Matt Bowles: My guest today is Kevin Sandoval. He is a first-generation Latino American world traveler, social media content creator, and advocate for Latinx representation in the travel industry. His parents are both from the Dominican Republic, and he was raised primarily in Boston, where he still feels deeply connected to the city’s rich culture, diverse community, and culinary delights. Kevin is especially passionate about teaching the Latino community how travel can be enriching without breaking the bank. He shares his travel stories and experiences from around the globe on his social media platforms, and he has now been to 57 countries.

Kevin, welcome to the show.

Kevin Sandoval: Thank you, my brother. Thank you so much, Matt, for having me, man. I’m excited to be here with you today, brother.

Matt Bowles: Brother, I am so excited to have you here. Let’s just start this off by setting the scene and talking about where we are recording from today. Unfortunately, we are not in person, but we have agreed to make this a virtual wine night, so we’ll also talk about what we are drinking.

I am actually in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina today. I decided to go with an Italian red wine this evening, but where are you, my friend, and what are you drinking?

Kevin Sandoval: You are definitely drinking some way better wine than I am. I’ve actually always really liked the Moscato Barefoot, so I always have that at home, man. It doesn’t matter if it’s winter, summer, or spring, always the Moscato, man.

I’m actually in Lynn, Massachusetts. It’s about 15, 20 minutes north of Boston. Here at home, got my dogs are hanging out with me tonight.

Matt Bowles: Well, you are the man to know if anybody is trying to visit Boston, learn about Boston, all of that kind of stuff. So, I felt like maybe we should just start off by giving folks who haven’t spent much time in Boston some tips on how to do Boston right. So, for folks that wanted to experience the city, what do you love about Boston and what would you put people onto about your city?

Kevin Sandoval: One of the things that I love about it, and I always tell people when they get here, is that it’s walkable. If you have a good solid two to three days, you can pretty much cover all of Boston. My main recommendation is definitely do a little bit of research before you come so that you have an idea of what you want to do, because as walkable as a city is, there’s so much to do that you can easily get distracted and not be able to necessarily get to every stop you want to make. I would definitely start at this place called The View.

The View is at the top of the Prudential Center and it’s these 360 observatories. It’s three floors. It’s immersive and you get incredible views of the city of Boston.

Plus, you can eat and drink while up there. This is a really great experience because when you get up there, it basically shows you everything that there is to do in the city. And if you start there and you don’t come with a plan when you come to the city of Boston, you can kind of create your plan there.

And at the end of that experience, you get a printed-out itinerary based on what you liked and what you saw at the exhibits and through the whole tour. So that’s definitely a tip that I would recommend.

Matt Bowles: Well, I have not spent a ton of time in Boston. I have been through a few times, and I have had an incredible time every single trip. The last time I was there, I actually went to a wine bar.

Kevin Sandoval: Oh, nice.

Matt Bowles: Called Barcelona.

Kevin Sandoval: Nice. Yes. I know. I’m familiar.

Matt Bowles: Yeah. This was incredible because I was talking with the sommelier about wines from different regions around the world where I bet, I was like, you got one from the Canary Islands, you got a Uruguayan Tannat from Uruguay. He’s like, yeah, I got one.  I was like, you do? He’s like, yeah. Then he tells me all about it. He’s like, oh, yeah, I just went on a South American wine trip, and I got this. And he’s got like, I mean, they had like a really diverse array of wines.

So, I’ve had an incredible wine experience in Boston. And then, of course, I have actually been to a Celtics game at the TD Garden, my man, I know that’s your squad.

Kevin Sandoval: That is awesome. It’s a good time.

Matt Bowles: Then, of course, I’m Irish American. So, there’s obviously a huge amount of Irish culture in Boston. You can really immerse in that and hit some incredible Irish pubs and some of that kind of stuff.

So, yeah, man, I’ve always been super impressed with my experiences in the city. The other spot, bro, we have got to talk about is where you and I just hung out. We were at the Latino Travel Fest in Elizabeth, New Jersey. What an interesting place that was.

Kevin Sandoval: Amazing time.

Matt Bowles: Can you share a little bit about some of your reflections? You were actually a speaker there as well. Can you share a little bit about the Latino Travel Fest? Maverick Show listeners know Vanessa Fondera, the founder because she’s been on the show. And some of the other Maverick Show guests were hanging out with us, like Alex Jimenez from Travel Fashion Girl. We had an amazing squad.

But give folks your sort of impression. How was it? What was it like? And also, the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Kevin Sandoval: I feel like the city of Elizabeth definitely added a huge vibe to the whole fest. I’ve been to a few festivals and conferences, travel-related in the past. And I have to say that this one was the one that I felt the most connected to just mainly because I could feel everyone’s passion in the room. I feel like working with creators and like-minded people really kind of invigorates me and I’m sure invigorated other people that were there.

So, it was just really amazing to see people getting out of their comfort zones and asking questions that maybe they don’t have people to ask. So, it was just really nice to be in that space. And not only that but just to meet some of these people in person, it was really cool.

I’ve been talking to and knowing them for a really long time on Instagram. So, to see them in person and put the voice or the face to the person, it was really cool. Of course, you know, the food we ate throughout the entire weekend was phenomenal.

Elizabeth is such a diverse city, and I was really excited that I got a chance to explore it. I’ve been to Elizabeth before, but I feel like I was maybe on the outskirts of Elizabeth. I didn’t really go dive in deep as I did this time.

And so, I’m glad I got the opportunity to do so because it’s a historic, beautiful city, super diverse. Cuisine is amazing, whether it’s Colombian food or Peruvian food, or American food, they’ve got it all. So, I just think it was a great combination of the people, the space, and the city. It was just a vibe.

Matt Bowles: Yeah, man, I think a lot of people sleep on New Jersey. And so, I was so glad that they had it there and that we were able to get out in the city and go to all those local spots and really immerse in that incredible culture that was right there in Elizabeth.

I want to do a little bit of your backstory, Kevin, but before we even talk about your journey, can you share a little bit about your parents’ journey, where your parents are from, what their experience was like growing up, and then how they eventually got to Boston?

Kevin Sandoval: Absolutely. So, my dad got to the Boston area in like 1985, maybe 1984. And then my mom got here in 1986 and they met here at a nightclub, and they hit it off and they got together.

And then two years later I was born. So, I was born in Salem, Mass, the witch city. So born, raised, school, everything in Salem. So, Salem’s a really tight-knit community. It’s also a really kind of small suburb city. So, there were a lot of families there in the city.

And so, my parents came, and my mom was a wicked hard worker. She just went above and beyond to take care of her kids. And that obviously was instilled in me.

My dad was just a great worker and stuff like that. So, they just did their thing and now they’re business owners and they are a great example for me and for the rest of the family. You know what I mean? Yeah.

