How the World Cup Inspires Travel: Finding Purpose and Adventure Through Global Events//192

The World Cup is not just a tournament, it is a moving map. Watching fans show up with songs, costumes, and total pride for their home countries reminded me how quickly a game can turn into real travel inspiration. Even if soccer is not your thing, the feeling is hard to miss: community, curiosity, and that sudden urge to look up a country you had not considered in years.

We talk about how big global events shine a spotlight on places you might never have put on your travel list. Japan’s culture of respect, Scotland’s all-out fun, Norway’s crowd energy, and a first-time underdog like Cabo Verde can spark a brand-new “I want to go there” moment. That is where better travel planning starts, especially for solo women travelers: not with what is trendy, but with what genuinely pulls you in.

Then I zoom out to a practical framework I love: travel with a why. Your why can be pure fun, but it helps to choose something you already care about and let it guide the destination. Think festivals, lantern nights, tulips in Amsterdam, cherry blossoms in Japan, the Northern Lights, music you would cross an ocean for, or even writing retreats if you prefer quieter experiences. When you build a trip around an event, you get the best kind of bonus, the experience you came for plus a deeper taste of local culture.

I also share what I am dreaming about next, from future World Cup plans in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco to the butterfly migration in Mexico, plus an important update on the podcast schedule and where you can hear me as a guest soon. If this sparked a destination idea, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more sister travelers can find their next adventure.

Transcript

World Cup Energy And New Destinations

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello, sister travelers. Well, are you one of the millions of people watching the World Cup soccer or football as they call it in other countries? Well, I am a big soccer fan. I raised my kids who played soccer from age three all the way through the younger one, played through college, even. And so soccer was a part of our life. And I've just been so inspired and just so encouraged by this whole World Cup and watching the world on this stage. And it's been exciting. I even if you don't like soccer, I think just witnessing all these countries coming together. And honestly, there is, in my opinion, there is no other sport across the globe that is celebrated more, that is participated by every country basically, than soccer or football. And what's so remarkable is just seeing the fans, the excitement, the support for their country, and even recognizing countries, maybe just like if you were to watch the Olympics. Many times when I watch the Olympics, I get a little geography lesson, and maybe that's what you're experiencing too with this World Cup. Or you're being brought to mind countries you hadn't thought of or even considered. But maybe you are now thinking about maybe going to some of these places after witnessing what you're seeing here at the World Cup. For example, the Japanese people that came to see the first game here in I'm in Dallas. So the game here was Japan. And they, after the game, besides loving their costumes, loving everybody's costumes, honestly, and their their spirit for their country and their team. I just love the Japanese culture. I have not been there, but have many that have gone. Both my sons have gone. And such respect, definitely on my list to get to. Just makes you be drawn to that country, in my opinion. And then what fun the Scots are. I'm really sorry that they got eliminated, but playing their bagpipes, and honestly, they literally drank a bar dry here in Dallas, which is super funny to me. But what fun. And then you have the Norwegians. Norway is coming into this acclaimed with Erlen Holland. He's a remarkable player, but they have their traditional Viking row, which has just ignited just everybody joining in such community and camaraderie. Love it. And who doesn't want to go to Norway now? Me, please. I'll put that back on my list. And then, of course, there is the unknown, the underdog. Cape Verde, or Cabo Verde, as they prefer to be called. This little small African island nation arriving the first time being represented at the World Cup. And I'm sure there are people out there who have never heard of the country. And here they are. Now I think the whole world was rooting them on against Argentina. And now I will have to probably say that place is on my list. In addition to, I'm sure many others are now considering going to Cape Verde, which is remarkable. So Cape Verde, you better look out. You're going to get some tourists coming to your country. That's what I love about this World Cup, is it has just has this megaphone and also just highlights all these various countries. It gets me excited about traveling the world to actually see these countries. Now, maybe soccer or sports are not your thing, but I will say many people have traveled to intentionally traveled to the North Americas to see soccer from many countries. They've come to the US, Canada, and Mexico to see and witness these lifetime of an opportunity to see World Cup games. And it's been amazing for them to see what our country's like here. And I'm loving the responses I'm seeing and just what an encouragement, I think, in general to travel, right? Being so welcome, having a really good time, and being hospitable. And I just think sporting events and other events can do that. And this is just an example.

