By- Rick A. Griffith

Next up on the “Game Changers” interview series is well known author and blogger Chris Guillebeau. Chris was nice enough to indulge me in an interview, taking time out from writing for such publications as CNN, Business Week, the Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and the Oregonian newspaper, not to mention his own massively popular blog The Art of Non Conformity, and book by the same name. Chris shares the nomadic instincts so popular with the readers of this site and has traveled to over 150 countries. But for a man who needs no introduction, this one is already running on far too long, let’s get started…

(RG)- Rick Griffith's Questions

(CG) Chris Guillebeau's Answers

(RG)Your book The Art of Non Conformity and blog, by the same name are tremendously popular and inspiring for those looking to break free. When deciding on your life of non conformity, who did you turn to for inspiration as a writer and a traveler?

(CG)These days I often turn to my community, which consists of many people doing much more interesting things than me. I also think a lot about the aid workers and volunteers I used to work with in Africa. 

(RG)What is one experience you have had while traveling that stands out in your mind as a “wow” moment, that motivated you to keep moving?

(RG)Having seen so many cities around the world, what cities have you visited where there is great opportunity for talented people?

(CG) Every city offers unique opportunities and talent pools. But a few that I think are especially good at attracting like-minded creatives are: Austin, Toronto, Vancouver, NYC, Cape Town, Buenos Aires... and the list goes on. 

(RG)One thing I like to talk about is failure and how it is a necessity for anyone looking to do something truly great. How have you embraced failure in your own life in your path to becoming a successful writer?

(CG)I'm not sure that failure is a necessity. Often the things we are most afraid of never actually come to pass, and the bigger challenge is just to start. But in my case, I try to continually launch new things and experiment. Not everything will be mega-successful, but I'd never know without beginning.

(RG)You are great at staying in contact with your followers and keeping it real on your blog. How do you think this authenticity has benefited you?

(CG)Many ways. Here's two: a) It's been good for business, because things can only grow as more and more people become engaged. b) It's been good for me personally and as a writer. When I know who's reading, I can't just phone it in -- I have to deliver something worthy of their Inbox or RSS feed.

(RG)I’ll be exploring Europe for the next few months and noticed you mentioned you meet up with readers on occasion. If you happen to pass through, can I buy you a cold one to thank you for the insight?

(CG)Of Course. I hope to see you on the road somewhere. Happy Travels!

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Colin Wright is an internet entrepreneur and and location independent professional who runs a number of different online businesses. I recently had the chance to chat with him about his unconventional nomadic lifestyle. My questions are in bold, followed by his responses. To follow Colin, you can find his website and links to his other works at ExileLifestyle.com.

Photo credit- emrank

Simon Black is the author of the increasingly popular blog Sovereignman.com. Through his direct writing style and unmatched international life experiences, he is urging the informed masses to create new opportunities and secure wealth by "planting multiple flags".

Simply put, this means the act of diversifying aspects of your life away from your home country and seeking them in another more advantageous to your life plans.

Whether it be gaining a second citizenship, opening a foreign bank account or securing your wealth via a foreign trust, Simon has you covered with an immense amount of information that can help you with all these things.

I am an adamant reader of his daily letter and asked if I could share his posts with my readers. I thought this most recent letter is something that my audience should definitely consider

Enter Simon Black,

December 16, 2010
Auckland, New Zealand

If you’re reading this and under 30, let me be absolutely clear about one indubitable point: your government is going to sacrifice your future in order to pay for its own mistakes from the past.

To give you an example, students in London came out to the streets in droves last Friday to protest the British parliament’s most recent austerity measures which tripled the cap on their university tuition to $15,000.

Sure, Britain is imposing all sorts of austerity measures on its citizens… and while I won’t get into a discussion about the absurdity of government controlled education, I will point out that students are having their benefits cut far more drastically than any other segment of the population.

Are pensioners seeing their costs triple? No. Are middle-aged workers seeing 50% tax hikes? No. Aside from the very small segment of high-income earners who will be forever robbed and pillaged of their wealth, the younger generation is next in line to receive the butt end of the crisis fallout.

Younger folks have comparatively lower incomes, benefits, job opportunities, and political clout than their seniors, yet they are increasingly expected to assume a disproportionately larger burden of the consequences of government folly.

It’s the younger generation that is called on to go fight and die in pointless wars in faraway lands; it’s the younger generation that is forced to assume the debts of their forefathers; and it’s the younger generation that gets relegated to the back rows of the political amphitheater and dismissed by the establishment.

