Best Veren Ferrera Podcasts (2024)

1
Podcast update and announcements! 14:11

3y ago14:11

14:11

Today we have a quick update announcing some upcoming changes with the podcast and something we could use your help on! >>>>>LISTENER SURVEY LINK <<<<<< Support the Show: Patreon: https://patreon.com/alternativetravelers Connect with us: Leave us a voice note: AlternativeTravelers.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alternativetraveler…

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14: Season 1 Finale! 23:19

3y ago23:19

23:19

Is it our season 1 finale of House Sitting Travel already?! In this episode, we reflect back on our favorite moments, quotes, and lessons learned from our guests this season. We give some insights into what's next for the podcast and share what our summer travel and house sitting plans are looking like! Between seasons, we'll be regrouping and refl…

1
64: Getting More Out of Your Travel 37:37

3y ago37:37

37:37

International travel is still a bit iffy going into the summer of 2021. So how do you get more out of your travel this summer even if you're staying a bit closer to home? In his inaugural solo episode, Veren ponders the travel mindset and how we can have more transformative travel experiences in three actionable tips. If you're looking to expand yo…

1
13: Hecktic Travels with Dalene Heck 1:02:33

3y ago1:02:33

1:02:33

Dalene Heck is one half of traveling duo Hecktic Travels, one of the OG travel bloggers and winners of National Geographic Travelers of the Year in 2014. Dalene is the Chief Storyteller, Ladyboss at Hecktic Media Inc., and slayer of Leukemia. She was schooled in business and spent her twenties as a corporate climber, before discovering her true pas…

1
63: The 7 Leave No Trace Principles 27:10

3y ago27:10

27:10

The 7 Leave No Trace Principles are guidelines for engaging responsibly with the outdoors. With the nice weather here in the Northern Hemisphere, more people are getting outside to hike and camp. So we thought it'd be a good idea to go over these principles! The principles include how to plan, dispose of waste properly, camp responsibly, respect wi…

1
12: The Dreaded Bad House Sit AKA Every House Sitter's Worst Fear 48:33

3y ago48:33

48:33

The fear of the bad house sit is one that is on every prospective house sitters mind. They're like the boogey monsters of house sitting! But never fear: with the right strategies, you can avoid bad house sits. While we have certainly experienced a spectrum of house sitting experiences, we've never experienced a true horror story in all our many yea…

1
A quick update from NYC! 3:58

3y ago3:58

3:58

We couldn't get our planned full episode up this week due to some technical difficulties and NYC craziness, so Veren recorded this quick update live from Brooklyn. We'll be coming back at you next week with our regular programming!By Alternative Travelers

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11: Let's Adventure More: House Sitting as a Family with Jess Swenson 1:11:50

3y ago1:11:50

1:11:50

Jess Swenson travels full time with her family of five, including three young children! Jess and her husband Will lived a typical suburban lifestyle in the San Francisco Bay Area until 2017. That year, they left their jobs, home, and stuff behind in exchange for a trip around the world. During that year, they experienced 20 countries together with …

1
62: Responsible Road Trippin' 53:02

3y ago53:02

53:02

The summer is here, which means road trips! With the pandemic, road tripping has become even more popular. It's a great way to get outdoors and travel to new places in a safe way. In this episode, we share stories from our favorite road trip experiences as well as give some of our best road trip tips. That includes how to prepare, helpful apps to u…

1
10: Is TrustedHousesitters a Scam? 30:06

3y ago30:06

30:06

"Paying for a house sitting website? That sounds like a scam!" It's a common refrain that we hear time and again. It usually happens when people ask how we house sit, and we tell them that we find all of our house sits through TrustedHousesitters, the biggest house sitting membership website. It's also one of the most common searches that land peop…

1
61: Alternative Destinations: Buffalo, New York 1:07:29

3y ago1:07:29

1:07:29

Our Alternative Destinations series is back with our long anticipated Buffalo episode! We've been singing the praises of Buffalo ever since the pandemic put a pause on our nomadic wanderings and we settled in Buffalo one year ago (May 2020). It's been a homecoming of sorts for Sam, who lived here for 10 years, but hasn't been back for 10 years! Buf…

1
9: House Sitting Magazine with Vanessa Anderson and Ian Usher 1:17:41

3y ago1:17:41

1:17:41

Vanessa and Ian like to live differently. They enjoy a freedom lifestyle as full-time nomads and house sitters, happy to follow the twists and turns wherever life takes them. They divide their time between producing House Sitting Magazine, running a large support group for the community, helping others begin their own unique lifestyle journeys, par…

