Many moons ago, I found myself still in a job that was well beyond its sell-by date. I was also living in a city that for a variety of reasons was not the best fit for me. I was applying for positions in other countries, but things were not moving quickly enough – and I found myself fantasizing about just turning in my notice and heading out into the world. The question then was where I would go. I spent…
A postcard from a past place (Note: I’ve made it a goal to write something about all of the countries I’ve spent time in over the years. I’ve decided to start with Albania not as a result of its position in the alphabet, but because it’s a place I’ve thought a lot about since last year. Posts on other countries will follow in no particular order.) My visit to Tirana in June 2016 was only supposed to last a week….
If you were to ask me how or why I’ve made certain decisions in my life, I’d have to say I really don’t know. My own decision-making process is truly a black box to me. I generally don’t have any recollection of taking an actual decision at any point; instead I just wake up one day and realize that I’ve put a certain chain of events in motion. And I’m just fine with that. After spending years chasing academic and…
Today I missed my coffee mug. One of my favorite things to do is take coffee back to bed with me in the morning. I spend an hour or two reading, catching up on news or podcasts, listening to music, or just staring into space. It’s an absolutely delicious way to start the day, and it’s one of the many reasons I am happy I don’t have to rush out the door to make it to a job anymore. The…
I was having lunch a few days ago with some Cypriots I had just met. One of them kindly invited me to join her on a mountain hike that she and her friends were planning to take. Given the terrain, boots would be a must – and she was aghast when I said I didn’t have any with me. “When you are living out of a suitcase, you have to make choices,” I explained. “I realized I could bring my…
I’ve spent my entire adult life moving every few years, often from country to country. The longest time I’ve lived in one place since I was 17 was four years, and I was long past my sell-by date by the time I left. In 2014 I decided to take the plunge and become fully nomadic, which means that I no longer have a base or establish a regular household when I move. I am staying a few months at a…
When people discover I’m a digital nomad, I usually a get hit with a barrage of questions. I don’t blame them: it’s a lifestyle that’s not that common, and curiosity is a natural response. As a result I am always more than happy to share how I am managing different aspects of my life at the moment. On the assumption that others may have the same questions, I have put together a set of personal FAQs that outlines the strategies…