Lulu Garcia Navarro

And so it resonated so much reading this because through the journey, right, not everything ends up changing the course of your life, but the seeds of maybe what you're going to become, you know, you can often find them when you have these incredible experiences. And I just found that to be true reading about 23-year-old Rick Steves.

And so it resonated so much reading this because through the journey, right, not everything ends up changing the course of your life, but the seeds of maybe what you're going to become, you know, you can often find them when you have these incredible experiences. And I just found that to be true reading about 23-year-old Rick Steves.

Absolutely serendipitous.

Absolutely serendipitous.

Travel teacher. Is that how you see yourself?

Travel teacher. Is that how you see yourself?

Rick, in those days when you were doing that sort of circumambulation of Europe, what did you learn about Americans abroad? Like, what did you see in having these experiences over and over and over again with your countrymen in Europe?

Rick, in those days when you were doing that sort of circumambulation of Europe, what did you learn about Americans abroad? Like, what did you see in having these experiences over and over and over again with your countrymen in Europe?

And so that's what you'd say the Rick Steves philosophy is. It's to take something and come back changed for the better by it.

And so that's what you'd say the Rick Steves philosophy is. It's to take something and come back changed for the better by it.

I do want to pick up on this idea of escape travel versus reality travel. That's a really nice framing because I hear you making the case for a particular type of immersive, respectful kind of travel. And I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that that's not how most people approach their vacations.

I do want to pick up on this idea of escape travel versus reality travel. That's a really nice framing because I hear you making the case for a particular type of immersive, respectful kind of travel. And I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that that's not how most people approach their vacations.

I'm thinking of especially the modern idea of going somewhere simply because you're going to be able to post on social media about it. What do you think of that approach of how things seem to have changed now where the performative nature of travel has taken over or has it?

I'm thinking of especially the modern idea of going somewhere simply because you're going to be able to post on social media about it. What do you think of that approach of how things seem to have changed now where the performative nature of travel has taken over or has it?

In the 1980s during the civil wars in Central America.

In the 1980s during the civil wars in Central America.

Which is a Catholic idea that you help the poor, that you try and give liberation through spiritual teaching. And it was very popular in the 1980s. And he was assassinated.

Which is a Catholic idea that you help the poor, that you try and give liberation through spiritual teaching. And it was very popular in the 1980s. And he was assassinated.

You said three ways that you can travel. You can travel as a tourist.

You said three ways that you can travel. You can travel as a tourist.