Matt Bowles: Can you share a little bit about the dynamics then that you experienced growing up as a first-generation immigrant in the United States and then what your relationship was like with the Dominican Republic in terms of going back there and that identity as you were coming up in Boston?

Kevin Sandoval: So, I was born in 88 in Salem, and then in December I went to the Dominican Republic. And so that’s one of the reasons why Latinos spend so much money on travel is because we always go back to our countries or at least our parents. So, from literally six months after I was born, I was already in the Dominican Republic.

And 12 years after that, every summer and every December, I went there for at least a month, the very least. So Spanish was obviously my first language because that’s my mom at the time was still kind of learning English. She was going to school when she got here where she learned.

And so, I didn’t really learn English until I got to like, let’s say like pre-K. So, the Spanish that I learned was from the actual island. And so, I think that helped instill it in my brain to the point where like I, till this day I can read, and write.

And I just sometimes think in Spanish depending on the situations that I’m in. But yeah, it was really cool to be able to have that experience because I know a lot of people have never even left the city that they live in. And so, getting a chance to have a passport that young was pretty cool, but getting a chance to, I guess, kind of grow up in some ways over there because, over the summertime, you grow up a lot.

And so, getting a chance to grow up over there and then some ways, it was very different than growing up in Salem. But then at the same time, there were still like some of the same dynamics because a lot of the people in Salem are also from the Dominican Republic, it was just like a cool way and place to grow up, which I’m sure many other Latinos can relate when it comes down to the whole traveling back home and traveling from a real early age. Like I want my fourth passport right now, man.

Matt Bowles: And then how was it in Salem and Boston coming up in terms of the cultural diversity that you experienced there and the dynamics of the Afro-Latino experience in particular and navigating blackness in the United States and like all that kind of stuff, like as you came of age, how was that experience for you?

Kevin Sandoval: It’s crazy because a lot of people who even live or that are from Salem have never really stepped foot in Boston. Like they’ve gone to Boston maybe if they’re going to watch a Celtics game or if they’re going out to eat at a restaurant, but they’ve never actually explored Boston. And so, I kind of grew up thinking that Boston was not unattainable, but a place that I would never be able to experience. Maybe because of the fact that as Latinos in Massachusetts, we were a little bit more sheltered and we would prefer to go explore the Dominican Republic than explore like our own backyard, which is why now I think I love Boston so much because I feel like I missed out on so many things in the past.

And now as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to see how diverse Boston is. You know, Boston is a really historic town, so there’s always going to be that historical bad aura around it, but I think just like any other American city, they’re all historically kind of like that, but I feel like Boston has come a long way from what I remember from my early days kind of starting to visit. One of the things that I think is cool or the most cool about Boston is how inclusive they are because they really try their best to kind of, I guess, go against that narrative.

And so, it’s just, they bring so many different diversities. It’s like the content creators they bring together in Boston is really, really cool. I feel like they believe in Boston, and they know we believe in Boston.

And so, it’s just like a perfect match whenever we work together. Boston, it’s really like no other city that I’ve been to in the States, and I’ve traveled to so many cities, but Boston is unique in so many ways. And it really is one of the most culturally diverse, besides like New York and stuff like that, cities in the States that I would feel like.

Matt Bowles: Well, I also have to ask you about the DR, man. I have so many Dominican friends and yet I have not yet myself been to the Dominican Republic, man. So, for me and other listeners that have not yet been to the Dominican Republic, what are some of the highlights and how should we visit and experience the DR? What would you put people on to?

Kevin Sandoval: First of all, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not going to the DR because the DR is amazing, but there are two different ways to experience DR. There’s Punta Cana and then there’s the rest of the Dominican Republic.

So, Punta Cana is like going on a cruise. When you go on a cruise, you’re traveling, yes, but you’re not really experiencing these islands or places that you’re going to. So, when you go to Punta Cana, you’re not really even eating the real food.

So, I would 100% recommend if you know somebody who’s Dominican, go with somebody who’s Dominican because I feel like obviously, they’re going to be able to give you the ins and outs. If they can’t go with you, ask them anyway. They’ll be able to give you the ins and outs of what to do, and where to go.

There are some amazing, amazing beaches in the Dominican Republic. So, one thing that I would recommend is there are plenty of tour guides that you can get around the country and they’ve dedicated their life to exploring the DR. And so I would recommend getting a tour guide if you can’t go with somebody that you know, because they’re going to be able to give you an insight scoop on the real Dominican Republic as far as places to eat, if you want to do hiking, if you want to do any type of like yoga retreats, there are so many places in the Dominican Republic where that can happen that you won’t find in Punta Cana. I definitely want to recommend it if you decide to go, and even if it’s not with a tour guide, even if it’s just you as a solo traveler and you’re going out there and you’re looking to maybe work from the Dominican Republic for a couple of months, I highly recommend that if you’re going to go to DR, go to Santo Domingo and kind of start there and then do your planning and figure out what it is that you want to do, whether you want to do beaches, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, Dominican Republic literally has it all.

You can go camping in the mountains where it gets really chilly at night, or you can just hang out by the beach for hours and then eat and go to a nightclub at night. So, there’s a plethora of things to do over there. So, I guess it really comes down to what your interests are.

Matt Bowles: So, when you think back, growing up, your personal journey, other than the DR, which obviously you were going there, family, heritage, all that kind of stuff, how did your interest in world travel to places in Asia and Africa and Europe and South America and all over the world, where did that desire come from when you think back?

Kevin Sandoval: So, it’s funny that I mentioned the cruise earlier, because that was the first experience that I had traveling internationally on my own. So, it was like my first taste of real travel. And at that time, I thought I was doing the damn thing.

But now that I’m looking back at it, I’m like, it’s a good way to start. But, you know, I feel like I missed out. I feel like I have to go back and redo those countries.

But we’re talking, this was like almost like 20 years ago. And then after that, I already had my passport. And then I’ve always really wanted to go to London.

London was just like something that we see in the movies a lot. Growing up, I just always saw London as Europe and London isn’t even Europe. You know what I mean? But it was like that, Rome.

And so, I found a really cheap, that’s like when Expedia and those companies started coming out like I signed up for them because I was on a high from this cruise. So, I signed up for all these things and a $300 round trip to London came up. And that was like six months after the cruise.

And I went. And then when I was there, I started doing research and then I bought a flight. I saw that there were like $20 round trip flights you can take to Rome.

So, I am freaking took a $20 round trip to Rome. Again, no idea what the hell I was doing. Still taking my pictures, not writing about anything that I’m doing, not really showing anybody what I’m doing.

And then Instagram pops up. And so, then I started posting there and then the vibes after that.

Matt Bowles: Yeah, man. Well, I definitely want to ask you now 57 countries into this journey about some of your travel experiences. I think the place I want to start, which has a very special place in my heart is Egypt. As you know, I lived in Cairo for about a year.

