How Leaving the Country Changed Me, What Dating in Africa Was Really Like, & What I’m Doing Next

In this episode of Wired to Be Rich, Manda Lea returns after a two-week hiatus in Senegal, West Africa, and shares how the experience shifted her in ways she didn’t expect. What started as a birthday trip turned into a deeper realization about identity, presence, and the way she had been moving through life. She opens up about navigating a new culture, speaking French, connecting with people from around the world, and what dating on another continent revealed about how differently relationships can be experienced outside of the U.S. Without pressure, expectations, or the need to define everything, her interactions felt more natural, more honest, and more aligned. Manda Lea also reflects on finishing The Mountain Is You during her time abroad and how the book, combined with her environment, helped her recognize where she had been getting in her own way. From the pace of life to the way people connect, she breaks down the cultural differences that opened her eyes and challenged everything she once thought was normal. This episode is a conversation about outgrowing your environment, releasing unnecessary pressure, and returning to a version of yourself that was always there.