Melanin and Miles Travel Podcast: Recent Episodes

Joi Wade and Janelle Layton

Melanin and Miles is the weekly travel podcast for millennial and gen-z black women that explores being a woman of color while traveling, affordable travel advice, bucket list travel destinations, funny travel stories and interviews with popular travel influencers. The podcast also includes tips on packing, hotels, airlines, passports, solo travel and budget travel. Melanin & Miles is co-hosted by Joi Wade and Janelle Layton, two black girls in their 20's who have traveled to over 25 countries and 5 continents and love exploring new cultures. Subscribe and stay updated at melaninandmiles.com

Cartagena, Colombia is a bucket list travel destination for Black Americans & it's a PARTY CITY! Joi is breaking down the 5-day trip she took for her 25th birthday in August. These are the best things to see, eat and do in Cartagena. Full Itinerary Breakdown: https://www.melaninandmiles.com/episodes/how-to-spend-5-days-in-cartagena-colombia-ep-166

The American Express platinum card is one of the most elite and popular cards for travel. While this card might not be right for everyone, people who find themselves in the airport multiple times a year can definitely take advantage of the amazing perks of this card. In today’s episode, we are talking about why I got the AMEX platinum credit card and how I plan to maximize the benefits. Credit card referral links for extra points https://www.joiwade.com/blog/credit-card-referrals

This week we interviewed Asha Farrah. She is an expat and legal resident in Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico. In this episode, she shares her experience in Mexico and how she started business to help aspiring expats. She created her company, Mexpat Dreamers, to empower aspiring expats to successfully build an intentional life in Mexico by focusing on the logistical considerations necessary to thrive. You can find more about Asha on Instagram and her website.

Spend the day with Janelle in Chicago. Janelle has a long layover in the city and was not going to waste it in the airport. Find out what you could do SOLO with only 1 day in Chicago. Some of her favorite destinations/activities are linked below.

Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour
Skydeck Chicago
Ciccio Mio - Italian Restaurant

This week Janelle and her mom, Cynthia, chat about a recent trip to Cancun, Mexico. If you want to travel with family or someone that wants an easy trip, Cancun is a great destination. We did a lot in 4 days and we were never disappointed by services, food, or activities.

Katrina McGhee is a Career Break and Sabbatical Coach - a certified life coach with an MBA - whose signature Take the Break program helps mid-career women create happier, more fulfilling lives by designing bold and transformational life breaks.

After saving $40k in 18 months, Katrina sold all of her possessions and left her corporate job for a 20-month break to travel around the world. Upon her return to work, she landed five job offers in just five weeks, paid off $42k of debt in full and later launched her own business. Follow more of Katrina’s travel story on Instagram.

If you haven't listened to her first episode, make sure to check it out here.

Welcome Back!! It's a new season after a long break. Listen to one of Janelle's favorite solo trips from last year on the island of Maui in Hawaii.

Joi breaks down her trip to Mexico City in Cabo San Lucas. Learn the best things to do and where the best food is.

This week we interviewed Shakeemah who has travelled to well over 50 countries solo and enjoys empowering and equipping women with tools to start their own travel journey around the world. She has been featured in Essence, Forbes, Business Insider, USA Today, The Washington Post, Pop Sugar, and Travel Noire. She also started Travel Like a Bawse and created several courses where she teaches women how to master solo travel safely and confidently without draining their bank account!! Listen 🎙🎧 to get the tea on how she started traveling solo and started Travel Like a Bawse.

Unthinkably Good Things premieres on Sunday August 28 at 9/8c (Nine-eight central) on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Katrina McGhee is a Career Break and Sabbatical Coach - a certified life coach with an MBA - whose signature Take the Break program helps mid-career women create happier, more fulfilling lives by designing bold and transformational life breaks.

After saving $40k in 18 months, Katrina sold all of her possessions and left her corporate job for a 20-month break to travel around the world. Upon her return to work, she landed five job offers in just five weeks, paid off $42k of debt in full and later launched her own business. Follow more of Katrina’s travel story on Instagram.

Saba is a full time Virtual Assistant Coach that has found a way to work from anywhere in the world. Listen to some of her stories of working abroad in places like Colombia, Panama, and Guatemala. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, or check out her website to see how you could work in a digital space to allow more travel in your life.

This week we interviewed Demetricia, an avid traveler originally from south Florida. Demetricia has found the perfect balance of work and travel and discusses some of her favorite travel stories and worst travel mistakes on the podcast. Follow Demetricia’s story on Instagram to see where she travels next.

This week we interviewed Hawa who is a travel content creator, and trip planner that creates personalized and authentic travel experiences with you in mind. Listen to how Hawa left her fulltime job to begin traveling full time and various experiences she’s had within Africa and around the world. Check out more of Hawa’s travel story on Instagram and her website. Fine more on her business here.

Mahogany is a frequent traveler who shares cheap flights, luxury travel hacks, and more. She works with travelers to help them find the best deals for everyone from people that could be traveling solo to kid friendly and family travel. Listen to learn more about her travel hacking experience and how she paid less than $1000 for a trip worth over $20,000. Follow her journey on Instagram and check out her website to schedule a consultation.

Joi shares her 2 day itinerary to Disneyland and Disneyland California Adventure in Anaheim California. Learn how to plan your trip, what to bring, how to use the Disney app and plan your rides and the best food to have.

This week we interviewed Goon who does a lot of travel with his brother, Smalls. Together Goon and Smalls have traveled to over 67 countries and have no plans of stopping their travel journey. Their main goal is to inspire unlikely travelers to see the world and they do this through their podcast (Pack Set Go - Traveling Podcast) and sharing their travel story on social media. Check out the podcast on any listening platform and follow them on Instagram while you’re at it.

https://www.thelifestylebrothers.com/

This week we interviewed Pelumi who is a frequent traveler that has visited 70+ countries and hopes to inspire others to explore more and have culturally immersive experiences. She is also the co-founder of The Black Explorer, a media brand that amplifies the voice of black travelers worldwide, and the founder of Comfy Trav. Fun fact, earlier this year she spent three months exploring 10 African countries solo. Follow her on socials to see what she’s been up to in the travel world.

This summer Janelle has been doing an internship in Seattle and wanted to do an episode recapping some of the highlights of the city and what it’s like being a Black woman in the area. Janelle lists some of her favorite Black-owned eateries and attractions in the city and explains how she found out how to network and find other Black professionals in the area.

