CountryBoyz

Send a textThe Boyz are back in Europe and going to the land of stones, Estonia. Well, there are a few boulders and some craters but don't think it's actually the land of stones. My bad. This place is a mix of modern technology with a dash of old world charm. Having been conquered by just about everyone, they're located next to Russia but identify closely with their Scandinavians neighbors. This tiny country definitely punches up above it's weight and has a ton of per-capita stuff going on. Highest models per capita, highest craters per capita, and highest record in the world of singing folk songs to gain independence. Have you been to the #Estonia? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got rightSupport the show

Send a textWe're back for another episode and this time we're going to Oceania. The homeland to the Marshallese people and also the birthplace of everyone's favorite lizard, GODZILLA!This chain of islands is tiny, with only 70sq miles of land, but if you're counting ocean area, they are huge. With long time ties to the US, they have a lot of similarities as well as a darker relationship being where the US tested nuclear bombs back in the day...Like the other Pacific islands, this place is under extreme threats of rising water levels and is constantly dealing with the threat of islands disappearing. So get there while you can!Have you been to the #MarshallIslands? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got rightSupport the show

Send a textArmenia is a small country in Caucasus region with a BIG reputation. Everyone knows the name but what's it really like?We got mountains, we got some delicious food, and a ton of ancient and historical sites. This place is LOADED with all kinds of history, so we barely scratch the surface, but get into what we can from this ancient place. The homeland that spawned Armenian-American icons like Cher, Andre Agassi, and Kim Kardashian has got a lot going on. We get into their bustling capital of Yerevan. Their national obsession with chess. And most importantly, this was the apparent site of Noah's arc, which begs the question...which animals are we brining on our arc to CountryBoy Island?   Have you been to the #Armenia? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textEswatini, the country formerly known as Swaziland, is a small landlocked country bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. This tiny country is kind of like a mini version of southern Africa in one bite sized chunk. On this episode, we get into the nitty gritty of what makes this country so special. You can find all of the Big 5 safari animals; jaguars, lions, rhinos, elephants, and water buffalo. They have a King, Queen Mother, and one of the few true monarchies in the world with a royal family that sounds like something out of Game of Thrones. Have you been to the #Eswatini? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the showSupport the show

Send a textYou got St. Vincent, and then you got the Grenadines. A powerful master island that teamed up with a bunch of small but mighty other islands! This episode, we feel the cool island breeze coming upon us. We're heading to the sun-soaked shores of St. Vincent and the Grenadines! We'll stumble upon the island’s legendary high-proof rum (strong enough to make even the most dastardly pirate blush), the mighty La Soufrière volcano, and it being the shooting location for Pirates of the Caribbean.Plus, we uncover their surprising claim to fame—some of the most reliable construction and ingenuity in all of the Caribbean. Pull up a seat and join us for an  island adventure where we decide...will we go there, or not?Have you been to the #StVincent? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textVatican City is technically the smallest country in the world by both population and by land but it makes up for it in a lot of other ways. It's one of the most visited countries in the world with a ton of tourists. It's the home to one of the biggest religions in the world with thousands of people making pilgrimages annually to view it's magnificent splendors. And it also has the highest crime per capita in the world. Bet you didn't guess that, huh?Well, to be fair it's all petty thefts that take place in the super crowded square. Still counts though. For the first time in CountryBoyz history, all of us (present on the episode) have actually been to a country! We talk about what we saw when we were there, if we would go back, and some interesting facts about this strange but well recognized micronation. We also talk about some of the most wild and crazy corrupt Popes from the medieval times and we'll just say that Pope Stephen VI was as crazy as they come and earned himself a spot as a legendary figure in CountryBoyz lore. Have you been to the #Vatican? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textMauritius - Land of the Dodo. At first we were a bit suspicious of Mauritius but after learnin' about the place we find it to be delicious, auspicious, and ambitious. Right!?This lush tropical island lies a few hundred miles off the coast of Madagascar and is technically in Africa. But unlike the rest of Africa, this country is predominantly Hindu and has its own distinct mix of cultures and history.On this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty about the infamous Dodo bird, childhood nicknames, and what makes this island nation so unique. And unlike some of the other tiny island countries we've been to, this one definitely stands out!Have you been to #Mauritius? