
Citizens of the World: A Stoic Podcast for Curious Travelers
Thrive through Stoic wisdom, better communication, and global exploration. Host Sarah Mikutel is a communication coach and American expat in England who's here to help you make the most of your brief time on Earth. Memento mori. It’s time to make every moment matter.
Latest episodes

Apr 26, 2019 • 50min
A Perfect Day in Manhattan with Travel Expert Mark Ellwood
British-born Mark Ellwood is a fellow expat and travel podcaster who I’ve been listening to for a few years, first on Conde Nast Traveler’s Travelogue and now on Travel Genius. Whenever I hear him, I think, “This guy sounds like so much fun.” I knew he’d be the perfect guest to talk about the local experiences we should have in New York City. Find links to what we talked about on postcardacademy.co Mark is a contributing editor to Conde Nast Traveler, and also writes for Bloomberg Luxury, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times. and other publications. If you’re in the States and watch the TODAY show, you may have seen Mark, as he is their go-to travel expert. He’s been on many other TV shows — too many for me to name here. Mark and I are pretty much living opposite lives. He’s an Englishman turned New Yorker living a very glam life in Manhattan. I’m an American who left New York and am now slumming it on the coast of England. But we’re both enjoying life in our adopted homes, and of course we like to talk travel, which we do on this episode. We also talk about expat life, and Mark shares his favorite New York City recommendations, including some cocktail bars that sound amazing, and other hidden gems I think you’ll enjoy. I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Did you know I host another show called Podcasting Step by Step? Check it out if you’ve been wanting to start a podcast. Every week, I break down ‘how to podcast’ with a little loving motivation to give you the skills and confidence you need to finally launch that show of your dreams. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to the Postcard Academy travel podcast. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Apr 19, 2019 • 24min
Zagreb City Guide: The Best of Croatia’s Capital
“Zagreb is where you’ll feel the life of Croatia,” says Ashley Colburn, an American expat living in Istria. She’ss a TV producer who won an Emmy for her in-depth travel coverage of Croatia. On this episode, Ashley shares her favorite things to see, do, and eat in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city. Visit postcardacademy.co for show notes. I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Did you know I host another show called Podcasting Step by Step? Check it out if you’ve been wanting to start a podcast. Every week, I break down ‘how to podcast’ with a little loving motivation to give you the skills and confidence you need to finally launch that show of your dreams. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to the Postcard Academy travel podcast. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Apr 12, 2019 • 37min
Croatia’s Coast: Traveling to Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Dubrovnik, and More
Croatia is more than Dubrovnik, which Game of Thrones fans and cruiseships have been flocking to for years. On this episode, Ashley Colburn, an American now living in Istria, helps us explore more of Croatia’s coastline. (show notes at postcardacademy.co) Ashley is a two-time Emmy award-winning TV producer who has traveled to more than 50 countries. She earned one of those Emmys for her first TV travel show WOW Croatia. She then produced seven, one-hour episodes of a documentary called WONDERS OF CROATIA. This work has endeared Ashley to the Croatian people, and turned her into a national celebrity — she’s even competing in the TV series Singing with the Stars! I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Apr 5, 2019 • 35min
8 Off-the-Beaten-Path Italian Experiences You Must Have
Yay! I’m so psyched to share this episode with Kathy McCabe, host of the travel TV series Dream of Italy. This season, Kathy interviewed several people, including Francis Ford Coppola, who did something that both Kathy and I have done — return to our ancestral homeland to reconnect with the villages our relatives left behind. Kathy and I talk about our personal experiences with this, and of course, I ask her all about her favorite must-do experiences throughout Italy. Kathy started her website and newsletter Dream of Italy 16 years ago and has been sharing insider tips with Italy lovers ever since. For links to the must-do experiences we talk about today, head on over to postcardacademy.co I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insurance Does the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Apr 1, 2019 • 2min
I Launched a New Show! Podcasting Step by Step
Hello! The Postcard Academy is on a little break this week. I’ll be back on Friday with a really fun conversation with Kathy McCabe from the TV show Dream of Italy. This week, however, I wanted to let you know about a new podcast I just launched called Podcasting Step by Step. This show is very close to my heart and I’m excited to share it with you. I love podcasting so much and I know there are other people out there who are almost ready to start their own shows but something is holding them back. Maybe it’s fear of putting themselves out there, or confusion about the tech. If this sounds like you, I am here for you. I really want to help people feel more comfortable with sharing their voices with the world, and to help them go from feeling like overwhelmed podcasting amateurs to confident creators. Every week on Podcasting Step by Step, I will break down ‘how to podcast’ with a little loving motivation to help you finally launch that podcast of your dreams. So if that sounds of interest to you, please subscribe to Podcasting Step by Step wherever you listen to podcasts. And please tell your aspiring podcast friends about it. :) I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Mar 17, 2019 • 33min
