Reflections on "Home" as a Third Culture Kid and Resources for Muslim Travelers with Sally Elbassir (Ep 161)

Hear how family expectations and ancestral homelands reshaped her identity and relationship with travel across borders. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Sally Elbassir takes us on her journey being born in Ireland to Egyptian and Sudanese parents, and growing up mostly in Los Angeles.  She shares the experience of her Muslim immigrant family in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks in the U.S., and reflects on her identity as a “third culture kid”.  Sally shares her experiences going back to her homelands of Egypt and Sudan for the first time as a teenager, and then again as an adult.  She also explains the context of the pro-democracy uprising in Sudan after the coup in October, 2021.  Sally then takes us on her own world travel journey—from a school trip to China, to studying abroad in Ireland, to interning in Indonesia, and eventually leaving her job in 2015 to become a full-time digital nomad and embark on her first solo journey to Spain.  She opens up about navigating her parents’ traditional cultural expectations in order to pursue her dreams of world travel. Sally then talks about founding her blog, “Passports and Plates”, and explains her passion for experiencing the world through food.  She also talks about misconceptions about Islamophobia, unpacks the concept of “travel safety”, and shares her experiences traveling in the Middle East and North Africa.  Sally then reflects on the impact that world travel has had on her, and shares how she now understands the concept of “home”.  Finally, she shares tips and resources for Muslim travelers, as well as advice on how non-Muslims can be better allies. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU See my Top 10 Travel Apps See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!