Vanessa Brown
Bio
Writer, teacher, and current digital nomad. I have lived in seven countries around the world, five of them with a cat. At forty-nine, my life has become a series of visas whilst trying to find a place to settle and grow roots again.
Stories (12/0)
Plans Change — A Brazilian Christmas and New Year
Having spent my last few Christmases and New Years in Ontario, Canada, I have found snowy grounds, homes decorated in an assortment of lights, and Christmas music playing unabashedly in every store and café gives me some much-needed Christmas spirit as each year comes to a close.
By Vanessa Brown4 days ago in Wander
Eating My Way Through German Delicacies
In a delightful twist of fate, I found myself slap bang in the middle of Bavaria, Germany, at the beginning of August 2022. This destination had not been on my five-month digital nomad plan, nor did I imagine that I would spend five weeks with an acquaintance, and her family, that I hadn’t seen in over thirty years.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Feast
Being Multidimensional in a Unidimensional World
I was introduced to Emilie Wapnick’s Ted Talk on “multipotentialites” and “why some of us don’t have one true calling” last year. She spoke very eloquently about the pressure of the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and how damaging it can be to those she calls, “multipotentialites” — people who don’t feel called in one direction, but who have many interests, many jobs, and many interlocking potentials.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Motivation
Advice to Airbnb Hosts from a Seasoned Traveller
I have spent more than 10 months, collectively, in Airbnbs spanning four countries. From renting studio and basement apartments alone to renting a single room in a shared environment, I have had a lot of experience with Airbnb hosts.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Wander
How Yoga Has Helped Me Manage Chronic Fatigue
Shortly after my fortieth birthday something changed in my body! I couldn’t identify what was wrong but I knew that something was just not right. I was living in Australia and I was fitter than I had ever been. I was running fifty kilometers a week, lifting weights, cycling, and doing BodyCombat. My body was a temple and I treated it as such, putting almost no sugar into her, very little alcohol, didn’t smoke or take drugs, and got a good eight hours of sleep each night.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Longevity
What I Learned from Travelling as a Digital Nomad for 5 Months
Whilst I have technically been a digital nomad for the last three years, i.e., living in a country where I don’t hold any working or residency visas whilst making money online, it was only this year that I fully lived the experience. I spent five months travelling through Turkey, the Netherlands, and Germany, whilst teaching English online.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Wander
Ten Tips from a Middle-Aged Woman Travelling on a Dime
By the time most of us reach the age of forty-nine, we are relatively well-established; living in our own homes, whether owned or rented, have a little (or large) nest egg that we are growing as we work towards retirement, sometimes we share all of this with a partner or kids, possibly live close to family, and have carved out a stable little existence for ourselves — I, however, have none of these things. Instead, I have been visa hopping since 2019, travelling with very little income and seeing the world. How do I do this? It’s simple: I’m an online English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher.
By Vanessa Brown2 years ago in Wander
What I Learned Travelling Through Turkey
Earlier this year I spent three months in Turkey which turned into one of the best trips of my life. From the rolling hills and green pastures to the quaint villages, from the ancient cities and centuries of history to the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean, the diversity of beauty is truly incredible. From the food, which is globally renowned, to the artistry of coffee and tea making, the country is rich in culture and customs.
By Vanessa Brown2 years ago in Wander