And so, I have traveled to a number of places in Egypt. And when I was going through your Egypt content, man, I was so excited to see that you went to some of the places that are a little bit more difficult to get to like Ed Fu. And you went to the temple of Horus, which is one of my favorite things in Egypt that I put people onto.

But I wanted to ask you about, well, that experience in particular, but also in general, your overall experience in Egypt and what your impressions were.

Kevin Sandoval: Now that I’ve been in this content creating space, Egypt is a highlight for anybody that travels like almost a once in a lifetime, like experience before we really get into it. I’m glad I went because I feel like I made it attainable for people to go.

I feel like because it’s far and because it takes a long time to get there, they just automatically assume that it’s going to be really expensive. And I actually didn’t really spend a lot of money while I was there. But anyways, I was super excited when I got the opportunity to get a chance to go.

I went with a group, and it was, I was kind of hosting the group. So it was cool because I was able to get more information about what we were doing before we were doing and then kind of explain it to the people that I was with. So, I felt like I was a pro already.

Plus, I had done so much research before and that doesn’t even prepare you for what you’re going to experience when you’re there. So even though I did my research, it was still mind-blowing to see some of these things and have some of these experiences like in person.  Let’s start with the food, like, I had no idea.  I had seen some of the food that they eat and that they cook and like try to learn a little bit about their spices, but I was blown away by how good the food is. And not only that but how familiar it seemed to me because there’s a lot of rice, there’s a lot of chicken, there’s a lot of stews.

There was a lot of things that I see in the Latino culture already as it is. Of course, the spices are a little bit different, but the food was so good. And every place that I went to that, I would go back to Egypt solely for the food.

So obviously we were blessed to be able to experience as many cities as we did. One of the highlights, of course, the temples are like, you know, it’s almost like you’re speechless when you’re there. It was so hot.

So, you’re going to be just speechless because it’s so hot, but just being there and like knowing that you’re in these places I have been around for like millions of years or thousands of years, I guess, but it’s just like insane to know that they’re still there and how well they’re preserved. And every night I would go somewhere, and I would go on YouTube and research, like, I want to know more about this. Like, I want to know how the hell they moved this entire temple up a few hundred feet so that it didn’t go underwater with no machinery, no technology, just freaking people’s hands.

You know what I mean? And so like, I really wanted to get into that and learn more about it and then go back and like, see my footage and be like, wow, like that’s crazy to know that I was there. That was amazing. I feel like one of the best experiences for me was of course the pyramids and stuff like that.

Nothing can compare to that. When you see the pyramids of Giza in person, it is just like, you could hear people as we were walking around, like, can you believe this? Like, can you believe it, I can’t believe I’m here. Like it is out of this world to know that this was built by people with blocks on their back.

It is just so crazy. And then, so when you get there and you’re as tall as one of those blocks, it’s like, how the hell did these people do it? You know what I mean? But outside of that, cause that’s kind of like on its own level. I spent a couple of days on the Nile River.

We took one of those cruises from, I think it was, Aswan to Luxor. I mean, I think we were on there for like three nights, four days, three nights. And it was just really cool being able to explore the villages and just being in the water, man.

And like, it is incredible. It’s really hard to put into words because I would sleep with my window open or I would wake up early and open my windows and take a nap and just wake up to the sounds of everything, like the birds. It was just like something that like you really only see in movies.

So that for me was unbelievable, like an unbelievable experience. I already mentioned the food, the people were just every single person I met, they were just top-notch people, except the tipping culture is crazy in Egypt. And so, if you’re not a traveler that is used to kind of having that interaction with vendors, then you may feel a little bit uncomfortable, but I’m a pro when it comes to that kind of stuff.

So, I’ll haggle a haggler, you know what I mean? And so, at first it was a little bit weird because I didn’t know that was something I’ve definitely missed when I was doing my research, but that’s just how it is here. Like that’s how they make their living. And just like in any other country, they have to make their living too.

And here, they’re just a little bit more abrasive about it, but they go above and beyond to help you. And really, I just feel like it’s something that needs to be talked about even more, because I don’t think it’s going to change, but I don’t want that to deter people from going back because it just is what it is. You’re going to find that in any country.

So, it was just, that was the first time that I actually went back and forth with the vendor. Like, no, I’m not going to buy this. It was a weird thing.

But then after a couple of days there, you get used to it and then it becomes like fun. You know what I mean? You’re just like, no, no, no, it’s all good. You know what I mean? Like, but yeah, so an ultimate experience.

Egypt was just amazing. And then we took a 10-hour drive to Siwa Oasis, which was out of this world. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Siwa. I’m sure you are because you were there for a while, but it’s a 10-hour drive, but it was seamless. We slept the whole day. We left really early.

We slept the whole day. But when you get there, you feel like you’re like not even in Egypt. You’re literally in the middle of the desert.

It was just like an amazing experience. And I was also lucky enough to get invited to go cook with a family over there, getting a chance to spend time with them. They hooked me up with the outfits that they use, like the garment.

And I was learning their language. I was like literally dicing onions and smoking eggplant and making rice and stuff like that. It was unbelievable.

And I made some really great, they’re like family now. You know what I mean? I know that when I go back because I will be back in Egypt, I know that they will welcome me with open arms. And it was kind of just life-changing.

Matt Bowles: Well, one of the things that I love about your content is the extent to which you center food and culinary experiences also as a gateway into understanding culture and history and place, right? Can you share a little bit about that in terms of why you do that, how you do that, and as you travel the world, the role that food and the culinary experience play in your journey?

Kevin Sandoval: Yeah. So, I feel like food is obviously what connects all of us and the experiences that I’ve had with food and all over the world where I’ve had an experience with food. I feel like that is the main connection that you have with the people from there.

I feel like they see how excited you are to partake in either cooking with them or eating the food that they cook with love. I feel like that is a great way to even learn history about the country that you’re in, because then you start learning about different techniques that they used back in their day, or maybe that they learned from their parents and their ancestors. And these are a lot of things that we don’t know about because here in America, it’s all so easy.

And we can just pop ramen in the microwave, and that’s it. In Rome, I went to a pasta-making class, and it was more than just a pasta-making class because we were in this lady’s kitchen. And so just seeing how she’s putting in the elbow work to get these things done, just to create an experience for the people that come and see her was just amazing.

And so, I feel like when you start with the food or when you include food in your travels, because obviously everybody has to eat, but it’s always good to look out for smaller businesses. It’s a great way to give back, and you’ll probably eat a lot better than you would at, let’s say, a chain place because you’re eating real local food. And when you include food and culinary into your travels, you almost feel like you’re a little bit of a local, because you’re immersing yourself in that way to the country.

