The Wander Wonder Podcast
This is a podcast meant to inspire curiosity and wanderlust. Each episode will feature a guest who has lived in or traveled to various places. Through my conversations with each guest, I hope to get listeners excited about travel and intercultural connections.
Purpose
To introduce the listener to various cities and countries across the globe via guests and interviews.
Mission statement
To educate the listener on different cultures, languages, histories, points of view. To inspire a sense of wanderlust, longing, and excitement about travel. To spark curiosity and urgency in the listener. To make people want to learn more about xyz city/country.
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Available on Spotify
Episode 53 - click here
This week we have an interview to dive into! We're chatting with my colleague, fellow journalist and traveler: Raffy Cabristante!
Raffy tells us what it was life growing up in The Philippines, moving to Manila and working as a journalist. If you're itching to travel to SEA, The Philippines should be on the top of your list.
Episode 52 - click here
Hey everyone! Welcome to another episode. In this one, my boyfriend and I are telling you about our recent trip to the island of Phuket in Thailand! This was my first time in the country, and I must say it was beautiful!
But be warned ... the trip takes a crazy bad turn at the end. Listen to find out!
Episode 51 - click here
Welcome back to the podcast! After a short break, we will start 2025 with a new episode. This one is a solo ep about taking advantage of opportunities.
Get ready for another year of interviews and adventures!
Episode 50 - click here
This is the final episode with Kami Patel, and she tells us all about her current life living in Bogotá as a Fulbright scholar!
Episode 49 - click here
We are hearing from Kami Patel once again for part three of this lovely conversation. This episode, she tells us about her time living in Norway and Sweden!
Episode 48 - click here
Kami is back on the mic this week! She is telling us all about her experience living and studying in Buenos Aires!
Episode 47 - click here
We are listening to Kami Patel this week! She lays the backdrop for her life living abroad. In the next few episodes, she will tell us about living abroad in Argentina, Norway, Sweden, and Colombia!
Episode 46 - click here
This is the final episode with Hellen Li! She did an internship in Da Nang in Vietnam for six months, where she worked in a fancy-pants hotel.
Episode 45 - click here
Hellen Li is back again on the podcast, telling us all about her time studying hotel management in Amsterdam! Next week, we will wrap up this four part interview with Hellen, and she'll tell us about living in Vietnam.
Episode 44 - click here
Hellen Li is back on the podcast! She tells us all about her year studying Mandarin in Shanghai! Next week, we will hear about Hellen's experience going to uni in Amsterdam!
Episode 43 - click here
Hellen Li is on the podcast! She is going to tell us about her life growing up in a few places (but mostly in Germany). This is the first episode to a four-part interview!
Episode 42 - click here
It's our final episode with the amazing Tiff Ip. After three prior episodes, where she tells us about like in Colombia, Russia, and Egypt, we cap it all off with a crazy experience in Turkey!
She joins a caravan of "Spanish hippies" who are heading to this gathering in Turkey called Rainbow, where everyone just lives together removed from civilization for a few weeks. It is a WILD story.
Episode 41 - click here
We have another episode with Tiff Ip, and this time, she takes us to EGYPT, where she explored and lived there for around six months. She visited some beautiful places in Egypt and gives us great insight on life there. Enjoy!
Episode 40 - click here
Tiff Ip is back on the mic to talk to us about studying Russian in St Petersburg! From crazy clubbing outfits to fun karaoke to strange landlords, she gives us a look into her six-month stint in Russia.
Episode 39 - click here
Tiff Ip is on the podcast to tell us about her insane travel stories! For part 1, we are focusing on her six months in Bogotá, Colombia, where she worked as a translator. Take a listen, and get excited for parts 2-4 of her adventures!
Episode 38 - click here
I went back to the good ol’ U.S. of A for THREE WEEKS. It was the first long stint back in the states in a year! Here are some of the reverse culture shocky things that I felt while there~
Sorry if I am offending Americans with this.
Episode 37 - click here
This is a different type of episode, but boy was I enjoying making it.
Yes, Hong Kong is a bit of a cold, harsh city, but there are still some beautiful, sweet moments and interactions. I asked my friends in IG to share stories with me of when they had a lovely interaction with a stranger. I am sharing these stories as well as a few of my own!
Hope this brings a smile to your face :)
Episode 36 - click here
Gigi is back on the podcast! You can check out her first episode on the pod where she talked about living in Alaska! This time she tells us about living and teaching in rural South Korea.
Episode 35 - click here
This is the final part of my conversation with Amy Sood. This week, we talk about India (among other off topic things).
Episode 34 - click here
Hey all! Amy Sood is back on the pod! For the second part of this interview, Amy told us all about studying abroad in New Zealand. It's a pretty decent episode if I do say so myself. She'll be back for the third part next week!