Brexit: Where Is All This Headed? (Part 2)
I’m bringing back my Brexit buddy and former colleague, Mark Robson, to explain in easy-to understand terms how Brexit is affecting life today, and how we might be able to get out of this 2.5 year quagmire. In this episode, you’ll also get another lesson in British history, and who doesn’t love that? You’ll find show notes, including a funny and useful Brexit explainer video, on postcardacademy.co Even though I live in England, have a lot at stake regarding Brexit, and listen to news about it all the time, I’ve found the situation to be quite confusing until Mark and I had this chat. I have such a better understanding of Brexit and its historical context. Hopefully you’ll feel the same way after listening and come away with all sorts of facts you can impress your friends with. I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Mar 15, 2019 • 39min
Brexit: How Did We Get Here? (Part 1)
On March 29, 2019, the U.K. is scheduled to exit the European Union (Brexit). But no one has any idea what is actually going to happen. My fellow expats and immigrants are worried about our future legal status in the U.K., which we have made our home. Business owners, especially farmers, are losing business contracts due to economic uncertainty. Mental health issues are on the rise. People are stockpiling food. In recent days, people have been comparing the U.K. to Venezuela! A lot of the news stories about Brexit are wonky and confusing, so I invited my British friend, Mark Robson, to come on the Postcard Academy podcast to explain what Brexit means in language everyone can understand. (head to postcardacademy.co for show notes). In part one, Mark and I dive into some European history to explain how Brexit came to be. In part 2, we talk about how it feels to be living in England during this crazy time, which has been described as serious as WWII, and we share our predictions and dreams for the U.K. I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Mar 8, 2019 • 27min
Italy vs. America: 12 Cultural Differences
Happy International Women’s Day! I never even heard of International Women’s Day until I move to Italy in 2010, and La Festa delle Donne is a pretty big deal over there. So it got me thinking about the cultural differences between Americans. and Italians, and I thought it would be fun to share some of these today. I picked 12, but there are many more. This episode is not about one country being better than the other — they both have pluses and minuses. I’m just sharing what I’ve experienced as a person who’s lived in both Italy and the United States. Interested in Italy? I’ve done several Italy episodes, including ones on Rome and Florence. I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Mar 2, 2019 • 26min
How to Become an E-Resident of Estonia
Little Estonia, with less than 1.5 million people, has been running itself like a tech company for about two decades now, giving everyone a digital ID and letting them access almost all government services online. Now they’re letting foreigners become e-Residents of their digital nation, and this week, I'll teach you how you can become one (find links to what we talk about on postcardacademy.co) Last week, you heard some great travel advice from Julia Barrett, an American who moved to Tallinn to help develop e-Residency 2.0. This week, we’re doing a deep dive on how you can become an e-Resident of Estonia, or even a resident in real life. Even if you’re not interested in becoming an e-Resident, you might be fascinated to learn how Estonia, a former communist state until the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, became the most digital country in the world. I’ll be talking to Julia again, and to her colleague, Alex Wellman, an American, born and raised in Michigan, and who now heads up marketing for e-Residency. I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcard This podcast is also brought to you by World Nomads. Need simple and flexible travel insurance? Get a cost estimate from World Nomads using their handy calculator at postcardacademy.co/insuranceDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset

Feb 22, 2019 • 54min
Tallinn, Estonia: Old Fashioned Charm in the Most Digital Nation on Earth
Wired magazine has called Estonia “the most advanced digital society in the world.” The President of Estonia (a woman — yay!) just published an article about how “Estonia is running its country like a tech company” and that “governments must learn to provide public services as efficiently as Amazon sells books: no physical presence, no cost of application, no opening hours.” Sounds pretty great to me. And to Julia Barrett, an American who was so excited by what’s going on in Estonia that she moved there to help develop e-Residency 2.0. E-Residency is a government program that bestows e-Residency to non-Estonians around the world. Julia also represents e-Residency in its partnership with the United Nations. In this episode, Julia talks about what’s like to live in the world’s most digital society. And how despite all the tech, Estonians still cherish nature and traditions like jam making and baking black bread. Find links to the places we discuss on postcardacademy.co I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. Not a member yet? Postcard Academy listeners can get a FREE audiobook and a 30-day free trial if you sign up via audibletrial.com/postcardDoes the phrase “public speaking” make you feel a little sick…even if it’s just a team meeting or a group conversation? I made something to help you.Calm Your Nerves in 90 Seconds is a free anxiety-reduction toolkit with a guided meditation and journal to help you communicate with confidence.Use it anytime your brain goes into overdrive and you need a reset.https://sarahmikutel.com/reset