Tony Weaver, Jr.‘s superpower is called “weirdo.” When I came across Weaver’s work, I immediately wondered how one’s weirdness impacts travel comfort.

An award-winning writer and educator, Weaver felt weird from an early age. He even attempted suicide, but, fortunately, he eventually embraced being different. Soon he was on a mission to create new media to change the world.

Along those lines, in 2014 he founded Weird Enough Productions. Last year he wrote Weirdo, a graphic novel memoir about a preteen struggling with mental health issues and self-doubt.

Photo courtesy of Weird Enough Productions – Tony Weaver, Jr.

When I interviewed Weaver for Talking Travel, I asked him how a person who felt so different dealt with traveling and becoming comfortable in new surroundings. Was it better, or did it make that feeling worse? Weaver gave his thoughts, along with helpful hints to calm any such feelings. Even if you don’t struggle, travel can still be daunting to some, and Weaver addresses that. He also spoke about traveling the world as he gives speeches, spreading his message of hope.

I told Weaver I felt Weirdo had an even bigger audience than youngsters. The life lessons can be a useful guide to anyone who ever feels out of place.

Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.

— John Wroblewski, online writer