Have you experienced any of these challenges while traveling or living abroad? How did you deal with them? Vote in the poll: bit.ly/3yPpcP5 This video was brought to you by Xolo: bit.ly/XoloTWK
Thanks for this video. We drove for 6 weeks straight through Mexico and US and experienced many of the struggles you mentioned. I would add two additional issues we had: 1. Getting sick during a pandemic on foreign soil. Not knowing if it's Covid (despite vaccination), if we needed to go to a hospital or get medical care while on travel insurance, not being able to go out anywhere, because they take your temperature to enter a hotel, supermarket, mall or restaurant in Mexico, for instance. 2. Traveling with a pet (small dog) makes it twice as hard due to pet restrictions, extra hotel fees, lack of facilities for pets, dealing with the pet's anxiety or illness (e.g. diarrhea due to new food/water) during travel. Getting a pet health certificate to travel abroad was another hassle we didn't expect. We moved from US to Spain and love it here. We will take just day trips from now on. ;)
These challenges are not confined to the nomadic or peregrinative lifestyle. Incorporating a daily discipline can help to establish a balance in life and a lasting peace. A discipline such as archery, yoga, sailing, or writing and the endeavor to practice that discipline well. I read as a discipline and reading helps to establish peace in my own life. Despite the volatile tempestuous waters of life that may become difficult to navigate, I've a compass that points toward magnetic north and disciplines my course. Still my life is adrift and in shambles and more than ever I cling to that I've always known to guide me, reading.
Don't know if I can be considered a digital nomad. I am given usually a project for two years which I need to find a place(Airbnb then renting a flat) and assimilate at some point. Then the cycle goes again to be uprooted and take another project elsewhere for two years.
@@Felionine You’re so welcome, Ulla. Those are very good points. I forgot to mention anything about healthcare. Thank you for sharing your experience! And yes, traveling with pets can add a lot of complexity
I am an introvert and that adds an extra layer of anxiety. Part of the reason I travel is to get out of my comfort zone. For me it's healthy. It forces me to do things I would avoid. It forces me to be healthier. Rather than sit at home in front of the computer all day, I am forced to get out there and do things. And the fact that you're in a new country makes you want to get out there and do things. I travel slow...2-3 months per place. I learn what works for me in those places. And if I ever want to visit them again, I fully know what to expect and can integrate very quickly.
@@rick-be You are correct in some ways I think. The past 2 years have shown this I am sure. But I think most places will keep their general atmosphere and the people will be as friendly as ever. If one area changes a little too much, you can probably find something more comfortable in a different part of the city/country. I hope things don't change too much, and once things are settled down I hope travel will be even better than before.
The first time I traveled solo, I was gone for four months. I was supposed to be gone for seven, but I thought I really needed to see my people. I went home early and within 24 hours, I wished I was traveling again. It is such a weird tension to live in ... longing for deep relationships and longing to see the world. Being a high touch person, this is a particularly difficult one. I haven't figured it all out just yet. 🙂
I cannot stress enough how much I see myself in this text. I am giving up traveling for a while, because I am longing for a stable base in my home country first. I am done traveling solo (for studies or work). Relationships are more important to me than anything, I felt so lonely in my last 5 month stay in Spain, and I feel so foreign and different.
The one piece of advice you will hear over and over - is that the feeling of being homesick, must be pushed through. So many people recount stories of nearly landing at their home airport and realizing this was a huge mistake.
Common stereotype would say someone who is excessively traveling is messed up in their head one way or another , but you bring a really grown up perspective and attitude to it that is not at all arrogant or annoying. It's refreshing what you bring to this "category / genre" of videos. No clickbait and legitimately valuable for the interested viewer 👍
I have never heard the "common stereotype" that someone who is excessively traveling is "messed up in the head " unless who ever said this really cant see that people who want to travel want to learn and explore and experience everything they can in this life and have fun and seems like theyre saying this from an ignorant closed minded view... I really dont know how that is messed up in the head to want to be more worldy and open minded. I think, if anything is messed up it is staying in your hometown for the rest of your life and never leaving never exploring something new... that is actually messed up. And not natural imo. But normal in "modern day society" people are meant to be nomadic. I think thats where alot of depression and anxiety can stem from is not moving and being bored in the same place for a long time. People need to move, explore and experience new things often...
The only people who are messed up in the head are people doing a 9 to 5 job with 4 weeks holiday and a mortgage... now that is really screwed up... Being a digital nomad is also ridiculous. Any serious job needs so many hours a day. I suggest having a lot of money 💰... it makes travel very easy... 😊.
I felt really lonely at different points in my life traveling alone. So when I planned to move to Costa Rica I worried that I would experience the same loneliness. To my pleasant surprise, actually putting down roots as an ex-pat gave me the opportunity to become part of a community that I didn't know existed when I was just traveling.
I travelled solo through India and SE Asia for 6 months. Had a blast, met loads of people, travelled with many. Fast forward a few years - no contact anymore. Friendships made during carefree travel didn't survive the pressures of real life. Most of them were running from something. I had just taken time off from work. They were counting their last pennies so they could stay away as long as possible. Just as money runs out, so do visas, and reality back home is what awaited them all.
Hi Carl... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for this real-life perspective. Did you have to start your savings and career from scratch again after being away for such a long time??? No idea whether I should quit my job, get up and GO at some point in my life or just do it the "right" way, stay with a good job, keep steady savings, and go on 3-4 vacation weeks per year. Travel bloggers show all the highlights but NO ONE shares what that first year back is like after running out of money and coming back home to the "real world." How hard is it to get a job with a gap in your resume? How many years to build your savings back up? Do friends and family feel distant because you missed out on things? Are you glad to look back on memories or do you become discontent once you've lived the wild and free months but are now "stuck" at home again?
Very good thoughts, and appreciated. Most don't realize the incredible time we live in. Reminds me of that expression, "Be careful what you wish for." The fortunate folks in First World Countries (as you mention) have an abundant life beyond anything prior generations could have imagined. Most of them struggled daily to obtain basic needs and leisure time was mostly a phenomenon associated with the wealthy . Paradoxically, now that many have extra time, food and wealth we're seeing problems never anticipated and some of these are very serious both in terms of mental and physical health. I have found it helpful to try and live a life more similar to that of our distant ancestors (with many exceptions, of course). Eating one or two meals a day, plenty of exercise, days that include routines and provide a sense of purpose, ample sunshine especially in the mornings and so on. I'll be launching a nomadic lifestyle soon, and I hope to include local volunteer work in those places where I'll have longer stays. It's incredibly fortunate to have the historically-unheard of opportunity to choose where to live, when to work, how to live, what and when to eat and so-on. It amazing.
This isn't the case for everyone. Even in first world countries, there are many people who cannot live this lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Health issues and family obligations are probably the top two that are very difficult to get around.
I travel mostly for pleasure. Even though I tend to fly business class, I never enjoy my time in the airport nor traveling to/from the airport to my destination. It’s an exhausting experience to me. And yet no matter how enjoyable the trip, I always look forward to sleeping in my own bed in my tiny one bedroom apartment when I get home.
Well said! Flying business class always helps, but nothing beats being in your own bed. I always like to unpack immediately when I get back so it's off my to-do list the next day. Sometimes you just need a vacation from your vacation...
@Andrea Giraldo Fortunately I tend to pack lean ‘n mean. Just a carry-on and luggage that will fit in the overhead. I try to never have to check any kind of luggage.
Everything has it up and down, cross and pros. That is life! You have to learn to feel good anywhere you are. Happiness comes from inside 🤩. Love this. Great channel 🌸😍. Cheers from a Spanish living in Norway 🇳🇴
Very good insights. I also was dying to get out of Florida but now kinda miss it. I’ve not had a longterm home for most of my life (grew up moving with family every few years, but Florida is ironically the place I probably lived the most years). I’ve found that slow travel is best-I move somewhere, get jobs, etc. stay for a few years. I can’t imagine the whole jet set thing where people go to a bunch of countries in a few weeks. It sounds awful actually. I also have FOMO of just gardening and having a couch and bathtub and normal life hahaha. I like getting to know the countryside & people and I’m not doing it for tourist reasons-the deep secret is I’ve always been looking for a home & community, but haven’t found anywhere I want to stay permanently as a home base. I don’t fit in anywhere. Sometimes I get stuck in places but I always have adventures & try to really find the good everywhere. Maybe I’m a bit spoiled and I’ve definitely gotten to the point where I just want to split my time between my 2-3 favorite cities year round now. Dating & friends are excruciatingly hard because some people really shut down and won’t even give you a chance if you aren’t in their day to day interaction schedule, or they are so “spontaneous” that they won’t commit. I’d like to find long term people to travel with, but most people either wouldn’t consider leaving their hometown or are too into extreme adrenaline or constant travel stuff, or don’t want long term relationships. I don’t want to skydive or go to really dangerous places. But the world is so amazing that I can’t imagine settling down, either. I’m also tired of always starting new jobs. But I never regret the adventures I’ve had! And I feel pretty equipped to deal with all sorts of things because I’ve had to survive all kinds of trouble on my own. It’s a mixed bag but that’s life! 😎
Dating and friends definitely are hard and you are so right about the fact that people kind of look at you like an outsider unless they fit into their day to day routine which is super hard if you aren't around long. I like to tell people I have learned to be an excellent one night stand... both in a dating way and in a friendship way, but that is often because the people who are actually willing to let you in are sort of that "spontaneous" type you mention. It's definitely a mixed bag of great adventures and missed opportunities to have deep relationships. You are so right about it being an excellent way to equip yourself for all kinds of situations. I actually have my Master's in Disaster Management, so I look at this lifestyle on the road as kind of an extension of this extension of always being ready for crisis. I think I'm ready to be a slow traveler like you!
Thanks for commenting, wildflowers! You speak of someone who has very extensive experience in the slow travel lifestyle. Life is a mixed bag, for sure! But out of all of the options, I would choose our set of travel problems any day ;) i’m really interested to see if things change in the next few years with millions more people entering the lifestyle. Maybe we will come full circle and feel like one global community where everyone fits in
OMG I cannot believe how accurate this video is. I have honestly felt and dealt with all the things you are talking about. I've lived in 24 countries in the last 3 years and although it started like so much fun, 3 years later I just feel unrooted and miss having deep connected relationships. In life you win some, you lose some. Nobody's got it perfect
Hey Bianca.. on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
THANK YOU FOR THIS. This video is helping me process now moving to Florida, when we were planning on living in Spain for a few years. I need to paint. I need my stuff. I need my friends. Thank you Lady. A big fan!
