PODCAST · society
Why We Wander
by The Wandering Scholar
Why We Wander is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Shannon Keating and Tamara Walker, co-founders of The Wandering Scholar. We talk about all things travel: the places people go, the experiences that have transformed their lives, and how the travel landscape is evolving to meet the demands of a changing world. We also feature interviews with founders, documentarians, boundary pushers and advocates - people leading the charge of transforming the who, how, and why of travel.
Episodes
-
Souvenir: Teachers and Travel
This week we revisit one of our episodes about teachers and travel. We take a look at all the ways teachers use travel, from expanding the boundaries of the classroom and developing their own skills, to - as our guest Cheria Funches of Black Teachers Travel puts it - engaging in self care. For…
more -
Souvenir: Retirement Travel
We continue with our trip down memory lane by revisiting our conversation with Alison and Don, a couple who set out on a trip around the world in their sixties. We talk about why they decided to do it, the lessons they learned on the road, and what advice they have for couples who want to travel...
-
Souvenir/Postcard: Travel with Kids
Now that summer travel season is kicking back into gear for the first time in years, we thought we'd dig through our archives to bring you some early, pre-pandemic podcast content to stoke your nostalgia and wanderlust. We're calling this series "souvenirs," as a reminder of where we've been and...
-
Episode 64: Travel Hacks & Shifting Guidelines
In this episode Shannon and Tamara talk about one of the enduring challenges when it comes to traveling to Europe - flights that land hours (and hours) before we can check into our accomodations - and a genius workaround that helps get everyone off to a fresh start. They also commisserate about…
more -
Episode 63: Travel Tropes to Toss, Keep, and Rethink
In this episode we talk about overused travel tropes. Which ones do we need to toss out (hint: it ends with "-moon")? Which ones are worth keeping, or perhaps rethinking for the way we live and travel now? For more on the topics we discuss in this episode, check out:...
-
Episode 62: Do Tourist Traps Get a Bad Rap?
It seems like every piece of travel advice we come across these days tells us to avoid the dreaded "tourist trap." But what's so bad about these sorts of places? And why are we so dismissive of them? In this episode, Shannon and Tamara try to get to the bottom of it, and offer up a more flexible...
-
Episode 61: What Does it Mean to be Well Traveled?
In this episode Shannon and Tamara tackle a pressing question: what does it mean to be well traveled? Is it about the number of stamps on your passport or a slightly more complex formula? Also, join us as we end up dissecting the most expensive, luxurious, and downright outrageous trip offering...
-
Episode 60: New Year, Old Problems
In this episode we talk about how we've started out the new year aware of the old problems related to traveling in our current reality. At the same time, that awareness has forced us to become travel and destination experts in ways we're trying to embrace.
-
Episode 59: A Report from the 2021 Travel Field
When we started working on this week's episode with Angela, our de facto travel correspondent, the new variant hadn't yet made the news or an impact on the travel industry. So the specifics of the experience she describes reflect a different moment than the one we're currently in. But there is...
-
Episode 58: The Roads We've Been Traveling
Tamara and Shannon are back! In this episode, they talk about the roads they've been traveling, what it's like becoming a regular in new places, the joy of cooking in Sabbatical Homes, and whether they see themselves as travel experts, expert travelers, or some combination of the two.
-
Episode 57: What We Never Travel Without
It has been a while since the last episode we recorded together. We've got a bunch of ideas of topics we want to cover this fall and winter on Why We Wander but we thought we'd ease back into things with a fun thought experiment inspired by a recent article in Conde Nast Traveler titled "Why I...
-
Episode 56: A Student Searches for Haiti and Herself
We had a busy summer at the podcast and at The Wandering Scholar, despite the unusual circumstances surrounding all of us right now. Normally we'd be giving you updates from our students about their trips abroad with one of our travel partners, but obviously that wasn't possible for us this year....
-
Episode 55: The New Rules of Tourism
In this episode, Tamara and Shannon talk about the new rules of tourism. After world-famous cities like Amsterdam got a taste during the pandemic of what life was like without tourists looking to get high, visit the Red Light District during Stag (Bachelor) parties, and sometimes even treat their...