Episode 33 - click here
Sooo, this is an unusual episode. It's really emotional. I cry a little bit. If you don't want to hear me cry then don't listen. It's that simple. I might end up deleting this episode. I don't know.
I just tell people what actually happened in Tulsa and how I felt. Spoiler: it wasn't a good year.
Thanks for listening.
Episode 32 - click here
Amy Sood is speaking on the podcast this week to tell us all about her life growing up in Indonesia. This conversation will be split into three parts, so look out for the upcoming episodes also featuring Amy!
Episode 31 - click here
Hey all! Here is a little recap of my trip to Taipei. This was the first time I have ever been to Taiwan, and, while it was a short trip, it was pretty successful. Enjoy~~
Episode 30 - click here
Hey all! Here is a little recap of my trip to Taipei. This was the first time I have ever been to Taiwan, and, while it was a short trip, it was pretty successful. Enjoy~~
Episode 29 - click here
Hey everyone! Marie is back on the mic this week to tell us about her life studying at a university in the city of Marseille, which is in the south of France~
Marie and I are traveling to Taipei together, so get excited for an episode all about our adventures there!
Episode 28 - click here
This week, my friend Marie joins my on the mic! Marie is a lovely soul - she is ambitious, intelligent, worldly, open-minded and funny (for a German .... jkjk Marie hehe). Aiya, anyways, Marie tells us about what life was like growing up in Germany! Part 2 of this interview will reveal her study abroad experience in southern France, so stay tuned for that.
Episode 27 - click here
Hey all! In this episode, I'm recapping my recent adventures with my parents. They visited me in Hong Kong, and after a week there (with a day trip to Macau), we went to Japan.
Enjoy!
Episode 26 - click here
Embarrassingly ... this episode is two months late. I went to Vietnam in late February and recorded this episode when I came back in early March ... and didn't edit it for nearly two months. But oh well! Better late than never!
Episode 25 - click here
This podcast has been on a hiatus for a while! Mostly because (as you can see from the title) I moved across the world again!!!! Soooo I had to take a little break to get settled, but we are BACK to explore the world a little more together.
In this episode, my friend Danai interviews me (oh how the turns have tabled) about my moving to Hong Kong ... both times....
Episode 24 - click here
This week, we are joined by my awesome, creative, artistic COUSIN, Billy! He studied abroad in Prague for a whole year during college, and he's here to tell us what to do, eat, look out for, and more!
Episode 23 - click here
This is a SUPER special episode, because we are talking with YouTuber Cari Cakes! Cari has over 600k subscribers across her two channels. She makes a living through travel content and lifestyle content based in Seoul, south Korea! Today, we dive into the ins and outs of Seoul, what it’s like living there as a foreigner, how Seoul has changed over the past decade, and so much more!
Episode 22 - click here
This is a bit of an unconventional little solo episode! I talk about nine instances where I talked to strangers during my travels or living abraod, and that interaction turned into a beautiful friendship! I had so much fun recording this episode, being able to reminisce on such meaningful memories, and I hope this encourages you to step out of your comfort zone a little bit when traveling!
Episode 21 - click here
Cherie is BACK on the pod for the rest of her interview! In this portion, we talk about how she moved to SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA! From the initial culture shock to lots of suggests on what to do, see, and eat, Cherie gives us all the insight on life in Seoul!
Episode 20 - click here
Get ready for sunshine, nature, and beaches - in this special episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing YouTuber Cherie Moore! Normally based in Seoul, Cherie has been back in The States for the past couple of months and will soon return to Korea. In this episode, she tells us about living in Oahu, Hawaii for undergrad! does Hawaii really live up to all the hype? Listen and find out!
Episode 19 - click here
Adelene is BACK on the pod with us! We're finishing up our interview this week by talking about her study abroad experience in Geneva. Adelene was back home from Dubai for ONE WEEK...and then it was off to Switzerland. She takes us through her academic experience, and explains how her internship in Geneva may have shifted her career plans!
Episode 18 - click here
This episode, we're joined by Adelene Jeneid! She tells us all about the vast, beautiful, and culturally rich city of Dubai!
Episode 17 - click here
We're traveling a bit farther today, to the BEAUTIFUL country of Australia! In specific, Paige Koch tells us about the Gold Coast and Brisbane! Hear about all the fun things each city offers and how YOU can prepare for a trip to Australia <3
Episode 16 - click here
This is a very special episode, because Emma Fritsch tells us about her trek to the basecamp of Mount Everest! That's right that tallest mountain in the world, and it's far from a glamorous hike. We get to hear the struggles and hardships she endures as well as the incredible rewards that come with it.
Episode 15 - click here
Pizza, pasta, gelato...Annie Sasena joins us this week with all of her travels through the beautiful country of Italy! From essentially hitch hiking for a weekend getaway to seeing the Pope, she gives us a detailed overview of what she saw, ate, and did there!
