As avid travelers, we spend hours, days, even years day-dreaming of stomping into our boss’s office, slamming down our resignation letter, selling everything we own, and jetting off on whatever destination we please.
Oh, what it would be like to say, “Sayonara” to our 9-5, jump on a plane, and travel for a year.
Many of us dare to dream, but few of us actually make it a reality.
In my new series, “Nomad of the Month”, I will be featuring my friends, travel buddies, and role models as they embark on trips of their own.
Because traveling shouldn’t be from one person’s point of view – it should be about everyone’s individual experience.
And so, introducing my first ever Nomad of the Month, Alicia Ledesma!
Alicia is the true essence of a badass nomad. She did what so many of us wish to do and left everything she knew to travel around the world for a year. Here’s how this fearless, inspiring, accountant traveled for a year and made her dreams a reality…
Q1.) How did you manage to travel on your own for one year?
Alicia: After experiencing a breakup from a long-term relationship, I was forced to start doing things on my own since I no longer had a partner and my friends were not always available. I wanted to travel and go to music festivals…SO I DID!
I quit my corporate job and set out into the world. In between big global trips, I was in Texas (where I live) or went on mini trips around the states.
Q2.) How much money did you save for the trip?
Alicia: Honestly, not a lot. I had about $6,000 saved and cashed out my retirement from my job which was about $7,000.
In between travels, I worked different types of quick-paying jobs, such as driving for Uber/Lyft, personal assisting, pet sitting, working in a food truck, and being an extra on film sets to keep the money coming in.
When I didn’t have the cash on hand, I booked trips on credit cards because I knew I would eventually pay it off, and I did. DO NOT DO IT THIS WAY!!! I look back and I didn’t do it the “wrong way” because it all worked out, but if I were to travel again for a year, I would do it “better” and have more money saved and would not have cashed out my retirement.
Q3.) What was the best experience and the worst experience of traveling for a year?
Alicia: The best experience was going to Australia alone, which was my first time ever traveling globally solo.
I proved to myself I have the confidence and strength to take on such a daunting task and was not afraid to do so.
The worst experience was getting brutally ill in China. I love food and will try everything, which almost landed me in the hospital. I learned to be a little more careful when it comes to eating and trying foods in foreign countries.
Q4.) How did you decide that this was the trip for you?
Alicia: I knew a year before my Europe trip that I wanted to go to Europe and that was the only trip I had planned for when I decided to quit my job.
All the other countries just sort of happened and some were booked 3 weeks prior to going. My brother was living in China at the time and asked if I wanted to meet him in Bali, which was only a few weeks before Europe.
I didn’t even know where Bali was and when I saw it on the map, and how close it was to Australia, I booked a flight. I’ve dreamed of going to Australia my entire life and this was my chance to go.
Q5.) Any advice for travelers?
Alicia: My advice would be to save as much money as you possibly can, but don’t wait too long to get out there.
You have the rest of your life to make money, or pay back a loan or pay back credit debt. Don’t miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime just because you don’t have the cash on hand.
I look back and I am beyond thankful I took the risk and leap of faith of quitting my job to travel because look at what COVID-19 did to the world. If I didn’t say F-it and get out there, I would still be dreaming of all those places I went to.
Also, don’t be afraid to go it alone!! There will come a time you want to go somewhere or do something and your friends or family won’t have the time, money, or interest to do it too. You will make friends along the way and have a beautiful experience of self-discovery by rolling solo.
Q6.) So…where to next?
Alicia: Egypt! I have a trip booked for Egypt but it keeps getting rescheduled due to COVID. When it’s safe, Egypt first and then eventually India, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Dubai…and the list could go on forever!
Thank you for being our first Nomad of the Month, Alicia! We wish you the best of luck in your endeavors and we can’t wait to see more! Want to learn more about how you can become just like Alicia? Reach out to me today!
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