A computer. Internet connection. One month in Mexico, the next in Peru, and the third anywhere else you choose. For many, this sounds like the perfect dream. It was for me too. So much freedom and independence. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, perhaps the fact that dreams realized often don’t look like dreams at all.
And you only figure that out once you’re actually living them.
Ever since I was a little girl…
… I always dreamed of being a digital nomad. Traveling, exploring the world, living freely. I spent years preparing for it—researching ways to work online, educating myself, and building up my skills. All so that one day, working on my computer could take care of my needs.
By the time I turned 30, I wasn’t that little girl anymore. But that’s when I decided, “It’s now or never.” I packed up all my courage into one large suitcase, a carry-on, and a backpack. My first destination? South America.
The plan was simple: settle in Peru, where I had arranged to work a few hours a day in exchange for free accommodation. Even if I wouldn’t earn much, I’d save money on housing, which is always the biggest expense… or so I thought.
It seemed like the perfect start to my nomadic life.
Expectations vs. Reality
The first week, I was in shock. Nothing in Peru works the way I was used to. Getting anywhere? A full-day project. I was constantly worried about my backpack and laptop—two essential things my new lifestyle depended on.
And it quickly started to get harder. My comfort zone completely vanished. Even though I thought I wasn’t a “princess,” I realized just how much I missed basic things.
Basic things like a kitchen…
Yes, a kitchen. That little place where, as soon as I wake up, I can make myself coffee and breakfast. Then I’d sit down at my desk, open my laptop, and dive into work, feeling full of energy and motivation.
But without a kitchen, mornings looked completely different. I’d spend half an hour searching for a café on my phone, then another hour waiting for breakfast. By the time I got back, my most productive morning hours were gone, and instead of feeling focused, I felt irritated.
And that was just breakfast. What about lunch? Dinner? Finding places to eat became an endless task.
And just when I’d figure out where everything is, it would be time to move on. Because what kind of nomad stays in one place for too long?
And so, the process of figuring it all out started over again.
“Peru is cheap,” they said.
“Peru is cheap. You can live there for half the cost of anywhere else,” they said.
Sure, Peru is cheaper than most high-income countries. But only if you’re okay living like the locals. As soon as you want a little extra comfort, the costs start to climb. And I realized that with my own kitchen, I’d be cooking cheaper, faster, and with far less stress.
“Only fools need order…”
“…smart people thrive in chaos,” or so they say.
But is that just something messy people tell themselves?
Little by little, I began to realize how much I missed having order. A life of routine and schedule. How much I missed having a home base. My comfort zone. A place where you can exhale and say, “Home Sweet Home”
I want to see the world, but not the way I thought I did. What I actually want is to peek out from my bubble—and then retreat right back into it.
I’m definitely not cut out for the digital nomad life. Because as much as I’d like to imagine myself as carefree and spontaneous like Phoebe, the truth is, I’m much more organized and methodical like Monica.
Dreams are often illusions
Once again, I’ve realized that what we dream of the most can sometimes be just an illusion. A vision that looks beautiful in our minds but feels entirely different in reality.
But at least now, I don’t have to keep dreaming. Imagine if I had spent my whole life dreaming to be a nomad, constantly telling myself, “If only I had the courage to leave, I’d be living my best life right now…” And I would never even appreciate something as simple as making coffee in my beautifully organized kitchen.
And that, perhaps, is the greatest discovery this nomadic dream has given me.