big update
In the last newsletter, I mentioned that I would be sharing some big news. So, here it is :)
I'm moving to the US.
Starting on June 6th, I'll be moving into an apartment in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. This will then become my official home base.
This might not seem like that big of a deal. But...
- It's the first time in 23 years that I have rented an apartment for a full year.
- It's the first time in 23 years that I will live in a place that I have fully set up on my own (furniture, bed, coffee machine, etc.).
- It will be the first time in 23 years that I will live in my home country.
Of course, I still plan to travel. In fact, I already have several trips planned for the rest of this year.
However, by having this home base, the idea is to avoid the challenges associated with constantly being on the go, living out of a suitcase and not being part of a stable community.
Over time, what I realized is that my brain uses so much of its space and energy on travel-related...stuff. This includes - constantly having to plan travels, find accommodation, figure out transportation, decide which destinations to visit and how long to stay in each, adapt to different cultural norms all the time, try to make friends and be social in new places, live out of a suitcase with minimal possessions, create an exercise routine in new environments and on and on and on.
All of that requires a significant amount of brain energy, and only the remaining energy can be used to actually immerse myself in and try to thoroughly enjoy the actual destinations and people I come across in my travels.
After living this traveling lifestyle for more than 2 decades, the above has started to take a toll on my physical and mental health. Nothing major, but a toll nonetheless. To put it simply, I'm tired.
By having a proper home base, I hope to free up a good portion of my brain by not having to constantly adjust to new destinations or constantly figure out where I'm going next. At this point in time, I need this.
I'm genuinely curious about what I can do with the extra brain space and what it will feel like to have that additional mental peace. And that is the reason I decided on a home base in the US.
Why Raleigh, North Carolina? Honestly, I had to pick a place, any place. I have family and a couple of friends in the area, there's an abundance of nature, it's a relaxed environment and the weather is decent. That was good enough so I went for it.
Anyway, I'm excited for the adventure ahead!
Like I said, I'll still be traveling and my life will still revolve around learning about this great world of ours. I'll simply be going back to the same place after each trip.
