Blank Space with Grace

Angelica is an 18-year-old surfer from Muizenberg. In this conversation, she reflects on growing up by the ocean, finding her way into surfing, and what it’s like navigating the lineup as a young woman in South Africa.

Shane leads the Local Surf Lounge in Muizenberg, a community space using surfing as a tool to support young people from surrounding townships. In this conversation, he shares how the space was built and what it means to create consistent opportunity and belonging for local youth.

Kelsey reflects on the difference between escaping and exploring, and how her time abroad shifted her perspective. We talk about what it means to travel with intention and the role of spirituality and religion in feeling grounded.

Khieu is a modern Vietnamese woman navigating the space between tradition and change. In this conversation, she reflects on the generational divide she sees in Vietnam—between the values of her mother’s time and the shifting perspectives of her own.

In our conversation, Ben unpacks the nuanced experience of solo travel—how it fosters independence while still leaving you longing for connection. Ben reflects on how the initial discomfort of being around strangers can actually open the door to meaningful connections.

I met Vic on the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam, where he made me—and just about everyone else—laugh every single day. Even as we rode through mist-covered mountains and spent freezing nights in remote villages, his energy kept spirits high. But like many people who bring humor to others, Vic carries a lot beneath the surface. In our conversation, Vic opens up about the deeper side of travel—ho...

Sarah, from Canada, shares how she caught the travel bug and reflects on the differences between backpacking through Europe and Southeast Asia. She also opens up about homesickness, self-doubt, and the challenge of not comparing her own journey to the paths of others.

Lucas shares what it was like moving to the U.S. at a young age and growing up as an immigrant, carrying with him a lingering uncertainty about where home truly is. He reflects on how sports shaped his early ambitions and how a deep sense of curiosity ultimately led him to a more grounded path as a yoga instructor in San Francisco.

Roma talks about growing up far from his home in Ukraine, how the war has shaped his family and decisions, how he’s built a sense of belonging in new places, and how experiences like Burning Man have influenced the way he sees connection and identity.

Sydney shares what it’s like to move across the country in her early 20s, build a new life with her boyfriend, turn her passion for sports into a career, and what your fitness instructor is really thinking.

Dean was running the hostel I stayed at in Koh Tao, Thailand. Dean shares what it was like to keep things flowing behind the scenes while also building real connections with travelers passing through. We talk about his complicated relationship with making music, how travel has taught him to stay adaptable when things go off-script, and what pulls people toward the road in the first place.