The title caught my attention because that is what I think I
would like to do; travel full-time roaming from place to place, going somewhere
that I find interesting, seeing the country and getting to know the culture,
meeting some of the people and living within that culture for a time. Then when I feel like moving on, I do, I go
to the next interesting place. I stay as
long or as short as I like. I have
thought of this often but then reality comes into my brain and says, “How do
you pay for this?” I hate reality! I would not be able to work in these places
so should I quit work here in the US, use my savings for a few years and risk
having to be a Wal-Mart greeter at 55? Who
knows if I will even live to be 55 so why not go now?? It seems like people who are able to make
full-time travel a reality are mostly authors or artists; they sell a book or
two, some photographs or paintings and can travel for a few years. That is the case with Rita, she has an
established reputation as a children’s book author. With her foot firmly in the door of the
publishing world she had the freedom to roam and still make a living. This is not possible for a real estate
agent. I can’t sell homes in hundreds of
different locations, in markets I know nothing about, in countries I am not
licensed to work. And my local Whidbey
Island clients would not care to hire an agent who is off gallivanting around
the world, silly clients; they expect something like great service, someone
here to actually find them a house or sell the one they have. So that limits the income potential on the
road. Since you read this blog, you know
good and well I do NOT have my foot in the publishing world and most likely
won’t without a miracle. Although I come
from a background of some talented painters, my mom and granny have produced
some really good art work; I did not inherit that talent. Photography might be my only hope. I think I have a pretty good eye and can take
some really good photos now and then.
Would you like to buy some?
Traveling full time does not have to be expensive. I don’t need to live at the Hilton but I am
too old to live in a dorm room with a bunch of loud, drunk, smelly 20 year
olds. There are a lot of places in the
world where I can live for a few hundred dollars a month as long as I live like
a local, I wouldn’t want to live like an American anyway, I can do that in
America. If I am going to spend time in
Chile or Argentina or Thailand then I want to experience the place and
lifestyle not try to reproduce my American lifestyle. There are limits; I don’t have any desire to
live in a mud hut on the Serengeti with the Maasi without electricity. I would, however, be thrilled to live in a
small wooden house in Belize with at least a swamp cooler for the bedroom at
night. In the book, Rita had a knack for
meeting people and becoming a part of their lives. That is an important skill I would have to
work on. It takes me a long time to
really be comfortable around people I don’t know. Living and spending time with a local family
really added to the fullness of her experience.
It allowed her to experience more than just the tourist version of a
country. She got to know the real
culture and experience the local foods, customs, holidays and family life. It helped that she spent most of her time in
developing countries; Mexico, Indonesia, Guatemala, Thailand. Those
places are much more affordable than the developed world of Iceland or
Italy.
Courage! It just
takes courage! Rita had a push, a
divorce she did not ask for, but she had the courage to follow her desire. Do I have the courage? I travel more than most people but do I have
what it takes to make the leap? I might
have to start slowly by spending 3 or 4 months someplace and see how that
goes. My friend Dawn taught me that no
decision is permanent! No matter what I
do, I can always come back home and sell real estate on beautiful, although
cloudy, Whidbey Island. I'll keep you posted....
