Episodes
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Ep. 91 - Cristen Hemingway Jaynes: Ernest's Way
In this episode I speak with Cristen Hemingway Jaynes, who is the author of Ernest's Way, a travel biography about her great-grandfather, Ernest Hemingway. The book traces Hemingway's world travels and life abroad. Each chapter is dedicated to a different place like Key West, Paris, or Venice.…
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Ep. 90 - Mark Cirino: Hemingway's One True Sentence
Mark Cirino has written and edited many books about Ernest Hemingway, including Reading Hemingway's Across the River and Into the Trees, One True Sentence: Writers and Readers on Hemingway's Art, Ernest Hemingway and the Geography of Memory, Hemingway's Spain, and Ernest Hemingway: Thought in...
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Ep. 89 - Nancy Da Campo: Solo Female Traveler in Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia
In this episode I speak with my friend Nancy Da Campo. She has some of the most amazing travels around the world and shares her great perspective on travel. Nancy just recently returned from 3 months in Iran. Then she traveled to Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Nancy shares what her experience was like as…
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Ep. 88 - Madison Tuff: Traveling in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan and Volunteering on Ukrainian Front Lines
Madison Tuff is an amazing human being. Born and raised in Canada, but truly a citizen of the world. In my travels I have met many adventrous travelers, but she takes it to another level. In this episode, she explains how she became interested in traveling to off the beaten path places and fell…
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Ep. 87 - Nathan Pettijohn: Driving LA to South America with a Dog
In this episode I finally get the chance to chat with Nathan Pettijohn who has a really crazy story. He left LA, where he was firmly established for years, and packed his stuff in his car, along with his dog Rafa, and drove south through Mexico and Central America and into South America.
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Ep. 85 - Dave Pinto: On Language Learning from El Profe Guiri
Dave is the best Spanish speaker that I know and someone who is deeply thoughtful about languages and language acquistion. In this episode we talk about the best way to learn a new language and some tips and tricks for practicing. And the big question: Why learn a new language?
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Ep. 84 - Irina Iacoban: Moldovan Tour Guide
In this episode I speak with my friend Irina who is a tour guide in Moldova. We met a few years ago and have become good friends since then. We talk about what to do and see in Moldova. Since this is called the Divergent Path podcast, I feel it's fitting to talk about a place not many people…
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Ep. 83 - Inna Romanuyk: Traveling in Iran and North Korea + War in Ukraine
My friend Inna joins us on this episode and shares her experience traveling around the world to crazy places like North Korea, Iran, and Chechnya. We talk about he war in Inna's home country of Ukraine and what it means to be Ukrainian. She is someone who inspires me
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Ep. 82 - Illimani Patiño: Travel, History, and Conflicts
In this episode I chat with my frien Illimani about our travels around the world and experiencing different cultures. We talk about learning about the history and traditions of a place and how that leads to deeper travel and understanding.
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Ep. 81 - Lauren McGough: International Falconer
I've been waiting a long time to get the chance to talk to Lauren! She is a fascinating person and had led a truly Divergent Path. Lauren is a falconer who has worked with may species of birds of prey around the world. She even trained with Kazakh hunters in rural Mongolia. I mean, come on! Who...
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Ep. 80 - Andy Interviews Rollie About World Travels
In this episode, my old friend Andy interviews me about my recet travels. Andy was a atural in his podcast debut and it was such a fun conversation. YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GkYmtbVAuw Website: https://rolliepeterkin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rolliepeterkin...
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Ep. 79 - Jonathan Wolff on Creating the Seinfeld Theme Song
In this episode of the podcast, I get the chance to speak with legendary music composer Jonathan Wolff who wrote music for 75 primetime series, including the theme songs for 44 TV shows. Most famously, he wrote the iconic theme song for Seinfeld. Jonathan is a fascinating and thoughtful person…
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Ep. 78 - Quint Clarke: How Kilimanjaro Changed His Life Forever
Quint Clarke had a successful career as a lawyer. And he admits that he hadn't led a very adventurous life before he decided to book a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. And his life was never the same. So profound was Quint's experience that he came home, quit his job, and spent the next year...
