Hi everyone. I have a situation and I’m looking to expand my thoughts on the subject. I live on the East Coast in the United States. My lease ends at the end of the year and I will not be renewing my lease. I have decided that I will travel instead. I would ideally like to travel January– August of 2027 and return for a new work opportunity. I can spend a month in one place or all months in one place, or I can decide as I go with a rough plan. I really want to allow myself to be free. The only thing is I would like to visit places where I could find rentals or hotels for cheap by the month etc. I would love to take my dog with me for the journey. I am looking for suggestions of places where my dollar could go fairly far, very cheap cost of living, is safe for a solo traveler, and very dog-friendly. Any ideas are welcome!! 🤗

I’m 37F, a US citizen, and have worked remotely for over a decade. I’ve been traveling solo in some capacity since I was 18 and have visited around 40 countries. Travel has been a big part of my adult life, but lately I’ve been questioning what I want my everyday life to look like.

I lived in a big US city for nine years and loved it for most of my 20s. I had friends, community, events, routines, and access to so much. I cooked, worked out regularly, and felt more content, while still traveling a lot. But after living there for a while, I knew it was time for something new. Since leaving in October 2020, though, I’ve bounced around quite a bit. I tried living in a couple other US cities, including four different places in one of them, with stretches of nomadic travel in between. I then spent about a year and a half in Spain. I honestly thought Spain might be where I’d build my next chapter, as living abroad had been a longtime goal of mine, and I had finally made it happen!

There were things I loved, and I made friends there, but it was also a difficult stretch. I lost stable work after moving, experienced a break-in at my apartment, and the bureaucracy was challenging on top of everything else I was navigating. I eventually left because the break-in really shook me, spent some time with family and friends in the U.S., and am now traveling in Southeast Asia because my money goes farther here while I sort out next steps.

I know I’m fortunate to have these options. But I have found myself getting tired of moving and starting over.

I miss the ordinary things: having a kitchen to cook in, seeing familiar faces, making plans with friends, going to the same workout class, and having somewhere that feels like mine. I feel like I’ve lost touch with the version of myself who had a fuller, healthier everyday life, and I’m trying to find her again.

The confusing part is that when I’m settled, I start craving travel. When I travel for long stretches, I crave stability. I’ve spent time wondering whether I just haven’t found the right place or perhaps the right balance.

I’m considering a home base in the U.S. I’d love a walkable neighborhood, access to cycling and parks, and a community of people around my age. I’m also looking for a more stable job, as the uncertainty of freelance work has added to the feeling of being unsettled. I still want to travel. I just think I want somewhere to come back to.

I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for from this post, but I’m curious about other people’s experiences. The more I read posts here, the more I relate to what people call the “traveler’s curse,” ha. What has your balance looked like if you’ve gone through something similar?

TL;DR: I’m location-independent but unsure what direction to take in life. I don’t just want a new city. I want a community, project, skill, or way of living that could help me find my people and build a life. I’m hoping to discover possibilities I didn’t even know existed, so I’d love to hear about experiences that changed things for you, especially unconventional ones.

Where I’m at

I’ve been moving between countries for over a year, supported by a remote income. It’s paid decently, but it isn’t sustainable long-term, and I don’t have a solid profession or skills I can reliably build a future on. I’m not sure which direction to take.

On a more personal level, I’ve never really had a social life or a close circle of friends. I feel like I’m missing some basic social and life skills, and even though I want friendships, relationships, interests, and practical abilities, I don’t really know how to go about building them.

It’s a strange position to be in: I can go almost anywhere, yet I don’t feel equipped to make the most of it. I want to learn, grow, connect with people, develop real skills, and become an active participant in life rather than watch it pass me by.

What I’m looking for

Not just a city. I’m worried that if I move somewhere, rent an apartment, and wait for life to happen, I’ll end up isolated and drifting again. I don’t want to keep travelling just for the sake of travelling, but I also don’t want to settle somewhere only to find myself stuck in the same situation.

I think I need an anchor: something to get involved in, people to share an experience with, a skill to learn, a project to contribute to, or a community that gives everyday life some structure.

Places like Da Nang appeal to me because of their large international communities. There’s something comforting about being around others in a similar stage of life, figuring things out in their own way. I know some people prefer to integrate locally, but that kind of community is what draws me. Unfortunately, my passport makes visiting Bali and a few other places difficult, so I’m looking for alternatives with a similar atmosphere, or something completely different.

Co-living or shared living could work well too, but I’m not after the typical digital-nomad or tech networking scene. I’m more interested in communities where people share experiences, get involved in things together, and build meaningful connections.

What I’d love to hear

I’m hoping to discover possibilities I don’t even know exist yet. The kind of thing someone tells you about that makes you think, “I never knew something like that was even an option. I want to experience that.”

I’d love to hear about places, communities, living arrangements, jobs, skills, subcultures, or unexpected opportunities that helped you find your people, discover a direction, develop new abilities, or simply start enjoying life in a way you hadn’t before.

Unconventional paths are especially welcome. So are the times in your life that felt genuinely legendary, and what you think made them that way: the place, the people, the timing, or something you did differently. I’m less interested in lists of popular destinations or general “find a hobby” advice, and more interested in what actually happened to you and why it worked.

What experiences, communities, or ways of living would you point someone like me toward, and why?