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textThe Boyz are back and were going to the country of Laos! This place is kind of like an off the grid version of Thailand. The rugged one. Just get one thing right, it's pronounced Lao. So forget the S over here unless you want to look like a real numbskull. Laos is the up and coming country in South East Asia, not heavily travelled, but pretty pretty. There's a whole lot of jungle, mountains, and even some waterfalls if you know where to look. It's also called "The Land of 1 Million Elephants" but we're pretty sure there aren't even that many elephants in the world, but maybe at one point it was. We go deep into the jungle and figure out all of the stuff to do there. Sadly, there are a ton of bombs that were dropped in Laos during the Vietnam war, but the Lao people have resourcefully found things to use these bomb shells for all kinds of stuff which makes us wonder if what we've done to turn lemons into lemonade.Have you been to #Laos? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textWe are back in the 'Stans and to the country of Kyrgyzstan. Or KERR-GEE-Stan as we way it. I think. This place definitely wins the award for wackiest spelling of a country with the lack of vowels. Kyrgyzstan is super remote, not heavily travelled, and very easy on the eyes. A country with a whole lotta mountains and lakes if that's your thing. For such an interesting place, we were surprised to hear how little people go there. Some of the highlights include a walnut forest. One of the biggest in the world. An old tower that dates back to the time of the Silk Road. And the WORLD NOMAD GAMES!These games look absolutely wild with eagle hunting, belt wrestling, bone throwing, and of course, goat-polo-basketball. Kok Boru as it's actually called but basically a horseback game where you throw a goat into a hole. Yep. Never thought that was a thing but definitely sounds awesome. Have you been to #Kyrgyzstan? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textGuinea-Bissau is one of 4 countries with the name Guinea in it and this place might be the least known of them all. Not a whole lot of people know or have travelled to Guinea-Bissau but this place is the Kashew Kingdom. For real. Cashews make up 85% of the jobs and $ for this place so get ready to toss a few back. On this episode, we go at little nutty  and discuss what the top nuts are and are cashews the top nut? Almonds?! Pistachios!?!?!?!We talk about the ancient art of carrying HUGE amounts of weight on your head. Walking. For possibly miles. Which the women in this country do effortlessly. And speaking of women, this place also has a people that are a matriarchal society. One of the few in the world! Have you been to #Guinea-Bissau? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textMalta is a tiny island country in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. While it is itty-bitty, it has quite the history and has been conquered by just about every nation under the sun.Despite it's size, there is a WHOLE lot to see and do there. They literally have 365 churches so you have no excuse not to go drop some prayers while you're there. Malta has great weather and some pretty nice scenery too. If you're into that sorta thing. We go DEEP into the history of this place, including the legendary "Siege of Malta."We talk about Popeye Village, a film set turned theme part. And we get into the very unique Maltese language that is a combination of several other languages.  Have you been to #Malta? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textQ-at-ar or is it Qa-tar? Who knows and apparently they don't care how you say it! I like this place already. Qatar is a small country, about the size of the US state Connecticut, but this country is BIG in a whole lot of other ways. They have a ton of off shore liquid oil...which means they're got that money. They are developing at one of the fastest rates in the world. And they've hosted a World Cup which most other countries can't claim. Qatar is a mix of old and new and we get into what makes this place unique. One unique thing, is they are super into falconry. You read that right, they love falcons and even have a market dedicated to this art. This gets us talking; what exotic pet would we have? We also go over the House of Thani (Qatar royal family), the World Cup, and we get into ROBOT CAMEL RACING!!! Well, not robot camels, but regular camels with robot jockeys. Still cool. Have you been to #Qatar? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textOn this episode of CountryBoyz, we take a trip down to South America to #Uruguay. Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America by land, but we feel like it's a pretty well known. As in we've actually all heard of this place! Many people say it's kind of like a mini-Argentina right next to Brazil...or is it a mini-Brazil across the river from Argentina!? You figure that one out. Uruguay is filled with flat farm land and known for several things that you need flat land to excel at; steak, soccer, and saxophones. Ok maybe they're not known for saxophones but DEFINITELY steak and soccer. Also known to have the longest national anthem in the world, we go into our own anthem as well as bite stories inspired by local Uruguayan soccer star, Luis Suarez. Dude likes to chomp. And for the first time in CB history, ONE OF US HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THERE!!! So we get first had knowledge from our Uruguayan professor, Jason. Give 'er a listen!Have you been to Uruguay? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textTuvalu or Tu-VA-lu is the top (or bottom) of a lot of lists.Smallest country by populationLeast visitedLeast developed country!!!You really gotta go out of your way to get to Tuvalu, but seems kinda cool once you're there. If you're into livin' off the grid or not being around too many people. This place has a friendship pact where you can become relatives with anyone you want. Choose carefully though cause it's FOR LIFE. They also got pretty lucky and own the rights to the  ".tv" domain extension. If it wasn't for that, they wouldn't have too much. They do have a runway though where everyone hangs out and plays games. Does YOUR country have a runway where you can hang out and party? Yah, didn't think so.Have you been to Tuvalu? If so, and you aren't from there, congrats! You've done something almost no one on Earth has! Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textSão Tomé and Príncipe AKA Saint Thomas and Prince is a tiny island off the west coast of Africa. They speak Portuguese & have incredible scenery but for some reason, no one really goes here. We can't quite put a finger on it. Sao Tome never really became a tourist spot, though you would never guess by looking at it. Looks pretty dang scenic to me but what do I know?Maybe its too far away? Maybe the never developed it?Maybe they just  DON'T CARE!?!?We get into this mysterious country and also discuss how unbalanced the island of Sao Tome is versus the much smaller and more remote island of Principe. Kinda makes you wonder who is really pulling their weight in this relationship.Also, this place has one of the most perfect climates for cocoa production. So YOU KNOW we go down a chocolate candy wormhole and come up with what our favorite bar is. Have you been to São Tomé and Príncipe? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a text#Monaco is the second smallest country but has a pretty big reputation for its wealth. If you wanna live large in the lap of luxury, this is the place for you, fancy pants. We're talkin yachts, champagne, lobster stew...the fancy life. There's a reason why James Bond loves this place and you're about to find out! It's also home to the infamous Formula 1 race which you might have heard of. Maybe not if you're a NASCAR or other style race fan. Also, if all of the James Bond actors had a fight to the death, who do you think would come out alive? It's hard to bet against Connery but Daniel Craig is kinda jacked. We get into this heavily debated topic as well. Have you been to Monaco? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textWelcome to our very special CountryBoyz award show! In this episode, we take a look back at the last 20 episode and talk about the countries. Who's the best?!Who's the worst?! Where da scuba at!?!?!We give out 10 special awards and also find out who takes the Top Dog award for the NUMBER 1 COUNTRY SO FAR!!! Here are the categories: 1. Wildest Character2. Craziest Leader(s)3. Most Interesting Alcoholic Beverage4. Most Disgusting Food5. Best Scuba Diving6. Coolest Landscape7. Safest Country8. Most Sketchy9. Best Song10. TOP DOGFind out who wins, who loses, and who we forgot to mention.  Support the show

Send a textThe island of #timor is split. The west side of the island is part of Indonesia and the east part of the island is...East Timor AKA Timor-Leste if you're speakin Portuguese. And East Timor is EXACTLY where were going to on our 20th episode!!!Despite it being a Portuguese colony for over 500 years, they've only been on their own official country for about 20. So it's still a baby when it comes to the official legislative country UN whatever mumbo-jumbo. There are many things that make this place different than other Southeast Asian countries. They are Catholic. They eat pork. A percentage of the populations speaks Portuguese. They are kind of a fish out of water which is exactly what we get into! You know the feeling, where you feel kind of out of place and don't belong? Yep, that's kind of like Timor-Leste. We also get into eating sea mammals. Not that we condone ever eating a whale BUT if it was a life or death situation an you HAD TO eat a whale creature...some surely are more appealing than some others, right?! Maybe not. Who knows. Have you been to Timor-Leste? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textDominica, or dom-in-EE-ka as it's pronounced, might seem like every other run-of-the-mill Caribbean island. But it's a little different then the rest. First off, they are relatively untouched and some say that if Columbus were to go there today, it wouldn't be too much different than when he first arrived. It also has the highest number of volcanoes per capita at a whopping 10! Okay, that's not a lot but it is for this tiny, little island. It's also home to the largest population of ethnic Caribe people AND is one of the only countries with purple in it's flag. We go deep on this one, getting into what our own coat-of-arms would be, under what circumstances would we try another human, and even what our own country, CountryBoy Island would be like....