The Expat Life: Living in Oman, Co-Founding 'I Luv 2 Globe Trot,' & Finding Home Abroad w/ Nicole Brewer

Episode Transcript
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(00:03):
Hey everyone, this is Randy Kim from the Mummy Chronicles
podcast. And I'm joined here with a
really good friend of mine that I have known over, gosh, like
the last 15 plus years, if you can believe that.
And I want to introduce who Nicole Brewer is.
And Nicole is an English language teacher, a travel

(00:24):
Blogger, author and freelance writer.
She has travelled to over 50 countries and lived abroad in
places like South Africa, Germany, South Korea and
presently in Oman for the past 10 years.
She has a zest for the expat life and as a goal of inspiring
others to travel and live abroad.

(00:45):
She is the author of a guide to Landing in the English Teaching
Job Abroad and an ABC guide to Children's Games across the
globe. She's also the Co founder of the
I Love to Globetrot travel site with Amanda Renee Evans and also
focuses on the community aspectsof traveling.
And she is also a certified travel advisor with FORA with

(01:09):
features on CNBCCNN Travel, Forbes, TripAdvisor and National
Geographic Traveler. And she'll continue to inspire
as she globetrots. So Nicole, welcome.
It's so great to see you. It's gives me a great excuse to
have a conversation with you again.
And 1st, how are you holding up in 2025 with less than a few

(01:30):
months remaining? Man, I am well so happy to be
here and to be catching up with you.
My wow, 15 plus years. That's crazy.
But yeah, only a few months leftof the year till the 25 is slow
by. But I'm hanging in there.
You know, I have my moments and sometimes, sometimes it's a
roller coaster. I have high highs and some

(01:52):
sometimes some medium lows. So you know, I'm I'm going
through the motions. But right now it's a good thing
because I'm talking to you so happy.
Yeah. No, I appreciate that.
And and I think I think, well, what's happened in 25,
especially, you know, you know, me being in the US, there's so
much going on. But for you like it's kind of
it's got to be very interesting for you to navigate it from

(02:14):
where you are at in Oman, you know, like when you have family
members in the United States. So how do you like find a way to
like navigate what is happening in the US?
But from from being a foreigner expat perspective, I mean that
that that's got to feel very dystopian.
Yeah, absolutely agree. Sometimes it's just like I tell

(02:36):
people all the time, it's like Iwish I could just bundle up my
friends and family and just likebring you all with me over here
to the even though, you know, it's not it's not perfect
either, but I enjoy it. But, but I mean, obviously
everybody has their, their different paths or different
walks. So I'm definitely like always
concerned about my friends and family back home.
You know, I'm at that point where my, my little nephews,
they're growing up and they're like teenagers now.

(02:58):
And like, you know, my sister, you know her, my, my
brother-in-law recently passed. So like, I was so grateful that
I was able to go home this summer and spend time that time.
It was so necessary to spend that time with my family.
But just thinking about like herraising two young black boys and
this time, like I work about them all the time.
Like my one nephew was like, he's taller than me now.

(03:19):
And he's like, well, yeah, he's like going on 15.
And I'm just like, how like I'm,I'm not a small girl.
I'm 5 foot 10 and he's like over6 feet now.
So I'm thinking like he's a young man.
And yeah, just these times it's,it's just, it's very scary, you
know, thinking about like what they have to deal with on a
day-to-day. So.

(03:40):
Yeah, yeah. And you know, to kind of, you
know, go back in time like we met back in 20 O 9 and we both
came to South Korea and it was avery interesting time for us
because that was during the US or actually I should say the
global recession. And I know from my experience,

(04:04):
when I was looking back in 20 O 9, I was not far removed from
graduating as an undergrad and Iwas trying to get into the
journalism field, which was already starting to decline.
And I remember getting interviews, like one example was
the Chicago Tribune like 4 different times.
And, and like they were filing for bankruptcy at the time, I

(04:29):
believe. And, and I felt like there was
no way for me to navigate in this job market in the US.
And somehow, some way, the idea of teaching abroad was very
appealing to me. And it was very new to me

(04:50):
because I had never traveled alone.
I had never traveled and lived overseas at all.
And so to come into a country that I have no connection to was
pretty wild. I mean, social media was not
where it was then as it is now. This was a very different time.

(05:14):
No Facebook groups existed quiteyet.
And I'm very curious about what was going through your mind when
you decided to go to South Korea.
Because I think for me, it was not just only the job recession,
but I also felt like I really need to feel like I'm doing
something special. And I'm curious, like, what led

(05:36):
you to South Korea, but also, did you have like prior
traveling and living abroad experiences prior to that?
And. You know, it's so interesting.
And now that we're having this conversation, I never realized
that we were actually delved into how we both ended up abroad
at the same time, You know, And it's funny because like, yeah,
now it feels like deja vu because we're looking at what's

(05:57):
happening with the economy now and thinking about what I love
to go to Korea. Same thing.
I was actually laid off from my I used to work in market
research in Chicago before I moved abroad.
And when I was laid off like endof 2008, like, yeah, yeah, end
of the summer. So I think I remember I was had
six months of unemployment and Iwas down to that final month and

(06:18):
I was like, oh, I got I need a job.
So I was, you know, applying. Never thought in a million years
I would have such a hard time finding a job, you know, IE the
recession that was hitting late 2008, early to the 2009.
So the opportunity came to teachin South Korea.
Like I had never lived abroad, like I've travelled a handful of