1
60: Deep Diving into Cruise Travel 50:56

3y ago50:56

50:56

In this deep dive (pun intended) into cruise travel, Sam looks at the cruise industry from all angles. Why do people love this method of traveling? What are the impacts of cruise travel on the destinations, people, economy, and the environment? What about the humanitarian component of cruise ship workers? Is sustainable, responsible cruising possib…

1
8: Can I Trust House Sitters? 50:21

3y ago50:21

50:21

While we usually talk about house sitting from the perspective of house sitters, in this episode we flip the script and talk to pet owners that might want to use house sitters when they go away. We talk about why using house sitters is a win-win-win for you (the pet owner), the house sitter, and most importantly, the pets themselves! We address all…

1
59: All About the Covid-19 Vaccine 23:51

3y ago23:51

23:51

We're now (gratefully) fully vaccinated, so this episode is all about the Covid-19 vaccine! We talk about: the side effects we experienced getting the Moderna vaccine, common vaccine concerns and hesitancy (mRNA vaccines, fast rollout, etc.) why vaccines are important for a return to normalcy vaccines + travel (vaccine passports, etc) the Seychelle…

1
7: From Pro Pet Sitter to Nomadic House Sitter with Tricia Kandik 1:08:03

3y ago1:08:03

1:08:03

In this episode, Sam interviews Tricia Kandik is a fellow (former) full time house sitter and nomad. Originally from Ohio, she's also lived in Oregon, Missouri, and Washington D.C as well as France and the Czech Republic. By her own admission, she's not the best planner, but it's lead to an interesting life. We definitely think so! We met at a vega…

1
58: Sustainable Concepts: Tourism Leakage 30:20

3y ago30:20

30:20

What is tourism leakage and why is it important to understand? In this solo episode, Sam dives into this under-discussed phenomenon, including what tourism leakage is, where it occurs, how travelers can spot tourism leakage, and what we can to do avoid this when traveling. Support the Show: Patreon: https://patreon.com/alternativetravelers Connect …

1
6: 10 Steps to Start House Sitting 48:20

3y ago48:20

48:20

Think of this episode as a house sitting 101! Many people ask us where to even start when getting into house sitting, so this episode is the answer to that! We go over the basics of house sitting, breaking down the house sitting process into 10 steps. This episode will give you a good overview of the process from start to finish! If you're newer to…

1
57: Making Sustainable Choices Through Food 53:58

3y ago53:58

53:58

Humans eat 3x+ per day, meaning that our food choices are a key place to start when looking to live a more mindful lifestyle. We simply can't talk about sustainable travel without looking at what's on our plate! In this episode, we talk about the variety of ways to make more sustainable choices through food. As we'll mention throughout the episode …

1
5: This Job is Sh*t with Ryan Patey 1:28:38

3y ago1:28:38

1:28:38

In this episode, we chat with solo house sitter Ryan Patey. So much of the discussion around solo house sitting centers on solo female house sitting (check out episode 3 with Kelsey Frey for more on that!). But what about the solo dude house sitters out there? Is it possible to house sit as a guy alone? Sam speaks with Ryan about exactly this topic…

1
56: Everyone is an Influencer 21:52

3y ago21:52

21:52

In this episode, Sam talks about the idea that everyone is an influencer, why it's important to understand this, and how we can all use our influence wisely. Support the Show: Patreon: https://patreon.com/alternativetravelers Connect with us: Leave us a voice note!: AlternativeTravelers.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alternativetr…

1
4: Common House Sitting Misconceptions 48:22

3y ago48:22

48:22

In this episode, we talk about common house sitting misconceptions and myths. These core myths come up again and again every time we talk about house sitting with others. These house sitting myths are so common that we'd wager a guess that you may be harboring one of them! We'll talk about why holding onto these house sitting misconceptions is hurt…

1
55: Urban Exploring by Bike 48:11

3+ y ago48:11

48:11

In this episode, we delve into all things biking! We both love to bike and it's one of the main ways that we explore new places. We share stories of bike adventures on our travels, how biking changes the way one experiences a place, bike safety tips, and more! Support the Show: Patreon: https://patreon.com/alternativetravelers Connect with us: Leav…

1
3: Sights Better Seen with Kelsey Frey 1:18:44

3+ y ago1:18:44

1:18:44

In our first ever interview, Sam interviews Kelsey Frey, solo female house sitter and nomadic travel blogger, Pinterest manager, online English teacher, and freelance writer who can usually be found somewhere in Europe or the USA. Before becoming nomadic, she worked in the environmental field for organizations like the conservation corps and her lo…

1
54: Planning for Future Travel 33:01

3+ y ago33:01

33:01

It's April and while we're not out of the woods with the pandemic yet, more people are starting to think the possibilities of future travel. So this episode is all about how to plan a trip! Whether you're thinking of taking a safe trip this summer in your own backyard or further afield, this episode is filled with thoughts and tips for a meaningful…