Meanwhile, retirees aren’t seeing massive benefits cuts, and middle-aged wage earners income earners are being protected from above by politicians. In fact, let’s take a minute and look at the looming fate of the average young person today:

1) Your government-run university tuition is going to go through the roof, saddling you with unfathomable debt before you even enter the world as an adult;

2) Once you graduate, you’ll be the last in the hiring queue;

3) If you do get hired, you’ll be the lowest on the totem pole and the first to be let go when tough times befall your business;

4) Once the labor market eventually stabilizes, you’ll enter your prime earning years with some of the highest tax rates ever seen as your government continues to cannibalize your generation to pay off its largess and indebted entitlement programs that benefited older generations;

5) For your entire working life, you’ll pay into a pension system that is going to be bankrupt by the time you’re qualified to draw on it;

6) More than likely, you’ll never achieve the standard of living that your parents achieved;

7) Whatever wealth your parents accumulated won’t be left to you– the bulk of it will be confiscated by the state (unless your folks were smart enough to plant multiple flags) due to a host of death taxes.

If you’re in the millennial Facebook generation, this is going to be the standard storyline of your peers. The system that’s in place right now– the failed cycle of debt and consumption fed by continuous government intervention– has stuck you with the bill.

Fortunately, there’s a silver lining (as always). Younger people are generally less anchored and more mobile than their elders, hence it’s much easier to opt out of this perverse system.

If you’re angry that your government is saddling you with the responsibility to pay off generations of bad decisions, then get out of dodge. Stop playing by the same rules of the game that used to work in the past– the old playbook of “go to school, get a good job, work your way up the ladder” simply doesn’t apply anymore.

Don’t stick around a society that has completely forsaken you and is waiting with knife and fork in hand to carve up your earnings once you finally enter the labor market… get out of dodge now, while it’s easy to do and you have little to risk.

Go explore the world and get an education based on experience, not expensive academic theory. Seek opportunities in thriving, frontier markets overseas… places like Kurdistan, Mongolia, Botswana, Kazakhstan. Soak up the local intelligence and become the grease guy on the ground who can make things happen.

Find people whose lifestyles you want to emulate and make yourself indispensable to them as an apprentice… this will be the only time in your life that you can afford to work for nothing in exchange for a valuable, first-hand education.

Most of all, stop playing by everyone else’s rules. Refuse to be enslaved by the idea that it’s your civic and moral responsibility to pay off the debts of your government’s failures. Cast off the yoke of their control… and summon the courage to live a life by your own design.

The path to prosperity in the Age of Turmoil depends on this ability to reject the old system, declare your economic independence, and carve your own path.

By- Rick A. Griffith

As Gary looked ashore, he saw the local surfers starting their bonfires. It was dusk and they had paddled ashore, content to call it a day. Gary on the other hand was determined to hone his surfing skills with every available wave. He’d left his home in Long Island, NY just two weeks earlier and was now doing all he could, determined to fit in with the local surf crowd who had so far been less than welcoming.

As he began to paddle back to shore casually he suddenly felt a breeze of energy beneath him. Convincing himself that it was all in his head he kept on paddling, picking up the pace slightly. Then in his peripheral vision just above the waterline, appeared a fin. His heart skipped a beat.

After all, he hadn’t traveled halfway across the world in hopes of living a better, more fulfilling life just to be eaten by a shark. He paddled frantically toward the shore. Just a week ago a girl had fallen victim to a shark attack nearby and now he thought that he’d be sharing the same fate. Instead of freezing up in fear, he swam like hell back to the shore with nothing on his mind other than hauling ass.

He arrived there bleeding from the coral which had cut his skin, looking as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Are you ok man? Asked a local who noticed Gary’s distressed state.
“I saw a shark and it followed me all the way in, I thought I was done for.” Gary replied panting for air.
 “That shark right there?” asked the local with a sheepish grin.
“Ya man, that’s it!” Gary answered.
“Haha, you were blessed by the surf gods bro, that DOLPHIN just escorted you safely back to shore.” chuckled the local.
“Huh?” Gary was perplexed
“Ehhh, don’t worry about it, grab a beer man, I’ll tell you all about it.” he offered.

The Bonfire

This was Gary’s initiation to the local surf scene in Hawaii. He would become friends with the group and share unforgettable memories over the next 3 months. Just weeks later, the same group of guys he shared brews with on the beach that fateful night, would take him on another adrenaline pumping journey. They offered to let Gary come watch them skydive. Little did he know that upon arriving, he would have a fully paid for pass to take the leap of faith himself. No video, no lessons, just adrenaline and fear. Gary was deathly afraid of heights. 5 minutes after arriving he was loaded up in a pick up truck on his way to a plane loaded with skydiving gear.

“ How long is the free fall?” Gary asked the driver.
 “For the rest of your life” the driver replied in a crazy voice.