-
Episode 54: All Things Iceland with Jewells Chambers
In this episode, Tamara chats with Jewells Chambers, founder of All Things Iceland (a multi-platform destination for learning about Icelandic culture, history, and nature). They talk about Jewells' most formative travel experiences, the love story that took her to Iceland, what it's like to be a...
-
Episode 53: A Conversation with Danielle G. from Young, Gifted and Abroad
In this episode, Shannon and Tamara chat with Danielle G., host of the podcast Young, Gifted, and Abroad (https://www.younggiftedandabroad.com/), which had its debut on Juneteenth in 2018. We asked her about her earliest international experiences, whether she prefers standing out or blending in...
-
Episode 52: Road Trips, College Towns and Vanlife
It's almost summer which means road trip time for many people who are seeking a little adventure as restrictions ease up around the U.S. In this episode Tamara and Shannon catch up about Tamara's recent road trip over Memorial Day weekend from Toronto to Colorado. They circle back to the topic of...
-
Episode 51: Traveling Is "When We Feel Most Alive"
In our last episode, Shannon and Tamara talked about the place of travel in their lives and why it matters so much to them that they built a non-profit and podcast around it. The conversation made them wonder what some of their previous guests had to say about the importance of travel, so they...
-
Episode 50: What Is It about Travel?
For our 50th episode, Shannon and Tamara drill down to the essence of our show to ask: what is it about travel that nourishes us, defines our sense of self, and - in some cases - even makes us go crazy at the thought of living without it?
-
Episode 46: Talking with Dr. Kiona - How Not To Travel
In this episode we talk with Dr. Kiona, an online educator and founder of How Not To Travel Like A Basic Bitch. She blends travel with accessible learning by spotlighting different cultures, uplifting marginalized voices, and inspiring her audience to travel mindfully. She also hosts How Not To...
-
Episode 45: "Emily In Paris" and the Travel Stories We Don't See
It's the run-up to the Golden Globes, and we have the surprise - and controversial - multi-nominee "Emily in Paris" on our minds. We talk about what we liked about the show, how we'd approach the story if we were in the writers' room, and whether it's possible to tell escapist stories about…
more -
Episode 44: Study Abroad Memories
If we weren't in the middle of a pandemic, it would be study abroad season for high-school and college students around the US. In the spirit of nostalgia and with hope for a future of safely-opened borders, we decided to reflect on our own memories of studying abroad, and share some from our...
-
Episode 43: Vaccine Tourism
In this postcard episode Tamara and Shannon talk about what everyone is talking about: vaccine tourism. From out-of-staters crossing the border in Florida to international travel agencies marketing yet-to-be-available vaccination trips to New York City to wealthy elites, people are cutting lines...
-
Episode 42: You Can Still Visit Paris
In this episode, we talk with Elisa Jéhanno, a licensed tour guide in Paris who - it might surprise you - has been keeping very busy these past few months . We cover a range of topics, including the French licensing process, how she pivoted from in-person tours to virtual offerings, Parisians'...
-
Episode 41: The Real Housewives of Travel
In this episode, Tamara talks with Brandon, a friend of the podcast who you last heard from him in episode 36 (https://soundcloud.com/user-88865630/ep-36-getting-away-but-not-escaping). In addition to loving to talk about travel, the two of us also love to talk about all things Real Housewives.…
more -
Episode 40: A Year (Mostly) without Travel: Reflections and Resolutions
In our 40th and final episode of 2020, Tamara and Shannon reflect on a year without travel (or at least much travel) and talk about what this coming year will look like for us personally and for the travel industry at large. We reminisce about the last places we traveled to pre-COVID, consider…
more -
Episode 39: Race and Travel
This week's episode is a two-part exploration of race and travel. In Part one, Shannon and Tamara chat with Susan Ho, a travel company founder who we first spoke to in Episode 23. And in part two, Tamara talks with friend of the podcast Angela Moore - who you first heard from in our popular…
more -
Episode 38: Learning Languages at Home and for the Future
In this episode, Tamara talks with Janina Klimas, a language teacher and expert on all things related to feeling confident speaking foreign languages. If you're wondering how you'll get through another winter in quarantine, Janina has tips for reading books, listening to podcasts, and finding fun...
