I’ve been on and off going abroad for months/year+ at a time for the past 8 or so years…
Sometimes solo, sometimes with 1-4 friends. Long trips. Working on our laptops. Meeting people. Doing experiences. Have had a lot of fun and wouldn’t trade it.
But as I’m getting a little older (approaching 30) I am by myself in a Airbnb in South America craving more stability. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather be here than in my home country but the thought my visa runs out soon I got to move has got me thinking it’s time for me to settle in one city so I can build a real community again for a few years and have my own place etc.
I been abroad nearly 2 years now (again on this recent trip) so I think I’m going to settle in Mexico City for a few years. Rent an apartment, I know 1 person there, join some local clubs of what I want to do, build new friendships, play sports, date and just have a consistent lifestyle where either I am not leaving/changing or someone else. Also focus on my career more.
Curious to hear others stories/experiences of this?
I will still take trips now and then but for now, I’m settling down.
Last December I’d been nomading abroad for 11 years and found myself suddenly super exhausted with dragging my shit around and the endless bookings and coming and going, so I somewhat spontaneously rented a place for a year here in Spain.
I furnished it myself, sparsely, and felt uncomfortable for months with the idea of owning shit again. Now I’m used to it, but I still can’t bring myself to settle in and buy more things.
I’m still traveling, been to several different countries this past year, so I’m more “nomadic with a base” rather than settled.
The upside is it’s SO goddamn nice to have my own place that is never booked out, always available to me, with my own things, exactly as I left it. My bed is so fucking comfortable and my pans are not scratched and I have a nice stock of supplies. It’s just fucking nice.
The downside is I’ve traveled less than I would have if I didn’t have the place. It’s a bit of an anchor and that’s limiting.
If I could go back a year and do it again I would do it a little differently to feel less anchored. Here’s my advice:
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Rent a place that’s already furnished to reduce stress/logistics and the drag of owning too much shit to deal with later.
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Rent a cheaper space so it’s less of an anchor. (I can afford to burn the $2,000/mo for this place and still travel, but that feels irresponsible so I travel less than I would if I was paying <$1,000/mo for a scrappy studio. That said, it’s a big flat in the center and that’s been pleasant to live and work in.)
Since you’ve been nomading a long time and you sound a bit burned out like I was, it’s a great experiment for you. Try it. If anything, just to get a break from the nonstop logistics of travel.
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Lots of people do that, because they probably found a place that they often returned to during their travels. I’ve been based in Bangkok since covid. Now after 3 years I’ve got a strong itch to go full nomad again so I’ll do that soon. Probably slower paced overall, two months in Phuket first.