Put the Guidebook Down

Guest: Remiah from Remiah Travels Solo traveler and educator living in Abu Dhabi, focused on authentic travel, cultural awareness, and intentional movement through the world. Episode Breakdown Arrival vs Belonging Remiah shares what surprised her most about moving to Abu Dhabi, particularly navigating a country where 90% of the population is expatriate. She reflects on finding her place within a m...

ETIAS: More Than a Checkbox ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) will impact travelers entering Europe beginning in 2026. At the same time, the system may initially feel like a dramatic change; early disruptions are expected during the first phase of rollout. As Kiara notes, there may be confusion among travelers, including those who forget to complete the authorization bef...

(0:00–0:47) Patagonia as we imagine it vs. Patagonia as it exists today — a destination still forming its tourism identity. (0:47–1:00) Introducing the episode’s core question: what does it mean to visit a place before it’s fully developed for tourism? (1:00–2:42) Meet Chris Christensen, founder of the Amateur Traveler podcast and early podcasting pioneer. (2:42–3:07) Setting the theme: Patagonia...

The Big Shift: Meaning Over Moments Travel in 2026 is evolving from checklist tourism toward intentional, immersive experiences. With international arrivals increasing more than 4% beyond 2025 and industry revenue continuing to grow, demand is not declining — it’s deepening. Travelers are moving away from overcrowded tourist attractions and toward experiences that create connection, memory, and pe...

Nicole shares how she was invited to attend a traditional Indian wedding in Goa. The importance of preparation, etiquette, and asking questions before arrival. Navigating uncertainty and culture shock through observation. Why relying solely on Google falls short for cultural understanding. Small moments, clothing advice, ceremonies, and dances made the experience meaningful. How this invitation re...

(0:00–1:09) Why “hidden gems” are ruining travel from overcrowded destinations to places that don’t even exist anymore. (1:09–3:06) How the term evolved from genuine discovery into SEO-driven clickbait used to increase visibility and tourism demand. (3:06–4:50) Why travelers crave novelty over understanding, the psychology behind discovery, exclusivity, and feeling “in the know.” (4:50–6:37) Socia...

We talk a lot about traveling differently on Put the Guidebook Down , but this episode asks a deeper question: what happens when travel stops centering the traveler at all? Kiara is joined by Sivan of Sivan Travels Green, a responsible travel content creator, where they unpack what community-led tourism actually means, how to spot greenwashing, and why intention matters more than perfection when i...

We’ve turned travel into a productivity contest: counting countries, optimizing itineraries, and rushing from place to place as if vacation were another item on a to-do list. In this solo episode of Put the Guidebook Down , Kiara challenges the idea that “more” equals better. She unpacks how fast, checklist-style travel contributes to burnout, emotional numbness, and overtourism, and why slowing d...

What happens when your first international trip isn’t Europe, but to Taiwan during Chinese New Year, to meet your partner’s family for the first time? In this episode of Put the Guidebook Down , Kiara talks with Taylor about traveling to her fiancé’s home country, navigating language barriers, meeting family across cultures, and how cultural immersion reshapes not just how you travel, but how you...

This is not a guide to India. It’s a reflection on what happens when travel resists explanation. In this solo episode, Kiara unpacks how her trip to India challenged her need for control, disrupted familiar travel frameworks, and forced her to sit with discomfort, humility, and curiosity rather than translation or optimization. Through chaos, overstimulation, privilege awareness, and moments of de...

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,...