And I just feel like it gives you a better insight, maybe even why they eat the way that they do, whether it’s with their hand or why they use the spices that they do. Sometimes it even comes down to using the spices that they use today because that’s all they had back then. Things that we don’t know about, because we live in a society that is very salty, let’s say, or it’s just very different.

And so, because I’m so aware of how unhealthy the United States is, quite frankly, seeing somebody cook with just fresh vegetables and fruits and stuff like that just blows me away, because it tastes just as good, if not better, than what we use tons of sodium for and colorings and stuff like that. So, I always include it, because not only is it vibrant, but I feel like it motivates people to go to these countries. I feel like my food posts about Egypt, let’s say, per se, I feel like that in itself motivated people to travel, on top of going to see the pyramids.

If they really want to go see the pyramids, but now they saw the food, now they’re sold.

Matt Bowles: I love that, man. I want to ask you about your Spanish-speaking and how that impacts your travel experiences when you go to another Spanish-speaking country versus a country that speaks a foreign language.

So, when you go to Egypt, and the first language there is Arabic, you go to Korea, obviously they’re speaking Korean, and then you go to South American or Central American countries where they’re speaking Spanish. Since Spanish is your first language, how much deeper does that allow you to connect with the people and culture of a Spanish-speaking country versus a country that speaks a language that you don’t speak?

Kevin Sandoval: It’s so funny because I feel like I always say it’s a benefit as it is. Being bilingual is a benefit as it is, right? But obviously I’m darker, you know what I mean? I’m a darker Latino, Afro-Latino, and so when I go to a lot of these countries, they have no idea that I speak Spanish.

The second I open my mouth and say something to them in Spanish, the whole vibe changes. It’s almost like I become instant family, like I’ve gotten invited to their homes, simply because I speak the language, because I feel like we’re able to connect on a level that maybe they don’t normally connect with people that come to travel and stuff like that, or that come to visit. But it’s incredible the friendships that I’ve made because I speak Spanish, because I feel like maybe they wouldn’t be, not that they wouldn’t be as friendly, but they wouldn’t be as open if I didn’t speak Spanish.

Maybe because of the language barrier, they don’t feel as comfortable. Yeah, whenever I go to Mexico and I start meeting these people, and they’re like, my brother, you speak Spanish, where are you from? Automatically it’s Puerto Rico, because they always think it’s Puerto Rico, because that’s like the main thing, but then I tell them I’m from the Dominican Republic, and then we kind of get into that whole conversation, and it really is cool to be able to connect with them on that level in Spanish too, you know what I mean? I feel like there’s more for them to say in Spanish, versus maybe they don’t know the words in English, maybe they don’t know how to express what they’re trying to say. So, I feel like that’s helped me connect and make so many friends in Central and South America because I feel like they trust me a little bit more in some ways.

It’s almost like family, like yeah, we might be from different countries, but the language itself unites us. And then obviously, you know, we share a lot of the same customs, even a lot of the same words, you know, sometimes they mean something a little bit different, but because we’re all Latinos, we kind of have an idea of what they’re referring to when they use whatever certain word in whatever context they’re using it in. So, it’s just, it’s been really cool.

And so, I’m on a mission to go to every Central American country, and the only one that I haven’t been to is Panama. Every country in Central America that I’ve gone to has been such an awesome experience, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that I speak Spanish. Not saying that you’re not going to have an awesome experience if you don’t speak Spanish, but because I speak Spanish, I feel like they’re more open to diving a little bit more deeper into maybe going a little harder on the tour, maybe showing me a couple of extra little gems that they maybe wouldn’t have showed somebody that didn’t speak Spanish.

You know what I mean? Because maybe they don’t know how comfortable they felt going to some of these places or whatever the case may be, but that’s definitely like a huge benefit to being bilingual.

Matt Bowles: Well, I love Central America as well. I want to ask you about one country that you have been to that I have not yet been to. And I try to go through, you know, I’ve been to Nicaragua, I’ve been to El Salvador, I’ve been to Costa Rica, have not yet been to Honduras. Super high on my list, man. Tell me about Honduras.

Kevin Sandoval: Honduras is really cool because Honduras is located on the Caribbean, so a lot of their oceans are, I mean, it’s Caribbean water, so it’s stunning. It feels like you’re almost like on an island. I learned when I was there that there is a big Afro-Latino community there.

I mean, I knew there were a lot of Afro-Latinos there, but there is a lot more than I thought, specifically on the Caribbean side, because obviously, we’re much closer to Africa, much closer to the other islands in the Caribbean. So, I was really happy to see that how many Black people were there, or dark-skinned people were there because I was not expecting that. The culture is very Caribbean.

Yes, you’re in Honduras, but it’s like a Caribbean vibe. You’ll find a lot of jerk chicken, you’ll find a lot of, we call them pinchos, but like shish kebabs, a lot of rice and beans. So literally, it’s like you are in the Caribbean.

I didn’t get a chance to go inland into maybe like the mountains in Honduras, which I’m sure it’s going to be a lot different because now you have influences from other surrounding countries on the other side. But man, so we went to Roatan and Little French Key and it was a freaking dream come true. That was a trip that I, like I said, I’m on a mission to reach every Central American country.

And so, that was one that I had done like a lot of research on. When I got there, I realized that this was a place I needed to just chill out. Like I need to just not do all these things, like maybe come back and do them in the future.

But I really just need to embrace the breeze and the sand and the water. And I actually met a lot of people who didn’t even speak English or Spanish. It was like their own like they spoke English and Spanish, but they spoke their own dialect, which freaking blew my mind, man, because I was like, wait, I thought Honduras is all spoke Spanish, but they don’t because they’re natives and they have other influences that they grew up with.

Or then you have like the Jamaican accent in there and you’re like, what the hell? How the hell do you have the Jamaican accent, but you speak Spanish? And so, it’s like a Jamaican Spanish. It was just really weird. And it was awesome, man. The food was amazing, and super affordable. Honduras, man, absolutely amazing.

Matt Bowles: So excited to go. Well, I want to take us now to Europe. I know you have traveled very extensively through Europe. And I think I want to ask you about a country that I have not yet been to, that is supposed to have some of the most epic landscape on the planet of earth, which is Iceland.

Tell me about your experience in Iceland.

Kevin Sandoval: So, Iceland was amazing. That was a trip that I really worked my ass off to get that itinerary done for everything that we did was between daylight hours. The only time that we were out at night was when we were in Reykjavik because that’s the city. So, there’s like nightclubs and stuff like that.

But we went around like a golden circle. Then we drove out as far out as Diamond Beach. We got to the supermarket as soon as we got there. We bought a bunch of snacks, bought a bunch of drinks, bought sandwiches and stuff like that. And that’s mainly how we ate because when you’re driving to these places, there’s limited restaurants and stuff like that. So, there might not be a restaurant or even a gas station for like an hour away from where you’re at.

