I often get asked, "How long have you been a nomad?" I had been replying with the number of years since I left the US, which today would be over 3 years. But then I got to thinking, I've actually been nomadic my whole life. How was that so?
Childhood & Teen Years (6 homes + summer stays away)
1979-1997
I lived in 3 houses from birth until I was 10 years old around Stanley, Stilwell, and Olathe, Kansas. At that age, my parents split and got a divorce. When my dad moved out, I would live with him every other weekend and any other times that suited. I can remember him living in two apartment and then a townhome until I was around 15 years old. So at this point in my life, I've lived in 6 houses.
I think it's very important to mention that I my parents signed me up for summer camp experiences every year since I think I was around 6 or 7 years old. The first few years were a weekend or long weekend experience at a Girl Scout camp. Then as I got older, I would stay for 1 or 2 weeks. Around the time I was 11 or 12, I started going to a Camp Fire camp in Texas, over 500 miles away from home in Texas. That was because my childhood best friend moved away and we still wanted to enjoy time together. It was great; my mom would drive me down to the Dallas area or I would fly solo, and I'd hang with my friend's family, and they would take us to/from camp. Then, when I had my drivers license at 16, I would make the drive solo and spend the whole summer in Texas at camp and visiting my friends. I did this until I was 18. I truly believe those experiences, and learning how to be an independent traveler at a young age, laid the foundation for confident travel and nomadic lifestyle.
University Years (4 homes)
I graduated high school and my mom sold the house she had been living in forever and moved to another. I packed my most important items and headed off to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas and this is when I started moving more quickly.
1997-1998
Freshman year: I lived in a dorm with a roommate in Lawrence, KS
1998-2000
Sophomore & Junior year: I lived in a 3-bedroom apartment with friends in Lawrence, KS
2000-2002
Senior & Super Senior year (I was in a 5 year program and started my Master's program): I lived in a 1-bedroom apartment in Lawrence, KS
2002-2003
Student Teaching & Internship, and finished Master's Program: I lived in a 1-bedroom apartment in Overland Park, KS
During those years my dad remarried and he and my step-mom bought a home in the Scottsdale, Arizona area. It was at this point, I got use to traveling states to spend time with some of my parents. Since that became my norm for a long time, it was no big deal a few years later (see below) when I started moving out of state and became farther away from all immediate family. Traveling to see family naturally became our family norm.
Adulting (8 homes)
2003-2006
First Home Ownership: I bought a cute townhome in Olathe, Kansas and began my teaching career.
2007-2008
Sold the house and moved to Manhattan, Kansas to pursue my PhD. I lived in a cute 2-bedroom apartment on the west side of town.
2008-2009
Moved into the heart of the Little Apple to finish my doctoral program.
2009-2010
Became an Assistant Professor at Texas Woman's University and lived in a cute apartment on a small golf course in Denton, Texas
2010-2012
Still an Assistant Professor but moved to The Shops at Legacy in Plano, Texas for more of a social life.
2012-2014
Moved to Lombard, Illinois to be an Assistant Professor at Saint Xavier University
2014-2015
Moved to Bossier City, Louisiana to be a Curriculum Development Specialist for a small startup STEM company.
2015-2019
Second Home Ownership: bought a house in Peoria, Arizona where I worked remotely as a Manager of Professional Development for a company based in Virginia. My position was 100% remote and required 75% travel every month. Although I had the home, I was traveling around the US and Canada regularly with one work trip to Dubai and Qatar.
International Living (24 homes and counting)
June 2019
Sold the house and started living internationally with 6 months in Mexico. I stayed in 3 different places during this time.
2020
I lived in Ecuador and had 2 house sits and 1 base. Then I lived in Belize in 2 different rentals.
2021
Belize - the same rental from 2020, Panama - 1 rental, Aruba - 2 different rentals
2022
Mexico - 1 Airbnb, 2 friends houses, 1 resort, 1 hotel Dominican Republic - 1 rental
Barbados - 2 rentals
Spain - 3 rentals
Croatia - 2 rentals
Those are just the countries I've lived in through June. Later this year I will be in Italy and Turkey and then probably another 1 or 2 countries before the end of the year.
So, how long have I been a nomad?
After really thinking about all of the dwellings I've called home, I have to say my whole life I've been nomadic. It appears I had around 18 homes I lived in from birth to my late 30s, and then just ramped up what was already my norm by moving, moving, moving, and just do it much faster.
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