So, who am I ?
Who am I ?
So, we're diving into existential questions right off the bat?
Who am I?
I've been wrestling with this question for much of my adult life, leading to some interesting revelations, but we'll save that for another time. As you'll quickly discover, there are many different facets to me, but It's all part of the package deal, right? 🙂
Let's begin with a bit of background.
I'm a digital nomad, travel enthusiast, and, I suppose, a budding storyteller and entrepreneur. I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, but have always considered myself a global citizen—a true child of the world.
Throughout most of my academic and professional career, I've been in the Computer Science & Technology field, taking on engineering and consulting roles in recent years.
However, I've always felt that my time within the confines of a 9-5 job was limited. I dreamt of the full-time digital nomad lifestyle and becoming an entrepreneur in the travel industry.
I have one sister and a dog-daughter, Foxy, who lives up to her name. I'm passionate about music, travel, mental health, and building communities through shared experiences. I have big dreams of one day being on Survivor, whenever it makes its triumphant return to our TV screens in South Africa.
Others have described me as adventurous, open, generous, stubborn, funny AF, Badass Boss B***h, intelligent, passionate, loyal, uninhibited, and a finder of good vibes and tribes. I’m still on the market, guys. 😉
The Beginning of My Relationship with My Passport
My love affair with travel ignited at a young age, sparked by countless hours spent at my grandmother's house in Elsies River, Cape Town. While not the safest neighborhood, it was in very close proximity to the airport. I found immense joy in watching planes take off and land, yearning for the day I would be on one.
I count myself fortunate to have been born into a family that shared my passion for travel. Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of my parents, we embarked on our first international trip as a family to the United States of America when I was only 9 years old.
Stepping into Another World
It felt as though I had been transported to another world. And in a way, I had.
Sensory Overload! Everything seemed magnified— from the honking horns in New York traffic to the volume and intensity of people's voices. I distinctly remember a man letting out the loudest burp I had ever heard while we waited in line for food. As crazy as it may sound, I LOVED it. My heart was ablaze. My dream of traveling the world had been fully ignited.
When's Our Next Adventure?
From that moment onward, travel became the one thing I incessantly pestered my parents about.
When is our next trip?
When can I start looking for flights?
Where are we going next?
During my teenage years, we managed to go abroad every other year. We explored Hong Kong, Thailand, Canada, and went on a winter Euro trip. My hunger to see and experience more grew exponentially after each trip.
The Proposal
As the final year of high school approached, like all students, I found myself contemplating the future. At that moment, all I could think about was travel. I lacked clarity regarding what I wanted to study or become.
After scouring the internet, I knew that I had to take a gap year, preferably abroad. The only problem? I had no clue how to make it happen.
For weeks, I wracked my brain until inspiration struck. I realized I had to frame the gap year and international travel to my parents as an invaluable learning and growth opportunity that would give me a competitive edge in both my professional and personal life. I meticulously compiled a 40+ page document detailing everything from costs and resources to the myriad of benefits and skills I would acquire throughout the year. This list included things, such as enhanced social and interpersonal skills, cultural enrichment, problem-solving and planning abilities, organization, self-discovery, and the expansion of my international network. All of which would complement my theoretical education.
To sweeten the deal, I leveraged my strong work ethic, pledging to work diligently and excel in my final year (aware that my parents really valued education). Furthermore, I assured them that I would perform well enough to be eligible for university funding awards.
After some tough negotiations, we all signed a contract that I had drafted. Yes, I actually drafted a contract and made my parents sign it.
It paid off! I secured a spot among the top 15 students in our grade, and my application for a gap year was approved.
The Gap Year
In January 2009, I embarked on my very first solo international trip to London, UK.
Although the initial plan had changed along the way, this gap year surpassed all expectations in terms of exploration and personal development. I returned home with a wealth of new knowledge, friends, and unforgettable memories and stories—many of which you'll hear more about as this blog unfolds. This trip marked numerous firsts for me. To give you a glimpse, it was the first time I:
- traveled internationally alone
- was detained and questioned at an airport
- experienced staying in a backpackers' hostel
- made international friends
- learned a new language
- went on a skiing holiday
- volunteered at a theatre
- lost my wallet and spent my birthday practically penniless
- and many more...
Even the more challenging experiences have morphed into some of my most amusing and cherished memories.
From an early stage, I learnt that things don’t always go as planned, but there’s usually something to take away from it, even if it's just a humorous story.
This journey truly opened my eyes to the profound and transformative power of travel, especially when approached with intention. I returned home a more enlightened version of myself, hungry for more.
As much as I aspired to work in the travel industry, I opted for the safer route and returned home to complete my degree in Computer Science at the University of Cape Town.
Fast Forward
Fast Forward to the present day, I've traveled to over 40 countries and have experienced a wide variety of trips including:
- 2 gap years abroad
- earning my master's degree in the UK
- completing the Camino de Santiago twice
- leading a group of South African women on an unforgettable trip to Peru
- experiencing my own "eat, pray, love" moment in Bali
- and embracing the digital nomad lifestyle while journeying through Europe and Asia.
Over the years, I've transformed these dreams into reality by leveraging my education, relationship-building and networking skills, some savvy research and planning, and, of course, a touch of manifesting.
In late 2023, I finally took the plunge to leave my corporate job in favour of the full-time digital nomad lifestyle and the chance to pursue my dreams of forging a career aligned with my passion for travel, transformation, and community building.
This blog is just one of the stepping stones toward making it all a reality.
This is merely a portion of the tale. I'll save the rest of the journey to The Travellyn Heart for the next post.
