Season One Wrap-Up: Gratitude, Growth, and What’s Next

As this year — and our first season of Conversations for Curious Travelers — comes to a close, I’m filled with gratitude for you and everyone who’s joined me on this journey. In this reflective episode, I share highlights from our inspiring guests and solo explorations, what I’ve learned through creating this show, and why I’m taking a short break before Season Two launches in January.

From awe and thoughtfulness to family connection and gratitude, this season has been full of stories that remind us how travel can teach us about the world — and ourselves.

💡 In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

• Reflections and favorite moments from our first season
• Guests who shared wisdom on awe, creativity, connection, and education
• Solo episodes on travel, gratitude, and making the most of every journey
• How the LEARN Through Travel framework continues to shape the show
• A personal update and what’s ahead in Season Two
• Ways you can stay connected and keep learning through travel

🌍 Guests Featured This Season

• Tracy Smyth — Cultivating Awe as Travelers
• Amanda Kendle — How to Travel More Thoughtfully
• Sahara Rose De Vore — Travel Coaching Insights: Changing the Travel Industry
• Jessica Grace Coleman — Planning Movie-Inspired Trips
• Sara Cole — Love Comes First: Building Connections Through Travel
• Missy Meskell — Backpacking with Kids: Lessons from the Pacific Crest Trail
• Scott Rainey — How Educational Travel Changes Lives

🌍 Solo Episodes Mentioned

• Welcome to Conversations for Curious Travelers
• Insider Museum Tips to Make Your Visits Unforgettable
• Why Travel Matters in Uncertain Times
• Travel with Gratitude: Stories, Science & Simple Practices
• Thoughtful Travel Gifts: Experiences and Ideas They’ll Remember Forever

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Erica: Welcome to Conversations for Curious Travelers, a Trip Scholars podcast. I'm your host, Erica Forrest. In each episode, we explore how travel helps us learn more about the world and ourselves. If you travel, not just to escape, but to grow, connect and understand you are in the right place.

[00:00:23] As this year comes to a close, so does the first season of Conversations for Curious Travelers And I want to start by sharing how grateful I am to you. So, if you've just started listening, welcome and if you've been here for a while, my gratitude for all the time we've shared together.

[00:00:42] When I launched Conversations for Curious Travelers back in July, I actually launched something else. At the same time, our sailboat, my husband Brandon, and I set out on a month long voyage aboard our new to US boat Ripple, right As I released the very first episode of this podcast and two launches at.

[00:01:00] It was a lot. Uh, it definitely came with some extra challenges. The steering system on the boat stopped working. Uh, we had dropped internet connections as I launched the show and more stories for another day, but it also felt 

[00:01:15] fitting. Both the podcast and the trip were new excursions into the unknown full of learning curves and unexpected moments And despite the many challenges they have both. Been absolutely incredible journeys. So I've been dreaming of starting a podcast for years because once I started Trip Scholars about six years ago, I have had so many fascinating conversations with fellow travelers and the more I talked with people about all they have learned about the world and themselves through their trips, the more I wanted to share these valuable conversations with other curious travelers.

[00:01:50] And I have just loved the stories and ideas and inspiration that we've shared together this first season. And I would love to reflect on just a few of the highlights. Um, this season of Conversations for Curious Travelers has been full of incredible guests and each of them offering a unique perspective on how travel helps us learn more about the world.

[00:02:11] And ourselves Early in the season, I talked with Tracy Smith, the founder of Travel Bug Tonic, in an episode called Cultivating Awe as Travelers and Tracy reminded us that awe isn't reserved for grand destinations, it can be found right in our own backyards. Her stories and suggestions about fostering curiosity, enjoying solo adventures, and noticing the wonder in everyday life made for the perfect first interview.

[00:02:37] And that idea of bringing deeper awareness to our journeys came up again in how to travel more thoughtfully With Amanda Kendall of the Thoughtful Travel Podcast, 

[00:02:47] Amanda has spent years helping travelers have even better journeys and allowing them to reflect on how to become more thoughtful travelers and sharing lots of, um, great advice [00:03:00] along the way. I also had the chance to sit down with Sahara Rose Devore, the founder of the Travel Coach Network, and recently named one of the most influential women in travel for the episode.

[00:03:10] Travel Coaching Insights, changing the travel industry. Sahara shared her incredible journey from solo traveler to global leader and how travel coaching helps people find purpose, healing, and transformation through their adventures. Creativity and imagination also played a big role this season. In planning meaningful movie inspired trips with Jessica Grace Coleman, the author of Movify Your Life

[00:03:36] We explored how stories on screen can shape the stories we create while we're traveling. Jessica shared how magical movie moments can spark curiosity, encourage research, and add magic to any trip. And some of the most moving episodes this year, we're focused on what we learn through travel with family and community and love comes first.

[00:04:00] Building connections through travel with Sarah Cole, a longtime friend and a certified parent coach. We talked about how family travel, even when it doesn't go perfectly, can strengthen connection and help us grow together. That was also one of the themes in backpacking with kids lessons from the Pacific Crest Trail with my dear friend Missy Mescal, who shared what it was like to hike the entire Oregon section of the PCT with two of her children.

