NuNomad

Meet the Nomads - Mark and Judith of Foundation Communicaid

by Ricardo
Meet Judith Madigan and Mark van Luyk, founders of Foundation Communicaid. Judith is the General Director/ Chairperson and Mark the Creative Director/ Photographer of this unconventional nonprofit organization that supports aid organizations—two nu nomads who have blended their passion for charitable endeavors with that of traipsing around the world. I caught up with them in Bangkok, and over a bottle of Italian Chianti and plates of Mexican food we talked about their way of living.

Foundation Communicaid (FCA) was formally established about a year ago to assist local community based aid organizations with their marketing and communications, by using photography, graphic design and copywriting to maximize the organizations' marketing potential. It grew after Mark and Judith, both world travelers, saw the need for such a service as they volunteered for a few aid groups during their travels. They noticed that too often organizations on the front lines of helping communities and people were unable to effectively communicate to potential supporters and donors what it was the organization was doing, how well they were doing it, and what they needed in order to keep helping people in need.

In The Netherlands Mark was an established photographer, communications and marketing professional serving as creative director for a marketing company. Judith was a licensed MSc Optometrist. Both have a great passion for charitable work. “Our intention was and still is to contribute to a better world- helping others with our skills,” said Judith. This passion, coupled with her university (masters degree) structuring skills and Mark’s creative disciplines, formed the beginning for a new vocation that would take them out of The Netherlands and on the road. It was an opportunity to do what they wanted. “While in The Netherlands,” stated Judith, “you can’t plan for a life like this. You just have to go and see what happens.”

What interested them in becoming mobile was: freedom, more opportunities, and the chance to experience diverse cultures—to see the world. Although Judith admitted to being an at-home person and found the whole mobile lifestyle idea a little frightening at first, she soon learned that it is she who makes her “home” and not the other way around. “I can adjust very easily now. And,” she added, “Mark and I finally have plenty of time for each other—which was not the case when we were living the work-a-day world back in The Netherlands.” Mark shared the sentiments of his co-worker (and personal partner) and offered an example where mobility really shined.

Up until recently the two had based themselves in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After nearly a year in that city they felt it was simply time for a change of scenery. They were also offered other opportunities elsewhere. Being mobile allowed them to pick up their gear and mobile office equipment, get on an airplane and set up shop in Bangkok. In two more months, they’ll be in various locations within Indonesia. “Also”, Mark added, “being able to move about grants me moments of greater creativity and clarity. It is while traveling that I get these, lack of a better word ‘epiphanies’ where I get the nature of the meaning of something that I can reflect in my work.”

Both Judith and Mark are full time nomads. Though Southeast Asia is where their work is taking them these days, they are completely open to working and traveling to just about any location on earth. They have their main office in The Netherlands, so they do like visiting neighboring European countries as often as they can when they are up that way—and can afford it. Even with an ever-growing travel case of mobile equipment, they don’t find themselves anchored in any particular place yet.

These mobile professionals are, however, traveling heavier than they had anticipated at first—with Mark being burdened a bit more than his partner since he’s the photographer which requires camera equipment in addition to his notebook computer and related accessories. Mark has two cameras, both Canons. His primary one is the 1DSMarkII and he has a 10D as backup. He totes along 3 lenses (all Canons): EF 24-70mm 2.8, EF 70-200mm 2.8 IS, and EF 16-35mm 2.8, as well as a couple of remote flash units. Both prefer Macintosh computers. Their newest acquisition is a MacBook Pro 15.4” screen, 2.2GHz with Leopard OSX. The other notebook is a PowerBook G4 with a 12” screen. They chose Mac over PC because they’re partial to the graphic quality that Macs are known for, and because the operating system is not (yet) greatly vulnerable to malicious viruses. Plus they simply like the stylized design that Mac offers. (All of this stuff is packed in 2 Pelican cases, customized to fit all the stuff for FCA.) This equipment is in addition to a Wacom tablet (for graphics), Yamaha classical guitar, small iPod, and Motorola mobile phone.

When asked if there are any web-based services they rely upon to run their business, they said that here they keep it simple. Skype is their main tool for verbal communications and their on-line banking keeps their finances flowing. Other than that, they use what’s in their computers. They have little problems communicating with their clients globally or supporters back in The Netherlands.

The Netherlands is where FCA gets its financial support through donations and support grants. Their work, however, is performed overseas and changes as the opportunities and need arise. It’s a real hands-on approach. They work closely with the client at their site, but their follow-up work is done through electronic communication as “Team Worldwide” will travel from project to project as nomads. It is a vocation that has amazed and is envied by both supporters and clients, especially the latter. “Community based aid organizations are usually pretty location bound,” noted Judith. “They see our ability to up-and-go and view that as a great way of living.” Mark added that one of their clients refers to them as “The New Gypsy Organization.”

This statement brought the interview to the next logical question, regarding the pros and cons of the nu nomadic business and lifestyle. They both said that the benefits were sort of obvious: the opportunity to travel—which is in addition to what was mentioned earlier in this article about freedom and opportunities, working and meeting with various people and communities. The down side was that they sometimes felt scattered and less organized then they wished to be. They had to maintain discipline and working hours, which can be a challenge when you’re in an environment where people are often having vacation time—such as on a tropical island. Also, the time difference between Asia and The Netherlands, where they often have to do net meetings, can be difficult. When the Dutch office is open or their supporters most available, it is already late at night where the FCA team is. “But,” Judith assured “that’s not a big problem; just a little inconvenient at times.”

In closing, Mark and Judith’s advice to those people wanting to set up their own mobile business is to: “Follow your heart. Why keep yourself in this lifestyle that doesn’t make you happy? Take the step! By traveling opportunities will arise. Ultimately, the good stuff, like success and happiness, is sure to follow.”

Meet the Nomads - Again! - Catching up with the Atkins Family as they Circle the Globe

By Carmen

We last interviewed the Atkins family in May of 2007 as they were in the preparation stages of an around the world trip by bus while homeschooling their 4 children. At that time, the Atkins were overhauling their vehicle to accomodate their trip. Now they have been on the road for 6 months so we thought we'd get in touch and see how they're doing.

Manny, when we last interviewed you and your family, you were in the process of building out your bus and planning your trip. Now you have been on the road for several months. What countries have you visited so far?

We traveled through France, into Spain back into France, across to Northern Italy. Joe then had work in Monte Carlo, so we stayed in Antibes, and went in to work with him pretty much every day, which was wonderful! Back in to Italy, to Rome and beyond. We took a ferry to Greece, drove up through Bulgaria, into Romania to play a couple of concerts for the charity Growing Care. Back through Bulgaria and into Turkey, we spent Christmas in Istanbul, and New Year in Athens. Crossed back into Italy and came back up to France where we are taking a pause after traveling 15,000Km and being on the road for six months.

If you were advising a NuNomad as to what locations in Europe are most Nomad friendly (ie, low cost of living, widely available internet, quality of life) what would be your top picks?

Sometimes we’ve found the best internet access in the most surprisingly remote places (virtually the whole of Bulgaria seemed to have free wifi! just no shops!) and our favourite Italian campsite, in the forested mountains just outside Deiva Marina, had free and excellent wifi. And yet we struggled to find wifi in some capital cities - which surprised me! We have stayed mainly in campsites; which often offered wifi and always had useful info on public transport into the city etc. The free hot water, ability to plug in to electricity, and use of washing machines made sense for us as a big family. We often stayed overnight in truckstops on the autoroutes, when travelling from place to place, but then we’d seek the security and facilities of a campsite to base ourselves. The city sites tended to cost double the rural sites. Spain was cheaper than Italy and France, and the Spanish really know how to run a city! Greece was cheaper still, but we were there very much out of season. Turkey would probably be my top location - not too expensive, good internet, and the warmest and most generous strangers we ever came across. Istanbul was vibrant, and exciting. You cross from Europe to Asia and back, all within one city! Here’s a link to the blogs while we were in Turkey:http://web.mac.com/harryatkins/WTTW_Blogs/The_Family_Blog/Entries/2007/12/22_-_Turkey.html

Was this your original itinerary or have you changed? If you have changed itinerary what factors caused you to do so?

