On travel, work and fun

A Brief Reflection

This marks the return to the country where I was born: The Netherlands. After spending 2 years in Oslo, it was also time to leave the beautiful fjord country behind me. I packed my bags and off I went to South-East Asia. I've explored being a digital nomad, spent time meditating with monks in the jungles of Thailand, and experienced martial arts training in the mountains of Eastern China. Nothing short of incredible, I would say.

Looking back, each step of this journey offered its lessons and challenges. Let me share a few of my most memorable experiences and what I've learned from them.

On Digital Nomading

One of my first adventures was trying out living as a digital nomad. For a long time, I thought about travel and work, and thus this was a great opportunity to live like a digital nomad. In Chiang Mai, I spent time in a co-living space with around 20 other nomads.

This was great because there were many fun events like yoga, ice bathing, networking events, and socializing. It's easier to find like-minded people, and the chances are high that you have common interests.

The insight I got from my time there was that at least 80% of the people were struggling with either generating enough income, finding a solid business idea, or dealing with personal struggles.

The lesson? Entrepreneurship is difficult, especially while constantly moving and dealing with the stress of finding enough customers or a sustainable income.

Living as a digital nomad taught me that freedom comes with its challenges and after the social environment of nomad life, I felt the need to quiet down.

On Meditating

This led me to meditation. Meditation is great. Personally, I don't have to become a monk and enjoy life in the jungle, but it is an important part of my daily routine. Whether it's a couple of minutes or longer stretches, it doesn't matter.

Also, if meditation were easy, everyone would be doing it, right? It's a temporary relief from the self, from your thoughts and emotions, and that is helpful.

My time meditating in Thailand reminded me how important it is for me to take a break from the everyday routine and spend a few days in nature to recharge and just enjoy the experience. After the whole slowing down phase I was however ready to push my physical limits in a different setting.

On Martial Arts Training

So I made my way to China, near Yantai to experience Chinese martial arts. After all, training the body is as important as training the mind, so why not ensure they're both as strong and healthy as possible?

The first week of training was tough: early mornings at 6:00, tai chi at dawn, and then diving into the main program, which included various fighting routines, sandboxing, qi-gong (standing meditation), and boot camp. But soon, the rhythm became familiar, and I found myself looking forward to the physical challenge.

Of course, on bad days you still had to wake up early and endure the muscle pain, which was only possible to survive with the companionship of your fellow students who were motivating and supporting each other.

What made this experience even more special was the setting. Being in China meant we could explore the countryside during our downtime, relax at the local hot springs, and try out the Chinese kitchen. Hello dumplings, spicy noodles, and Chinese hamburgers.

After these mental and physical challenges, I found myself at a crossroads, wondering what I wanted to do next.

So what is next?

The urge to travel is mostly gone: at least outside of Europe. I would like to find a place to settle down and build up a life near my friends and family. Having a steady job while continuing to work on my mind and body sounds like a pretty good deal to me. And of course, occasionally taking a holiday to hike in the Norwegian mountains doesn’t sound so bad at all.

Maybe the next adventure isn’t in a far-off country, but in building something lasting right here. Who knows? I’m curious to see what comes next.

Recommended resources:

• The martial art school in China: Kunyu martial arts academy

• The co-working space in Chiang Mai: The social club

• More information about: Qi Gong