A home for my words.

I wrote about 5 Ways Nomading Has Changed Me For the Better. Now, I’m going to tell you the things that haven’t changed about me since I started nomading.

I am a sun-worshipping, hot climate enthusiast

My number one preference for anywhere I stay is that it is warm. It is one of the first ways I decide where I want to go and when I want to be there. There’s a good reason for this. Cold climates leave me huddled under the covers and curled up near a heater — IF I’M LUCKY ENOUGH to have one — and bed rotting. I lived in enough cold climates in my younger years to notice the consistent pattern of low temps leaving me not wanting to leave the house, sparingly making plans, skipping going for long walks, etc. It ends up feeling like a waste of a location. The only exception I would make is if there are cold locations with things that can only be experienced in that environment. For instance, I’d love to see the Northern Lights/aurora borealis one day. That would likely have to be in a cold environment. I also love to snowboard, but I haven’t done that since I lived in Colorado because I haven’t stayed anywhere cold enough to do so.

I want an in-unit washing machine!

I can often save on housing costs by simply forgoing an in-unit washing machine, but I have learned to pay for the premium. Whenever I’ve lived in buildings with their own laundromat, there were the same issues: some machines don’t give change, require you to download an app, and residents leave the place a mess or don’t set a timer to ensure they remove their clothing from a machine on time, etc.

I know this sounds whiny, and it is considering I started doing the household laundry while still in elementary school. Sometimes I had to handwash clothing, but usually I trudged to the local laundromat. I can vividly remember forcing a cart through inches of snow with one laundry bag upright in the cart and another thrown across the top. So hear me out: I don’t mind laundry as a task in itself (it’s actually my favorite chore), but once I tasted the privilege of in-unit washing machine as an adult, I never wanted to go back.

Lastly, I have minimal clothing and often when laundry day finds me, the only outfit remaining might be something that I don’t want people to see me in! Being able to do laundry in seclusion is just better. However, I’m fine living without a drying machine and air drying my clothes, if need be.

I’m (apparently) a pretty solo-dolo kinda gal.

If you’ve ever scrolled through enough r/digitalnomad pages on Reddit, you’ll see that there is a lot of talk on “the loneliness of nomading.” And I’ll be honest…I can’t relate. I think a lot of people run to vent in that thread in their lowest of moments and eventually find themselves feeling upbeat again. But the frequency of this results in a subreddit minefield of seemingly sad, lonely people. I personally don’t think that’s the dominant sentiment. Solo nomading is quite well-suited to those who are fiercely independent and don’t need their loved ones in the same place a majority of the time or constant socialization to feel okay. That said, there are nomads who are booked, busy, and headed out to social events nearly every night of the week. The experience can be what you make of it, and it helps to know yourself well. I’ve already talked about how TimeLeft and NomadTable can help you to socialize as a nomad. As for me, I honestly think like I’d feel more alone if I were not living out my travel dreams. And don’t forget that you can also still form many friendships while living nomadically. Yes, some of those may fade with time (as is the case with friendships everywhere), but others will remain strong. You may even find yourself once again crossing paths with those people as the years pass.

I’m still good at keeping in touch.

Being abroad has made the intentionality within my existing relationships that much stronger. Despite my changing time zones, I still prioritize making time for friends who are equally invested. That looks like lots of text and voice messages, yes, but also the occasional video call and the chance to see some of these loved ones face-to-face in locations around the world.

I am a planner, through and through

What I am about to say might shock some people, so hold on to your seat: I tend to know everywhere I’ll be living about a year in advance. This can seem mindboggling, especially when I’m changing locations every month or so. I keep an open mind to the reality that things can change while also feeling comforted by having a plan, and I use free online tools to help me make those decisions. This ensures that I have an understanding of flight paths and prices and can snag the lodging that is best suited for me early enough. Refundable flights and 30-day cancellation windows help smooth out some of the risks of being so planned out. I’ve tried flying by the seat of my pants in traveling, like when I thought I was going to wing it for my Thailand backpacking trip…and then proceeded to plan out the entire month the day before my flight took off! But I am a planner by nature and for me, envisioning what is to come is part of the fun. I know many a nomad talks of the stress and burden of figuring out locations and booking lodging. I ease this by setting aside a period of the year where I book lodging. I also have a personal nomad spreadsheet that breaks down things like visa regulations and the best weather months of the year per destination. There are certain locations where getting housing will be best done on the ground rather than booked in advance but outside of those locations, I like being able to plan for exactly what I’d like while leaving room for the inevitable of life: having to pivot.