🎙️ The Map Is Alive: 75 Countries, New Voices, and a World Expanding in Real Time
April arrived in motion—across continents, across platforms, and across milestones that feel both expansive and deeply personal.
The biggest headline is one that still feels surreal: Make Your Own Map is now streaming in 75 countries, and what’s unfolding feels bigger than numbers.
🌍 75 Countries. The Map Is Alive.
In the past few weeks alone, the map has expanded across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America, with new listeners joining from:
Just days after welcoming listeners in Iran, Vietnam, and Iraq, the reach continues to grow in real time—each new country a reminder that stories don’t just travel, they connect.
This moment isn’t simply about scale. It is about presence across borders, languages, and lived experience. The map is not just expanding—it is alive.
📺 On Air, In Print, and On Stage
That sense of expansion has carried into every corner of my work this month.
On Jet Set TV, I shared conversations around sailing with Windstar, exploring travel that slows you down just enough to see the world differently. In print, my feature on Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort appears in Pasadena Magazine, highlighting luxury as a gateway to deeper discovery across Central Florida.
https://youtu.be/B920tOemB1s
At the same time, new stories continue to reach audiences through Bored Panda and Deer Valley, extending the conversation across digital platforms in unexpected and exciting ways.
There was also a meaningful moment of recognition with a DotComm Award—earning a Triple Crown—which I celebrated while in Ireland, a place already filled with memory, history, and connection.
🎤 Speaking, Signing, and Showing Up
This month has also been about connection in person and in conversation. From speaking with the Brandeis community in Tucson to signing BRAVE-ish at SXSW, these moments are a reminder that storytelling lives not only online or in print, but in the shared space between people. Each conversation, each book signing, each question asked across a table reinforces why this work matters.
San Jose brought collaboration, reflection, and connection, including time with Carl and witnessing the continued impact of his work.
A special congratulations to Dr. Carl Law, featured in the “Inspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine” series. His leadership through Doctors First Staffing, now celebrating its one-year anniversary, reflects a thoughtful and intentional approach to transforming healthcare staffing with care and purpose.
✈️ Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Italy
The journey continued with the Travel Classics Magazine Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, then on to country #103: Liechtenstein, and time with friends in Italy. I am grateful for the ability to move through the world, to witness, to listen, and to share.
Videos from Travel Classics Ticino are live and more photos, stories and videos coming soon!
💛 Gratitude, Health, and Joy
And yet, the most meaningful update this month has nothing to do with distance traveled. My mom is out of the hospital and was home in time for her birthday. There is no greater milestone than health, and no deeper gratitude than being together. This month, that is the wish—for her and for all of us. More health. More freedom. More joy.
🌎 Looking Ahead
With 75 countries now listening and new voices joining every day, this moment feels both like a milestone and a beginning. The map is alive—and there is so much more to come.
My students are from 13 countries: Australia, Canada, India, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA! Join us on the adventure of travel writing!
THANK YOU for watching my award-winning podcast, Make Your Own Map: Are YOU ready to be BRAVE? It has now been seen and heard in 75 countries on 7 continents.
People always ask me where is it best to buy my book. I recommend you go into or call your favorite local book store and ask them to order it for you and pick it up IN THE STORE! You never know what other treasures you will find. Any bookstore can order my book because my publisher is Post Hill Press and it is distributed by Simon and Schuster. My book is now in the library on Quark Ultramarine, Windstar StarBreeze, NCL Escape and in the store at Dubray bookstore on Grafton in Dublin, Ireland! Brave-ish is available all over the globe!
In her debut book, “Girls®: Generation Z and the Commodification of Everything” Freya India presents a stinging indictment against those she blames for having turned normal girls into GIRLS®, an ideal target market for the social media, pharmaceutical, beauty and online therapy industries.
Three fascinating exhibitions now showing at the Skirball Cultural Center stand on their own, yet together they trace unexpected threads of Jewish identity, memory and cultural reinvention.
For Cate Thurston, the chief curator at the Skirball, the exhibit gives the museum a chance to “explore this sort of underserved story” about the Jewish relationship and participation and crafting the look of punk
Universities are supposed to protect political free speech, but antisemitism stops being protected political expression when Jewish students are targeted, threatened, harassed, and blamed for the actions of the state of Israel.
On this beautiful Sacramento morning, in the face, perhaps in defiance of, so much in the world that is painful, tenuous and deeply troubling, we convened and we lifted up what connects us – the promise of growth and healing, and the potent ability for people to endure, to create change, and to scaffold our communities in justice and truth.
