PODCAST · society
The Observer Effect
by The Observer Effect
These are strangers' travel stories. Each time I ask how travel has changed them and hope listening like this evaporates borders.
Episodes
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136 Exposure Therapy—Sulawesi, Where Rachel Was a Fellow
Rachel was a Fellow with the U.S. State Department’s English Language Program in Sulawesi. She embraced challenges like finding ants in her food to unravel her fears and came away reflecting on how race shapes our experience. I asked how she became such a good storyteller … and hope listening…
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135 So Much More Than One Thing—Mauritius, Where Armen Was a Fellow
Armen was a Fellow with the U.S. State Department’s English Language Program in Mauritius. I asked how the experience changed him … and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé. Listen to Armen's podcast:...
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134 Moral Injury—Afghanistan, Where Joan Got a Text
Joan took part in this past August’s “Digital Dunkirk,” the frantic effort to help Afghans escape the Taliban when the U.S. withdrew after two decades in Afghanistan. During those sleepless nights, she began advocating, writing articles calling on the U.S. government to honor its commitment to…
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133 All Very Hush Hush—Yemen, Where Aziza Wants to Help People Die
Aziza told me the religious police arrested her and her fiancé in Saudi Arabia. The interrogator asked, “Did you hit the religious police?” I was like, “Damn yes I did!” I asked if that experience changed her ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana...
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132 Love Is Stronger Than Death—Benin, Where Jean Reconnected
Jean was readier to answer my questions—as if he had somehow prepared—than anyone I have interviewed in the course of this project when we met randomly at a fountain in an alcove of Casablanca’s wondrous mosque by the sea. I asked him why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.…
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131 La Direction de la Vie—Paris, Where Étienne Considered Suicide
Étienne has decorated his entire Paris apartment with paraphernalia from The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic children’s book. I asked what happened when he came home from nearly a year traveling the world ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the...
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130 Black Doesn't Speak—Paris, Where Caracola Clowns
Caracola left Buenos Aires at 19 to study anthropology in Paris but soon realized her calling is to be a clown. She has been studying intensely and touring the world performing in streets and studios ever since. I asked whether she has traveled to be able to perform or performed to be able to...
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129 Al-Amin—The Bronx, Where Mohibul Trusted
Mohibul runs the restaurant his father established when he moved from Bangladesh to London. They named it Al-Amin, which means “trust.” I asked how he learned to connect so well with his customers ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.…
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128 Belonging—Mostar, Where Anja Is Writing a Bible
Anja left Bosnia as a toddler and lives there now to reconnect with her roots. I asked if she has found herself in her journeys ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé. Consider donating to Westin's Fund (westinsfund.org). Learn more about...
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127 The Beauty of Sorrow—Zipolite, Where Indra Drowned
Indra broke up with his girlfriend in Turkey just months into traveling the world together and set off the series of events that brought him to South Korea. He almost died in Mexico. I asked whether he’s going to write all these experiences ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders....
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126 Vipassana—Tel Aviv, Where Meytal Wants to See
Meytal felt uncomfortable just following the typical path of a young Israeli, school, the army, job, and so she found another path that took her to India—and eventually, back to Israel. I asked whether people here comment on her Yemeni roots ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders....
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125 The Fourth Cup—Nazareth, Where Odna Is Being Investigated
Odna was summoned by the police in Nazareth and questioned about her Facebook activity. They said they were secretly listening to her conversations as well. I asked what her name means ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Consider donating to Westin's Fund...
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124 Beyond the Beyonds—Limerick, Where Frank Grew Up
Frank McCourt wrote his beloved memoir, Angela’s Ashes, about a childhood spent in Ireland. Una Heaten turned the schoolhouse he attended into a museum honoring his book and his legacy. I traveled to Limerick to ask what it’s like to build a museum ... and hope listening like this evaporates...
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123 Around the World in 72 Days—Mexico, Where Nellie Ran Away
Nellie Bly set out in 1889 to beat Jules Verne’s fictional circumnavigation of the globe by ten days and report along the way, but that’s only one among her many adventures. I asked Nathan Mannion of EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum what made Nellie so special ... and hope listening like this...
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122 The Spirit of Dialogue—Egypt, Where Francis Tried to Stop the Crusades
St. Francis of Assisi attached himself to a band of crusaders in the hopes that when he met the sultan in Egypt, his words could dissuade everyone from fighting. I asked a monk named Stephen who lives in Assisi whether he was successful ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special...
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121 A Listening Blue—Arles, Where Vincent Dreamed of Japan
Vincent Van Gogh left the Netherlands to paint the South of France near the end of his life and created some of the most famous and lasting works in his short career there. I asked Marion Ley of the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special...