This should be the video anyone who is considering full-time travel or becoming location independent should watch! I really like videos like this where you present full honesty about something which more and more people are wanting to this day. Although I have not been a full-time traveler (at least not yet for me), I know that one of my friends has had experienced burnout before when it comes to travel. I have been hearing more and more about slow travel and how beneficial it is with enabling you to be more integrated in the culture and meeting new people. Awesome video!
Thanks Scott, always great to read your comments! I like having these heart-to-hearts with you guys about topics that people usually sugar coat. It’s important to be real and address the challenges of long-term travel. Fortunately there’s a solution for everything and these are pretty good “problems” to have, all things considered! :)
Good Vid. I travel on my boat. I always feel at home when travelling, sleeping in my bed, having all my things along. Room for a mate. The slowest way to travel. Home office, travel vehicle, party joint all in one. For me its ideal. Big sailing community everywhere I go.
Boat life and van life definitely have the benefits of keeping the comforts of home with you! The Sailing community also seems very close knit. I've had a few of them on my podcast www.badassdigitalnomads.com/sailing-the-world-with-sailing-ruby-rose/
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much! That is great to hear. Sometimes it's hard to tell if my videos are getting better unless I look at the old ones 😂 Glad you are still hanging around!
I'm Canadian and I've been living in Australia for the past 9 years where I've set down roots and I actually like my job. I'm a bit nervous about purchasing a one-way ticket to Central America but also excited. I couldn't agree more with all the valid points you've made in this video. Thanks for the reminder!
Great video! Suggestions and lessons from my journey. Travel is either your yin or yang. It is either your natural self or a secondary dimension of your self. Seek-out your yin and yang. Routines and extemporaneous living (through travel); nurturing old friendships and meeting new friends from chance encounters; structured work and times when we can scoff at work as a social construct; having to deal with difficult people at work or at home and being able to walk away from anyone who isn’t your cup of tea. In other words, discovering your yin and yang. Secondly and lastly, many nomads are people who prefer solitude...are genetically predisposed to solitude. There are a couple of books on this subject. If you identify as such, know that the nomadic lifestyle fits you well because you don’t need a heavy social calendar (your yin) and that as a member of a social species you need to feel connected to real people (and not virtual people only)...your yang. This programming in our genes is not something that can be erased no matter how much someone tries. It takes acknowledgement and then effort to care for each of these areas that comprise the complexity of you.
Great advice, Dean, and thank you so much for leaving this comment! I talk a bit more about this balance that we must all find in the podcast version of this topic that will be out next week on Badass Digital Nomads. I’m not sure if I’ve ever achieved the optimal balance, but I will keep trying!
Great video. I have a two year plan to move to Spain and travel Europe, this really brings clarity to challenges I will most likely face while living abroad. Thank you for your insight!
Those are all great points and deserve lots more planning and maybe a little soul searching. I plan to start traveling couple months in one location initially and return home. It will take more than couple months to really know a new place and I like to take my time to soak up the culture. Thanks and enjoy your time back in Florida.
thanks Kristen...this is spot on¬ loneliness is the hardest because then it doesn't matter how beautiful or special a place is I just want to go lay down....reinventing the purpose of my vision is a must.
I liked all of your comments. Traveling to over 40 countries, I also learned a few things about my behavior: 1 - Every time I felt alone, I asked myself: "Have I been open to people, have I been nice and considerate to them, have I talked to them frankly, openly, honestly and without imposing barriers? Or was I just one person who was afraid to take a chance, waiting for someone to pull me out of my shell? In this matter, I've found that I'm a more open person after a glass of wine. 2 - Those who travel, need to be aware of their own prejudices. I cannot look at a people, a country, comparing with my country, with my people. 3 - I can't complain about dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction gives the impetus for several changes to take place. I need to learn to live with dissatisfaction. 4 - I don't travel to have peace or just pleasure, but to broaden my way of seeing the world. Bad experiences can prove to be huge learnings. I'd rather risk having bad experiences than find peace or pleasure. Um abraço do Brasil!
Hi Kristin. My wife and I recently took on the Nomad lifestyle. We combined with the One-Meal-a-Day lifestyle so we call ourselves Nomads on OMAD. We are in our early 60's and are in the best shape and spirit of our lives. So we sold our house of 30 years in California and decided to move to Spain, from where we are planning to visit the old continent. Unfortunately, when we made the decision to do that, Spain was closed for Americans, so we had to wait, starting in May. We decided to kick start our new lifestyle in Mexico, and we brought our little Chihuahua. We recognize all of the issues you describe, but having a dog with you makes it even worse. We kept our spirits up, and travel from California to Jalisco and back up to the US, Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, and eventually New Jersey. Here we finally sold our car and traveled here to Spain, all while keeping out intermittent fasting. It was hard, exhausting, and stressful, and we would change a few things, but we loved it! I have a TH-cam channel and have posted two videos: Nomad on Omad, Mexico, and Spain. Here are the links: th-cam.com/video/U3ETDJhDXg4/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/0HpjKkY53vg/w-d-xo.html
Hi Juan, that is quite a journey! I’ve tried doing one meal a day but I like food too much 😋 make sure to take some time to relax between traveling and making videos! I hope your little doggie is liking the new scenery, too. :)
@@TravelingwithKristin You are very kind. We are now in Andalucía, trying to get settled with Spanish residency. Once that is done, we intend to travel around Spain and eventually all of Europe. We love Spain already. We also noticed in one of your videos that you think of Spain as one of the best places to live. We agree! will continue to check your videos, which are very informative. Thanks for your work.
Another great evergreen video. In the category of logistical challenges, you could add phone service (local SIM cards), avoiding ATM fees and money management in general, maintaining a residential address in the States (needed for KYC banking and crypto), and what will surely be a logistical issue the next few years: Covid restrictions.
Excellent insights into the reality of traveling and also how fortunate we are that we live in these times when traveling is so easy. I definitely feel all the points you mentioned, especially missing on friends and family's important moments in life ... I would also add one more to your list, that when a family member is sick, is sometimes impossible to get to them on time. Unfortunately when my mom passed away, it took me three flights and two days to get to her. On the positive note, I totally love your minimal living. It's so much better to collect life long experiences than things. And although I love gardening and cooking in my own home, I think people who always have the luxury of staying in one place, never experience how flexible life can be. Kudos to you that you have made it possible for so long and giving such great insights to all of us.
Thank you, Gvisda! I’m glad you were able to relate and good point about being far from friends and family. That is always very hard. I talked about that in a video about coming back to the US and how I was fortunate to be here when my grandma passed away. Although I like cooking and gardening, too, I like to balance it with wanderlust :)
Hi Kristin! Thanks for your comprehensive eye-opener on the challenges, realities, and rewards of sustained full-time living as a traveler. Your very well informed long-term experiences are illuminating and helpful!
@@TravelingwithKristin Thanks Kristin! I'm glad that I have the opportunity to learn from and share insights with you and other members of this community.
For the past 14 years, I've been a professional travel photographer, and I've been a digital nomad living out of a suitcase for 8+ years now, organizing and leading small group tours around the world, but it's a little different for me because for 8 - 9 months per year I'm moving around every 2 to 4 nights on assignment, scouting or with my groups, packing and unpacking, constantly planning hotels and Airbnbs and navigating planes, trains and automobiles. When there isn't a pandemic I'm on 45 - 50 flights per year, which gets really old (oh, and then there's the jet lag). A lot of people think I have the ultimate job, which of course I do (haha), but it's not perfect. For a long time, I've been searching for a woman interested in a long-term relationship who'd like to be a part of my business, but it just hasn't happened. When they see what my life is really like they quickly realize I'm not at all on vacation. I'm hoping to slow things down in the next 2 - 3 years and to be in one place for at least 2 - 3 months at a time (Greece, Portugal, Spain, Georgia, South America), but still moving around the world experiencing as much as possible.
I can see these things are so true. I love the quotes too! My husband and I used to feel rushed to hit tourist sites during our vacations. For the next chapter of our life, we wanna take it slow and experience different culture. Thank you, Kristin.
Hi you... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I joined an online exercise class from back home. It was nine hours earlier there, so they were mid-morning while I was mid-evening, but it was very grounding to connect with people I knew (I had been in the class IRL before it went online). It also gave me the chance to tell friends what I was doing and seeing in my new life overseas without doing the whole social media thing.
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Hey Kristin, kudos to you for talking about these real struggles. I’ve definitely struggled with the whole decision making and admin surrounding logistics (flights, visas etc) and loneliness or feeling overwhelmed as a female solo digital nomad. But after a while, I realized that slow travel suits me best and since then I have adjusted my digital nomad lifestyle to align with my personal needs. Oh and got myself a husband who now handles all the logistics 😅.
spot on, very well done. One thing I've gravitated towards the last few years is similar to your advice about slowing down - but more just picking my rotational spots. After quite some time travelling you mostly realize where you like to be, so instead of 8+ new countries a year, now I mostly travel 2-3 times per year to 9-10 cities around the world I go back to that aren't necessarily 'home', but I've lived in multiple times and are familiar for me with established social circles, with maybe one 'new' place mixed in. Also - hobbies are a must. For me skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing. A very common theme I see with people who don't have some activity to ground them is they just end up partying all the time. Fun for awhile, but not a sustainable focus of decade+ travel.
Thank you, Bryan. I completely agree with your tips! Thank you for sharing. Having healthy hobbies that don’t involve drinking while socializing is really important. A lot of people who hang out with tourists on vacation end up partying more than they would otherwise. The tourists leave and go back to their daily routines but there are always new travelers coming through. It sounds like you have attained a really good balance of slow travel and healthy activities. Keep it up!
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I'd like to think that my "warning" comment on your other video a couple days ago partially inspired this one. 😊 Great insights and advice that will be helpful for a lot of people. I had that thought about Anthony Bourdain too.
This one has been in the works for a while but most of my video ideas come from you all! If a lot of people ask about the same thing, I try to make a video about it as soon as possible. Thanks for contributing to the community! #twktraveltribe
Thank you very much for your honesty! I lived in several countries and can only agree to what you say! Social media is misleading when it promotes only coolness in being a continuous traveler.
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
@@TravelingwithKristin I think it's awesome that you ended on positive vibes. Saying that travels are a good thing, just not a fix for every single thing wrong in your life. I totally agree with you.