(06:39):
times, you know, to different places.
Ironically enough, I want to saythe year prior, I had visited a
few girlfriends that were teaching in Japan.
So in the back of my mind when Iwent to visit them, I thought
that's a really cool experience.So I think that kind of planet
to see, like I might be interested in doing something
like that, but I didn't even know that I was going to be a
possibility for me moving forward like a year later after

(07:00):
being laid off. So that's really what attracted
me to go to South Korea after looking at my girlfriends who
taught in Japan. And I was like, maybe I'll do
that, but it was a combination of job.
But also I do love to travel, sowhy not go abroad and then have
an experience? You know what?
I only plan to stay there for one or two years.
And you see what happened Here we go years later and I'm still

(07:23):
out of the country. Few years in Korea, 3 plus years
and now over a decade in Oman which is crazy but yeah, here we
are. It, it, it is wild because like,
I did not realize what? Well, I think you and I, we, we
honestly did not realize what living in Korea was going to

(07:45):
look like for us. I mean, at that time, I wasn't
sure how long I was going to say.
I was thinking, OK, maybe a year, 2 years.
I mean, for me it was three years.
I think it was four years for you because you still stayed
after I laughed and, and it's kind of wild to me when I look
back in that period of time and how it changed the trajectory of

(08:06):
my life since then and as it didfor you.
And also like, how do you think that that experience had tapped
into something that's very deep about your love of traveling?
And what is it about that that really catapulted you to make
that as part of your identity and experience in a way?

(08:30):
Yeah, it's funny you say that because like, honestly, when I
first decided to go abroad, similar to you, I only thought
I'd stay one or two years. I've never in a million years
thought I will be living abroad for 15 plus years, you know, So,
yeah, but I just realized just how much joy, you know, I got

(08:50):
out of having the opportunity totravel and to share my
experiences. You know, I I honestly didn't
start blogging and writing abouttravel until closer to the end
of my time, just before I leave in South Korea.
But the first few years there, Iwas just grateful to have the
opportunity to travel around Asia and, you know, have those
experiences. But then I realized realized I
was like, this is really a passion of mine.

(09:10):
Like it's like harder, you know,a big reason why I never came
back to live full type of the States because it's just open up
so many doors for me. I love travelling.
I love writing and sharing aboutmy experiences and, you know,
writing books now and in freelancing.
Like I never in a million years saw that future for myself.
But yeah, it's just like sometimes I tell people getting

(09:31):
laid off the back in 2008, you know, leaving and going three in
2000, I was like one of the bestthings that ever happened to me.
Go figure, right? So yeah.
How do you think your life wouldhave changed had that experience
not happen? Because this is an experience
that I sometimes think about. Like I think had I gone back and
I think this kind of hits into another level of duck here, but

(09:55):
like, had I not gone abroad, hadthe USA global recession not
happened, I probably would have been hoping I would have entered
into the medium market. I would have probably work a
white collar job and live downtown in Chicago.
And I don't know if I would havereally had the travel bug at any

(10:20):
point. And also, you know, being in
Korea, like I grew up in a very white predominant, A
predominantly white community inthe suburbs.
And so I was not around a lot ofAsian folks on an intimate
level. And you know, being in Korea,
yes, it's predominantly Asian, but I'm not Korean.
But it was the Asian expats, theAsian American, Asian, British,

(10:41):
Asian, Australian expats that like that I felt very connected
to. And I think I was able to find
in some ways my Asian American identity and being able to
understand how less alone I actually feel about it.
And and also it kind of like in a way gravitate towards me be
finding Asian American communities and Asian diaspora

(11:04):
communities. And I'm very curious, what do
you think that would have changed for you?
Like what was your mindset at that time?
Like thinking like, Oh yes, like, you know, when we graduate
from college, we will be doing this.
I would be living in a fancy townhouse or a condo.
What did? What would that look like for
you? It's so funny you say that

(11:25):
because like literally that was the trajectory that I was doing.
Like I had AI literally had, youknow, cuz I actually, I
graduated a few years before you.
So I had already been in Chicago, you know, when I left
Michigan to move to Chicago and I've been working there for a
few years and worked at a coupleof different market resource
firms before leaving the country.
So I actually had a condo when Ileft Chicago again, I literally

(11:48):
thought I would only be going for one or two years.
I, you know, like my condo, I put some things in storage, but
I was renting it out. The person who was renting my
condo lost his job. So then that was a whole another
yeah, that, you know, everybody was struggling at the time.
So yeah, I lost my condo, you know, so it's just like, if I
hadn't lost my, I probably wouldstill been living in my, my

(12:09):
condo in Chicago and, you know, definitely not traveling as much
as I, I was because like who, who has the time?
You know, now that I'm a teacher, I get my summers off
and I get like a ridiculous amount of holidays.
So I've been able to enjoy that time that that time freedom.
I I don't think I would have hadthat if I had stayed and, you
know, corporate 9:00 to 5:00 or I can't even call it a nine to

(12:33):
five because on most days you were working much later than
that. So yeah, I highly doubt that I
would have been on the same path.
Maybe I don't know. Who knows, maybe if I would have
been married, you know, now I'm still single.
So just like that, that would. Have seen maybe.
Maybe you heard a divorce, you know, and I don't know.
I mean, I'm looking at my friends, my age group right now,
where they're at. So I was just like, but my path

(12:53):
definitely probably would have been different than what it is
now. But not to say that I couldn't
have been happy in that path. But I'm grateful to be where I'm
at, not. Yeah.
And also like, also like one of the things I that I think about,
I think some of that reservations I had about living
abroad for a very long time. But for the long term, I should

(13:14):
say, like someone had told me, like the challenge for many
expats who live abroad for a number of years is this notion
of you are still a foreigner in your adopted homeland and you
are becoming a foreigner in the place that you once lived in.
How do you like reconcile between these two experiences?