The inaugural World Symposium Against Antizionism reflected a meaningful shift in how some Jewish thinkers and advocates believe the community should engage with the forces arrayed against it.
Security cooperation with Israel protects the United States and American citizens, saves American taxpayers money and helps anchor American military superiority around the world.
Matching the national average, seven out of 10 Dartmouth students refuse to endorse the idea that it is never acceptable to shout down a speaker, and five in 10 say there are instances when it is acceptable to block other students from attending a speech.
There was a time when people in Hollywood had the moral clarity to also defend Jews who were in danger half a world away. My family’s freedom is the direct result of that solidarity.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.
Niver’s Spring News 2026: 75 Countries, New Flags, and a Map That Keeps Expanding
Lisa Ellen Niver
🎙️ The Map Is Alive: 75 Countries, New Voices, and a World Expanding in Real Time
April arrived in motion—across continents, across platforms, and across milestones that feel both expansive and deeply personal.
The biggest headline is one that still feels surreal: Make Your Own Map is now streaming in 75 countries, and what’s unfolding feels bigger than numbers.
🌍 75 Countries. The Map Is Alive.
In the past few weeks alone, the map has expanded across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America, with new listeners joining from:
🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇬 Egypt 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 🇲🇦 Morocco 🇴🇲 Oman
Just days after welcoming listeners in Iran, Vietnam, and Iraq, the reach continues to grow in real time—each new country a reminder that stories don’t just travel, they connect.
This moment isn’t simply about scale. It is about presence across borders, languages, and lived experience. The map is not just expanding—it is alive.
📺 On Air, In Print, and On Stage
That sense of expansion has carried into every corner of my work this month.
On Jet Set TV, I shared conversations around sailing with Windstar, exploring travel that slows you down just enough to see the world differently. In print, my feature on Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort appears in Pasadena Magazine, highlighting luxury as a gateway to deeper discovery across Central Florida.
At the same time, new stories continue to reach audiences through Bored Panda and Deer Valley, extending the conversation across digital platforms in unexpected and exciting ways.
There was also a meaningful moment of recognition with a DotComm Award—earning a Triple Crown—which I celebrated while in Ireland, a place already filled with memory, history, and connection.
🎤 Speaking, Signing, and Showing Up
This month has also been about connection in person and in conversation. From speaking with the Brandeis community in Tucson to signing BRAVE-ish at SXSW, these moments are a reminder that storytelling lives not only online or in print, but in the shared space between people. Each conversation, each book signing, each question asked across a table reinforces why this work matters.
🌴 Stories from the Road: San Jose and Beyond
San Jose brought collaboration, reflection, and connection, including time with Carl and witnessing the continued impact of his work.
A special congratulations to Dr. Carl Law, featured in the “Inspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine” series. His leadership through Doctors First Staffing, now celebrating its one-year anniversary, reflects a thoughtful and intentional approach to transforming healthcare staffing with care and purpose.
✈️ Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Italy
The journey continued with the Travel Classics Magazine Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, then on to country #103: Liechtenstein, and time with friends in Italy. I am grateful for the ability to move through the world, to witness, to listen, and to share.
Videos from Travel Classics Ticino are live and more photos, stories and videos coming soon!
💛 Gratitude, Health, and Joy
And yet, the most meaningful update this month has nothing to do with distance traveled. My mom is out of the hospital and was home in time for her birthday. There is no greater milestone than health, and no deeper gratitude than being together. This month, that is the wish—for her and for all of us. More health. More freedom. More joy.
🌎 Looking Ahead
With 75 countries now listening and new voices joining every day, this moment feels both like a milestone and a beginning. The map is alive—and there is so much more to come.
Learn more about my events: click here and my articles here
Want to travel more? I have a Travel Writer 101 class on Udemy.
My students are from 13 countries: Australia, Canada, India, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA! Join us on the adventure of travel writing!
THANK YOU for watching my award-winning podcast, Make Your Own Map: Are YOU ready to be BRAVE? It has now been seen and heard in 75 countries on 7 continents.
Have you heard my recent podcast episodes?
WATCH my podcast, “MAKE YOUR OWN MAP: ” on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Podcast, Google Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Anchor, Pandora & iHeart Radio
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?
Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I now have over 2.7 Million views on YouTube! (now at: 2,710,468).
I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE
Find me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow me on social @LisaNiver TikTok, X Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, BlueSky and at LisaNiver.com.