It was always our intention to have a fluid itinerary and while we were in Spain, we decided we weren’t ready to go into Africa. We thought maybe we’d head for North America, but in our (long) search for crossings for us and the bus, we discovered Grimaldi Freighter Cruises. Their office in Naples have been really helpful, and we were thrilled to find we could cross to Argentina. We were booked to travel in April. In fact this crossing has been cancelled, and we are now booked onto the November crossing.
This delay has coincided with a bit of a financial crisis for us: some money we were relying on has fallen through, and so we need to re-fuel our funds. We’ll sit tight for a few months here in France, live as cheaply as we can; earn as much as we can, and learn French! And hopefully be ready to get on the boat in November.

What caused the decision not to go to Africa?

We found it almost impossible to find a realistic crossing from Egypt to Kenya, which was our original plan; also the political situation in Africa seemed to be more and more unsettled. We decided we weren’t comfortable taking the children into a situation where we would be so vulnerable. It was a big disappointment, but Joe and I felt strongly that it was too early in our trip to be facing those kinds of challenges. Life on the road was going so well, and to be honest was exciting, interesting and challenging enough. I have to say though, that now we’re six months in, and have crossed borders in the dark and snow, I’m really excited about changing continents!

How has it been to be in the bus on the road with a large family? How have you all adapted to the close quarters?

The joy of a big family is that no-one ever gets left out; there’s a constant variety of different combinations. We run a very harmonious team to keep everything ticking over, and the children take as much responsibility for the tidiness and running of the bus as Joe and I. It works really well, and it all runs very smoothly. Being so close has become a way of life now, even sharing our huge top bunk with Arthur, our seven year old, feels completely natural. Going to bed is reminiscent of the end of “The Waltons”!

Looks like you’ve been playing music as a family band along the way. How do you set up your concerts and get an audience?

The music has been a great family focus. it tends to come in bursts. We played some summer concerts, at campsites and for friends; and a big Birthday Party last September. Then we played the two concerts in Romania. They were a real adventure. One was for the children the charity helps; they have so little, and live a hard hard life. It was a real pleasure to bring a live gig to them, we felt so appreciated, and it was very humbling! The other was in a big theatre as more of an awareness-raiser with local dignitaries etc. Here’s the blog link to the Romanian concerts - http://web.mac.com/harryatkins/WTTW_Blogs/The_Family_Blog/Entries/2007/12/7_Politics%2C_Philosophy%2C_Harmonics_-_Romania_2.html
We’re playing a gig in a couple of weeks here in France, a musical evening already organised, so audience gathering is not down to us! but we hope it will lead to a few more. So we’re practising hard at the moment. We’ve made no more than a free supper so far, and it would be great to earn a bit; but playing for pleasure carries less pressure!

What are you learning along the way that you didn’t expect?

Just how rewarding home-schooling is
I don’t miss England at all!
I never crave time to myself, away from the family.
The Turkish generosity is boundless.
There are more good people in the world than the media would have you believe! (Actually, I did expect that to be the case!)

How is the bus holding up?

She’s in fine form. She’s running better now than she was when we left the UK. We’ve ironed out oil-leaks and air system problems; fixed the radiator and had the heating re-instated. She’s happiest doing the kind of long, steady, regular drives we do, so really she’s in her element! There is a harmony and trust when we’re driving that’s hard to describe. The bumpy roads of Romania took their toll, and we had some quite big structural repairs to take care of in Turkey. But all in all she’s looked after us, and we’ve looked after her and the respect is mutual!

What has been the greatest highlight/positive experience of the trip so far?

There’ve been a few!
Parking on the waters edge at Camping Fusina, and watching the sun go down over Venice took some beating!
Driving through Greece in the crisp winter sun; snow capped mountains to our left, and crystal blue sea on our right...music playing, family singing... deep inner peace!
Christmas day in Istanbul! waking up to stockings in the morning, and a boat trip across the Bosphorus sea in the evening, the city illuminated magnificently in the moonlight.
I can’t even begin to put into words the way this trip and the preparations for it, have bonded us as a family. It has enriched our marriage and deepened all our relationships.

Welcome to the World.

Meet the Nomads - Nora Dunn-from the Canadian Rat Race to a Simple Hawaiian Life

by Carmen Bolanos
December 13, 2007

Meet Nora Dunn. A former financial planner, Nora and her partner Kelly gave up the 9-5 white collar life for that of laptop hobos. Nora and Kelly are currently house-sitting for an environmentally sustainable home in Hawaii after having crossed Canada by train. Nora maintains income by writing professionally about frugal living for WiseBread. She also maintains her personal blog, Life Happens, where you can read more about their travels.

Nora, I was reading on your blog that you and your traveling partner, Kelly, made a decision in 2006 to quit your jobs, sell your belongings and become nomadic. What brought you to this decision?

Previously as a career financial planner, I derived great joy from helping people to redefine their relationships with money and learn to plan for tomorrow but not at the expense of living for today. However it was when I was neck-deep in my practice (and quite successful) that I realized there was more to life than what I was doing. Both Kelly & I felt trapped in the rat race and couldn’t imagine spending the next 30 years of our lives maintaining status quo and keeping up with the Joneses waiting to fulfill our dreams of travel in far off retirement.

We both have also had this lifelong nagging voice in our heads telling us we aren’t on the right track which typically led us to drastic career changes more than once.

It was when I burnt out totally and became quite ill that I really started to listen to the voice, and realized that there was more to life than met the eye. One day when I was in tears about my predicament I was asked point blank what I want to do. In frustration, I replied “I just want to retire”! But then I thought about what retirement really meant to me (because knitting and gardening were certainly not high on my list), and I realized that my dream of a life of travel, adventure, and searching for inspirational stories to tell wasn’t out of the realm of reason to do right now!

Too many people detest their current daily grind yet don’t do anything but complain about it. I refused to become one of those people.

Hence: the decision to become a Professional Hobo!

What preparations did you have to do to actually be able to hit the road?

Selling my financial planning business was one of the trickiest obstacles, as it meant letting go of the dear relationships I had with my clients. However I took care to make sure everybody was in good hands, and surprisingly I received lots of support and encouragement from my clients and colleagues.

Then, it became a matter of selling off our belongings. I detail this process in a few articles here and here, but basically it was a matter of keeping (by storing with friends) only those things that we deemed irreplaceable (which amounted to about eight boxes) and selling or giving away everything else.

This was an extremely difficult process since society conditions us to accumulate stuff, but was quite freeing once we accepted the idea of letting go. I still miss the loft I had in the Beaches area of Toronto (Canada), but I don’t harbour an ounce of regret for anything that I’ve done.

Next was the matter of figuring out what to take with us. We have read over and over again that the less you take, the happier the travels go. So with that in mind, we kept a few outfits that are multi-functional, three pairs of shoes (hiking boots, runners, and sandals), minimal toiletries (Dr Bronner’s rocks as a multi-functional soap), and the ever-present laptop and camera combo.

Did you plan where you would travel beforehand or are you making it up as you go?

Life Happens while you’re busy making plans. And wouldn’t you know it – while we were planning our trip, life kept happening! Our original first destination was Costa Rica, where we would be taking an Outward Bound course to become adventure guides. But just before it came time to sign on the dotted line, we received a call from Kelly’s brother who was getting married in the summer and wanted us to be a part of his special day. So in a matter of three hours the plans changed drastically from summering Costa Rica to traveling across Canada by train (highly recommended by the way) and spending the summer in Alberta with family and friends, and enjoying the Rocky Mountains.

Costa Rica was still on the agenda for the fall, by which time life continued to throw us curve balls and we stumbled upon our current opportunity which is in Hawaii.

Having the freedom to roll with the punches and identify (and capitalize on) opportunities as they come is very special. We enjoy not following the plan, and continuing to make it up as we go!

It looks like you started out by using savings from your former careers but are now generating income on the road. Can you tell us what you’re doing and how it’s working out? Is it enough to sustain your travel?

