The Human Side of the NuNomad
One thing I’ve realized on this trip has been that although my technology set up for the most part went off without a hitch, I as a human being was not so infallible.
When you are living as a NuNomad (taking your profession with you abroad) it’s important to factor in your human frailties. For instance, I was not prepared for how many days of mental cloudiness I would experience as a result of jet lag. This would have gone unnoticed if all I had to think about was the next restaurant to choose, but it became an issue when trying to juggle client hours and four time zones.
Secondly, no matter how lightly I tried to pack, my suitcase became heavier every time I had to move it. The need to carry a laptop, related wiring, camera, cell phones, their related wiring, extra batteries, etc. should be taken really seriously on the physical level. Whatever you can do to minimize the weight of your equipment should be done. What feels ok when you give a trial lift in your living room can feel like a dead elephant when you’re getting up the fourth flight of subway stairs on a 98 degree day with no air.
I have also learned to factor in more time between each move before scheduling work. Each time we moved from one place to another unexpected issues arose. The more crash time I could get on the arrival end, the more likely I was to be clear headed and organized by the time I started work.
I guess the biggest piece of learning for me was this: It is much easier to stay put for extended periods in one place and do sight seeing day trips than it is to physically move your location from place to place. The more you can minimize the number of times you move during one journey, the less stressful both mentally and physically your experience will be and the better able you will be to continue your work.
So – do I wish I stayed home after all the stress? No way!! All I have to do is remember what my office looked like and I am 100% sure it was all worth it. We’re still on the final leg of our journey now – the beach in Connecticut – and planning to extend our time here. Take a look at my French office below
