Well, I’m going to bare myself before you today and be honest.  I haven’t written because I’ve had a terrible case of writer’s block – and I’ve had it because since returning from Mexico my life has sucked.

How Do You Inspire Others When Your Own Life Sucks?

This has been a huge dilemma for me.  Some people say, “Just write about what’s happening.  People will relate to you and it’s good for your blog.”  That could make sense if you’re a single person and you choose to make that decision about your privacy.  I mean a lot of bloggers do that and it can be really attractive to read about someone’s personal struggles and feel like you really know them in an intimate way.  Believe me, there’s a big part of me that would love to be naked like that.

But my life isn’t that simple.  My struggles involve other people: a husband, kids who are old enough to read my blog, and other family members.  If I were to tell you everything I’d be making choices to destroy their privacy as well and that’s just not right.  So I can’t be as candid as I want.

On the other hand, I’m a really honest person and I find it impossible to cheer about how amazing life is when  I’m not feeling it at the moment. And so the dilemma: how to be real without slapping my whole community in front of the public for everyone’s view?

Why Am I Even Telling You This?

You might ask why I’m even telling you this?  I mean, this is a blog on location independence, travel and lifestyle design. True.  But one thing I know is that as a blogger you have to be living what you’re writing about.  My current life situation is putting my ability to be location independent in jeopardy.  I’m telling you because I’m going to be going through a huge transition that may result in continued nomading or may cause me to have to turn away completely.

In a Nutshell

In a nutshell, since returning to the U.S. it has become clear that I need to raise my income substantially in order to continue our current lifestyle (ie, roof over our heads, transportation, and needs of 2 teens and a 10 year old).  In the not so distant future, I’ll likely be losing access to about 4/5ths of our current family income.  I’ve got to scramble and do it quick.

I’m passionate about remaining location independent and so I’m going to be fighting hard to raise that income in a way that we remain able to live where we want.

The Challenge

And so I’m faced with a challenge.  How to raise my income substantially in a way that doesn’t ruin our current ability to be location independent?

It’s kind of scary.  I’m almost 45, have been out of the traditional workforce for 16 years and the economy isn’t good.  I’ve got no idea what’s going to happen,  and frankly am a bit overwhelmed at the task before me.

For Now

And so, for now, here’s my answer.  I’m going to keep blogging and I’m going to be as up front and honest with you about what’s happening as I can without dragging everyone through the mud with me.  I hope that reading about my attempts might help some of you who are also struggling to make your lives what you want them to be.  I’m going to count on your positive energy when I don’t have so much sometimes.  ….and we’ll see where life takes us!

Photo: Goldberg

This is my third time to Belgium as an independent traveler. The country is definitely beginning to grow on me.

How I got here (And I don’t mean by that crappy airline, Air Canada):
Nine years ago I took some down-time from website designing to traipse through Myanmar’s* (Burma’s) north. I had recently based myself in Bangkok, and Myanmar was the only surrounding country I had yet to visit. (It was being boycotted. But, since I would be staying only in small family-owned guest houses, I knew my being there would be more of a help to struggling families than a hindrance to democracy.) Anyway it was in Myanmar, in the town of Inle Lake, where I met a twenty-something Belgium couple that would be instrumental in my being here in Antwerp, Belgium (where I file this missive between sips of La Treppe dark ale).

When I met Tine and Bart, she was sweating through a bout of yet-to-be-diagnosed Dengue fever—while the distraught boyfriend wrung his hands pensively. (Myanmar is not a place where you want to be sick). By happenstance, I had befriended a French doctor who was stationed in Thailand (a socially conscious medical professional who knew no borders) earlier that day. So, I connected the vacationing doctor with the traveler patient. Tine was soon cured. Well, out of all this came new friendships, as well as temporary new travel partners. After another week in Myanmar the three of us meandered our way back into Thailand, and then down south until we paused our travels on the island of Ko Lanta. There we took up huts on a beach, where we met yet another Antwerp Belgian—Butch—who was tending the “resort’s” bamboo bar. To make a long story short, it was through these chance encounters that I met my first Belgian friends, people who eventually steered me to their under-traveled homeland (sandwiched between the ever-popular destinations of France, The Netherlands and Germany), to their family and friends.

Here and now:
I’ve now been in the northern (Flemish) city of Antwerp for five weeks, staying with the mother of Tine and her mate. (Bart and Tine have since produced two children and their responsibilities limit their socializing time—unlike that of J & A with whom I’m staying. Butch is still on Ko Lanta, selling specialty hammocks.) But, and to return to topic, I’m not getting a whole lot of work done. You see, during the summer months Belgium is graced with a lot of diversions, such as festivals—really nice festivals—with mind-boggling amounts of amazing local beers, wines from France, food from everywhere. And when one is not at a festival one (okay, me) might be distracted with exploring Bruges, trips to world-class museums, free outdoor concerts, and more garden dinners than a calorie counter wishes to monitor. You get the picture. All of which is quite affordable, especially with the recent decline of the Euro against other global currencies.

