MY STORY: Nomad Lifestyle
How did I start living abroad?
I was 19 years old when I truly adventured myself to a new country, excited for the newness, the uniqueness of the place I was moving to, and feeling immensely happy for what was coming next. What I didn´t know was that after that step, my life would change for forever, and a life aligned with who I really am was about to start.
This first country I lived in is Norway, specifically in one of the most remote places I've ever been to, on the top of the European continent, setting the Northernmost point of it.
It was in the island of Magerøya, and I lived in its capital, Honningsvåg, together with its 1.200 inhabitants.
Now, you might be wondering how did I end up in such isolated location.
Everything started when I decided to study the degree of Tourism and Hotel Management in Barcelona. Feeling somehow forced to study, but following my gut towards what I really felt doing, I ended up choosing that university which was giving me more chances to live, study and work abroad. For destiny or thanks to following my instinct, I chose well. And thanks to that good decision, I got to live unforgettable, and beautiful experiences around the world while I was studying. I can say that for me the best part of studying a degree was the chance to get to start seeing the world for cheap or even for free while doing internships abroad, and discovering what I want to do or how I want to live for real, quite far from the life structure imposed at school.
Places I have lived in so far
After this first experience in Norway, the adventure just started!
Since 2018 to nowadays, 2023, I've been living in the countries listed below:
- Magerøya, Norway - working for 5 months in 2018 and 7 months in 2019
- Montréal, Canada - studying for 4 months in 2020
- La Cerdanya, Spain - working for 4 months in 2021
- Arusha, Tanzania - working for 3,5 months in 2021
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates - working for 6 months in 2021-2022
- Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia - volunteering for 1 month in 2023
- Reykjavik, Iceland - working for 1,3 years in 2022-2023
I have called home to all the places above, and all the experiences are part of myself, which have come to my path after having taken decisions and acted aligned with my feelings. All thanks to the lifestyle I chose to live, opening my arms to new experiences outside my comfort zone.
How I keep having this lifestyle
I've previously mentioned that I started moving abroad by applying to internships through the University, like in Tanzania.
Or when I moved to a remote island in Norway and witnessed the Northern Lights for the first time in my life, at the age of 19. That was another dream come true. Who would ever tell me that I would get to see them again going for a second time to Norway in 2019 and, some years later, moving to Iceland.
After University, I took decisions by my own, without any support, just applying to jobs abroad, fearless and excited for living new experiences, following my instinct and feelings, and daring myself to live a life aligned with who I really am. I just dared myself to do what I really felt doing, and stop pretending fitting in something I was not feeling fulfilled with. And more recently, I started travelling for very cheap while giving support to the local community doing volunteerings with Worldpackers (in the next section I talk about this).
Have you ever dreamt about something, but immediately stop thinking about it because you realize that's unattainable, and that's only a dream?
Honestly, this doesn't usually happen to me. I just remember once, when I was a girl writing the typical bucket list of "Things I want to do in my life". In that list there was the wish of doing a Safari in Africa, next to which I added a question mark because I found it unattainable, expensive and unrealistic. Unexpectedly, it became real at the age of 22. How incredible is that! Same situation when going to a Nordic country to see the Northern Lights.
What's more, I didn't only made these dreams come true, but I lived and experienced unimaginable things beyond that bucket list, which I could never believed true back then.
My best tip to have a nomad lifestyle
You might be wondering how can I live all these unique and exclusive experiences at a low cost or for free.
Here it goes my best tip that has been shaping my lifestyle since the moment I stepped out of my comfort zone.
Be a local, not a tourist
Don't be a tourist, live and work in the country, as a local, instead.
Commonly, people travel during those giftet holidays of 25 days per year (more if you are lucky), visiting the crowded areas of a destination, lacking to experience the most local, authentic and unique experience, not mentioning the big amounts of money spent in travelling.
Living and working in each of the countries I've been to has allowed me to experience things that a tourist will never get to see. Like living in the town of Arusha, in Tanzania, and walking along its streets, working with locals and in the savannah, experiencing beyond what doing a Safari is, and for free! Or living in Dubai, barely spending money while visiting it, as well as travelling around Iceland for free or for very cheap.