-
Episode 37: The Future Of Student Travel
We are back! In this episode, we talk with Reed Harwood of Where There Be Dragons, a Colorado-based company whose mission is to cultivate meaningful connections through immersive and responsible travel. We asked him about the impact of COVID-19 on the student travel landscape, and what he thinks...
-
Episode 36: Getting Away but Not Escaping
This episode continues our ongoing coverage of travel in the time of covid. We are about 7 months into the pandemic at this point, (or maybe even 10, depending on how you count), and in that time, we have gone from complete lockdowns and lockouts, to the gradual re-opening of borders to…
more -
Episode 35: Travel in the Time of COVID
In this episode, we talk about travel in the time of Covid. Shannon is away from the podcast for a little while, so I reached out to our friend Angela Moore to join me. She was one of the first people I knew to take a trip once stay-at-home orders were lifted this summer, so I had lots of…
more -
Episode 34: Beyond the Black Square
In this episode, we talk about how the travel industry is reckoning with issues of racial diversity and inclusion. The industry, to put it mildly, has had a long history of whitewashing travel. This applies to how destinations get marketed, the travelers whose stories get featured in…
more -
Episode 33: Escaping While Safer At Home
In our last episode we focused on the realm of fantasy, dreaming up where we would go, who we would visit and even what we'd order for breakfast on our next trip outside our immediate homes and communities. But the reality is that most of us are still safer at home and big trips to far flung…
more -
Episode 32: Quarantine Travel Fantasies
In this installment of our Travel Fantasies series, we let our minds wander away from the realities we are all facing. We've all been cooped up in our homes for quite some time now, watching as spring and summer plans get cancelled as the world struggles in the face of a global pandemic. So we…
more -
Episode 31: COVID-19 Escape Artists
In this episode (record date: Thursday, April 2), we continue our coverage of the relationship between travel and the coronavirus. While any significant travel, beyond the big trip from our couch to the kitchen, in this new world of COVID-19 feels like a distant dream, there has still been a lot…
more -
Episode 30: Study Abroad and Coronavirus
In this episode, we continue our discussion of the impact of the coronavirus on travel. Last week we talked about the vacations we decided not to take with our families, and how much our stories were reflected in similar kinds of media coverage. But the focus on vacationers has left out a big...
-
Why We Wander Episode 29: Travel and COVID-19
In this episode, we talk about something that is on everyone's minds: travel and the coronavirus. We'll talk about how it has interrupted vacation plans, inspired fear and panic over travel, and in some cases gotten people even more excited to hit the road. As this is a developing public health...
-
Why We Wander Ep. 28 (Travel Fantasies) Flight Passes
We are introducing a new feature called Travel Fantasies. We take a news story - about airline promos, trends in the travel industry, updates from the world of luxury travel etc. and use it as a starting point for a thought experiment. This episode's fantasy comes thanks to an article about a 3...
-
Why We Wander Episode 27: Museum Travel
This episode is about museums and travel. We'll talk about the different ways museum visits can fit into travel experiences, and vice versa. We chat with Emily Clarke, a museum professional at the early stages of her career who uses social media to explore museums, galleries and heritage sites...
-
Why We Wander Episode 26 (Postcard): Travel Scams
In this postcard episode Tamara and Shannon talk about the trials and tribulations of falling victim to travel scams, both harmless and trip threatening, and also discuss times when we've simply been sorely disappointed when the reality doesn't match the artfully edited photos we saw online. We...
-
Why We Wander Episode 25: Teachers and Travel
In this episode, we talk about teachers and travel. We take a look at all the ways teachers use travel, from expanding the boundaries of the classroom and developing their own skills, to - as our guest Cheria Funches of Black Teachers Travel puts it - engaging in self care. For more on the topics...
