Office on four wheels: somewhere between New York City and Los Angeles
Digital nomadism has gotten a whole new meaning for me now that I have ‘set up shop’ nowhere in particular, and everywhere at the same time. I'm making the American road trip of my dreams: from east coast to west coast, but with a millenial twist (read: in a Prius, not a Thunderbird).
It’s week two and we – boyfriend included – are finding our way. Work and calls in the early morning until check-out time, followed by lunch and a long walk in the city we find ourselves in. Then we drive for a few hours in the afternoon, followed by dinner at our new destination. After an occasional fight about our accommodation (me having a tendency to prioritize quirky fairytale BnB experiences over the practicality of fast wifi and a squeakless bed, I’ll admit), we work into the late evening. It’s exhilarating, and – although it might sound restless – it is still a routine, and it’s working.
I’m continuing my marketing and communications work with my clients, while my free time is spent increasingly on picture taking and storytelling. There’s so much to see and observe being on the road. The autumn colors are truly astonishing. The foods are delicious. The people are friendly, and the variety in opinions, lifestyles, politics and architecture is – as always – fascinating.
Who would’ve thought, even ten years ago, this is what work could look like?!
We stay in hotels, bed and breakfasts, independent units, small serviced apartments, and occasionally, with friends. When we stay somewhere for more than one night it feels like we’ve moved and we’ll stay forever. Funny how your perception of time and what makes a home can change so quickly!
Meanwhile I’ve been thinking a lot about work. About meaning and purpose and privilege. About visuals and photos and storytelling. I love women travelers’ blogs and Instagram accounts, especially those that feel genuine and open and empowering. I’ve been dreaming about creating the perfect Instagram grid (of course!) filled with stories of other folks working in non-office spaces.
And I find myself thinking that all the millennial clichés are true, or at least for me. For one, we want to find purpose in life and in work. We’re tech-savvy (we invented digital nomadism). And we rather spend our money on travel and experiences than a home and a hubby.
Not that bad for a cliché at all!
A lot of what I’m seeing is beauty. But a lot is heartbreaking, too.
The US is a country of extremes, especially to a girl from the lowlands like myself. Today is November 18. We are watching the news in Nashville and Memphis. It’s about rapper Young Dolph, who was shot and killed yesterday, right here at a cookie shop in Memphis. In other news today, two men convicted of the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X were exonerated after a half-century effort to clear their names. We passed the civil rights monument in Memphis today. And lastly, the Oklahoma Governor commuted an inmate’s death sentence a few hours before his execution. Mr. Jones insisted he was not guilty. He was imprisoned in Oklahoma in 2002, the state we’re headed to tomorrow.
It’s important to acknowledge the reality of this too. Because travel is also this: gaining a deeper understanding of the world around you and how you are able to move through it. Memphis is located at the border where Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee meet. History seeps through the walls here. In monuments like the “I am a man”-plaza, but also in all its beauty. Such as it’s amazing bars like B.B. King’s Blues Club, where the food is delicious and the live music top-notch.
In these blogs I write about a life where work, free time, personal and shared space increasingly blend together. With the Instagram account that will launch later this month I hope to evoke that roadtrip feeling. Because it feels oh-so-good to be on the go (even virtually, by scrolling through beautiful travel grids on Instagram or reading a story). And it really is about the journey and all there is to observe along the way – both the good and the bad.
I’m used to taking on and shaping the tone of voice for my clients, for companies or organizations. What I’m looking for now is my own. How scary it is, to speak from your own experience. I can’t wait to hear yours, because I’m looking to interview digital nomads, remote workers, and social impact entrepreneurs along the way. Will I speak with you somewhere between Oklahoma and California?