Hey Kristin! I really like how honest and forthcoming you are about the negative aspects of the nomad lifestyle as well as the positive. Not only that, you do a great job of making suggestions of how to manage and overcome these life issues and feelings. Thanks for being real and supportive in your advice! 👍
Hi Wendy... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I love this video, so real and raw and vulnerable. I’m coming up to my one year digital nomad anniversary and I relate to all of the aspects you talk to. Thanks for sharing 🙏
Another informative video...Something I've felt is what I call reverse culture shock!! Have you talked about culture shock in general? Well, it is real and after a year in France I felt it...In the beginning all is new, you are busy getting set up and discovering/figuring things out and then BAM...It hits...Isolation, sadness and feeling like a fish out of water! Then you adapt, figure things out, meet people and start to feel better! And after...Trip back 'home' ...It's great, but you start to miss your new/different life and culture!! Hence, reverse culture shock!! Really worth discussing!
Hi Tamara, hank you for the kind words. I’m so glad you enjoyed the video and that is a great suggestion! I have talked about reverse culture shock with my relocation clients and in my talks and workshops and I also touched on it on the video about moving back to the US after living abroad. But I should probably make a separate video just about that and strategies for overcoming it. Very important topic
Hey Mark... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your thoughts and practical, experienced insights !!! Perpetual travelers often seem to be fleeing from themselves, spending their best years intentionally avoiding any roots. Then comes the day when they ask themselves: Who am I and where am I ?? Often no answer follows... Seneca's quote "That which you seek to live well is found everywhere" nails it down: Stay put and make the world a better place where you already are !!
Thanks Kristin, I agree that we all need a vacation but sometimes it's better to not do anything at all. But traveling at least give the change of pace and the culture and food is different and good from each place but from everybody I know basically buy so much as they turn their house into a storage shed since they are never home
Hi Alla... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Yes. This is all true. For me it's important to travel as slowly as I can, because otherwise I get tired of the constant travel planning and prep. So I'm basically living almost the same life as a nomad that I had in San Francisco. The main differences are: I have less stuff. I have a language barrier. And my cost of living is lower.
Hi Kristin, Thanks for recommending this video to me. Well, as you know, hard core traveling is complex, and I am not referring to logistics but to the philosophical, spiritual and personal issues. First, in my following comments I am just going to leave out the "as you know" part as I would have to put it in every sentence. Being into philosophy and a long term hard core traveler you know (thought I was not going to say that) travel has so much to offer in so many ways. The wide variety of experiences are enlightening, fun and wisdom building all by themselves. But, as you say, you have to ask yourself why you are traveling sometimes. Sometimes we are masking some sort of pain and sometimes our travel creates new pains we did not have before. But you know what, that is fine. Travel is still the best cure I know for what ails you. Now, as to loneliness, yeah there is that if you are a solo traveler. There is that if you are a solo anything. And frankly, I am really bummed by all the unbelievable experiences I have had but no one to share them with. Still, if you get into some Buddhist philosophy and meta-physics from guys like Eckhart Tolle and Alan Watts (just to name a few) they may well do a good job of convincing you that being alone is your ultimate best bet and that your loneliness is an illusion being experienced by your ego and not your real self. In fact, they might argue that your real self is not a self at all but an inter-connected presence. That aside, I still get lonely at times although I am getting better at it. Besides, do you have any idea just how hard it is to find someone so closely aligned with yourself that all the compromises of a relationship would be worth it (of course you do)? If you can't find someone who so closely parallels you that it seems like magic, then I think you (and me and everyone) is probably better off alone. When I think about that, how much sacrifice of yourself a relationship requires. being alone is not so bad. Sooner or later a relationship may not be the sum of two entities but the difference (subtraction) of one entity from another. It ain't simple. Pros and cons to everything. Besides more and more people are not interested in bringing kids into this world. Lots of women I know are no longer interested in motherhood. Same with fatherhood for men. But what go me here was your response to my comment that my efforts to rid off all my stuff (hobbies, hobbies, hobbies!) had proven difficult. I identify with a lot of the stuff I own because most of it has played an important part in my life. All kinds of art stuff, gardening, carpentry, electronics, books, camping, welding and tools, tools and tools just to name a few. But they all prevent me from traveling freely and they all have babies sooner or later (more artwork, more tools, etc.) No space for all that junk and, most important, I am a slave to it. I may love it but I am still a slave to it and it clutters not only your house but also your head. Still, so many years and so much satisfaction from using that stuff has made it difficult. Plus, there is no small investment in all that stuff. But then I realized I have already gotten my return on that stuff. It all met a need at the time I bought it and it all got used for both practical needs but also entertainment. Now, though, it is hindering my entertainment and quality of life. I have finally gotten to the point where I realize that most of that stuff goes unused most of the time and having it keeps me from doing other more rewarding things. So I think after my trip to Portugal in two weeks and my trip to Mexico at the end of October I will come back and get rid of the stuff. Wish me luck.
Hi Robert! Thank you so much for sharing your insights and experiences as well. I understand that it can be difficult to be lonely at time and that's great that you are getting better at it. Safe travels to you and I wish you good luck! :)
Hi Robert... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I like your body of work. Having traveled for work for 17 years more than 1/2 time with extended stays abroad, I have experienced the eight points mentioned. I too have found your four tips extremely helpful. Also, your presence is lovely. Thanks for doing what you do.
Hi Stephen... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the video Kristin? So well said, even if I've never travelled a lot and always had a desire to spend 1-2 years traveling around the world, the things you mentioned were among the ones stopping from it. We are a different generation, young people now are better equipped with so many digital nomads including you, lots of helpful information on TH-cam.
Hi you... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Heyy you, on my latest film, I explain the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Hey Jay... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Hi, Kristen thank you for all the good videos. I've watched many different vlogger posts and yours are exceptional. (This one triggered me to finally subscribe to one.) I'm comparatively new to this, I've been a remote worker, abroad, for 18 months now and have experienced two of the challenges you highlighted. Mild loneliness and FOMO of things going on back home. I've tried a couple of nomad networks (for loneliness) but haven't found the right one yet. I've settled on taking one-day or half-day small group tours. It's a nice way to meet people. The FOMO "is what it is," I look at it as taking the good with the bad. In the end, I'd rather be doing what I'm doing and can always fly home if I really want to be there for something. We're a very fortunate group. Thank you again, for the substantive and relevant videos : ) Have you done one on traveling as an older person? Know any other vloggers/bloggers that do?
Hi Steve! Welcome aboard my channel! Thanks for subscribing and I am glad you resonated with my content. I actually have a video interview with Palle Bo on Becoming a Digital Nomad in Your 50's---you might want to check it out: th-cam.com/video/db59b1L0pc0/w-d-xo.html
wow.. great advice. I like the fact that you reference our ancestral heritage; You're correct, we're genetically predisposed to live, communicate, socialize, and work in certain ways and we can't ignore that even with the modern technology to travel.
This was a very solid video. You made several valid points. I’m thinking of the stark difference between the very fast moving pace of GABRIEL TRAVELER and the “slow travel” of Vagabond Awake. I’m more a fan of slow traveling. Really soak up a destination and then move on when it feels right. I agree that knowing your why is always a wise thing. The concept I have been contemplating is being like a four seasons Snowbird lol! Let’s say every season you move on to another country/area of the world all the while building circles of relationships and connecting with these same people once a year every year in different parts of the world. I think it could be a very rich and fulfilling lifestyle.
For sure. I have been a digital nomad Snowbird myself. But also a Digital Nomad snowboarder! Moving around seasonally is a great strategy.Thanks for sharing your insights with us!
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Hey Bill, on my latest film, I explain the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I am an solo traveler living in hawaii, and now traveling in antigua Guatemala. I plan to stay here for six months. I study four hours Spanish at my school. It help me to do something interesting and not be bored with my trip.
So true, there are so many struggles when travelling. Making money, booking the trip, long flights, packing issues, housing problems, language barriers, confusion, getting lost but everyone only posts the best parts. I always get a massage wherever I go in order to relax a bit haha
Hi Sophie... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
A lot of people back home think I'm "living the dream" by living on a Greek island as I do & working online. Yes, in some ways I am, and I wouldn't change it, but it can be surprisingly lonely at times. I try to keep myself busy, but I'm a foreigner here and whilst I don't mind that (as I can't really do anything to change it) it can sometimes be a drag and a feeling of being "different" follows me around. I also sometimes forget I'm on a Greek island, mainly because I am alone I spent too much time in front of the computer. Thanks for the good video (and the Socrates quote).
Very relatable, Stewart. Did you see the video about what I dislike about living abroad where I talked about having that same feeling in Greece? One of the challenges of remote work is how much time we spend on our computers compared to before, when the Internet wasn’t so good. My screen time has definitely increased in the years that I’ve been traveling…
@@TravelingwithKristin That's right Kristin, and while I realise many foreign countries are similar, there have been numerous occasions here where being a foreigner has definitely not worked in my favour. That said, the positives outweigh the negatives, but sometimes these factors can come as an unpleasant shock to wide-eyed 'dreamers' who choose to live here. I guess that's the difference between living somewhere and being on holiday.
As much as learning is the greatest on my book; awareness of a few realities made me unable to be fully accepted on non-travelers group (or accept the group) Still love it, but much more aware of being the odd cat in the bag. And when meeting a fellow traveler, it's like an automatic love connection..I dont know you, I dont know what y"ve been thru, but I know we have a lot in common. Thanks for sharing y thoughts on it! I would love to one day grab a coffee with you to share stories and see your un person interactions! Like with many travelers, a sit down with a coffee lasts forever in our memories. Love your videos!
Thank you Rodrigo! I really cherish that common bond that all travelers have and I think that everyone here on the channel is a friend I just haven’t met in person, yet ;)
Happiness is found everywhere when you are happy inside. The mood within can change the way we see and perceive things. The rest is the icing on the cake.
Hi Luigi... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I'm also a traveler. What I learnt is that Dating or building a relationship with someone depends on your personality and attitude not traveling!! When building a relationship becomes hard, do introspection and change your attitude to achieve a permanent relationship that leads to marriage. Moving to another location doesn't change your dating lifestyle, your attitude does.
Have a nomad base. Or more than one? I am based in Bansko. Lots of nomads, many friendly recognisable faces when you return, a community feel, it's cheap to continue renting your apartment even when you travel ($250 pm) so you can keep 'stuff' if you want to. Travel around, come back for a month, reset, travel some more etc.