[00:04:26] Her reflections on nature, problem solving, connection, and perseverance are ones I still think about often. And in how educational travel changes lives. With Scott Rainey, one of my oldest friends, and two time finalist for a traveling teacher of the year. We explored the power of educational travel to open minds and hearts.

[00:04:47] Scott's travel stories of helping students see history, culture, and themselves in new ways. Reminded me why I believe so strongly in learning through trouble. And across all of these conversations from awe and creativity to family connection and education, this season has shown how travel can expand our sense of wonder, deepen our empathy, and remind us of what truly matters.

[00:05:14] I am especially grateful to every one of the guests, not only for sharing their fascinating travel stories, but also for all the practical wisdom they brought to our conversations. Every guest offered thoughtful advice, insightful quotes or questions and suggestions for books and films and resources to dive deeper.

[00:05:35] Plus, they all left us with a small step we can take this week to travel a little more like they do. I especially appreciate how much heart and intention they each brought to the show. So if you're one of the guests listening right now, thank you again for joining us. And alongside the wonderful guests that we had this season, I also shared some solo episodes, reflections and resources [00:06:00] designed to help you travel with more, meaning, connection, and curiosity.

[00:06:05] Like our guests, I try to bring you a mix of personal stories, research based insights and practical tools, plus a reflection on travel and a small step that you can take each week to enhance your travels. We begin with welcome to Conversations for Curious Travelers, where I shared why I believe that travel is one of life's greatest teachers, and how my learned through travel framework can help each of us discover more about the world and ourselves on every trip.

[00:06:34] That episode set the foundation for what the whole season has been about, and from there I shared. Insider Museum tips to make your visits unforgettable. One of my favorite practical episodes. It's full of strategies to help you move beyond the crowds and connect more deeply with art, history and culture.

[00:06:52] Whether you are visiting a world class museum abroad, or one in your own hometown. Later in why travel Matters in uncertain times, I explored how travel can give us perspective empathy and even hope when the world feels so heavy. And that episode was a reminder that meaningful travel doesn't ignore the world's challenges.

[00:07:15] It helps us face them with more compassion, understanding, and curiosity. In travel with gratitude stories, science and simple practices, I shared personal stories from Costa Rica and science-backed research about how gratitude can help us reframe even the hardest travel moments. It's one of those practices that can make every trip and everyday life richer and more joyful.

[00:07:41] And most recently, thoughtful travel gifts, experiences and ideas they'll remember forever offered inspiration for giving gifts that go far beyond souvenirs, gifts that create connection, spark, wonder, and carry the wonder of travel into everyday life. Each of these solo episodes has been a chance for me to share what I've learned through my own travels and through years of research and working with clients and students.

[00:08:08] And my hope is that they provided some inspiration and helpful suggestions for enhancing your own travels. If you've been following for a while, you know one of the core ideas behind Trip Scholars and the Conversations for Curious Travelers podcast is the learn through Travel framework. And right now I am living out the revitalized part and being fully present.

[00:08:31] I had surgery earlier this fall, and my recovery is taking longer than I expected. The good news is I'm healing well, but I've, realized I need to take more time to focus on my health and recovery before starting the next season. So this episode marks the close of our first season, and we will be back in January with new stories and Conversations for Curious Travelers

[00:08:57] I've already recorded said amazing interviews, and [00:09:00] I cannot wait to share them with you. And while I'm giving myself space to focus on healing, I hope you're finding your own ways to pause and revitalize too, whether that's through time with loved ones, travel planning, future trips, or simply resting If you're catching up over the holidays, it's a great time to revisit past episodes. You will find so many. timeless insights to inspire your future travels. You can also sign up for my newsletter@tripscholars.com to get updates when the new season launches in January. In every episode, we like to offer a suggestion for something easy that we can do this week to enhance your future travels.

[00:09:42] So today, like to encourage you to download one of my free guides that are also on the website. They are designed to help you plan more meaningful trips. And keep learning long before and after your time on the road. You'll also find hundreds of curated resources on the site to help you make the most of your travels before, during, and after your next adventure.

[00:10:05] And since this is the end of our first season. I would be so grateful to hear from you. Did any episodes inspire you or what would you like to hear more or less of in future seasons? Your feedback will help shape what's ahead, so please reach out through email that you can find@tripscholars.com or connect with me on social media at whether you'll find me all over the internet at Trip Scholars.

[00:10:29] I would be so grateful for your thoughts. And today's reflection I'd like to leave you with is by Anthony Bourdain who said, it seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it and how many places I still have to go, how much more there is to learn.

[00:10:55] So thank you again for being part of this community of Curious Travelers. I can't wait to share new stories and conversations with you in the new year. Until then, happy holidays and happy travels.

[00:11:07] Speaker 2: Thanks so much for joining me. I know your time is valuable and I'm truly grateful that you spent some of it here together. Please come visit me@tripscholars.com for free travel resources, workshops and travel coaching. And if you enjoyed today's show, please follow, review or share. It really helps other curious travelers find us.

[00:11:28] Until next time, curious Travelers.