Although we both have money saved from former careers, we are trying not to touch it as we travel. Through caretaking (more on this later) and volunteer work, we can minimize our expenses and live and travel for a long time on very little money. I also am a writer (on the subjects of travel and personal finance), and although it wouldn’t currently pay the bills in an expensive North American or European city, it helps out when living minimally on the road. It is an ideal career to work on as a Professional Hobo, since all I need is an internet connection to make a living.

Sustainability also becomes a matter of defining what the trip (and “travel”) and looks like for us. We could return to Canada, spend a summer bar tending or guiding in the mountains and enjoying what a new part of the country has to offer to us, and save up enough money to travel for another year. If we are back in our own country and working, does that mean the trip is on hold or over? Or is it all part of the adventure? We prefer the latter mindset, and even if we have to work to save enough to travel more, we are up for the challenge. We choose to call our travels a lifestyle and not just a trip.

I’m intrigued that you are currently house-sitting in Hawaii. How did you get this gig? Will you do this again as you travel?

Initially our online research took us to “WOOFing”, which is a way of trading work for accommodations around the world. The type of work varies, but is usually centered around working on organic farms.

Through this, we discovered the Caretaker’s Gazette, which connects people looking for rent-free living with those who need caretaking help or house-sitting. The opportunities are widely varied in nature and globally located. It was through this avenue that we found our current living arrangements. Hawaii was never on the radar for us, but the opportunity to learn sustainable living techniques (and to hopefully implement them in places of need on future travels) in a little piece of paradise was too much to pass on.

We are also members of Rotary International, a world-wide organization of people dedicated to “Service Above Self”, and helping others through fundraising and volunteering on meaningful projects. Rotary is almost single-handedly responsible for eradicating Polio, among other amazing accomplishments. As Rotarians, we have the ability to show up at a Rotary meeting around the world and offer our services. In return, we receive a warm welcome, the insider’s perspective of the place we are visiting, and sometimes an opportunity to volunteer on a meaningful project.

So through Woofing, Caretaker’s Gazette, and Rotary, as well as networking with other travelers, we expect to continue to find perfect opportunities as they arise.

How long do you plan to keep traveling?

Until we get tired of it! This is a question we often ponder, and we simply don’t have an answer yet. Since we are making travel a lifestyle and not just a trip, it is a potentially life-long adventure. However we acknowledge that the desire to “settle down” and create a more permanent home might eventually become prevalent and we are willing to cross that bridge when we come to it. As an entrepreneur and public speaker/performer, I am always looking for the next business opportunity, and the right one might be what halts our nomadic lifestyle.

What are some of your favorite places so far? Would you recommend any as more/less nomad friendly?

Although I have seen a lot of the world before (as a tourist), we are still quite new to the world of traveling as Professional Hobos. We started out by traveling across our own country (Canada) to rediscover our heritage and fortify our love for our own backyard. So it is with some bias that we say Canada is an incredible place to see (especially if you travel by train), and Vancouver Island is one of the most nomad friendly places in Canada.

Hawaii is also a very nomad friendly location, especially the region we are in, which is Puna on the Big Island. There are tons of work/trade opportunities, and a very transient population. Everybody here appears to be from somewhere else.

I also found South Africa to be an incredible place to see (and it can be done on a budget), and high on our list of places to go is Central & South America, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand.

Although I know people who have done it, I would cite China as one of the lesser nomad-friendly places, unless you speak the language and understand the culture. I have traveled through China before, with varying degrees of success (and pleasure).

What kind of reaction have you had from your family/friends about your traveling lifestyle?

I was quite surprised to receive nothing but support and admiration for our decision. Most people have told us that they wish they could do this themselves (but for a myriad of reasons they don’t feel they can), and ask to live vicariously through our stories (which gives me all the more inspiration to write).

The worst response we have encountered so far is a simple lack of understanding as to why we would sacrifice everything we have for the unknown, but it came with no judgment or harsh words.

What would you say are the pros/cons of the nunomadic business and lifestyle?

Pros: To see the world while we are (somewhat) young, and to inspire others to take charge of their lives and make similar decisions is an incredible treat.

We have met some amazing people from around the world, and as our network continues to expand, so does our sense of self and each other. There is nothing more poignant to help you learn more about yourself (and your significant other) than to go through the stresses of travel and discovering new places and come out the other side in one piece!

Cons: As North Americans, the desire to “nest” and accumulate stuff is strong in us, and requires some vigilance to counter. (This is ultimately a “pro”, but is still a challenge)!

Life goes on with family and friends back home, and being away can create a sense of missing out if you’re not careful about what you want.

Travel can also be stressful, looking for a place to hang your hat (even if for a night or two), constantly forging through the unknown, trying not to get ripped off, and guarding your few belongings against theft or damage.

Do you have any advice for those people wanting to set up their own mobile business?

In order to have a mobile business, an internet connection is imperative these days.

I started out with an older laptop, which almost immediately gave me grief with the wireless card. Although I would say I know a bit about computers, I am helpless to fix some problems and they can be crippling abroad. Don’t skimp on trying to make due with a compromise (like a palm pilot) if what you need is a good laptop. You don’t have to spend a fortune to be set up with the right stuff, and it pays off in spades in the long run. I also sold my good camera because it was too big and skimped out on my current one, and am regretting it since the quality of pictures and video (and consequent marketability of the shots) is compromised.

Also, when traveling it is easy to meet people and forget them almost as quickly as the friendship is kindled. Good entrepreneurs and networkers keep good records of those they meet. It’s not because they have super-human memories; they take notes. Make sure if you meet somebody you like, even if you don’t know how exactly they’ll be of assistance to you (or vice versa) in the long run, you keep their information handy (along with some notes to refresh your memory about them), and who knows – you may be able to connect them with somebody else you meet later down the road. Good karma can go a long way for a nunomadic traveler.

Meet the Nomads - Daniel Lloyd a Phunky Norwegian in Mexico

by Carmen Bolanos
November 30, 2007

Let me introduce you to Daniel Lloyd, a Norwegian who sold his belongings, paid off his debt and took off for the sunny shores and mountains of Mexico. Daniel is a bit different from past interviewees in that he is currently living off his savings and trying to get his income source going from his blogs. I chose to interview Daniel because I believe he reflects that adventurous travel spirit that just had to get on the road whether or not every detail was in place. A lot of nomads start out like Daniel and make it happen by sheer determination not to go home. I think Daniel is going to make it happen too!

Daniel, tell us a little bit about your background, who you are and what you were doing in Norway before you left?

Well, where do I start? I had worked the last 5 years as a front desk receptionist, checking people in and out of hotels, making bookings, answering questions and being service-minded.

I had been working around in different hotels in Kristiansand, Norway. The last couple of years I was working in the Rica Dyeparken Hotel, a big hotel located just next to the Zoo in Kristiansand. And even though the hotel was a huge family hotel, and the kids loud and whiny, I liked it there.
Working with people always puts me in a good mood, and there are always weird things happening in hotels.

Other than working as a receptionist, I worked as a decorator for EA games, working with advertisement for new games. Great job, but a lot of driving.

From reading your blog it looks like you were really ready to get out of your home country. What was going on that made you so itchy to travel?

There were a lot of things going on, but the feeling of restlessness was always over me, I think it must have been all my travels to different parts of the world that has made me have the feeling there is always something new to discover out there, and I want to see as much as possible!
I have been on Interrail trips throughout Europe three times and each time was incredible!
For now, my vacations have taken me to Morocco, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Cyprus, Greece, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy, Thailand, Switzerland, Austria, and now Mexico.

But also the conditions in Norway at the moment were bothering me.
Norway is a great place to live, but very expensive! The salary I earned would just about get me through the month, with paying my apartment, insurances, and the amounts you have to pay every year just to be able to use your car are extreme. When I traveled, I saw how much further that money took me than at home.
So, after a while I kept thinking about spending more time in a country than just a few weeks or a month. I wanted to experience how it really was to live in a different country with a different culture.
I asked my boss if it was possible to get a year off, but sadly got a no. So I quit! It's a great feeling not knowing what waits for me if I go back to Norway. All options are open!