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120 Dublin Live Show—Sweny's, Where PJ Welcomes Joyceans
PJ Murphy dresses like a chemist to greet the visitors to Sweny’s Pharmacy who come to Dublin to experience James Joyce’s novel, Ulysses. At Kennedy’s Pub and Station across the street—that Joyce surely visited as well—before a lovely warm live audience, I asked how PJ ended up at the center of...
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119 Seven Words—Maine, Where Rocinante Glowed
John Steinbeck packed up his dog and a few belongings into a camper he christened Rocinante and set out on the road late in life to discover America. I asked the head archivist at the National Steinbeck Center why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician...
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118 The Last Grain of Rice—Mosul, Where Mikey Saw a Face
Mikey spent years as a helicopter pilot before becoming to a storyteller. You can see his filmmaking at MikeyKay.com. I asked how he approaches interviewing—in other words how he deals with “the observer effect” ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician...
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117 The Other Side—L'Abri, Where Ryan Demilitarized
Ryan needed a place to decompress after serving in the military, so he went to L’Abri, a communal living center in the English countryside. I asked what exactly it was that reversed his political stance ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana…
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116 Lost City—Scotland, Where Joe Rescued a Drone
Joe ditched his drone in the middle of a herd of cattle in Scotland. The question was how to get it out again. I asked how travel shapes his creativity building the props for the Star Wars movies ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé and...
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115 The Cloud Sea—China, Where Gabriel Sang
Gabriel and his girlfriend left Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean to travel the entire world. We met in Valparaíso, Chile nine months in. I asked what could make them leave paradise ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé. Donate to…
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114 Absolute Silence—Auschwitz, Where Dominik Cried
Dominik moved to Berlin to become a poet, which makes him uniquely suited to tell the story of a visit to Auschwitz. I asked why he thought the German capital would change him ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé. Donate to Westin's Fund...
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113 ¿Qué vamos a hacer?—Panama, Where Caleb Brought a Stranger to Church
Caleb moved his family to Panama to begin a teaching career. I asked if he would pick me up at the airport after we met on Twitter ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Donate to Westin’s Fund, a group that defrays the medical costs for...
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112 The Social Play—Ireland, Where Emma Dreams
Emma once lived at a kibbutz in Israel. I asked what it takes to integrate in the Irish countryside ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé. "Suppose you do find a premise in your wanderings." —Lajos Egri
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111 Stolpboerderij De Harn—Ilpendam, Where Jeannette Remains a Geographer
Jeannette and her golden retriever, Bram, host the best Airbnb that I have ever stayed at—a barn in a village just outside Amsterdam. I asked why the landscape looks so much like the paintings by the Dutch masters ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the…
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110 The Fata Morgana—Rome, Where Peter Immigrated
Peter oversees the creation of the most wonderful gelato in Rome, at Fata Morgana Gelato. Though Italian by ancestry, he grew up in Canada and moved to the bel paese only later. I asked what it felt like to immigrate ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the...
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109 Stendhal Syndrome—Berlin, Where Cristina Froze
Cristina took us into the Real Maestranza, Seville’s cathedral of bullfighting, when no one else was there. I asked what to look for when the season started the following day ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé. "A sight, an emotion,...
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108 The Sound of Rain—Chicago, Where Christopher Lived in a Van
Christopher decided to simplify his life and move into a van. I asked a number of logistical questions ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé. Follow Christopher on Instagram: CHIGUY79 https://www.instagram.com/chiguy79/?hl=en Donate to...
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107 Multi-Colored Mirrors—Ireland, Where Sam Bought a Motorcycle
Sam rode his new bike from Ireland to Prague where we met in front of the Lennon Wall, a living memorial layered over in years of graffiti. Decades ago, Beatles quote scribbled there launched the Velvet Revolution. I asked what words he added ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders....
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106 From Nowhere—Alaska, Where Jo Saw a Grizzly
Jo may not have been as prepared as she needed to be when she visited the U.S. I asked her to describe the shipwreck where we met ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé. "The more people I meet, the happier I become." Samuel Beckett
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105 Emergency Call—Fiji, Where William Was [Interrupted by Orchids]
William makes props for the new Star Wars films at Pinewood Studios in London. We met on the Inca Trail in Peru. I asked how places like Machu Picchu and Sayaqmarka shape his work ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musicians, Dana Boulé and Grupo Sonkoy....
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104 Fourteen Years—The U.S., Where Henry Immigrated Illegally
Henry tried three times to cross the border into the U.S., a long journey from his home in Honduras. He has been a translator for Mission Lazarus since coming back. I asked why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Visit…
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103 Burnout—Oaxaca, Where Meghan Recovered
Meghan had an epiphany in Mexico. I asked whether it’s possible to bring her insight back into settled life ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Consider donating to Westin's Fund, a charity that covers the costs for grieving parents...
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102 One Twenty-Fifth of a Second—Yugoslavia, Where Wade Photographed War
Wade Goddard established a museum for war photography that you must visit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, War Photo Limited. He came to Yugoslavia in the 90s. I asked what it was like to travel in a country that no longer exists ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the...