This week Janelle talks about her recent trip to Canada! Janelle spent her long weekend in Vancouver, British Colombia and talks about nightlife, restaurants, and day activities in the city. She definitely enjoyed her trip, listen to find out more.

This week we interviewed Lisa who shared with us how she became a travel influencer and the founder of the Shakespeare Agency. Follow Lisa on instagram and check out her website to see her on her next trip!

This week we interviewed Asya. Asya hastraveled to 25 countries across 6 continents and counting. Asya wants to encourage more black women and women of color to live their best lives through travel, adventure and self care. This means trying new foods, activities, and adventures. Listen to learn more about her travel experience and be sure to follow her on Instagram or visit her website to see future trips.

This week we interviewed Jadira who is a full time social worker and world traveler. She has traveled to many countries including places like Benin, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Rwanda, and so much more. Listen to learn more about how she balances work and travel and hear more about some of her favorite trips throughout Africa. Find Jadira on Instagram to follow more of her travel story.

This week we interview Kimberly a full time police officer, entrepreneur, mother, and wife that also loves to travel. Listen to hear about her recent trip to Guatemala, how she found a passion for travel, and tips on how to balance work, family, and travel. Follow Kimberly on Instagram to see more of her travel story.

Hear Joi’s Oahu trip recap including her visits to Lanikai Beach, Moana Hike, Polynesian Cultural Center, Ala Moana Shopping, Botanical Gardens. Also hear the story of her first experience in first class with Delta One.

Malikah is a serial expat, frequent traveler and content creator. She was born in New York and has traveled to over 30 countries. Malikah first moved abroad to Italy, and is currently living in Beirut, Lebanon. You can find her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at Where is Malikah to learn more about how to make travel part of your lifestyle and plan for your move abroad.

Renée Cheréz is a Black woman writer and travel liberationist creating magic at the intersections of travel, identity, and liberation. Her work focuses on her personal experiences as a traveler existing at various intersections, including immigrant and queer, and her deep belief that travel is a tool for Black liberation. Through her digital guides and forthcoming workshops and coursework, Renée guides those she journeys with to remember their inherent freedom through traversing not only the external world but also their inner world. Listen to learn more about Renée’s travel experiences! Find Renée on Instagram here.

Gina Nelson, founder and host of the Diving for Pearls Podcast, a podcast about women in the UAE who are thought leaders, innovators and visionaries making transformative inroads in their industry. She is an avid traveler who has now been to 54 countries across 5 continents. She has lived and worked in three countries and is currently working and living in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Learn more about Gina on her website and on Instagram.

This week we interviewed Cindy, who is currently living in Germany but has traveled all over the world. Listen to hear about how she balances work and travel, some of her favorite travel experiences, and how she found a passion in travel. Follow Cindy on Instagram to follow more of her travel story!

This week Janelle talks about her experience with travel while being in graduate school. Her research involves a lot of international travel and explains how she was able to do a lot of internships, conferences, and research experiences outside of her hometown.

Casey talks all about living as a female entrepreneur across varies countries in Africa. Most recently, she has been living in Kenya and talks about her experience there and different trips she has taken to Ghana, South Africa, and more. Listen to learn more about how she balances travel and her career. Learn more about Casey on instagram and her website. You can also check out her business here.

This week we want y’all to reach out to us by email (hello@melaninandmiles.com) or by dm (IG: melaninandmiles) and send us a pitch as to why you want to share your travel story on the podcast. We’re looking for Black women travelers or those that can offer inspiration to Black women for travel. Reach out and we’ll set up an interview with you soon.

Don’t forget to check out my favorite travel jewelry! Go to shop.analuisa.com/melanin this sale is too good to be true, and won’t last long! Enjoy 20% OFF the entire Ana Luisa’s website today! https://shop.analuisa.com/melanin

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This week we interviewed Christina, founder of Melanin Travels Magic a company that that books group trips for black people all over the world. Christina has lived and traveled to over 40 countries and shares her travel experience with us in this interview. Be sure to follow her travel story on Instagram and find out more about Melanin Travels Magic on the website and on social media.

Don’t forget to check out my favorite travel jewelry! Go to shop.analuisa.com/melanin this sale is too good to be true, and won’t last long! Enjoy 20% OFF the entire Ana Luisa’s website today! https://shop.analuisa.com/melanin

I’m sure you’ll love them!

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This week Janelle talks about her time in the Cayman Islands during the months of January and February. Listen to hear about some of her favorite and least favorite things about these Caribbean islands. Don't forget to check out my favorite travel jewelry! Go to shop.analuisa.com/melanin this sale is too good to be true, and won't last long! Enjoy 20% OFF the entire Ana Luisa's website today! https://shop.analuisa.com/melanin

I'm sure you'll love them!

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This week we interviewed Jash, who shows others the good, bad, and ugly of slow travel and life abroad. Listen to learn about Jash’s experience teaching abroad and living all over the world. Follow more of Jash’s story on instagram and her website.

Learn everything that you need to see, eat, shop and do in Philadelphia no matter what season you’re visiting. As mentioned in the episode “Restaurant Week” List: https://centercityphila.org/explore-center-city/ccd-restaurant-week

This week we interviewed Danthea Doe, founder and creator of Money and Mimosas – a wealth education company for the self-employed. As an avid traveler and financial wellness expert, Danetha has an incredible story to share about how her approach to money has created a life of ease and grace. Over the past 18 months, while operating and growing her business, Danetha has practiced social distancing by living in beautiful Airbnb homes in remote areas of the United States. From Albuquerque, New Mexico and Boise, Idaho, to Rim Rock, Arizona and Bend, Oregon, the unique traveling experience has taught her many valuable lessons – the most important being swapping out social media distractions to prioritizing self-discovery.

This week we interviewed Lamaria, who recently traveled to Colombia and tells us all about her experience in this country. She really loves a lot about the country and found the place rich in diversity, culture, and people and history. In addition, Lamaria shares why she found a passion for travel and content creating. Learn more about Lamaria’s travel story on her instagram and youtube.

This week we interviewed Kemoy who has traveled to over 40 countries. Kemoy is a real estate investor and short term rental coach that helps people create financial freedom so they can travel the world. You can learn more about Kemoy in this episode and through his instagram and website. Click here to join his upcoming FREE masterclass.

This week we interviewed Courtney Simone, founder of Adventure in Black. Adventure in Black is a travel company dedicated to uplifting black travelers for both domestic and international experiences. Learn more about Courtney and Adventure in Black on this episode and on their instagram and website.