How long did you spend in preparation to leave and how did you choose where you wanted to go?

As I was on a sick leave from work pending my operation I had a lot of time to think about what I really wanted to do, what I wanted to experience and how much it would cost. I primarily wanted to go to Spain, as I had been there several times before, even lived there for half a year when I was a kid. But the prices there were very similar to Norwegian, especially after the Euro arrived all prices have gone up terribly!
Then a friend of mine recommended Mexico, as she had studied there for a while, and really loved the place.
I checked out a lot online about Mexico, especially how things were politically there after the dispute with the USA and the strict borders they had. But it checked out fine, and just to experience something so different from Norway, and Europe was a thing that really made me choose.

How did you fund your trip?

The trip is funded by selling my apartment in Norway, as I grew more and more aware of the unstable market that's on it's way to Europe it was a better idea than to rent it out, as that would not cover all costs of owning. My apartment was bought for a much lower price than what it was sold for, so I settled all outstanding debt, left no strings left that would give me grief if I left the country.

Freedom!

What has it been like for you so far to have sold your things and be living abroad?

The feeling of starting new in another country is great!
There are many differences, so just not to be able to drink the tap water as we can in Norway was a huge deal. Having to buy new water every week and small things like that are the little things that make it special.
The Mexican people are generally very friendly, and it does not take much for them to let you into their families.
And it's incredibly easy to make new friends, both at the university where I am studying and being out socially and meeting new people there, bonds are tied, emails and phone numbers are shared and friends from all around the world are being made.
It's nice only to have to pay for the apartment and food, and not having to worry of bills arriving in the mail that you have to pay every month!

Why study Spanish?

Spanish has always been a language I have loved! Just the flow of the language is beautiful!
It is also a great thing to be able to actually understand what everybody is saying when you are in a new country, it makes me feel more included, and I don't have to rely on them understanding English.
There are also a heap of countries that are Spanish speaking, so I can use it when I travel around.

And as I am going to travel around in Mexico, not just stay in Guanajuato it will be very important to know some to get around and ask people questions.

Viva Español!

Where would you like to go next?

The 11. December I am leaving for Cancun and Isla Mujeres where I will stay a couple of months and celebrate x-mas with some friends that are coming to visit from Norway. I have booked a room at Pocna Hostel for the first part, and I will see if it is possible to find some place to rent for a few months there. I will probably travel around in the area around Cancun to catch some sights and dive in some caves, as many have told me how wonderful it is in this part of Mexico.

After that the plan is to go to Cuba for a little while, and then travel on to Jamaica.. But this is still in the planning, and I will have to see if the money stretches enough.

Any advice about Mexico?

Mexico is a country of huge differences! As I only have been to 3-4 towns I have not seen the extremes yet, but you can really tell when people are struggling to get enough food for their families. But going to local restaurants and shops opposed to the "brand name" stores and shopping centers help the local economy a lot.
My advice would be to come prepared as some people experience problems with the heat, their stomachs (different bacteria culture) and to take care of your valuables.
Even though I have been told horror stories about buses being robbed, people kidnapped and stuff like that I have never seen it myself, and I hope I am not going to! Also, there are a lot of places with "tourist" prices so you should always take a little tour of different places to find out the value of things. I have met people that have gotten ripped off when buying local "art" for much more than their neighbors were charging.

You say you’d like to continue funding your trip by working over the web. Have you started this process? How is it going?

My travel blog, Phunky Phreak, where I post info about my trips was my first step towards earning some money, but as this is only the beginning, I still need to get more people interested, and I am moving on to try to make the content more "user friendly" as it is a little personal right now, but that's what blogs are for, right?
I have 3 more blogs that I am working on, Phunky Vids where I post my findings of humorous video clips discovered by me, Wonderfully Boring where I have some great stories that will get you through a boring workday in a jiffy, and Pimp My Corsa where I have my car project. This blog is on a break as the car is in Norway, and I am in Mexico!

I have advertisements on my blogs to try to build up some clicks, but I wish there was an easier way to make money, as this is for the moment not giving me much to work with. If anyone have any good advice I am all ears!

What will you do if you run out money?

As the salaries in Mexico are not good enough to support my expenses I would have trouble working too much. I am skilled with computers, and have patience with people, so I may charge for helping people with computer problems. Other than that, I have some backup money saved up in Norway, and if that runs out too, I will have to go back to Norway, find a cheap apartment, and just work hard for 5-6 months so I can go out and travel another year.

Do you have any advice for others who might like to travel and work as a nomad? What have you learned?

My best advice would be to always get to know the locals, get to know the city you are in, and what it has to offer.
Don't be too picky, if you really want to experience different things, then be prepared, because it's not like home. It's not supposed to be! That's why you left, right?
To work in a different country never seems to be a big problem, even though if you want a work permit, things may get harder. But I've met people working in gyms, bars, shops, and as teachers for money "under the table" so they don't have to worry about getting work permits. So if you really want to make it, you can!

Meet the Nomads - FB Fabulously Broke in the City!

by Carmen Bolanos
November 9, 2007

Meet FB, a consultant, nomad and blogger who maintains her anonymity for her blog, Fabulously Broke in the City. A recent college grad, FB is passionate about paying off $50,000 in student loans before 2009. In fact, that's a lot of what her blog is about - how to save money. A big part of FB's answer for how to do this is to have a 100% nomadic lifestyle. Interested? Read on....

A lot of people aspire to a nomadic lifestyle because they are drawn to the romance of traveling. You seem to have adopted this life to pay off your debts and start some savings. Can you tell us how you got into being a nomad?

It was really more out of chance than anything.

I graduated almost 2 years ago, and just happened to accept an offer and a career that meant 100% travel. At the time, I didn’t really understand what 100% travel meant, but after the first year of paying $1600 for an apartment that I only stayed in and saw 2 months out of the 12, I realized it was A) stupid to keep paying for such an expensive storage unit and B) it was an opportunity to get rid of one of the biggest living expenses in most people’s lives – shelter.

So one day, I looked at my husband and said: “Oh my god, we could be modern nomads”. He laughed at first, but he slowly came around to the idea, and now has full embraced it in the name of paying off debt. Modern because we are very into technology and this is a new way of living for us, and nomads because.. well, we don’t have a home.

So, less than a year later, we finally made the decision to give up the apartment early 2007, and have only been doing this for a short amount of time, but so far it’s worked out quite nicely for me. I’m hoping to be on a client project 100% of the time next year so I don’t have to worry about paying month-by-month rent, and /or any of that other stuff. I’d willingly give up all of my vacation weeks for that opportunity to be working 100% of the year. How strange is it to be saying that?!

What kind of education or experience does someone need to do the kind of work you do?

Well as a consultant, they generally hire from big name colleges (not all do, mind you), and I got an undergraduate honors degree in business administration, with a specialized concentration in management information systems.

I think anyone could be a consultant. You just have to be given the chance to get your foot in the door. All it takes is the right frame of mind, and perspective, and whether or not you have an affinity for what a consultant does on a day-to-day basis, which can range anywhere from being a project manager of sorts, to having a specialized knowledge in your field – be it strategy and change, human resources, airlines and their tax schedules and laws, supply chain management, finance, information systems, etc., and to be dealing and treading lightly with client members you are not familiar with yet and/or executives who will question your decisions on a daily basis because you have to constantly prove and sell yourself every time you go to a new client, as they don’t know you and what you can do yet. So if you are a person who doesn’t like a challenge, or constantly having to prove themselves, this may not be for you.

But in general, there are many types of consultants in the world, with different skills and specializations, you just have to find the right combination that resonates with your skills and strengths.

As you say in your blog, you have put your personal belongings into storage and you really don’t return to your home base. How does this work?

I put all of my furniture and all the sorts of things associated with an apartment (decoration, towel racks, furniture, etc) all into a storage location in another more rural city because it’s cheaper and you get more space than if you rent a storage location in an urban city. My clothes, shoes and day-to-day things that I need to access on a regular basis but cannot really travel with all the time, are kept in my home city’s storage location, where if I go back, I basically go to the storage location, pick up what I need, and rent an apartment month-by-month when I need to be in the office. Then when I’m on another project that isn’t in my home city, I put everything back into that urban storage location, and leave.

