"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."

Saint Augustine

September 23rd, 2024

Location: Salida, Colorado, USA

Greetings from the wilderness!

I love this quote from Saint Augustine as it speaks to my heart for this journey into digital nomadism. Maybe it's because I'm middle-aged now (oof that is hard to say), but I truly feel like this lifestyle transition that prioritizes travel and new experiences is all about turning the next page in my story.

While I grew up living overseas for my dad's work (across Asia), I've been living in America most of my life. But I have always had the allure of travel flowing through my blood, and it's exciting to finally be at this point in my journey. After four years of planning and career preparation, ten months of packing and dismantling our lives in Denver, and three months of transition in the mountains of Colorado, I am finally off to my first international destination: San Miguel de Allende (SMA), Mexico!

While I am no stranger to visiting Mexico, this is my first extended stay since living in Mexico City as a child. I love the food and the people, and I'm looking forward to learning more about the Mexican culture from a non-vacation point of view.

For those who don't already know, I'm using my travels as a digital nomad to research cultural practices of rest and self-care while exploring the art of "earth altars" for two books I'm writing. I can think of no better place to start my research than the Mexican people's rich cultural heritage and deep love for their Catholic traditions.

Because of the nature of our jobs, Scott and I always knew we could only travel to some places together. A big part of my growth journey and learning to depend on God is traveling solo to places where I don't know anyone and need to rely on my elementary-level foreign language skills (scary and exciting).

I deliberately chose an Airbnb 20 minutes outside of the town of SMA, surrounded by an arid, high-plain desert full of cacti and "big sky views." I thought I would miss living in the city, and I don't. I love the slower pace of living in the forest, immersed in nature, and I wanted to keep that experience going. I'm praying the wifi speeds advertised for my casita are fast enough that I won't have to commute to an internet cafe, but only time will tell.

I'm excited to meet my fellow nature lovers in this off-grid community of artists, yogis, and hippies. I'm also looking forward to connecting with fellow creatives in the vibrant art scene of this colonial Mexican town, where art is woven into the local culture and is essential to everyday life.

Since I will be in Mexico from October through November (or longer), I get to experience Dia de los Muertos while there, a celebration of life and ancestry. Coinciding with the monarch butterfly's migration, the festivities across Mexico will be colorful and thematic. I can't wait to share pics (be sure to join The Collective 🪷 on Facebook and WhatsApp for the most up-to-date details).

I appreciate your prayers for safety in my travels, that the commune I have decided on will be a good fit for me (fast wifi), and that I will be able to make friends and build community quickly and easily.

My one-way flight to Mexico leaves on October 6th. Until then, I will try to figure out how many outfits I need that still leaves room in my suitcase for art supplies.

With gratitude,

Jennifer

PS- Did you miss a part of the journey? Check out the 🌎Notes from the Wilderness blog posts in the Loto Journal to catch up.

A recent op-ed in The Atlantic, cited these statistics about Americans ages 25-54: The percentage of people who say they don’t have close friends has increased fourfold since 1990. More than half of Americans say that no one knows them well.

I’m here to tell you that virtual community can be a lifeline for many of us feeling isolated and lonely. If you are want to feel seen and live in community with like-minded people, consider attending one of our online events or in-person retreats, and join our virtual community, The Collective 🪷, on Facebook and WhatsApp.