Hi you... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
This is a loaded topic and thank you Kristin for lining out some of the issues. At the moment I am in a hotel room in Athens by myself. I had a great time exploring the country for 3 weeks with a friend. We were together 24/7 for almost that whole time. However, as much as I love my friend dearly and had a fabulous experience, I feel exhausted. I guess I'm an introvert in a way and look for quiet and solitude to recharge my batteries. Do I still feel guilt that I'm not up at 7am every morning hitting the sites and taking full advantage of my time here? Sure, until I remind myself that pace and listening to my body is important. A couple years ago I started traveling with a travel yoga mat. It has proved to be a really good companion on the road. When I feel sluggish or overwhelmed I jump on my mat and I'm always glad I did. I make it a priority to do at least 20min of yoga every day as part of my routine on the road. I got this idea from a friend who travels with her running shoes. She says not only does jogging help her mind and body stay healthy on the road, but she always gets to have a unique experience getting to know, thru her exercise routine, the place she is visiting. Thanks for the quality content.
Hi Emily, glad you enjoyed the video. That's a great idea to have something that could comfort you and help you relax during a trip. Indeed it is important to listen and take care of yourself as well. Thank you for sharing your insights and experience, appreciate it. Hope you enjoy your trip even more 😊
Hey Emily... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Yeah I felt the loneliness and feeling unproductive in the middle of a 2 month trip around Mexico. I started tutoring in English online and that helped keep me busy and eventually made some money from it too.
I'm very grateful that my fiance and I established a relationship before deciding to travel. We actually met when I was visiting his country and we had to do long-distance for a while until I finished my degree (and he got a visa) but now that I'm done, we're able to be together. We know we are not the type of people who enjoy constantly changing environment, so we already know that wherever we go, we want to be there for at least a couple months. That means we have to take longer to save up ahead of time, but ultimately, it'll be worth it. Although we often experience FOMO of these other couples/travelers who are already out going to all these places, I appreciate this time of us not currently traveling. In the meantime, we're able to research different places, decide where we REALLY want to go, and hear from other peoples' experiences. Doing all of this planning has made us feel a lot more prepared and a lot less stressed for the upcoming years where we plan to visit numerous areas.
That is so awesome to know @Everywherever! 💕A lot of people do have different traveling "styles" and that's alright, as long as it fits you and your fiancé's lifestyle that is great! Safe travels you two 😊
Oh, to have a plant! Such envy do I get when people talk about their plants... I would also love to eventually stay somewhere long enough to grow my own food from a seed. That would be a huge step for me. All of this is spot on. This is not a magical existence. Travel is not a solution and it is not cure. Human connection, family, friends and deep conversations with people who do actually care if you live or die are all so vital for mental health. I am definitely at the point of being interested in a little more stability and I will not ever feel bad about that when I finally stop living this Instagramable existence that has quite a few downsides.
People underestimate the joy of having plants! It's one of the things that people take for granted. So glad you related to the video, Catherine. Where are you traveling now?
@@TravelingwithKristin Currently in Poland, but just arrived from France, then a few weeks in Austria after a month in Italy since June- all pet sitting until now. Headed to another pet sit in Dundee, Scotland for September, and who knows from there. I am just exhausted of this really. I have seen some beautiful mountains and cities, saw great art, ate great food all while working remotely for my organization in Vietnam, but nonstop process of having to work out all these little details is just less fun now. My goal now is to have a lease somewhere and fill my house with PLANTS! haha
Thanks again for making videos that are so honest about the pluses and minuses of this lifestyle. It is so often hidden behind BS Instagram memes and people are not aware of the reality of this life.
So happy to know the video helped you @Simona. Always remember you are not alone! Always fee free to watching my videos if you feel alone or reach out if you need some one to talk to :)
Hey Simona, on my latest film, I explain the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Kristin you are so wise. I was very lucky to go to many different places in the world while in the Navy. Always made time to explore the culture. Got to meet very interesting and good people. Now retired my travel is based on a cycle of seasons. Fortunately I cruise with our boat but also visit places on my own schedule. Our only tether is our four legged member of the family Izzy. A very demanding Boston Terrier. She loves Mexico. My goal for 2022 is Patagonia. Keep up the good work.
Hi Jose... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
very good advice. I learned from your video. I have been traveling over 39 months and i would not have survived without longer stays in a "base camp" to normalize, take 1-4 week breaks from travel. 14 Portugal (too long) and 7 months-Italy (too short) are my longest base camps taking 1 to 7 day side trips to locations or neighboring countries. Simple things reduce stress like going to the same grocery store where you know where things are and what brands are best, returning to do laundry in the same place, knowing your kitchen...etc.,
Hi KK... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
The seven stages of round the world travel; 1. Excitement. Just being on a plane or arriving at a new city is awesome! You want to hit 10 cities in 10 days. Whee! 2. Discovery. Slowly finding out that those far away places you dreamt of are like anywhere else; they have their good and bad sides. Touristy sites with their crowds start to grate on you. 3. Familiarity; travel becomes second nature, You start to avoid the beaten paths more, boarding a plane or arriving somewhere new does not give you the same kick it used to. 4. Slow travel. You find more joy in slowing down. Constant travel at a fast pace starts to weary you. You want to spend more time per city or country. 5. Burnout. The longer you put roots down in a city you thought you really liked, the more familiar it becomes to you, and the more contempt sets in. Travel isn't "fun" any more 6. Questioning. You start to question everything. There was an unresolved issue or unsated ambition (see the world?) that prompted you to start traveling to begin with. Now that you have been there done that, was it all worth it? 7. Longing for roots + return to sedentary life. Powerful urge to put down roots kicks in, especially as you hit your late 30s aor cross over into your 40s. Once you put down permanent roots, you become very content. And your travel memories get better with time, despite having little to no urge to "hit the road" once again. Well at least that was my experience. Immigrated to the US at 19. Spent many years there. Started RTW travel in my 30s, resolved all my unresolved ambitions/reasons for traveling. Left the USA to put down roots in my home country. I have never been happier in my life! Look at RTW travel as a phase. Do it while young. Then put down roots afterwards. You will thank yourself for it. Good luck and God bless all in your travel/life journeys!
You need to pick one place abroad for a base, where you have your friends, and you travel from there. That way, you travel when you want, but you have an apartment where you pay rent, keep a lot of your stuff, and you can always go back if you get tired of traveling too much. I don’t miss the things, all my friends are doing when I go back to the US. I would rather travel then be stuck in their boring routine. And they are massively in debt buying a lot of things they don’t need.
Hi Kevin... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Have you experienced any of these challenges while traveling or living abroad? How did you deal with them? Vote in the poll: bit.ly/3yPpcP5 This video was brought to you by Xolo: bit.ly/XoloTWK
Thanks for this video. We drove for 6 weeks straight through Mexico and US and experienced many of the struggles you mentioned. I would add two additional issues we had:
1. Getting sick during a pandemic on foreign soil. Not knowing if it's Covid (despite vaccination), if we needed to go to a hospital or get medical care while on travel insurance, not being able to go out anywhere, because they take your temperature to enter a hotel, supermarket, mall or restaurant in Mexico, for instance.
2. Traveling with a pet (small dog) makes it twice as hard due to pet restrictions, extra hotel fees, lack of facilities for pets, dealing with the pet's anxiety or illness (e.g. diarrhea due to new food/water) during travel. Getting a pet health certificate to travel abroad was another hassle we didn't expect.
We moved from US to Spain and love it here. We will take just day trips from now on. ;)
These challenges are not confined to the nomadic or peregrinative lifestyle. Incorporating a daily discipline can help to establish a balance in life and a lasting peace. A discipline such as archery, yoga, sailing, or writing and the endeavor to practice that discipline well. I read as a discipline and reading helps to establish peace in my own life. Despite the volatile tempestuous waters of life that may become difficult to navigate, I've a compass that points toward magnetic north and disciplines my course. Still my life is adrift and in shambles and more than ever I cling to that I've always known to guide me, reading.
Great video! Can we look for more travel videos from you soon or are you staying in Florida forever now? We enjoy your travels and your knowledge.
Don't know if I can be considered a digital nomad. I am given usually a project for two years which I need to find a place(Airbnb then renting a flat) and assimilate at some point. Then the cycle goes again to be uprooted and take another project elsewhere for two years.
@@Felionine You’re so welcome, Ulla. Those are very good points. I forgot to mention anything about healthcare. Thank you for sharing your experience! And yes, traveling with pets can add a lot of complexity
I am an introvert and that adds an extra layer of anxiety. Part of the reason I travel is to get out of my comfort zone. For me it's healthy. It forces me to do things I would avoid. It forces me to be healthier. Rather than sit at home in front of the computer all day, I am forced to get out there and do things. And the fact that you're in a new country makes you want to get out there and do things. I travel slow...2-3 months per place. I learn what works for me in those places. And if I ever want to visit them again, I fully know what to expect and can integrate very quickly.
So true. Darren, right? Many of the things that are difficult than life and being the best things for us :)
That is seldom true,
after only a few years
old haunts can change considerably.
@@TravelingwithKristin Yes Darren. Missed this. I think travel is one of the healthiest things one can do, both physically and mentally.
@@rick-be You are correct in some ways I think. The past 2 years have shown this I am sure. But I think most places will keep their general atmosphere and the people will be as friendly as ever. If one area changes a little too much, you can probably find something more comfortable in a different part of the city/country.
I hope things don't change too much, and once things are settled down I hope travel will be even better than before.
The first time I traveled solo, I was gone for four months. I was supposed to be gone for seven, but I thought I really needed to see my people. I went home early and within 24 hours, I wished I was traveling again. It is such a weird tension to live in ... longing for deep relationships and longing to see the world. Being a high touch person, this is a particularly difficult one. I haven't figured it all out just yet. 🙂
No worries about that it can take time. 😊 Being human is a bit of a paradox!
I cannot stress enough how much I see myself in this text. I am giving up traveling for a while, because I am longing for a stable base in my home country first. I am done traveling solo (for studies or work). Relationships are more important to me than anything, I felt so lonely in my last 5 month stay in Spain, and I feel so foreign and different.
Brilliant comment
The one piece of advice you will hear over and over - is that the feeling of being homesick, must be pushed through. So many people recount stories of nearly landing at their home airport and realizing this was a huge mistake.
Common stereotype would say someone who is excessively traveling is messed up in their head one way or another , but you bring a really grown up perspective and attitude to it that is not at all arrogant or annoying. It's refreshing what you bring to this "category / genre" of videos. No clickbait and legitimately valuable for the interested viewer 👍
Thank you, Zoyoo; it means a lot to me to read your comment. I appreciate your reflection and the kind words
I have never heard the "common stereotype" that someone who is excessively traveling is "messed up in the head " unless who ever said this really cant see that people who want to travel want to learn and explore and experience everything they can in this life and have fun and seems like theyre saying this from an ignorant closed minded view... I really dont know how that is messed up in the head to want to be more worldy and open minded. I think, if anything is messed up it is staying in your hometown for the rest of your life and never leaving never exploring something new... that is actually messed up. And not natural imo. But normal in "modern day society" people are meant to be nomadic. I think thats where alot of depression and anxiety can stem from is not moving and being bored in the same place for a long time. People need to move, explore and experience new things often...