What do you bring with you when you travel?

Generally… clothes (work outfits and a pair of jeans with a sweater – I tend to wear work tops with jeans anyway, so everything I own is multi-purpose for work and play), a frying pan, a kettle, a gaming system (like a Nintendo Wii), 4 pairs of shoes (winter boots, running shoes, ballet flats and a pair of heels), my toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, facial lotion, razor, etc), makeup, perfume, an umbrella, jewelery, a wireless router, 2 laptops (one work, one play), laptop bag, iPod, 2 RJ45 LAN cables, a cellphone, a PDA, etc etc. Basically everything I need.. IMMEDIATELY. I don’t bring things like furniture, a special pillow, décor, none of that. I only bring technology, clothes/shoes and toiletries.

How often have you had to rent month to month in between consulting gigs?

Usually once in between every gig. I usually beg for projects right away, or try and be staffed on a project immediately after leaving my last one, but sometimes that isn’t feasible. I’ve been lucky so far, and if it’s only a week or less in between projects, I crash at my friends’ places, or my parents’ house.

Your husband travels with you. What are the pros and cons about this? Do you have any advice for people making a decision about traveling alone or traveling with others?

PROS: He cooks sometimes, sort-of cleans (tidies up), organizes the travel arrangements and logistics of all that, and drives me everywhere. Plus, he’s fantastic company and he is my best friend – I can always relate to him, tell him how my day is going and basically have my own support at home when I’ve had a tough day.

CONS: You always have to consider his feelings and needs when you’re accepting offers to go out to company dinners, or outings, and whether or not he can come along. I sometimes feel restrained and guilty because he doesn’t know ANYONE in the city, whereas I have work colleagues on the client site, and my own company colleagues. It gets to be pretty guilt-inducing. Oh, I guess to reduce debt further, he could be working part-time here and there, but… to be honest, I couldn’t care less if he did or not.

As for advice about traveling alone or having others with you.. I’d totally recommend that if you are someone who NEEDS a familiar support and network , then bring someone along. But they have to also be in the same mindset and love to travel and/or deal with challenges, and they have to also be OK with being alone for very long periods of time. But if you are someone who is more independent, and can adjust being by yourself for a long period of time, then you don’t need anyone to go with you, you just need to be sure that you really are a self-entertaining, self-sufficient sort of type.

You must know hotels better than 90% of us. What makes a hotel better or worse for a nomad? What do you do to make the room your home?

I basically treat interviewing hotels like I’m looking for a permanent apartment.

MUST-HAVES for Nomad Hotels
- Have a full-sized kitchen (stove, sink, microwave, fridge, and an optional dishwasher)
- Has laundry facilities on-site (the coin operated machines as well as dry cleaning)
- Have a rewards program, because you’ll be there for 5-7 months, and racking up the points at ONE hotel is better than having lots of points across different hotels
- Has security and front-desk staff 24/7 with a keycard lockdown, MANDATORY for entry after midnight (i.e. you have to swipe in your hotel room card before even entering the hotel after midnight)
- Has a clean bed with fluffy pillows preferably in a separate room, very apartment-like
- Has a couch and a TV
- Has a decently sized bathroom that you can fit into
- Has storage – dressers, cabinets, drawers, closets. Some hotels really lack this
- Has cleaning staff that come in every day, not once every 2 weeks – the reason being that having the option to have them come in and clean whenever you want to fit YOUR schedule, is better than not being able to let them in on that ONE day, and missing your chance for 2 weeks
- Looking at who stays there on a regular basis – business people, families, no shady characters and party-animal college students who just want to trash a hotel room for a weekend
- Location is important: near a grocery store, near a pharmacy, near a post office, near a Starbucks (*grin*) and near a couple of restaurants is nice because you can just walk to get a meal if you are too tired to cook
- Has indoor parking if you’re driving
- Has a voicemail system so people can dial your room directly and leave you voicemail messages instead of always going through the front desk
- Has internet/high speed connections in the room
- Is close to my client site – close as in 5 km or less away, so I can walk in the mornings
- Has a list of fees and different charges for things like telephone calls up front

OPTIONAL for Nomad Hotels
- Has a gym or a swimming pool
- Has a complimentary HOT breakfast in the morning (no Continental Breakfasts, thanks. They end up being cold fruit, cold cereal, cheap trans-fat-saturated muffins and coffee and tea)

Have you been traveling only within Canada or internationally?
I have only been in North America, but I’m still hoping.

Any thoughts on what makes a city more or less accommodating for you as a nomad?

If it’s more urban, I’ll be fine. Most companies are located near urban centers, and I tend to “live” and stay downtown, so everything is within walking distance for me. I’m happy if I just have a hotel, pharmacy, grocery store, a couple of restaurants and some form of entertainment or a park, or SOMETHING to walk around and look at.

But it’s when you don’t get a company that’s urban, and is in a more rural setting, that you run into problems like finding a hotel that you normally patronize for the points, restaurants, and entertainment. I haven’t encountered that yet, but…. there’s a first time for everything. I hope I don’t have to ever deal with that but.. 

Oh and if one of the languages is English, I’m set. I’m not against learning another language or picking up a couple of phrases here and there, but it’s going to be a hard road ahead if they only speak another language and I’m supposed to do my job on time and under budget.

Any advice for other people who might want try this lifestyle?

Be prepared to be very lonely and frustrated. Sometimes not knowing the language, the local culture and customs, the slang, and constantly being in a new company environment without any support networks like your friends and family – it can be daunting for those who hate constant change and take a long time to process/learn and absorb new things (like learning new business processes, systems, taxes, ways of thinking). Because once you know and learn everything, you’re off the project and on a new one, where you have to learn everything all over again.

You have to be quite social and outgoing as well, because if you’re an introvert who likes to keep to themselves, and only opens up after knowing people for a while and finally feeling comfortable with them, you’re going to run into problems making friends at work or at least getting on their good side and making going to a new work environment more bearable. You also have to be prepared to put up with company politics, budgets, and financial constraints – meaning they may ask you to do things you don’t want to do, like stay in a bad hotel, carpool with 5 other consultants, spend as little as possible, and deal with the headache of waiting for them to reimburse you for plane tickets, meals, laundry, taxis, etc. The bean counters will (almost always) fight you every step of the way. And then you have to be careful when you do your taxes at the end of the year to claim everything properly and by the book, and to make sure they haven’t messed up on anything on their end or on yours for that matter.

You’re already over half way through with paying off your student loans. Congrats! When do you expect to be done and what will you do when it’s all paid off?

Actually I’m only at 38%. I messed up on my calculations when I re-ran the numbers last night. *embarrassed* I expect to be cleared my loans by December 2008 (all $53,000 will be done! DONE! DONE!). But I’m realistically aiming for the end of December 2009, assuming unforeseen circumstances.

When it’s paid off, I’m taking a 2-week vacation or a cruise (on the cheap, fun and frugal of course), and paying it in full with cash instead of on credit card which is going to feel very cool.

Then, I’ll buckle down, and start saving for a down payment on a home. I’ll be 25 or 26 by the time my debt is paid off, so I have 4 to 5 years to aggressively save every penny I can, before I turn 30, which is my deadline age to buy a home.

I have to note that it’s quite easy to get into the mindset of saying: “Oh look, I don’t have a $1600 gorilla on my back (rent), and I get a lot of the comforts of life paid for (food for example), so I can relax and start spending more than I did before because there’s more leeway”.

In fact, we were in that mindset for the first month or so of our modern nomadic lifestyle. It wasn’t until I started tracking my expenses that I realized we were A) wasting a lot of money and B) buying items that we’d have to carry on a regular basis on every project and/or end up putting it in storage. So essentially, we were spending our money on JUNK and STUFF that we’d have to just put and store away in our already bulging, overstuffed storage locations. We were spending money now, to enjoy the items later, which makes no sense logically, financially or economically.