(13:34):
That is such a fabulous question.
You know, I think about that a lot because like, honestly, the,
the, the notion of like repatriating, going going back
to the states, that does that scares me a whole heck of a lot.
Like, you know, when, when that CNBC interview went viral and,
and you know, the course, they changed the title, African
American woman living abroad, never coming back.

(13:55):
And of course I got some Flack like I had I had a lot of people
would just like you go girl, Then of course you're going to
oh, stay gone, you know, like it, it was, it was so
interesting to like kind of in my life, first real viral
experience of seeing like the feedback.
And obviously I tried not to read the comments, but every so
often you just like, what are they saying?
So, you know, just like see someof the things that people were

(14:15):
saying. It was quite interesting.
But it's like, you know, I thinkabout, I don't know, like it.
It definitely would have been a different experience for me, but
like I at this point in my life,I don't see myself moving.
Like it's a scary thought, the idea of trying to start over
again. And that's why I think I'm so

(14:36):
like obsessive, like having multiple streams of income
because I'm like, you never knowwhat the future holds, you know,
like, I don't know, it's ESL life.
This isn't, I don't expect it tohappen forever.
Like I would definitely want to move on to another path, but,
you know, thinking about the idea of repatriating and
starting over, it's scary. Like I don't necessarily want to
think about that right now because that's just not the path

(14:57):
that I see for myself. But I am of the mindset you
never know what the future holds.
And like, if it comes that if you know, anything can happen, I
might have to come back and helptake care of my mom or be there
for my, or any, you know, my, myniece, anyone.
So like, I think about these things like it's a possibility,
but I'm trying to set myself up.So if I do have to come back,
you know, I'm, I'm a survivor. I'll, I'll make it work.

(15:18):
But at the end of the day, I'm just grateful for this time that
I have had so. Yeah, I'm very curious about
what backlash did you receive from your interview.
I I'm perplexed by that when youmentioned.
That the times we are in, you know, some of these, these,
these Trump's are seeing a blackwoman thriving and living her
best life abroad and oh, stayingon, you know, so it was, it was

(15:42):
definitely some hateration goingon online from some of the
people. And you know, my girl, they was
like, girl, don't read the comments because you know what I
said I, I, I said I had to get back.
I had to get back with a few people.
I was feeling spicy, you know, but for the most part, an
apologist like I can't, I can't fight.
But it's not that this is not myfight to or.

(16:02):
So I was grateful to have the opportunity to inspire so many
people who were giving me positive praise and literally
sending me messages of like, you're so inspiring.
So I was more taken into positive than than negative, so.
Yeah. And yeah, I know it's, it's
very, it amazes me that there are plenty of people in America
that have not gone outside of their own backyard and have the

(16:23):
audacity to say the things that they say.
That's a whole other topic. I could probably spend another
two hours in, but I won't do that to you or for myself.
But but like, I think you were just like talking about, you
know, the the challenges of whatyou see abroad with your own

(16:45):
family and your own communities.Like there are weddings, there's
birthdays, there's funerals thatyou may have to miss.
How do you navigate through the occasional homesickness that
happens along with having FOMO? My goodness, that is like the
$1,000,000 question. I wish I can bottle it up and
like, you know, have the perfectanswer because it's definitely I

(17:07):
tell people all this, I was like, this life is not for
everybody. It's not easy at all.
You know, like, like I was saying before my, my
brother-in-law passed and it wasjust like before I came back
home. So I was grateful I was actually
even able to come home and to beable to more with my, because I
had known him since I was a teenager, you know what I mean?
Like my sister, they had, they had a 30 plus year, like love,
you know, love affair. So it was just like, you know,

(17:28):
of course she is still grieving.And it was like, Oh my God.
Like that was like the one time that I was able to.
And a monument is, you know, occasionally like that because
like, like you said, I've missedso many weddings and
unfortunately COVID-19, I was stuck in Omaha.
Like, I literally didn't live inthe country because I wouldn't
have got back in for a whole year.
They closed their borders. So like, I was stuck here and it

(17:49):
was like the the most difficult time because I lost several
family members and friends, you know, not just back home, but
around the world, South Africa, like everywhere.
And it was like I'm stuck here. Like it, it was almost
debilitating at a point, you know, trying to keep my mental
health together, thinking, you know, worrying about my family
and my mom. She has COPD and like, oh, you
know, protect her at all costs. So it, it's definitely not

(18:12):
without its challenges like being abroad and it's everyone
thinks it's luxury, luxurious and I'm travelling the world and
I'm doing all these things, but I'm like, it gets difficult.
Like I absolutely get FOMO thinking about some of the, the
events and the moments that I missed being abroad.
But like I said, you take the bag, you know, it's just like

(18:33):
I've had great experiences as well-being abroad, but I'm just
always grateful that I'm able toat least see my family once a
year. Other than like I said, 2020,
that was the one time I couldn'tcome home.
So it's. Tough.
Yeah, Yeah, it really is. Because like when I came back
home in 2012 after Korea, being three years in Korea, like my