Episode 14 - click here
This week, I'm comin' at you with a SOLO episode! That's right, you're getting over an hour of just. Katie. talking. Lucky you! I'm telling you all about my two weeks traveling through South Korea and Japan. We're visiting Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. I'm telling you about all the fun things I did, the cool people I met, and about some of the things that didn't quite go as planned....
Episode 13 - click here
In this episode, Taela Dudley is back for her third and final interview, and this time, she's telling us about teaching and living in Dakar, Senegal! She has some WILD stories (TW for a kind of violent one at the end). Hear of the beauty of the Senegal, and her experiences living and working in the capital.
Episode 12 - click here
Sydney Tucker had the pleasure of studying in Germany during her Junior Year of college. She describes the beauty of the ambience and architecture as well as the the immersion into history. Learn what you can expect, what to do, what NOT to do, and hear some pretty crazy stories along the way!
Episode 11 - click here
Taela Dudley is back on the podcast for a second episode! She takes us to Zhuhai, China, where she taught English and performing arts! From the DELICIOUS food to beautiful traditions and customs, we get a nice snippet of the city.
Episode 10 - click here
Does Paris live up to the hype? Is Parisian food really that good? Are Parisians actually rude? We've got all those answers and more, thanks to special guest Taela! Taela is a true world traveler; from France to China to Senegal and more, she's an experienced nomad! In this two-part interview, we're starting off in France, where Taela studied abroad for a semester.
Episode 9 - click here
Pack your bags, because we are headed to Kathmandu, Nepal! Maggie West chose to study abroad in Nepal during her Junior year at Boston College to immerse herself in the culture and learn more about Buddhism. From crazy dog fights to witnessing weddings ... Maggie tells us everything about her semester in Nepal!
Episode 8 - click here
In this episode, we're headed to Mexico City, where my lovely friend Paulina Martínez spent the first 15 years of her life. She tells us about traditions and holidays, the day to day of growing up in Mexico's capital, all about the delicious FOOD! We also get tidbits from her recent trip to Iceland, the U.K., and Denmark!
Episode 7 - click here
In this episode, we travel to Ireland with Paddy Murphy! Paddy tells us about the quiet charm of Ireland, the beauty of the Irish countryside, and the friendly extroversion of Irish people! We learn about Ireland's historical significance, about the preservation of Gaelic, and more!
Episode 6 - click here
In this episode, Emily Farmer takes us back to 2019, when she studied abroad in Osaka, Japan. Emily and Katie were classmates (and housemates!) in the same language learning program (part of the CET Academic Programs). We hear all about living and studying in Osaka. Emily then takes us to Barcelona, Spain, where she is currently living and working.
Episode 5 - click here
In this episode, Gigi Gabeau introduces us to the ins and outs of Juneau, Alaska! Gigi has been living in Juneau with her partner since the summer of 2020, and she's gained a lot of perspective on the capital city as a non-Alaskan. We hear about the best things to do in Juneau, we debunk some stereotypes, and even get stories of bear encounters!
Episode 4 - click here
In this episode, we hear from guest Hannah Files! A native Tulsan, Hannah first tells us what it's like living in Tulsa, and some great spots tourists should visit! We then dive into her three month journey working on a Hawaiian Cruise! We get some behind the scenes of the glamorous (and not-so glamorous) crew life, and picturesque descriptions of the Hawaiian islands!
Episode 3 - click here
We’ve got a little story time for Episode 3 of the Wander Wonder Podcast! In this solo episode, I share two stories of the only times I’ve visited Canada… and both were a mess! I don’t want to give too much away, but in the first story, let’s just say some property was damaged, and in the second, I sort of lost thousands of dollars… Tune in to find out!
Episode 2 - click here
The Wander Wonder Podcast's first guest!
Danai Howard is a studygrammer, YouTuber, traveler, and (most importantly) my good friend! After growing up in Brussels, she packed her bags for Uni in England, eventually moving to London upon graduation. And in 2021, she left Europe altogether for a new start in Hong Kong. Danai is fluent in three languages (English, French, and Greek), and she's also been studying Mandarin for four years.
I met Danai while living in Hong Kong. I was a secret fan of her studygram account, and when she announced that she was moving to Hong Kong, I slid into her DMs and told her that I live Hong Kong, and let's be friends We met up and became buddies! She's not only a great friend but also a mentor, as we both work in the same industry.
In this episode, we dive into life in Brussels, England, and Hong Kong. She walks us through the process of moving to different countries, and explains what she's learned along the way -- plus we get some helpful tips for visiting these places!
Episode 1 - click here
This is the first official episode of the Wander Wonder Podcast! This is a solo episode to introduce you to your podcast host! In this episode, I walk you through my own travel experiences, from traveling with my family, to volunteering, to studying abroad, to moving across the world for work! We cover the UK, France, Mexico, Italy, India, Peru, Japan, Hong Kong, and Belgium.