And so, a lot of the places close early, especially when they’re way further out from places like Reykjavik. So, we were going back to the Airbnb that we stayed at 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. because that’s when the sun went down, and it was nothing but Northern Lights out. So, we wanted to just make some dinner and go sit outside and just eat and drink and watch the thing.

It was like a big camping trip if you know what I mean. That’s what it felt like, a big camping trip. And we freakin’ hiked for like miles to get to that plane that’s next to the ocean. It was freezing at some times. Sometimes it was hot. Like I said, the Northern Lights were incredible.

Matt Bowles: Can you describe the Northern Lights for people that have never seen them? Because some people go on these epic trips, whether it’s to Iceland or a number of other countries where you can see them, and they don’t even get to see them. So, the Aurora Borealis is legendary. And even people who go to try to see it don’t always get to see it.

So, can you describe what it’s like to actually see it?

Kevin Sandoval: I think that we got really, really lucky, man, because the first night that we got there, you could tell that there was like a tint, like a hue of pink in the sky, but you couldn’t really see it. It just looked like there were ambient lights in the distance and there was a little bit foggy. And so, it looked like maybe that, but then you whip out your camera and it’s green.

Like you take a picture and you’re doing a video and it’s freaking green. What you see with your eyes is pinkish. And then what you capture with your phone is green, neon green. So incredible. The second night was incredible because it felt like it was really low and it was dancing and moving, exactly what you would think that the Northern Lights looked like, but the video couldn’t capture it. Actually, it’s probably a crazier feeling than seeing the pyramids because this is natural. You know what I mean? It’s just incredible.

Matt Bowles: Well, another region that I have to ask you about, because it’s one of my favorites in the world, is East Africa. As you know, I have spent a couple months in Kenya. Nairobi is one of my favorite cities in the world. I want to ask you about your experience in Kenya.

Kevin Sandoval: So, it was cool, man. I always wanted to get to Africa. That was something that was on my travel bucket list for a really long time. But Kenya was mind-blowing because it’s a third-world country in some ways, but then they’re so developed, and it was so cool to see how innovative the city of Nairobi was.

It was really crazy because a lot of things that they don’t show you, so you feel like you’re only going to see huts and safari, but then you get there and there are these beautiful restaurants and these beautiful nightclubs, these beautiful lounges. It’s insane that they don’t show you, you know what I’m saying? So, I’m glad that I was able to go because, again, I feel like that probably motivated some people to at least start researching a little bit more and diving a little bit more into it. But it was awesome, man.

Matt Bowles: It’s an amazing place. I mean, it’s like the entrepreneur tech hub of sub-Saharan Africa.

Kevin Sandoval: It’s crazy.

Matt Bowles: I lived there for months. I’m doing co-working on the rooftops and having espresso and food delivered and interacting with all these Kenyan entrepreneurs and stuff, man. I mean, it is an incredible city.

Kevin Sandoval: It is.

Matt Bowles: Totally epic. And the nightlife is insane, dude. I have videos of what happens at three o’clock in the morning on a Wednesday in Nairobi. I mean, it bumps all night, all the time, man. I mean, it is wild there.

Kevin Sandoval: Yeah. So, I typically don’t work with tour guides, let’s say, right? So, I like to experience a country on my own, but this is my first time in Africa. I wanted to be with someone who knew where the hell we were going because I felt like if I didn’t hire somebody, I wasn’t going to really get the full feel of Kenya, you know what I’m saying? Because I didn’t know any locals. It would’ve just been me. It was a group of us, actually. It was five of us. And we were with a tour guide, so we did the whole safari thing.

But then, obviously, during the safari, you connect with these people, you know what I mean? And the fact that we were Latinos and there’s just a connection there, you know what I’m saying? I could tell just even from the first hour that we were with them. Shout out to Stella, if you ever see this. Much love to you guys always.

‘Karibu Sana’, she, during our conversation through the safari, we just super connected with her and her driver, which they’re colleagues, but their family as well. So, we just learned about each of their families.

And one of the things that we had set up with them was to donate a bunch of school supplies to a local school. And so, through Stella, we were able to connect with the school and we walked through the whole slums. It was an incredible experience. We designed these t-shirts, and we were able to go and give these kids their backpacks. We sang with them. We gave them crayons, pencils, all kinds of stuff. There were maybe 50 kids. And I feel like that opened our tour guides up, like Stella and her family. I feel like it opened them up more because they saw how passionate we were about being there and hanging out with these kids.

When I do some of that stuff, I don’t like to post about it because I feel like I’m not doing it for likes, to be honest. I’m doing it because we love to do it. So, she wanted to get footage because she wanted to use it for her purposes to also encourage other people who book with her to do the same.

But it was just amazing, bro, just doing that. And to be honest, bro, we were kind of like, because you can tell we’re American, you know what I mean? You could definitely tell we’re American and we’re walking through these really unhealthy neighborhoods, bro. It was just like, it was tough because a few of the girls were kind of like, damn, I feel a little bit thing.

But then eventually, because it’s a small neighborhood, once they heard what we were doing, they brought us all kinds of goodies. But just the fact that we didn’t speak the same language. So, it was just like that sense of community. They know that we did something for them. Now they wanted to do something for us. It was really cool.

And then the food again, what the hell, the food from Kenya is like unbelievable, right? It was like, can I have seconds, can I have thirds? And again, a lot of rice, a lot of vegetables, like a lot of like the same types of foods that we eat in the Caribbean, which again, you know, makes sense because that’s where we came from. That’s literally, I know that’s East Africa, but it’s rice. It’s like, that’s where it all comes from.

And so, it was just really cool to see like, damn, like, it doesn’t taste like we make it, but this is exactly what we eat with a little bit of a different spice or something like that. But it was like, Kenya was just unbelievably amazing. And it’s so worth it. And it’s so invigorating.

And you feel when people were telling me congratulations for going to Africa, like, I’m like, damn, like, this is like a big deal. You know what I mean? And like, just being able to see it the way that they don’t portray it to us here was just amazing. And then so getting a chance to kind of like show that off. It was awesome. I loved every single minute of my time in Kenya.

Matt Bowles: That’s incredible, man’s huge shout out to the people of Kenya, incredible human beings, super excited to start planning my next trip back there. Well, another place that I want to ask you about your experience visiting is Palestine.

Kevin Sandoval: Yes.

Matt Bowles: I saw your content on Palestine that you did. And I was so appreciative of it. You have this amazing post where basically it’s like the end of your trip. And you’re like, the only thing I have to say is free Palestine. You’re wearing like a Palestinian keffiyeh. All of this stuff, man. And right now, when we’re recording this, the genocide against the Palestinian people is currently going on.