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Ep. 77 - Ryan Warner: Producing "The Smiths" and "Wrestling Changed My Life"
Ryan Warner is the host of the Wrestling Changed My Life podcast. He is one of the premier voices in the wrestling community and has interviewed all of the greats. He most recently produced the 7-part audio docuseries The Smiths which follows John and Pat Smith, two of the most successful…
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Ep. 76 - Dr. Coyte Cooper: Minimalism, Living in an RV, and a Meaningful Life
Dr. Coyte Cooper is a former university professor at UNC, holds a PhD, was a Division I All-American wrestler, speaker, and has authored three books. It seems like he's done it all. But Coyte and his family have recently embarked on a new adventure: they sold all of their possessions and bought…
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Ep. 75 - Mark Neilan: Extreme Endurance Athlete
Mark Neilan never ran cross country in high school. And he wasn't very into sports. But now he runs 100-mile races regularly. Find out how he made the transition to becoming an endurance athlete, how he trains, and the mentality he uses to survive such grueling tests of willpower. Mark is the…
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Ep. 74 - Tommaso Ferrari: Heavy Metal to Sound Engineer
Tommaso Ferrari hails from Verona, Italy, of Romeo and Juliet fame. Tommaso played guitar in a heavy metal band as a teenager, but soon found that he was paying more attention to the sound equipment and acoustics. He became so passionate about audio engineering, that he decided to pursue a career...
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Ep. 73 - Jake Hunter: Mindset and Ancient History
Jake Hunter is the Chief Operating Officer of Wrestling Mindset. But this episode is about so much more than wrestling. We talk about Jake's career path from high school teacher to mindset coach to a fulltime job with Wrestling Mindset. Jake and I nerd out a little bit about Roman history also.…
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Ep. 72 - D'Juan Owens: On MMA, Courage, and Breakdancing in Africa
D'Juan Owens is a professional MMA fighter with 35 fights of experience, even though he never played any organized sports growing up! D'Juan has a fascinating perspective and such a great attitude in everything he faces. In this episode he talks about dealing with losses and why he fights. He…
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Ep. 71 - Justin Jenny: Photography and Urban Exploration
Justin Jenny is a photographer who specializes in exploring abandoned buildings and quarries. He has some crazy stories about sneaking into rundown asylums at night and run-ins with police and metal scrappers. Check him out on Instagram @justinjenny
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Ep. 70 - Enrique "El Fuerte" Barzola: Peleador de MMA Peruano (Spanish)
Enrique "El Fuerte" Barzola es un pleador de MMA Peruano que tiene un record de 16-5-2. Barzola fue campeon del The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2 y ganó un contrato con el UFC. Despues, entrenó en los EEUU en Florida con American Top Team, y luego en California con AKA. Ha tenido muchas...
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Ep. 69 - Donald McNeil: The Ultimate Comeback Story
Donald McNeil grew up wrestling in Massachusetts and won a state championship his sophomore year. But that summer, tragedy struck. While wrestling in an off-season tournament, he got thrown on his head and fractured two vertebrae. He couldn't move or feel his body. He spent over a month in the...
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Ep. 68 - Chris Stefanou: The Long Island Sharkman
Chris Stefanou is a shark fisherman who is well-known for catching massive sharks from the beach in Long Island. He talks about the techniques he uses and how he got into it. Chris is passionate about the conservation of these animals and works with NOAA to tag the sharks and release them so that...
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Ep. 67 - Alix Seyfarth: Disaster Relief and Adventures Abroad
Alix Seyfarth was working for a tech company in Boston when a typhoon hit the Philippines and she decided to go volunteer and help to rebuild local communities that were devastated. She didn't realize it would change her life forever. That was six years ago, and Alix is still working in the...
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Ep. 66 - Andy Valenti: Creating Music with 'Oh He Dead'
Andy Valenti is a member of the band Oh He Dead. Their song Lonely Sometimes was described by the Washington Post as "an infectious, groove-based track about yearning for human connection." They had a major tour booked right before the pandemic hit, but have been trying to make the most of the...
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Ep. 65 - How to Hitchhike
In this episode, I talk about my love of hitchhiking. I tell you about why I love it so much and the lessons it can teach you. And I go into some safety measures you can take. And then I go into the mechanics of it. Read more here: https://www.rolliepeterkin.com/hitchhiking As always feel free to...
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Ep. 64 - Jason Bryant on Broadcasting, Wrestling, and Journalism
Jason Bryant is one of the most well-known wrestling journalists out there who knows everything there is to know about the sport. He tells his story of how he got into broadcasting at a young age when he was obsessed with sports. And how he grew to love the sport of wrestling. He is the host of…
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Ep. 63 - Steven Kampmann: Interpreting Dreams, Jungian Psychology, and Show Business
Steven Kampmann holds a masters in Psychological Counseling and wrote a thesis on the topic of dreams, which has evolved into a lifelong passion. He teaches a course on dreams which revolves around the works of people like Carl Jung and Herman Hesse. Steven began his film and TV career as a…
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Ep. 62 - Amy Currie: HotDish Productions
Amy Currie is a video producer who specializes in culinary and lifestyle videos. She was a full-time video producer at Panna Cooking where she won a James Beard Award for her work. She has worked with the who's who of top chefs on their videos. And she eventually co-founded HotDish Productions....
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Ep. 61 - Alejandra Arias-Stella: Llama Pack Project
Alejandra Arias-Stella is the co-founder of the Llama Pack Project, an organization in the Urubamba Mountains of Peru which creates opportunities for indigenous populations to raise llamas and work tourism. They teach Andean villagers to breed and raise llamas to serve as pack animals on treks…
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Ep. 60 - David Azzolina: Folklore and Sexuality
David Azzolina has taught folklore at the University of Pennsylvania since the mid 90s. He thinks about things a little differently than most and has a lot of novel thoughts on folklore. Read more about David here: https://www.rolliepeterkin.com/david-azzolina ------ As always feel free to reach...
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Ep. 59 - Chris Gillette: Alligator Wrestling, Conservation, and Surviving an Attack
Chris Gillette is an expert at handling, conserving, and caring for alligators. He helps rescue "nuisance gators" from people's properties in Florida and brings them to a rescue center. He is extremely passionate about animal welfare and conservation. Chris is famous for the death-defying photos...
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Ep. 58 - Travis Bays: Bodhi Surf and Yoga
Travis Bays is the founder of Bodhi Surf and Yoga--a retreat in Costa Rica. Travis combined his lifelong passion for surfing with his ideas tourism, sustainability, and local experiences. His camp, he is able to educate people about a variety of environmental issues. And the guest get to surf the...
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Ep. 57 - Matt Valenti: Two-Time NCAA Champion Wrestler
Matt Valenti was an old teammate and friend of mine. He was a two-time Division I NCAA wrestler. After college he was coaching at Penn while pursuing an Olympic Dream for 2012. Matt now works at the athletic department at UPenn. Read more about Matt here…
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Ep. 56 - Matthew Bocchi on Losing His Father on 9/11
Brace for some tears in this episode. Matthew Bocchi was just nine years old when he lost his father in the attacks on 9/11. He's just come out with a new book titled Sway, which recounts his personal journey in coping with the trauma surrounding his father's death. As a teenager searching for...
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Ep. 55 - Tom Ryan: Ohio State Wrestling Coach
Tom Ryan is one of the most accomplished coaches in the sport of wrestling today. As the coach at Ohio State University, he's created an absolute powerhouse. The things that he's been able to accomplish as a coach are truly astounding. 2015 NCAA team champions Five-times NCAA team runner-ups…
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Ep. 54 - Nils Parker on Ghostwriting, Humor, and Storytelling
Nils Parker can't even count how many books he's ghostwritten. I asked him and he estimated between 15 and 20. His books have been NYT and WSJ bestsellers many times over. As an editor he has worked with authors like Ryan Holiday, Tucker Max, and James Altucher (and many more) on every aspect of...
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Ep. 53 - Geoff Riccio: Video Producer, Photographer, Wrestler
Geoff Riccio is a video producer and photographer who has covered the sport of wrestling at every level. He had been there for many big moments in wrestling, including when wresting was dropped from the Olympics in 2013. Read more about Geoff here…
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Ep. 52 - Mark Larson on Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail
While the rest of us couch potatoes binged Netflix and drank beer during the quarantine, Mark Larson thru-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail during the corona pandemic. Being an experienced endurance athlete, Mark finished in 3.5 months (107 days), when most people take around 6 months to finish...
