Trying to cram everything into a suitcase. Standing in airport security lines. Overpaying for bottled water at airport grab and go places. Sitting in coach for hours. Crying babies. Crappy food. Jet lag. Most people have a long list of reasons why days spent traveling suck. For me, these days - travel days in nomad parlance - are among my favorite. Stepping through the sliding (or revolving) doors of an airport means one thing: a new adventure awaits! While we have yet to enter an airport without a pre-purchased ticket, the departure boards still have the allure of infinite possibilities.

On travel day we are either leaving somewhere we loved (as is usually the case) or somewhere we have grown tired of. In either case, rather than the sense of dread that typically accompanies the end of an international trip, we are energized by the fact that we will soon find ourselves in a place that we have yet to explore. We might love our new home and we might not, but we are certain it will bring new experiences and knowledge about a culture that’s different from our own.

Seemingly, the most exhausting thing about a nomadic existence is the constant relocation and everything that entails. Packing, unpacking, squeezed into middle seats among the coughing masses. Getting settled in a new home and having to do it all over again the moment you’ve become comfortable. After a year and a half of constant travel, I’ve discovered that the things I thought would be draining are actually energizing. Of course there are nightmarish travel days, like the time we took a 4 hour bus ride sans-air conditioner on a 100 degree day in Morocco. Or the time we took a redeye bus ride in order to make it home in time for an important conference call only to have it canceled 10 minutes before the scheduled time. On the other hand, things like packing and unpacking become a non issue when you can do them in less than an hour and spend a month on average living in one place. Not speaking the local language can be frustrating but also an opportunity to learn something new and connect with the local culture. Not having a stable home of one’s own means that if there is something about an apartment or house that annoys you, you know its temporary anyway!

The best thing about constant travel is walking out of your new home after spending the first night in a strange bed, stepping into a new city teeming with people who look, speak and often act differently. Unlike the typical tourist, you’re treated to a glimpse into the lives of people who call these places home. In between the typical sightseeing activities you go to the supermarket, walk to work, join a gym or sports club. You build bonds with people, sometimes fleeting and other times lasting. The highlights of our experience thus far tend to include people who have welcomed us into their communities and treated us like family.

We’ve chosen a life of flexibility and change versus one of stability and convenience. In the beginning we did not know what impact this would have on us or how we would adapt over time. Would we miss our apartment, family and friends so much that we would be compelled to return to New York? Would our professional opportunities be limited by our lack of a consistent home base? Would we find it difficult to make new friends? While there is some truth to all of those things, we have found that the upsides far outweigh the down. The ability to go somewhere new on a moment’s notice - including the option to return home permanently - has proven to be extremely empowering. It is not a lifestyle for everyone and I believe a certain level of career success and stability prior to departure makes a significant difference, but I’ve learned that adventures worth taking always come with some amount of trepidation. Had I known where we would end up when we left a year and a half ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a moment.