And I just want to ask you if you can share a little bit with people who have never been there, what your experience was like in terms of your learning journey while you were there, the people that you met and what you saw, and how that experience informed your understanding of understanding the genocide that’s happening today.

Kevin Sandoval: One of the things I did not know before going there was that you can’t just drive into Palestine yourself. You can’t just go driving on your own. It’s absolutely not allowed. So, you do have to definitely go with somebody that’s either from there or somebody that’s licensed to go there. So luckily, we were able to, because of the fact that we kind of culture dive when we get to these places, we’re going to like local bars, local restaurants, we’re talking to people.

This guy isn’t even a tour guide. He’s just liked a taxi driver who happened to get connected with us through a restaurant that we were at. He happens to be from Palestine, but he’s on the side, like working and stuff like that and making it work because even on the Israel side, it’s obviously super tough for them. You know what I mean? But he was there, and he was able to take us over. And it was like, because this was before like anything started to go down. Right.

And obviously, things have been happening there for a really long time, but not as blatant as they are right now, like not so in your face as they are right now. So, when we went there, of course, it felt like you were going through the border, and you’re kind of a little bit nervous because like, you don’t know what to expect. You have to have your passports ready. It’s kind of like, don’t even talk when we pull up because you just never know. You know what I mean? You just never know. And they’re so like up in arms, which they should have been. And they were up in arms then. I can just imagine now, you know, so sad to even talk about it, but, but yeah, we crossed over and immediately we got there. We went to the wall.

I wanted to go buy some kind of souvenir just to kind of give back and like take some stuff home with me because it’s one of those places that I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to. And I’m glad that I did go because I don’t know if any of us will be able to go back at this point. You know what I mean? I feel like there’s like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

And so, because of the fact that we were with the guy, the taxi driver that we were with, who’s now a friend of mine that I still connect to. And I still talk to maybe a couple of times a year, like maybe three or four times a year more now, a little bit because of the fact, you know, everything that’s going on. But he took us to one of his buddy’s shops where he sold t-shirts, and I got a chance to get the headwear and then we went to go eat.

But just being in Palestine, the people were so fricking nice. Like everybody from the guy that was putting head wraps on me and the tour guide, the people, the kids, we bought like a couple of soccer balls, and we gave the kids the soccer balls. It was almost like we did because you could feel it before this happened. Like you can just feel it. You can feel that they were deprived in some ways.

And it was sad to see because like, they were so fricking nice and like, and that’s why I feel like it bothers me so much now is because the people that I met, I just, I prayed to God that they’re good, because this is like neighbors, you know what I’m saying? These are just regular people that don’t have money to protect themselves. I don’t live in these big lavish houses that they can protect themselves from any type of harm. And they’re just working to feed their families. You know what I mean? And so, it’s just crazy to know that they might be struggling right now.

You know what I mean? And there’s no way that we can help either. You know, I mean, there are ways we can help, but there’s no like physical way that we can help. So, spreading the word as much as I can is what I’ve been doing to at least like a lot of people don’t even care to know what’s going on. I feel like they just don’t, not that they don’t care, but they just don’t know. You know what I mean? And so, like try to bring up the conversation. I like to have that conversation sometimes with people because it can kind of let you know the kind of person that they are, you know what I mean? And once, and since they know that I’ve been there and then like, I saw things how they were firsthand before this even happened.

Like, I can just imagine how it is now. It was a life-changing experience. The people were so much different than they were in Israel, so much different that it just felt like we were in a totally different place. And it was actually really, really nice being in Palestine. I hope to be able to go back one day and visit again.

Matt Bowles: I appreciate that so much about you, brother. Thank you for sharing that.

Kevin Sandoval: Absolutely.

Matt Bowles: Kevin, when you think back about all of the travel that you have done, including the places that we have discussed and all of the other places that you have been, what impact do you think that has had on you as a person?

Kevin Sandoval: I am so much more empathetic now because we don’t know how good we have it here in the States in some ways because it’s everything’s so convenient, but people are so much happier with so much less all over the world. And there’s so many people that I’ve met that have nothing and are so much happier than we are. We worry about what we’re going to eat for lunch. And sometimes people don’t even have freaking money to buy lunch and still work eight to 12 hours a day.

There are countries out there where food is not a worry. Traveling has just taught me so much patience and how to be patient with myself, how to be patient with people, how to appreciate space more. Because I feel like sometimes, we tend to take advantage of it, and maybe me, because maybe because I’m a millennial where I was raised, I feel like we tend to take things for granted and not really appreciate life in some ways.

And I feel like just traveling has made me just such a smarter person. I’m obviously so much more diverse. I’m so much more accepting. I’m so much more willing to take risks that normally I wouldn’t have, or that I know I wouldn’t if I had never left my city. So, it’s just, I don’t know. I feel like it’s definitely made me who I am today. And I feel like I was kind of meant to be traveling and trying to get other people to do the same. And it literally can’t stop. It won’t stop.

Matt Bowles: What tips do you have for particularly Latino and Black travelers that might be at the earlier part of their travel journey?

Kevin Sandoval: Don’t wait for anybody to go on that trip. Literally, if you want to go to Italy, and because it all starts in a group chat, a lot of these group chats don’t make it out of the chat. And so, a lot of people don’t end up going because of that. If you want to do something like life is so short, just do it because tomorrow is never guaranteed. And you can’t limit yourself to doing the things you want to do because of other people.

And so, I feel like as a Latino, as a Black traveler, as an Afro-Latino traveler, I feel like my job personally is to let people know that you can do it. Because that’s the thing too, man. I feel like a lot of people think that they can’t. They’ll spend $500 at a club to a couple of nights a week, but they can’t spend or maybe it’s not that they can’t, it’s just that they don’t know that with $1,500, you could have an all-inclusive vacation somewhere. You know what I mean? Somewhere where you’re learning about yourself, learning about your partner, learning about the country, the culture, the people, the food. My main thing is just going for it.

Matt Bowles: What is some budget travel hacks that you might put people onto who are currently under the impression that any kind of international travel is too expensive?

Kevin Sandoval: Honestly, Airbnb, man. Shout out to Airbnb again. I feel like that is the most economical way to travel because you can cook there, you’ll be in a neighborhood, you’ll be surrounded by the people of the city or the country that you’re in. And I just feel like that is the most affordable way to travel because if you’re going with a group, instead of getting five hotel rooms, if you guys got one house, you’re all saving a lot more money. I feel like that is something that I always like to recommend because I feel like it saves a lot of money, but there are a ton of free walking tours. There are apps like Get Your Guide that you can get some really great affordable tours. Google Overviews obviously is a great way to look for some of these free tours.