(18:54):
mom had a stroke, like right offthe bat.
And it changed a lot of things for me and also changed my
priorities too, about traveling abroad, let alone even living
abroad. And.
And, you know, my grandma was dying of dementia and she lived
in Alabama, lived in Chicago. So I also had to coordinate that

(19:14):
time. So like, like, I always wonder
like, yeah, had my mom not had her stock, I probably would have
continued living abroad elsewhere.
I think that at that time, like,man, the travel bug was so heavy
on me. Like, I felt very independent.
I became more self assured as I traveled.
And, and I think I had spent like my entire 30s, you know, I

(19:36):
came back to the States like before I was 30 years old.
And I had spent practically mostof that decade not being able to
travel abroad or travel outside of North America, period.
And, and I was like, gosh, I cannot believe I had gone this
long because I've had to deal with job losses on top of it.

(19:58):
I had to, you know, I lived in my own place, you know?
Car repairs and everything that kind of zapped a lot.
And also like, let alone the PTOtime was not enough.
I had to juggle that with other priorities too, but family and,
and, and that was so difficult. And I was always envious of my
friends that were able to do it because I was like, that was my
life for those three years and Ineed to have it again.

(20:21):
And I think that is also to say that that that in the times that
we're living in, you know, I do think about, you know, one day.
And as much as I hate to say that when, you know, I no longer
have to take care of my parents,the idea of me coming back to my

(20:42):
family homeland has always been intriguing to me.
It's like, gosh, this could be abetter, different life.
What a way to, you know, kind ofreconnect and reclaim.
I'm also like very interested because, you know, I look at,
you know, Black entertainers, artists, creatives, leaders like
James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, those

(21:05):
folks have left the US and have never turned back.
And part of it, a lot of it has to do with the racism and
segregation and the trauma that they went through.
Do you feel in a way connected to to a lot of a lot of past in
current Black creatives who haveup and left and not turned back?

(21:27):
I literally just get goosebumps.He asked me that question
because like, you know that thatliterally I was interviewed last
year about that particular like I had James Baldwin.
Sure. I wish I was wearing enough.
You know, just like I I love James Baldwin and obviously do
something like I do feel a kindred like connection to these
creatives who decided to live outside of the states.

(21:48):
You know, like right now thinking about like the economy
and the job market and like the three to 300 1000 plus black
women who have been left the workforce, as they wanted to say
in that article, no, they were laid off.
You know, a lot of you know, so it's just like, you know, we're
in that movement where a lot of sisters and brothers are like
it's time to go because, you know, like there's nothing here

(22:12):
for me right now as far as opportunities.
So I definitely feel that I, I didn't plan this move.
Like it it it was, it wasn't worse migration, but it
definitely was like a migration.Ironic enough, that was a topic
in my class. They were my students about my
human migration. But anyway, it was a migration
that happened voluntarily. I decided to leave.

(22:34):
But at the same token, it was because there wasn't an
opportunity for me in that moment.
So it's like, I literally have aJosephine Baker like photo here
and I have a James Baldwin teacher.
I wear what I like to go writing.
So yeah, I I definitely do feel a connection to them.
You know, it's so interesting toask that question because I feel
that like in my spirit, you know.

(22:56):
Yeah, I think that is AI think that's kind of like very
important to see what is happening with this kind of
migration with a lot of US expats, especially among, you
know, black and and other peopleof color who are feeling very
hopeless and very angry and sickand tired of what is happening

(23:18):
and how they on how this countryis treating of folks who are not
white and who are not male, who are not straight.
And and I think that really kindof goes to show you like where
it's been heading towards. And I wonder like I wonder about
like, you know, this group that you that you and Renee Co

(23:39):
created and shout out to Renee Evans, you know, for your your
partner and someone who I also knew back in the Korea days,
like you created this ex pat community group.
And it also in a way, amplifies and highlights and prioritizes
the black woman experience for travellers and also for other

(24:00):
people of color as well and people who are curious about
travelling. What goes into it?
What was the genesis in creatingthat community on Facebook?
And what has it turned into since?
And what has the conversations been like, you know, with, with
community members? That's a very good question.
You know, it's funny because like when Renee and I Co

(24:24):
founded, I love the Globetrotters, the travel
community, it was at the time that we both were getting ready
to depart Korea. Like, you know, we had met
through, you know, there was other like Facebook groups like
brothers and sisters of South Korea.
And so like that was a place that we would, you know, have
meet ups and meet up with other like, you know, African

(24:44):
Americans in that region. But when we decided to create
our community, she was getting ready to move to Australia,
where she still is, and I was moving by where I still live.
So it was just like we knew we were going on separate journeys,
but we were still abroad and we still love to travel.
So like the whole point was to have our own community where we
can share our experiences as well as like other expats.

(25:05):
And you know, not even just necessarily expats, like there's
a lot of, you know, Americans inthe community who like, like you
have lived abroad or love to just love to travel.
So we just wanted to have like aall inclusive travel community
for our friends. And they grew, you know, over
2000 members, you know, since then.
So obviously people from all over the world and we just all
share our experiences about travelling.

