S04E02 - Eric Czuleger asks 'What's a country?'

randInt podcast with Raffy and Chandra

We have the first interview-sode for 2024 and boy, is it a good one! We're chatting to Eric Czuleger, who shares his journey from aspiring playwright to joining the Peace Corps in Albania, teaching kids in Iraqi Kurdistan, writing a book and becoming a diplomat. And that's only part of the journey!

This is one of THE most random and diverse chats that we've every had at randInt podcasts and somehow, there is a thread that ties it all together...

If you've ever wondered what a country actually is? Or what does a geopolitical intelligence forecasting involves. Or why you should/shouldn't get into a van that you can't open the door from the inside, listen on.

The conversation explores the themes of seeing the world differently, saying yes to adventure, spontaneous trips, unexpected experiences, traveling with no expectations, disappointing travel experiences, challenges of traveling in the United States, and final thoughts and recommendations.

[ LINKS ]

• How to pronounce "Czuleger" - https://youtu.be/H1dB88fZva4?si=A7Hlh5axYxvRFz7R
• Eric's book - You Are Not Here - https://amzn.to/3Ut8Qcl
• Beau Miles - The Backyard Adventurer - https://amzn.to/3HNJfne
• Hegel - The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk. https://www.askphilosophers.org/question/1579
• Eric's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eczuleger/

[ TAKEAWAYS ]

• What do you ACTUALLY do in the Peace Corps?
• The power of storytelling to create real-world impact
• Nation-states may change or dissolve, but the nation itself, defined by its people and culture, remains. The Kurds are the largest stateless nation in the world.
• Globalization has made the world more interconnected, and events in one part of the world can have far-reaching effects on other regions.
• The conversation highlights the importance of embracing new experiences and being open to the unexpected when traveling.
• Being open to new experiences and saying yes to adventure can lead to memorable and transformative experiences.

[ CHAPTERS ]

00:00 Introduction and Guest Interview

03:00 Eric's Background and Early Years

07:00 Producing a Play and Joining the Peace Corps

13:00 Teaching in Albania and Cultural Challenges

21:00 Living in Trapoya and Organized Crime

27:00 Teaching English and Language Challenges

30:00 Using Stories to Make an Impact

30:52 Using Theater to Make a Difference

35:35 From Barista to Intelligence Analyst

38:23 Becoming an Author

46:15 Venturing into the Middle East

56:12 Becoming an Intelligence Analyst

01:01:54 Understanding Geopolitical Imperatives

01:07:32 Stateless Nations and Personal Identity

01:08:48 The Kurds and Kurdistan

01:09:25 Finding Purpose in Travel and Writing

01:10:18 The Irony of Statehood

01:13:41 The Allegory of Statehood

01:14:25 Feeling History Happen

01:15:19 The Interconnectedness of the World

01:17:25 The Fallacy of Technology

01:18:56 The Complexity of Globalization

01:20:37 From Teaching to Writing

01:21:47 Discovering Liberland

01:23:17 The World's First Libertarian Micro Nation

01:26:08 The Fear of Karaoke

01:29:11 The Perverse Incentives of Karaoke

01:30:26 From Liberland to Somaliland

01:41:31 Becoming the Ambassador of Liberland to Somaliland

01:42:01 Establishing Diplomatic Relations

01:43:25 Aid Delivery and Crypto Work

01:46:06 Leaving Liberland and Working in Crypto

01:47:09 Living in Albania and the Book

01:48:18 Summary and Takeaways

02:16:40 Seeing the World Differently

02:17:35 Saying Yes to Adventure

02:18:25 Spontaneous Trips

02:19:48 Unexpected Experiences

02:20:28 Traveling with No Expectations

02:21:10 Disappointing Travel Experiences

02:22:48 Challenges of Traveling in the United States

02:23:36 Final Thoughts and Recommendations