Now, it’s more of a game for me (my husband is reluctant to see it as an enjoyable experience) to see how low I can get our personal expenses (clothing, overages on food, entertainment), and currently we’re trying to stick to a budget of $500 a month, not including our personal “fun” money, debt repayments, retirement savings, or emergency fund savings.

I think it’s a great lesson for us to learn now and to KNOW that we can spend less than $500 a month in basic, personal expenses. So when we go to finally settle down, I have a good idea of what we can spend as the bare minimum then tack on the cost of the apartment, utilities, food and transportation. Which makes estimating our future living costs a lot easier.

Meet the Nomads - Web Designer/Photographer Tat Tso

by Carmen Bolanos
September 23, 2007

Since beginning the Meet the Nomads series of interviews we have been so impressed by the caliber of creative professionals who we've had the pleasure to meet. Tat Tso can be counted among the top. After seeing his design site I knew I had to introduce our readers to him. I urge you to take a look at Tattso.com and experience a very cool site as well as some great photography!

Tat Tso, I understand you are a web designer and photographer. Could you describe your work a little more?

I am currently a freelance web designer. My clients are located in Montreal, Toronto, New York and Hong Kong. Whenever my schedule allows, I work on my personal photo projects. My latest project is a collaboration with Canadian artist Josée Pedneault. It is based on the idea of exchanging our experiences in foreign and home towns by conversing with photos sent via email.

What training/experience did you receive in order to be able to have this business/profession?

I obtained a BFA degree in Design Art at Concordia Unversity at Montreal. During that period, I had the opportunity to exhibit in various design shows such as SIDIM, and work for several design studios in Montreal. As for photography, I have taken several courses in university but I am more of a self-learner.

How long have you been doing this?

About eight years.

What brought you to the decision to become a freelancer?

Basically the ability to choose the projects which I am interested in. Whereas in a studio, you have to work on whatever piled up on your desk. Creative freedom is always my primary concern, and by freelancing, I can choose the work that allows me be to creative.

Describe how you came to have an international clientele.

Although I have met few of my clients through the internet, I met most of them through friends and other clients. I would say having a strong network is crucial in building up your client base, whether local or international.

What interested you in becoming mobile?

I love the magic of coding in trains, planes, hotels, friends' homes, etc, and uploading my work, and there you go – the whole world can see my creation.

Where do you like to travel?

Right now, Belize, Cambodia, Easter Island and The Galapagos Islands.

How much of the year do you travel?

About 3 to 4 months.

Do you travel alone/with a partner/with children?

Usually alone. Sometimes I do travel with friends. Traveling alone is a nice experience, especially with a book and good music.

Is there any special equipment or infrastructure you must travel with in order to run your business? (ie laptop, telephony, fax)

Laptop, cellphone, cameras, iPod.

If so – what brand/models do you choose and why?

Laptop –Apple MacBook Pro 15"
Pretty obvious, it's the best laptop on the market right now. Light enough to travel with, powerful enough to do the jobs. It's also pretty to look at.

Cellphone – Motorola V3
I'm not very picky about cellphone since most of my communication is done on the Internet. I like this phone because it's thin. That's all.

Cameras – Nikon D200 and Minolta Hi-Matic F
Nikon D200 has a very good ergonomic design that fits my hands perfectly, not to mention the wide range of lenses I can choose from. Though being slightly heavy, it is a very well built camera which makes it suitable for traveling. I use the Minolta Hi-Matic F for snapshots with b&w film because it is tiny, quick and handsome looking.
iPod
Work can be quite boring.

Are there any services you use while you travel in order to run your business? (ie Skype, supportsoft, online appointment services)

Mostly e-mails (Gmail, Thunderbird, etc). Sometimes MSN, Skype
and iChat (for video conference). Lately I started using TimeFox to track my working hours.

What kind of reaction have you had from your clients/customers about your traveling lifestyle?

Reliability is always my clients' primary concern as well as mine. It takes time to build up that kind of trust.

What would you say are the pros/cons of the nu nomadic business and lifestyle?

The pros are definitely freedom and flexible schedules. It can be suffocating to work in the same office and same schedules. It became difficult for me to keep a fresh and exciting mind after doing that for a while. It does not make too much sense to work at the same location anymore, especially for designers. Traveling to different places and seeing different cultures and people also helps me be excited and creative too.

I think the con is that it requires a lot of self-discipline - it can be easy to lose focus on your work and take photos of the foreign landscapes instead.

Do you have any advice for those people wanting to set up their own mobile business?

Get a nice laptop, be self-disciplined and reliable.

Meet the Nomads - Matt Harding - Paid to Dance Around the World

July 24, 2007
by Carmen Bolanos

If I've ever been jealous of someone, it's probably Matt Harding. In 2005, Matt Harding took off on a trip around the world. On a whim, he decided to do a little dance while his friends videotaped. The friends thought this was so hilarious that Matt started doing his little jig at all their stops. Matt was posting his video jigging for friends and family to follow his trip when word spread over the internet and soon thousands of people were on the site watching his clips.

Lo and behold, the candy maker, Cadbury Adams, found the videos and decided Matt's little dance would make for a great marketing campaign. Now Matt is sponsored to continue traveling the world dancing in front of every and any imaginable monument, rain forest, and exotic location. You can follow his travels and read his thoughts at Where the Hell is Matt?. What a way to make a living while you see the world!

As the Australians say, good on ya Matt! And Matt - if you're out there - I'd still love to interview you! In the meantime, for my readers, enjoy this video interview with Matt below. (Stride Gum is a division of Cadbury Adams)

If you are making your living while you travel the world or know someone who is, email us at carmen at nunomad.com or post a comment on this blog. We'd love to feature you in our next interview

Meet the Nomads - Irina Patterson The Russian Queen of Balloons

by Carmen Bolanos

This week we were contacted by the Russian Queen of Balloons who was willing to share with you how her profession can be used to support a nomadic lifestyle. Irina Patterson is not a run of the mill balloon artist that you might find at any fair. I encourage you to visit her blog to see some pictures of the truly remarkable balloon sculptures, crowns and other creations she has made (including a 7 foot tall Michael Jordan). What excites me about this interview is that balloon art seems to be something that anyone with creativity and some artistic talent could use to support their income in any setting worldwide - for what could be more universal - art and children!

I read on your blog that you were an emergency room physician in Russia before coming to the United States and getting into balloon art. Can you tell me how this transition happened?

I met my future husband, an American poet
(Past the Galaxies of Stars) and
psychologist, Wes Patterson, in 1992 through a correspondence magazine. In his letters he claimed that his being a psychologist and Johns Hopkins graduate qualified him to see that we were a perfect match.
The nomad that I am, I hopped on a plane and came to Miami in July of 1992. We did get married shortly thereafter. 15 years later we are still married. My husband was right; we were and still are a
perfect match.

What drew you to balloon art and how did you learn to do it?

It happened by accident. First, let me say, growing up in Soviet Russia in the seventies, I've never seen a balloon animal. There was no such thing in my childhood. Blame it on the Cold War or the Iron Curtain, but there were no balloon animals in my childhood. Maybe Apparatchiks kids or Kremlin kids or other privileged kids in Moscow were exposed to balloon animals and other corrupting influences of the West. But poor little me growing-up in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in the city of Izhevsk , the hometown of Michail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, I didn't see any. Nor did I see any balloon animals while I was living in Miami for the first 13 years. I don't have kids. I didn't go to kids parties. I didn’t go to the malls.

But back to that fateful day when I did see my first balloon animal at a private party. It was about 3 years ago. As I remember, it was a simple balloon dog, nothing fancy. But I was ecstatic. I saw something that awakened the dormant artist in me. I later went to a local balloon wholesale store and discovered that balloons come in all kinds of twisty shapes and colors. That was the day the Russian Queen of Balloons was born.

How long have you been doing this now?

For about 3 years.

Do you travel with your work? If so, where have your travels taken you?

I traveled all over South Florida, New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Is this a profession that one could travel with extensively?

Absolutely! One wonderful thing about being a balloon artist is that one can take this job on the road at any time. Every time I have a balloon sculpture in my hands when I am on the street, people ask me to sell it to them, or at least give them my business card.