Most of them are messed up in the head.
The only people who are messed up in the head are people doing a 9 to 5 job with 4 weeks holiday and a mortgage... now that is really screwed up...
Being a digital nomad is also ridiculous. Any serious job needs so many hours a day.
I suggest having a lot of money 💰... it makes travel very easy...
😊.
I felt really lonely at different points in my life traveling alone. So when I planned to move to Costa Rica I worried that I would experience the same loneliness. To my pleasant surprise, actually putting down roots as an ex-pat gave me the opportunity to become part of a community that I didn't know existed when I was just traveling.
Great to hear that! Costa Rica was the first place I lived as an expat, and I’ve made many strong friendships over the years
Hi there! Where did you settle down?
@@patriciavandevelde5469 I live in the southern Caribbean.
@@crocha1081 ok I travelled myself around the world and want to settle down whst s the name if the place?
@@crocha1081hey where do you consider southern Caribbean? Are they friendly? I’m a black solo female traveler
I travelled solo through India and SE Asia for 6 months. Had a blast, met loads of people, travelled with many. Fast forward a few years - no contact anymore. Friendships made during carefree travel didn't survive the pressures of real life. Most of them were running from something. I had just taken time off from work. They were counting their last pennies so they could stay away as long as possible. Just as money runs out, so do visas, and reality back home is what awaited them all.
Hi Carl... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for this real-life perspective. Did you have to start your savings and career from scratch again after being away for such a long time??? No idea whether I should quit my job, get up and GO at some point in my life or just do it the "right" way, stay with a good job, keep steady savings, and go on 3-4 vacation weeks per year. Travel bloggers show all the highlights but NO ONE shares what that first year back is like after running out of money and coming back home to the "real world." How hard is it to get a job with a gap in your resume? How many years to build your savings back up? Do friends and family feel distant because you missed out on things? Are you glad to look back on memories or do you become discontent once you've lived the wild and free months but are now "stuck" at home again?
A huge tip is to talk yourself out of buying things. I always come home with more luggage than when I left.
Ha ha that’s a good one! I always see so many things I want to buy when I travel, but I don’t have anywhere to store them 🤷🏼♀️
. 3 international moves is as good as a house fire.
Very good thoughts, and appreciated. Most don't realize the incredible time we live in. Reminds me of that expression, "Be careful what you wish for." The fortunate folks in First World Countries (as you mention) have an abundant life beyond anything prior generations could have imagined. Most of them struggled daily to obtain basic needs and leisure time was mostly a phenomenon associated with the wealthy . Paradoxically, now that many have extra time, food and wealth we're seeing problems never anticipated and some of these are very serious both in terms of mental and physical health. I have found it helpful to try and live a life more similar to that of our distant ancestors (with many exceptions, of course). Eating one or two meals a day, plenty of exercise, days that include routines and provide a sense of purpose, ample sunshine especially in the mornings and so on. I'll be launching a nomadic lifestyle soon, and I hope to include local volunteer work in those places where I'll have longer stays. It's incredibly fortunate to have the historically-unheard of opportunity to choose where to live, when to work, how to live, what and when to eat and so-on. It amazing.
This isn't the case for everyone. Even in first world countries, there are many people who cannot live this lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Health issues and family obligations are probably the top two that are very difficult to get around.
I travel mostly for pleasure. Even though I tend to fly business class, I never enjoy my time in the airport nor traveling to/from the airport to my destination. It’s an exhausting experience to me. And yet no matter how enjoyable the trip, I always look forward to sleeping in my own bed in my tiny one bedroom apartment when I get home.
Well said! Flying business class always helps, but nothing beats being in your own bed. I always like to unpack immediately when I get back so it's off my to-do list the next day. Sometimes you just need a vacation from your vacation...
Agree that checking bags is exhausting too, as Andrea said. Even with the priority line...
@Andrea Giraldo Fortunately I tend to pack lean ‘n mean. Just a carry-on and luggage that will fit in the overhead. I try to never have to check any kind of luggage.
Wow business class, special person
@@kippsguitar6539 just fortunate I suppose.
Everything has it up and down, cross and pros. That is life! You have to learn to feel good anywhere you are. Happiness comes from inside 🤩. Love this. Great channel 🌸😍. Cheers from a Spanish living in Norway 🇳🇴
Thank you, Ana! I agree that happiness comes from the inside. ☀️ Where are you in Norway? One of my favorite countries!
Very good insights. I also was dying to get out of Florida but now kinda miss it. I’ve not had a longterm home for most of my life (grew up moving with family every few years, but Florida is ironically the place I probably lived the most years). I’ve found that slow travel is best-I move somewhere, get jobs, etc. stay for a few years. I can’t imagine the whole jet set thing where people go to a bunch of countries in a few weeks. It sounds awful actually. I also have FOMO of just gardening and having a couch and bathtub and normal life hahaha. I like getting to know the countryside & people and I’m not doing it for tourist reasons-the deep secret is I’ve always been looking for a home & community, but haven’t found anywhere I want to stay permanently as a home base. I don’t fit in anywhere. Sometimes I get stuck in places but I always have adventures & try to really find the good everywhere. Maybe I’m a bit spoiled and I’ve definitely gotten to the point where I just want to split my time between my 2-3 favorite cities year round now. Dating & friends are excruciatingly hard because some people really shut down and won’t even give you a chance if you aren’t in their day to day interaction schedule, or they are so “spontaneous” that they won’t commit. I’d like to find long term people to travel with, but most people either wouldn’t consider leaving their hometown or are too into extreme adrenaline or constant travel stuff, or don’t want long term relationships. I don’t want to skydive or go to really dangerous places. But the world is so amazing that I can’t imagine settling down, either. I’m also tired of always starting new jobs. But I never regret the adventures I’ve had! And I feel pretty equipped to deal with all sorts of things because I’ve had to survive all kinds of trouble on my own. It’s a mixed bag but that’s life! 😎
Dating and friends definitely are hard and you are so right about the fact that people kind of look at you like an outsider unless they fit into their day to day routine which is super hard if you aren't around long. I like to tell people I have learned to be an excellent one night stand... both in a dating way and in a friendship way, but that is often because the people who are actually willing to let you in are sort of that "spontaneous" type you mention. It's definitely a mixed bag of great adventures and missed opportunities to have deep relationships. You are so right about it being an excellent way to equip yourself for all kinds of situations. I actually have my Master's in Disaster Management, so I look at this lifestyle on the road as kind of an extension of this extension of always being ready for crisis. I think I'm ready to be a slow traveler like you!
Thanks for commenting, wildflowers! You speak of someone who has very extensive experience in the slow travel lifestyle. Life is a mixed bag, for sure! But out of all of the options, I would choose our set of travel problems any day ;) i’m really interested to see if things change in the next few years with millions more people entering the lifestyle. Maybe we will come full circle and feel like one global community where everyone fits in
OMG I cannot believe how accurate this video is. I have honestly felt and dealt with all the things you are talking about. I've lived in 24 countries in the last 3 years and although it started like so much fun, 3 years later I just feel unrooted and miss having deep connected relationships. In life you win some, you lose some. Nobody's got it perfect
I'm so glad you resonated with the video Bianca! Thanks for sharing 😊
Hey Bianca.. on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
THANK YOU FOR THIS. This video is helping me process now moving to Florida, when we were planning on living in Spain for a few years. I need to paint. I need my stuff. I need my friends. Thank you Lady. A big fan!
Glad to hear it was helpful! I still think you should go to Spain in the future though 😉
@@TravelingwithKristin we are attempting to move to Spain with two big dogs and leaving from Florida. definitely have our work cut out for us haha
This should be the video anyone who is considering full-time travel or becoming location independent should watch! I really like videos like this where you present full honesty about something which more and more people are wanting to this day. Although I have not been a full-time traveler (at least not yet for me), I know that one of my friends has had experienced burnout before when it comes to travel. I have been hearing more and more about slow travel and how beneficial it is with enabling you to be more integrated in the culture and meeting new people. Awesome video!
Thanks Scott, always great to read your comments! I like having these heart-to-hearts with you guys about topics that people usually sugar coat. It’s important to be real and address the challenges of long-term travel. Fortunately there’s a solution for everything and these are pretty good “problems” to have, all things considered! :)
Good Vid. I travel on my boat. I always feel at home when travelling, sleeping in my bed, having all my things along. Room for a mate. The slowest way to travel. Home office, travel vehicle, party joint all in one. For me its ideal. Big sailing community everywhere I go.
Boat life and van life definitely have the benefits of keeping the comforts of home with you! The Sailing community also seems very close knit. I've had a few of them on my podcast www.badassdigitalnomads.com/sailing-the-world-with-sailing-ruby-rose/
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Your content has gotten much better as time has gone by. I see tons of improvement....been watching casually for years
Thank you so much! That is great to hear. Sometimes it's hard to tell if my videos are getting better unless I look at the old ones 😂 Glad you are still hanging around!
Seneca: "That which you seek to live well is found everywhere."
Me: "Great, so let's go everywhere."
Touché! ✈️
I love this, Kristin; helped me get some ideas in order as a 2-year digital nomad. Thank you!
I'm Canadian and I've been living in Australia for the past 9 years where I've set down roots and I actually like my job. I'm a bit nervous about purchasing a one-way ticket to Central America but also excited. I couldn't agree more with all the valid points you've made in this video. Thanks for the reminder!
You are welcome Vicky! Glad I could help 😊 Maybe you'd be interested with this link too th-cam.com/video/DO5x_tJBn7w/w-d-xo.html
Great video! Suggestions and lessons from my journey. Travel is either your yin or yang. It is either your natural self or a secondary dimension of your self. Seek-out your yin and yang. Routines and extemporaneous living (through travel); nurturing old friendships and meeting new friends from chance encounters; structured work and times when we can scoff at work as a social construct; having to deal with difficult people at work or at home and being able to walk away from anyone who isn’t your cup of tea. In other words, discovering your yin and yang. Secondly and lastly, many nomads are people who prefer solitude...are genetically predisposed to solitude. There are a couple of books on this subject. If you identify as such, know that the nomadic lifestyle fits you well because you don’t need a heavy social calendar (your yin) and that as a member of a social species you need to feel connected to real people (and not virtual people only)...your yang. This programming in our genes is not something that can be erased no matter how much someone tries. It takes acknowledgement and then effort to care for each of these areas that comprise the complexity of you.