Welcome to Hawaii!

But lets rewind…

How did Gary find his way here in the first place. Where does a young man find the time, money and courage to embark on such adventures halfway across the globe from his home in New York?

How do you trade coffee and cigarette brakes at the family auto body shop for swimming with dolphins in Hawaii and dinner with new friends in Italy?

Gary chose happiness.

Working each and every day at the auto body shop had motivated him to want so much more from his life. He began to open his mind to new possibilities and not just accept the traditional path to a life of 9-5 misery. To discover something more fulfilling, something with more purpose.

He quit the auto body shop and began exploring new ways to generate income that suited him better. Months of exploration lead Gary to the discovery of the investment potential of Silver bullion. He began investing in Silver, buying and selling it as a way of funding his new lifestyle, doing the things he always had dreamed of. The silver he discovered was beautiful and even more attractive were the profits he was making from his investments.

What if I could somehow incorporate the beauty of the silver & it’s investment potential together into an item that served a duel purpose? He thought.

The Peoples Bailout- The Border Bribe necklace

He decided to start playing with this idea, incorporating his investments into accessories that could be worn around town. Within a month he had designed a belt, hat, bracelet and necklace which he began wearing proudly around town. People started to take more of an interest in his fashion sense.

Unlike an Ed hardy accessory that quickly losses it’s value after purchase, Gary’s accessories could double in value within a few months, not to mention turn heads. As interest piqued, he began making similar accessories for friends and acquaintances who wanted to invest themselves. The Peoples Bailout was formed.

He began also selling Silver Bullion (large bricks of silver not incorporated in accessories) to investors on his website and on eBay and his business took off. He had done it. He could now do something he enjoyed and was passionate about, making income on his own terms. He could ditch the 9-5 boredom for a new jet setting lifestyle that fulfilled his needs.

“My favorite part about waking up in a foreign country, is that you are always learning something. “ He explained when asked what he enjoyed most about his new lifestyle.
“I go out into the street and talk to people, everyone, practicing a new language with confidence and even picking up new friends along the way.”

How would something like this change your mindset on a daily basis? It’s done wonders for Gary.

“Now when I’m relaxing, I’m RELAXING. Letting only good thoughts into my head, I’m free to thing the thoughts I want too, free from the bills and stresses of home, just looking for activities that make ME smile.”

“When I travel, I don’t look at culture and try to understand it. I LIVE their culture and I WILL understand it. I try to immediately become a local in the way I eat, speak and even dress.”

Gary blending in

“I even started painting motorcycles in Italy and realized that I really do love the auto body business, but on my terms.”

 A Scooter gary painted in Italy

So what now? How does one fill their time in the day once liberated from the 9-5 grind?

Gary structures his business to allow him to take 3 month breaks(mini-retirements) and pursue the things he likes to do.

The most recent goal?

He currently has an opportunity to run for the Achilles Foundation in the New York City marathon, a mighty task he knows nothing about. Fortunately he isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

“I recognize that people may look and say that he’s just lucky or he’s unstable, but that isn’t true. I’m learning not only about the world, but about myself. Those who stop learning, stop living.”

He urges this message to those looking for similar freedom.

“Don’t stop working, just start living. Learn to handle the critics and naysayer’s and remember, Some will laugh, Many will follow.”

No one is laughing now…

You can follow Gary's newest adventures here.



There are over 100 people crowded around in a half circle in Plaza Armenia in the Palermo Viejo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. They are drinking beer and wine and grabbing slices of pizza, discussing their ascent too the ruins at Machu Picchu, the beauty of Igauzu falls and  the amazing Bolivian salt flats. It is an international melting pot, drunken 20 and 30 something’s from all around the world meeting at the corner of Armenia and Costa Rica street to head out to 4 different drinking venues as one massive group.

This isn’t just a random party that came together perfectly, in fact it is much the opposite. Every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday you can find similar groups making their way through the streets on the way to their next watering hole. The drunken debauchery is kept in control by 10 or so Pub Crawl employees rounding the herds of travelers and locals up and making sure there is no pub crawler left behind.

As with many good business ideas, this intriguing business was born out of spotting a need and providing a solution. After traveling in Buenos Aires and falling in love with the city, two entrepreneurs and fraternity brothers from Georgia, came to the realization that there wasn’t a pub crawl yet in the city of Buenos Aires and yet there we’re thousands and travelers, expats and locals who would enjoy having one.“ We thought, they need this, they don’t know they need it, but they do.” Roger explained. After 2 months of preparation Dustin and Roger held their first Pub Crawl in November of 2007.