1
2: House Sitting in 2021 and Beyond 39:08

3+ y ago39:08

39:08

In this episode, we discuss how house sitting has changed as a result of a pandemic. We share tips for approaching house sitting while the pandemic is still very present, questions to ask when arranging house sits, things to be aware of, and more. We also share how the pandemic affected us as full time house sitters and how we've adapted as a resul…

1
53: Introducing: House Sitting Travel 13:24

3+ y ago13:24

13:24

In this episode we have a big announcement! We won't spoil the episode, but we will say that this new endeavor is called House Sitting Travel. You'll have to listen to the episode to hear more about what that is! ;) P.S. Even though this is coming out on April 1st, this is not an April Fools! Support the Show: Patreon: https://patreon.com/alternati…

1
1: Our House Sitting Story 36:36

3+ y ago36:36

36:36

In this episode, we share our journey as house sitters, from our first house sit to full time house sitters – and everything in between! Our book: https://www.alternativetravelers.com/house-sitting-handbook/ Connect: Instagram: @HousesittingTravel Podcast website: TheHouseSittingPodcast.com >>Click here to sign up for TrustedHousesitters with our d…

1
52: AMA episode: Celebrating 1 Year of Podcasting By Answering YOUR Questions! 55:28

3+ y ago55:28

55:28

To celebrate 52 episodes and one year of podcasting, we thought we'd do our first ever AMA (ask me anything) episode! Thanks to everyone who answered our call out for questions in previous episodes and on social media! We cover everything from where we'd consider settling down someday (if we did), most livable cities, dream destinations and trips, …

1
House Sitting Travel Trailer 2:18

3+ y ago2:18

2:18

In this quick trailer, we introduce House Sitting Travel and what you can expect from the show! House Sitting Travel is the first ever podcast dedicated to house sitting as a means to travel the world. We'll share inspiring interviews with fellow globe trotting house sitters, tips, advice, stories, and more. Connect with us: Instagram: @Housesittin…

1
51: Lessons Learned from One Year in a Pandemic 30:14

3+ y ago30:14

30:14

This week marks the one year mark from the week that everything hit the fan for us as full time house sitters. We were house sitting in Salt Lake City when all our upcoming house sits were cancelled and we had to scramble to figure it all out at the last minute. We've detailed all the gory details of that chapter in previous podcast episodes, so ch…

1
50: Ethical Online Etiquette and Constructive Criticism 25:39

3+ y ago25:39

25:39

In this episode, we share some thoughts and advice on both giving and receiving feedback and criticism online. We talk a lot about ethics and responsible travel on this podcast, and living a mindful life starts with how we treat others with whom we disagree. Especially when walking the road less traveled, we're all bound to get some negative feedba…

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49: Travel Shaming: Flygskam, Coronavacations, and more 38:45

3+ y ago38:45

38:45

In this episode, we talk all about shaming in travel, from flygskam (flight shame) to traveling during the pandemic. We'll ponder the reasons why shaming occurs, the forms that shaming takes, whether its effective, the social media shame machine, cancel culture, what to do if you get caught up in the shame cycle, our approach, and more. Support the…

1
48: Traveling by Book 36:41

3+ y ago36:41

36:41

Traveling by book is the original virtual travel experience! It's been THE way to transport yourself to another world for centuries. Books can bring you to a different place or time period in the real world or an entirely fictional place. When reading, we use our imaginations, exercise our minds, and travel virtually (but without the involvement of…

1
47: Walking 500 miles/1000 km on the Camino de Santiago 1:19:47

3+ y ago1:19:47

1:19:47

In this episode, Veren interviews Sam on her experience walking the Camino de Santiago, a long distance medieval pilgrimage in Spain. As she'll share, this was a very transformative experience for a number of reasons. We'll talk about her reasons for taking such a journey, logistics and preparation, what daily life on the Camino was like, and the m…

1
46: What We've Learned After 6 Years of Traveling + Working Together 53:02

3+ y ago53:02

53:02

One of the most frequently asked questions we get asked is how do we manage traveling full time AND running a creative business together?! In this episode, we dive into exactly that question. We've been together for six years (this month!), but due to our lifestyle, we've clocked in more time together than relationships double that length, all whil…

1
45: The Myth of Free Travel 42:12

3+ y ago42:12

42:12

Everyone loves free travel, from free accommodations to free tours. But is free travel - or free anything - really free? Is free travel part of sustainable travel? In this conversation, we take a critical look at everything free, what's behind free things, the ethics of free, and what travelers can do. Support the Show: Patreon: https://patreon.com…

