Gone with the Nguyen

go live your best life

By Christina Nguyen

August 1^st, 2017

one year recap

I've been a little bit quiet about my upcoming travels because it felt like a lifetime away but ACTUALLY it's almost here. Many have been asking how the preparation has been going but truthfully, I've been busy living in the moment and trying not to think too far ahead! It's been ~10 months since I decided I was going to transition to the digital nomad life. Here is a quick recap of what's happened in the last year.

Electric Daisy Carnival in Mexico City
Organized a charity golf tournament raising $14K for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Moved my beloved pup, Ellie back home to West Texas
Attended and was part of 4 very special and beautiful weddings
Countless concerts/music festivals & side trips to see friends who I won't see for a while
Finished my MBA !!!
Celebrated all the above milestones at The Final Sensation in Amsterdam
And of course, spending every ounce of free time enjoying my incredible home of Boston that I've been so grateful to experience in the last 7 years
Oh, did I mention I met the love of my life somewhere in the middle of all of that?

Remote year

With all of the big milestones behind me, here's the scoop on some common questions I've gotten about this crazy adventure I'm about to go on. Welcome to my Remote Year....

What exactly are you doing? I am NOT quitting my job and taking a year long vacation around the world. I am staying in my current role and transitioning to a full-time remote employee while also joining an external program called The Remote Year. Remote Year is a yearlong program bringing together a community of ~75 entrepreneurs & professionals across the globe from a broad set of industries. We will spend a year working and traveling to 12 cities around the world, connecting to local culture & business ecosystems. My goal through this program is to pave the way for digital nomads by leveraging technology and shape the future of work while simultaneously strengthening my cultural agility and global dexterity.

How does it work? I am paying a flat monthly fee to a company. They will plan my trip which includes housing, transportation, and a remote office space. This is not paid for by my employer... you can think of it as the equivalent of paying rent. This works out nicely as we are all still full-time employees busy working so we leave the logistics to the experts.

Where are you going?

September- London, United Kingdom
(not part of Remote Year but one of my besties has kindly decided to take in a homeless nomad for cuddle puddles until my trip starts)
October- Split, Croatia
November- Prague, Czech Republic
December- Lisbon, Portugal
January- Kyoto, Japan
February- Chiang Mai, Thailand
March- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
April- Buenos Aires, Argentina
May- Cordoba, Argentina
June- Lima, Peru
July- Medellin, Colombia
August- Bogota, Colombia
September- Mexico City, Mexico

Where are you going to live when you come back? No idea and I'm not worried about it. This last year has taught me that opportunities will present themselves in the most miraculous ways when you allow yourself to be completely open and present.

What are you going to do with all of your stuff? It's time to say goodbye to EVERYTHING. I've gotten rid of my apartment, car, furniture, and most of my clothes. If it's not coming with me in my 50-pound suitcase for the year then it's safe to consider it gone. What a liberating exercise!

What does one pack for a year? Good question! I'll let you know in a future post after I've figured it out :)

And the most popular question...why are you doing this? Somewhere along the journey, I learned that life wasn't about getting and having, it was about living and being.

Professionally: Technology has globalized our world. In my line of work, developing global solutions to universal problems is a requirement. You can't develop a truly global mindset without putting yourself in novel environments to transform the way you think, act, and empathize. My decision to move from Austin to Boston has taught me more things than I can list so this is a similar decision but just on slightly different scale.

Personally: Being truly happy takes practice and is a choice. Whether it's learning to let go of your ego, being more present, or figuring out what it means to live with intent...it takes practice. My life has always been shaped by the experiences, stories, and connections. I'm here to live a little louder through the inspirations of all the places I've never been to and all of the faces I have yet to meet.