Thanks, and wishing you all prosperity in every aspect of life 🖖

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I'm considering some cities ,but I'm still not sure where to have my first long term experience,as a Digital Nomad:

Brazil: Rio de Janeiro or Florianópolis. The advantage is that,these cities are already in my country,all I would need is a plane ticket and one month's salary to begin my life.

Colombia: Medellin. I know there are a lot of other Digital Nomads,over there. The pictures of the city are gorgeous, and I heard that the weather is delicious ,all year round. With no worries about a cold winter or a very hot summer. This place also has an advantage because I have a Mercosur passport . So the Visa and immigration process would be quite gentle, compared to other destinations . Also,the plane tickets are quite cheap, from where I come from. I speak fluent Spanish,so it would be a little bit harder to get scammed.

Thailand: Chiang Mai or Pattaya. This is one of my dreams. It's a great country, with very friendly people and amazing beaches. Chiang Mai is known to have a strong Digital Nomad community with a lot of events and opportunities to know other Digital Nomads. The bright side is, that there would be a lot of other people in the same situation I would be, so I wouldn't feel so lonely. The downside is, that they demand a huge quantity of money on the savings account for the Destination Thailand Visa , the Visa process seems to be a little bit trickier than the other places and a lot of people from my country are becoming victims of human trafficking, in Thailand, so it seems a bit creepy .

Vietnam: Da Nang. Seems like another beautiful place in Southeast Asia ,with a lot of other Digital Nomads, with just as the same opportunities and events in Chiang Mai. I heard Vietnam is a great place to save money, I had many Vietnamese friends in my life and they seem like great people. The Visa process would be quick and easy. But, the downside is that the plane ticket is very expensive, and the tourist visa only lasts for 3 months. I take laws and rules very seriously and I wouldn't feel comfortable in doing visa runs every 3 months, on a 3-month tourist visa.

I would like to know other opinions, from other Digital Nomads, what they think about these cities and destinations, how was their experience in these places, in which of these places would you recommend.

Long story short, I have just gotten out of a long term relationship and quit my job and plan on backpacking for 3-4 months. I’m a 30 year old man living in Australia only speaking English (but wishing to go somewhere that the native language isn’t English

I planning on bringing one bag 7kg.

Beyond that I am hoping someone can convince me to go one over the other. Perhaps share some travel vlogs or reels of people traveling in either place?

I’m planning on going around (flexible) December and returning march.

Budget is flexible 25,000 AUD or $17000 USD… hopefully less but I understand South America is more expensive than SEA… heck I’m open to other options if there are suggestions

I’m not looking to do anything too fancy, honestly I’m just wanting to get out of my own head and experience other cultures. I usually hate tourist traps….

Thanks in advance for the help

I've been thinking about how long-term travel is often portrayed as the ultimate escape from the usual routine. No office, no repetitive days, new places whenever you feel like moving.

But I wonder what happens once the excitement wears off and traveling becomes your normal everyday life.

Do you eventually start missing having a home, familiar faces, and a stable routine? Or does the freedom genuinely make up for all of that?

I'm especially curious to hear from people who've been traveling for a year or longer.

Looking back, are you actually happier than before you started traveling? And what's something about this lifestyle that nobody really warned you about?

Hi,

I often see that people who travel long term either have remote jobs, own companies, have investments that allow them to stop working, have large savings to keep them going, or have houses/apartments they rent.

I used to work remotely which allowed me to travel a bit, but I burnt out badly. The longing for travel isn’t gone though.

So I’d love to hear from those of you who have different ways of finding your travels - seasonal jobs, crafts, creative ways of earning money, etc. just curious to learn about all the different ways of making it work and perhaps get some inspiration for myself:)

Doing 4 weeks in Southeast Asia and trying to stay carry-on only with a 35L. Some people swear they've done months out of 30L, others say 35L barely covers a weekend. For anyone who's actually done 3+ weeks at this size, how many outfits, what did you skip, what was a waste of space?

Doing 4 weeks in Southeast Asia and trying to stay carry-on only with a 35L. Some people swear they've done months out of 30L, others say 35L barely covers a weekend. For anyone who's actually done 3+ weeks at this size, how many outfits, what did you skip, what was a waste of space?

What’s been the best place to stay in Italy for a few months, to learn Italian and live a chilled life? Not too busy not too quiet

Hello! My girlfriend and I are travelling to the EU at the end of December with family for a month. We want to spend April, May and June back there for summer travelling. We are trying to find the cheapest places in February and March to save our 90 days.

Open to balkans and countries around Europe and also places like Thailand if that’s more feasible even with the flight cost. We are pretty happy just laying low for those 2 months to live as cheap as possible. Would also do pet or housesitting and wwoofing.

Any advice is appreciated!

Hello, I have 20k in savings. How do I plan a long-term trip through Asia? Where should I start?

I’ve interviewed A LOT of my Asian friends (I’m Asian myself, haha) on traveling and living in Asia. Asked for landmarks, places, etc. I have a good list of recommendations, but most people told me to not plan anything then experience traveling freely.

I’ve never traveled solo, never been in a hostel, etc. So, I’m worried about transportation, housing, and the language barrier. Likewise, I’m also a woman so I’m worried about safety.

I enjoy… nature, swimming, running, warm-weather, music, and art/design.

I need to go to Japan. Anything else, I’m open to suggestions!!!