Learn what Afghanistan is like now, how to become fluent in 5 languages & get tips on being a more ethical traveler.

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In Part 2 of this interview Sibu Szymanowska shares her journey becoming a digital nomad and founding “Go Global with Sibu”. She tells stories from her journey traveling overland across 9 countries in Africa using public transportation. Sibu also shares her experience traveling to Pakistan and then choosing to visit Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. She explains why she loves Lebanon so much, tells stories from her trip to Syria, and describes why the Yemeni island of Socotra is so unique. Sibu reflects on how she learned 5 languages fluently, including Mandarin and Polish, and shares language learning tips. She then reflects on how traveling to nearly 100 countries has impacted her, gives tips on how we can be more conscious and ethical travelers, and explains what travel means to her today. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

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Learn how to travel more responsibly, engage with the experiences of refugees, and merge human rights with tourism.

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Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).

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Sibu Szymanowska joins Matt over a bottle of wine and shares her experience growing up in Costa Rica before moving to China at age 17. Sibu reflects on attending University in China, learning fluent Mandarin, and starting multiple businesses over her 7 years living there. She shares the impact of her travels throughout Asia and then her experience moving to Poland and re-connecting with her Polish heritage. Sibu then talks about her experience working for an NGO, living in a remote village in Nicaragua, developing a passion for human rights, and eventually doing a Master’s Degree in “International Conflict and Human Rights”. She also talks about co-founding The Hybrid Tours and explains how it centers the experiences of refugees and displaced people in the various destinations. Sibu shares how her tours help people learn about Palestine through the stories of refugees living in Jordan, and help people learn about the Bosnian genocide by meeting with survivors and former prison camp inmates during the tour of Bosnia. She also explains how you can join a Hybrid Tour and get a special Maverick Show discount. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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The tables and turned so you can hear Matt Bowles interviewed about his own digital nomad journey by Ric Gazarian.

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In this special episode, The Maverick Show host Matt Bowles is the one being interviewed by Ric Gazarian in an episode that originally aired on the Counting Countries podcast. Ric goes deep with Matt about his travel journey, starting with his experience moving around the U.S. as a kid while growing up and then studying abroad in Dublin and re-connecting with his Irish heritage. Matt reflects on his first time backpacking through Europe, and the impact of his first trip to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Matt then talks about his career in the non-profit advocacy space before pivoting to co-found Maverick Investor Group as a fully remote real estate brokerage and eventually become a full time digital nomad with no base. He talks about slow traveling the world, how he chooses his destinations, and shares specific tips and reflections on spending time in Egypt and Nigeria. And, finally, the talks about hosting The Maverick Show podcast and his upcoming keynote speech at the Extraordinary Travel Festival. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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Hear Ric’s stories from Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Eretria, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Abkhazia and Transnistria. 

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In Part 2 of this interview, Ric Gazarian talks about his decision to pursue the goal of traveling to all 193 U.N. recognized countries. He shares stories of watching the sport of Buzkashi in Afghanistan, getting a private performance by the Royal Drummers of Burundi, and attending the Gerewol Festival in Chad. Ric talks about two very different train experiences in Eretria and Mauritania, describes his overnight tour of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and explains why one of his most unique trips was to Papua New Guinea. He then discusses the contested definition of what constitutes a country, explains what a micronation is, and shares his experiences visiting Transnistria, Abkhazia, and the Principality of Sealand. Ric then talks about his “Counting Countries” podcast and his biennial conference “The Extraordinary Travel Festival”. Finally, he talks about how he designs culturally immersive travel experiences, how his perception of travel has changed over the years, how all of this travel has impacted him, and what travel means to him today. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Learn about traveling through Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and what it’s like to travel across a country by Tuk-Tuk. 

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Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram

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Ric Gazarian starts off talking about his family’s history escaping the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and eventually making their way to Boston, Massachusetts where he grew up. He reflects on his first visit to Armenia and how his Armenian identity has evolved as he visited every year for over 20 years. Ric explains the history of Nagorno-Karabakh and shares his experience visiting multiple times. Next, he talks about his experience racing through the Caucuses, and then about driving across both India and Cambodia in a Tuk-Tuk. Ric reflects on the unique experiences and local encounters that this mode of travel enables, and what it was like to capture it all in an award-winning documentary film. He then talks about his love for Southeast Asia, shares tips on the most interesting festivals in Thailand, and why Myanmar is so special to him. Finally, Ric talks about being the Asia coordinator for Travel Massive, a 60,000 person travel industry network. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Learn about C.B. Claiborne’s experience as the first Black basketball player at Duke University and a student activist.  

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Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram

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In Part 3 of this interview, Javier talks about his role as the Race and Sport Post-Doctoral Associate at Duke University, and the class he teaches on the History of Duke Men’s Basketball. He tells the story of C.B. Claiborne, the first Black player on the Duke Men’s Basketball team in the 1960s, who was also a student activist on campus that participated in the Allen building takeover. Javier explains the ramifications on C.B. for his activism at the time, and what led up to him eventually being honored by the University in 2023. He shares some of the discussions on race and sports that take place in his class on Duke Men’s basketball, and also shares some lessons that today’s student activists can take from C.B. Claiborne’s legacy. Finally, Javier talks about his role in the Stephen Hayes Sculpture Project at the Equal Justice Site in Montgomery, Alabama, and then reflects on how all of his travels have impacted him as a person. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

Learn about Black history in Austin, human trafficking in high school sports, and how to become a better storyteller. 

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Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram

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In Part 2 of this interview, Javier talks about the impact of anti-Blackness and class inequality on sports, both in Panama and in the diaspora. He explains the political economic dynamics that give rise to the transnational human trafficking of vulnerable youth, particularly through high school basketball networks in the U.S.. Javier shares his experience researching this topic for his PhD dissertation at the University of Texas at Austin, explains his key research findings, and makes policy recommendations for mitigating basketball trafficking. He then talks about founding the award-winning Black Austin Tours and explains why it is so unique. Finally, Javier breaks down the craft of narrative storytelling, explains why it is so important, and gives specific tips on how we can all become better storytellers in our own lives. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Hear Javier’s stories of navigating his intersectional Afro-Panamanian-American experience in both the U.S. and Panama.

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Dr. Javier Wallace starts off talking about his mother’s family history in Texas and his father’s family history in Panama before migrating to the U.S. He shares his reflections on growing up in a bi-cultural home, playing football in Texas, attending Florida A&M University as a student athlete, then getting his Master’s Degree and pursuing a career in sports. Javier then discusses his decision to move to Panama and live there for 6 years. He opens up about his encounters with anti-Blackness in Panama, including violent experiences with law enforcement, his realizations about the power of passport privilege, and how all of that impacted his identity. Javier then talks about co-founding “Afro-Latinx Travel” and developing tours in Panama, Cuba, Costa Rica and Colombia that disrupt traditional tourism narratives, center marginalized stories, and benefit the local communities. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE.  

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Learn about traveling to Togo, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and building a successful travel company.  

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Ashley Company starts off talking about founding Jelani Gives and how that led to founding her company Jelani Travel. Ashley reflects on running her company for over a decade, including the healing impact she has seen when taking people from the African Diaspora to spend time on the Continent. She then talks about how she traced her ancestry to Sierra Leone, was able to get citizenship in Sierra Leone, and had her passport handed to her by the President of the country.  Ashely also shares some highlights from the Jelani Travel trips to Benin, Togo, Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia. She then takes us behind the scenes of her entrepreneurial journey and explains how she built a successful travel company that she has now run for over a decade. Ashley shares tips and insights on how she optimizes her time, manages stress, and chooses what to outsource. She also reflects on how to avoid the pitfalls of voluntourism in Africa, and how all of her travels to 100+ countries have impacted her as a person. Finally, Matt and Ashley talk about the upcoming Black Travel Summit and how to meet them there in person. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Learn how immersive trips to the Dominican Republic, Kenya and backpacking through South America can be life-changing.

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Ashley Company starts off by talking about her experiences traveling the world for wine, and why the South African wine region is so unique and special.  She then talks about her experience growing up in the U.S., traveling to Turkey as a kid, living in South Korea for a year at age 12, and attending an HBUC for college. She then describes how her first solo trip to the Dominican Republic was completely transformative, as was her first trip to Kenya. Ashley then explains what led her to quit her job and backpack through every country in South and Central America. She shares stories about traveling to San Basilio de Palenque in Colombia and accidentally entering Venezuela without going through immigration. Ashley also talks about the power of her first experience attending Carnival in Trinidad and why she has been back 10 times since. And, finally, she reflects on the impact that a full year of backpacking in South America had on her as a person, and how it shaped her life and entrepreneurial trajectory. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. 

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See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Matt Bowles celebrates 300 episodes by offering 30 free video calls as well as discounts to meet up with him in person.

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Matt reflects on The Maverick Show breaking into the Top 100 Apple Podcasts and being ranked the #1 “Places and Travel” podcast on Apple. Matt explains how and why to subscribe to The Maverick Show’s “Monday Minute” email newsletter, and how to follow The Maverick Show on Instagram. He then talks about the 3 upcoming conferences he is attending in 2024 and how you can meet up with him in person. He describes Nomadness Fest in North Carolina, the Black Travel Summit in Florida, and The Extraordinary Travel Fest in Bangkok, Thailand. Matt then offers you a discount on your tickets to each one. He also explains how you can support the podcast by buying him a coffee and leaving a rating and review for the show. Matt also explains how his company Maverick Investor Group helps you buy turnkey rental properties (with tenants and local property management in place) in the most investor-advantaged U.S. markets from anywhere, and offers you resources where you can learn more. And, finally, he invites you to provide him with your direct feedback and opinions via a short survey and offers 30 people who fill out the survey a free 30-minute video call with him. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

____________________________________

See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn 

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

____________________________________

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. 

You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)