Also, a lot of hostels. If you don’t want to do an Airbnb and you’re traveling by yourself, hostels are a great place to stay because they are super cheap in the sense that they’re affordable. Not all of them are going to be extremely nice depending on where you are, depending on what you’re looking for. It’s an affordable way to travel. And a lot of them offer food. A lot of them offer tours. A lot of them have a lot of amenities that could be really convenient for you. And a place that you would think is going to be really expensive turns out to actually be a lot more affordable than you thought. And some hostels are actually luxurious. You’d be surprised to find that in some hostels you’re like, damn, this is nicer than the Marriott I stayed at a couple of weeks ago because now it’s a vibe.

They’ve got music. They’ve got people of, I don’t want to say of your kind, but they’re solo travelers. They’re digital nomads. They’re not like a CEO from a company, not going to talk to you. Like you’ll make friends at these places. And so that’s a tip that I would have or a few tips that I would have for my people that are just trying to get out and get started and start in your backyard.

Take a road trip, go and find something that you’ve been wanting to do in your state and start there. I feel like that kind of helps people break out of their shell a little bit. And once they kind of do that, they see how much fun they had. They’re like, let me go a little bit further. Then let me go a little bit further. Let me go to another state. Let me take a weekend trip. And then it’s kind of really turns into something really beautiful.

Matt Bowles: You are now someone who is not only a content creator, but you are also teaching workshops like you did at the Latino Travel Fest for other content creators and how to take that game to the next level.

So, what would be a couple of tips that you might have that you would summarize from your teachings and your workshops and all of that for people who are interested in either getting into or taking their content creation game to the next level?

Kevin Sandoval: I feel like people who are in the field that are trying to get into content creation sometimes don’t know where to start because they don’t know what their niche is. They don’t know what it is that they want to talk about. For example, a lot of the content, a lot of people are, oh, I don’t know what to post, but a lot of the content that people have is already on their phones.

So, they don’t actually have to go anywhere to get this content. You know what I mean? They already have it. And so, I always say like, that’s a great place to start because once you go through like your videos and your pictures, you can kind of already tell like what your niche is, whether it’s like solo traveling or whether you’re working from different countries, you can tell because that’s who you are.

And so, I feel like once people figure out who they are in the social media world, I feel like it kind of tears down that wall a little bit and makes them feel a little bit more confident. And of course, like having events like the Latino Travel Fest like that, I know that motivated so many people to like, just say F it. Like I’m going to, I already have the content because I’m pretty sure I told them that they already have their content on their phone.

I already have my content on my phone. Let’s just go and see what happens. I feel like a lot of people compare themselves to other similar accounts and you’re just unique. You’re your own person. There’s nobody that’s ever going to be like you. And so just go with the flow, just start because if you don’t, you’ll never do what you really want to do.

I just would say definitely don’t give up and definitely reach out to other content creators that are maybe doing something similar that you are, because I feel like, and even, I even heard it at the fest, like some people are scared because they have questions, and they just don’t know who to ask. They just feel like if they don’t get those questions answered, like maybe they can’t start because they don’t want to make a mistake. I just feel like if you are a new content creator and you’re looking to really do this, like reach out to your fellow content creators that are out there because we’re not gatekeeping.

Like we want you to be better. We want you to grow. We want you to galvanize like Vanessa says, you know, bro.

And you know, once people get over the fact that it’s not a competition, it’s literally not a competition. I feel like it just lets them be and they can do what they do.

Matt Bowles: Absolutely. Huge shout out to Vanessa and everybody else who presented at Latino Travel Fest, because you’re exactly right. That was the vibe. The vibe was that all the community was all here to share our knowledge, share what’s working, and support everybody else. And you know, we’re all in this together and trying to raise all boats, you know.

Kevin Sandoval: There’s room for everybody to eat, you know?

Matt Bowles: Yeah. It was such a great community vibe. So big shout out to Vanessa and the Latino Travel Fest.

Kevin, let me ask you one more question. Then we’ll wrap this up and move into the lightning round. Fifty-seven countries into this journey of yours. Why are you still so passionate about world travel? What does travel mean to you today?

Kevin Sandoval: So, man, I’ve met so many people through my travel and then what really keeps me going, dude, is like the fact that I’m like a resource for people that are either starting to travel or that are currently traveling. And it feels really great to like have people ask me questions about how they can do this better or where they should go. It has really been cool.

And it’s been like four years since I’ve been really doing it since COVID or whatever. And like some of the friendships that I’ve made, dude, it’s just like, there’s no way that I can let this lifestyle go. It’s in me. Like it’s, I’ve always done this. It’s always been who I am. It’s just now we have the platforms that we’re able to share it on. You know what I mean?

So, I’m just shouting out to Instagram and TikTok and YouTube because without them, I wouldn’t have met even Vanessa would have met you. You know what I mean? We wouldn’t have been able to build this community that we have built.

Matt Bowles: That’s it, man. Well, I think that’s a great place to end the main portion of this interview. And at this point, Kevin, are you ready to move into the lightning round?

Kevin Sandoval: I’m always ready, brother. Come on.

Matt Bowles: Let’s do it.

All right, Kevin, I’m starting off with a culinary question. What is the number one best meal you have ever had in your life?

Kevin Sandoval: It was in Bali for my birthday. I had a birthday lunch with my tour guide at the time. He knew it was my birthday. My friends missed their flight. So, it was just, it was just me. He knew it was my birthday and he called his people and they made everything you could think of under the sun. Like there were noodles, there was rice, it was chicken steak, everything.

And so, this was the first official meal that I had in Bali. And so, I didn’t know that they eat with their hands wherever I was at. And it just made everything taste that much better.

Matt Bowles: All right. What is one book maybe that has significantly impacted you, you would most recommend that people should read?

Kevin Sandoval: It’s called Midnight. And I used to have this girlfriend that she read this book.

It was called The Coldest Winter Ever. So, she was like, hey, I think you would really like this book. You should read it.

And I read it, and it was a story that was, it felt like it was somebody that I knew. I mean, it’s my sister Soulja and actually she should be coming out with a new book in the next couple of months, which she took like a 20-year hiatus. Cause this was like when I was like in eighth grade.

So, then Midnight was like the sequel to it. And Midnight was like a spinoff of one of the male characters in the first book. And I think the reason it resonates so much with me is because he met a Korean girl in the book and ended up diving into this Korean culture.

And then what was a Japanese, sorry, Japanese? And then like, he actually went to Japan. Like the fact that this black guy went to Japan, it was like, I can do it too.

So that’s always stuck with me. And I just saw that she’s going to be dropping another book soon. So, I’m pumped to be able to read that.

Matt Bowles: All right. Who is one person currently alive today that you’ve never met that you would most love to have dinner with just you and that person for an evening of dinner and conversation?

Kevin Sandoval: Pharrell Williams.

Matt Bowles: It’s a good pick.

