Destination: Bilbao and San Sebastian, Spain (May 2025)
Pre-travel intentions and goals: When my amazing friend of 25 years, Tony, proposed a remote work trip to a part of Spain I hadn't experienced (Basque Country), my reply was: "When are we going?!" We had worked together in Hawaii and had traveled elsewhere in the United States, so I knew it would be great social vibe and would fulfill visions of combining friendships and traveling (and going abroad minus the isolation). I could eat at Michelin-star restaurants for the first time. And I could finally visit the Guggenheim Bilbao. Combining those experiences with tours and museums would help me soak up Basque culture. I could also expand my professional network by connecting on Slack with fellow Noma Collective digital nomads in Spain. Accomplishing these goals would create lasting memories and make positive impacts on my life.
Travel experience: We executed our agenda of restaurant reservations, Guggenheim and soccer tickets, and pintxos tours. Our days were full of walking, cappuccinos, Basque cheesecake, enjoying sights, and watching sunsets at the surfing beach in San Sebastián. Tony had a magic touch for finding excellent restaurants; when I noticed he was enjoying learning about wine I booked us a tour to the top-rated winery in the world, Marqués De Riscal. The Michelin-star restaurants were a good experience for me, but I’m meat and potatoes at heart. Did I mention we worked full-time swing shifts to sync with Pacific Daylight Time? I also had an experience of self-reflection that I truly enjoyed, being interviewed for dissertation research titled “Exploring the Experiences of Full-Time Employed Digital Nomads: A Qualitative Study Using Thematic Analysis.”
Post-travel mindful debriefing: I got a monkey off my back by finally returning post-divorce to a beloved continent and country for remote work, another step toward healing over that grief. Not that I had any question, but I confirmed traveling with a friend was a great way to see a new part of the world alongside someone awesome. One thing that really stuck with me was how excited some local shopkeepers were when we said thanks in Basque (eskerrik asko)—it transformed how I considered pride about culture and language. Most importantly, I reinforced how much I appreciate this friendship, especially with Tony looking out for me when I needed a Spanish ER for food poisoning; how lucky was I to have such a great friend? I’ll be eager to ask “When are we going?!” if a friend suggests another trip.