Something Wrong With The Podcast

Episode 54: "I'm Back From Europe!!"

Host: Julian Delgado
Release Date: March 31, 2026

Episode Overview

Julian returns from a multi-week trip to Europe, specifically Paris and Barcelona, sharing candid reflections, hilarious anecdotes, and life lessons learned along the way. Setting aside his usual culture critique and hip hop news, Julian uses this episode to process his adventures, the state of American culture in contrast to Europe, travel tips, and the importance of discovery and personal growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why the Trip Happened

• Personal & professional burnout made Julian take a break from content creation.
• An invite from friend and artist Boz (Bas) to join PSG’s (Paris Saint-Germain) recording camp in Paris was a pivotal reason for the trip.
• “The perks of having an incredible artist as a friend is they will sometimes just text you with a proposal. And sometimes it's too sweet to say no to.” (03:38)

Arrival in Paris: First Impressions & Local Culture

• First time in Paris: Julian describes his luxurious arrival, adjusting to Euro mode (espresso, skinny cigarettes, finding an open café), and that magical feeling of traveling.
• Memorable first meal: The local café owner whips up a tuna and arugula baguette for him even though the kitchen was closed.
  • “This is literally the best thing I've ever eaten.” (04:37)
• Julian and Boz spend the day walking Paris, embracing tourist sights but with a uniquely local, spontaneous flair.

PSG Recording Camp Experience

• Unique studio setup: PSG turned private player suites in the stadium into recording studios for a special music collaboration.
• “Each player has their own private suite in the stadium. And what they did…was retrofit those suites for music studio spaces.” (11:09)
• Julian acts as manager, observing the creative process closely.
• Insight into artists' workflow: Producers set up beats on the spot; Boz often has song ideas within 10 minutes—compared to Kanye’s famous melody-first writing style.
  • “On two separate occasions...Boz just looks and goes, oh, I already got something going. Like, how have you been able, in this 10 minutes...We all just heard [the beat].” (15:01)
• Julian notes the professionalism, instant chemistry, and collaborative spirit in the studio—highlighting the value of authenticity over imitation.

The Parisian Solo Traveler Era

• After the camp, Julian extends his stay:
  • “I had to find out how I’m going to extend this trip, which I ended up doing.” (22:31)
• Moves from hotel to a rented apartment, immersing himself in local routines—finding cafés, revisiting favorite spots, embracing the rhythm of the city.
• Museums, especially the Picasso home, feature heavily.
  • “I'm a big museum guy. I hit damn near every museum… huge fan of Picasso’s work.” (20:59)
• Big focus on walking (“I cracked 20,000 steps on five different days”) to fully absorb the everyday Parisian vibe.

Culture Shock & American Reflection

• Contrast with U.S. culture: Julian discusses how much American news and daily stress gets left behind abroad.
  • US media's “America First agenda” and its isolating impact
  • “Our media does…a bad…way of, like, kind of devaluing others, devaluing minorities, obviously that's like the top line. But also like devaluing other customs and cultures—even like white ones. Like, I’m talking about fucking Paris here.” (25:02)
• Striking difference in food quality and health:
  • “I have never felt, like, healthier in terms of, like, gut health…”
  • Advocates for the European, high-standard food system and lambasts U.S. “shrinkflation” and profit-over-people mentality (28:51)
  • “With the amount that I pay on food in New York City… It just doesn’t matter.” (32:12)

Barcelona: Adventure and Everyday Wonders

• Decides to go to Barcelona last-minute, leveraging an old connection from Chicago (who now runs a yoga studio there) to find an apartment via WhatsApp.
  • Embraces traveling alone, mapping the city, and soaking up the street life, museums, and the beach.
• Sanitation and city pride:
  • Amazed by the nightly, intensive street cleaning:
    • “They would spray…the walls, the streets…the sides of the buildings. And then…giant scrub brushes…scrubbing the teeth of the city.” (41:11)
  • Observes virtually no rats, roaches, or street grime compared to U.S. cities.
• Bars and food:
  • Makes friends with bartenders/locals, gets personalized recommendations, and enjoys the city’s embrace of hip hop culture.
  • “It was so cool how much these places embrace hip hop culture. They're playing like Black Star…early Kanye…hard knock life J…” (50:45)

Travel Philosophy: Lessons & Reflections

• Advocates solo travel and “leaning in” to local life over tourist traps.
• Emphasizes taking a chance when adventure feels right, instead of endlessly postponing.
  • “I’m proud of myself for committing to extending the trip and not having a plan and just going off of…what felt right in my soul.” (56:37)
• Importance of writing and documenting experiences—fears forgetting his life, hence journals daily.
• Returning home, he vows to travel more, learn more, and stresses that travel erodes the “America is all that matters” mindset.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“It's easier to suspend all that, you know, back home in America and be like, yeah, like there is more…it's not that different from home, but …what the people here, you know, tend to care about and follow, which is…I think it's deeply important…” (24:47)

“There’s so much more connectivity than there is division.” (26:41)

“With the amount that I pay on food in New York City… It's bad when it's alarming to feel fine with the amount that I've eaten.” (32:20)

“I have, like, the bug, the itch to go back and to continue to explore. And I really focus—this sounds, whatever, sounds gay—but I'm proud of myself for committing to extending the trip.” (56:37)

“So much of what we're told here…and taught to believe…is just not true nor accurate. And it's supposed to make you want to just lean more into being a patriot…when in fact…just go places and you'll see for yourself how ridiculous this fucking place is.” (57:25)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:38] — How Boz’s invitation led to the Paris adventure
• [11:09] — Touring PSG stadium; the musicians’ recording camp in player suites
• [15:01] — Observing Boz’s creative process; spontaneous artistry
• [20:59] — Paris solo travel: museums, cafés, daily walking
• [24:47] — Reflections on media, American culture vs. Europe
• [28:51] — Food quality differences, U.S. “shrinkflation” frustration
• [32:20] — Health and wellness in Europe vs. New York
• [41:11] — Street cleaning and city pride in Barcelona
• [50:45] — Making social connections through food and music
• [56:37] — On following your gut, extending the trip
• [57:25] — Final reflections on travel, learning, and American narratives
• [59:20] — Planning upcoming podcast guests, trip takeaways

Standout Story: "The Taxi Brawl" (Barcelona Departure)

• [60:10] — The last day in Barcelona: Julian nearly misses his flight due to marathon barricades and stumbles into a wild freeway road-rage sequence, with his cab driver and another motorist almost coming to blows. Ends with dramatic water-bottle flinging and a high-speed, nerve-racking exit to the airport.
  • “It was the most stressful ride to the airport. I hated every second of it. And it was too early in the morning and I was too hungover for all that shit to be happening…” (62:50)

Closing Thoughts

Julian ends the episode grateful for his travels, recharged in spirit, newly critical of American consumer/cultural standards, and reaffirmed in his belief in discovery and living outside one's comfort zone. He teases upcoming episodes with more travel stories, possible artist guests (including Boz), and re-emphasizes: go see the world for yourself.

Summary by SWWP Podcast Assistant. For feedback or corrections, DM @swwppod.