(25:25):
And, you know, we've had meetups, we've had group trips
like relay hosted trip in India.And you know, we had a yeah, so
we had several Iceland, we had ameet up.
So right now we haven't really been hosting group trips like we
used to. But like, like I said before,
I'm a certified travel agent, soI do help plan other people's
trips for them. So yeah, but we just wanted to

(25:46):
have an all inclusive travel community where we inspire other
people, where we share our experiences of an abroad and
yeah, you know, been featured indifferent publications and it's
just, it's just been great. Like it's that's like, you know,
I still blog what I love to gloat shop to this day about
travels and what have you. And you know, Renee, she's doing
her thing in Australia. She's working at Air Tech now,
and so travel is just like in our blood.

(26:10):
Yeah. And I think it's, I always feel
like I live vicariously through that, too, with you and Renee
and also with other folks because I was like, man.
And I remembered I went back to Korea and the end of 2022 after
I finished grad school. And it was like right when
lockdown had finally ended and Iwas supposed to go to Korea like
in 2020. But, you know, the world

(26:31):
stopped. And I was like, my gosh, it felt
a while to go back to a place that that really changed my life
and really like reconnecting with just not just with my
former students, with, you know,old friends, but also like just
the community itself and feelinglike I'm in this time warp, you

(26:56):
know, of what I was like back then.
You know, just like really thinking about all these years
that have happened and what I was done to what I was.
Now I wonder, do you? I don't think you've been back
to South Korea. I have, but I've been wanting
to. Actually, 2020 was the year that
I thought about trying to go back to and then go back.

(27:17):
I remember that was one of the Olympics, right?
The plan was to go to Japan and hop over to Korea.
I just haven't been back since then.
But I really do want to go back.And I have friends who are like
back there, too. I'm just like, yeah.
Yeah. And like, and I think for me,
since then, I have been wanting to travel ever since.

(27:39):
Like I went back to Vietnam and Cambodia.
The northern central part of Vietnam were the first time and
I'd done it alone and Cambodia was my first.
And there was so much energy coming out of that trip.
I came back from a very meant from a very deep depression and
right before my brother had passed.
And so I felt like when I look back on it, I think it really

(28:00):
did a lot for me in terms of understanding my identity,
understanding the trauma that myfamily and then what I had went
through. And I realized how much I really
enjoy not just traveling abroad,but also even within the states
to see friends because I feel like a lot of my friends are

(28:21):
outside of Chicago. And I feel like everywhere I go,
I'm always with a friend. But I also find it as like my
level of self-care, like when I,you know, there's weirdly
enough, I don't know if you feelthat way, but I know I get
comforted and we're, we're like,I want to go to visit other
airports, Not O'Hare, definitelynot O'Hare and definitely LAX.

(28:46):
But there's this weird calming, relaxing feeling when you're at
an airport sometimes, especiallyinternational, and you're like,
wow, this is really wild. And you're just kind of like in
this, wow, you know, this is something that my ancestors
never have dreamt of. And this is something that I
never thought was possible at the age of 25.

(29:08):
And I'm 42. And God, I mean, I don't know
what I mean to say by all this, but like, I know my next place
that I'm looking to travel to isColombia, my first time in South
America at the end of this year.So like when you think of
traveling abroad, like what goesthrough your mind when you go to
the airport and when you're in an airplane, you know, for like

(29:30):
14 hours And like, trust me, it sounds kind of fun, but I can't
sleep on airplanes at all, no matter how hard I try.
But I'm curious, like what goes through your mind when you're
preparing a travel And like whatdoes it take It what what what
sparks the curiosity for you to travel to places that have no

(29:51):
connection to or maybe have someadjacent connection to?
That is such a good question. You know, I really thought about
it like that, but I do I get so like honestly, we named the blog
and the site. I love the globe because we
really literally love love trying around the globe, right,
Love traveling. So it's just like I know for me
living in old mine and like traveling, you know, throughout

(30:12):
the Middle East and Africa and different places, like every
time I get ready to go and, and I'm such a nerd because like
every time I go to the airport, like I got to check in on
Facebook and let people know, you know, I'm on my way.
I think, I think, I think it'll be different if I was in the
States. I don't think everybody need to
know where I'm, but I was like, you know, everybody don't need
to know. I'm, I'm out of my home.
I'll be here. I don't worry, I don't worry

(30:32):
about it. But no, seriously, like I get so
excited, like check in on socialmedia and then when I get to the
airport, I'm taking a photo, I'mat the lounge, like like, I just
love documenting. Like, like you see, the airport
really is like one of my happy places.
Like I always, I'm like back in my second home, you know, like
even though I live in Oman, I'm like, I'm back at the airport,
you guys, I'm heading, heading, heading here, heading there.
So it's just like, there is thisjust like little giddiness, like

(30:54):
this thrill of like a kid, you know, like the night before,
like a big trip. You're just like, you can barely
sleep sometimes, right? You like toss and turn like I, I
think it's like Christmas morning when I on my way to the
airport, like, you know, next destination.
So I don't know what that is like.
I, I really do have this like little like thing in my, in my
spirit next trip. Like I am so excited before I

(31:18):
even get to the destination, just like the planning of it.
And then just like count the countdown.
Then when you get there and it'sjust like finally, you know, new
destination, new foods to try, new people to me.
Like I, I, you know, I love solotravel because I always feel
like when I go, when I go placeswith people, I'm in my bubble,
right? I'm with my friends, I'm with
my, my, my people, right? But when I go places solo, I'm

