Citizens of the World: A Stoic Podcast for Curious Travelers

When you’re traveling, do you open yourself up to new experiences, including talking to new people? Do you do the same at home, or does talking to strangers suddenly feel a little crazy?    According to science, we’d be living healthier, happier lives if we maintained the sense of openness and adventure we experience while traveling to other places.    On the Postcard Academy podcast, I share what...

Believe it or not, Niagara Falls is wine country. “We’re on the same parallel as Northern California, so it's perfect weather conditions for wine,” says American expat Andrea Jones. “We have a lot of wineries just 28 minutes north of Niagara Falls in Niagara-on-the-Lake.”    Andrea started out life in Miami, then moved up to Atlanta, and now she finds herself living in a small Canadian 15 min...

When tourists visit England, most miss the beautiful coastal towns south of the London, and almost none of them have heard of Folkestone, the magical town in which my guest Tony Quarrington and I live. But we’re letting you in on the secret! (visit postcard academy.co for our list of recommendations .)   In the last episode, you heard about the history of Folkestone — it’s Victorian splendor and t...

When tourists visit England, they usually stay in London. Maybe they’ll do a daytrip to Stonehenge or, if they’re feeling extra glam, take the Eurostar to Paris. If they wanted to experience something extra special, they’d take the train south to visit the beautiful coastal town of Folkestone.   You’ve probably heard of the White Cliffs of Dover. Next door you’ll find Folkestone, which no one in m...

My mother and I are sitting at a red light then BAM! A truck hits us from behind. The driver claims he sneezed and lost control of his vehicle 🙄 Aside from some soreness, we are OK, but what if the accident had been a lot more serious?    The thought of hospital bills bankrupting me makes me panic more than broken bones. I’m American, but I don’t live in the U.S. and so I’m not part of the health...

I hope you are enjoying these final days of summer, if it is summer in your part of the world.    I’m currently visiting my family in the United States and so the Postcard Academy will be on a brief two-week break. I will be back in September with new episodes of adventurous people who packed up everything to start a new adventure in another part of the world.    You’ll continue to get their insid...

Author Katie Parla not only knows her Italian food, she knows her Italian history. Her deep culinary knowledge takes cookbook writing to the next level, with stories beautifully woven between recipes and lush photos. ( show notes at postcardacademy.co )   In a previous episode of the Postcard Academy podcast, I interviewed  Katie, an American expat living in Rome, about the rich history of Roman c...

Like many expats I know, most of the travel I’ve done has been outside of my home country, the U.S. In fact, my European friends have seen more of the States than I have, and their wistful descriptions of the U.S. national parks have inspired me to plan a trip. ( show notes at postcardacademy.co )   Danielle Jacobs-Erwin, host of the podcast Everybody’s National Parks , joined me on the Postcard A...

Willie Gevertz is a visual storyteller from the U.S. who fell in love with Budapest while visiting a friend. The city captivated him so much that he moved to Hungary, which is fortunate for us because he’s the best tour guide we could ask for.    Willie is the type of guy who lives every day to its fullest, and I asked him to join me on the Postcard Academy to share how we can make the most of our...

Summer’s in the air…at least in my part of the world, and so I’m sharing a mini-episode on my deep summer thoughts .     Summer has always been my favorite season. It meant no school. Swimming. No cold weather. My birthday. Vacations. Barbecues. Now as an adult, I also appreciate the joy that I see in other people at this time of year. People are happier. They’re out and about doing communal activ...

“How do I apply for Italian citizenship?” That’s the no. 1 question I get from listeners of the Postcard Academy. On the show, I’ve spoken about how I became an Italian citizen through my heritage, and how I applied in Italy. But this was almost 10 years ago and I wanted to refresh my memory on the process so I could share it with you.    On this episode, Italian citizenship expert Audra De Falco...

Happy World Emoji Day! Why today of all days? Because the calendar emoji (📅) features the date July 17. Some hotheads get really worked up about emojis having their own day, but it’s all in good fun, like Pizza Day (February 9 in the U.S.). To celebrate, I’m re-sharing my podcast interview with Jeremy Burge , founder of Emojipedia, and an Australian expat living in London.    Jeremy is the ‘smili...

Rachel Berryman owns Tirana Yoga, one of the most successful yoga studios in Albania. But she didn’t move here to become a business owner; Rachel, who is American, first came to this former Communist country with the Peace Corps.    On this episode, Rachel and I talk about the kind of volunteer work Rachel was doing and why she fell in love with Albania and its people. We also talk about the legac...

