The Observer Effect
These are strangers' travel stories. Each time I ask how travel has changed them and hope listening like this evaporates borders.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 33 minutes
- Episodes
- 135
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2022
Episode 34: An Everlasting Itch for Things Remote—Fiji, Where Tim Came Closest to Channeling Melville
The Moby-Dick Marathon draws fans of Herman Melville's classic from all over the world to the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts every January to read the great book straight through over 25…
00:53:43 |
Mon 09 Jan 2017
Episode 33: Only Go—Ulm, Where Gerald and Franz Start the Camino Each Year
Gerald and Franz walk for five days every year along the Camino de Santiago, the traditional route of pilgrims from all over Europe to the western coast of Spain, picking up where they left off the l…
00:07:42 |
Mon 02 Jan 2017
Episode 32: The Dream—Cebu, Where Hitoshi and His Family Began Their Journey Around the World
Hitoshi spent a decade saving for his and his wife Yoko's dream of traveling the world only to realize it with their two little daughters just before they hit school age. We asked Sana and Rena what…
00:26:20 |
Tue 27 Dec 2016
Episode 31: Un'emozione gigante—Sauveterre-de-Béarn, Where Giorgio Spent a Nice Night in a Haunted Pension
Giorgio pivoted from architecture to journalism, now researching and writing novels from his wondrous apartment in one of the more fascinating corners of Rome. I asked what the abstract painting of …
00:26:55 |
Tue 20 Dec 2016
Episode 30: The Narrow Road to the Deep North—Norway, Where Orry Went in Search of Deep Winter
I met Orry panning for gold in the Austrian Tyrol. He taught me the word "petrichor." I asked him to tell his best travel story ... and he did not disappoint. We hope listening like this evaporate…
00:58:17 |
Mon 12 Dec 2016
Episode 29: The Ten Pound Poem—Oxford, Where Vixen Found Another Way About
Vixen, Street Poet, wrote me an on-the-spot work when I ran into her in Oxford. I asked how we can help ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Bou…
00:18:11 |
Mon 05 Dec 2016
Episode 28: The Home of the Wanted and the Unwanted—Oklahoma, Where Jürgen Got Arrested
Jürgen became a US citizen in the Caribbean, nearly missed out on Burning Man, and once got arrested in Oklahoma, but those might not even be his best stories. We asked how to ameliorate solitude—an…
00:37:24 |
Mon 28 Nov 2016
Episode 27: Lighthouse Relief—Peru, Where Isabel Learned How to Be Happy
Isabel coordinated volunteers for Lighthouse Relief in Ritsona refugee camp in Greece, but that wasn't the important part, according to her. This will be the last in our series of episodes from Rits…
00:18:32 |
Fri 25 Nov 2016
Episode 26: A Little Light in the Darkness—Greece, Where Hanan Gave Birth
Hanan did not want to give birth in Greece. She crossed from Turkey after escaping Syria while pregnant. Now little Ahmed is her happiness. We asked how he was born ... and hope listening like thi…
00:19:50 |
Mon 14 Nov 2016
Episode 25: An Enormous, Deep-Rooted, Foolish Faith in the Benevolence of Fate—Chios, Where Yousef Took His Family in a Rubber Boat
Yousef and his wife made the difficult choice to leave Syria with their children four years after their factory and home were burned to charcoal. They went by rubber boat from Turkey to the island o…
00:29:11 |
Mon 07 Nov 2016
Episode 24: Another Goal of Unknown Distance—England, Where Travel Saved Alberto's Life
Alberto went rogue while volunteering at Ritsona refugee camp, moving into one of the tents to live closer to his new friends. We followed him there to ask why ... and hope listening like this evapo…
00:26:49 |
Mon 31 Oct 2016
Episode 23: The Death Journey—The Syria-Turkey Border, Where Adnan Stood Up and Yelled
Adnan spent 45 days escaping Syria with his four children. Now he's waiting in Greece to find out where the EU will decide to put them. We asked our friend Yousef to translate his story ... and hop…
00:47:23 |
Mon 24 Oct 2016
Episode 22: Solidarité—Ritsona, Where Romane Waited to Volunteer
Romane was too young to volunteer at a refugee camp in Greece when she first decided to go. We asked how she learned to enjoy "giving without receiving" ... and hope listening like this evaporates b…
00:29:02 |
Mon 17 Oct 2016
Episode 21: What Do You Want?—The Syria-Turkey Border, Where Siba Sat Down
Siba needs to move. She has been waiting in a refugee camp seven months for her asylum application to be processed by the EU. She teaches math to children. She lives with her mother and siblings i…
00:51:31 |
Sun 09 Oct 2016
Episode 20: I've Been Here—Cairns, Where Ferdi Couchsurfed in the Nude
Ferdinand spent two weeks naked in Australia. We asked what, if anything he learned ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.…
00:16:34 |
Mon 03 Oct 2016
Episode 19: A Site of Stoppage—Casablanca, Where Bishupal's Visa Application Was Denied
Bishupal tried to renew his visa to study in the United States, from Morocco; they told him he needed to go back to Nepal. We asked whether travel really changes people, since he's a professor of po…
00:38:49 |
Mon 04 Jul 2016
Episode 18: Can We Let This Question Open?—Portugal, Where Flore Fell in Love with a German Boy
Flore studied abroad in Portugal through the Erasmus Programme and unexpectedly fell in love. We asked what it felt like when the program ended and she had to go home ... and hope listening like thi…
00:16:37 |
Mon 27 Jun 2016
Episode 17: The Bridge—Bosnia, Where Johannes Busked amid Minarets and the Moon
Johannes is a social worker in Vienna serving primarily Afghan refugees caught in Europe's migrant crisis. We asked where else he's traveled ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Spe…
00:27:40 |
Mon 20 Jun 2016
Episode 16: The Conversationalist—Gleneagles, Where Calum Meets Lovely People All the Time
Calum is a driver for Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. We begged him to reveal what famous people he's chauffeured, even though he said he never would divulge anyone's secret ... and hope listening like…
00:17:13 |
Mon 13 Jun 2016
Episode 15: La Locura Positiva—Marrakesh, Where Sergio Walked from Sevilla
Sergio walked the 800 kilometers from Sevilla to Marrakesh in 17 days. We asked why such a good madness came over him ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musi…
00:45:21 |
Mon 06 Jun 2016
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