(31:41):
always meeting new interesting people because like I'm, you
know, we're just gonna have a problem talking to people,
right? You know, So it's just like, Oh
yeah, I think that's just something that's in me.
Like I'm just always so excited about like those new exchange
cultural exchanges and immersingmyself into a new place so.
Yeah, and I know like it's a privilege in many ways because

(32:02):
like to, you know, the travel and also, and also me being a
tall 6 foot guy, you know, that also factors in into it because
like there are folks that would tell me that I I can never
travel alone. I can never have enough vacation
time or the funds to do it. And, and it's something that I
had to experience like in my 30swhere it was very hard for me to

(32:26):
just travel abroad. And it made me appreciate what I
had back then and to not take that for granted.
What are the conversations that you've had with people who are
hoping to travel, but just feel like, I don't know what to do
because we think of travel as a very privileged white people

(32:49):
kind of thing. But I think it's very important
and why I feel like what you're doing is very important because
it gives us hope. It gives us this pathway for
folks, especially of marginalized identities, to
really think about it, but also like what it really can create,
you know, to step outside of your own backyard, what it

(33:10):
really does. And I think that is there's
something that's powerful. But what conversations have you
had with folks back home that are trying to ponder the idea of
traveling? And that is such a good
question, especially now in these times, like, like you were
saying, some people who are justlike looking to lead a country
for the first time or repatriated and going, going
back outside, you know, just like exiting again.

(33:32):
And it's so interesting because I like to one of my mottos is
like home isn't going anywhere, right?
Like, like if you're interested in going, you know, we are free.
We have free will, we can go where we want.
You know, we're, we're fortunate.
You know, I always like to talk about passport privilege.
Like I, I know it's a privilege to be able to have this little

(33:55):
blue passport, to have an American passport, to be able to
go to so many countries freely. You know, obviously you have to
get a visa for places, but stilldo even have the option like now
I just read some countries are, you know, are revoking like
visas for certain travellers. So it's just like it is a
privilege. So I'm like, use it, you know,
like I like to tell people I waslike, I literally feel like I

(34:17):
have more privilege. I have a more American privilege
as an expat than I did as a black woman living in the
States. Like that.
That's just like, that's just mypersonal feeling like being an
expat as well as traveling, you know, just like people when they
hear that American accent, oh, USA, like, oh, interest, you
know, obviously now. So everybody's not excited to
think when they think about USA is like, yeah, I don't want to
talk about the current president, but I remember in the

(34:40):
past, you know, there's oh, Obama, like they were so excited
just like you're, you're from the states to America.
So it's just, I like to tell people that you only have one
life to live. And, you know, I think people
need to step out of fear in, in their comfort zone and just go
for my motto is like, I'm a I'm a black girl from the east side
of Detroit. Like, you know, I, I, I grew up

(35:02):
in some, some difficult times. So it's like if I could survive
the east side of Detroit, in theSouth side of Chicago where I
used to live, how can survive for most places?
That's literally my motto. Yeah, yeah.
And I was also, yeah, I think I was also like, I'm kind of
having like a brain fart here. But like, I, I think about what

(35:23):
travelling has done for me personally.
Like there are things that I would not do back home.
Like I feel like I'm more guarded and more careful.
And when I went to Vietnam and Cambodia more recently, like I
was very comfortable just walking into their traffic.
And I will say it's just YouTubeSoutheast Asia, walking the

(35:45):
streets in Southeast Asia. And I felt very, very
comfortable. And to the point where I was
recording myself doing it, I wasgetting a little cocky to the
point where I was actually recording on the back of a
motorbike in Cambodia under like, you know, my friend's
partner. And just recording as I'm on the
back of a motorbike, you know, and you know, like climbing up

(36:07):
like 500 steps at a temple, which for the life of me, I
don't understand why my ancestors have to like create
these typos because like, look, I mean, the idea of getting
closer to divinity or whatever, It's like, look, I think I would
rest in gravity at this point. But but like, there are things
that I would do that I would never consider doing back home.

(36:29):
Like, do you find yourself experiencing things like, wow, I
would never have thought in a million years that I would have
done this. And I feel like I'm more brave
to do this now. Absolutely.
It's so funny. So like, oh, mom, she, she, she
teases me all the time, just like you should get all this,
this courage for them to do this.
And you mean on a hot air balloon in, in Turkey and in

(36:51):
this and you know, like things that I just never even thought
about doing when I was living back home in the States.
But it's just like, I do feel like you get this sense of like,
you know, obviously you still got to have your wits about you.
Like, I'm not, I'm not going to do anything too crazy, but I do
feel that you have a higher level of, like, courage.

(37:12):
You are willing to travel to a country by yourself or you're
willing to to live in the MiddleEast or, you know, live here and
live there. It's just like, you just do
this. You know what I mean?
Like, that's why I like to tell people to like to go for it and
just give it a try because you'll be pleasantly surprised
of, like, the level of confidence you were gaining
yourself through travels. Yeah.

(37:34):
Yeah. And so when you decide to make
Oman your adopted home, I shouldsay, what was appealing about
Oman? What did you know about Oman
then? And what do you now know about
living there for the past 10 years?
Because I know that there's so many folks that have not been to

(37:54):
Oman or let alone even heard of Oman.
I'm, I'm very curious about whatdrew you to it and what can you
share about the people, your interactions and, and what has
been like, you know, as a black woman, as an expert navigating
through a place like Oman. You know, it's been incredible.

