Life Updates From Colombia
Hello everyone,
It has been a long time since I wrote one of these “updates” — life has been busy, but I do have a few things to share.
The last few months have been very busy. This year I will travel more than ever before, in part thanks to having been fully nomadic since the beginning of June. So far, I’ve been to five different continents, and have felt incredibly fulfilled - being nomadic and traveling where I want when I want is a goal I set for myself years ago.
That’s all possible thanks to working remotely, but also because I finally finished university in June! There was a graduation ceremony at the end of June and last weekend I picked up my diploma in Maastricht, making it official.
The last 3 years in Maastricht, in the Netherlands, were fun and full of new experiences. I’m glad to finally be done - now I can carry on with life!
Since then, I’ve bounced around Europe (before and after the graduation ceremony) and spent several weeks in Asia (Thailand and Vietnam; the former is one of my favorite places and is a nostalgic place for me, while the latter is a second home for me) where I enjoyed the best food in the world.
I finally visited Maya Bay in Thailand
After SE Asia, I briefly returned to Europe before bouncing down to Abu Dhabi (from London onboard the Etihad A380). I then spent several weeks in the Middle East and visited some lesser-known destinations (such as Bahrain and Kuwait), before returning to Europe (again) and following the sun by making my way to South America (where I am now).
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Of all of the places I’ve visited this year, so far Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, Vietnam, and Colombia have been my favorite, with the last two probably in my top five list overall. (Malta has been the most boring, fwiw.)
The Golden Bridge in Da Nang, Vietnam
I first visited Colombia last year and enjoyed it, so I decided to return to Medellín this year. Now I think I love this city even more - it’s such a fantastic digital nomad city, there’s a very international crowd of people, the weather is great, cool architecture and views (the city is hilly and there are lots of cable cars), cheap prices, great vibes, and Colombians are so incredibly warm and friendly. I tend to speak Spanish here more than English (of which I’m becoming more fluent by the day). Colombia is also in the central time zone meaning it’s ideal for US business hours; I feel like I have a healthier lifestyle here compared to working at night in Europe or overnight in Asia (as much as I love Asia and would like to make it work, it seems like I can’t do more than a month there without the schedule taking a big toll). Because of all of the above, I could definitely live here in Medellín. Fun fact: in the 90s it was the murder capital of the world, so to go from that to the digital nomad dream it is today is quite remarkable. I imagine there must be some gems in San Salvador (the capital of El Salvador, for my Americans who are reading this) as well; it will be interesting to see what that city is like in 10 years.
Medellín
There’s also so much in Colombia outside of Medellín, but I’ve barely explored the country. I look forward to doing that in future visits.
I am actually sending this from Cartagena, where I am for the weekend (before returning to Medellín in a few days). Cartagena is in the north, on the Caribbean coast, and is quite culturally different. The city is very colorful and artistic, and it feels more humid here as well.
The only downside about Colombia is the food - it’s quite good but gets old kinda quickly (lots of rice and meat with limited varieties). Vietnamese and Thai food in comparison are so diverse, much more flavorful, and fresher, and they don’t get old at all. But I can survive off mangoes here in Colombia if needed: they are so so good and I could literally eat/drink them all day every day.
Football games in Medellín are very fun
Long story short: I really like Colombia. I think it’s safe to say it’s my favorite country in the Americas. There is still a lot to see, though.
As I said before, I also work remotely. In the past two months, I made the switch from part-time to full-time and I am enjoying the additional work and ownership that comes with it. Fortunately, I can still largely work when I want, but the additional responsibilities have meant that I am staying longer in places I visit so then I have more time to see them, and I also get less sleep.
The remote work lifestyle has enabled all of my travels and I love that. On a related note, part of this email was written from an airport lounge in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, and part of it was written from a turbulent flight from Medellín to Cartagena (turbulence is fun, by the way).
So yeah, that’s pretty much life right now. Working remotely, living my best life by traveling frequently, and meeting new people everywhere I go. It feels very good to be free of my academic obligations, after three (sometimes long) years.
I will return to the US next month, primarily for work reasons, but how long I stay is still up in the air. Before I go back though, I do have some big plans, which will be exciting.
Hasta luego de Colombia!