JANUARY 2023 OFF TO A GOOD START
I’ve been in the US now for two months, time split between California and Maryland. It has been exactly what I needed. If you’ve read my newsletter from the past few monthly updates, you know that I really struggled emotionally and mentally during my last months in Argentina. I dealt with a lot of heartbreak, a lot of anxiety, and a lot of indecision. I was spiraling. Ultimately I decided to just ‘go home.’ Whatever that means.
It has been years, decades even, since I felt I had a home. My adult life has been extremely transient, to say the least. Jumping from one city, one country, one language, one culture to the next, looking for somewhere that I could really make my own. Somewhere I belonged. That I could call home. I still haven’t found it yet. Last month I had reiki done, and the healer told me I’ll find my ‘home’ this year. It will be somewhere I’ve been before, but had never considered before. This time around I’ll see it with new eyes and it’ll click. I’ll just know. That didn’t happen in January, so I’ve still got 11 months left to see if she was right.
So until I find my own corner of the world, my ‘home’ is my people. My family. My friends. My mom and sister are both in northern California, where I was born, where most of my family lives, and where I spent my first month back. Christmas day with family and Christmas eve with my new Brazilian family-in-law. My sister is giving birth in one week and I’m so excited to meet my baby niece, Amelia.
In January, I jumped head first into family life. Just not blood family this time. Chosen family. Kelli’s family. Kelli is one of my oldest and dearest friends. We met at 4 years old. She lived across the street from me on Crystal Court in small town Colorado. Her parents divorced, and she would jump between Missouri, Colorado, and Alabama for the next few decades before finally settling down in Maryland. Throughout all that time we managed to keep in touch (plus one more Crystal Court friend to complete our trio, hi Dani)!
Dani and I visited Kelli in Missouri, and at 13 years old, we all had our first kisses playing Spin the Bottle when we snuck out to meet the neighborhood boys. Kelli and I spent weekends in each others college dorm rooms, smoking weed and doing mushrooms (sorry, mom)! Dani and I were both bridesmaids in Kelli’s wedding 8 years ago. And now, Kelli has 2 adorable children who have been wiping their snot on me all month.
They both turn 5 and 3 within a couple weeks of each other so last Saturday I helped the family throw a joint birthday, complete with way too many kids, a moonrock hunt, and a beautiful 3-tier cake with planets baked inside, and planets on the outside. Kelli has become a master baker in the last few years, and is incredibly talented. If you’re in the Baltimore/Timonium area of Maryland, look her up!
In addition to seeing Kelli and her family this month, I also had the chance to reunite with a few friends I met years ago in Korea. Lauren was one of my best friend’s in Busan in 2012 who now lives in DC. Katie and I met in 2006 through mutual friends in Korea, and have been lucky enough to meet up again in 2019 in Florence, and now 2023 in Baltimore.
I can’t believe that a month has nearly passed already here in Maryland. What my last week in Baltimore has to offer: A Baltimore ghost tour, a Baltimore harbour walking tour, and ideally a day of eating crab cakes, crab pretzels and whatever else Baltimore is known for. Next week I’m headed to visit another friend in Iowa, and after that, a week in Seattle visiting friends. Then back to California to see my baby niece. More on Iowa and Seattle in next month’s newsletter.
So far, these past two months of catching up with some of my favorite people on the planet has been exactly what I needed. My heart is healing, and I’m feeling like myself again. It feels so good to be seen and to be known.
2023 HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR
Consultations
I started getting a lot of requests on YouTube, my blog, my email, and Instagram to do consultations. Previously I had been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the idea of this as my Imposter Syndrome poked at me. But finally I decided - WHY NOT!? I have been traveling for 20 years, and travel is definitely the thing I know the most in my life, so I pushed back at my Imposter and told him to eff off. One month in to creating a system, I have already done several consultations, had the chance to meet new people, and help them with the thing I love most- travel. I have truly loved each interaction and the chance to meet the people who watch my videos and read my blog posts.
