Hello! If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Amsterdam, Feb 2008
If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you will probably already have realized my passion for travel. Not that I’m planning on getting all philosophical about this, but living on my own does give me some valuable time to (over)think – specially on rainy days!
From what my rusty memory can recall, I’ve always had the travel bug. My first travel memories include eating spaghetti ice cream in my great grandmother’s home town in Germany (later on, I found out it was made of vanilla, and I felt as if someone had told me back then that Santa was actually my uncle), getting lost in a Toy Store in NY, playing piano in the piano bar of a Hotel in Rio de Janeiro (not that I was any good, but I had no shame to go to the piano man and ask if I could play “my song”), visiting Disney World in Florida and fishing in a private lake in Belgium. All this was before I turned 8 years old. I now know I’ve been lucky – All this wouldn’t have occurred if my family didn’t have the so-called travel bug, too!
Phuket, April 2008
But it wasn’t until I started the University, that I realized how much travel can change your life. And by travel, I do not particularly mean being a tourist somewhere; but also living somewhere new – basically, leaving what we all know as home. During my, er, 7 years as a student (I’m not lame, I think, I just gave my career a 180º twist after the first 2 years), I lived in Spain, Germany and Switzerland, and each of these countries have had a significant influence on who I am today.
In the past weeks I’ve read many stories about people quitting their corporate jobs, selling their “stuff” and deciding to start a nomadic lifestyle to travel the World and find them selves in other cultures. It’s exciting to read about these adventures (it really is!) but from my experience, the real change happens once you are living in the same place for a longer period of time – when you really get to know the culture and truly understand what’s behind their habits. For this reason, I rather consider myself someone who does the Long-term living abroad (a concept I learned from Lauren, at Lauren’s Road Less Traveled) and travels short-term in the meantime.
I enjoy having a home to go back to after my journey, I need some kind of planning, objectives and a timeline (this is definitely something I adopted from my German and Swiss experiences). I would go crazy if I had to live one year out of a backpack – it was difficult enough to come over to Switzerland with only 20 kg! (Ok, I confess, the rest came 2 months later in boxes…).
My point is, although I admire the long-term travelers, I’m not that sure it would be for me, at least not at this moment. I’m happy at my 9-6 office job. It’s challenging but also rewarding, and it keeps me funding my weekend escapes (if I want), while still enjoying my life as an expat in Switzerland.
Zürifäscht, Zürich 2007
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I'm the same way with long-term living abroad and short-term travels in the meantime–I wrote a similar post here: http://www.cestchristine.com/2010/05/my-dirty-little-travel-secret/
Definitely agree with you–great points!
@Christine Just read it! Staying in one place for a longer period will let this place grow in your heart – Its you're second "home".
Love these photos! that Phuket photo makes me want to cry at the snow and gloom outside my window…
@Meri Thanks Meri, for me it was also the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen… I have like 10 pictures of this moment!
I think you have got the perfect balance K. I would love to do the long term travel, make a different country my home, with short term travel in the meantime. I travel a lot with my job but have lived in London (or nearby) for all my life. I need a new city!!
@Jayne Let's swap, shall we? I go to London and you come to Switzerland! ;)
Great post. Having lived for a year in a foreign country as well as having traveled continuously for a year as a RTW backpacker, I can see the benefits of each type of travel. I don't think one is better than the other; they are both fascinating experiences and I'd recommend checking them both out!
@Leslie (of Downtown Traveler) Hi Leslie! Thanks for stepping by. I agree with you – none is better than the other. These are different ways of traveling. I believe a RTW trip is much more adventurous and exciting and, knowing myself, I would definitely try it out some time!
I always thought I'd want to do a trip for a year or half a year. But the truth is, I really don't think I could hack it… All those nights in a different bed? So few leisurely home cooked meals? Nah, I'm with you. I like vacations that last for about three to four weeks.
@Vanessa …. but then, imagine waking up every day in a different city – it must be amazing! But surely very tiring. For now, I'm happy with a 3 week vacation as you say… I think it's enough time to survive out of a backpack!
I completely agree – I'm currently living in Brussels and spent a year in Norway previously, but I'm also looking forward to spending long amounts of time in several other countries too – I love how much your life changes and how much more you learn about the people and culture… even how much you take on board yourself, and the things you discover about your own personality…
Wow Spain, Switzerland AND Germany? How did you manage the languages? Have you written a post about the language side? (I guess I'm particularly curious because I write a language travel blog!)
http://blog.easylanguages.com/