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Ep. 51 - Ellis Rosen: New Yorker Cartoonist
Ellis Rosen is a cartoonist for magazines such as The New Yorker, Wired, and MAD. He posts a weekly cartoon series called Junk Drawer on GoComics.com and is the illustrator for a children's book called Woundabout. Rosen attended art school and then got a master's degree, but wasn't sure where to…
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Ep. 50 - Polyglot and Author Olly Richards on Language Learning
Olly Richards is a polyglot who speaks eight languages. He runs a site called I Will Teach You a Language which offers a series of books and courses to aspiring language learners. He is also the host of the I Will Teach You A Language Podcast. Olly believes in the power to stories in learning...
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Ep. 49 - Kim Macquarrie: The Incan Empire, Peruvian History, and the Amazon
Kim Macquarrie is an author, documentary producer, and journalist. He has written four books about South American history and his book The Last Days of the Incas, is the definitive book on the Incan Empire. His latest book, Life and Death in the Andes, traces Macquarrie's travels through South...
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Ep. 48 - Haley Tepavac: Working on Cruise Ships
Haley Tepavac spent seven years working on cruise ships around the world. Her Divergent Path started while working at a jewelry store in Minnesota. After a rough breakup she saw an advertisement for a job in Juneau, Alaska. So she packed her bags and moved to the far north. Little did she know…
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Ep. 47 - Ted Alexander: Founding Sierra Andina Brewery, Mountain Climbing, and Living in Peru
Ted Alexander is the founder of Sierra Andina, a very popular and large microbrew in Peru. He also started a guiding company called Skyline Adventures, which leads climbing expeditions in the Andes Mountains out of Huaraz, Peru. Ted has lived in Peru for 20 years and has lived so many adventures....
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Ep. 46 - Sam Sheridan: On Fear, Writing, and the End of the World
Sam Sheridan is the author of three books: The Fighter's Heart, The Fighter's Mind, and The Disaster Diaries. Recently, he wrote and produced a miniseries called I am the Night. Sam traveled the world and trained martial arts. He interviewed the greatest minds in MMA about the mental game. And he...
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Ep. 45 - Lorenzo Valterza, PhD: Dante's Inferno, Mean Girls, and the Italian Language
Dr. Lorenzo Valterza is a scholar on Dante Alighieri and the Italian language. He holds a PhD from Rutgers and has taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Notre Dame. Lorenzo's doctoral thesis was about the impact of torture and Roman law in Dante. In this episode we discussed many things...
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Ep. 44 - Dave Hinkle: Playing Pro Basketball Overseas
Dave Hinkle played professional basketball overseas for 11 years. While most of his career was in Mexico, he played all over the world from Germany to Taiwan to Bolivia. Dave didn't even start playing basketball until late in high school when he hit a growth spurt. He attended University of San...
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Ep. 43 - Jennifer Tye: From Corporate America to Chef
Jennifer Tye had a steady job as a marketing executive, but that wasn't what she wanted out of life. So one day she decided to leave it all behind and go to culinary school. She next worked for two years at Michel Richard Citronelle, one of the best restaurants in the country. And she eventually...
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Ep. 42 - Rollie's Travel Tales: Fear and Loathing in Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia
A few years ago I lived in Croatia for a summer and wound up traveling around the Balkans after. And I had some crazy stories from hitchhiking through Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia. Including run-ins with the Croatian police, a crazy random music festival in with a stranger who picked me up on the...
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Ep. 41 - Carlos Venzano: Biking Around the World
Carlos Venzano has spent four years traveling the world by bicycle. He's been to 90 countries. In total he's biked over 40,000 kilometres, greater than the circumference of the earth. But he wasn't always a super adventurer. Before 2016 he led a "super average life" with a steady job and an...
About this show
My name is Rollie Peterkin and this is The Divergent Path. I am here to share the stories of people who have chosen an alternative path in life and taken risks. I hope you're as inspired by their stories as I am.
Hosted by
Rollie Peterkin