What's more, all of the mentioned countries are expensive destinations for tourists and I could afford everything and more.
After all these experiences, I got to realize that I travel on my own style, very different from how a tourist travels, and this involves the following advantatges:
• I don´t spend money or very little and I get to live experiences that a tourist would pay big amounts of money for.
Like living in Tanzania and witnessing its wildlife while working, being in the expensive city of Dubai, travelling all around Iceland or getting to the top of the European continent, reaching the North Cape.
• I live extremely local, unique and authentic experiences, feeling part of all the countries I've been to and connecting with the culture, and locals.
• I earn and save money while travelling.
• I grow immensely at personal levels, I self-discover as never before every time I'm living, volunteering or travelling to a new place. I open my mind and develop a flexibility in my life beyond the average as I’m constantly outside my comfort zone, adapting to different environments and lifestyles.
• I build deep connections with people from all around the world.
How to become a local?
There are several alternatives to choose for living in a country. But the most accessible ones could be:
• To apply to jobs abroad
Dare yourself to send your resume to international companies, looking for locations you want to visit and aiming to step out of your comfort zone trying out a new job position, new environment and a new language! That's how I've been doing for the last years and this has given me the best experiences of my life.
• To do volunteering abroad
Volunteering is an enrichible way to live abroad, being a local at the same time you support to a cause, which can be a social or environmental one, a work exchange... the options are infinite! I've personally volunteered for a humanitarian project, and now I'm volunteering for the next months with Worldpackers while travelling very cheap!
Worldpackers is a community of travellers which connects hosts and volunteers and allows you to travel while living unique experiences and making a positive impact on the world!
In the link below you can directly register to Worldpackers. Don't forget to apply my promocode EVARIOS to travel even cheaper!
The people I met along the journey
The people I've met around the world while living this lifestyle deserves a spotlight in here. Besides of all the self-discovery, self-development and the unstoppable process of opening my mind, the people who I have crossed path with along my journey is the best and most beautiful part of this lifestyle.
Priceless.
What's next?
To work abroad has approached me to the lifestyle I'm made for, and has allowed me to discover what I love doing and one of my passions: exposing myself to a constant newness and to the unknown while moving around the world.
However, it's also true that currently I'm looking for more freedom and I quit my 9/5 job, realizing that this is not longer giving me the sense I need in my life.
This important transition took place while living and working in Iceland, where I've travelled a lot, and experienced what this beautiful country has to offer to the fullest.
A new chapter plenty of adventure and life has started!
Moreover, I'm offering curated itineraries, and guides for those looking for ideas, inspiration and motivation for travelling and/or living an experience in your upcoming destination. So, I'm giving the chance of getting a personalized itinerary from Iceland, if you plan to travel there, or any other destination that I know well like Sri Lanka, Northern Norway, Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, East of Australia...
But here the best part, recently I launched a How-to Guide, based on my experience, where I explain in detail and in a practical way how you can take the step and travel almost for free or very cheap around the world, too! Use the promo code - TRAVEL25 - to get a special discount.
If you've read until the end, it really means that either you're curious about this lifestyle, or you're thinking about taking the first step! Here is where the sense of all this relies on. I'm here for you to answer all your questions and cheering you up to make your dream of travelling the world real!
Travelling safe
Here it goes another of my best tips! Travel safe, always.
If you are thinking about having a nomad lifestyle, constantly moving and travelling to different countries, you might encounter lot of challenges and issues when it comes to the medical and travel insurance.
You can avoid this situation with Chapka Insurance, which is part of AON, one of the best insurances in the world. What I like the most about them is that they have crafted packages made for Work&Holiday Visas, or for volunteering, for backpacking... so to choose the insurance that best suits you has never been as easy as now!
And here the best part, you can get 7% off when purchasing your insurance with them by using my code: EVARIOS
Below you can find the direct link to read more about it and to get the insurance!
Don't hesitate to reach me out on Instagram or TikTok: @evarios14! It's always a pleasure to connect and support like-minded people around the world.
Lastly, I invite you to check out some of my best travel guides!
With lot of love,
Eva (@evarios14)
The home for unique & authentic travel