Do you LOVE my book BRAVE-ish? PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW!! Click here to go directly to rate or review BRAVE-ish on Amazon (now at 66 reviews. Help me get to 75) You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Post Hill Press, Target, Walmart, BookShop, BAM! and wherever you get your audiobooks!
People always ask me where is it best to buy my book. I recommend you go into or call your favorite local book store and ask them to order it for you and pick it up IN THE STORE! You never know what other treasures you will find. Any bookstore can order my book because my publisher is Post Hill Press and it is distributed by Simon and Schuster. My book is now in the library on Quark Ultramarine, Windstar StarBreeze, NCL Escape and in the store at Dubray bookstore on Grafton in Dublin, Ireland! Brave-ish is available all over the globe!
You can also find me now on SUBSTACK!
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review
The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
Boring, Very Boring
Does This Count? – A poem for Parsha Nasso
A Bisl Torah — Keep Searching
Ruth, Naomi, Mara, Maror, Meir and Elisha ben Abuyah
A Moment in Time: “Hmm, That Isn’t Right”
Print Issue: The Rise of Magen Am | May 22, 2026
When Everything Becomes a Product—Including Girlhood
In her debut book, “Girls®: Generation Z and the Commodification of Everything” Freya India presents a stinging indictment against those she blames for having turned normal girls into GIRLS®, an ideal target market for the social media, pharmaceutical, beauty and online therapy industries.
Rebels, Superheroes and Family Ghosts: Three Skirball Exhibitions on Jewish Reinvention
Three fascinating exhibitions now showing at the Skirball Cultural Center stand on their own, yet together they trace unexpected threads of Jewish identity, memory and cultural reinvention.
Gabba Gabba Oy!
For Cate Thurston, the chief curator at the Skirball, the exhibit gives the museum a chance to “explore this sort of underserved story” about the Jewish relationship and participation and crafting the look of punk
Antisemitism Isn’t Hiding— It’s Evolving on UC Campuses
Universities are supposed to protect political free speech, but antisemitism stops being protected political expression when Jewish students are targeted, threatened, harassed, and blamed for the actions of the state of Israel.
Recognizing Jewish Heritage Month
On this beautiful Sacramento morning, in the face, perhaps in defiance of, so much in the world that is painful, tenuous and deeply troubling, we convened and we lifted up what connects us – the promise of growth and healing, and the potent ability for people to endure, to create change, and to scaffold our communities in justice and truth.
From Antisemitism to Antizionism: Toronto Symposium Marks a New Era in Jewish Advocacy
The inaugural World Symposium Against Antizionism reflected a meaningful shift in how some Jewish thinkers and advocates believe the community should engage with the forces arrayed against it.
AJU Honors Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson at Gala Marking 25-Year Legacy
A leading voice in Conservative Judaism, Artson has long shaped Jewish thought and leadership far beyond the walls of AJU.
Ancient Glory: Mediterranean Sea Bass
I especially love the way Kalamata olives play against fish, adding a perfectly intense and satisfying umami profile.
Shalom Everybody ft. Lauren Kagan
Fakesgiving Desserts and Drinks
It’s a reminder that gathering with friends and family over a big meal can be done any time of year.
Table for Five: Nasso
Repentance And Restitution
Israel Is Not America’s Client. It Is America’s Forward Defense Partner
Security cooperation with Israel protects the United States and American citizens, saves American taxpayers money and helps anchor American military superiority around the world.
The Rise of Magen Am
How a Chabad rabbi built a community security movement in Los Angeles.
Rosner’s Domain | Bibi and the Meatheads
Netanyahu and his base have held power for most of three decades, yet in spirit, they are still raging against the condescending elites.
What Daisy Taught Me
Students Seem Determined to Illustrate That ‘The Coddling of the American Mind’ Is Still Relevant
Matching the national average, seven out of 10 Dartmouth students refuse to endorse the idea that it is never acceptable to shout down a speaker, and five in 10 say there are instances when it is acceptable to block other students from attending a speech.
Heroines of Oct. 7 on Stage and Livestream
A new women-to-women production, called “HEROINES! Songs & Soliloquies for the Soul.”
J Street: All Tough, No Love
Slinging criticism without responsibility and spewing all complaints all the time, is barn-burning, not bridge-building.
The Sacred Ride of Francis Salvador
In Debt to Hollywood
There was a time when people in Hollywood had the moral clarity to also defend Jews who were in danger half a world away. My family’s freedom is the direct result of that solidarity.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.