Great advice, Dean, and thank you so much for leaving this comment! I talk a bit more about this balance that we must all find in the podcast version of this topic that will be out next week on Badass Digital Nomads. I’m not sure if I’ve ever achieved the optimal balance, but I will keep trying!
Thank you for replying, Kristen...we’re all a work in progress. 🙏🏼
Great video. I have a two year plan to move to Spain and travel Europe, this really brings clarity to challenges I will most likely face while living abroad.
Thank you for your insight!
So glad it was helpful, RG!
So true! Digital nomad life is evolving and getting better each year
I love that you have a favorite stoic philosopher! 💛😇
Those are all great points and deserve lots more planning and maybe a little soul searching. I plan to start traveling couple months in one location initially and return home. It will take more than couple months to really know a new place and I like to take my time to soak up the culture. Thanks and enjoy your time back in Florida.
That sounds like a plan! I wish you best of luck and thank you Mark!
thanks Kristen...this is spot on¬ loneliness is the hardest because then it doesn't matter how beautiful or special a place is I just want to go lay down....reinventing the purpose of my vision is a must.
You're welcome, Dolli; loneliness is a tough one! It's easy to feel both extremes while traveling
I liked all of your comments. Traveling to over 40 countries, I also learned a few things about my behavior:
1 - Every time I felt alone, I asked myself: "Have I been open to people, have I been nice and considerate to them, have I talked to them frankly, openly, honestly and without imposing barriers? Or was I just one person who was afraid to take a chance, waiting for someone to pull me out of my shell? In this matter, I've found that I'm a more open person after a glass of wine.
2 - Those who travel, need to be aware of their own prejudices. I cannot look at a people, a country, comparing with my country, with my people.
3 - I can't complain about dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction gives the impetus for several changes to take place. I need to learn to live with dissatisfaction.
4 - I don't travel to have peace or just pleasure, but to broaden my way of seeing the world. Bad experiences can prove to be huge learnings. I'd rather risk having bad experiences than find peace or pleasure. Um abraço do Brasil!
Hi Nilton, glad you like my comments! Thank you so much for sharing your insights as well. Great insights.
This is insightful, I can relate to your comment totally
I’ve always been a list maker. It becomes part of the routine and reduces anxiety to know you haven’t forgotten to do something.
Lists are life! 🌟 Not sure how I would function without them
Hi Kristin. My wife and I recently took on the Nomad lifestyle. We combined with the One-Meal-a-Day lifestyle so we call ourselves Nomads on OMAD. We are in our early 60's and are in the best shape and spirit of our lives. So we sold our house of 30 years in California and decided to move to Spain, from where we are planning to visit the old continent. Unfortunately, when we made the decision to do that, Spain was closed for Americans, so we had to wait, starting in May. We decided to kick start our new lifestyle in Mexico, and we brought our little Chihuahua. We recognize all of the issues you describe, but having a dog with you makes it even worse. We kept our spirits up, and travel from California to Jalisco and back up to the US, Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, and eventually New Jersey. Here we finally sold our car and traveled here to Spain, all while keeping out intermittent fasting. It was hard, exhausting, and stressful, and we would change a few things, but we loved it! I have a TH-cam channel and have posted two videos: Nomad on Omad, Mexico, and Spain. Here are the links:
th-cam.com/video/U3ETDJhDXg4/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/0HpjKkY53vg/w-d-xo.html
Hi Juan, that is quite a journey! I’ve tried doing one meal a day but I like food too much 😋 make sure to take some time to relax between traveling and making videos! I hope your little doggie is liking the new scenery, too. :)
@@TravelingwithKristin You are very kind. We are now in Andalucía, trying to get settled with Spanish residency. Once that is done, we intend to travel around Spain and eventually all of Europe. We love Spain already. We also noticed in one of your videos that you think of Spain as one of the best places to live. We agree! will continue to check your videos, which are very informative. Thanks for your work.
Fabulous insights! I am loving that shot of you with a hottub full of people! Thank you!
Haha thanks Andrea!
Ready! to go solo next weekend to Puerto Vallarta, cant wait to get back to travel. thanks for the video. huge fan of your content😎
Thanks Cristian! Have a great trip to Mexico!
These are all spot on!! Great video Kristin 💚!!
Thanks Jenifer! People have brought up a lot more topics that I left out, though. Lots of gold in this comments section 🌟
Another great evergreen video. In the category of logistical challenges, you could add phone service (local SIM cards), avoiding ATM fees and money management in general, maintaining a residential address in the States (needed for KYC banking and crypto), and what will surely be a logistical issue the next few years: Covid restrictions.
Thanks Steve! Great ideas. I'm talking about internet and SIM cards in my next video coming out on Friday or Saturday. More to come!
Excellent insights into the reality of traveling and also how fortunate we are that we live in these times when traveling is so easy. I definitely feel all the points you mentioned, especially missing on friends and family's important moments in life ... I would also add one more to your list, that when a family member is sick, is sometimes impossible to get to them on time. Unfortunately when my mom passed away, it took me three flights and two days to get to her.
On the positive note, I totally love your minimal living. It's so much better to collect life long experiences than things. And although I love gardening and cooking in my own home, I think people who always have the luxury of staying in one place, never experience how flexible life can be. Kudos to you that you have made it possible for so long and giving such great insights to all of us.
Thank you, Gvisda! I’m glad you were able to relate and good point about being far from friends and family. That is always very hard. I talked about that in a video about coming back to the US and how I was fortunate to be here when my grandma passed away.
Although I like cooking and gardening, too, I like to balance it with wanderlust :)
Excellent Kristin! Appreciate the candour :)
You’re welcome, George!
Hi Kristin! Thanks for your comprehensive eye-opener on the challenges, realities, and rewards of sustained full-time living as a traveler. Your very well informed long-term experiences are illuminating and helpful!
Hi Gediminas! You are very welcome and I am so glad it was helpful. Your comments and questions help me come up with new video ideas!
@@TravelingwithKristin Thanks Kristin! I'm glad that I have the opportunity to learn from and share insights with you and other members of this community.
For the past 14 years, I've been a professional travel photographer, and I've been a digital nomad living out of a suitcase for 8+ years now, organizing and leading small group tours around the world, but it's a little different for me because for 8 - 9 months per year I'm moving around every 2 to 4 nights on assignment, scouting or with my groups, packing and unpacking, constantly planning hotels and Airbnbs and navigating planes, trains and automobiles.
When there isn't a pandemic I'm on 45 - 50 flights per year, which gets really old (oh, and then there's the jet lag). A lot of people think I have the ultimate job, which of course I do (haha), but it's not perfect. For a long time, I've been searching for a woman interested in a long-term relationship who'd like to be a part of my business, but it just hasn't happened. When they see what my life is really like they quickly realize I'm not at all on vacation.
I'm hoping to slow things down in the next 2 - 3 years and to be in one place for at least 2 - 3 months at a time (Greece, Portugal, Spain, Georgia, South America), but still moving around the world experiencing as much as possible.
Sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing! Best of luck to you!
No more SE Asia Ralph?😁
@@garygoodrich1 sure, I still do Cambodia, as well as India. And I’ll likely bring back Vietnam at some point.
Just left Thailand and in Philippines now. Let me know when you get out here.👍
I can see these things are so true. I love the quotes too! My husband and I used to feel rushed to hit tourist sites during our vacations. For the next chapter of our life, we wanna take it slow and experience different culture. Thank you, Kristin.
Good idea! Glad you enjoyed the video. You are welcome! Happy travels 😊
Hi you... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I joined an online exercise class from back home. It was nine hours earlier there, so they were mid-morning while I was mid-evening, but it was very grounding to connect with people I knew (I had been in the class IRL before it went online). It also gave me the chance to tell friends what I was doing and seeing in my new life overseas without doing the whole social media thing.
That's great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Hey Kristin, kudos to you for talking about these real struggles. I’ve definitely struggled with the whole decision making and admin surrounding logistics (flights, visas etc) and loneliness or feeling overwhelmed as a female solo digital nomad. But after a while, I realized that slow travel suits me best and since then I have adjusted my digital nomad lifestyle to align with my personal needs. Oh and got myself a husband who now handles all the logistics 😅.
Great advice and observations. Right now my wife and I are burned out on not-traveling.
I think a lot of people here feel the same way! We are all due for a trip soon
spot on, very well done. One thing I've gravitated towards the last few years is similar to your advice about slowing down - but more just picking my rotational spots. After quite some time travelling you mostly realize where you like to be, so instead of 8+ new countries a year, now I mostly travel 2-3 times per year to 9-10 cities around the world I go back to that aren't necessarily 'home', but I've lived in multiple times and are familiar for me with established social circles, with maybe one 'new' place mixed in.
Also - hobbies are a must. For me skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing. A very common theme I see with people who don't have some activity to ground them is they just end up partying all the time. Fun for awhile, but not a sustainable focus of decade+ travel.
Thank you, Bryan. I completely agree with your tips! Thank you for sharing. Having healthy hobbies that don’t involve drinking while socializing is really important. A lot of people who hang out with tourists on vacation end up partying more than they would otherwise. The tourists leave and go back to their daily routines but there are always new travelers coming through. It sounds like you have attained a really good balance of slow travel and healthy activities. Keep it up!
This is so thoughful, kind and helpful. Thank you Khristian
Glad it was helpful, Inês Paula! You are welcome 😊
Having a base is super important. Pick a city you feel at home in and use it when you feel the pinch. For me its Chiang Mai.
I agree! For me most recently it has been Amsterdam in the last eight years. Love it there th-cam.com/video/jMwNb7m_sY4/w-d-xo.html
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Super helpful and insightful. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful Jess! You're welcome. 💛
I'd like to think that my "warning" comment on your other video a couple days ago partially inspired this one. 😊 Great insights and advice that will be helpful for a lot of people. I had that thought about Anthony Bourdain too.
This one has been in the works for a while but most of my video ideas come from you all! If a lot of people ask about the same thing, I try to make a video about it as soon as possible. Thanks for contributing to the community! #twktraveltribe
Thank you very much for your honesty! I lived in several countries and can only agree to what you say! Social media is misleading when it promotes only coolness in being a continuous traveler.
You're welcome, Teo! I'm glad that you found our community and people who understand what you are going through sometimes :)
@@TravelingwithKristin thank you 😘😘😘
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Your honesty in doing this video was very helpful, extremely touching 😢.
I appreciate that @Barton. Glad that you resonated and found my video helpful 💛
@@TravelingwithKristin I think it's awesome that you ended on positive vibes. Saying that travels are a good thing, just not a fix for every single thing wrong in your life. I totally agree with you.
