Put the Guidebook Down

What does it actually mean to build a business while living across borders? In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down, Kiara is joined by Niv from Niv Travels, founder of Supercharged Studio, and Nomad Wildheart, to unpack the realities of global nomadism, ethical travel, and entrepreneurship beyond the Instagram highlight reel. From creative inspiration drawn from culture to the responsibilities...

Cultural travel is becoming more prevalent, but accountability is often lacking. In this solo episode, Kiara breaks down what responsible cultural travel actually demands of us, unpacking the difference between consuming culture and genuinely participating in it through preparation, presence, and participation. What You’ll Hear in This Episode * Why “cultural” and “authentic” travel have become pe...

In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down , Kiara sits down with her friend and colleague Hari, a Boren Scholar, Gilman Research Scholar, and a student at the University of Alabama, to unpack what really happens when you step outside the traditional university-career pipeline and choose intentional time abroad instead. From navigating skepticism at home to building new identities across Indonesia...

In this solo episode of Put The Guidebook Down, Kiara dives into one of the most underrated skills that meaningful travel teaches us: the ability to pay attention. Beyond photo ops and bucket lists, cultural travel sharpens your awareness, expands your emotional intelligence, and trains you to notice the stories happening all around you. From a grandmother bargaining at a market to a stranger show...

In this deeply personal episode of Put The Guidebook Down , Kiara opens up about something many travelers feel but rarely discuss: the version of yourself who returns home after living abroad. Through stories from Moldova, Indonesia, and the transition between three drastically different cultures, we explore how travel subtly rewires your instincts, identity, communication style, and worldview. Th...

Host: Kiara Kolaczyk , host of Put the Guidebook Down and founder of Kultura Travel Guest: Santi Losada , Fulbright alumnus, multilingual professional, and global citizen currently based in Zagreb, Croatia Topics Covered: (00:00) Intro: From Moldova to Luxembourg to Croatia—meet Sandy (01:22) The complexity of “Where are you from?” (02:24) Home as memory, emotion, and community—not just location (...

I00:36) Visiting Paris just before the 2024 Olympics (01:23) The city under construction — fences, metal grates, and blocked-off Eiffel Tower lawns (01:45) Locals’ thoughts on the Seine cleanup and Olympic prep (02:42) How Parisians really feel about the incoming tourist surge (03:43) Seeing Olympic mascots, merchandise, and new infrastructure before the Games (04:29) The city’s “pre-beautificatio...

In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down , Kiara sits down with one of her best friends, Christine , to unpack what it means to build confidence as a traveler . From guided tours in Ireland to planning her own Paris getaway, Christine reflects on what it’s like to grow from an occasional traveler to someone ready to embrace more spontaneous, meaningful cultural experiences. Together, they explore...

Episode: Putting the Guidebook Down: The Power of Spontaneous Travel Host: Kiara Kolaczyk, Founder of Kultura Travel Length: ~18 minutes Timestamps & Highlights: (0:00–1:20) – Opening reflections. Kiara asks: When was the last time you took a trip without a plan? She introduces the episode’s theme — finding balance between planning and spontaneity — and links it to the previous conversation on tra...

Ever felt like you have lost your excitement for travel, even while exploring an incredible destination? You are not alone. In this episode, explore the realities of travel burnout, what it looks like, why it happens, and how to bring joy, meaning, and presence back into your journeys. Through personal stories from my time abroad and practical ways to reconnect with purpose, I explore how slow and...

In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down , host Kiara, the Creator of Kultura Travel, sits down again with Mike Dilluvio, a former Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Morocco, to explore how Moroccan tea culture, hospitality, and the rhythm of daily life transformed his understanding of travel. From learning to pour atay the proper way to embracing the art of slowing down, Mike shares how Mor...

Segment 1: From the Classroom to the Community Theme: How teaching English abroad changes the way you see culture. Michael reflects on his time teaching in Morocco and the subtle differences between learning about a culture and living within it. Discussion of classroom language — including why everyone seems to learn the swear words first — and how humor bridges cultural gaps. How Michael’s studen...

Welcome back to Put the Guidebook Down , Kultura Travel’s immersive, authentic podcast, brought to you by me, Kiara, the creator and host. Ever thought about treehouses and bamboo forests as something deeper when it comes to travel? Or maybe you’ve booked a trip labeled “eco-friendly” and later asked yourself: What does that actually mean? How is this sustainable? Am I really witnessing something...

“Live like a local.” Cute phrase, right? But let’s be honest... half the time it’s just marketing copy slapped onto a cooking class or tour that’s been run the same way a thousand times before. In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down , I’m breaking down the difference between authentic cultural travel and the cookie-cutter experiences big platforms love to sell you. Spoiler: not every pierogi or...

Travel isn’t about getting it right every time. It’s about the awkward moments, the wrong turns, and the times you completely butcher a phrase in another language and hope no one noticed. That’s where the growth happens. In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down , we’re keeping it real. We talk about being human, messing up, learning, and why those moments are what make travel unforgettable. Plus,...

Key Questions We Tackle What does being a “tourist” vs. “traveler” actually mean? Can you be both at the same time? How can language, food, and local connections change the way you experience a destination? Is it even possible to avoid tourist behavior in places like Paris or Bali? What small choices make the biggest difference in cultural immersion? This is a public episode. If you would like to...

Privilege, race, and nationality baked into travel language Stories of people living abroad—and what they call themselves How to talk about your own experience without falling into the “expat” trap Mentioned in this episode: – Articles challenging the word expat and its colonial undertones– Examples from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia– Kultura Travel’s take on language as culture If this episod...

I’m tired of waiting in crowds, having the same travel photos and experiences as everyone else, and of being basic. Kultura Travel is changing the travel game with the first immersive cultural travel app. What better way to get the word out about this up-and-coming form of travel than a podcast? Presenting Kultura Travel’s official podcast: Put the Guidebook Down . In this short intro, discover th...