(38:14):
Like some people honest, like I'm just so grateful that I
landed like I went from good to good.
Like, you know, it doesn't always happen that way To like
live in South Korea and had a blast and still be friends that
I met for my days in Korea to like me, to know mine for like
over a decade now. I never in a million years.
I don't even know. I'm going to be frank, I don't
even know where Oman was prior to learning about the job

(38:38):
opportunity here because it justwasn't even on my radar when I
started researching looking up jobs in the Middle East.
I was looking at Dubai and you know, obviously Doha and you
know, different places that I knew of.
I didn't even know, oh, mine. So like when I first saw a post,
I was just like, let me Google it and let me start research on
this country is beautiful. Like, you know, I, I, my eyes

(38:59):
were open to the to the, to the,the possibility of living here
literally by seeing the job posting because prior today, it
just wasn't on my radar. Such as it's only 5 million
people here, little countries. Like literally the, the
population of Oman is like population of Chicago.
You know, when I think about that, like the whole country of
Oman is literally the people could fit in Chicago.
So like that just goes to shut. Like it's a small little

(39:21):
country, but it's so beautiful and it's so peaceful.
People are just, they're good people.
Like honestly, my students are sweethearts.
You know, obviously students aregoing to be students around the
world. You know, you taught in Korea,
so you know how that is. But but the most part, like
they're, they're, they're just good people.
So I'm just so grateful that, you know, God saw a fit for me
to land here because I never in a million years talk for myself,

(39:43):
you know? So yeah, that I think that's why
I, it's funny because that question that you asked earlier
about like the different paths, I really think about like I
never saw this path for myself. Like literally I'm in a tiny
little one of the safest countries in the world.
Like it literally is, you know what I mean?
And it's just like who do Like I?
I had never saw this for myself,but I'm just just so eternally

(40:06):
grateful. That I am here, you know, just
like, and I think one of the things that I love about being
an expat here and now that my story has like reached hundreds
of thousands of people on socialmedia, right?
Because of that CNBC interview, like it really opened up so many
people eyes to this, to this little country.
But you know, just to see like, wow, it's actually quite safe

(40:28):
there. Like when they saw my, my story,
people had this misconception about like the GC and I'm just
like, I mean, obviously there are, there are wars, there are
things happening. It's not perfect, but you know,
this place has been great for me.
And it's so I'm just like, I'm grateful, just so, so grateful.
Yeah, I think that's really awesome that you've been able to

(40:50):
document that, to document that journey in Oman and also being
able to share insight because I think that's what we also really
need to have. It's like especially to go
beyond just a typical tourist ofI mean, like, look, I have
nothing against people going to Cancun or any or any like the
Bahamas for self-care. I think that's wonderful.

(41:11):
But I also feel like we need to kind of go beyond and not look
at us just like as an opportunity to just travel and
eat the best food and which is part of it.
But like thinking about like what's happening and also think
about what can we to learn from the folks that we interact with

(41:32):
and how do we become very good guests and, and, and really
being able to not act like kingsand Queens out in the streets.
You know, where I'm just going to call it out, you know it.
But like where I have seen whiteBritish expats act like there
are kings and Queens in the streets of Thailand or in my

(41:53):
family homeland, which I have a lot of things to say about that.
And, and with the colonial mentality that that that comes
in often. And I'm also like thinking to
myself, like, like, like, what can this opportunity look like?
And I think what you pointed outis very important is like, just

(42:15):
like finding ways to humble yourself and to like, really be
engaged and like, really listen and also also see where you
could be of support. And how do you help amplify the
stories of the people there that, you know, we live in a
world of harmful narratives thathave happened that have attacked

(42:37):
so many communities. And I think that's really
important to name that. And do you have a favorite
country or favorite countries that you love to visit?
That's. So tough, it is a tough one
because you've been to all 50 plus so and I know, I know it's
adding up. I know it's adding up.
It is. It's so funny you say that

(42:58):
because like literally I don't do a lot of repeat countries,
but South Africa holds a specialplace in my heart.
Like that's the one country I'vebeen to like 3 times.
I'm not, you know, most places I'm just, I'm going to go
somewhere new, but I'm like South Africa, the opportunity
for us to go to go back to SouthAfrica, I'm going like, I just
love it there. It's so beautiful.
And, you know, I just felt at home there, you know, and I've

(43:20):
been to Bali in Thailand, honestly to Thailand, Thai food,
like I will go to Thailand and just, you know what I mean?
So just like, but obviously it'sjust so beautiful and just so
peaceful. And I've been a Bali.
So there's, so there's a couple faves, you know, as far as just
like the, the joy that they bring and just like the
relaxation, like I don't want to, I went to Bali and my, my

(43:42):
winter break in January and justlike being able to like, you
know, have a, a spiritual journey with like a Buddhist
there amongst. So like it was just like, it
was, it was, it was a healing trip for me.
And it was just like I was saying in my in a funk.
And like he told me he was just like, don't worry, things are
looking up. Like, you know, like, you know,
things are looking up. And then it was just like

(44:03):
literally after Bali, two monthslater, CNBC happened and then
this happened and I was just like, he, he really said no,
like it was, it was so beautiful.
Like I just remembered like thattrip just really touched me.
And like initially, ironically enough, I was decided between
Bali and if you remember Vietnam, I was looking at and I
still do want to go to Vietnam, but I was like debating too.
But I was just drawn to go back to Bali.

