It wasn’t planned. Many major and minor decisions over the past months and years have brought me to it. To the nomadic life. The decisions to complete the training as an outdoor guide, to quit my job and my apartment, to reduce my material possessions, to spend more time with things that do me good and to go through the world with light luggage. For a good 20 months now, I’ve been living without a home of my own and a permanent job.
Isn’t the constant change of homes exhausting? How do you organize yourself? How do you find work?
These are the most common questions that people around me ask me about my lifestyle. In this post, I give an insight into my everyday life as a modern nomad.
Living
Without an apartment of my own, I occasionally stay in temporary furnished apartments or with my parents in the countryside. With my family is my base camp, so to speak. Most of my furniture as well as my clothes and the few personal belongings are stored there temporarily. Between apartment changes, I can repack there, spend a few nights and prepare for the next stop. Without this home, organizing and executing my nomadic life would be more complicated.
The offer of temporary apartments in Bern is pretty good. I always find suitable accommodations. In March and April, I was able to stay inexpensively in the apartment of a family of 4 who were travelling. I watered their plants and emptied their mailbox.
At the moment I am staying with a friend in Bern until the beginning of June. Where I will spend the rest of June is still open. Beginning of July, I will move into a temporary apartment where I already lived for a few months last year. In the meantime, a kind of micro-network has been created that I can contact when needed. Most of the time, the accommodations come up rather short term, I have to be able to endure that. I’m often researching and organizing and yes, sometimes I don’t really get to rest because of that. The possibility of living with my family takes a certain amount of pressure off me. It gives me security should I not find a place to stay in the right time. And although the many apartment changes can be exhausting, I don’t miss my own home so far.
Work
Already in my younger years I often worked temporarily. The jobs came and went, but the contact with the job agency from back then has remained. A few weeks before I went home from Central America, I contacted the office and sent my current documents. This allowed the office to get started on the job search before I returned. I had the first interview online in a hotel room in Nicaragua. A rejection. I had the second one a few days after my arrival in Switzerland. An acceptance. Within 7 days of my return, I was working again. Knowing that I can find a job and earn money at any time makes it easier for me not to take a permanent position. With my skills in office and project management I am always in demand.
I have been working in this temporary position in Bern since February. I’ll stay there until the fall so that I can replenish my travel and pension funds. Retirement provision – an important topic. Since I don’t have a regular income, a gap in my provision is virtually pre-programmed. I therefore make sure that I don’t just spend my money on travelling, but put some aside for later. In the future, I’d also like to work abroad while on the road so I can earn a little more regularly and travel more. Maybe you’ll read more about my own services soon.
A nomad is a person who wanders, is not fixed in place, and does not come to rest.
Encounters
It is not only when travelling that interesting encounters occur. I also meet exciting people in my various workplaces. Through the regular changes, I get to know new ways of seeing and thinking and discover other industries. I can network and make new friends. I constantly receive impulses that help me to develop further. Whether it’s just a tip for a good restaurant or a helpful app. And then there are encounters that have a bigger impact on my life. Sometimes a friendly piece of advice or a sympathetic conversation is just the beginning. Connections can persist and deepen even over distance. With today’s means of communication, many things are possible.
I have definitely learned to enjoy the moment, because some moments just don’t come back. Sometimes I have to let people go or say goodbye when it’s time. That’s not always easy for me. At the same time, I learn a little more about what it means to live a life in the here and now.
Personal conclusion
It wasn’t planned. The nomadic life. But I like it. Very much. Despite the challenges it brings, I have never regretted these decisions. Routine is good. Too much routine constricts me. I like variety and the thrill of the unknown. I have the flexibility to try things out this way and continue or discard them. Completely according to the “trial & error” principle. This life model corresponds to my freedom-loving character. I find peace by spending time outside, walking, hiking, writing, meeting friends and family, and making plans. For me, a permanent residence is not a prerequisite. My conclusion: I want to continue with the nomadic life model as long as it makes me happy.
What’s next?
My plan is to travel to Central America again in autumn. I like the people’s attitude to life, the landscapes and the language. I want to stay there, take time to meet people, improve my language skills and discover other cultures.
What do you like about your lifestyle? What do you dislike? Where would you like to change something? If you feel like sharing, contact me or connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin.