Going Places

Yulia Denisyuk
Going Places

Stories of people and places near and far hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who’s worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Guided by Yulia’s years of working in the travel media industry, we meet the people living in the Middle Eastern deserts, culture writers in Hong Kong, street artists in Chicago, and more.

  1. 3 HR. AGO

    Seeing Jordan for the First Time with Travel Advisor Vanessa Abbe

    Today, we're speaking with Vanessa Abbe, a travel advisor who joined me on my trip to Jordan last October. In this conversation, which we had live on Instagram recently, I wanted to hear her take on what it’s like traveling in the country right now.  Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here.  Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. What you’ll learn in this episode:How Vanessa approached the safety question of traveling to JordanGaining a new perspective on the region through long conversationsThe impact of tourism cancelations on Jordan's tourism communityWhat it's like traveling in proximity to PalestineMeeting the people of Jordan: an Ammani photographer, a sustainable farmer in Madaba, the Bedouins of Wadi RumWhy hospitality looks like home-cooked meals in JordanWhy Petra By Night was one of the top experiences for VanessaWhat Vanessa has to say to someone considering going to Jordan Featured on the show:Follow Vanessa on Instagram: @adventures_vkabbeLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May here Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you! Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more.  Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

    41 min
  2. JAN 29

    Five Places You Shouldn’t Miss in Jordan (Plus: Is It Safe to Go Now?)

    Today’s episode is a field guide for traveling to Jordan in 2025. We’ll answer urgent questions about travel safety in Jordan, look at some of the most incredible places in Jordan you shouldn’t miss, and hear from our past travelers who went to Jordan with me last fall.  Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the information by visiting here.  Throughout February, you can save $150 off your booking by using code GOINGPLACESFEB when you join our trip. The code expires on Fri, Feb 28. What you’ll learn in this episode:Is it safe to travel to Jordan in 2025? Flight disruptions and cancellations in JordanFive places in Jordan that you should not missHow to get a different perspective on the Middle EastLiving close to nature versus an urbanized way of lifeWhat do The Dune, The Star Wars, and The Martian have in commonHow a stranger paid for our meal in JordanGoing Places travelers share their experience of traveling to Jordan Featured on the show:Follow Rum Planet Camp on Instagram: @rum.planet.campFollow Carob House on Instagram: @carob.houseCheck out my Condé Nast Traveler story, In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits Travel’s ReturnCheck out my profile of Jordan in AFAR's Where To Go In 2025 listCheck out this Jordan Times article about the receding of the Dead SeaLearn more about our upcoming trip to Jordan in May here Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you! Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by a href="https://www.instagram.com/insearchofperfect/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    42 min
  3. JAN 22

    Enemy of the Sun: Disrupting Colonial Narratives with Artist Dana Barqawi

    Today, we're meeting Dana Barqawi, a multidisciplinary artist and urban planner based in Amman, Jordan. Dana’s multimedia work challenges colonial narratives and explores Indigenous identities and aspects of womanhood and community. Growing up with women who painted, sewed, designed, and made art, Dana has a long-standing fascination with detail. She works from a workshop studio in Jabal al Weibdeh - one of my favorite neighborhoods in Amman – fusing elements of painting, photography, and applied materials like gold leaves and beads in her politically and socially engaged artwork.  Reminder: this May, you can join my 10-day group trip to Jordan where we'll meet artists like Dana and see their art. Get more details here. What you’ll learn in this episode:Dana's path from architecture and urban planning to socially engaged artThe main element in Dana’s artThe stories behind Dana's latest exhibit, (Re)Narrate: A Visual Commentary on Colonial Narratives in the Levant & AfricaHow the Black Panther movement in the US is connected to the Palestinian liberation struggle Featured on the show:Follow Dana on Instagram: @dana_barqawiLearn more about Dana's work on her websiteCheck out the (Re)Narrate exhibit Shop Dana's art posters Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you! Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more.  Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

    21 min
  4. JAN 15

    A Hidden Cave of Treasures with Calligraphy Artist Hussein Alazaat

    Today, I’m sharing with you a conversation that is going to be quite different from anything we’ve done on the show to date. We’re going to do a studio visit to meet a dear friend, a renowned calligrapher, artist, and designer Hussein Alazaat who lives and works in Amman, Jordan.  Hussein is the founder of Elharf Studio, a platform showcasing rare books, design products, and sources of Arab visual inspiration. Most recently, Hussein worked on a project of re-designing the Jordanian currency. Hussein also teaches calligraphy workshops and travelers joining my 10-day group trip to Jordan this May 2025 will be able to meet him in person. The trip is now open and you can get more details here. What you’ll learn in this episode:The ancient civilization that made gods for people in the regionThe origins of the world's first alphabetWhy Hussein is obsessed with coins Why a letter is a universe in itselfHow Hussein aims to preserve the vast trove of Arab cultural heritage Featured on the show:Follow Hussein on Instagram: @hussein_alazaatFollow Elharf on Instagram: @elharfhouseLearn more about Hussein on his websiteCheck out the Beautiful Book Trove projectRead the article based on this interview, Guardian of Culture Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you! Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more.  Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