Through necessity, they soon learned that business here in Buenos Aires was based on relationships, more than anything else. Building trust with local businesses has been one of their greatest assets. “Being on time, ethical, and forming great relationships with customers, bars, restaurants and clubs really set us apart” Roger said in our interview last month. This method has served them quite well as their business has blossomed into a mainstay in the Buenos Aires night scene.

The pub crawl is especially popular among tourists coming into town who are looking to party with fellow travelers from around the world, however efforts are being made to attract the local 'Porteno' crowd as well. “We want to be known for throwing the best parties in Buenos Aires. We are known for the pub crawls and having a strong contingent of travelers, but we want to provide the same awesome events for the locals as well.” Dustin explained.

More and more locals seem to be catching on and the pub crawls continue to expand in size. Utilizing Facebook as a means of promoting their events has brought them to the next level. During each pub crawl along with the employees, a photographer accompanies the group snapping hundreds of photos of the night's festivities. The following day the photos will be posted on facebook, enabling the crawlers to tag themselves in the photos and share their experiences with their friends. An awesome feature providing the customers memories and the company a nice way of marketing to prospective clients.

Clearly these two business savvy pub crawlers have a bright future ahead. Already up and running strong, is a second Pub Crawl in Santiago, Chile. When asked about their future plans they remained mum on the details, but hinted that further expansion was definitely in the cards. With an excellent business model that can be replicated in other locations along the tourist trail in South America, things seem to be looking up in the near future.

Just launched was the all new pub crawl targeted toward the Gay community “out and about”. They are clearly not shy to put new ideas into action, something that has already paid big dividends for the Pub Crawl. Wanting to make an impact and do something for the devastated residents in Haiti after the horrific earthquake in January, the BA Pub Crawl team sprang to action, pooling their resources and connections together to host “Kick it for Haiti”, a soccer tournament to raise money for the effected victims. The successful event drew hundreds of people to help support the cause.

Innovation, follow through, building strong business relationships and giving something back are all things have set this company apart and helped them build this unique business. It is no wonder why these expat idealists have seen so much successful in this venture.

Personally I have been on the pub crawl a few times and it has never failed to impress. You can not beat free beer for an hour and a free shot at each bar. The staff is awesome and friendly, like some guys I’d hang out with back home. I don’t usually talk people up without pointing out the negatives here, but the truth is these guys run a tight ship and do things right. With the Pub Crawl, you are always a VIP and always have friends even if you are new in town. If you visit Buenos Aires or Santiago, it’s no doubt a must see. In fact, I’m leaving town this weekend and guess where I’m going tonight. Yup, the Palermo crawl, there is just no better way to party.

 So I've been reading all the breaking news about Tiger Woods and how he’s gone from being a great role model to a cheating, lying husband and it got me thinking. Who are some good role models to look up too for people our age?  So here it is, the top 10 role models under 40.

 The keywords here are unconventional, but extremely effective!

1. Gary Vaynerchuk (founder of Wine Library TV)

Born in Belarus, Gary’s family migrated to the US and his father eventually opened a liquor store. Gary helped turn the small company into an industry leader at an early age. In 2006 he launched Wine Library TV which caught on and became very popular. By using social networking tools Gary created a huge following and eventually became very well known in the industry and as an internet personality.

He took what he learned in building a business and his internet video blog to create his own personal brand. He has leveraged this into numerous speaking engagements as well as a 10-book deal he signed with Harper Studio worth over $1,000,000.00. His first book Crush It , was recently released and preaches his message of doing what you love, monetizing it and gives you an idea of how to put this plan into action.

Gary is a very motivating and inspiring guy. While he may be unknown to many young people right now, he is quickly gathering a large following through the use of social networking tools. He is a true pioneer of doing things his own way, building his own personal brand and “hustling” relentlessly.

It must be the bangs

2. Kevin Rose (Founder of Digg.com)

You may not know Kevin Rose yet, but you will. Founder of Digg.com and host of the weekly internet TV show Diggnation. Kevin was featured on the cover of Business Week in an article titled, "How This Kid Made $60 Million In 18 Months". Though the article was somewhat deceiving basing Rose’s net worth on his stake in Digg.com, not his true holdings, it got him a lot of publicity. Founding Digg.com with $6,000 and turning it into the hugely successful site it is today is no easy task. Kevin works incredibly hard and isn’t just a kid who made a site that luckily made it big. He is an intelligent business man who can replicate his success. Another venture of his Revision3.com is the host site for his weekly video series Diggnation, a show that now averages around 250,000 downloads per episode. He has built a business on being real and transparent and it is something that will pay dividends for years to come.