Kevin Sandoval: Yeah. Pharrell Williams for sure.

Matt Bowles: What would you ask him or talk to him about?

Kevin Sandoval: Just how he’s been able to remain humble in this industry.

First of all, how he’s been able to remain relevant in the industry and how he’s been able to kind of shift. And I don’t know if you know, he’s like the head designer for like Louis Vuitton, like men’s or something like that. Like that’s huge to somebody coming from like the hood to then like being one of the greatest producers to then becoming their own artist to then be in like working behind the scenes for many years behind so many.

Pharrell has produced music and is behind so many of all of the albums and some of the music that is pretty much like the soundtracks to our lives. We just don’t know because it’s not him. He’s just behind the scenes, but he’s just been able to kind of shift and stay with the times and do it so smoothly. You know what I mean? He’s just a good guy.

Matt Bowles: All right. Kevin, knowing everything that you know now, if you could go back in time and give one piece of advice to your 18-year-old self, what would you say to 18-year-old Kevin?

Kevin Sandoval: Damn. Don’t think about it too much. Don’t dwell on things so much. People make mistakes and there’s always an opportunity to get better and to be better.

I feel like obviously when you’re 18, you’re kind of a shit show in some ways. You know what I mean? And I feel like had I had somebody like myself, and knowing what I know now, tell myself something back then, it would have been like, just don’t worry so much about what other people think. Because at that time when I was 18, I knew I wanted to do this, but like I would tell my mom, oh yeah, I want to travel the world.

My mom would be like, you want to travel the world? What the hell do you mean you want to travel the world? It’s like when you tell your parents that you want to be a celebrity, that you want to be an artist, that you want to be a singer, they’re like, you better get to work. You know what I mean? And so, I feel like I would just tell myself, I don’t want to say like, don’t give up because I’m so like cliche to tell yourself, but just don’t think about it too much. Just go with your own flow, go with your instinct and you’ll see that everything will work out.

Matt Bowles: All right. Of all the places that you have now traveled to, what are three of your favorite destinations you would most recommend that other people should definitely check out?

Kevin Sandoval: Definitely a hundred percent go to Bali, hands down, go to Bali. My number two, I would have to say is Egypt because Bali is just amazing, but Egypt was very, I’m doing this. When I was there, I was like, damn, I was like, I’m in freaking Egypt. Not many people who are Dominican are going to be able to go to Egypt. And I know that for a fact, I just know that. So being there was just like a big, big deal for me.

My third place is Mexico because dude, Mexico has thousands of different experiences that you can have in thousands of different cities that you can go, but you can go to Mexico every time and have a different experience, whether it’s in Oaxaca, Monterrey, Mexico City, Tulum, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco. There’s just so much to see. And there has never been a time that I’ve gone to Mexico that I have not loved every single second of my time there. So, I know Mexico is like, oh, but Mexico, people automatically assume Cancun, but dude, Mexico is a fricking hidden gem. And I’ve never been into Cenotes. So that’s like on my bucket list right there.

Matt Bowles: Listen, man, I tell people all the time, do not sleep on Mexico, especially people that live close to Mexico. Like if you’re from the United States, I mean, go to Mexico City and just have your mind blown. I mean, it is an extraordinary country, an extraordinary place, incredible people. I say that all the time.

All right, Kevin, last question. What are your top three bucket list destinations? These are places you have not yet been. Currently, the highest on your list you would most love to see.

Kevin Sandoval: Panama, a hundred percent Panama. And not because that’ll close out my like Central America countries, but I’ve been wanting to go. It just happens to be that Panama is the last one, but I’ve been wanting to visit Panama since before I even started going to the other Central American countries, but Panama is definitely number one. And it’s been number one on my list for like two years. And it just, I’m waiting for like the right time of the year to visit. Hopefully, this winter is when I make it happen.

Number two, the Philippines really excited about that because I have a lot of Filipino friends and I don’t know if you know, but Filipinos, they were under Spain’s ruling for like many years. So, they’re almost Latinos in some ways, because they’re like Spanish and they have like a lot of Spanish last names and have a lot of like Filipino friends. And like, I love Filipino food. So, I feel like I’m going to have the same experience in the Philippines that I had in Bali, which is currently my favorite, my all-time favorite country. But I feel like I’m going to have those same experiences in the Philippines. And the reason that that’s not number one is because I really want to go to Panama. So, if there are any Panama sponsors out there that want to hook me and my boy Matthew up with a trip to Panama, let us know.

And then number three is Albania, believe it or not pretty random, but Albania. Albania has some amazing waters, amazing culture, and really great food. I mean, I also have some friends that are from there, and haven’t really got a chance to dive into their culture here.

But just, you know, from what they’ve told me, and I have this one friend that is a digital nomad, and she’s been there for like three months. I think she sold me it because I wanted to visit before because of my friends, but they never showed me videos like the way she shows me videos. And so, like now I’m like sold and like, I have to go to Albania.

Matt Bowles: Yeah, man. Shout out to Albania. I have not yet been there either, but it is crazy high on my list. I have interviewed both Albanian digital nomads on the podcast who are from there, as well as other nomads that have gone there and have said it is one of their favorite places in the world. So big shout out to Albania, also super high on my list.

Kevin, at this point, brother, I want you to let people know how they can find you, come into your world, check out your content. How do you want people to find you?

Kevin Sandoval: All right. So, you can always find me on Instagram. My Instagram handle is kevykevvworldwide. I also have a page that is solely dedicated to food, which is kevykevveats. You can find me on TikTok, which is kevykevvworldwide1, the number one. And then I’m starting slowly but surely to add some YouTube videos. So, you can find me at kevykevvworldwide on YouTube. If you want to email me, it’s kevykevvworldwide@gmail.com.

But literally, if you have any questions, if you want to learn more about my travels or have questions about countries that I’ve been to that maybe you’re planning to go to, shoot me a DM and I answer them pretty quickly.

Matt Bowles: I love that. We are going to link all of that up in the show notes. So, you can just go to one place at themaverickshow.com, and go to the show notes for this episode.

There, you’re going to find all of Kevin’s handles, his emails, the ways to contact him, as well as direct links to everything we have discussed in this episode, everything Kevin has recommended. It’s all going to be at themaverickshow.com in the show notes for this episode.

Kevin, I am such a big fan of yours, brother. Thank you so much for coming to the show.

Kevin Sandoval: Thank you so much for having me, Matt. I’m so glad that we met.

You are an amazing human being, and I’m so glad that we were able to cross paths. You’re an inspiring man. And I’m very thankful to be a part of your show and for having you invited me on. It’s been an awesome experience.

Matt Bowles: I appreciate you, brother. Thank you for all of that. Let’s definitely hang out again sometime soon. Go on somewhere epic in the world, my friend. And good night, everybody.