    38 min
  5. JAN 8

    The Exciting Work of Imagining a New World with Justine Abigail Yu: Pt 2

    Today, we’re continuing part two of our conversation with Justine Abigail Yu, a Filipina-Canadian storyteller, community builder, and activist. Justine is the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home but has roots elsewhere. Get 20% off of any issue of the Living Hyphen magazine with code GOINGPLACES at the Living Hyphen online store. The beautifully produced magazine features artists and writers from all across Canada hailing from over 30 ethnicities, religions, and Indigenous nations who explore various themes of this multi-hyphenated identity in a collection of poetry, prose, photography, and visual art. Announcement: my 10-day group trip to Jordan in May 2025 is now open! Get more details here. What you’ll learn in this episode:Seeing nature as a deity, rather than a resourceHow Indigenous languages shape our worldviewLearning Chuvash languageWhat radical imagination looks like to Justine Growing up in the Filipino diaspora in Canada Filipino identity versus Philippines as a placeHow we process our identity and look for belongingWeaving complexity Featured on the show:Follow Justine on Instagram: @justineabigailFollow Living Hyphen on Instagram: @livinghyphenLearn more about Justine on her websiteFollow the work of Living HyphenCheck out the Living Hyphen podcastRead Justine's 3DR newsletterCheck out Dismantling The Master's Tools by Mathura MahendrenRead Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to...

    36 min
  6. JAN 1

    Living In Between Cultures with Changemaker Justine Abigail Yu: Part 1

    Welcome back to the show and welcome to 2025! Thank you for being with us all throughout this season. Today, we’re talking with Justine Abigail Yu, the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home but who has roots elsewhere. Justine is a Filipina-Canadian and in our conversation, we discuss identity and belonging in the diaspora communities, radical imagination, and storytelling as a soft landing. This conversation was so big and important that we're breaking it into two equally powerful parts. In the next two episodes, Justine shares with us a healing and hopeful way to approach the new year. Get 20% off of any issue of the Living Hyphen magazine with code GOINGPLACES at the Living Hyphen online store. The beautifully produced magazine features artists and writers from all across Canada hailing from over 30 ethnicities, religions, and Indigenous nations who explore various themes of this multi-hyphenated identity in a collection of poetry, prose, photography, and visual art. Announcement: my 10-day group trip to Jordan in May 2025 is now open! Get more details here. What you’ll learn in this episode:Growing up in between culturesConnecting the dots between local and global strugglesWhy travel is an inherently political actExpanding the idea of what activism looks likeHow Justine holds multiple truths at the same timeHow Vent Diagrams can help us with the complexity of the worldThe origin of Turtle Island and the power of wordsThe practice of pleasure activism Featured on the show:Follow Justine on Instagram: @justineabigailFollow Living Hyphen on Instagram: @livinghyphenLearn more about Justine on her websiteFollow the work of Living HyphenCheck out the Living Hyphen podcastRead Justine's 3DR newsletterCheck out Vent Diagrams on Instagram: @vent_diagramsRead Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brown Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple...

    42 min
  7. 12/25/2024

    Custodians of Wonder with BBC Travel's Eliot Stein (Re-Release)

    Today, we’re talking with Eliot Stein, a journalist, writer, book author, and deputy editor at BBC Travel. Eliot and I first got to know each other through our shared passion for stories that reveal something about a place through the lens of tradition and unique cultural practices. Eliot has edited a few of my stories at BBC Travel, where he started a column called Custom Made that highlights cultural custodians preserving vanishing customs. Eliot's book, Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, is now available. Original Air Date: Feb 14, 2024. What you’ll learn in this episode:Writing "The Last Surviving Sea Silk Seamstress" for BBC TravelHow to build relationships and trust with people you're reporting onHow traditions shape places and peopleGoing beyond tourist attractionsEliot and I discuss changing reading habits Eliot's book "Custodians of Wonder" is now availableHow Eliot's journalism background set him up for the process of writing a bookThe intense commitment required to write a bookEliot gives advice to aspiring authors and shares resources like the Writer's Digest conferenceThe story behind a photo featuring traditional soy sauce production in Japan Featured on the show:Eliot's book, Custodians of Wonder, is now available wherever books are soldFollow Eliot on Instagram: @eliot.steinRead Eliot’s article on BBC Travel: The last surviving sea silk seamstressLearn about the Barrel-aged soy sauce, also available online at trf-ny.comPitch your book idea: writersdigestconference.comRead the BBC Travel author brief Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you! Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world....

    1h 3m
  8. 12/18/2024

    12 Things You Didn’t Know about Nordic Christmas (Plus, Meet Yulia’s AI Clone)

    Today on the show, we’re traveling to Scandinavia because it's almost Christmas time. The holiday season is probably my favorite time to be in this region. I grew up in Estonia, a small country just south of Finland that, while not technically part of Scandinavia, has strong cultural ties with the Nordic countries. In my childhood, these Nordic ways to celebrate Christmas were common and today, I'm sharing these traditions with you from a story I did for Fodor's Travel called 12 Strange Things You Didn't Know About Nordic Christmas. Plus: as a special bonus, my very own AI clone, which I created just for this story, makes an appearance. What you’ll learn in this episode: Growing up with Nordic Christmas traditionsThe pagan roots of ChristmasMeet Nordic Christmas characters: Grýla, Bjúgnakrækir, and JoulupukkiWhat Christmas feasts look like across ScandinaviaThe Finnish tradition of Christmas Sauna Featured on the show:Read my Fodor's article, 12 Strange Things You Didn’t Know About Nordic ChristmasCheck out the Descript app Get more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter! For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube! Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don’t forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia! And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You’ll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you! Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more.  Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

    21 min

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About

Stories of people and places near and far hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who’s worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Guided by Yulia’s years of working in the travel media industry, we meet the people living in the Middle Eastern deserts, culture writers in Hong Kong, street artists in Chicago, and more.

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