Lead with Storytelling | Open Roads Open Hearts Author Interview w/ Rufina Ajalie

In this episode of Lead with Storytelling, I sit down with Rufina Ajalie to talk about her beautiful and expansive book, Open Roads, Open Hearts.

This conversation explores what it means to travel not just across geography, but across identity, memory, and belonging. Rufina shares the deeper story behind the book — the moments of uncertainty, discovery, and human connection that shaped its pages.

We talk about:

• The emotional landscape of movement and migration

• How travel changes the stories we tell about ourselves

• The courage it takes to remain open in unfamiliar places

• Writing as a practice of reflection and return

Open Roads, Open Hearts is ultimately about curiosity — about meeting the world (and ourselves) with attention and generosity.

If you’ve ever felt transformed by a place, a journey, or a conversation with a stranger, this episode will resonate.

—

📖 About the Book

Open Roads, Open Hearts is a deeply reflective exploration of travel, connection, and the stories we carry with us. Rufina invites readers to see movement not as escape, but as encounter — with landscapes, cultures, and the inner self.