1
44: Embracing the Seasons 41:52

3+ y ago41:52

41:52

Often, we seek to avoid unpleasant times of the year (hello, winter!). But what if we worked on embracing the seasons instead of escaping them? In this episode, we share our approach to winter, why we aren't chasing eternal warmth in the tropics, different things we do during winter, and more! We also talk about the benefits of off season and shoul…

1
43: Travel Hacking with Points 42:09

3+ y ago42:09

42:09

This episode is all about travel hacking with points: who should use travel credit cards to gain points for future travel (free flights!), how to get started, mindful spending with travel cards, why now is the perfect time to get started, the travel cards that we use to get free long haul flights every year, and more. This is also a special episode…

1
42: Maintaining Friendships Remotely 41:26

3+ y ago41:26

41:26

How can we maintain friendships when we cannot meet in person? True connection in the virtual space is one that can be difficult to navigate. We've been navigating this space for years as digital nomads and expats as more often than not, we are far from family and friends. We've all become more familiar with Zoom these days, but is that really all …

1
41: Travel Lists: Inspirational or Problematic? 36:23

3+ y ago36:23

36:23

In this episode we discuss travel lists, inspired in part by the the New York Times releasing its 52 Places to Visit for the upcoming year. But who creates these kinds of lists and why? What is the impact on the destinations and on the traveler? Is there inherent value in visiting places on these lists? We reflect on all of these questions and shar…

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40: Skip the New Years Resolutions (+ What to Do Instead) 40:33

3+ y ago40:33

40:33

Now if you love New Years resolutions and they work for you, who are we to rain on your parade? Keep doing 'em! But as always, we love to take a critical look at common themes and trends to see if they're really all they're cracked up to be. So if you feel the pressure to do New Years resolutions each year but find them frustrating, constrictive, o…

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39: Our 2020 in Review [Part 1] 50:53

3+ y ago50:53

50:53

Oof, it's time to talk about 2020. In our annual review, we'll discuss the pre-pandemic part of the year (shocking to remember), how the travel lockdown affected us as digital nomads, full time house sitters, and travel content creators, what we've been up to since the pandemic has been in full swing (and where), and our biggest lessons and takeawa…

1
38: Confessions of a Reluctant Traveler 51:36

3+ y ago51:36

51:36

Listeners might be surprised to learn that one of us is what you might call a "reluctant traveler." But what exactly is a reluctant traveler? And why is this perspective so helpful to consider, even though its underrepresented in the travel industry? In this interview-style episode, we explore our differing perspectives on travel and share what you…

1
37: Transformative Travel 39:44

3+ y ago39:44

39:44

This episode sparked out of a realization we had recently about a throughline that connects everything we do as creators: transformative travel. We dive deep into what transformative travel is and why it's so important, as well as share some of our most transformative travel experiences. We'll also talk about how this realization is going to guide …

1
36: Zero Waste Travel 45:55

3+ y ago45:55

45:55

In this episode, we discuss everything zero waste travel. What does zero waste even mean and is it possible in today's world? What can we do to reduce waste - whether you're traveling or at home? We'll talk about our approach to zero waste travel and some of our favorite items in our zero waste travel kit. Our Zero Waste Travel Kit: https://www.alt…

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35: Plant-Based Holiday Feasting 44:34

3+ y ago44:34

44:34

This episode is all about holiday foods - the plant-based, animal-friendly way! We talk about relationships with food, food nostalgia, our favorite dishes, what's on our table, suggestions for if you want to eat all whole foods plant based or go for some mock meats, what to do when people bring up your veganism at the table, "guilt free" indulgent …

1
34: What is Conscious Consumerism and Does It Matter? 38:17

3+ y ago38:17

38:17

What is conscious consumerism and how can we be more mindful consumers? As Black Friday and holiday deals proliferate, we thought it'd be a perfect time to look at how to make more mindful, ethical, and sustainable purchasing choices. We talk about our purchasing mindsets and process as well as why conscious consumerism isn't the be all end all. Su…

1
33: Can I Trust House Sitters? 46:45

3+ y ago46:45

46:45

While we usually talk about house sitting from the perspective of house sitters, in this episode we flip the script and talk to pet owners that might want to use house sitters when they go away. We talk about why using house sitters is a win-win-win for you (the pet owner), the house sitter, and most importantly, the pets themselves! We address all…

1
32: Is It Safe to Travel for the Holidays in 2020? 40:35

3+ y ago40:35

40:35

In this episode, we consider holiday travel in light of the global pandemic. Should we be traveling to see family during this time? And if so, how can we go about it as safely as possible? We go over all of the variables to consider this year and how this decision making process will be different for everyone. We share what we're doing and all the …

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Veren Ferrera Podcasts

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