Candice Young talks about growing up in LA in a Chinese immigrant home, majoring in Marine Biology, studying abroad in Costa Rica, and discovering fire spinning. She then talks about returning to China for the first time before going to live in Thailand to pursue both fire spinning and scuba diving. Candice tells her story of becoming a dive master, teaching scuba diving, and then going to work on commercial fishing boats for 3 years. She reflects on the lessons and observations from her experience in commercial fishing and how that inspired her passion for free diving and spearfishing. Candice then talks about her experience doing disaster relief work in Nepal and how that led her to found Trek Relief as a nonprofit which empowers adventure travelers to collaborate with global communities on meaningful service projects. She talks about the Trek Relief projects in Nepal, Mongolia, Chile, and Peru that support community-led initiatives around climate resilience, ecological regeneration, economic autonomy, and education. She reflects on some of the common problems with voluntourism, shares Trek Relief’s conscious travel principles, and explains how you can support, get involved, and join an upcoming Trek Relief trip. FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT: www.TheMaverickShow.com
Episode #247: Empowering Adventure Travelers to Collaborate with Global Communities on Meaningful Service Projects with Candice Young
Episode Summary
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About the Guest
Candice Young
Candice Young is a marine biologist, self-proclaimed Global Citizen, and founder and Executive Director of Trek Relief—a non-profit organization that empowers adventure travelers to collaborate with global communities on meaningful service projects. Trek Relief has projects in 4 countries – Nepal, Mongolia, Chile, and Peru, which center community-led initiatives around climate resilience, ecological regeneration, economic autonomy, and education. Over the last 7 years, Trek Relief has raised almost half a million dollars, demolished and rebuilt a school out of rubble, outfitted rural medical centers with requested medical equipment, funded environmental cleanups in Mongolian national parks, provided emergency response in Nepal during the pandemic and built greenhouses and community teaching gardens to support climate change resilience in rural communities. Originally from Los Angeles, Candice speaks 4 languages and has now traveled to over 50 countries.
What You'll Learn
- How to participate in adventure travel he also supports service projects and empowers local communities
- How to navigate around some of the common problems with voluntourism
- Reflections on the commercial fishing industry, scuba diving, free diving and spear fishing from a marine biologist
Links From the Episode
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TOP 2 BOOKS THAT CANDICE RECOMMENDS
- The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible by Charles Eisenstein
- Soul Shifts by Babara De Angelis
#1 PERSON WITH WHOM CANDICE WANTS TO HAVE DINNER
TOP 3 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
- Himalayan Mountains
- Komodo Islands, Indonesia
- Inner Self
TOP BUCKETLIST DESTINATIONS
LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
WINE CONSUMED IN THIS EPISODE
OTHER PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS WPISODE
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
CONTACT CANDICE
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[2:11] Introducing Candice Young
[4:30] Candice’s Cultural Background and Experience Growing Up in LA
[6:34] Studying Abroad in Costa Rica
[10:24] Returning to China for the First Time
[11:31] Fire-Spinning in Thailand
[13:21] Candice’s Scuba Diving Journey
[17:29] Reflections on Working in the Commercial Fishing Industry
[22:05] Discovering Free Diving and Spear Fishing
[27:15] Matt’s Top 10 Books for Digital Nomads
[28:35] Traveling to Nepal
[33:21] Founding Trek Relief
[39:21] Empowering Local Communities to Lead and Direct Trek Relief Initiatives
[43:19] Trek Relief’s Work in Mongolia
[47:45] Trek Relief’s Work in Chile
[49:46] Trek Relief’s Expansion into Peru
[51:12] Trek Relief’s Conscious Travel Protocols
[54:58] Intentionally Connecting with Local Communities
[1:01:20] How to Participate in a Trek Relief Program
[1:03:40] Navigating Around Some of the Common Problems with Voluntourism
[1:06:20] The Impact Travel Has Had on Candice
[1:08:21] What Travel Means to Candice Today
[1:09:03] The Lightning Round
[1:14:22] Follow Candice and Learn More About Trek Relief
