Vagabonding Case Study: Jennifer Doré Dallas

Jennifer Doré Dallas

moimessouliers.org 928695_713539605393571_1821986446_n

Age:  30

Hometown: Montreal

Quote: Listen to your gut. Go!

How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?
I found out about Vagabonding’s book through Amazon and added it to my Christmas wishlist. It was a really useful tool for me to find out more about travelling long term.

How long were you on the road?
I haven’t been constantly on the road, my base and fiancé are in Montreal, but I’ve chose a half-time nomadic lifestyle. Last year, I was on the road for 9 months, this year was a little quieter but I would say I was on the road either in my province of Quebec or elsewhere for a total of a few months. Constantly on the go!

Where did you go?
My 9 month trip took me to Panama, South America (Argentine, Chile, Peru, Bolivia), Taiwan, South-East Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia), Istanbul and Dublin.

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?
As a travel blogger, my travels are funded through my site as well as doing freelance writing and translating. I saved up a lot before I left so that I could experience the road more, but I still spent at least a day a week of downtime to work, as well as many evening a week.

Did you work or volunteer on the road?
I didn’t volunteer or work locally, all my work was remote.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?
What a hard question! Every place is special for some reason, but my two favourite countries of this trip were Cambodia and Argentine. Of all places ever, Istanbul has to be one of my favorite cities!

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?
I’ve been to Vienna four times and I can never seem to actually like it. I’ve tried and tried, but I just can’t agree with everyone on how amazing it is. Don’t really know why though…

Which travel gear proved most useful?  Least useful?
I absolutely loved my SteriPen freedom, as it enabled me to drink clean water constantly, without having to worry. It’s light, portable, easy to charge and it saves a ton of polluting bottles from being used.

My least useful would have to be my mosquito net. Either my accommodation already had one or I couldn’t hang it up anyways. I do recommend bringing one, but not so much in cities or nicer hostels or hotels.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?
Choice! Every day, I get to wake up and live the life I was dreaming of. I chose to not be as rich, to not have that stability others crave, to live the lifestyle, and I’ve never regretted it. I wake up with a smile, and to me, that means a lot, as I used to just want to go back to bed straight away!

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?
I am lucky enough to have a fiancé that really understands that my need for travel is not a reflection on our relationship and that I’ll always come home, but it is indeed hard to maintain relationships and be present for those you love when you’re often away. It’s a challenge, but it’s manageable.

What lessons did you learn on the road?
I have learned so much about me, about what I really like and dislike, about the people I want to be surrounded with, what I can and cannot accept. Just listening to yourself and to others instead of looking into the future too much…

How did your personal definition of “vagabonding” develop over the course of the trip?
My travel style has changed. I used to want to see so much in so little time, that I ended up racing through cities. I’ve now come to realize that I experience more and have more fun when I take time to slow down.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?
I probably would have slowed down even more, stayed in the places I like longer and wouldn’t have bought my flight tickets in advance so that I could be more flexible.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?
People will tell you so many things and they will all have different opinions, so listen, but Listen to your gut. Don’t take it all in. Leave, go, do it, and you’ll figure it out!

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey?
Right now, I’m more into shorter journeys and getting my freelance career on the move, but I’m looking forward to another few months in South East Asia in the near future!

 

Read more about Jennifer on her blog, Moi, mes souliers , or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Website: Moi, mes souliers Twitter: @moimessouliers
 

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at casestudies@vagabonding.net and tell us a little about yourself.

Posted by | Comments Off on Vagabonding Case Study: Jennifer Doré Dallas  | December 17, 2014
Category: Vagabonding Case Studies

Comments are closed.