54 Comments
Jun 27, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen

I applaud your lifestyle. It automatically makes you both more worldly, wise, generous, and multi-cultural. My gay husband and I are retired in Spain for 6 years now, and we waited too late to try your adventurous life style. One thing we certainly will never regret is leaving the USA permanently.

I (a drafted Vietnam Vet)…..I hated that war…, but it taught me several things. One thought has stayed with me. It’s not an original thought, but I have an original twist: All able-bodied Americans should be required to serve for two years in a national “service” job. All the armed services would of course qualify. And many, many different types of alternatives could and should be developed. My twist? Familial circumstance considered, all should be required to serve a minimum of 1,000 miles away from home.

I come from A very small town in Texas. My experience of the people who have never lived elsewhere? ……”damaged”. Okay, too strong a word. But, these people (relatives included) are narrow-minded, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and mostly boring as whale shit. Deliver me from these incurious minds. W. Bush, while hardly a small town product, is exemplary of the type I mean.

Looking at a high school 40-yr class reunion photo of mine, my husband said, “these people look like they could be your parents.”. And let me assure you I am not some health nut. I’m a very happy Spanish wino. But I’m happy, curious, fluent in two languages and can get by in French. I love people, cultures, history, art, music, languages, cooking, architecture, wine and food. And I can be engaged and engaging in a whole host of topics……with the great exception of American football. YUCK!

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Jun 27, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

A friend who lived in India and worked for NGOs said the very best way to help poorer countries is to go there and spend money locally. And I’ve learned so much about countries from you. People love to tear apart everything without deep thought

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This part of your post made me think the most:

"And, yes, we nomads do spend our money in communities that openly appreciate it. After fifteen zillion locals tell you they’re very happy you’ve come to live among them, you eventually start to believe them."

I think it's super easy to criticise a lifestyle from your sofa on your phone and I totally agree with what you said about how spending lots of time in other places actually makes you more aware of your privilege. Nomading is a great thing for the world and people should definitely be encouraged to do it, even for a while.

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Hola Brent and Michael. I think the reason behind a lot of these nasty comments is a very simple one — they're jealous. I'm not a nomad, but I have moved from Canada to Argentina. I can't say I've had a lot of hate messages, but there does seem to be an element of "I wish I could ...." out there. Many could, of course, but they just don't have the imagination to make it happen. Not the fault of nomads or expats. Don't let them bring you down guys!

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Jun 27, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

Just today we had a conversation about our respective countries with the gentleman who owns the restaurant down the street. We talked about the differences between our governments and just us plain folks, how the lamb in Türkiye is different from other lamb we may have had, and the purpose of our current visit, medical tourism. You just can't have that kind of personal connection with someone from another country when you refuse to leave in the states, or just come as a short term tourist, as we are living off the usual beaten path. I think the only way we can reach meaningful understanding between people is with personal contact, and slow-nomading this is my way of achieving that. How can that be wrong or selfish?

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Jun 27, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

It saddens me to hear that other criticize so harshly a lifestyle they likely know nothing about. I agree that it comes from a place of privilege compared to "most" of the world, but I also agree that this privilege makes me much, much more aware of it. We start our journey in Nov 2022 and can attest to the fact that most people we've told are clueless and their first response is typically "wow, must be nice". It depends on who I'm talking to if I actually elaborate or not. There are just those people that will never even try to understand a lifestyle different than their own. I don't give them any of my time nor take their criticism to heart. PLEASE keep doing what you're doing and writing about it. You two are fabulous humans and our world is better because you're both in it -- wherever that may be!!

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Jun 27, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

“ In my experience, nomading makes one much more aware of one’s privilege — and more determined to do something about it.”. EXACTLY. I couldn’t have expressed it any better.