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101 Celebration of Life Festival—The Mississippi, Where Z Parted the Clouds
Z spent some time traveling in a band, so naturally, I asked whether that changed him ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Consider donating to Westin's Fund, a charity that covers the costs for grieving parents related to miscarriages…
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100 And Who Is My Neighbor?—Chicago, Where Martin Failed
Martin Luther King, Jr. moved to Chicago in 1966 to try to end slums. I did not know until a few years ago, so I went to the spot where he lived and asked Trevor Riley, the community organizer in charge of the MLK Fair Housing Exhibit Center at the MLK Legacy Apartments in North Lawndale to tell...
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99 The Art of Conversation—Muine Gall, Where Barack Traced His Roots
President Obama visited his ancestral village to learn about where his family came from. I asked a local there to tell me what that day was like ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
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98 Writ in Water—Rome, Where John Died
The Keats-Shelley House in Rome overlooks the Spanish Steps where the great English poet John Keats lived his final days. I asked its director, Dr. Giuseppe Albano, what moved Keats ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Visit...
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97 A Time for War—Idaho, Where Ernest Lost His Memories
Ernest Hemingway lived in Chicago, Italy, Kansas City, Paris, Toronto, Arkansas, Spain, Cuba, Florida, and finally, Idaho. I asked Nancy Sindelar, whose recent book Influencing Hemingway traces how these places and other factors might have shaped his writing, what moved him to travel so much ......
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96 Cara de Bobo—Mexico City, Where Gabo Read Kafka
Gabriel García Márquez began his writing career in Cartagena, Colombia, but it took him all over the world. I asked a guide there, Duran Duran, to tell me what exactly happened during his exile in Mexico City that made Márquez sequester himself to write his great book One Hundred Years of…
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95 The Universal Particular—Dublin, Where James Etched His Heart
James Joyce never lived in Dublin again once he left yet poured all he knew of the city into his masterpiece Ulysses. I asked the Friends of the Joyce Tower Society in Sandycove, where the novel begins, just exactly how this self-imposed exile shaped Joyce's art ... and hope listening like this...
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94 First Sighting of the Sea—Valparaíso, Where Pablo Brought 2,000 Refugees
Pablo Neruda's house in Santiago, Chile has been preserved as a museum, called La Chascona. I asked Javier Ormeño Bustos to explain how travel shaped the great poet's life ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. You can learn more about the...
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93 NGO Hopping—India, Where Mathias Led His Blind Great-Grandfather
Mathias first went with his great-grandfather to India at age 7, but that's only one of the many stories he told me about his travels and how they have fed into all the aid work he does now. I asked where we can find more information about his projects ... and hope listening like this evaporates...
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92 The Wave and Sea—Europe, Where Eltaj Wants to be a Famous Writer
Eltaj left Sudan and crossed the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy, where we met in a small migrant camp at an abandoned train station in Rome. I asked if he wanted to visit the Keats-Shelley House together ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana...
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91 The Persistence of Memory—Sardinia, Where Majda Took Dragan
Majda took us into her home in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina with a glass of grappa. I asked why she had to rebuild that home ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Join the Observer Effect Kiva Team→ at Kiva.org Or consider getting...
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90 Certain Half-Deserted Streets—Amsterdam, Where Ilmari Could Feel Something
Ilmari describes himself as an Eskimo with blond hair. We met in the Sahara Desert. I asked if reindeer and the Northern Lights really played a large role in his life growing up in Lapland ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Join...
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89 One Thousand Degrees of Heat—Merzouga, Where Ilham Fell Down a Sand Dune
Ilham did everything she could to live in Marrakesh. I asked how to make lemon saffron chicken tajine ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. This is the Two Year Anniversary of the Observer Effect! Join the Observer Effect Kiva Team→ at...
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88 A Small Dot on the Horizon—Syria, Where Johan Went to Counter Prejudice
Johan coordinated volunteers at a refugee camp in Greece. I asked why he had moved from Sweden to Syria previously ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. "The truth is a pathless land." —Tiziano Terzani
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87 Asylum—Sweden, Where Ibrahim Is Waiting
Ibrahim escaped Eritrea through the Sahara Desert hidden in the back of a car, crossed the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Italy crowded into a boat, and now waits in Sweden studying in an old schoolhouse. I asked what language he speaks ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Observer Effect have?
The Observer Effect currently has 136 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Observer Effect about?
These are strangers' travel stories. Each time I ask how travel has changed them and hope listening like this evaporates borders.
How often does The Observer Effect release new episodes?
The Observer Effect publishes regularly with 136 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Observer Effect?
You can listen to The Observer Effect on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Observer Effect?
The Observer Effect is created and hosted by The Observer Effect.
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