This week we interviewed Sojourner a recent graduate and current travel blogger. On our previous episode with Sojourner, she discusses past experiences studying abroad in Granada, Spain and Morocco, living abroad as a Fulbright Fellow in Logroño, Spain and interning abroad in Berlin. This week she talks about recent travel, train rides across the US, and life after grad school. Learn more about Sojourner on her website and instagram.

This week we interviewed Shelby, founder of the Travel Connect Podcast. On the podcast, Shelby connects with travel lovers and talks about all things travel — how to travel like a pro, how to travel within a budget, food faves, and so much more. Listen to this episode to learn more about Shelby and the podcast. Also, check out her instagram and website.

This week we are doing a quick recap of our trip to Puerto Rico. We went to San Juan and Vieques, PR. Make sure you listen to the entire episode to hear both the pros and cons of our trip and what we would recommend if you’re looking to plan a vacation. Receive a complementary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at melaninandmiles.com/pin

It’s the end of the year so this week we are doing a quick recap of 2021 travel and talking about our travel destination bucket list for the new year. Receive a complementary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at melaninandmiles.com/pin

Make sure you get your hands on our free Budget Babe travel guide to learn the top 10 ways you can be saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your next travel adventure. Get the free guide straight to your inbox at melaninandmiles.com/free

This week we interviewed Christina, a world traveler that wanted to share her travel story. Listen to learn more about her experiences around the country and the world. Follow Christina on Instagram to see more of her travel story.

Make sure you get your hands on our free Budget Babe travel guide to learn the top 10 ways you can be saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your next travel adventure. Get the free guide straight to your inbox at melaninandmiles.com/free

This week we interviewed Jada, a United Airlines flight attendant that documents a lot of her travel experience on Youtube and Instagram. Listen to learn about life as a flight attendant, some of her travel stories, and upcoming plans. Follow Jada on Instagram and see some of her travel stories by subscribing to her channel on Youtube.

This week we interviewed Malaika Lue, founder of Jetset squad travel company and luxury travel designer. Malaika believes that seeing the world's beauty empowered her to see, value, and embrace everything around me. Listen to learn more about Malaika’s personal travel experiences, her travel business Jetset and her fashion line Hidden Gems.

This week we are interviewed Anita, founder of Noire Escapes, a company dedicated to leveling up the melanated millennial travel experience. Listen as she shares some of her recent and upcoming travel stories and more about Noire Escapes. Follow trips hosted by Noire Escapes on their website and Instagram.

This week we interviewed Asshur, founder of Young Black Travelers, a blog and podcast inspiring youth to take the leap to explore the world one post at a time. Listen to learn more about YBT and some of Asshur's favorite trips. Find out more about YBT on Apple Podcasts and Instagram.

This week we interviewed Leticia Ricks, founder of Luxotic Retreats. Luxotic Retreats is a black owned travel retreat company creating global experiences to transform your life. Listen as she talks about some of her favorite trips, what makes her company different than other travel companies, and upcoming retreats with Luxotic Retreats. Find out more about Luxotic Retreats on the website and social media.

This week we interviewed Sara Nathan, President & CEO of Amigos de las Americas, the 55-year-old nonprofit that organizes gap year and cultural immersion trips to South and Central America for teens/young adults, with a focus on cultural competency, global citizenship, climate change & conservation, and ethical community service. Listen to learn about their various programs and financial aid opportunities for students and recent graduates.

This week we interviewed Lindy who is currently in Zambia. Lindy has done a lot of domestic and international travel and shares some of her favorite and least favorite experiences traveling around Africa. Learn more about Lindy and her travels on instagram @miss_kazna.

This week we interviewed Alexis and Asia, a travel couple that have been all over the world and run a travel blog called Bonding Abroad. Listen to hear some of their favorite travel tips and stories. Find out more about their blog here. You can also follow them on instagram @bonding_abroad.

Ja’Vonne and Gene Harley are a married couple who are changing the narrative of traveling while Black. They are the proud owners of Advantage International which offers purposeful adventures for black travelers for more than 23 years. Learn more about Advantage International on their website. You can also find them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

This week we interviewed Dennie who has traveled a lot both internationally and domestically. Listen to hear about her origins in Antigua and Barbuda, study abroad, travel mistakes, travels throughout Europe, and some of her favorite and funny travel stories. Follow Dennie on IG to follow any upcoming trips she has planned.

This week Janelle talks about her trip to Las Vegas, NV for the Afro Nation festival. Listen to hear about Janelle’s weekend trip where she saw Rema, Wizkid, Davido and more preform. You can also find out more about her opinion of Vegas, different restaurants she tried, and whether or not she would go to the next festival.

This week Janelle does a quick recap of her trip to Greece during the first couple weeks of September. In this episode, she continues from last week and does a quick explanation of her time in Santorini and Crete. She also talks about the covid restrictions/requirements during her travels.

This week Janelle does a quick recap of her trip to Greece during the first couple weeks of September. In this episode, she does a quick explanation of the planning of her trip and what it was like in Athens during her stay.

In this weeks episode Joi and Janelle talk about their personal travel and life updates. They also mention a lot of coronavirus updates relating to travel, our opinions, the vaccine, and travel tips for those looking to plan trips. Listen to hear their updates. Also let us know how you're staying safe, dealing with the virus, and traveling this year. Receive a complementary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we wanted to do an episode on how to plan a trip during a global pandemic. Most of the steps are the exact same for when you normally plan a trip, but there are a few extra things you need to be considerate of especially since COVID has become such a relevant factor of trip planning. Refer to EP. 15 | How to plan a trip to anywhere in the world, to see how we were planning trips before the pandemic.

Juanita Ingram is an American mother, lawyer, philanthropist, and producer living in Singapore. Juanita and her family relocated from the states to London for her husbands job, and then on to Taiwan, where they were living during COVID, and have recently moved to Singapore. Juanita has done a variety of things to document her time abroad. Watch her TV show here. Learn more about the show and Juanita on their websites. Be sure to follow Juanita on Instagram to follow her journey as an expat.

This week we are finally getting back into interviews and I would like to introduce Kathiana who recently published the book, The Power of the Palate: Through the Great Exchange. The book is about how food bridges the gaps of culture and its potential to help improve conflict resolution and promote diplomacy. She aims to teach people that while we all may speak different languages, have different cultures, and live in different places, we're unified by the oohs and mm's of our palates when dining or exchanging a meal with someone. Listen to learn more!