So, how nomad-friendly is this country:
Although Belgium is a very picturesque and pleasant country to spend time in—a fine alternative to the other more pricy European destinations—it could surely use a bit more services for the modern traveler and nomad .

As posted in the Nu Nomad Destinations’ Belgium page, Belgium is not the most nomad-friendly country I’ve been to recently. Temporary internet access (meaning no long-term contract required) is limited to HotSpots, the public libraries (though service there is unexpectedly slow and antiquated) and through several 3G wireless service providers, which could get pricey if you’re transferring a lot of data. Antwerp and Bruges, being more old-fashioned than other major cities, does not place a high priority on access to the world-wide-web. The city of Ghent—with its significant student population—and Brussels—being the largest city—seemed to have plenty of (unsecured) wi-fi spots within cafes, the B&Bs and hostels. As for accommodations, your best bet is to check the Belgium expat sites (classifieds) such as XPats.com and Xpatica.com for short-term and monthly rentals and house-shares. And be sure to read our blog on Finding Nomad Friendly Accommodations.

What to do and where to go:
I’ll first say that Belgium is a cyclist’s paradise. Belgium is flat as a crepe, bike trails are nearly as plentiful as auto lanes, and rental bikes are available in the main tourist centers. Cycling Bruges would be a good place to start (although avoid the weekends when tourism is at its peak). For hiking and kayaking, set your sights on the Ardennes in Belgium’s southern reaches. Go to any number of local festivals (usually held in the summer). There’s an exceptional one in Ghent in late July that celebrates Belgium’s independence. This well organized event, public party, lasts for 10 days! If you like beer, visit one of Belgium’s abbeys. (For variety, I recommend the Kulminator in Antwerp. This pub has 500 beers to choose from, served in a quaint and friendly environment.) For food you mustn’t miss-out on the chocolates, cheeses, Belgian waffles, Belgian fries, and mussels.

As I now prepare to depart Belgium for the USA, I look forward to returning here. Well, as soon as I burn off the extra weight I’m sure I’ve accumulated.

* Note: little nomading can be done in Myanmar under the oppressive watch of the military dictatorship, one which monitor’s not only your whereabouts but all Internet communications—a near non-existent service that is available only at a few high-end hotels.

Reasons to House Sit

If you are nomadic or want to become location independent, house-sitting is a great thing to consider.  Why?  Here are some reasons:

1. If you’re trying to bring in a little extra income, house-sitting can be a great way to do so relatively passively.  I have been paid $300 per week to sleep in houses in the past.  I was able to continue my day job and merely returned to someone else’s home at night, made sure mail was brought in and plants were watered (someone else’s more luxurious home, by the way).
2. On a financial note, by house-sitting you will be able to save money on regular expenses.  Turn down your utilities at home, cut down on your phone bill, etc. by vacating your own home for the duration of the house-sit.
3. House-sit for free!  Not every house-sit will offer money.  Sometimes you will be asked to sit just as a favor from a friend.  Do it anyway!  Why? In addition to the money saving possibilities in #2, you will put one more house-sit experience on your house-sitting resume.  House-sitting resume?  Yes – see the next point.
4. There are several international house-sitting organizations (Housecarers.com and Intervac.com are just two).  Here is where things get exciting.  By joining these organizations you can apply to house-sit all over the world.  Care to spend 3 months in a French villa?  How about 6 months on the beach of Maui?  The opportunities are many and can be very appealing.  However, the jobs are fiercely competitive.  By building a house-sitting resume with references you will be more likely to get one of these amazing jobs.  Imagine, doing your mobile work from your luxurious estate instead of the previous backpacker hostel.
5. Get used to nomadic living.  For those of you in transition to making your work mobile, a house-sitting gig can be a great dress rehearsal.  By house-sitting you will get a feel for what it takes to live and work from a suitcase, be separated from your regular office and deal with your business away from home.  Better yet, your first house-sits will most likely be in your home-town.  If disaster strikes, you won’t be far from your own dwelling and you’ll be able to make reparations quickly.

How to Be a Super Sitter

If house-sitting sounds appealing to you you’ll want to be sure your sits are successful.  Here are some tips for having a successful sit that will result in great recommendations for your future world sits.

