We are Chanel & Stevo, and we've been on the road traveling the world for over three years now. What started as a dream to see as what this world has to offer over a 1-year journey ended up as the two of us living a nomadic lifestyle, spending every month in a new country. We slowly make our way around the globe one country at a time. Immersing ourselves in its culture as much we can. The way we deal with life on the road has evolved over the years. At first, we volunteered our way around, working in some unique places like a Husky Lodge at the top of Norway. These stays were anywhere from 3 -8 weeks. We have some great stories about these days. The second year was a jet-set mission bouncing from one exotic place to another, as many as 3 in one day. We wanted to see and take as many cool photos as possible, and we made our way around the globe for a second time. Now though, our travel aims to slow things down a bit and stay in places for longer. We still have times were we travel like mad for a week (that’s part of the deal when you are travel filmmakers and photographers like us), but now we try to immerse ourselves in culture for four weeks at a time, and then we move on.
As with every lifestyle choice, there are pros and cons, and this is what we have learned and some of the travel tips we have observed.
The PROS of living in a new country every month
Everything is new — all the time.
It’s hard to get bored.
We spend 365 24/7 together. Having your closest mate with you all the time is a blast.
Having access to new and different kinds of produce. There is always something thrilling, walking into a supermarket in a new country. Japan comes to mind as one of the best.
You have the opportunity to make new friends from different cultures.
Nobody knows you, you are a blank canvas, and you can be anyone you want to be.
You get to see how people from the opposite side of the world live from remote Icelandic islands to box hotels in Vietnam.
Your mind is positively stimulated every day.
The CONS
You have to try to learn a new language every month. Yes, English is spoken everywhere, but we have been in many situations where a few local words helped us out.
We spend 365 24/7 together. It’s a con as well as a pro. We still try and do things independently each day like exercising or shopping, but for the most part, we’re glued.
We have to quickly learn the culture to understand best the place we live in.
Rent is high. When we rent an apartment, it comes at a price as we’re only short term tenants.
Uncomfortable beds and small showers. Unless we stay in a high-end apartment, there is no real guarantee that the bed will be comfy and the shower will have a shower head that works.
Eating healthy is tough. Every new county has different products and stocking the fridge with all the essentials to make a great meal is harder than you think.
Strong relationships are hard to come by, and you have to say goodbye way too soon.
You miss your friends and family.
Having a routine is almost impossible. Packing up and moving every month takes its toll on the body and mind.
Dealing with currency conversions and banking is sometimes confusing.
Changing time zones messes with your body clock.
Flying. Flying is super tiring.
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