Destination: Placencia, Belize (December 2024)
My "why" for this trip: I'm grateful for seeing so much of the world while working remotely for 12 years. When I stared off into space in 2024, I thought about how:
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A decade had passed since I gossiped at the office kegerator to make new friends.
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My longtime marriage had legally ended, and I hadn't traveled internationally since.
Friendships and traveling are very important to me. (NB: Create a Care Bear for that.) My vision-future includes more of both.
Travel goals and intentions: I was intentional in researching my first new-country trip since rebacheloring, seeking a setup for working remotely abroad without isolation. I chose for this stay Noma Collective, which heavily emphasizes community and planned activities.
As a globetrotter and future travel coach whose website is goals.travel, I had goals!
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Traditional winter travel goals are easy when going from Seattle to Placencia: trade dark skies and cold for sun and warmth, eat new cultural foods, and see beautiful nature.
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My digital nomad goals were to grow a network of similar-minded folks and maybe make a travel buddy for future remote work trips.
Travel experience: Thanks to Noma Collective, my goals started to be met before I left home, as I joined fellow travelers on Slack and an introductory teleconference. What was it like once on-site in Belize?
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We met for: welcome dinner, site orientation, yoga, a grocery run, village intro, goofy golf, and much more.
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Not surprisingly this group was proactive, and sent invites for ad hoc meals, happy hours, or cooking classes.
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Weekend adventures like a snorkeling boat, cave excursion, waterfall swimming, and farm tour were offered.
Oh right and we all worked some version of full-time for three weeks. I really enjoyed chatting to people who happened by my breakfast or lunch table. I found myself inspired to plan more of my big 2025 vacation/work spectacular and to research other short working trips.
Post-travel retrospective: After returning home I was definitely missing the people! So what are my takeaways?
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This trip reset my remote work life, healing question marks regarding whether a new single-traveler future would exist for me.
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It brought clarity by confirming that travel in a digital nomad community provides the social component I need as a midtrovert.
I have no hesitation about doing another digital nomad community trip. It will be a top option for future remote-work travel.