1. Make at least one home visit appointment and perhaps 2 with the home owner prior to their departure.  During your visit be sure to take a tour of the home, making notes of the owner’s requests for what they would like you to do in their absence.  Don’t be shy to ask how things work, what to do in case of malfunctions, etc.
2. Be sure during your visit to meet all animals to be cared for.  You and the owner should spend some time seeing that the animals are sufficiently at ease with you.  Ask the owner about the animals’ normal habits, things that might stress them, eating schedules, cage cleaning, etc.  Be sure to make written note of emergency numbers and veterinarians should the animals require attention.  Remember the animals will be somewhat stressed at the absence of their owners and presence of a stranger in their home.  Do what you can to put everyone at ease by maintaining their daily routines.
3. Make plans for how you and the owner will communicate in their absence.  Will they be readily available by phone, email?  If they will not be readily available, request a listing of providers to be used in case of household malfunctions.  In other words, who is their plumber, electrician, pool maintenance service, etc?
4. Make arrangements with the owner about how any needed services will be paid for.  If there is a costly repair needed during their absence how should it be handled?
5. Be sure to get a key, garage door opener, gate code, or any other necessary item or information for gaining access to the home when they leave.
6. Get good explanations about security systems and any other systems that you will need to manage in their absence.  For instance, during one of my house-sits, a workman appeared to wash the cars that were in the garage.  I was embarrassed to find out I had no idea where to insert the key in one of their cars in order to get it out of the driveway!  The workman didn’t know either.
7. Have the owner explain about any other service providers who may appear in their absence.  You want to know that you are admitting only people they are expecting.  One of my sits included visits from a housekeeper, pool man, gardener, workman, and even fountain man.  Without prior warning I would not have known whether or not to admit any of these individuals.
8. Be extremely respectful of the home during your stay.  Leave the home in the state it was handed to you or better.  Leave the beds with clean sheets, wash and fold towels, etc.
9. Have an agreement with the owner about what is available for your use.  In other words, are you welcome to use their dry goods, laundry detergent, etc. or are you expected to provide all your own things.
10. For longer house sits have a mutual understanding of how constant your presence must be in the house.  For instance, if you are house sitting for 6 months are you free to go away for a weekend or must you stay 100% of the time at the house.
11. Keep a log of events during the owner’s absence.  They may want to know if friends stopped by, packages were delivered, etc.
12. Organize mail, newspapers, packages, etc. in an orderly way and inform the owner what you have done with these items.
13. Have a brief meeting with the owner upon their return home.  Go over the events during their absence, direct them to any necessary items needing attention and welcome them home!  It’s nice to leave a touch such as a bouquet of flowers or some staples in the refrigerator for their return.
14. After they have had a chance to settle back in, be sure to ask the owners for a recommendation to be used for other house-sits.

How To Use House-Sitting to Turbo Charge Your Location Independence

House-sitting even in your own city can be an enjoyable experience.  However, the really exciting part comes when you can turn your house-sitting experience into an accommodation-generating machine as you travel around the world.  Here are some tips for how to make that happen.

1. Research some of the house-sitting organizations available on-line.  Two are mentioned above but there are many more.  Most will let you peruse the house-sit opportunities before joining.  Take a look at how many sits they have available and whether they are in countries that are interesting to you for your travels.  Do the sitting opportunities appear to be current, does it seem to be an active site?  Choose one or two to join.
2. Create a profile on the house-sitting sites that is unique and helps you stand out from the crowd.  You’ll want to come across as responsible, experienced and fun to work with.  List your experience plus other skills you have that may be desirable such as gardening, experience with certain types of animals, fluency in languages, etc.
3. Create a web-page of your own where you showcase your experience.  Link to this page from your house-sit profile.  Your page should include quotes from your glowing recommendations.  If your previous house owners agree, include photos of yourself, of the homes you’ve sat and of the animals or gardens you’ve cared for.
4. Many house-sitting opportunities are offered months ahead of when they are needed.  Check often and try to coordinate your own plans with sits that appear.
5. Contact home owners immediately when you are interested in sits.  Be sure to answer their e-mails in a timely manner and offer to talk via phone or skype as well.
6. Use your intuition and common sense.  Don’t end up in an uncomfortable situation due to a deranged owner or untenable house situation.  (In other words, the cabin in Alaska with 10 sled dogs, one of whom needs injections and the requirement to be able to shoot a rifle in case of bears may not be a great gig.  Yes – I saw that house-sit listed for real!)
7. Don’t get discouraged if it feels like you’re constantly beaten to the punch.  I have often heard back from home owners stating “we got 50 replies and chose someone else” or something similar.  It is highly competitive but the right match may come your way leading to weeks, months, or even a year of free accommodations in a great location!

Last year I did a longer stint in the States, “home,” than usual. A French friend of mine from Thailand had met up with me, so we found ourselves all over California and Arizona. (Oh, and Nevada too. Vegas—if that counts.) Anyway, throughout this road trip we ended up staying in varying accommodations, none of which were very ergonomically-hospitable environments. So by the time the summer ended, my right arm felt like I had pitched twelve innings for the Dodgers—after having it yanked out of whack by a professional wrestler! But, I have only myself to blame because I know better than to work off of dinner and coffee tables, dressers and from my lap for any stretch of time.

