#59 | Joel David Bond | Travel and Empathy

Former flight attendant Joel David Bond on 20 years living overseas and why travel can build a more empathetic world. Joel is dedicated to helping people navigate their cultural world with mindful intention, fostering empathy and understanding across borders. With a profound belief in the power of travel to create a more empathic world, Joel brings a unique perspective to every journey, drawing from over 20 years of overseas living and cross-cultural experience, as well as a master's degree in education and a background as a global flight attendant. To learn more about Joel: https://linktr.ee/bondventures Chapters 0:00 Welcome Joel David Bond 2:34 The middle of America 5:04 A week in Dubai versus a month in Iraq 7:40 Teaching in northern France 10:12 Becoming a British citizen 12:43 Brexit 15:16 Election year in the US 17:46 Foreign spending and Congress 20:20 The cost of defence 22:52 Seven years in outdoor adventure sports 25:26 A villa in Tuscany with an outhouse 27:57 Working as cabin crew 30:28 Pilots and family life 33:00 A one-year contract that lasted seven 35:31 A call from the State Department 38:02 Leaving Iraq overnight 40:36 Why he had to go 43:09 Doing good work 45:42 Boots on the ground 48:13 Ryan's 2002 trip through the region 50:51 Was it our place? 53:25 Knowing where you stand 56:00 We are who we are through relationships 58:34 Ryan on Russia 1:01:05 Ryan on China today 1:03:35 Man On The Run and 1MDB 1:06:11 Shell-shocked at home 1:08:46 Ryan's livelihood depends on travel 1:11:18 Ryan covering the 2008 Sichuan earthquake 1:13:54 When the sentiment changes 1:16:25 A new continent and his French 1:19:00 Tolerance bred overseas 1:21:33 His memoir set during quarantine 1:24:07 Finding a place to call home 1:26:43 Ryan's 10,000-mile drive around Saudi Arabia 1:29:17 Content suppression during Covid 1:31:53 Lockdown on a Greek island 1:34:29 Talking about the experience 1:36:59 Prince of the Marshes 1:39:32 Where to find his books The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world. Follow the Podcast X: https://x.com/RyanPylePodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/ryanpylepodcast Follow Ryan Pyle YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ryanjpyle Instagram: https://instagram.com/ryanpyle X: https://x.com/RyanPyle Facebook: https://facebook.com/ryanpyle https://www.ryanpyle.com