This week Janelle talks about her 2021 summer. She did a 10-week internship that allowed her to travel to Los Angeles and Catalina Island in California and Tahiti and Moorea in French Polynesia. Listen to learn more about her adventures in each place.

It's a #MelaninandMilesThrowback! Interested in studying abroad? In this episode we get into our study abroad experiences in Spain. We will talk about how we picked our destination, how long we were gone, our study abroad programs, and our unique experiences living in a new country. Enjoy the last episode of our throwback series!

In this episode, we want to get into language barriers and challenges when traveling. Not being fluent in a language shouldn’t discourage you from traveling to a new place, so we want to share how we deal with language barriers. Other topics include tips on key phrases to know when traveling, best apps to use when learning a new language, and classroom vs immersion learning. #M&MThrowBack

How do we travel so much? How are we not broke? Today we get into travel finesse as university students. In this episode learn more about discounted travel, free travel, available resources, tips and experiences. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

Need help packing? In this episode, we talk about our packing experiences and give advice on how to pack for both short and long trips (anywhere from 2 days to 4 months), based on our struggles. This episode was recorded before the COIVD 19 pandemic.

It's a #MelaninandMilesThrowback! Today we get into our favorite travel newsletters, apps, websites, and companies. Learn more about these travel tools and our upcoming group travel destination in this episode. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This episode was previously recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic.

This week we interviewed Jade Gold, a travel and lifestyle influencer and TV Producer seen on @hgtv, @tvonetv, and @travelnoire. In this interview she shares plenty of travel tips and stories. Listen to learn more about her year in Italy, traveling during a global pandemic, and balancing a full time job with travel.

To inspire families to travel with their children, bestselling co-authors, and mother and son team Deborah Haile and Jonah Seyum co-wrote the series, Jonah's Global Footprints with the books: The Search for Elephants in Thailand and Finding My Amigo in Cuba with more to come. This duo launched these books to share Jonah’s experiences, and to encourage other children to seek their own adventures. Listen to hear some of their travel stories, how they’ve started writing this travel based book series, and how they started their company Tiny Global Footprints.

This week we’d like to welcome back C. Nichole for another interview. Last we heard from her we learned a bit about herself and her travel story. If you missed her last episode she is a businesswoman, author, singer-songwriter, non-profit founder, and world traveler, C.Nichole. The 29-year-old with 50 states, 96 countries, and all seven continents under her belt stated that her travels fueled Pan African Think Tank. PATT is a non-profit on a mission of bridging the gap between Africa and the African Diaspora through Pan African forums that assist with research as a means to collectively advocate.

This week we are welcoming back Orion Brown, Founder and CEO of The Black Travel Box, a company that offers clean beauty essentials on-the-go for travelers of color. If you haven’t listened to her last episode you can find it here. This week she talks about recent travel, upcoming trips, and big news for her brand. BlackTravelBox (https://theblacktravelbox.com/) has launched a $50K crowdfunding campaign via iFundWomen. You can support using this link, be sure to listen to hear about some of the perks and rewards for supporting.

Ndamu (Kario) is a global traveler and content creator that has traveled all over the world and uses her instagram as a platform to share her travel stories. Listen to hear more about her travel filled life. Ndamu shares everything from being born in South Africa, raised in the UK, recent travel to Greece, and a major move to Bali. Be sure to follow her on instagram to see more about her life in Bali.

In this weeks episode Janelle talks about her personal travel and life updates. Also, she mentions a lot of coronavirus updates relating to travel, our opinions, the vaccine, and travel tips for those looking to plan trips. Listen to hear her updates let us know how you're staying safe, dealing with the virus, and traveling this year. Receive a complementary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at melaninandmiles.com/pin

Taye Uhuru is a world traveler of 70 countries and counting that hosts several educational tours around Africa, Asia, Europe, and Brazil. Listen to this episode to learn about some of his educational tours, recent travel experiences, and upcoming tours this year. Find more of his trips on his website (https://www.afroset.net/category/educational-tours)

Shayla McGhee is an author, educator, and owner of Sable Inspired Books, LLC. In her free time, she loves to travel around the world with her husband, 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old twins. When her oldest daughter, Payton, turned four years old, Shayla took her on a girl’s trip to Belgium, France, and Holland. The amount of knowledge Payton soaked up in the short span of time they were there only inspired Shayla to travel with her small children even more. Listen to learn more about their travel experiences. Also, be sure to check out some of their travel books here and more of their family travel stories on instagram.

Guy is a content creator, global traveler, travel hacker, travel blogger and podcast host. He’s traveled to about 20 countries and has lots of interesting advice about travel that he shares on all of his platforms. Be sure to listen to learn more about his move from New York to California, some of his most recent trips, and travel hacking advice. Follow Guy on instagram to follow his podcast and travel stories.

Ewane “E” Masango is a worldwide traveler that uses his instagram as a platform to share his travel stories. Listen to hear some funny travel stories and learn more about his travels through Asia, Colombia, Africa, and Europe. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin.

This week we interviewed Abena, content creator and frequent solo and budget traveler that has traveled all over the world and uses her instagram and Tiktok as a platform to share her travel stories. Listen to learn more about the 6 years she spent in Ghana, 1 year she lived in France, other travel experiences in Egypt, and more about content creating as a traveler.

Michaela is a young Black woman, born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. After she graduated college, she lived and worked 660 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. Since then she has become an author and recently wrote a travel memoir titled, Welp: Climate Change and Arctic Identities. This book gives a realistic and beautiful picture of travel in the Arctic—from visiting reindeer herders to hiking mountains to nearly getting in a fight at a Norwegian music festival. Listen to learn more about Michaela's travel stories in the Arctic and life in Alaska.

Tiffanie Davis is an entrepreneur, content creator, and helps others tackle their move abroad. Listen to hear more about Tiffanie’s business, life, and move to Paris. Learn more about Tiffanie through all of her platforms here. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin.

C. Nichole is a businesswoman, author, singer-songwriter, non-profit founder, and world traveler. The 29-year-old has 50 states, 96 countries, and all seven continents under her belt and stated that her travels fueled Pan African Think Tank. PATT is a non-profit on a mission of bridging the gap between Africa and the African Diaspora through Pan African forums that assist with research as a means to collectively advocate. Listen as she talks about her study abroad experience in Ghana and London, her travels during a global pandemic, and her goal of reaching 100 countries before she turns 30.