Travel With A Purpose Through Events

SPEAKER_00 5:20

So again, if you're not into sporting events, there are other activities, this is what I'm getting to, that can lead to travel, can even be the reason why you travel. I always like to emphasize that we should have a why or a purpose for our travels. And sometimes, as I love to emphasize, is that they should be internal. There should be some sort of intention or motivation behind it. However, it can be also the why could be for fun. It could be to experience an event or a culture that you were not familiar with and experience an event that brings you and even introduces you to that culture. There's so much outside of sporting events. There are festivals, there are music festivals, there's the lantern festival, there is the tulips in Amsterdam in April, there is the cherry blossoms in April mostly in Japan, and there are many more. There's the Northern Lights at certain times of the year. And so these types of events are what could be drawing you to a certain place. And that would be your why for going. And maybe you've never thought about travel in that terms. Maybe you've just looked at it as, oh, I'm going to do this bucket list idea, or I'm going because this place is popular. Well, I encourage you to really think: is there something that you are really interested in? You have a love for? And is there an event, a festival, something that would draw you to do that thing that you love, maybe in another country? One that kind of piqued my interest is I am single, and in Ireland, it's becoming a little more known across the world. They've been doing it for a long time, though. In Ireland, a small town in Ireland, the whole month of September, they do a little matchmaking, and it's quite extraordinary, and it looks like a lot of fun and piqued my interest for possibly again an event that would draw me to Ireland, a small town in Ireland that I've never been, possibly. Just an idea. But there's so many out there. And so as you look at yourself and your personality, what do you enjoy? Is there something out there that I've heard people also they have maybe an artist or a some type of special kind of music that they prefer? And so they will travel to another country, maybe to see that artist or to see that band. So know that is possible. You could stay in your backyard though, or you could take this overseas into another country so that you get what I call two bangs for a buck. You get your event, your festival that has is passionate in your heart, something you really enjoy that has drawn you to that specific country, and then you get to experience potentially a new country and their culture. So I encourage you to sit and just ask yourself, what is that for you? Is there something that you really enjoy that you could take and do and join in another country to do? Another one that it just came to my mind too is maybe you don't like crowds, and maybe you are you like to write. There are also writing retreats. There's retreats galore for you to get away to other places as well. But I like the idea of this excitement of an event.

Planning Future World Cup Adventures

SPEAKER_00 9:09

And speaking of the World Cup, since I did not physically get to go see in person any games, I didn't, I wasn't granted tickets through the lottery system that they had going. Is and I understand that it was easier, I don't know if this is true, easier for people with an IP address from another country. It seemed to be easier for them to get tickets. And I think that is the whole thing of the US wants to bring in tourists to boost, of course, the the economy. And that may be true, I don't know. But people that got tickets from other countries seemed to have more success in the lottery than I did every time and I joined every single time they had a lottery. But in four years, because I love soccer so much, my kids and I have talked in four years. Three countries are hosting again: Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. And my younger son, who has actually been to Morocco, says that him and his friend, who also went to Morocco, loved the country, have committed that they are gonna work their hardest to get tickets in four years to see a World Cup game in Morocco. And I have raised my hand, I said, He, I will join you, here I am, and my older son will likely join us as well because he loves to travel, he loves soccer, and he hasn't been to Morocco like I. So this could be our opportunity to see Morocco with that event coming up. Of course, that's four years from now, and I'm sure between now and then I will have found other events to travel me to different places. And I have mentioned before, still on my list, is I desire to see this is another event, a gathering type, it would get me to another country type of thing, is seeing the migration of the butterflies in Mexico. But there are lots more out there, so what can you do to find them? You can first figure out one, what is it that you love to do? What's your passion? What's what activities do you enjoy doing? But think about an event wrapped around that, based on that passion for yourself. And then is that event, is it on the world stage anywhere? Could you go somewhere else to experience that besides maybe your hometown? Which is not even a bad thing. You still could do that, whether you want to go across the pond or stay local. But these are the things that excite me about travel and how I almost feel like I have traveled just watching the World Cup played here in the US. And now, like many others, I have a desire to see some of these countries that were represented here during the World Cup. And the world is a stage, as Shakespeare says, and I think soccer has made it a great opportunity to show us all these various countries that are out there. So, sisters, highly encourage you with the the energy and the excitement that the World Cup has brought, that you get out there and you find your adventure.

Announcements And New Release Schedule

SPEAKER_00 12:43

Listeners, I wanted to let you know that I will be a guest on another podcast, and I encourage you to go listen to it. It will air on July 9th and July 16th, so it's a two-parter, and you don't want to miss it. It does obviously we talk about travel, and it is through Jesus People Sisterhood. So go listen to that episode and even next week's episode to get the full-on conversation that I had with my two lovely ladies that host the show. Don't miss it. And I wanted to announce after almost four years of putting out every week a podcast, I have decided no, I'm not quitting, I'm not leaving you because I love this community. I love that I get to do this with you and get to offer and you know resources, encouragement, all that stuff for solo traveler women. Is I have just after much reflection and just things going on in my personal life, I just needed to step back a little bit. So what does that mean? That just means that I'm just gonna go every other week now with a new episode. But don't worry, I will pop in potentially with little special episodes, but still listen on Tuesdays. It just will be every other Tuesday starting this week, so nothing next week, unless you hear my voice on part two of the Jesus People Sisterhood podcast. So don't miss it, and I will see you in two weeks.