Hey Kristin! I really like how honest and forthcoming you are about the negative aspects of the nomad lifestyle as well as the positive. Not only that, you do a great job of making suggestions of how to manage and overcome these life issues and feelings. Thanks for being real and supportive in your advice! 👍
Thank you so much, Wendy! Your comment really made my day 😊❤️☀️
Hi Wendy... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I love this video, so real and raw and vulnerable. I’m coming up to my one year digital nomad anniversary and I relate to all of the aspects you talk to. Thanks for sharing 🙏
That's awesome! Congratulations on your first year Jade 🙌 All the best!
Another informative video...Something I've felt is what I call reverse culture shock!! Have you talked about culture shock in general? Well, it is real and after a year in France I felt it...In the beginning all is new, you are busy getting set up and discovering/figuring things out and then BAM...It hits...Isolation, sadness and feeling like a fish out of water! Then you adapt, figure things out, meet people and start to feel better! And after...Trip back 'home' ...It's great, but you start to miss your new/different life and culture!! Hence, reverse culture shock!! Really worth discussing!
Hi Tamara, hank you for the kind words. I’m so glad you enjoyed the video and that is a great suggestion! I have talked about reverse culture shock with my relocation clients and in my talks and workshops and I also touched on it on the video about moving back to the US after living abroad. But I should probably make a separate video just about that and strategies for overcoming it. Very important topic
Sold our house 2 years ago. Been traveling ever since. Your video is on point. Great job! Thanks!
That's awesome to know Mark. Glad you enjoyed the video, it's my pleasure to share! 😊
Hey Mark... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your thoughts and practical, experienced insights !!!
Perpetual travelers often seem to be fleeing from themselves, spending their best years intentionally avoiding any roots. Then comes the day when they ask themselves: Who am I and where am I ?? Often no answer follows...
Seneca's quote "That which you seek to live well is found everywhere" nails it down: Stay put and make the world a better place where you already are !!
Glad you enjoyed the video, Klaus and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the topic 😊
Thanks Kristin, I agree that we all need a vacation but sometimes it's better to not do anything at all. But traveling at least give the change of pace and the culture and food is different and good from each place but from everybody I know basically buy so much as they turn their house into a storage shed since they are never home
You’re welcome, Justin. Sometimes it’s good to do nothing but sometimes it’s good to get out of your comfort zone and see the world ✈️🌏 Balance! ;)
@@TravelingwithKristinlol it is definitely one big balancing game in life
Thanks for bringing up these things and let us be more aware of them!
Any time! Thanks for watching Alla!
Hi Alla... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Best travel advisor I have ever listened to
Thanks Danny! I appreciate it. 💛
This is a really good video! Very good points!
Woohoo glad it was helpful, Ron!
Yes. This is all true. For me it's important to travel as slowly as I can, because otherwise I get tired of the constant travel planning and prep. So I'm basically living almost the same life as a nomad that I had in San Francisco. The main differences are: I have less stuff. I have a language barrier. And my cost of living is lower.
Thanks for sharing Scott! 😊
This is the way.
Hi Kristin, Thanks for recommending this video to me. Well, as you know, hard core traveling is complex, and I am not referring to logistics but to the philosophical, spiritual and personal issues. First, in my following comments I am just going to leave out the "as you know" part as I would have to put it in every sentence. Being into philosophy and a long term hard core traveler you know (thought I was not going to say that) travel has so much to offer in so many ways. The wide variety of experiences are enlightening, fun and wisdom building all by themselves. But, as you say, you have to ask yourself why you are traveling sometimes. Sometimes we are masking some sort of pain and sometimes our travel creates new pains we did not have before. But you know what, that is fine. Travel is still the best cure I know for what ails you. Now, as to loneliness, yeah there is that if you are a solo traveler. There is that if you are a solo anything. And frankly, I am really bummed by all the unbelievable experiences I have had but no one to share them with. Still, if you get into some Buddhist philosophy and meta-physics from guys like Eckhart Tolle and Alan Watts (just to name a few) they may well do a good job of convincing you that being alone is your ultimate best bet and that your loneliness is an illusion being experienced by your ego and not your real self. In fact, they might argue that your real self is not a self at all but an inter-connected presence. That aside, I still get lonely at times although I am getting better at it. Besides, do you have any idea just how hard it is to find someone so closely aligned with yourself that all the compromises of a relationship would be worth it (of course you do)? If you can't find someone who so closely parallels you that it seems like magic, then I think you (and me and everyone) is probably better off alone. When I think about that, how much sacrifice of yourself a relationship requires. being alone is not so bad. Sooner or later a relationship may not be the sum of two entities but the difference (subtraction) of one entity from another. It ain't simple. Pros and cons to everything. Besides more and more people are not interested in bringing kids into this world. Lots of women I know are no longer interested in motherhood. Same with fatherhood for men.
But what go me here was your response to my comment that my efforts to rid off all my stuff (hobbies, hobbies, hobbies!) had proven difficult. I identify with a lot of the stuff I own because most of it has played an important part in my life. All kinds of art stuff, gardening, carpentry, electronics, books, camping, welding and tools, tools and tools just to name a few. But they all prevent me from traveling freely and they all have babies sooner or later (more artwork, more tools, etc.) No space for all that junk and, most important, I am a slave to it. I may love it but I am still a slave to it and it clutters not only your house but also your head. Still, so many years and so much satisfaction from using that stuff has made it difficult. Plus, there is no small investment in all that stuff. But then I realized I have already gotten my return on that stuff. It all met a need at the time I bought it and it all got used for both practical needs but also entertainment. Now, though, it is hindering my entertainment and quality of life. I have finally gotten to the point where I realize that most of that stuff goes unused most of the time and having it keeps me from doing other more rewarding things. So I think after my trip to Portugal in two weeks and my trip to Mexico at the end of October I will come back and get rid of the stuff. Wish me luck.
Hi Robert! Thank you so much for sharing your insights and experiences as well. I understand that it can be difficult to be lonely at time and that's great that you are getting better at it. Safe travels to you and I wish you good luck! :)
Hi Robert... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your wisdom and advice!
Glad it was helpful! You are welcome! 💛
I like your body of work. Having traveled for work for 17 years more than 1/2 time with extended stays abroad, I have experienced the eight points mentioned. I too have found your four tips extremely helpful. Also, your presence is lovely. Thanks for doing what you do.
You are welcome! Glad you liked my content! Thanks for watching!
Hi Stephen... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the video Kristin? So well said, even if I've never travelled a lot and always had a desire to spend 1-2 years traveling around the world, the things you mentioned were among the ones stopping from it. We are a different generation, young people now are better equipped with so many digital nomads including you, lots of helpful information on TH-cam.
You're so welcome! I hope you will travel more, soon :)
Hi you... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Amazing video. Ive been a digital nomad for a year and i thought it was just me experiencing these challenges!!
Glad you liked the video @Ooooh Lala! You are not alone 🙌😊
Heyy you, on my latest film, I explain the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Great (and refreshing) video. Love the point behind the Socrates quote! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Welcome to Philosophy with Kristin 😄
@@TravelingwithKristin lol, first philosophy and then ease on into the space-time continuum with Naval ;-)
Terrific topic and loved your perspective Kristin. The classical stoics were wise.
Thank you so much Jay! Glad you liked the video 😊
Hey Jay... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Who here is ready to “seize that freakin’ day?” 😂
@Abigail she is intelligent
It's lonely and also sometimes you dont find the beauty that beautiful anymore...
Valuable information... Thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful! 💛
Hi, Kristen thank you for all the good videos. I've watched many different vlogger posts and yours are exceptional. (This one triggered me to finally subscribe to one.) I'm comparatively new to this, I've been a remote worker, abroad, for 18 months now and have experienced two of the challenges you highlighted. Mild loneliness and FOMO of things going on back home. I've tried a couple of nomad networks (for loneliness) but haven't found the right one yet. I've settled on taking one-day or half-day small group tours. It's a nice way to meet people. The FOMO "is what it is," I look at it as taking the good with the bad. In the end, I'd rather be doing what I'm doing and can always fly home if I really want to be there for something. We're a very fortunate group. Thank you again, for the substantive and relevant videos : )
Have you done one on traveling as an older person? Know any other vloggers/bloggers that do?
Hi Steve! Welcome aboard my channel! Thanks for subscribing and I am glad you resonated with my content. I actually have a video interview with Palle Bo on Becoming a Digital Nomad in Your 50's---you might want to check it out: th-cam.com/video/db59b1L0pc0/w-d-xo.html
Excellent and informative as always. Great tan BTW! 😎
Thank you! I went to an island party last weekend 😎🏝☀️
Thank you for the wonderful information!
You’re welcome, Venus!
wow.. great advice. I like the fact that you reference our ancestral heritage; You're correct, we're genetically predisposed to live, communicate, socialize, and work in certain ways and we can't ignore that even with the modern technology to travel.
Indeed, thanks for sharing your insights Chris!
Well said. US digital nomad moving every three to six months, sometimes in the same city (lol)
Been there! lol
This was a very solid video. You made several valid points. I’m thinking of the stark difference between the very fast moving pace of GABRIEL TRAVELER and the “slow travel” of Vagabond Awake. I’m more a fan of slow traveling. Really soak up a destination and then move on when it feels right. I agree that knowing your why is always a wise thing.
The concept I have been contemplating is being like a four seasons Snowbird lol! Let’s say every season you move on to another country/area of the world all the while building circles of relationships and connecting with these same people once a year every year in different parts of the world. I think it could be a very rich and fulfilling lifestyle.
For sure. I have been a digital nomad Snowbird myself. But also a Digital Nomad snowboarder! Moving around seasonally is a great strategy.Thanks for sharing your insights with us!
Hi you... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Thank you Kristin, this one really meant a lot to remind me of why I want to be traveling, and the need for community.
Glad to know it was helpful. You are welcome! 😊
Thank you .iv been a Nomad since the 70 .mostly USA.canada,Mx ,
You're welcome Gina! 😊
Thank you for sharing this deep perspective. Take care.
You are welcome Bill! Take care as well.
Hey Bill, on my latest film, I explain the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I am an solo traveler living in hawaii, and now traveling in antigua Guatemala. I plan to stay here for six months. I study four hours Spanish at my school. It help me to do something interesting and not be bored with my trip.
Sounds great! I would love to visit Guatemala. That is a great place to learn Spanish as well
How is Guatemala?
