Stories From Around

It's been 1 years and 6 months. A beautiful period of stories and growth, love and good things. Ah, what a time. During our last episode, I hinted at taking a longer break, so I could take some much deserved rest and give more attention to other loves of mine, like my blog (www.storiesfromaround.com) and my French classes. So the time has come for me to do just that. I'm taking a break from podcasting for a while, but this is not goodbye...I'll be back before you can say the word 'Maryaaaannn'. It's been such an honor to have you as may audience thus far. You've been the greatest. Thank you, and so much love. Maryann x SFA.

Maryann on touuur. My most favourite time of the year. I'm counting down to my travels in August and couldn't be more excited. Here's the catch though...I haven't booked anything yet! I'm still not set on where I wanna go but...we shall be going somewheeere. And also, when's the last time I went on a Solo trip? Must've been last year...so we need to fix that. I am really excited! So on this episode...I talk about the plans I have for this year's #maryannontour and let you in on a little secret too😉 Lots of love, from me.

And we're baaack. Well, Urmi is back, and remember the great conversation we had on episode 1 of season 2? Today we're having a continuation of that. I read her book 'Discovering Your Identity- A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle' and I loved it. So we discuss this, travel and other cool things. So go ahead, give it a listen...and thank you for being here:)

I'm publishing this one hours late because I've spent the whole day trying to find a fitting title. Whoever said podcasting was hard...forgot to mention that finding titles for your episodes was harder. But alas...at exactly 7:24pm on a nice rainy Wednesday evening...while tossing in bed after trying to find answers for my French assignment...I found a topic! Well...I'm still not sure if it's the right fit...but it'll do. It has to...unless some other topic comes to me while I'm making dinner. Anyyyway...I've been learning French for the past one year and whenever I get the chance to complain about it...I do. Because I love complaining about it...and also because it makes me both happy and grumpy...sometimes angry. And on today's episode, I let you in on how that happy, grumpy, angry journey has been...one year later! I'm still complaining....but at least I do it in a bit of French nowadays! So enjoy listening. And if you're learning a new language just so you can live in that country of your dreams or just so you can talk to your partner or just for yourself...for that street cred...then I wish you nothing but fun and the best of adventures with it! Love, Maryann Kariuki, SFA.

I had my first ever backpacking trip 2 weeks ago. And I have a few things to say about it. First of all...it changed who I am as a person and I felt so light in the streets, walking and strutting like I had no care in the world! You should try it out. And if you're an avid back packer...what are your best backpacking tips?

I thought I loved the architecture in Paris, until I saw the Duomo in Milan. Paris, don't get me wrong, I'm still very much in love with you it's just that right now, there's a bit of competition having been in Milan. It was grand, it was flamboyant and extremely beautiful and full of life. Of course now you know what this episode is about...me raving about Milan and all the things I loved about it! And if you've ever been to Milan, hey, I wanna here what you thought about it:)

Hvala...is how you say thank you in Croatian. Learn it, you'll need it some day when you visit or you've already used it if you've been there. I said thank you so many ties to people in the streets and in shops and in restaurants and in bars when I was there because the people were so kind! And this week's episode is an appreciation of all the beauty that was the small city of Zagreb, and all its people and great food:)

Picture this: Adulting is kicking my behind, but I'm trying not to let it. Cheap flights season is upon us and Ryanair is becoming my first love, very very fast. I'm planning my first short trip this year, and everything's looking up! Bless my soul, really. On this episode, I catch you up on all I've been about the past 2 weeks, and where I'm going to on my first short trip this year! Consider it a rant with a happy ending:) Love, Maryann x SFA.

Our Gutsy Person for this month is Mary Ann HallWell on Bridgerton, and Jessie Baek in real life! This has got to be one of the most favourite conversations I've had on the podcast. Jessie and I were introduced by a mutual friend of ours because she thought we had quite similar personalities. So we became friends on Instagram and have been sending each other memes and reels faithfully for the past few years. I love her life and how she carries it. So a few months ago, I sent her a DM asking if she'd grace me with her presence on the podcast and she said yes! So we had our first video chat not so long ago, and our conversation was so rich and so full, so we just picked a date to record the following weekend. We talked about acting, living abroad and other cool stuff:) My life is a little more brilliant, having had and documented this episode with her. And my only hope is that you enjoy it as much as I did:)

Dining out alone is quite a bold move if you ask me...an act of confidence in one's ability to handle stares and crowds. So I sat at one restaurant, and ordered a meal as I wrote an article about what I really thought about solo dining. I even went ahead and added a few tips...a guide of sorts. That article is now published on www.storiesfromaround.com. Try it out, give it a read and if you're more of a listener than a reader, then fear not, I came on here and read it out loud and that made me quite happy. So I hope you enjoy the dramatization of it on this episode. Much, much love SFA.

