"So, where do you live?"

Simple question, not so simple answer.

Nov 22, 2024

I’ve had travel-based or remote jobs on and off since 2016.

From Ottawa to Lennoxville, Ohio to Arizona, summers at the lake to international recruiting trips & basketball camps - moving isn’t new to me. However, it’s only been in the past 6 months that I’ve been testing out more of the “digital nomad” lifestyle.

“Digital nomads are people who travel freely while working remotely using technology. They generally have minimal material possessions and execute their job from temporary housing, hotels, cafes, libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles, using Wi-Fi, smartphones or mobile hotspots to access the Internet.”

When meeting new people, one of the first questions that comes up is usually something related to living situation. And as much as remote work is becoming more common, I’ve come to understand that not having a set address still isn’t something everyone understands - so I’ve developed a few answers depending on the situation 😅

It goes something like this:

Uninterested/rushed person: “So, where do you live?”
- Boring Clare: “Ottawa. You?”
Person who seems like they can take a joke: “And where do you live?”
- Fun Clare: “Nowhere!”
Curious person: “So! Where do you live?”
- Honest Clare: “I’m currently splitting time at my family cottage and my parents’ in between traveling.”

For those with time and interested in follow up information (AKA those of you reading this 🙏 who I sincerely appreciate), I then share more context.

After a beautiful summer at the lake and a great fall in my childhood home, I hit the road just before the cold rolled in. A couple months of planning and my winter was shaping up…

Toronto: 4 days
- Basketball camp and visits with new & old friends
Grand Rapids: 4 days
- Staying with a friend from work before traveling together for ten days
Bangkok: 2 days
- Exploring my first taste of Asia while adjusting to the new time zone
Siem Reap: 2 weeks
- Bear with me for this summary haha…visiting a Canadian ex-pat (who went to and played basketball at my university) that I met in Mexico during a Jewish Passover experience but has been living in Cambodia for almost 20 years.
Bali: 2 weeks
- Trying out a digital nomad co-living community
Melbourne: 3 days
- Visiting a friend I met at church in Arizona last year
Queenstown: 4 weeks
- Staying with my lovely sister (& her boys)
Phoenix: TBD
- Reuniting with the wonderful people who I’ve missed dearly

These three months and six countries brings me to February, when I plan to make my way home (to Ottawa/Lennoxville/Lake Clear) for a while. Between family, friends, work events, and other community living experiences, I already have a few more trips on the calendar for 2025 but I’m taking it one step at a time to be present, see what I like, identify what isn’t working for me, reflect on how I’m feeling and evaluate what I need personally and professionally.

For now, here are some highlights from November: