognition of the depth beyond tourist attractionsDiscussion on changing reading habits and the impact on storytellingMultifaceted approaches to storytelling in the digital ageEliot's upcoming book "Custodians of Wonder"Eliot's background in travel journalism and its influence on the bookThe labor of love and intense commitment required to write a bookAdvice for aspiring authors: prioritize passion over monetary or personal gainsResources and opportunities for aspiring authors, such as the Writer's Digest conferenceStory behind a photo featuring traditional soy sauce production in JapanImportance of clear pitching guidelines for democratizing travel journalismHope in the power of travel journalism to foster empathy and understanding across culturesFeatured on the show:Follow Eliot on Instagram: @eliot.steinRead Eliot's article on BBC Travel: The last surviving sea silk seamstressLearn about the Barrel-aged soy sauce, also available online at trf-ny.comPitch your book idea: writersdigestconference.comRead the BBC Travel author briefGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow