The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders

Learn how global diaspora connections & nomadic traditions can unlock new ways of building community across cultures. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Priyanka Surio reflects on growing up in Florida navigating a mixed Indian and Hungarian identity, and how early experiences of not fully belonging shaped her relationship to culture, travel, and self-expression. She shares stories from reconnecting with her heritage, including time spent in Hungary, studying abroad in India, and how these experiences informed her evolving sense of identity. Priyanka reflects on studying the Year of Return in Ghana as a model for reconnecting diasporas and considers how similar frameworks could strengthen ties within Indian communities around the world. She also discusses her travels in Ethiopia and her encounters with historically nomadic cultures in Mongolia and Morocco, examining how these experiences reshaped her thinking about movement, cross-cultural travel, and building community. She closes by reflecting on minimalism, intentional living, and how a life of travel can transform the way we understand identity, belonging, and connection across cultures. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 travel stories from Equatorial Guinea to Brazil & how Dash works to dismantle anti-Blackness in Latinx communities. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of this conversation, Peabody Award–winning producer and historian Dash Harris unpacks the ideology of mestizaje and explains how narratives of racial mixing have obscured anti-Blackness across Latin America and its diaspora. She discusses why she rejects the umbrella identity of “Latina,” drawing on Black feminist scholarship, her workshops on dismantling anti-Blackness in Latinx communities, and her own experiences traveling and researching Afro-descendant cultures around the world. Dash tells stories from visiting Equatorial Guinea—the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa—and compares Afro-diasporic histories across continents. She also shares observations from Salvador, Brazil about tourism, memory, and the politics of Black cultural spaces. Finally, she recommends some of her favorite music—from Afro-Cuban traditions to Afro-Colombian and Brazilian sounds. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 growing up between Brooklyn and Panama shaped Dash’s journey into documentary storytelling and global travel. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Peabody Award–winning producer and historian Dash Harris tells stories about coming of age between 1990s Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and Panama. She reflects on navigating Black and Afro-Panamanian identity across cultures and how those experiences shaped her understanding of race, identity, and the global Black diaspora. Dash tells the backstory of filming Negro, her groundbreaking docu-series exploring race and anti-Blackness across Latin America. She also explains how filming the docu-series ultimately led her to co-found AfroLatinx Travel, a company that organizes trips centering the African roots of Latin America and connecting travelers with Black communities, histories, and cultural traditions. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 Cara came out as queer while living abroad and built community, belonging, and solidarity with Palestine. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of this conversation, Cara Laban reflects on the intersections of queer identity, Jewish history, and political solidarity while living and traveling around the world. She shares how coming out as queer while living abroad helped her find community and belonging across cultures, while a deeper engagement with Jewish history and contemporary politics shaped her journey toward anti-Zionism and solidarity with Palestinians. Cara also recounts navigating male-dominated digital nomad spaces, attending feminist protests, and encountering police violence. She then tells travel stories from Italy, the Dominican Republic, the Galapagos Islands, attending Carnival in Rio and seeing pink dolphins in the Amazon. Cara reflects on how living between cultures can expand the way we think about identity, community, and collective liberation. And finally, she shares lessons from Jewish history about our collective responsibility to confront the rise of fascism in the U.S. and around the world. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 Cara stopped escaping and designed a sustainable world travel lifestyle that works for her brain. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Cara Laban left New York chasing a childhood dream of Australia, but what began as an escape from burnout turned into a two-year immersion in life overseas, from bar shifts in Melbourne to bakery work in the outback. In this candid conversation, she shares the mental health lows that followed her across continents, the road-trip mishap that left her stranded without gas in remote Australia, and the moment in Thailand when she realized travel alone wouldn’t fix what she was carrying internally. We trace her evolution from working local hospitality jobs to building a sustainable travel lifestyle online after discovering Hannah Dixon’s Virtual Excellence Academy. That reinvention eventually led her to found Travel Reddi, an AI-powered travel logistics platform designed to simplify global mobility. Cara opens up about depression on the road, the difference between analog and digital nomad life, and how systems thinking became the foundation of both her business and her forthcoming book: “How to Do Anything Even if You’re Lazy”. This is a story about reinvention, self-honesty, and designing a life overseas that actually works for your brain. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 stories of balloon jumps, zoo dives, flipping out of planes & the personal growth and life lessons behind it all. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In the final part of the conversation, Taylor Wallace shares how a spontaneous first jump in Brazil led to a passion for skydiving that has taken her across the world, from beach jumps outside Rio to balloon jumps over Cappadocia and massive skydiving festivals in the United States. She explains the discipline, humility, and constant learning required to stay safe in a high-risk sport, and reflects on how skydiving mirrors entrepreneurship and travel—requiring courage, adaptability, and trust in yourself when things don’t go as planned. The episode closes with Taylor reflecting on how global travel and adventure have shaped her resilience, perspective, and desire to keep pushing beyond her comfort zone. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 how Japan, startup life, and global travel shaped Taylor’s approach to entrepreneurship and intentional living. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of the conversation, Taylor Wallace reflects on how her deep connection with Japan shaped her worldview and confidence as a global traveler, sharing stories from Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and the cultural experiences that made the country feel like a second home. She then traces her path into entrepreneurship, the sale of her startup while living abroad, and how community and global mobility helped launch her location-independent life. Taylor also breaks down her concept of the Fit Founder Lifestyle, offering practical insights on balancing business ambition with health, travel, and intentional living while building a career on the road. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 how early travel across continents shaped Taylor’s worldview and helped her navigate her multi-cultural identity. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Taylor Wallace reflects on how growing up between cultures and traveling internationally from a young age shaped her identity and global perspective. She shares formative experiences in South Africa, Singapore, and Brazil, explores her multicultural heritage and connection to place, and discusses how studying history and witnessing different narratives around the world reshaped her understanding of power, belonging, and U.S. foreign policy. This episode traces the experiences that helped Taylor find her place in the world—and set the foundation for the global life she would go on to build. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 NOMA supports nomadic families, navigates travel ethics in the Global South and builds lasting communities. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In part two of this conversation, Daniel Thompson dives deep into what comes after the digital nomad phase—unpacking NOMA Collective’s evolution from pop-up nomad trips to a long-term vision centered on multi-local communities, ethical travel, and genuine local impact. Daniel explains how NOMA designs community-first experiences around the world, how they think about inclusion, safety, and values, and why slowing down, listening, and building relationships matters—especially in the Global South. He also shares his framework for the future of location-independent living, including family-first models, offering a thoughtful look at how travel, community, and belonging might evolve in the years ahead. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 childhood travel and music culture shaped a path to building global communities and founding NOMA Collective. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Matt sits down with Daniel Thompson, co-founder and CEO of NOMA Collective, to trace the unlikely path from growing up on tour with a famous rock band to building global communities for remote workers and families. Daniel reflects on childhood travel, and shares incredible stories from underground music scenes in London and Buenos Aires, his life the role of fear in holding people back from life-changing journeys, and how travel, when done intentionally, can expand empathy, creativity, and freedom. Along the way, he shares deeply personal stories about identity, parenthood, cross-cultural relationships, and why creating “safe spaces” for people to come together has been the through-line of his entire life and work. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 the meaning of Carnival traditions like jab jab & stilt walking & get recs for visiting Guyana. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of this conversation, award-winning journalist Melissa Noel joins Matt to explore how diaspora stories are told—and why depth, context, and care matter. Melissa unpacks the cultural and political meaning behind Caribbean Carnival traditions, shares her personal recommendations for experiencing her home country of Guyana beyond the surface, and reflects on the impact of her Pulitzer-supported reporting on Jamaica’s barrel children and the long-term impact of migration on families. From ethical considerations when interviewing vulnerable communities to the extractive dynamics of tourism and the responsibility of storytellers, this episode examines how culture, migration, and power intersect—and how travel and journalism can be practiced with intention, accountability, and respect. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 African diasporic identity, migration, cultural memory, and building a global Black storytelling project. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Award-winning journalist and media entrepreneur Melissa Noel starts by sharing her first impressions of Brazil and attending the Black Travel Summit in Rio, where she won the BET+ Passport to Storytelling pitch competition for her Destination Diaspora docuseries. She reflects on growing up in a Guyanese immigrant household in New Jersey, her parents’ migration experience, and how attending Howard University deepened her understanding of global Black identity and Pan-Africanism, including the lasting influence of Guyanese scholar Walter Rodney. The episode also explores her life-changing visit to Ghana during the Year of Return and her years living and reporting across the Caribbean. Melissa shares stories from hiking Caribbean volcanoes, explains why St. Vincent and the Grenadines holds such a special place in her heart, describes what it’s like to walk through Montserrat’s buried city of Plymouth, and unpacks the intertwined African and Irish history commemorated during Montserrat’s St. Patrick’s Festival. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 to schedule a free video call with Matt and lock in special discounts on 2026 trips and travel conferences. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In this solo New Year’s episode, Matt Bowles reflects on a year of global travel, community, and cultural connection while sharing what’s ahead in 2026. Recording from Vermont after five weeks in Rio de Janeiro, Matt recaps the Black Travel Summit in Brazil, highlights standout Maverick Show guests and award winners, and shares updates on upcoming events, immersive trips, and travel festivals around the world that you can attend—from Grenada and Jordan to Cape Town and Bangkok. He also speaks candidly about the importance of international solidarity with Palestine, and how you can take action. Matt also explains why building deeper, more reciprocal relationships with Maverick Show listeners is a top priority for him this year—and offers free one-on-one video calls for listeners. The episode closes with reflections on gratitude, community, and how listeners can support and help grow the show in the year ahead. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 stories from riding a motorcycle in Egypt, Thailand, India, Nepal, Vietnam and becoming an Emmy-winning filmmaker. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of this interview, Emmy-winning filmmaker and motorcycle adventurer Alex Chacon reflects on what years of extreme overland travel have taught him about life, creativity, and meaning. From riding across Egypt at sunrise to navigating the chaos of Vietnam, India, and Kathmandu, to experiencing radical hospitality in Pakistan and Argentina, to pushing physical limits in brutal heat across Thailand, Alex shares powerful stories from the road and the metaphors they reveal about resilience, risk, and growth. He also dives deep into his evolution as a storyteller—how his viral 3 Year Epic Selfie video changed his life, why he shifted from cinematic travel montages to vulnerable narrative filmmaking, and how travel continues to shape his artistic and entrepreneurial journey. This episode is a meditation on adventure, purpose, and why travel, at its best, is not just about destinations—but about becoming the next version of yourself. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 stories surviving 4 days with no food in Patagonia, landing in a Honduran jail, and driving Bolivia’s “Death Road”. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Emmy-winning filmmaker and motorcycle adventurer Alex Chacon traces the roots of his life on the road, beginning with his upbringing on the U.S.–Mexico border in El Paso and the identity questions that shaped his early years. Alex shares how soccer, motorcycles, and a deep sense of not fully belonging pushed him toward long-distance travel at a young age, including a solo cross-country motorcycle journey at just 17. He recounts leaving medical school to ride from Alaska to Argentina with paper maps and no cellphone, and reflects on formative experiences across Latin America—from corruption at border crossings and getting lost in Bolivia’s salt flats, to life-or-death moments in Patagonia and the Darien Gap. Throughout the episode, Alex explores how travel became a vehicle for self-discovery, cultural reconnection, and a deeper understanding of inequality, education, and human resilience. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 parenting with political awareness & building diaspora connections and political solidarity across borders. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of Matt’s conversation with Courtney Orgias—recorded in Rio, where her family is currently based—they dive deeper into the political, ethical, and emotional dimensions of digital nomad motherhood. Courtney explains how she talks to her young children about power, oppression, genocide, and policing in age-appropriate but honest ways, and why cultivating empathy is central to her parenting philosophy. She reflects on experiencing anti-Blackness around the world, connecting with the African diaspora, and why understanding local struggles is essential for ethical travel. Courtney also shares her evolving sense of identity, how travel has transformed her marriage and personal growth, and the origins of The Village Abroad, her new community-building initiative for digital nomad families that is launching its first retreat in Grenada. They close with reflections on home, belonging, raising kids globally, and the radical possibilities that travel opens for Black families. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 leaving the U.S. to become a digital nomad family—how to raise kids and build community all over the world. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Courtney Orgias sits down with Matt in Rio, where her and her family are currently based, and they talk about attending the Black Travel Summit and why Courtney feels Rio is a great place for raising her kids. She then talks about growing up in Duval and Atlanta, studying abroad in Copenhagen, falling in love with her husband Justin, and choosing to leave the U.S. to raise their kids in the digital nomad lifestyle. Courtney explains the concept of worldschooling, how she structures he family’s digital nomad life, and how she builds community around the world for herself and her kids. She shares her experience participating in work-travel programs for families like Boundless Life, reflects on building connections with locals vs. other travelers, and talks about living in Mexico and how she responded to the ongoing transnational gentrification problems there. Courtney then reflects on how she developed her social and political consciousness growing up that now shapes her ethical travel decisions, and how she is able to course-correct in real time upon learning new information such as the UAE government’s role in supporting the genocide in Sudan. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 award-winning travel creator Nicole Phillip share stories of immersing in Afro-Brazilian history, music and culture. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Nicole Phillip returns to The Maverick Show and records this episode in person with Matt in Rio after spending two weeks together in Brazil. Nicole is fresh off winning her award for the 2025 Social Media Video of the Year at the Black Travel Film Festival for her video on Reggaeton’s Panamanian roots. She reflects on the entire Black Travel Summit, the Afrofuture-themed Awards Gala, and why winning this award was such an emotional moment for her. Nicole also pulls back the curtain and breaks down the biggest leverage points for how she was able to build 350,000 social media followers in just 2 years. She then talks about her trip to Panama where she created the video, as well as her trip to the Dominican Republic, and what some of her biggest lessons were from both places. Next, Nicole shares her first impressions of Brazil and describes the day she spent touring a favela. She also talks about spending time in the Madureira neighborhood—the beating heart of Black Carioca culture—both on a daytime tour and partying in the streets at 2am. Finally, Nicole shares her experience in Sao Paulo visiting a Quilombo and diving into Black history there. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 stories and life-lessons from circumnavigating the planet on a bicycle while living on 3 Euros a day for 5 years. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Pablo Mandado talks about his experience growing up in the Aragon region of Spain, how a trip to Greece changed everything and led to a life of long-term travel, and how he quickly transitioned into a spontaneous, hyper-minimalist and hyper-budget travel style. He reflects on negotiating trust and reciprocity when hitch-hiking and couch surfing. Pablo then shares an uncomfortable moment while hitchhiking, as well as a surprising moment of connection, and some incredible stories from his month in Laos. He then talks about meeting his girlfriend in Latvia and embarking on a 5 year cycling journey to circumnavigate the globe together. Pablo explains the value of of a loosely planned trip rooted in spontaneous decisions and how he was able to live on just 3 Euros a day for 5 years. Next, he tells incredible stories of getting caught in a massive snowstorm in Turkey, the heartwarming hospitality he found in Iran, avoiding the secret police in Uzbekistan, and what it was like to cycle across mainland China. Pablo also talks about his photography journey and how he was able to turn that into a business. Finally, he reflects on the unique benefits of traveling the world by bicycle, the re-acclimation experience after the trip, how the journey shaped his relationship, and the lasting impact of long-term, hyper-minimalist, spontaneous travel on him as a person. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 to get over-the-top luxury bucket list experiences for free that usually cost thousands of dollars per night. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of this interview Darren Chew (“Chew”) breaks down the tactics for using points and miles to fly business class and have the world’s most epic luxury experiences for free. He explains the real value of a free breakfast in the Seychelles, how to plan around blackout dates and peak travel prices, and why flying Alaska Airlines is one of his favorite travel hacks. Chew then shares his observations about anti-Blackness around the world, reflects on how travel has impacted him as a person and his relationship with his wife, and explains how he balances travel content creation with living in the moment. He then gives tips for traveling as a couple, traveling with carry on luggage only, and reflects on what travel means to him today. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 stories from visiting Nubia, the slums of Nairobi, rural villages in Zambia & going volcano-boarding in Nicaragua. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Darren Chew (“Chew”) joins Matt and starts off talking about his Jamaican and Chinese heritage and shares the story of how his parents met in Jamaica and immigrated to New York. He then talks about his experience growing up in New York with mixed cultural heritage, traveling back to Jamaica to visit family, and the pivotal role of basketball in his life. Chew explains how he started traveling the world to visit former basketball teammates in Europe and then reflects on his first impression of the continent of Africa. He tells travel stories from Kenya, Zambia, Senegal, Egypt, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and explains why Rio is his favorite city in the world. Chew reflects on visiting Nubia, gives a preview of his upcoming talk at Black Travel Summit in Brazil, and ends with a unexpected story of cultural immersion in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 to use points & miles to perform Umrah with a family and travel the world to celebrate Eid in different cities. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Amena tells the story of how she met Matt and bonded around Palestine solidarity at the WITS Travel creator summit in NYC. She then talks about her parents experience immigrating to the U.S. from India and Pakistan, her experience growing up in Dallas in a Muslim immigrant home, the impact of the post 9-11 environment on her life, and how she developed her politics and worldview. Amena then talks about her first trip back to India as an adult, performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia, seeing the Islamic architecture in southern Spain, celebrating Eid in Istanbul, and visiting Japan and London. She then talks about performing Umrah as a family, shares strategies to accumulate points and miles to cover international family travel, and talks about her Umrah Guide. Finally, Amena talks about raising socially conscious kids, integrating travel into their lives, and what travel means to her today. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 to coordinate your travel plans with friends, exchange recommendations & connect around the world with Pangea. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Matt Gray starts off describing what he loves about Cape Town and tells the story of taking the world’s highest bungee jump off a bridge there. He then reflects on growing up outside NYC, studying abroad in Vienna, and traveling the world for a decade as part of his corporate job. Matt tells stories from visiting Reunion Island, Madagascar, Lapland, Greenland, Antarctica, Armenia and Uzbekistan. He then talks about organizing a group safari to Botswana, building community in the digital nomad lifestyle, and his plans for co-hosting Nomad Week 2026 in Cape Town. Next, Matt talks about founding the Pangea App which enables you to coordinate your travel plans with friends, exchange recommendations & connect around the world. He opens up about his own transition into full-time entrepreneurship, his journey building and scaling Pangea, his recent acquisition of the Overlap app, and is 5-year vision for Pangea. Finally, Matt explains how he designs his digital nomad lifestyle, why he wants to travel to every country in the world, and what impact all this travel has had on him as a person. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 about living in China, Malaysia, Poland and Mexico as a Black Muslim woman & raising her son in multiple countries. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In part 2 of this interview Imani talks about her experience living in China, Poland, Malaysia and Mexico. She tells stories about how many of these places defied stereotypes and how warmly she was received and treated in Poland when she gave birth there. Imani then reflects on raising her son across multiple countries and how living abroad has impacted him as a person. She also reflects on the development of her own politics of collective liberation, how she maintains long-term activist stamina, and how we can all rise to meet this historical moment despite feeling overwhelmed. Imani then talks about her current role as a co-director at “Resist” and the storytelling and communications work she does. She explains the history of the organization, their present day work in supporting grassroots initiatives, and how you can support their work. Imani then reflects on how her travel and activism are so integrally intertwined. She shares tips on raising socially conscious kids, standing in better solidarity with marginalized groups, and offers specific advice to Black and Muslim women travelers. Finally, Imani reflects on why she continues to travel and what travel means to her today. ⁠ → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 being a Black Muslim activist in the U.S., meeting Malcolm X’s daughter, moving abroad and living in Cairo. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Imani Bashir joins Matt in Washington, DC and they reflect on their Keynote panel at Nomadness Fest and their experience meeting Malcolm X’s daughter there. Imani breaks down the neocolonial dynamics that often pervade the travel industry and travel journalism, and then offers tips on how be a more socially conscious traveler and content creator. Next, she talks about the history of Islam in Black America, her experience navigating her Black and Muslim identities in the U.S., her experience after 9-11, and how her father raised her in an activist home. Imani then talks about her commitment to Palestine solidarity work and reflects on the history of Palestine solidarity within Black American and other anti-colonial struggles around the world. She then takes us on her personal journey attending an HBCU, getting her first passport, the impact of visiting London, and recognizing the beauty of immigrant communities. Finally, Imani reflects on the history of Black-American expatriation, how the death of Sandra Bland motivated her to move out of the U.S., and her lessons and reflections from living in Cairo, Egypt. ⁠⁠ → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 highlights from digital nomading around Africa & the power of travel in learning about struggles against injustice. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 2 of this interview Janessa Klatt talks about her experience working remotely while traveling through Africa for 7 consecutive months. She explains why Nairobi, Kenya won her heart, why her first safari in Tanzania was so magical, and why Cape Town, South Africa is now one of her favorite cities. She also talks about her travels in Namibia, why the landscape is so uniquely spectacular, how she learned about the genocide that the German government committed there in 1907, and how travel has impacted her politics and worldview overall. She then talks about co-hosting the “Remote Roundup” segment on the Zero to Travel podcast, gives minimalist packing tips for women, and reflects on why she continues to travel. Finally, Janessa gives advice to aspiring digital nomads and speaks directly to people currently in a traditional 9-5 job that aspire to create a fulfilling life of long term world travel. ⁠ → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 to leave your 9-5 job and build a fulfilling life of long-term world travel rooted in a supportive community. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Janessa Klatt joins Matt from Winnipeg, Canada over a bottle of wine and tells the story of her Grandparents’ experience immigrating to Canada from Germany, and then talks about her experience growing up in Winnipeg. She gives her recommendations for visiting Canada, and talks about the role of sports in her life and how that started to pique her interest in world travel. Janessa then tells the story of her first solo back-packing trip through New Zealand, her study abroad experience in Melbourne, Australia, and learning to scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef. Next, she talks about leaving her corporate job for an adult gap year, living and working in Berlin, and re-connecting with her Germany heritage. Janessa then shares her experiences traveling around Europe and reflects on the powerful impact of visiting the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. She then talks about her experience working as a deck hand on a private yacht, becoming a dive master in the Canary Islands, discovering The Maverick Show podcast, and becoming a full-time digital nomad. Finally, she reflects on how she has build a meaningful community, both online and offline, in her itinerant digital nomad lifestyle. ⁠ → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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 from the author of my most recommended book for travelers: Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In part 2 of this interview, Dr. Anu Taranath talks about her motives for writing her book “Beyond Guilt Trips”, the value and importance of stories, and how we can understand guilt and shame in order to move beyond them and build real solidarity. She then explains and unpacks the all to common division between cross cultural engagement “at home” vs. "abroad” and offers tips on how we should think about personal transformation through travel and becoming more thoughtful at home. Anu then talks about the importance of noticing the small moments of everyday joy and reflects on how she has incorporated travel into her parenting. She also unpacks the concept of ‘complexity’ and explains how it can sometimes be used as a tool to illuminate important nuances and at other times be used by powerful interests to obfuscate the way dominant power structures function in order to demobilize opposition and maintain unjust power arrangements. Finally, Anu reflects on what “belonging” means to her today and names the 3 best places in the world to get Indian food outside of the Subcontinent. ⁠ → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: 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? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation 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! :)