Meet Ann Becker, Experiential Tour Leader and Costa Rica Expert

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Our guest this week is Ann Becker. Ann has been leading experiential group trips to Costa Rica for 11 years where she takes travelers off the beaten path and into the heart of the Central American nation. After unexpectedly “being bitten” by Costa Rica on a family vacation in 2005, she made a strategic decision to marry her professional planning expertise with her love of Costa Rica and experiential travel.

For more information on Ann’s upcoming trips, visit her website . You can also find her on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about Ann after the jump.

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Surviving My Staycation

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It’s been six months since I started my citizenship process and I am oh so close. The only thing I have left is the oath ceremony. The very nice USCIS officer who interviewed me said I should be getting it any minute now, possibly at the end of the month. Just be patient, I told myself when I left. The hard part is over.

But really: WHERE IS MY OATH DATE?

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S2E20: Traveling with Peruvian Hip Hop Musician Menores

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Formed by composers Talía Vega and Ana Cabrera and music producer Orieta Chrem, Menores has been taking the local Peruvian music scene by storm and has extended their fan base to all corners of Latin America. Kathy and Ines talked to Talía and Orieta about what it’s really like to be touring musicians in an industry that’s still pretty male-dominated. Find out more about Peru’s burgeoning DIY music scene, what it’s like to shoot a music video in the middle of the desert, what they pack before they go on tour (less bathing suits and more crazy makeup), and their experience playing at Festival Yavería in Bogota, Colombia. Don’t worry, they also asked the one burning question about the rock n’ roll lifestyle: groupies.

Listen to the episode on Podbean or Apple Podcasts.

You can find Menores on Facebook and on their sweet Instagram page, as well as listen to their tunes on Spotify.

We’re still looking for stories on the subject of home! Send your stories to XXWillTravel[at]gmail[dot]com. You can write them or attach an MP3. You can also leave us a message (along with your name) at 872-228-5596 or give us a shout on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.

Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review. It’s easy! Or follow us on Podbean.
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Like XX, Will Travel on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

 

Meet Menores, Badass Travelers and Musicians Extraordinaire

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Menores Musica in Colombia

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be on tour? To be greeted by adoring fans in far-flung cities? Then you’ll love this week’s episode! We had a chance to sit down with Menores, an experimental rap and electronic music project from Lima, Peru. The trio is formed by composers Ana Cabrera (who sadly couldn’t make the interview) and Talía Vega and music producer Orieta Chrem. Their EP  Tierra de Nadie was released in March, 2016. They’ve performed in numerous music festivals in their hometown and recently toured in Colombia. According to Vice-Mexico, the offshoot of Vice magazine in Latin America, Menores is “one of the most fresh and relevant examples for Spanish-language independent music”.

You can find Menores on Facebook and on their sweet Instagram page, as well as listen to their tunes on Spotify.

Find out more about Menores after the jump!

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We Want Your Thoughts on the Concept of Home for an Upcoming Episode

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Home. There may be no place like it, but what exactly is it?

Home. It’s where the heart is, where, where you hang your hat or where you can never go again. But we want to know what home means to you! We’re doing an upcoming episode on the concept of home and want to know: What makes a place a home? Is it the people? Is home just a physical location or can it be a specific place in time? How long does it take for a place to become “home” and can you have more than one?

We’re looking for your thoughts and stories. Don’t be afraid to get deep – the more philosophical, the better! And if you’re a digital nomad or just like to move around every few years, let us know what home means to you and how you pick your next one.

Send your stories to XXWillTravel[at]gmail[dot]com. You can write them or attach an MP3. You can also leave us a message (along with your name) at 872-228-5596 or give us a shout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a review. It’s easy! Or follow us on Podbean.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here.
Like XX, Will Travel on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

 

S2E19: Traveling in Nashville, Tennessee

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Nashville photo courtesy of Travel + Leisure

Nash Vegas. Music City. The Minneapolis of the South?* That’s right – we’re talking Nashville, Tennessee. Inspired by Ines’s recent impromptu road trip and Kathy’s many visits, the ladies talk about what’s good in Tennessee’s capital city. From music to bars to BBQ, they cover it all. They also delve into the bonds that form between road tripping friends, bar fights they’ve been in (What? I know!) and how you, too, can pass yourself off as a music producer to sneak into Jack White parties.

* At one time, Nashville’s claim to fame was that it rivaled Minneapolis in flour production. Who knew? At least it’s not the Underwear Capital of the World – that’s Knoxville, TN, a title which is also disputed by Minneapolis. What’s up with these cities?

Listen to the episode on Podbean or Apple Podcasts.

A list of places we mentioned in the podcast is after the jump.

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Remember that Poll? Results Are In!

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A few months ago, I was stuck. Both in a physical and emotional sense. Politics and my pending citizenship status prevented me from traveling abroad. My days consisted of going in to a job that let me deeply unsatisfied. Free time was something I rarely had, seeing as I used it to work on all the side projects I loved. The situation could not stay the same or else I was going to burn out. Yet, I lacked the courage or conviction at the time to really make any changes to my circumstances.

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