3. Carolyn Rubenstein (Author and Non-profit founder of CCC)

At the age of just 24 Carolyn has accomplished great things. At the age of 14 she started Carolyn’s Compassionate Children, a non-profit organization that served as a pen-pal program for children battling Cancer. She later decided to change the focus of her organization to providing scholarships to help childhood Cancer survivors who where still dealing with medical bills and needed help paying with college. She wrote a book titled “Perseverance” (True stories of Cancer survivors). She is truly an inspiration too all of us and sports the kind of unconventional selflessness, seldom seen in our culture. Oh and by the way, she graduated from Duke with a BA in psychology and is currently taking her PHD program in clinical psychology. Smart, motivated and relentlessly driven. I wonder if she’s single?

We can tell he means business.

4. Drake (Actor and Musician)

The hottest name in Hip Hop without a question right now is Drake. He has come a long way since playing Jimmy on Degrassi. While he has more than enough haters out there wondering how a middle class Canadian can be running the rap game, his fans praise him as the next savior of the industry.

So he makes good music, why is he a good role model You ask? How many other musicians do you see out there who have number 1 hits on the charts without yet having a record deal? He has created his own buzz and built his own business by doing things his way and not treading the beaten path. Releasing his hugely popular mixtapes on his blogs and creating a following by just making good music and putting it out there, Drake has created one of the biggest bidding wars between record companies in history. He is a true pioneer in the industry and it looks like we will be seeing a lot more from him in the future.

5. Tony Hsieh (CEO Zappos.com)

Building a business on loyal customers, by offering unmatched customer service. Quite a refreshing idea these days in America let me tell you. Tony is the CEO of Zappos.com the largest online shoe store in the world. It is estimated that over 60% of Zappos customers were repeat buyers in 2005.

Tony preached in a recent speech “Chase the vision, not the money” a message that he clearly used in the way he ran his business. By creating a winning company culture and providing service to customers that went above and beyond their expectations, Tony built a hugely successful brand.

Recently Zappos.com was acquired by Amazon.com for $940 million dollars in cash and stock. He may not have been chasing the money, but it sure found him.

Just doing his thing

6. Dwayne Wade (Professional Basketball player)

Dwayne Wade is a NBA Superstar. Having led his team to an NBA championship in 2006 and winning the NBA Finals MVP award, Wade also led the 2008 USA basketball team to a Gold Medal in Bejing, leading the team in scoring. It’s no question he is a young star still on the rise at the age of 27.

Wade persevered through many challenges growing up. After being recruited by only three colleges because of poor grades, Wade chose Marquette. After being ineligible to play basketball because of grades, Wade sought out a tutor to improve his writing skills and eventually gained eligibility and thrived at Marquette.

While Wade is clearly a star on the court, it is what he has done off of the court that separates him from his colleagues. He formed the Wade foundation which promotes health and education to children in at-risk situations. He also bought his mother a church, who had been a former drug user but has since devoted her life to ministering the church.

Among other things he has bought a home for a woman whose nephew burned their home down and wrote a $25,000 check to keep the Robbins, Illinois public library from being shut down. He is clearly someone who takes philanthropy seriously and makes it a priority in his life.

7. Lauren Conrad (Actress)

Talk about growing up in front of the camera. We have all heard the horror stories of young actors and actresses that grew up on TV and then had their fame lead them into trouble. What we don’t hear about as much is this young woman who has remained very real and down to earth despite being an A-list celebrity since her high school days on MTV’s Laguna Beach.

Lauren has also delved into entrepreneurship writing a semi-autobiographical book “L.A. Candy” and also gaining an endorsement deal from Avon’s “Mark” line. She recently launched LC, her own clothing line available in Kohl’s stores nationwide. Her rise to fame was unconventional, but she made the most of it, made us fall in love with her and capitalized on her success.  

8. Angelina Jolie (Actress, humanitarian)

I think we all know her very well by now. However it isn’t her movies or Hollywood marriage that puts her on this list.

Angelina is probably one of the most well known humanitarians and she has preached her cause many times to the public. However while many Celebs promote causes and write checks, Angelina is more hands on. She has been named a goodwill ambassador and been on field missions for the UNHCR, meeting with refugees in over 20 countries. She has since won a myriad of awards from various humanitarian organizations and has donated millions of dollars help her causes she supports.

She has also adopted 3 children along with husband Brad Pitt from orphanages and given them a life they could never dreamt of having. While the limelight is always close behind, Angelina has done a great job of getting out there and making a difference. We can all say we want to change the world; she is someone who is actively doing it. 

9. Tim Ferriss (Author, drug dealer)

Ok, so he’s not really a drug dealer, just and ex-nutritional supplement company owner who is transforming the way we do business. One of the leaders of a new generation of businessmen, Tim is an innovator and someone who has done things his own way. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller “The 4-Hour Workweek”, avid blogger and angel investor. These are merely a few of the things Tim has done in his 32 years however. He is a master at deconstructing complex tasks and learning new skills quickly. His writing is great and I recommend his blog to people each week it seems. He is one of the big names of the Web 2.0 revolution and in the coming years, we will surely be hearing much more from him.