*spoiler alert: we all concluded that we would probably end up eating Jason and making a raft out of his hair. Yup.Have you been to Dominica? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textTurkmenistan is a wild and crazy place. They have a giant city with tons of stuff to do...but most of the citizens can't/don't actually go there. They had 2 eccentric dictators in the past 30 years who created a ton of wild laws and monuments. And they love Guinness World Records which they have broken quite a few of.  Oh and we can't forget that #turkmenistan also has a burning pit in the middle of the desert that has been on fire since the 70s. Pretty neat. This is a place of contradictions and we get right into the ins and outs of this very...distinct country. We talk about what kind of crazy stuff we would do if we were a dictator and what kind of Guinness records we realistically could break. Have you been to Turkmenistan? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textDeep within the country of South Africa, we have another country completely inside, #lesotho.  Lesotho is one of the highest countries on Earth. Well by average height. The lowest point here is higher than the lowest point anywhere else. Or something like that. They have a lot of water...but unfortunately for Lesotho, they sell most of it to their neighbor South Africa. It's also a land famous for it's distinct hat...and boy do we get into a deep discussion about hats. Check it out and maybe you'll learn a thing or two! It's about time you did, right?Have you been to Lesotho? Tell us what we missed or what we (hopefully) got right!Support the show

Send a textThe Countryboyz make their first stop in Eastern Europe at the tiny nation of Moldova. This place might be the least visited country in Europe but is still bigger than some of the other countries we've been to. We're talking about enormous wine cellars over 150 miles long. We're talking about the strange and self-sustaining region of Transnistria that longs for it's Soviet past. And we talk about places we've been that "recreate" the past; Colonial Williamsburg, St. Augustine, Civil war Reenactments!!! Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textThe CountryBoyz are back in Africa for this one! Well, technically in Africa but a small chain of islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean in the country known as Seychelles. These islands have been a melting pot of people and were actually founded by pirates! On top of that, we get into a military coup attempt by a mercenary named Mad Mike Hoare. A hidden treasure worth a buttload of money.  And one of their delicacies, fruit bat curry!!!Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textWe have a very special backyard episode where we talk about the smallest country in South America, Suriname! As Suriname is a very mixed country, we get into what everyone wants to hear about: our favorite party mixes! Chex, Crispix, candy, nuts!? Are we nuts? Maybe. We then get into some outrageous dictators/rulers, the first time you dropped a cuss word in front of your parents and at the end we even try a few of the national dishes. Bojo and Pom.Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textCountryBoyz are BACK BABY!!! Except for Matt. There were some renovations going on in our studio space but those are all done and we're ready to check out the mysterious Himalayan country known as Bhutan. None of us really knew too much about Bhutan but once we started digging, we found some pretty cool stuff. The government measures their success on Gross Domestic Happiness. They have a national dress code that all citizens must follow. They put a ban on smoking which can catch ya 3-5 years in the slammer. And last but not least, certain regions of the country have a weird obsession with the PENIS! Yup. Overall though, Bhutan is a pretty interesting country, unlike any we've been to before. Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textOn this episode, we take a trip to the Pyrenees Mountains and go to the mall-of-a-country, Andorra! This itty bitty country is a shopper's paradise because of no taxes and a bunch of different shops. Shop till drop!!! That's why most people go here but they also got some nice scenery and mountains galore, if you're into that kinda thing. We talk about  Andorra being one of the most educated places with 100% literacy and they speak at least 4 languages. We get into Boris Skossyreff - a shady scammer who became ruler of the country...for about a week. And we going with the mall theme, we get into everyone's favorite subject, MALL FOOD COURTS!!!Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textKiribati is a cluster of islands in the Pacific ocean. Well, technically it's a cluster of atolls if you wanna be a big ol' nerd about it! This place is a real life version of the Kevin Costner movie Water World. They are experiencing the effects of global warming first hand and unfortunately might not be around for much longer. But while they are here...we talk about strange time zones, a bartering system they use called "bubut" (we think), and gangs of vicious dogs roaming the islands!!! Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textShake, shake, shake. Shake Djibouti. Ok, we get it. It has "booty" in the name and that won't stop us from making that joke over and over! It's kind of hard not to. On this crazy episode, we are joined by guest host Champagne Shane! Djibouti is the third smallest country in Africa and is very strategic. It's located right by the Red Sea and the Gulf Aden so a lot of ships pass by here and a lot of world militaries are located there. We get into why this place is so strategic, the best strategy/board games, chewing khat and more!We also talk briefly about Djibouti too, if that's your thing. Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textBelize is a bit of an anomaly. It's a Central American country that identifies more as a Caribbean island. It's a tiny place with a lot going on and a true mix-mash of different cultures. They got blue waters, they got pristine jungles, they got a top secret thumb-style handshake only known by Belizeans. Or something like that, you let us know. We get down and dirty on this episode, re-hashing Jeff's distain towards scuba diving. A lifelong  bet involving Sunny Delight. A wild tech tycoon who made his compound in Belize. And of course all the corny Belize/Believe jokes that you would imagine.  Just like the country of Belize, this is not something you wanna miss!Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textBahrain, Ba-h-rain, Ba-ha-rain. However you say it, is a small island in the Persian Gulf with a lot going on. If you ever thought about what a futuristic electric city in the middle of the desert would be like, then check out Bahrain. There's a mysterious lone tree in the middle of the desert with no water around, a bunch of burial mounds from thousands of years ago, and an under water park for all you scuba dudes. Jeff doesn't seem too impressed or interested in that part though. Overall, it seems like a pretty cool place where some Boyz can cut loose in the desert heat. Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textEquatorial Guinea is like a wolf in sheep's clothing. It seems like something on the outside but it's a little different once you get there. They have the highest GDP in Africa...but also 3/4 of the country is in poverty. They have a pristine infrastructure...but no one really drives. They have "equator" in the name...but aren't technically on the equator.You get the picture. One thing they do have, is a lot of new oil money and they are ready to spend! It's pretty much the Beverly Hillbillies of Africa.  Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textWe take a little trip to the landlocked country in the middle of Italy called San Marino. This little guy is basically a town that somehow kept its independence since the 300s. San Marino is old (the oldest republic actually!) and with that it also has a crazy-ass history. It started as a haven for a guy evading child support. It has resisted invasion from basically every army that's stepped foot in Italy. It has 2 presidents at the same time that serve for 6 months! Find out about these crazy facts and more in the latest episode of CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textWe pay a visit to our first country in Asia, Brunei! This place is tiny but has a lot going on. A city on stilts, a basketball team that sounds like they should be in Space Jam and a Sultan who makes Jay-Z look like a popper. Find out some more info that we may or may not have fully researched and let us know how wrong we most likely are!Support the show

Send a textCan you feel the cool Caribbean breeze flowing through your veins? We sure can as we take a trip down to the St. Kitts and Nevis, aka Sugar City. This place has monkeys with serious alcohol problems, you can pay to be a citizen (if you rich), and has some of the strangest names you could imagine. Hicks Village. Booby Hill. Shitten Bay! Who let their little brother loose on this island and let them come up with these names?! Check out the episode and be on the lookout for more CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send a textOn this episode, we head to the Alps and the tiny country of Liechtenstein. This is a weird little place in between Austria and Switzerland with a strange history. We go through it all; an Olympian prince turned pop singer, a denture kingpin worth several billion dollars, and the national dish of Schwartenmagen - pickled meat in jelly or something like that. Yum! The Boyz all like Liechtenstein, especially Matt who wants to move there immediately and find a princess to marry. Check out the episode and be on the lookout for more CountryBoyz!!!Support the show

Send us Fan MailOn this very first episode of CountryBoyz, the crew are starting small and talking about the micro island nation of Nauru. For how tiny this country is, it's a pretty wild & nutty place. We're talking jagged coral reef, a dumping ground for seagulls & Australian refugees, more Chinese restaurants than they know what to do with, one road, one stoplight and no ATMs! This sounds like a place that would be some evil billionaire's hideout but it's real and existing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Find out more stuff and learn yourself a thing or two with Jeff, Matt, Jason and Justin AKA the CountryBoyz! Support the show