Why “thewkndnomads”?
Many are torn between dropping everything to backpack around the world & the reality that we have careers, other passions, and commitments that keep us rooted. I know I am.
The rise of “digital nomads” and travel influencers through social media, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, skyrocketed interest in following travelers on their adventures through our screens. We all became further inspired to visit places we saw online, and at times, envious that others are able to spend months, if not years roaming across the globe. Oftentimes, the idea of visiting a foreign country we saw in a 30-second video clip felt exciting, but at the same time impossible.
Living in Boston, MA for college, I quickly ran out of new places to explore and things to experience in the city. I expanded my scope to New England, making day and weekend trips to the North Shore, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, really anywhere I could reach by train or car. When our first spring break out of the pandemic came around, I was ready to jump on a plane and fly. And so I did — to Ireland for 9 days with two of my best friends. Before Ireland, I had never planned an international trip myself as I had only traveled with my family growing up, and we barely left the country. Cold-plunging in the blue waters of Howth was enough — I was hooked. Then came Alaska, Canada, Israel & the West Bank, Iceland, and more. My travels challenged me & opened my eyes to new cultures, ecosystems, and more. It brought my friends and I closer, and introduced me to strangers who have made the world a cozier place.
Following graduation from college, I was fortunate to have a very clear path secured — move to New York City at the end of the summer and start the 6 year journey required to obtain a PhD. In some ways it felt even scarier to have the next 6 years of my life laid out in front of me than having the freedom of the unknown. But that would begin after the summer — my first in years free of classes and work. The week after graduation, I went to Chile with my family. The nine flights we had to take over the span of two-and-a-half weeks gave me hours to think. The challenging climates and unreal landscapes of Chile continued to fuel my love for exploration and urge to quit everything and travel the world forever. It didn’t help that friends were asking me for past itineraries I made and travel advice. I thought, combined with my love for photography, maybe I too could become a “digital nomad”. But the reality is…I have other goals, passions, and commitments that I just can’t seem to give up.
Travel is truly a luxury, one that can challenge and even change a person. The beauty of the world is that a person can go to the exact same place as another and have a completely different experience. Yet it still manages to bring people together, whether its discussing different perspectives on a location or being unusually vulnerable with a stranger aided by Google Translate, with only the shared commonality of being in the same place at the same time. Some of my most cherished moments from travel include swapping life stories with strangers from across the globe, whether it’s on a tour together or under the stars in the desert — their stories have left a permanent impact, making me laugh, cry, and see the world through various lenses.
Asking the classic, “What am I doing with my life?” question and a couple of bus rides in Chile later, my vision for creating thewkndnomads took full form. This is a community where locals and travelers alike can share their experiences, ups & downs of travel, and recommendations with friends, strangers, seasoned travelers, and aspiring explorers. It is important to recognize that traveling is not free, whether it’s time or money. I know I was forced to learn how to budget travel with the little income I had throughout college. Thus, thewkndnomads is here to help make travel more accessible — yes, you CAN plan a complete trip to Iceland with just a long weekend and an extra day of PTO. Take our highlights, regrets, challenges, and suggestions into consideration as you plan your next trip. And perhaps travel is unrealistic, even unthinkable for you right now. Allow our eyes to be your eyes to the world around us — live & learn through our stories like we’re sitting around a campfire together in the middle of Patagonia or sipping lattes outside a café in Lisbon. We are here to show people that whether it’s for 30-minutes, 3-days or 3-months, you too can traverse the globe.
(And yes, I will still be pursuing my PhD and squeezing in grad student salary-trips when I can.)