Janelle talks about her 2021 spring break trip. Listen as she talks about planning, what her trip was like, and how she felt about Miami. Let us know where you went for spring break in the comments. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Nessa, travel and clothing business owner and full time employee. At only 25 she has traveled to over 30 countries and lived in a few different countries as well. Listen to find out more about her life as a solo traveler, life in so many different countries, tips for other travelers, and her travel business, @wearebeyondoasis.

This week we interviewed Zahra and Taciana, two friends who decided to live abroad together and now co-host the podcast, Exported Chocolate, which is an amazing platform where they share all the tea on their experiences overseas, tips on getting a job abroad, and the travel stories of others that have been abroad. Listen to learn more about how they started their podcast and how they have adjusted to life in Spain. Also, be sure to follow their journey on IG exported_chocolates.

This week we interviewed Kris, a travel blogger and content creator that uses her platform to share travel tips and stories around the world. Listen to find out why she started her platform, some of her favorite trips, and her experiences as a solo traveler. Be sure to follow more of Kris’s story on her instagram @journeyswithkris and on her shared page @travelingcocoagirls.

This week we interviewed Mariah Harris, a travel blogger that has been all over the world. Mariah talks about her most recent trips to Dubai and Maldives, her biggest travel mistake, and gives tips for those looking to travel more. Be sure to follow Mariah’s travel story on her Instagram (@mariahstravelguide_)and Youtube (Mariahssoapbox).

In this week's episode, Joi interviews Monet Hambrick, a full-time working woman, wife and mama of two. Monet is the writer behind this family travel blog, The Traveling Child. In addition, she is a contributor for The Points Guy and Essence.com. Monet talks about how she started her blog and travel brand + how she's been able to collaborate with amazing brands to travel for free as well as make a full-time living from travel blogging. Lastly, Monet gives tips on traveling with family when it comes to keeping things affordable and packing light.

This week we interviewed Eva, who shares her travel story from both before and after COVID. Be sure to listen to some of her favorite travel experiences and follow her on instagram (@evaoliva_travels) to see her future plans. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Honorine, who talks about her experiences as a budget traveler. Be sure to listen to some of her favorite travel experiences and follow her on instagram (@jetsetta2.0) to see her future plans. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Grace, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spent most of her childhood in Belgium, and is now living in the United States as a working professional. Listen to Grace’s travel stories, how she feels about living in the US compared to Europe and Africa, and how she’s been running a business and traveling through a global pandemic. Find out more about Grace through her business page @byfazila

This week we interviewed Alise Graves, founder of @BlackGirlTravelSlay. Listen to find out about her first 2021 travel story to Haiti, how she started @blackgirltravel slay and some of their upcoming trips, and advice for those looking to travel during a global pandemic. Be sure to check out their upcoming trips here.

Detailing the best food, fashion and fun activities to do during a trip to Philadelphia, PA!

This week we interviews Brittany, a certified personal trainer and founder of Brittany Noelle Fitness and Black Women Travels. She's committed to teaching people how to fit fitness into their lifestyles while also inspiring Women of Color to travel and explore. Find out more about Brittany's travel blog on instagram @blackwomentravels or on the website linktr.ee/Blackwomentravels. You can also follow her personal page (b_noellefitness) to learn more about her as a fitness coach.

Welcome back to Melanin and Miles and Happy New Year! We’re both very excited to be starting season 5 of the podcast and this week we want to begin with a quick check in on your hosts. The both of us will go through some life and travel updates, so you can hear what some of our plans are for 2021. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we're talking about holiday travel. Listen to hear everything from a pros/cons list on these trips, previous trips we've taken, and general advice for traveling during the holidays. Use this episode to help plan for next year. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we are talking to Wanda, host of Black Women Travel Podcast. This podcast shares the stories of Black women who dreamed to make travel a priority. This community of bold women from all over the world have varied travel stories including short-term travelers based in a country to long term travelers living or working abroad. Listen to learn more about Wanda’s travel stories and how she started her podcast. Find more about the podcast on their website (bit.ly/2LoXGmr) and socials (@bwtpod).

Today we are going to be diving into travel hacking otherwise known as traveling for free. Our guest today is Sheldon Martin, who is 27 years old from San Diego, CA. He’s an entrepreneur with several different businesses that all fall in the credit, finance, and travel hacking space. Sheldon has traveled to 26 countries and has been to 30 out of the 50 states in the USA. Not to mention he does his traveling for free or a fraction of the original cost using credit/travel hacks! Be sure to follow Sheldon for more hacks https://www.instagram.com/creditsheldon/

This week Janelle talks about living in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Listen to find out more about here life in Oregon, some of her recent travel stories, and her favorite and least favorite things about the state. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Jhaelynn, founder of Sizije Travel Co. Listen as she talks about some of her recent travel experiences, how she started Sizije Travel Co, and what the company offers. Find out more about upcoming trips and other opportunities with @sizijetravel at https://www.sizijetravel.com/ and Jhaelynn on instagram @llcooljhae. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Gaetan. Gaetan was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but moved to the US for university. Listen as Gaetan talks about his initial culture shock in the US, his life as an international student, funny travel stories, and some of his favorite things about the Congo. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

As an avid traveler, Anjelika believes strongly in representation in travel. Through her brand Black Travel Go, she strives to make it a safe place for BIPOC travelers to come and be inspired to travel, by connecting with other black travelers. Through her digital activism she has grown the community to a growing 33K followers, with new members joining everyday. Listen to this weeks episode to learn more about @blacktravelgo and some of @anjelikaperry travel stories.

This week we interviewed Lawrence. Lawrence and his wife have been traveling full time for a little over a year now. They had a destination wedding in Cancun which gave them the itch to travel. Over a year ago they moved to the Philippines to focus on exploring Southeast Asia and working remotely. Since they’ve arrived to Manila, they have been too many beautiful islands in PH, have seen Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand. Listen to Lawerence talk about many of his travel experiences and his opinions on living in the Philippines and having a destination wedding compared to a traditional one. Follow Lawerence’s travel story and other creative adventures here https://www.findyourwave.us/.

This week we interviewed Malia. Malia is a 20-something travel creative based in California. When she’s not binge watching Love Island or working with students in Higher Education, she’s off exploring the world! During her time at Stanford University, Malia spent time living abroad in Cape Town, South Africa and Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Frustrated with the lack of critical conversations in the travel social media space, Malia founded @alikaadventure with a focus on mindful travel - applying the social justice themes of equity, access, and accurate histories to our travel behaviors. Listen to Malia talk about her study abroad adventures, @alikaadventure, and future travel plans in this episode.

This week we are interviewing Donny, Hampton University alumnus, pharmacist, and wold traveler. Listen as he talks about his passion for travel, recent travel stories, and some of his funniest travel experiences so far. Follow more of Donny’s travel stories on instagram @dropinondp . Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Natalia. Janelle is really good friends with Natalia and has traveled to many countries and continents with her. Natalia has also traveled and lived in many places by herself, with family, and other friends. Listen as she talks about some of her favorite trips, cruises, and advice for those with busy schedules that are looking to travel more. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This week we interviewed Alexys. She finished her undergraduate degree at Norfolk State University and is now pursuing her masters at the University of Virgin Islands in St. Thomas. Listen as she talks about her life and move to St. Thomas and her experience attending both HBCU’s at a young age. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

In this episode, Joi and her boyfriend Brandon recap their previous bae-cation trips to places like Spain, Mexico and Hawaii. Get ready for some funny stories as well as advice for couples planning their next (or first) vacation together. Follow Bradon and Joi's couples page at https://www.instagram.com/cherryandcurls/

This week we interviewed Cassy Isabella. She is a multi-disciplined creative, hailing from Toronto, who has been working in both the travel industry and social work field for over four years. Her combined passions make it her priority to curate travel experiences that are not only fun but are done in an ethical and affordable manner that gives back to the local communities they touch. Listen as she talks about how she started traveling, her most recent travel experience, and starting The Roaming Republic. Find out more about Cassy on IG @bellaworldwide or on The Roaming Republic website https://www.theroamingrepublic.com/.

This week's interview is with Keisha, founder of Tickled Pink Travel Agency. Tickled Pink Travel Agency is a full-service agency specializing in black women group travels, Adventure traveling together and providing trip ideas. Keisha outlines the process of becoming a travel agent, how to market your business as a travel agent and how to plan the best trips as a travel agent. Lastly, Keisha explains how she is pivoting her business during COVID-19 and the changes the travel industry is going through. Book a trip with Keisha here: http://tickledpinkgrouptrips.com/

This week we want to talk all about staycations. While it is nice to visit far places, you do not need to travel across the world or country to be traveling. You can literally travel anywhere including your own backyard. Take advantage of what’s nearby and find those local hidden gems. Don't forget to leave a review to let us know what you think on Apple Podcasts.

This week we are talking with Tyshana and Nicole, founder of En Root Travel, LLC., a travel group for HBCU alumni dedicated to tourism, service, and culture. Listen as they talk about starting a business as young adults early in their careers, personal travel stories, and their advice for travelers and business owners during a global pandemic. Be sure to learn more about En Root Travel, LLC. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @enroottravel and on their website enroottravel.com .

Traveling can be very overwhelming, especially during a global pandemic. This week we talk about both travel and life updates to begin our 4th season of the podcast. COVID-19 has completely changed the travel industry, so listen to find out more about where you can travel and how to travel safely during these crazy times.

This week we are following up with last weeks episode on moving. In this episode we talk about moving day, adjusting to a new city, staying in touch with loved ones, and returning home if it’s a short term move. Listen for some advice, stories, and more related to moving. If you liked this episode, don’t forget to check out part 1!

In this episode we talk about what it takes to move out. We explain our own experiences moving for college, internships, study abroad, and jobs. Listen to hear advice for what to pack, finding housing, finding transportation, and more. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

Today we’re interviewing Heidy, a first generation Latina studying International Business and Trade at Florida Atlantic University. She recently attempted to study abroad in Japan, but had to leave her program 2 months early because of COVID-19. Listen as she talks about her experience living in Japan, Japanese culture, and how she was able to return home safely during a global pandemic.

This week we interviewed Yanique, a recent graduate from City College of New York. While in school she participated in a program called Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT). We’ve already talked a little about this program in a previous interview with Sheevah, who did this in South Africa. However, Yanique has a little more info about the program in Thailand and she also talks about some of her other travel experiences.

There are several different reasons for travel and this week we want to talk more about service trips. Today we are interviewing Courtney and Caela, both graduates from Hampton University and studied Biology on a Pre-med track. Courtney and Caela volunteered with Volunteers Around the World. This organization gives students the opportunity to work with experienced medical professionals in areas of need and also gives free time to travel in the host country and experience a new culture. Caela went to Peru with this organization and Courtney did the same trip in Peru and another in Vietnam.

This week we interviewed Leeza Smith, podcast host of Leeza Rants Podcast. She recently traveled to Dubai and told us all about her trip. She talks about preparing to go, the highlights of her trip, being black in Dubai and other travel destinations. Listen to find out why Leeza thinks Dubai is really one of the best places to travel as a young black woman.

This week we want to talk about everything that can go wrong when traveling. Traveling can be a lot of fun and can seem very carefree at times, but we would be lying if we said nothing ever goes wrong. We don't want you to feel discouraged from traveling, so we talk about the stressful parts of a trip and give advice for what to do in these unfortunate situations.

Orion Brown is the Founder of BlackTravelBox® a lifestyle travel brand. Its purpose is to give women of color a brand they could trust for their travel personal care needs. As Black travelers, we have a few places we can find products that work for our hair and skin care needs. In this week's episode, she discusses how she started her brand and advice for anyone looking to start a business in the travel space.

In this weeks episode we interviewed Ariel. Ariel has traveled all over the world, some places include Italy, France, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala and England. She is based out of Miami and is a travel influencer, blogger, and social media coach that talks about affordable and frequent travel on her blog You Trippin Travel Co. Listen as she talks about her blog, sponsoring a child in Guatemala, study abroad, and more interesting travel stories.

This week we interviewed Syeda who goes to Arizona State University. While in school she studied abroad in Peru and interned in Nicaragua. Listen as she talks about her study abroad and internship experiences, what it’s like being Black and American in South America, and some other interesting stories while traveling.

In this weeks episode we interviewed Sheevah, a graduate from Virginia State University. While in school she spent a summer interning in South Africa focusing on biomedical research. Listen as she talks about how she got an all expense paid trip to live in South Africa and got paid to do this.

Today we interviewed Grace, founder of podcast Sit Down, Sis and online magazine, Sorella Magazine. Through both platforms she gives her personal opinion on all things related to Black womanhood including travel. Listen as she talks about some of her personal travel experiences, study abroad, and what it's like to be a black female traveler.