Last weekend, my friend Grace and I hang out and we had such a beautiful conversation. We always do. We had an interview session where for the very first time, I, the host, was on the other side of the floor...as the guest and I quite enjoyed it. Turns out I really love talking about myself. I should do this more often. Haha. We talked about what being gutsy means to me, things I've done in life that have led to where I'm at right now and how hanging out with myself is one of my favourite things to do. Have a listen, and let me know what you think:)

I'm currently reading a book called The Book Of Mistaikes (Yes, written like that) by Gyles Brandreth which is a little hilarious because today is all about human errors...my human errors that have led to funny events in my travel life. From running away from a dog in Greece to getting chased by the bus guys in Hungary. Ever done something and immediately after thought... 'nope, I shouldn't have done that'. Well, my life is filled with such moments. All so eventful, and funny now...they weren't funny then. Welcome, to some of them.

There are a few things I love in life, among them...overpacking. And there are troubles that come with it...e.g. having to pay for overweight luggage during travel, wanting to cry because of the weight on my shoulders...and well, general angst. But, I'm trying to travel more and pack less...really trying. But see if I tried and won, I wouldn't be having an episode today...so being the maximalist lover that I am...here's confessions of a maximalist solo traveller. Have fun listening! Love, SFA and the gang.

I'm baaack! To our little weekly recordings after taking a wee break. A few things happened this month: - We did our first video episode! Yay! - We launched season 2! yay! - We got our first guest @UrmiHossain for our Gutsy People segment! Yay! - We launched the Stories From Around Website www.storiesfromaround.com! This one was huge. I had to take a break after the launch. Here you'll find all my travel, design and people stories. It's my other side, my writing side:) and I can't wait to see where this goes! As always, thank you for being here.

Hi everyone, and a very warm welcome to season 2 of stories from around! We made it! I'm super excited about the start of this new chapter and even more excited because last week I mentioned that with Stories From Around turning a year old, we have a new monthly segment called gutsy people and it’s exactly that…it’s conversations with people who are boldly living, wildly living and are heroes of their own lives. People going against the currents.  That said, our first episode on season two is with our first ever gutsy guest... her name is Urmi Hossain, a dynamic  Italian-Bengali currently living in Canada, she is a self published author, a blogger, a YouTuber, an advocate for women's empowerment and everything nice. 

Hi everyone! The day of the video episode is finally here! One year in, 49 episodes strong, some great conversations and incredibly beautiful times. We are turning a year old and with such a milestone, we're also launching season 2 of Stories From Around. Good news yea? You bet. I'm really so incredibly happy to be doing this. To be here, to chit chat about life things, to travel and chit chat about it and to meet quite lovely human beings...and chit chat with them. Consider this episode a get- to- know-me- a- bit- better kind of gig and at least see who's always throwing little vent sesh's behind the mic. Thank you for being 49 episodes loyal! Love, SFA.

Here we go again, doing what we do best every Wednesday. This one around is quite short, because it's a quick recap of my time back home in Kenya and all the lovely moments I had. I also give a few hints on what's to come in February and the exciting things we have planned. Thanks for being here!

I'm baaack! Like I never left. And I'm back from everything; my one week of absence, my trip back home to Kenya and...well, back to Europe where it's stone cold winter, damn. I had such a long but great trip back and I had to do a recap on it. Just so I always have the memories of it stored somewhere that's not just my lovely brain. So here goes all the gist of it and the nice people who made it all the more lovely. Thanks for being here! Love, Maryann Kariuki.

Hey hey everyone! Here with a warning 'I am taking a much needed break'. Lol that sounds dramatic... it's not a warning really. I'm just letting y'all know that I'm taking a week off to spend some quality time with my loved ones as I prepare to leave the African sun and go back to wintery Europe in a few days. I've been travelling a lot the past couple of weeks back home and it's time to take that deep breath and rest for a bit. I won't be gone for too long, but please miss me:) Talk to you when on the other side of the planet. Love, SFA.

One of my favorite things to do every beginning of the year is make a travel wish list then check what countries I went to at the end of the year. Sometimes I go to the countries I've listed, sometimes I go to others I didn't even plan on visiting. So on this episode I let you in on my list for this year and bonus point...I asked my cool people on Instagram what's on their travel wish list for this year and the answers were quite cool! I hope we all get to visit the places we say we wanna go to! Enjoy listening:) I enjoyed recording!