This article is for the digital nomad who’s often anchored to their notebook computer and who are avoiding repetitive stress disorders.

The Ergonomic Luxuries of the Old Cubicle

Remember when you worked from “the office,” such as that fully functioning work-at-home setup you may have had, or the ergonomically-correct work station your employer provided you—which was more having to do with workman’s compensation insurance requirements than any comfort concerns they may have had for your well being—before your nomading began? Wasn’t getting the job done so much nicer to your body? Rarely did we have to consider the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerves, a bad back, eye strain and a host of other musculo-skeletal disorders in these ergonomically attuned environments. So why is it we forget ergonomics when we’re on the road?

“Perhaps, Ricardo,” you retort, “availability, weigh considerations and cost might have something to do with it?”

Alrighty, those are some damn good reasons. We can’t just tug our old office with us as we nomad. Yet, there are options indeed! Let’s look at some problem areas and real solutions.

Ergonomic Solutions for the  Nu Nomad Office

Firstly, let’s assume that you’re traveling with an average size notebook computer and not a desktop unit with 20 inch monitor, contoured keyboard and scalable office chair. (I know, “dah.”)

• The keyboard. If you’re working from a 12-inch wide or less notebook, your keyboard will most likely be a reduced sized one (perhaps 90% of normal). But, even if it’s a “full size” keyboard, the placement of the keys is usually behind the touch pad, thus putting a natural strain on the neck, back and forearms.
  Solution: attach an external keyboard to your machine. There are plenty of thin, lightweight, full-size keyboards available that are no wider than 14 inches. I myself wouldn’t dream of working longer than an hour or so a day without one.
• The mouse. If any computer peripheral should be eliminated from the face of the earth, it’s the computer mouse. Dragging that rodent around your desktop endlessly simply invites trouble: spikes of sharp pain between your shoulder blades, shoulder ache and cramping arm. I really believe the inventor of the mouse was one sadistic %#!ker.
  Solution: Since traveling with a pen tablet is usually not a practical option, the external trackball rules. With a trackball, your fingers do the work while your hand simply rests onto the unit. Your arm is no longer doing the heavy work. Plus trackballs work in the tightest of spaces (think airplane).
• The monitor. Small monitors increase eye strain and headaches.
  Solution: If you’re going to be in place for a few months or longer and are expected to work extended hours, it might be a wise investment to buy a large external monitor. The $150 or so investment may be worth it to you. (And, you can always unload the device onto another nomad or local desk jockey.) If the external monitor option is not possible About.com has a few tips on alleviating eye strain.
• The desktop. Ever feel like you’re Godzilla hunched over the keyboard? You know what I mean, your hands are positioned high over the keyboard and it’s as if the keys are Tokyo buildings and you’re going to menace them? Having your keyboard higher than the height of a good fitting office chair’s arms, thus putting your arms and chest away from an “L” position, is inviting carpal tunnel syndrome, neck, back and nerve disorders.
  Solution: Travel with a computer work station! (Just kidding.) If you’re unable to get your arms and upper body into an “L” position by raising the seating or lowering the table/surface, try my TV tray makeshift solution. Because I’ve found that even accommodations with desks are not set-up for use with a keyboard, I had to find a work-around. What I do is look for either a small, low, table to put my external keyboard on, or I’ll buy a (usually wooden) folding “TV dinner” tray table for this purpose. The computer itself will remain on the desk above a stack of books or a brick or two as to position it at a good eye-level. The trackball usually fits next to the keyboard.
• The chair. Of all the variables to good ergonomics, the chair can be your buddy or foe. If your chair is too low in proportion to the keyboard, you’ll most likely experience all of the ailments mentioned above. Also, chairs without arm rests don’t provide the necessary support to your arm when having to use the trackball frequently.
  Solution: Beg, borrow or steal a good chair. Alternatively, you can add the requisite amount of padding to the chair to elevate you. And should you be working from an L-shaped desk, you may be able to position your tracking/mousing arm atop one of the panels for greater stability and comfort.

If, however, you’re feeling the onset of such as strained neck or back, pinched nerves and other musculo-skeletal ailments, you may find that exercising specific muscle groups really help. When I mentioned to my doctor (Dr. Nick Walters of Mission Hospital, Bangkok) that my right arm—all the way up to my shoulder—was experiencing shooting pain, he provided me with a pamphlet on this common ailment. By strengthening the neck muscles you just may find that it will off-set many of the problems related to a pinched nerve and muscle strain. And getting rid of tension through exercise will simply do wonders to your body in general.

Of course, these are only a few solutions to non-short stay environments. Should you have solutions of your own, I’d like to hear about them.