My friend Cristal and I traveled down Croatia’s coastline then made our way to Albania. While getting here wasn’t easy and involved a bus detour in Montenegro, exploring Albania is definitely worth it if you enjoy good food, cheap prices, and fewer tourists than Europe’s more popular destinations. Sounds pretty good, right?   Cristal and I visited many UNESCO sites, you know I love a good UNESCO s...

A few months ago, I did a podcast episode on the best places history lovers should visit to avoid the crowds . I’m making my way through those cities and countries, and, of course, had to podcast about it. On a two-part episode of the Postcard Academy —  Roadtrip! Croatia + Albania — I chat with my travel friend Cristal Dyer to reminisce about our trip, talk about what we enjoyed the most, and als...

Did you listen to the Artisan Florence episode yet? Nardia Plumridge shared some of her favorite boutiques and other hidden gems that she featured in her gorgeous book Lost in Florence — and this could be yours for free!     I’m raffling off a copy of Lost in Florence to one lucky listener. For your chance to win, sign up for Postcard Academy email updates at postcardacademy.co/lostinflorence .  ...

During the Renaissance, money flowed into Florence’s growing banking sector and the elite, including the Medici family, showed off their new wealth with art, palaces, and luxury goods.   “They started commissioning local artists to do gorgeous pieces of art that would adorn their walls to showcase at their latest dinner party,” says Nardia Plumridge, author of Lost in Florence . “In terms of the a...

I used to think dying in a fire would be the worst way to go. I now believe selfie-related deaths top that. You’ve probably heard the stories: people falling from cliffs; slipping over waterfalls; getting smacked by trains, even electrocuted. For a photo that captures the perfect angle of their face.   This culture has weighed on my mind over the last week as the world recognized the 75th annivers...

A few episodes ago, I interviewed the World Wanderers Amanda and Ryan — my favorite podcasting nomad couple   — on the amazing experiences you should have in Mexico City. They had previously interviewed me on their podcast — World Wanderers — and they are kindly letting me share that with you today.     We talk about how I became an expat and found my first job abroad; the beauty and stresses of l...

I’ve always been a little afraid of Australia because of all its slithery and sharp-toothed creatures, but British expat James Cridland has me wanting to sip coffee and cuddle with koalas Down Under. On the Postcard Academy’s Brisbane episode of the podcast , James and I talk about the best things to see, eat, and experience in Brisbane, Australia. Also, I learn the proper way to eat Vegemite; Aus...

Lily Girma is a lawyer turned travel writer who’s spent a significant amount of time in some of the most beautiful destinations in the world, including Belize and Jamaica. In the Santo Domingo episode of the Postcard Academy travel podcast, Lily explains why she now calls the Dominican Republic home.    We talk about the cultural events you can’t miss, the best beaches to go to, which chocolate pl...

Amanda Kingsmith and Ryan Ferguson are a Canadian couple who travel full time, but they do it slowly, often staying in one place for weeks or months at a time. Over the last year, they fell in love with Mexico City and its incredible food and culture scene. Did you know that Mexico City has more than 40,000 restaurants and the second-highest number of museums after Paris?     Amanda and Ryan, who...

British-born Mark Ellwood is a fellow expat and travel podcaster who I’ve been listening to for a few years, first on Conde Nast Traveler’s Travelogue and now on Travel Genius. Whenever I hear him, I think, “This guy sounds like so much fun.” I knew he’d be the perfect guest to talk about the local experiences we should have in New York City. Find links to what we talked about on postcardacademy.c...

“Zagreb is where you’ll feel the life of Croatia,” says Ashley Colburn, an American expat living in Istria. She’ss a TV producer who won an Emmy for her in-depth travel coverage of Croatia. On this episode, Ashley shares her favorite things to see, do, and eat in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city. Visit postcardacademy.co for show notes.     I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel . Did you know I host another...

Croatia is more than Dubrovnik, which Game of Thrones fans and cruiseships have been flocking to for years. On this episode, Ashley Colburn, an American now living in Istria, helps us explore more of Croatia’s coastline.  (show notes at  postcardacademy.co )   Ashley is a two-time Emmy award-winning TV producer who has traveled to more than 50 countries. She earned one of those Emmys for her first...