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Aug 14, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen

It's so true that when I talk to locals, they seem genuinely enthusiastic that I've taken an interest in their country. They love sharing local customs and food, etc. I also feel this way when people visit my home country, I get excited to ask them what drew them to us. It's only keyboard warriors online who tell me that the locals hate me. And these are people who aren't locals themselves, so how do they feel comfortable speaking on locals behalf? It's ridiculous. I know there is some truth to it in some cases, there are places where locals are tired of immigrant communities. But people with no personal experience with the matter are way too bold online because it is so painfully easy to shoot someone down these days. All you have to say to invalidate someone and make them feel like trash is "but this is not intersectional". Whether you know anything or not, technically that statement is always true in every situation, it's impossible to make a choice that is perfect and beneficial for everyone in the world, so you don't even have to try to back up your argument.

One time I posted in an online forum to ask a question about my nomadic lifestyle, and people jumped down my throat to make irrelevant comments that had nothing to do with trying to help answer the question, they were only saying things about how being a nomad is bad. One person said "no-one is jealous of you!" lol. I didn't write anything alluding that people should be jealous of me...it was just a very dry tax-related question without any flowery language about how awesome my life is or anything. That's the day I realized I can't post about my lifestyle online, outside of my own channels at least.

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Jun 29, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger, Michael Jensen

It's so refreshing to see comparisons between what exists and what's realistically achievable, rather than some utopian vision.

I'm not nomading to save myself or the world. Still, I'm with you that I'm certainly a better person than I would be had I stayed home.

By traveling slowly and getting involved in each place, as well as spending a lot of time in my previous homes, I'm cross pollinating ideas and knowledge about other ways of living. It's hard to imagine things being different, and staying hopeful for change, when you can't envision other ways of doing things.

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Jun 28, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Spot on.

I especially like this paragraph, "But, well, that privilege exists whether a person nomads or not. In my experience, nomading makes one much more aware of one’s privilege — and more determined to do something about it." Actually, I really liked most of your article. :)

We are slomads as well and LOVE the lifestyle. We truly love spending time and getting to know locals, riding on the same bus with them and their chickens. It is such a wonderful experience.

I truly hope to meet you someday if we are ever in the same country. We are currently in Sweden and exploring Europe over the next number of years.

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Dear Brent & Michael:

I think anyone who criticizes people for being nomads doesn't have enough to do & should get a life. Maybe a nomadic one would fit the bill.

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People must be jealous! Who doesn't dream of human connection, travel, the open road and a lifestyle that doesn't weigh them down? I wonder if part of the backlash is from my (millennial) generation who feels shorted by the system in other ways (the expectation we should value experiences over possessions is pretty convenient when you're marketing to a generation who can hardly afford possessions and stability to begin with, ha.)

Anyway, I concur that travel and living in foreign places makes you a much better person. Reminds me of college -- you could always tell the difference between someone who'd studied abroad and someone who hadn't. (Notwithstanding material obstacles, etc., more often than not, the former would make a much better friend.)

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Jun 27, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

Hey Brent and Michael, I always enjoy reading your posts. Gotta admit, when I first read about your nomading adventures, I clutched my pearls and said to myself..are these gay dudes crazy? No house, no car, no gorgeous little things sitting around? Now I applaud your bravery and progressive thinking. Long story short, DONT PAY THE HATERS ANY ATTENTION, as the kids say today. YOU DO YOU. All the best always...Don in NYC.

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Feb 3Liked by Brent Hartinger

Great read. I've done loads of nomading myself and get quite a lot of resistance and criticizing comments. No one cheers for me when I make it to a new country(except the travel community). I've literally been called lazy, a bum, irresponsible, and running away from my problems. Meanwhile I've served in the military, worked a fishing season in Alaska, worked on farms in Australia, worked on 300ft cell phone towers. Lived a minimalist, debt free lifestyle and paid with my own money an adventure spanning all 50 States and 48 countries across 6 continents, alone. By 30. People will say what they want I guess, but I'm happy. I'm making my dreams come true!

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Jul 6, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

I love your message. It helped me reframe how I think about being a nomad in a materialistic world. I think everyone should travel with a purpose of reducing their impact on the environment and getting to know the people in their community.

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Jun 30, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger

I love this. My husband and I are starting to consider and plan a nomad lifestyle over the next few years now that our kids are getting older. I think when people question what we're doing and why, I'll forward your post to them and say, "here, read this and you'll understand".

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