10. Taylor Swift (Country music singer)

We all know this girl by now, a truly talented artist who transcends genres. She’s over 18 now so I can also mention that she’s very cute.  Taylor has handled the spotlight with class and is a great role model for young women.

While she has earned an estimated $18 million she has not forgotten those in need. She has been involved with The Nashville Area Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and the National American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund as well as starting her own campaign to protect women from online predators. These are only a few of her vast philanthropic efforts and she seems to understand the need to give back to her community. Taylor is still a rising start, having already accomplished so much, she is only 19.  



I apoligize in advance for the scratchyness, I lost the original version when my laptop crashed and this is from my back up audio recorder. The message is the same and is worth the listen!

Here are the links to follow Ross on facebook and twitter!

Frank Almeida is the owner of Sugar and Spice and an avid blogger. He is an American expatriate business owner living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can find his business online, Suger and Spice and follow his blog here.

Rick Griffith (RG)
You came to Buenos Aires from the Unites States and have built your own business here. Why did you choose to do this and what challenges did you face in making this move?
 
Frank Almeida (FA)
Well, I actually came for love and not for business. I followed my then girlfriend—now wife, down to Argentina. She had been living in the States for several years and completed her MBA in Chicago, then managed to get a job after she graduated. She finally could not stand being homesick anymore and asked me if I would be willing to go to Argentina with her. I have always been curious as to what it would be like living somewhere else and my curiosity, paired with my inability to just let her go, got the better of me.

(RG)
You are currently raising a family in Buenos Aires. What obstacles have you faced and what are the differences you have seen in relation to your upbringing in Chicago?

(FA)
It actually seems like it would be more difficult to do what we are doing here in the States. We all live so close to each other here. My wife’s family helps out and having a maid is not an unattainable luxury here, so we don't have to worry about child care. This city is very child friendly, not so much in infrastructure, but in attitude and philosophically.

I also don't feel the heavy hand of racism. I am not saying it does not exist here, it's just different and mostly directed at a different group of people than I was used to seeing back home. I find that I have to introduce the concept to my kids and explain to them that some people look down on others because of silly things like the color of their skin, or because they were born in a different country. What is happening now with President Obama and the far right wing of US politics is a perfect example of American racial tension.

But, living here also introduced them to theft pretty early in their lives. Petty theft is very common here and they are aware that people have taken things from us several times. I have had my car broken into and this last time they took the car stereo, so they are not very happy about that especially since I refuse to get another one.

(RG)
What is your favorite tasty treat you make and can it be mailed to me?

(FA)
My personal favorite is the chocolate chip cookies. I also love the almond biscotti as they are so light that you can’t stop eating them. The savory cheese cookies are also fantastic and when you pair them with either beer or wine you will again have a hard time stopping.

Currently I can't mail them to you, but who knows down the line if that will eventually be a possibility. I am currently talking to importers in various countries including the US. If you come down to the shop I will most certainly share some cookies with you.

(RG)Well that sounds like enough of a reason to come down in and of itself, I will definitely be by the shop on my next trip down.
Who has been the biggest inspiration to pursue your passion or calling, maybe name a few if you can?

(FA)
My calling in life was so unexpected. What was more important was my being open to being totally flexible. I met a girl who one day asked me to live in a foreign country. Obviously, the easy thing for me to do would have been to stay with what I know and stay put. But, besides being in love, I was very curious. I had before me a chance to not only see a different part of the world, but to live there. I found myself not being able to say no. I was as mesmerized by the idea of living somewhere else with the woman who led me there by the hand.

(RG)
You seem to understand that technology is changing the way that business is done, social networking sites in particular like Facebook and Twitter. How has this revolution changed the way that you market your business?

(FA)
I was hesitant at first. I jumped into blogging, then followed that up with Facebook and then Twitter. I realized that I could actually have a conversation with people that I have never met, but that have some idea of me and my company. This was actually pretty exciting. For the most part it has been a very rich and rewarding experience. There was one unfortunate incident, but I won't name that site. If anyone is living in Argentina, or are planning to move down here, you can ask me about what site to stay away from and I will let you know all about it; hint, I wrote about it in my blog. But anyway, even that turned out to be a positive experience because I got to actually meet some people face to face that I would otherwise not have gotten a chance to meet.