-
Why We Wander Episode 24 (Postcard) Holiday Travel
With the holidays approaching, we are thinking, of course, about holiday travel. Not just traveling home to see family, but traveling to vacation destinations. In this episode we talk about the pros and cons of different types of holiday travel. We'll help you figure out the best way to keep your...
-
Why We Wander Episode 23: Planning a Trip with Susan Ho, Founder of Journy
In this episode we sit down with Susan Ho, founder of Journy a travel planning service that pairs travelers 1-on-1 with their own personal trip designer creating custom itineraries all tailored to a traveler's unique preferences. We talk about the different ways we go about planning trips and the...
-
Why We Wander Episode 22 (Postcard) Off Season Travel
It's October and officially fall in our part of the world. So we thought we'd dedicate this postcard episode to talking about one of our favorite parts of fall, off season travel. We discuss what it is and how to benefit from it (and who most often benefits from it). We share some personal...
-
Why We Wander Episode 21: Travel and Language with Fluent City
This week we discuss language learning. We sit down with Jessica Vollman CEO of Fluent City, a language school with in person and online programs offering instruction in 11 languages to individuals, groups and companies. We discuss their data driven approach to teaching languages, cover the new...
-
Why We Wander Episode 20: Travel as a Kid
In this episode we revisit one of our more popular topics, kids and travel, but we flip the script a bit. Last time we spoke with Angela a member of our board at the Wandering Scholar who has been traveling internationally with her son since we was a toddler. Since they were traveling yet again...
-
Why We Wander Episode 19: Our 2019 Wandering Scholars
In this episode, we chat with 2019 Wandering Scholars Angela and Ezeah, who traveled to Peru and Senegal this summer with our partners at Where There Be Dragons. We talk about their trip highlights and snafus, communicating with host families when you don't speak the language, the best things…
more -
Why We Wander Episode 18 (Postcard): Flight Shame/"Flygskam"
In this postcard episode we talk about flight shaming, which seems to be everywhere in the news these days. We talk about the origins of this phenomenon, what it means for mindful travelers like you, how thought leaders and industry giants are reacting to this trend, and we take a listener...
-
Why We Wander Episode 17(Postcard): Class and Travel
In this postcard episode we respond to feedback from a dedicated listener on the topic of class and travel. We talk about the way class shapes the places we go, what we do (or don't do) while we're there, and how we talk about it in general. Further Reading:...
-
Why We Wander Episode 16: Creativity & Expat Life with Author Juliette Sobanet
In this episode, we talk with Juliette Sobanet (https://www.juliettesobanet.com/), author of several books including the novel Kissed in Paris and the memoir, Meet Me in Paris. We touch on everything from love stories about places, the fantasy vs. reality of moving abroad, and the relationship...
-
Why We Wander Episode 15 (Postcard): Tourists
With summer travel season upon us, we wanted to talk about something that we will all experience at some point in our lives, and that's being a tourist. In this postcard episode we cover the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of playing that role, and take a listener question on the same subject....
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Why We Wander is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Shannon Keating and Tamara Walker, co-founders of The Wandering Scholar. We talk about all things travel: the places people go, the experiences that have transformed their lives, and how the travel landscape is evolving to meet the demands of a changing world. We also feature interviews with founders, documentarians, boundary pushers and advocates - people leading the charge of transforming the who, how, and why of travel.
HOSTED BY
The Wandering Scholar
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Why We Wander have?
Why We Wander currently has 67 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Why We Wander about?
Why We Wander is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Shannon Keating and Tamara Walker, co-founders of The Wandering Scholar. We talk about all things travel: the places people go, the experiences that have transformed their lives, and how the travel landscape is evolving to meet the demands of a...
How often does Why We Wander release new episodes?
Why We Wander has 67 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Why We Wander?
You can listen to Why We Wander 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 Why We Wander?
Why We Wander is created and hosted by The Wandering Scholar.
URL copied to clipboard!