@@Theandara interesting. I am now in Puerto Vallarta
So true, there are so many struggles when travelling. Making money, booking the trip, long flights, packing issues, housing problems, language barriers, confusion, getting lost but everyone only posts the best parts. I always get a massage wherever I go in order to relax a bit haha
A massage is a great idea! Glad you resonated with the video! Thanks Sophie!
Hi Sophie... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
A lot of people back home think I'm "living the dream" by living on a Greek island as I do & working online. Yes, in some ways I am, and I wouldn't change it, but it can be surprisingly lonely at times. I try to keep myself busy, but I'm a foreigner here and whilst I don't mind that (as I can't really do anything to change it) it can sometimes be a drag and a feeling of being "different" follows me around. I also sometimes forget I'm on a Greek island, mainly because I am alone I spent too much time in front of the computer. Thanks for the good video (and the Socrates quote).
Very relatable, Stewart. Did you see the video about what I dislike about living abroad where I talked about having that same feeling in Greece? One of the challenges of remote work is how much time we spend on our computers compared to before, when the Internet wasn’t so good. My screen time has definitely increased in the years that I’ve been traveling…
@@TravelingwithKristin That's right Kristin, and while I realise many foreign countries are similar, there have been numerous occasions here where being a foreigner has definitely not worked in my favour. That said, the positives outweigh the negatives, but sometimes these factors can come as an unpleasant shock to wide-eyed 'dreamers' who choose to live here. I guess that's the difference between living somewhere and being on holiday.
As much as learning is the greatest on my book; awareness of a few realities made me unable to be fully accepted on non-travelers group (or accept the group)
Still love it, but much more aware of being the odd cat in the bag.
And when meeting a fellow traveler, it's like an automatic love connection..I dont know you, I dont know what y"ve been thru, but I know we have a lot in common.
Thanks for sharing y thoughts on it! I would love to one day grab a coffee with you to share stories and see your un person interactions! Like with many travelers, a sit down with a coffee lasts forever in our memories.
Love your videos!
Thank you Rodrigo! I really cherish that common bond that all travelers have and I think that everyone here on the channel is a friend I just haven’t met in person, yet ;)
Such a well done and honest video.
Thank you so much! 🥰🌟💓
Great video, Kristen. Your insights are both inspirational and sobering.
Thank you, David. I’m glad it was helpful; every challenge has a solution :)
Great video, thank you Kristin
You’re welcome, Michael
Happiness is found everywhere when you are happy inside. The mood within can change the way we see and perceive things. The rest is the icing on the cake.
Love that! Thanks Luigi!
Hi Luigi... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
I'm also a traveler. What I learnt is that Dating or building a relationship with someone depends on your personality and attitude not traveling!!
When building a relationship becomes hard, do introspection and change your attitude to achieve a permanent relationship that leads to marriage.
Moving to another location doesn't change your dating lifestyle, your attitude does.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts @fisovusi! 🙏
I agree so much with you! We just need a suitable environment for us
Have a nomad base. Or more than one? I am based in Bansko. Lots of nomads, many friendly recognisable faces when you return, a community feel, it's cheap to continue renting your apartment even when you travel ($250 pm) so you can keep 'stuff' if you want to.
Travel around, come back for a month, reset, travel some more etc.
Thanks for the tips!
Hi you... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
This is a loaded topic and thank you Kristin for lining out some of the issues. At the moment I am in a hotel room in Athens by myself. I had a great time exploring the country for 3 weeks with a friend. We were together 24/7 for almost that whole time. However, as much as I love my friend dearly and had a fabulous experience, I feel exhausted. I guess I'm an introvert in a way and look for quiet and solitude to recharge my batteries. Do I still feel guilt that I'm not up at 7am every morning hitting the sites and taking full advantage of my time here? Sure, until I remind myself that pace and listening to my body is important.
A couple years ago I started traveling with a travel yoga mat. It has proved to be a really good companion on the road. When I feel sluggish or overwhelmed I jump on my mat and I'm always glad I did. I make it a priority to do at least 20min of yoga every day as part of my routine on the road. I got this idea from a friend who travels with her running shoes. She says not only does jogging help her mind and body stay healthy on the road, but she always gets to have a unique experience getting to know, thru her exercise routine, the place she is visiting. Thanks for the quality content.
Hi Emily, glad you enjoyed the video. That's a great idea to have something that could comfort you and help you relax during a trip. Indeed it is important to listen and take care of yourself as well. Thank you for sharing your insights and experience, appreciate it. Hope you enjoy your trip even more 😊
Hey Emily... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😇 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Yeah I felt the loneliness and feeling unproductive in the middle of a 2 month trip around Mexico. I started tutoring in English online and that helped keep me busy and eventually made some money from it too.
Hi Dustin, don’t worry; it happens to all of us at times! Glad you were able to push through and make some money with your side hustle, too ;)
I'm very grateful that my fiance and I established a relationship before deciding to travel. We actually met when I was visiting his country and we had to do long-distance for a while until I finished my degree (and he got a visa) but now that I'm done, we're able to be together. We know we are not the type of people who enjoy constantly changing environment, so we already know that wherever we go, we want to be there for at least a couple months. That means we have to take longer to save up ahead of time, but ultimately, it'll be worth it.
Although we often experience FOMO of these other couples/travelers who are already out going to all these places, I appreciate this time of us not currently traveling. In the meantime, we're able to research different places, decide where we REALLY want to go, and hear from other peoples' experiences. Doing all of this planning has made us feel a lot more prepared and a lot less stressed for the upcoming years where we plan to visit numerous areas.
That is so awesome to know @Everywherever! 💕A lot of people do have different traveling "styles" and that's alright, as long as it fits you and your fiancé's lifestyle that is great! Safe travels you two 😊
Great advice. Nice level of transparency.
Thank you! 😊
Oh, to have a plant! Such envy do I get when people talk about their plants... I would also love to eventually stay somewhere long enough to grow my own food from a seed. That would be a huge step for me. All of this is spot on. This is not a magical existence. Travel is not a solution and it is not cure. Human connection, family, friends and deep conversations with people who do actually care if you live or die are all so vital for mental health. I am definitely at the point of being interested in a little more stability and I will not ever feel bad about that when I finally stop living this Instagramable existence that has quite a few downsides.
People underestimate the joy of having plants! It's one of the things that people take for granted. So glad you related to the video, Catherine. Where are you traveling now?
@@TravelingwithKristin Currently in Poland, but just arrived from France, then a few weeks in Austria after a month in Italy since June- all pet sitting until now. Headed to another pet sit in Dundee, Scotland for September, and who knows from there. I am just exhausted of this really. I have seen some beautiful mountains and cities, saw great art, ate great food all while working remotely for my organization in Vietnam, but nonstop process of having to work out all these little details is just less fun now. My goal now is to have a lease somewhere and fill my house with PLANTS! haha
Thanks again for making videos that are so honest about the pluses and minuses of this lifestyle. It is so often hidden behind BS Instagram memes and people are not aware of the reality of this life.
I’m in Italy and experiencing that loneliness right now this video helped me a lot !
So happy to know the video helped you @Simona. Always remember you are not alone! Always fee free to watching my videos if you feel alone or reach out if you need some one to talk to :)
Hey Simona, on my latest film, I explain the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Kristin you are so wise. I was very lucky to go to many different places in the world while in the Navy. Always made time to explore the culture. Got to meet very interesting and good people. Now retired my travel is based on a cycle of seasons. Fortunately I cruise with our boat but also visit places on my own schedule. Our only tether is our four legged member of the family Izzy. A very demanding Boston Terrier. She loves Mexico. My goal for 2022 is Patagonia. Keep up the good work.
That sounds awesome Jose, I am glad you liked my video! Thanks for sharing 🙌 Have fun traveling! 😊
Hi Jose... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
very good advice. I learned from your video. I have been traveling over 39 months and i would not have survived without longer stays in a "base camp" to normalize, take 1-4 week breaks from travel. 14 Portugal (too long) and 7 months-Italy (too short) are my longest base camps taking 1 to 7 day side trips to locations or neighboring countries. Simple things reduce stress like going to the same grocery store where you know where things are and what brands are best, returning to do laundry in the same place, knowing your kitchen...etc.,
GREAT Xolo segue LOL.. Seriously... was totally seamless!
Thank you Kevin! 😊
Seriously good video…. Straight to the point and packed with practical insights!
Glad you enjoyed it Kelvin!
Hi KK... on my latest film, I talk about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Some great insights, Kristin.
Thank you, Don Quijote! 😊
The seven stages of round the world travel;
1. Excitement. Just being on a plane or arriving at a new city is awesome! You want to hit 10 cities in 10 days. Whee!
2. Discovery. Slowly finding out that those far away places you dreamt of are like anywhere else; they have their good and bad sides. Touristy sites with their crowds start to grate on you.
3. Familiarity; travel becomes second nature, You start to avoid the beaten paths more, boarding a plane or arriving somewhere new does not give you the same kick it used to.
4. Slow travel. You find more joy in slowing down. Constant travel at a fast pace starts to weary you. You want to spend more time per city or country.
5. Burnout. The longer you put roots down in a city you thought you really liked, the more familiar it becomes to you, and the more contempt sets in. Travel isn't "fun" any more
6. Questioning. You start to question everything. There was an unresolved issue or unsated ambition (see the world?) that prompted you to start traveling to begin with. Now that you have been there done that, was it all worth it?
7. Longing for roots + return to sedentary life. Powerful urge to put down roots kicks in, especially as you hit your late 30s aor cross over into your 40s. Once you put down permanent roots, you become very content. And your travel memories get better with time, despite having little to no urge to "hit the road" once again.
Well at least that was my experience. Immigrated to the US at 19. Spent many years there. Started RTW travel in my 30s, resolved all my unresolved ambitions/reasons for traveling. Left the USA to put down roots in my home country. I have never been happier in my life! Look at RTW travel as a phase. Do it while young. Then put down roots afterwards. You will thank yourself for it. Good luck and God bless all in your travel/life journeys!
Very insightful. Thank you for sharing these @Diaspora Returnee! 💛
You need to pick one place abroad for a base, where you have your friends, and you travel from there.
That way, you travel when you want, but you have an apartment where you pay rent, keep a lot of your stuff, and you can always go back if you get tired of traveling too much.
I don’t miss the things, all my friends are doing when I go back to the US. I would rather travel then be stuck in their boring routine. And they are massively in debt buying a lot of things they don’t need.
Thanks for sharing your insights Kevin!
Hi Kevin... on my latest film, I explain about the 6 benefits of working and living remotely. I think you'll find it useful....check it out! 😌 th-cam.com/video/g6gW1ZkyS80/w-d-xo.html
Great tips! Thanks Kristin 😀
You’re welcome, Karen!