I feel even more exposed than ever before. I try to hold back and like most people I would imagine do, but then I can't help myself and my personality just jumps out. I have been told by my own family to reign in the controversial topics and I mostly do, but sometimes I just can't help myself. Since my business started in 2002, it has basically grown along side the virtual social revolution. So basically there has been no change, just growing right along side technology.

(RG)
We plan on coming down to BA in January or February, would you be willing to let us shadow you for a day and show our audience a day in the life of Frank?

(FA)
I think that would be a great idea, except that it is the most hectic time of the year for me. Let me run down this week for you as an example.

Monday: Early morning meeting with a potential distributor for our new line of cookies for the Kiosco market. I then get an hour before I have to go to my daughter's parent-teacher conference. After that is over I have some lunch and then try to get all the phone calls I can get to between 3pm and 6pm. I have to call some small independent retailers as well as some large chains. For example, I have to call Jumbo to find out when they will finally buy the new Barbie line of cookies; I have to call Carrefour to find out when they will increase the amount of stock each store can carry of our products to avoid stock outs (stores running out of products), which happens quite frequently. I also have to chase down the buyer at Wal-Mart; coordinate delivery of samples to some clients in the interior of the country and ditto for a couple in other countries, etc.

Tuesday: I have a post grad class I am taking at the Instituto Madero (www.madero.org) that takes up all my morning and I don't get to eat lunch until 2:30pm. Later I go visit a client who has purchased quite a bit of pan dulces and I chase Jumbo to see if I get to meet their buyers from other countries who are visiting—I find out (at 8pm) that yes I do and I get to meet all of them this Thursday! I am also getting the feel for the FDA site that I have to go into to prepare a shipment of samples to the US (huge pain in the ass). Meanwhile, I start receiving some purchase orders of the new Barbie line. I rush home by 6pm and by 8pm I have to meet my family for dinner at a local restaurant. They were out doing stuff of their own this day. Now it's 11pm and I am typing this interview.

(RG)

That sounds crazy, maybe we'll set something up for summer! Anyways, who is someone, maybe a popular figure in the media who you think would be a good role model for young people looking for someone to look up too?

(FA)
I am currently fascinated right now with the US political arena. Lots of bad examples to look at, but one that I really like is Rachel Maddow. She is intelligent and will not let people get away with saying anything without being challenged. I think she is an excellent role model. I also really like Ira Glass and his American Life radio show. This is fantastic stuff that often shows the unexpected side of people and reminds me that there is a potential rewarding story in just about anyone and any situation.

(RG)
Thank you very much for agreeing to talk with us today. The life you live is an inspiration to many of us who are still finding our way to doing what we love. In closing, is there any one piece of valuable advice you would give to a young person who might be confused and trying to find their calling in life?

(FA)
It's okay to be confused. Everyone goes through that. It may sound like a cliché, but it is true about failing and not knowing what you want, just be prepared to fail. You should look forward to messing up as those are the moments that are the most filled with educational possibilities. You really don't know yourself unless you have failed. That's when you really get to know what you are made-of. So take those clichés and run with them. It's not how you fall, or if you fall (because surely you will), it's how you get up that matters most. Once you get that fear out of the way, hold on to your curiosity for dear life and if you don't have any try and develop some. Always ask questions and try not to assume anything. But also, remember that all these things you are warned about not to do you will do anyway. Just keep them in mind and try to develop habits that will help you. For example, a habit to help you fail would be to try to do things that you know little about. You will most certainly fail, but your curiosity should drive you, your perseverance should help you pick yourself back up and always try to find what you can take away from your failures.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with "Expedition Evan" about his travels past and present. Below is his story, a young man who set out to seek adventure and found a whole new world... 

 1) Could you give us a little background on yourself and what made you first think of leaving the U.S. to live in another country?

I'm 24 years old and grew up in Asheville, North Carolina.  I graduated in 2008 from UNC with a degree in Philosophy (the most marketable major known to man).  My first taste of international travel was when I graduated high school, and I've been hooked since.  My friend, his older brother and myself spent two months biking around Europe over the summer before college.  It was absolutely fantastic, and was such a formative experience for me that I knew I would want to go / live abroad again after college.  When I decided to move to Buenos Aires it was actually at the suggestion of two friends who ended up not being able to come.  So the group trip became a solo trip, and I haven't looked back since.

  2) What made you choose Buenos Aires as a destination to live in and how did everyone around you react to this big decision?

Buenos Aires was a choice my friends made, but it made perfect sense.  I had a very good friend and an ex-girlfriend that studied abroad there who had always sung its praises, and South America had been on my hit list for a while at that point.  It also made very good economic sense since the exchange rate was very favorable and I had limited savings.   Reactions to my decision were mixed.  I had a good job offer on the table, and with the uncertain economy some people couldn't understand why I would turn that down.  A lot of people thought I was insane for going, asking how I would support myself, what possible reason did I have for going, why go alone, etc.  My parents were initially skeptical but eventually came around when they saw I was serious about it, and their support meant a lot to me.  Most people were fine with it after they saw how excited I was for the opportunity.  

