The Things I’ve Learned while traveling the world.

The Things I’ve Learned while traveling the world. 

If only you could hear the poetry in my mind as I roam the globe solo. This lifestyle has made me a warrior. There are some things that I never knew I needed to learn while embarking on this journey. I have changed so much, evolved so much, I have exponentially grown thanks to living out of a suitcase and going from one place to another. Below are some of the things I’ve discovered as a nomad that might resonate with you and that have changed me for good. 

I learned that while a place can change your life, it can only do so once. Returning somewhere to revive or relive a previous experience is setting yourself up for disappointment. I had to learn to acknowledge that a special moment is only a once in a lifetime moment and that it will never repeat itself. That is the beauty of a moment. 

I learned that home is found in the friendships that you make. Not the country, not the house, not the scenery. Home is found in the openness of a community that welcomes you with open arms and checks in on you to make sure you are always OK. Home is a feeling of safety. When I think of a place I have spent time in and immediately exhale, I know that place is home. 

I learned that true friendship is just as profound, if not even more profound, than the love of a boyfriend or a girlfriend. A group of meaningful friends makes you feel powerful. Encouraged. Safe. 

I learned that it’s easier to fall in love when you have limited time. That the more time we have, the more time we waste. Pressure is a good thing. It allows us to make decisions faster, think less and feel more. To express ourselves more openly because we have “nothing to lose”. The less time we have, the more things we do. Isn’t that amazing? 

I learned that jet lag is a bitch and there is no cure. But thankfully you cannot die from it. Although sometimes it surely feels like you will. 

I learned that the English language is pathetic and lacking in comparison to Greek. Where they have expressions for a spectrum of emotions and feelings that we define with only one word. The Greeks have an estimated 5 million words while English has only approximately 172,000. That some things are simply not translatable because we have simplified ourselves far too much. I worry we will lose the art of true expression without really learning a language fully. 

I learned that the best way to stop a baby from crying on an airplane is to stare straight into its eyes and not blink once. Intimidation tactics work my friends. I am not afraid of its mother. 

I have discovered that the world is full of extremes. Extreme poverty and extreme wealth. There seems to be no more middle ground and the agenda to destroy it, is real. I learned that greed knows no borders and holds no passport. The need to obtain power is another global pandemic and this saddens me. I am hopeful, however. 

It turns out there is no need to fear the “unknown” and that “going with the flow” can be the most calming, relaxing experience of your life. The notion of needing to plan ahead and always think of the future might be a thing of the past. As covid taught me, you make a plan and God laughs. Sometimes it’s ok not to know what is next but rather know what is now. 

I learned that you can escape from one place to another, but you cannot escape yourself. Some places will distract you and offer you the sparkle and glamor needed to get out of your head. Other places force you to reconcile with yourself. Those are some of the toughest travel experiences I have ever faced. But look at me. I am a grown woman now. 

I learned that people are governed by their culture, whether they realize it or not. Meaning they will express themselves and interact with others according to the culture they come from and this can impact the way you engage with them. Culture dictates how you date, love, work, sleep, eat, pretty much everything. You are partly the sum of where you are from and this is something worth embracing. 

I learned that sitting in the aisle seat is pure power. If I gotta pee, I just go. No “excuse me”, no waking someone up. Fuck the window seat, that shit is for amateurs. 

I also learned that depression comes from a place of boredom. I used to think I was depressed when I was living in the USA. Turns out I was just bored with life and needed more excitement. Wow. Problem solved. 

And above all else, I learned that life is for the living. That travel is not just for vacations, but for personal growth and development. That waiting for the right time to do something wild is wasting time and that societal norms are meant to be flipped on the head. Don’t let society tell you that you should have savings, have that cushy job and wait until you own a house to do that crazy thing you know would bring you joy. 

Just. 

Go. 

Be. 

Wild. 

Love always, your digital nomad:
Sally Golan.