This week we are interviewing Sojourner White. She helps students and young professionals incorporate travel into their careers. This passion comes from past experiences studying abroad in Granada, Spain and Morocco, living abroad as a Fulbright Fellow in Logroño, Spain and interning abroad in Berlin. As a graduate student and travel blogger and writer Sojourner has a lot of great stories that she would like to share with us today.

Find more of Sojourner’s travel stories at http://sojournies.com/

Today we interviewed Ashley, founder of @MelaninOnTheMap, a minority travel APP showing travelers how to travel more, travel for less, and get paid. Ashley is a Howard University graduate, producer, and founder of Melanin on the Map. She grew up first generation American, with parents of Caribbean descent. Culture and travel has been a passion of hers from a young age, having traveled to over 10 countries before the age of 25. Ashley realized the positive impact travel has had on her life throughout the years, which soon led her into a career helping other minorities experience the same.

Today we’re interviewing Kemi, a junior at University of Michigan and studies Psychology. She recently attempted to study abroad in London for the spring 2020 semester. However, she had to leave her program in London 3 months early because of COVID-19.

Angel is an International Educator originally from Brooklyn, NY but is now living in Costa Rica not only as an educator, but also a podcast host. He is the host of In Living Color… Abroad, a podcast where black and brown people from all over the world tell their stories about travel and living abroad. Listen to Angel tell us about his move to Costa Rica, how he started his podcast, and some of his travel experiences. Also, check out our interview in his podcast where we talk more about Melanin and Miles.

In this weeks episode we interviewed Ebony who studied abroad in Bolivia. She is a graduating senior that attends Smith University and majors in Computer Science with a minor in Spanish. She did a program with SIT Multiculturalism Globalization and Social Change for her 2019 spring semester. Listen as Ebony talks about being immersed in the culture, being black and American in Bolivia, her travel experiences, and more.

In this episode we interview Courtney, a graduating senior at Hampton University. She studies Biology on a pre-med track and lived in South Korea for a total of 4 years. She first moved at a young age and then returned during her freshman and sophomore year of high school. Listen as Courtney talks about what it was like being black in South Korea, being a military kid, and some of her travel experiences.

Tomorrow is April 22nd and the 50th anniversary for Earth Day, so in this episode we talk about sustainable travel. Travel essentially relies on burning fossil fuels everything from your flight, to accommodations, and even certain excursions can contribute to climate change and other environmental issues. It’s important that we don’t overlook these issues and take into consideration what our environmental impact will be from the trips we take. Listen to learn more about ecotourism and tips on how to travel sustainably .

This week we interviewed Miracle who studied abroad in both the UK and the Netherlands during the summer of 2018. She is a graduating senior that attends Hampton University. She majors in Strategic Communications and minors in Liberal Studies. Listen to her talk about her study abroad experience, travel through Europe, being black in Europe, and scholarship opportunities.

In this episode we talk about the pros and cons of doing both group and solo travel. We also talk about some of our experiences in both situations and which type of travel we prefer. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts — claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

This is part 2 of our spring break trip to the Bahamas. In this episode Zaria and Janelle talk about the rest of the time they spent on Carnival Liberty, the island Half Moon Cay, and the time they spent in Lake Eola Park near downtown Orlando, FL. Enjoy and go back to part 1 if you missed it last week!

This is our spring break recap. In this episode Zaria and I talk about the time we spent in Florida, the Bahamas and on the Carnival Liberty cruise ship. We talk about the first half of our trip which was spent in the airport, Cocoa Beach and Nassau. Listen to find out more about our cruise, the beaches, a bar hopping tour, and more!

In this weeks episode we talk about the novelty coronavirus, our opinions, advice for travelers, and how it is impacting our travel. Listen to find out how we're staying safe, surviving social distancing and the craziness the world is today. Let us know how you're staying safe and dealing with the virus.

Neither of us has had a true college spring break. That might have been different if we had a podcast to listen to that talked about what it really takes to plan it in a cost-effective way. There are many challenges to organizing the perfect spring break, so in this episode we want to discuss tips for how to successfully plan your trip. We also talk about our upcoming spring break plans and some of our favorite destinations.

In this episode we interview Aman, a graduating senior at Hampton University double majoring in Political Science and International Studies. In the summer of 2019 she studied abroad in Geneva, Switzerland for seven weeks. Aman talks about her study abroad program, travel experiences in Europe, and what it was like being black in Switzerland. Listen to find out why Aman now loves this country and can’t wait to visit Switzerland again.

In this weeks episode we interviewed Josette, a graduate student at Hampton University, who grew up and lived most of her life in Trinidad and attended St. George's University in Grenada. However, she is now studying in the US at Hampton University for a graduate program in Marine Science. She talks to us about different culture shocks she faced after several different moves and what it’s like being black in the Caribbean vs being black in America.

In this week’s episode we interview Lydia who studied and lived in Cameroon. Lydia is a junior that attends Hampton University and is a Strategic Communications Major and Liberal Studies minor. She studied abroad with the School of International Training's program for Cultural Development and Social Change in Cameroon, which is also her country of origin.

Check out Lydia’s travel blog:

https://thelovelyadventuresoflydia.travel.blog/

In this week’s episode we are interviewing Amari Page who is a graduating senior at the University of Southern California. In 2019, she completed a study abroad program in Hong Kong for 4 months and was able to travel all around the hemisphere to countries like Thailand, Australia and more. Amari talks about why she would want to move to Hong Kong after her experience there. Additionally, she reflects on times she felt uncomfortable as a Black American traveling around Asia.

Road trips are sometimes the best or cheapest way to travel. In this episode we talk about some of our good and bad experiences on road trips, what you should bring and how to prepare for a road trip to avoid creating stressful memories.

Make sure you check out our merchandise! We have the Melanin and Miles logo on a variety of items that can be used on a regular day or for any vacation. Get your new merchandise now at melaninandmiles.com/shop

Today we are interviewing Nahlah who is a graduating senior at Howard University. She studies political science with a minor in playwriting and did a study abroad program in Morocco. Learn how she chose where to study abroad, and how she traveled around Africa and Europe while taking classes. We discuss her experience being a black American in Morocco and how Moroccan culture affected her experience studying abroad. She also touches on some of her best and worst times while living abroad.

