Learnings From My Experience as a Long-Term Traveler. Part 2
Expectations vs. reality
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Time flies so fast, and I realize that since the beginning of my journey three years ago, I never took a moment to reflect on the highs and lows of traveling long-term. It was quite a journey, from challenges to moments of joy, but I think the main lesson for me is that we are writing our own stories.
I started this journey after years of watching traveling vlogs and vloggers who were living this life that seemed impossible for me at that time or just like a nice dream. The hustle of being constantly on the road and the challenges that this whole context brought to them were scary and desirable at the same time.
Looking back, I learned a lot from those vlogs and their stories. When the moment came for me to shape my own nomad story, I took the lessons and shaped them according to my experience.
There is a lot of noise.
First and foremost, there is a lot of noise around traveling full-time and becoming a digital nomad. Many stereotypes and labels are associated with this lifestyle that might confuse you. You’ll often see this lifestyle portrayed either as a romanticized “dreamy lifestyle” or a less desirable “I would never be able to live on the run” perspective.
It’s normal to try to categorize things in our minds to better cope with them. But if you decide to become a digital nomad, you need to understand that the reality of this lifestyle will likely fall somewhere between those two extremes. Don't feel constrained by stereotypes when trying to shape your journey.
And I really mean it because no matter how much we sometimes try not to get influenced by what is happening around us, our minds might start portraying unrealistic expectations. Having this expectation will weigh heavier on you than the journey itself.
Sprint or marathon?
I remember the excitement around my first countries. It was amazing to experience so many new things. I felt constantly like a kid in a candy store and was lucky enough to start with places that really blew my mind. But time passed, and so my enjoyment started to drop. It was less about the novelty of the surroundings and more about the journey itself.
As I shifted focus inward, I started to better connect with my self-discovery journey, and things started to become clearer. The transition was not smooth because I blamed the lack of excitement on the countries I visited. I started trying to fit them all into certain beauty standards that I was expecting each country to match.
These years of traveling felt more like a marathon, with ups and downs but a constant drive to go further. That was not my initial feeling when I was almost certain I had signed up for a sprint. Take it as it is - sometimes you’ll sprint, sometimes you’ll jog, but finding your flow is most important when traveling long-term.
Become a fortune teller.
Going into more practical lessons, I’ve learned that planning can be very helpful. I know having no plan is sometimes the best plan, but in terms of resources, planning is useful when traveling long-term. If you enjoy traveling spontaneously, where you can see cute photos and nice landscapes, and usually you go with the flow, you should know from the start that committing to traveling long term involves a good amount of bureaucratic processes, resilience, and problem-solving.
How you shape your journey will directly impact the logistical work you invest in. For example, if you plan to change accommodation weekly, expect to have a lot of trial and error in finding good places and hosts. Be ready to embrace the unexpected because the probability of encountering it is higher than when you switch places monthly or after two months.
Find unpopular destinations for the seasons you plan to visit, connect destinations to avoid flying back and forth, and consider tolls and other logistical costs like bridge crossings that are paid in certain countries when planning your budget.
The more research you do, the less you’ll pay overall. Being more spontaneous might be more fun, but it will be harder to keep things budget-friendly.
Traveler = global citizen?
Traveling can be a trap when it comes to breaking stereotypes. You might think starting to see and explore many places will make you more open to accepting other cultures and becoming a better global citizen.
But living in different countries and experiencing them, good and bad, might actually reinforce biases and add to old stereotypes you already had. So keep an open mind without judgment and never forget your “why,” not even when you get scammed or pay a “tourist tax” for not knowing the language.
The world is your oyster.
That's how you might feel when you realize you can actually travel anywhere. But having more choices doesn't necessarily make choosing easier. Even if you start this journey to exit your comfort zone, beware when you start to make it your comfort zone.
Sooner or later, you’ll likely find traveling easier than settling down. I'm not saying that's good or bad, but if your journey is no longer bringing you value, you might need to reassess it - whether after a month, a year, or even ten years later.
This newsletter is intended for skiing and winter enthusiasts who are looking for an affordable long-term stay in early January near the mountains. The destinations we will explore are Bulgaria 🇧🇬, Germany🇩🇪, and Romania🇷🇴.
If you're trying to escape winter, don't forget that our previous recommendations include listings in Portugal and Tenerife that may fit what you're looking for.
Nomad Listing's recommendations:
Don't forget; if you're interested in understanding the criteria I use to create these recommendations, you can check them out here.
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