3) You started your blog "Expedition Evan" to document your travels. Do you ever go back and reread old posts to remember the times you've had traveling the world?  

I do enjoy going back through posts.  I also keep a personal journal that I write in daily, and it's similar to my blog in that it provides a snapshot of my head space at a certain time in my life.  My blog has the benefit of pictures to go with the posts.  I also like to use my blog as motivation to keep traveling; looking back at posts about my plans keeps me honest in pursuing them.  

4) What was the biggest obstacle in your way choosing to travel for so long and how did you overcome this?  

My biggest obstacle had to be money, and how to support myself while living abroad.  My initial plan in South America was to teach English, but I found the money made and hours worked to be unfavorable.  By a stroke of luck, my blog had garnered interest from friends and online strangers, so I figured writing might be a way for me to make some cash.   Not a week later I interviewed for a position as a staff writer at www.MiniHostels.com, and it was a perfect fit.  I wrote hostel and tour reviews, itineraries, and blog posts marketing our hostels and offerings.  From there the other writers at the office provided me with links and contacts for additional work, and I moved from teaching to writing full-time.  Eventually I was working for a wide variety of websites that paid in USD, so my earning power was very strong while living on the Argentine peso.  

5) What was your favorite thing about living in Buenos Aires and what has been your favorite thing so far about living in Seoul?  

Buenos Aires has such a unique vibe that it's hard to tease out just one thing, but I'll give it a whirl.  For a significant portion of my time there I lived in a barrio called San Telmo, a really wonderful spot known for harboring hippies, artists, and general vagrants.  I gravitated toward it immediately.  It had wonderful dive bars and restaurants, lots of street musicians, and art galleries galore.  The whole area is very old, so the architecture is crumbling and faded, but covered in graffiti and interesting additions.  I wandered around with my camera all the time, just snapping interesting stuff.  It was my favorite area of Buenos Aires and I'd love to live there again in the future.  I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic steak and wine that Argentina is known for.  All the acclaim heaped on Argentina for these two staples is completely deserved.  I defy anyone to find another place where the parillas cut your lomo with a spoon and a great bottle of wine costs roughly $3.  Buenos Aires will always have a special place in my heart as the first place I lived abroad, and I still feel a tug every once in a while to return.   Seoul is a polar opposite of Buenos Aires.  Modern, glistening, and fast fast FAST.  It's the most connected city in the world, and at times I feel like I'm living in the movie Blade Runner.  My favorite thing about Seoul so far has been experiencing an Asian culture.  Buenos Aires was very different from where I grew up, but there were still similarities I could find.  Seoul and Korean culture in general is like oil and water to what I'm used to.  It's so different here that I find it endlessly fascinating.  The motivations people have, family obligation and honor, their incredible work ethic, the food and drink, it's all very exciting!  When I travel I like to immerse myself in local culture, and Seoul is a wholly novel experience.  

6) Any other destinations in the future planned or are you just playing it by ear?

I do have plans.  Right now there are options, but the front runners are Colombia (teaching at an international school on the Caribbean coast), Australia / New Zealand (taking advantage of a working holiday visa to travel / work my way around both countries), and staying here or maybe trying China next year as an English teacher.  New plans enter into my head every day, but I think one of these three will end up being the plan after my contract here is up.   Long-term, I am seriously considering opening my own hostel.  I was always struck by how shoddily some hostels in South America were run, and I think I could do well addressing that niche there.  A small place near a beach somewhere is like music to my ears.  I've been speaking with hostel owners that I worked with in South America, and I'm crafting a 'plan of attack' at the moment.  

7) For a young person who might be looking for some advice or inspiration to make a leap of faith, what piece of knowledge can you pass on having been in a similar situation yourself?  

Planning is an important aspect of living abroad, but at some point you just have to say "screw it!" and make the jump.  Yes, things will be hard, and sometimes infuriating, but the experience is incredible.  I've found that if you really want to make something happen, things tend to work themselves out.  I only had a hazy idea of how I would make things work in Buenos Aires, but when I found out how much I loved the place I did everything in my power to stay there.   If you're young and considering this, remember that there's no better time than now!  Fresh out of school, unmarried (generally), no career or family to consider, what's holding you back?  I know the situation is different for everyone, but I feel like there are attractive options for whatever place you're coming from.  I can say that living abroad has been THE best choice I ever made.  I wouldn't trade my life right now for anything.