202: De-Exotifying The Arab World, Teaching The Most Dangerous Book, and Founding Left Turn Magazine with Zein El-Amine

Zein El-Amine starts off talking about the study abroad program he designed to take his students to Egypt for a range of immersive experiences, including meeting Egyptian author Nawal el Saadawi at her home.  ____________________________________ Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.). Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________ He then talks about his deep personal connection with James Joyce’s book “Ulysses”. Matt and Zein discuss “Bloomsday” celebrations around the world, as well as the history of the U.S. government’s censorship of Ulysses. Zein then talks about the study abroad program he designed to take his students to Ireland to study Ulysses and celebrate Bloomsday in Dublin. He shares the impact that his first trip to Ireland had on him and why he now feels like Dublin is his second home. Matt and Zein discuss Ireland-Palestine solidarity and Zein shares how he first toured Belfast as part of a Palestinian delegation. He then talks about the study abroad program he designed to take his students to Morocco and explains the importance of understanding “Orientalism” as a framework for de-exotifying the Arab World. Zein then reflects on his experience being exiled, talks about his poetry collection “A Travel Guide for the Exiled”, and reads his poem “On Embassy Row”. He then reflects on his activist trajectory in the U.S., getting kicked out of the International Socialist Organization, and founding Left Turn Magazine. Matt and Zein reflect on why Left Turn attracted extraordinary political activists, the importance to connecting the local with the global, and the impact of Palestine solidarity work over the last 25 years. Zein also talks about hosting the Shay Wah Nana Show and discusses his recent episode highlighting the Tanzanian government’s violent evictions of the Maasai people from their ancestral lands. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IS AVAILABLE HERE. ____________________________________ See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads 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? Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally.  You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Om Podcasten

Meet diverse travelers and digital nomads from every continent who share their personal journey to location-independence as well as their reflections on identity, the power dynamics that shape our world, and how we can be more thoughtful, conscious travelers as we move through it.  Hosted by Matt Bowles—your typical Irish-American hip hop DJ turned human rights activist turned location-independent entrepreneur turned minimalist world-traveler and podcaster—these in-depth conversations take place all over the world (often over a bottle of wine, or 2).  Listen in as Matt draws out stories of their most epic adventures, and unpacks the skills, tactics, and strategies they use to build their remote businesses and design their lifestyles. Ranked the #1 Digital Nomad Podcast by Web Work Travel and the Top 1% of all podcasts by Listen Notes, each episode pulls out actionable tips and advice you can implement in your own life each week.  In 2024 The Maverick Show hit the Top 100 on Apple Podcasts and ranked the #1 “Places and Travel” podcast on Apple.