Balloons and balloon sculptures just naturally draw attention. Especially, balloon sculptures, particularly if you make them in front of a live audience.

Many times, I would stand on a street corner and start making balloon sculptures. Almost immediately a crowd would gather around me and people start asking me, “ Do you sell? How much?” I just laugh, “Whatever… Whatever you feel like..”

And let me tell you from my experience, if you tell people “Whatever.. you.. feel like..” you’ll get more money than if you actually price your work, providing that you strive to always do the best you can.

What equipment is needed to do balloon art?

Obviously, you need twisty balloons. The industry standard is Qualatex balloons. (www.qualatex.com). They come in all sizes, colors and even different shapes. Start with the balloon model called Q260, the most common. They usually are sold in bags of 100. I also suggest a hand-held Qualatex pump. The Qualatex balloons and pumps are sold all over the Internet. One bag of mixed color Q260 balloons and a pump should cost you about $ 15. And most big cities have actual stores where they sell balloons and pumps.

How could a person learn to do the type of balloon art you do?

There are books and video tapes on how to make balloon art. You can find them in your favorite book store, on the Internet and even in your public library. But the best way to start is to find a local balloon artist and tag along for a while. Most clowns nowadays do balloon art, so if you can’t locate a balloon artist, find a clown.

I noticed you are not just selling balloon art in a park, but are paid sometimes thousands of dollars to appear at events. How do you find your clients?

It is one thing to do balloon art in a park and another to get booked at events. That will take you some practice. But it is doable. Start at a park, you have nothing to fear. If you can’t make the “giraffe” that they ask you for, you’ll be easily forgiven. Remember to laugh with everyone if they laugh at you.

If you feel you enjoy this, make yourself business cards.

Start carrying balloon animals when you do your grocery shopping. Better yet, wear a balloon crown when you run your errands at public places. Practice, practice every chance you get. Do free charity events at your church and for your family and you will see that people start asking for your business cards.

You have a web presence and blog . You have also been written about many times in other press. Is this a big part of your marketing?

PR and blogging are nice business tools. Both aided somewhat to my business growth. But if we didn’t have the Internet, I still would do just fine. I get more leads from people who see me entertaining in person, than I get from the Internet. There is no substitute for live performances and real face-to-face contact.

Do you have any advice for those people wanting to set up their own balloon art mobile business?

It is not for everyone. Being a mobile balloon artist and making a living at that, in essence you need to be an actor (an entertainer), a craftsman and a manager all in one.

But for people who qualify, it is a wonderful opportunity. It will allow you to travel and make money in any part of the world… Not only will you earn a living, but you will be treated with regard and reverence in most places. People around the world understand and appreciate art and usually have high regard for artists.

Think about it. You are completely free to work any time and anywhere you feel like it. (Note: There might be some local regulations regarding street performances.) There is no age discrimination. You can be ten years of age or 80 years old. You are the boss. Start when you want, quit when you want. Balloon art can be learned by kids and you can work as a family. In addition, if someone has art in their blood, like me, they can get tremendous emotional satisfaction from just creating.

For more about my balloon art work visit my blog at My Life and Art and you can reach me at goahead_33167@yahoo.com

If you are a Nu Nomad or know someone who is and would like to be interviewed for our blog, please contact us! You may leave a comment on this blog or email me directly at carmen at nunomad.com!

Meet the Nomads - James, Russell and Randy - They Fly Through the World with the Greatest of Ease

For the last couple of weeks my family had the pleasure of hosting Jay Gibson (also known as J. or JayBird), Russell Cox, and Randy Kohn of Trapeze Experience. Trapeze Experience moves from city to city and sometime from country to country giving an opportunity for people worldwide to experience the challenge of flying. While they were here I had a chance to interview them about their nomadic lifestyle and how they've come to do what they do. Like to try flying on the trapeze? Click on the links to Trapeze Experience and take a look at their schedule to see if they may be arriving near you anytime soon!

What is your business/profession?

J. - Trapeze Experience.

Russell – I also design kitchens and cabinets for Awesome Kitchensonline. I do interior design. They send me measurements from other jobs and I do the design. I can be anywhere in the world. But these days I’m doing trapeze full time.

Randy - Trapeze Experience of course, but when I'm in New York City I run the staff training and weekend classes at the Espana-Streb Trapeze Academy in Williamsburg Brooklyn.

What training/experience did you receive in order to be able to have this business/profession?

J. -I began my training at 25 at Club Med Sandpiper in Port St. Lucie Florida with no background in physical training or gymnastics but only with a desire to learn something new. I was doing some amateur stunt work as a film student in Miami. Some people saw me and encouraged me to try trapeze. So I did it once and fell in love with it and decided that I wanted to share my enthusiasm with everyone. I started all this in 1999 so I guess I've been doing it 8 years now.

Russell - for design, I started with my own business as a teen and kept it for 13 years. I did home building and fine cabinetry and I got a National Kitchen and Bath Association Certification. I did build backs for insurance companies after doing some home building. Then I started project managing and taught classes for Home Depot – 19 stores in Louisiana for a couple years. Then I came to Austin corporate offices and then I went to Mexico Puerto Escondido to surf.

From Mexico I went to Club Med and found trapeze and got hooked. Then I met Courtney (Russell's former girlfriend)who asked me to do hand balancing with her. I got into 2 acts in the circus at Club Med Sandpiper. I became a set designer there as well. Then I went to California to train in trapeze arts. Courtney was an aerial instructor there. Then I met Peter. (Peter Gold is a well known trapeze artist and owner of Trapeze Experience)

Randy - For circus training I trained as a child in sleep away camp around nomads who came into the US. At 17 I started teaching at camp and then in NYC. I started at the Trapeze School in New York and now at the Espana – Streb Trapeze Academy. So I’ve had 5-6 years of hands-on trapeze coaching experience. Trapeze Experience was an opportunity to take it on the road.

How long were you in your business/profession before you began traveling?

J. – I worked 9 months before I traveled to Mexico and I worked there 3 ½ years.

Russell – Just a few months

Randy - Several years.

What interested you in becoming mobile?

J. – I’ve always been interested in traveling. The goal was to find something that I could make a profession out of while traveling. I like to experience different cultures and environments. Prior to traveling I was in Miami 23 years and I wanted to see more of the world.

Russell – I love traveling – seeing new places and meeting new people. I love new experiences. I crave them. And I love flying. I hate to go more than 2 days without flying.

Randy – Being stuck stationary as a college student – it’s nice to have a change of pace and see things that I wouldn’t have been able to see on a normal basis since I’m always taking classes during the semester. In the summer I get to visit 4-5 cities and meet a lot of different people.

Where do you like to travel?

J. – Everywhere, including places I’ve been before because each time there is a new situation. I would love to travel to Europe that’s my next goal. I’ve recently been to South America (Chile) and I hope to go to Central America (Costa Rica) this winter. Hong Kong may even be a possibility soon. I’ve also been to the Bahamas.

Russell – Mexico. If I were to have a home – Puerto Escondido would be it.

Randy – I like to go anywhere I haven’t been before. I like the feeling of getting off a plane and being in a place that is completely new. It makes me feel like the world is really big.

How much of the year do you travel?

J. –Right now 365 days per year. I’ve been on tour for 2 years now.

Russell – A lot. We go to NY today for 2 ½ weeks and then to the Pocono mountains for 6 weeks and then somewhere I don’t know and then back to Austin for the end of September to December and then to Costa Rica.

Randy – Any opportunity I can. A few weeks over the winter session and as much of the summer as possible. So maybe 3-4 months per year.

Is there any special equipment or infrastructure you must travel with in order to run your business? (ie laptop, telephony, fax)

J. – I’ve recently acquired a laptop which I’ve found to be my most valuable travel mate. A cell phone is important and my IPod!". Gotta have music! And then the trapeze rig, of course.

Russell – I’m out of a laptop right now but I really need one. And tights. I have a phone to communicate with my coworkers and friends. For my design stuff I need a laptop.