In this week's episode, we get into how we take great travel photos and videos during our trips and the specific tips you can use to uplevel your travel content. Also, we get into gear we take with us and how to still enjoy your trip without being glued to your screen the entire time. Subscribe on Youtube and follow us on Instagram and Facebook too see our content.

Make sure you get your hands on our free Budget Babe travel guide to learn the top 10 ways you can be saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your next travel adventure. Get the free guide straight to your inbox at melaninandmiles.com/free

As black women, we use a lot of products for both hair and skin care. Sadly we can’t travel with full sizes of everything in our luggage when flying. In this episode, we unpack what we carry in our toiletry bags and discuss our top tips for maintaining your hair, skin and other beauty routines while traveling.

Make sure you get your hands on our free Budget Babe travel guide to learn the top 10 ways you can be saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your next travel adventure. Get the free guide straight to your inbox at melaninandmiles.com/free

Happy New Year! In our season 2 opener of Melanin and Miles, we want to recap Joi’s first Squad Retreat (group travel trip) to Montego Bay, Jamaica. The retreat was from December 19th to the 22nd (Thursday-Sunday) with 10 women who signed up. We enjoyed the RIU Reggae resort, ate a lot of food, had a Fros in Focus goal-setting session, a beauty excursion, a pool party, and a lot of nightlife. We also climbed Dunn’s River Falls, took a party cruise, and snorkeled a coral reef with tropical fish! Get notified about future retreats by joining Joi’s email list at joiwade.com/squad

Happy New Year! In our final episode of the year (and season 1) we both list where we were blessed enough to travel throughout 2019. We also touch upon where we would like to go in 2020. Get ready for season 2 y'all! If you have been listening and enjoying, please leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts.

This is part 2 of our Thailand trip recap. In this episode, we discuss the day trips we went on to get some time out of Bangkok. We got to visit the beach at Coral Island after taking a car ride and boat ride to Pattaya City. Later on in the trip, we did a day trip to Erawan Waterfall to see the 7-tiered waterfall where we swam and admired nature. That day we also experienced a true THAI MASSAGE and relaxed. Lastly, we experienced a problematic elephant sanctuary (unplanned!) that claimed to be only a bathing experience. Enjoy and go back to part 1 if you missed it last week!

This is part ONE of two of our Thailand trip recap. We traveled to Bangkok together for 4.5 days over Thanksgiving break and 48+ hours of travel. In this episode, we discuss how we planned the trip, found flights for $500 round trip from the USA, reviewing our China Eastern Airlines experience, what we thought of our Airbnb in Bangkok and first impressions of the city. Hear our interesting experience of being black in Asia while visiting famous Thai temples... We also took a Thai cooking class on Thanksgiving day. Enjoy and get ready for part 2 next week!

Today we are interviewing Ayana Culhane who is a graduating senior at Hampton University. She studies psychology with a minor in Spanish and did a study abroad program in Argentina. Learn how she chose where to study abroad and how she learned the language before leaving the US. We discuss her experience being a black American in South America and how the history of Argentina played into her experience studying abroad. She also touches on how having brown skin in Argentina is a unique experience, even for the native people who live there.

Today we are kicking off our interviews around the world series where we talk to young black women who have experienced unique travel lifestyles abroad. This first interview is with Kiyanna Thomas. She is a graduating senior that also attends Hampton University. She is a Biology pre-med major and over the summer she did a study abroad program in Ghana. We discuss how she chose her study abroad program, her experience being a black American in Ghana, culture shock and her most memorable times abroad. Lastly, she gives advice on anyone wanting to live in Ghana short term and dispels misconceptions about going to Africa.

Want to plan a trip? In this episode we get into everything you will need to plan an amazing trip without a travel company. Topics include transportation, accommodation, things to do, budgeting, and more!

Food is one of the best things to try when going to a new place. However, food can get complicated if you have dietary restrictions. In this episode we talk about our favorite and least favorite travel destinations for food, our dietary restrictions, and what it’s like traveling as a vegetarian. Other topics include traveling with allergies, or other medical conditions that may limit what you can eat.

In this episode, we get into some of our experiences with European travel and our favorite and least favorite countries in Europe. Other topics include exposing some popular cities in the US and general advice for traveling around the continent.

In this episode, we get into some of our experiences with domestic travel and our favorite and least favorite cities in the United States. Other topics include exposing some popular cities in the US and general advice for traveling around the country.

In this episode, we get real personal and talk about some of our crazy nights out in foreign countries. Nightlife abroad is a different beast so we are gonna help you navigate getting lit and staying safe on your next trip.

Interested in studying abroad? Today we’re getting into the pros and cons of everything while abroad. Topics include host families, classwork, language barriers, culture shock, budgeting, and what it’s like coming home after a study abroad experience.

Interested in studying abroad? In this episode we get into everything you need to prepare for studying in a new country. Topics include how to find the right program, the application process, scholarships, and everything you’ll need before you go.

Interested in studying abroad? In this episode we get into our study abroad experiences in Spain. We will talk about how we picked our destination, how long we were gone, our study abroad programs, and our unique experiences living in a new country.

Need help packing? In this episode we talk about our packing experiences and give advice on how to pack for both short and long trips (anywhere from 2 days to 4 months), based off of our struggles.

In this episode we want to get into language barriers and challenges when traveling. Not being fluent in a language shouldn’t discourage you from traveling to a new place, so we want to share how we deal with language barriers. Other topics include tips on key phrases to know when traveling, best apps to use when learning a new language, and classroom vs immersion learning.

In this episode we get into our favorite and least favorite airlines, expose our worst airport and airline experiences, and give general advice for booking a flight.

Today we get into our favorite travel newsletters, apps, websites, and companies. Learn more about these travel tools and our upcoming group travel destination in this episode. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

We have both experienced positive and negative things while traveling. In this episode we get into what it’s like being black and American around the world. Learn more about the black traveling community on social media and our experiences in some of the different countries that we’ve been. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

How do we travel so much? How are we not broke? Today we get into travel finesse as university students. In this episode learn more about discounted travel, free travel, available resources, tips and experiences. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin

Welcome to Melanin and Miles! We are your hosts, Joi and Janelle, two black girls in our 20s who have traveled to over 25 countries and 5 continents. Learn more about our backgrounds, how we started traveling and our favorite + least favorite travel experiences in this episode. Get a complimentary Melanin & Miles enamel pin when you leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts--claim yours at http://melaninandmiles.com/pin