Traveling Grace & Mercy

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

Welcome to Season 2 of Traveling Grace and Mercy with this special two part interview! Tara @GI_Jane_X has known me since the 4th grade! She is one of my BFF's that understands the expat joys of leaving America and living abroad. She made a life for herself in Cologne, Germany over 10 years ago.

We recorded this in Terminal 4 of New York City's JFK International Airport and Tara's home in Germany. We reunited at JFK in the summer of 2019 after not seeing each other since May 2015, during Tara's first visit to Tokyo, Japan. I went to Cologne to bring in the new year of 2020 with her during my second visit to Germany.

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

DJ MMFM is a house music head that travels the world in pursuit of dancing happiness! He is one of my longest known Japan Family members and I learned so much more about him through this interview. This is a great finale to season one of Traveling Grace & Mercy. We recorded live at The Standard in Los Angeles the week of his birthday. Currently residing in Malaysia, working in all of Asia and running the globe for leisure - I want to be like Mike! He lives by the motto "In It To Win It" and is one of the most peaceful men on earth! As Mike's travel story unfolds in this episode, I hope you are inspired to experience more of life by winging it - unplanned, but always on purpose! Happy birthday to Mike "DJ MMFM"!  

IN THIS EPISODE:

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

I reunited with my fellow Temple University alumna, Jeana Morrison, Ph.D. Since our study abroad semester at Temple University Japan, she has gone on to live and study in Brazil. Jeana takes us up a life-threatening mountain climb and through a turbulent landing in Mexico City. Listen to her journey now!

IN THIS EPISODE: 

+ Temple University Japan, Fall '02 Study Abroad

+ Brazilian Safe Travels = Boa viagem

+ Travel Mental Readiness

+ Flying through a thunderstorm in Mexico City

+ Turbulence PTSD

+ Travel Playlists

+ Uniqlo Before It Was Uniqlo

+ Lost Luggage

+ Hiking Brazil Life & Death

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

Aaron's upbringing and career has taken him all over the world. He became my Japan Fam after crossing paths in Tokyo under the cherry blossoms. He is a great father, friend and photographer. His passport pages and extensive travel tales are amusing and very inspiring for the next generation of expats and overseas parents. Listen to this episode when we caught up in St. Louis, Missouri. 

IN THIS EPISODE:

+ Cherry Blossom Bonding

+ Depth of Traveling Grace & Mercy

+ Around The World in 4  Minutes

+ 3.11 Japan Earthquake Reflection 

+ Blessed Toiletry Bag

+ Turbulence with a Toddler 

+ When Kids Pack Bullets

+ Travel Debt is Healthy Debt

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

Jon is a military brat, former sailor, my Japan Fam and a globally raised citizen of Earth! He is an animated storyteller and I enjoyed capturing this interview in beautiful San Diego. Jon shares a great childhood perspective of the life of constantly moving military families.

IN THIS EPISODE:

+ Fair Winds & Following Seas

+ Okinawan Ties That Bind

+ Child Globetrotter

+ No Prep, Just Go

+ Military Family Journeys

+ Lost in Mt. Fuji Translation

+ Boarding BPMs

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

I flew to London to celebrate the birthday of my Japan Fam, Leonie. Philly Mo and I both knew Leonie when we lived in Tokyo. She went on a global voyage by Peace Boat, then continued to rack up passport stamps after moving back home to Northampton, England. Listen to this interview I recorded as Leonie drove me to London Heathrow Airport. She blessed us with her "journey mercy" stories and prayers for your own future travels!

IN THIS EPISODE:

+ Black in Yokohama Bay Hall

+ Vehicle Prayers

+ Journey Mercies

+ Elimination Packing

+ Peace Boat

+ Pirates of the Indian Ocean

+ Travel Tips

+ Proper Cup of Tea

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

Gregory Walker is not just a traveler, but an outstanding resource for financial literacy. He is adamant about saving, investing and traveling. Greg is one of my favorite people to follow on Instagram and I couldn't wait to hear his travel journey. I caught up with him in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Greg and I were already connected before we ever were introduced online or met in person, due to our unique family ties. At the time recording, Greg had visited 21 of 196 countries. He shares some great moments of the fear of flying and where getting past that fear has taken him.

IN THIS EPISODE:
+ Ancestor Appreciation
+ Safe Travels / Surviving America
+ Map Your Movement
+ Fly Over Fear
+ Wait For No One
+ Start Next Door

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

I caught up with my longtime global broadcast friend Jayforce. He was the host and creator of The Beatz & Lyrics Show that streamed on Atlanta's WRFG for 9 years. He is an explorer by nature and a world traveler that I vowed to journey with! Listen to his travel tales and tips in this episode of Traveling Grace & Mercy.

IN THIS EPISODE:
+ Broadcast Bridges
+ The Foreign Exchange
+ 97 'Til Infinity
+ Spirit of Exploration
+ Pack Light
+ Travel Reaffirmations
+ Journey of Humility

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

Happy 60th birthday to my father! I was able to interview him on his birthday during a visit to my grandmom's house. This is the first time I've interviewed an immediate family member and one that was so influential in my own journey to life abroad. Listen as he talks about his earliest travel memories, military career and living vicariously through his children.

IN THIS EPISODE:
+ Happy 60th Birthday
+ Grace & Mercy Meaning
+ Journeying Since 1958
+ Military Moves
+ Family Van Voyage
+ Must Have Travel Snacks
+ Tunes To Go: Tobe Nwigwe
+ Airport Mad Dash
+ Traveling?

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

LaTonya and David Whitaker are the owners of Soulfood House in AzabuJuban, Tokyo and have been the welcome committee to many expats long before they opened their restaurant. They created open-mic events and hosted Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of homesick Americans and their guests for years. Now the Whitakers are serving as Tokyo's only American Soulfood restaurant and was featured on the Netflix original series, "Ugly Delicious" fried chicken episode. Listen to their humble beginnings and the journey that led them to Asia.

IN THIS EPISODE:
+ Japan Expat Thanksgivings
+ International Missionaries
+ Hong Kong Cruise vs. Vietnam Fog
+ Air Pocket Plunging
+ Party on SriLankan Airlines
+ Eating Like Locals
+ Think Outside The Hotel Box
+ Open-minded Tunnel Vision
+ Step Out On Faith

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

Austin, Texas is the hometown of my friend and Japan Fam James "Kinshasa Mizrahi" and where we reunited to discuss his journey. This interview was leading up to his third return to live in The Land of The Rising Sun.

IN THIS EPISODE:
+Temple University Japan
+Black Tokyo Community
+Japanese Ballroom/Vogue Scene x Mother Koppi Mizrahi
+Token Saints and Good Luck Travel Charms
+Airplane Prayers
+Eating Dogs & Korean Mud Festivals
+Terrifying False Landing
+Planning To Live Abroad 101

Haven’t you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports? Job 21:29 CEB

I caught up with my globetrotting, Japan Fam and Pennsylvania native sister Philly Mo! She talks about her career in education, leaving it all behind to go to Tokyo and how she happened to use all of her passport pages in two years while being an expat in Abu Dhabi.

IN THIS EPISODE:
+ Speaking Up in Roppongi's Club 57
+ Depleted Passport Pages
+ "Hakuna Matata" in Zanzibar
+ Life Changing Expat Career Decisions
+ Duty Free Dilemma
+ TSA Prechecked Vibrators
+ Knuckin & Buckin Abroad
+ @Home in East Africa
+ Travel for Self-improvement1