Randy- I am constantly answering emails to my boss in NYC and to my fraternity on Long Island. So this would be impossible without my laptop and cell phone.

What brand/models do you choose and why?

J. – My computer is an Acer Travelmate series. After researching I found it to be the sturdiest piece of equipment for the least amount of money with the best software package. I also enjoy Sony products because they always seem very durable. My cell phone is a Cingular. I’ve had some problems with it but I’m not ready to switch yet. I love my phone though, it’s a Sony Erickson w600I. I’m looking forward to the Iphone.

Russell – I like Gateway for my laptop and my phone is just a Virgin Mobile pay as you go. I don’t like to be hit with surprise bills. I really don’t have any bills. I have no credit cards. Just a banking account.

Randy – Gateway is my laptop. In my opinion it’s the best computer company. If I have a problem they send me a DHL box wherever I am at no charge and repair it even when my warranty is expired.. My phone is Verizon. They also repair at no charge. They both have great customer service.

Are there any services you use while you travel in order to run your business? (ie Skype, supportsoft, online appointment services)

J. – I use my Bank of America online account and I’m a big supporter of Skype. The company uses Constant Contact for their online marketing and they seem to have good layouts and user friendly functionality.

Russell – I bank online. I also use email and MySpace. I rarely check MySpace but I have it. I’m also connected with Facebook now.

Randy - I use Bank of America online banking to pay my bills.

Are your clients/customers located at your home base or scattered?

J. – Scattered all over the place. All shapes and sizes and walks of life.

Russell – Trapeze clients are all over, Austin, NY, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Orlando, Las Vegas. Design clients are mostly in the state of Texas but some are from different states.

Randy – Most of my clients are in NYC but many come to visit in the different cities where I am.

What kind of reaction have you had from your clients/customers about your traveling lifestyle?

J. – It varies. Lots of people are envious of the fact that I get to travel so much while they’re stuck in a cubicle. Some people look down on it because I don’t have a home per se, although I have many homes. I consider myself homeful instead of homeless. I’m very friendful too. I’m not so conscious about what people think about what I do, I just enjoy that I can be passionate about what I do and share it with many people. To me trapeze is a metaphor for life so if you are open to the lessons that are available, imagine how you can move your life forward.

Russell – I guess a lot of people like the idea of traveling and they have the reaction I would have. I would covet that lifestyle because I love it. There’s a lot of set up for the gigs but it’s easy for us because housing is usually included and food and all that so we don’t have those bills.

Randy – A lot of them are happy because of the experience I gain while traveling, meeting people and being around the best trapeze instructors in the country. It makes me better when I come back. It’s like I’m getting my college education in trapeze this summer. Peter Gold is the man to learn from. I’ll be more of an asset to my boss in NYC when I come back in September.

What would you say are the pros/cons of the nu nomadic business and lifestyle?

J. – The pros are that I have so many friends in so many places and I’m continually expanding my knowledge of self and other. The cons are that as much love as I have to share it’s difficult to maintain a romantic relationship right now. That’s a big con.

Russell – Pros – you get to meet new people. Lots of new people, new experiences. You get to work with different people, fly on different rigs, go to new places and experience new sites. You get to be in a different spot several times of the year. A big con is that you can’t have a relationship with somebody and travel. That’s been a big factor for me. You get addicted to the circus and trapeze. It’s a passion for me but to get involved in a relationship is hard.

Randy – It’s never easy saying goodbye every few weeks when you pick up and go but the pros are the great life experience, meeting new people and seeing how people live in different parts of the country.

Do you have any advice for those people wanting to set up their own mobile business?

J. – Be ready to let go of every piece of programming that you’ve ever fed into and allow yourself to be open to new experiences but be sure to be very conscious of what your passions are and your goals.

Russell – Do it! Find the right opportunity, be skilled and trained beforehand and give it 150% percent. I did it with no money. If you want to do something and travel, you have to be skilled in it and be passionate about it. Have fun. You only get one life.

Randy –Make sure to take lots of bug spray if you go to Texas!

If you are a nomad or know anyone living a nomadic lifestyle, contact me for an interview! You may leave a comment on this blog or email me at carmen at nunomad.com

Meet the Nomads - Greg and Yoko - Nomadesigners in Japan

This week I am proud to introduce you to two beautiful and creative nomads, Greg Moulinet and Yoko Chiba. Owners of Nomadesign, Greg and Yoko are transforming their international lifestyle into a major part of their brand image. As a French/Japanese couple doing business in at least three languages they truly represent a global enterprise. Read on to find out more about who they are and how they live!

What is your business/profession?

Greg: I am a graphic designer specializing in visual identity (logos). I operate 90% online.

Yoko: I operate as a branding director, mediating between our clients and graphic designers, and represent our branding & design company, Nomadesign.jp with Greg. We also call ourselves Nomadesigners. In addition, I specialize in fashion design, so I teach fashion design as well as fashion history in Tokyo as a part-time job.

What training/experience did you receive in order to be able to have this business/profession?

Greg: Coming from 2 art schools, I am suppose to have learned something about aesthetics and technique... but I actually learned nothing of commercial design and I can safely say I taught myself graphic design from a very early age and started to be a professional in this field at 16.

Yoko: I have lived, studied and worked in the fashion design field in Paris, London, Tbilisi (Rep. of Georgia), Nicosia (Cyprus), Rome and Milan for a total of 7 years. So pretty good aesthetic, trend watching & setting and communication senses were there I think, but the technical knowledge of graphic design was passed on by Greg, since we started to work together 8 months ago.

How long have you been doing this?

Greg: 20 years as a designer, 6~7 years as a designer using internet, working/traveling abroad and I can say 5 years making it a lifestyle.

Yoko: I've been living a nomadic lifestyle for 25 years, have been a linguist for 18 years, in fashion for 10 years, a professional designer for 5 years, teaching for 3 years, and in the new field, branding for 8 months. These are most significant aspects and time that it took to become current “me”.

How long were you in your business/profession before you began traveling?

Greg: In my case, just 2 years because I started to travel and work as an artist and designer at age 18. But, as a real nunomad/laptophobo... it took 15 years.

Yoko: I was a student when I started to travel and it took me a while to become fully professional in design. Taking advantage of internet technology, more than just exchanging e-mail with my acquaintances is quite recent, probably about 3 years since I once set up an online shop of my collection.

What interested you in becoming mobile?

Greg: I always lived my adult life working/traveling abroad. As a graphic designer, a computer allowed me to bring my atelier with me... forget letraset, forget airbrushing, forget argentic photographs... When the internet came about, I immediately saw the possibility to set up shop online. Internet meant for me that I could find clients online, provide the work online and be paid online. Before, when I was going to a country, I had to generate contacts, promote myself and gain the trust of clients. With the computer and internet, I suddenly had not only my atelier and portfolio with me but also my client list. Deciding to work and live abroad every 3 months, just seemed entertaining while affording me the possibility of seeing my family and friends in various locations more often.

Yoko: Like Greg, or even longer than he has, I have been mobile most of my life. When I was 9, I started to move around with my family in Japan, stayed a year with an American family in Alabama as a teen, coming back to Japan, moved around Tokyo for a decade while I finished high school and college where I majored in linguistics and cross-cultural communication and started to work in PR and then fashion retail. I was in my mid-20s when I went to Europe to study fashion design, so it is hard to imagine my lifestyle otherwise. But I can say that I always enjoyed having new networks of people, and it is interesting the difference in networks of travelers and non-travelers. Well-travelled people appreciate small encounters, but do not cling on each contact. They simply move on in their life, and very casually and spontaneously, they may come back to the contact somehow somewhere later on. People who don’t travel do not understand this, so they think we disappeared from their lives. To me, nomadic lifestyle is not about how often one travels, but more to do with the mind set for the lifetime. So if nomadic people decide to stay in one place for a few years or even longer, that doesn’t make them quit being nomadic.

Where do you like to travel and for how much of the year?

Greg: I travel mostly between New York, Miami, Paris, Grenoble, Tokyo and Kyoto.
The number of times I travel can be very different each year. Last year it was about 8 times, between all the cities mentioned