I Published a Book on Amazon
A few months ago I noticed another YouTuber was in Buenos Aires for a few weeks. His videos started popping up a lot on my feed. I noticed he had created a city guide to Buenos Aires and was selling it on Amazon. I was really curious about what he had to say about this city I loved so much and knew so well, but that he had just passed through. So I bought his book. It wasn’t good. I said to myself- I can do this, and I can do it better. I know this city, and I know that I can really help people and offer great insight into Buenos Aires. Over the next several months I got to writing. Researching. Writing. And then I finished it! Thanks my trusty friend and editor,
, I was able to publish on Amazon last week! I've already sold 3 copies too! Currently there is only an e-book version available, though I should have a paperback version up soon too. I've been having issues with the pdf uploading correctly, but as soon as that is worked out, the paperback version will be available as well.Guides on Thatch
Another thing I’ve been working on over the past several months have been guides on the Thatch app. Thatch is a travel app (ugh I know, another app, right!?), where creators can create guides, maps, itineraries, etc. There is actually a web version as well, which is nice for when you’re at home researching. They can set prices, or offer free guides. There is a guide for nearly every country you ever wanted to go to, so if you’re traveling soon, definitely check out the app. I’ve added a ton of guides for several places around Argentina, including a 10-day itinerary for Buenos Aires.
I also made a video version of the 10-day Itinerary for YouTube, though with fewer details than the Thatch Guide:
JANUARY TRAVEL TIP
Airalo
When my phone got stolen back in September, I was forced to buy a new phone. That new phone was an iPhone 14. The thing about newer iPhones is that they no longer have SIM card trays. The only SIM you can use is an e-SIM. I’ll be honest, this was really confusing to me at first and I had to beg my smart friends to explain it to me. But now that I get it, I love it! It has made travel so simple when it comes to having data right away. Previously, I would have to go the Verizon store every time I came back to the US, put my physical SIM card into my phone, reactivate my physical SIM card, and pay for an expensive pay-as-you-go plan.
This year was different. While waiting in the immigration line after I arrived back to the US in December, I downloaded the Airalo app, created an account, purchased a much more affordable 30-day plan, activated the Sim and BAM, I was in business. I had data on a US plan before I even left the airport. You can easily top up again for another month with the click of a button right inside the app.
Airalo has a ton of great international plans. In many cases, the Airalo plans are more affordable than local sim costs (like in the US). Sometimes they are more expensive (like in the case of Argentina). My tip is this: Purchase an e-SIM package with Airalo for just 3 days. That will give you data asap to get you going while you’re settling in. Then after a day or two head to the local SIM card company to get a more affordable local plan. If you’re going to Argentina, Claro is the best company for this.
If you decide to use Airalo, make sure to use code NICHOL5388 and we’ll both get $3 off our next e-SIM!
2023 TRAVEL PLANS
As I look to the rest of the 2023, my head is spinning. But in the best of ways. I’m excited for what comes next, whatever that may be. I have lots of ideas.
I signed up for Trusted Housesitters for the year, and really want to try it out. It seems the most housesits are located in Western Europe, especially Ireland and the UK.
I also really want to go back to Italy for a bit, especially Florence where I spent two amazing years. I would love to reconnect with old friends there.
I’m also obsessed with the idea of driving a scooter around Sri Lanka for several weeks, and then moving on to India and crossing the land border into Pakistan.
I used to live in the Philippines about 13 years ago, but because I was studying, I really didn’t have much time to travel around and get to know it. I’ve never been to Malaysia before, so I would love to see what the culture is like there.
I have also been really interested in the Stans- Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan. I feel like it’s a really unexplored area of the world and I’ve always been fascinated by it. Plus, I had a ton of students in Miami from Kazakhstan and they were all the coolest!
THANK YOU
I also want to say thank you to all of you. Thank you for reading my words. Watching my videos. Buying me coffees and donating to my blog. My travels are self-funded, and I truly appreciate all your continued support and encouragement.