(44:24):
And and when I had that that experience, I said, OK, This is
why it was meant. It was meant for me to go back
to have this experience. Like I realized that.
But yeah, so those are definitely some some places that
I just love. I love Australia too.
Like. I.
I really want to go back, you know, like maybe we can go visit
Renee. There's those.
There's some folks, there's somefolks that I know in Australia.

(44:46):
Gabe, if you Remember Me, I'm sorry.
About the Gabe. Yeah, yeah.
And also, yeah. And I know Bali's a place that
I've been that was on my list too, before I decided on
Colombia. And I'm like Colombia couple
people put me into that radar and I was like, yeah, I'm want
to visit like Medellin, Cartagena and Bogota, those
places that I'm excited about. My my brother, my surviving

(45:12):
brother, like he and his wife dolove to travel.
Like the last couple of years they've been travelling and my
brother back in the day was never entertained by the idea of
travelling abroad. And then ever since his wife had
got him into it, like, you know,he's been to Italy, He's been to
the Philippines where his wife is a wife lived in before Peru,

(45:36):
Sweden to see Taylor Swift, thathe, there's Swifties and some of
those places. And I'm like, you know, I think
that there's something that's very popular.
And they also did a trip around Europe and actually my brother
proposed to his wife in France. And so I think it's something
that never leaves you. It's travelling never leaves

(45:57):
you. I think this is something that I
always tell people like once youdo 1 country, things start to
roll up and be like, you know what?
And like the idea of mileage points, so done a long time ago,
but I've definitely clicked Delta on my Alaska Airlines
points and, you know, and I'm like, wow, this is not as bad as
it seems. And I am more fascinated by it

(46:22):
because now that I'm in my 40s, like, look, there's a, there
comes a time in my life where I may not be able to ever do this.
And so I want to be able to see what I can.
And I don't know if you ever go around listchallenges.com, this
is like a addiction on mine where I would like play this
quiz, like what place have you been to?

(46:42):
And you know, and do the scores.I would get obsessed with that.
And sometimes when it goes to like Europe or like Globe, other
global places, like I haven't really been to most of them.
Like, gosh, I'm going to get a really low score on that one.
But I think it just motivates me.
And I'm also like very curious about what places are you

(47:03):
looking to go to next that you have not been to be like, hey,
this has got to be on my radar. You know what's so funny?
You're talking about your trip to South America. 50 plus
countries and you know what region I have not been to.
South America, I noticed. Literally like I, it's crazy
because it's like think about, I've been in the Middle East for
so long. And then prior to that, so I did

(47:24):
a lot of travel around Asia. And then what I love about being
in the Middle East is location, because I can go to Africa, I
can go to Europe. So I've done a lot, you know,
I've been like nine 70s in Africa, right.
So since I've been living here in the middle, that's been the
goal of mine was to see more Africa.
So I've seen a lot of Africa, I've seen Europe.
I have not been to South America.
So I do I was thinking about that like maybe next summer when

(47:44):
I come home. I need I need to make that
happen while I'm while I'm in the North America.
I'm just like to head on Dallas South Coast so long it just it
just hasn't happened yet. So that that's definitely on my
list. I'm going to be following your
trip. I'm looking forward.
To seeing I'll be like posting on the I love to globe trot and
I know there's some folks up there.
There's always like giving wonderful feedback.

(48:08):
Yeah. So I'm looking, yeah, I'm
looking forward to seeing that Mauritius has been on my list.
Mauritius. OK.
I do still want to see a lot more of Africa.
Mozambique is high brothers, youknow.
Cafe Verde is a place that I wanted to visit.
I did. And I know it sounds sounds kind

(48:30):
of weird for me to say this, butlike there's this one Madonna
video because I I've been a listener Madonna problematic if
she can't be, but there's that one video that she did from her
last album, like several years ago, and she actually featured
Cafe Verde as a God. This place looks gorgeous and
and I need to know more about that history too.
There is a dark history, unfortunately, which happens

(48:53):
obviously without which is connected to the African
experience there. But but also like there's a
natural beauty that draws me to places like that.
You know, it's like, OK, what isit about these places that are
not often talked about but couldbe opportunities to engage and
to like, really just, you know, sit there and not have to be

(49:15):
inundated with a bunch of like, middle-aged tourists, you know,
just like stepping on their cocktails.
You know, not that that's a problem, but you know, I don't
want to be around just surrounded by that bubble, you
know? Right.
I understand that completely. That's the thing.
Like you said, there's a time and place for everything like
such. You do just want to go to a
resort and just have cocktails, relax because just like just

(49:36):
like that's what I need. But then I see trips I want to
get out and I want to explore and, and go to the different
architectural sites and definitely immerse myself in the
culture. So, you know, there's definitely
different, different trips depending on the time.
Do you? For me at least.
So yeah. And, and really, we were talking
about airports. Do you have a favorite and worst

(49:58):
airport? It's so funny because like 2 of
like the airports that I actually travel to the most,
like now that I, you know, coming through Doha to, to Qatar
Air, Oh my gosh, I love that, that Doha.
Doha Hamad. Yeah.
The Hamad International, Yeah. International, like, Oh my

(50:23):
goodness, the lounge is great and the shopping and it's just
like. It's opulent.
Yeah, yeah, I went. To populate, you know, the
social oil living in this regionbetween there and Dubai, like,
you know, it's like I, I prefer traveling through there, but
then it's like, then I'm going back to Atlanta in Atlanta.

(50:43):
Oh my goodness, the busiest airport in the world.
Like that place? Yeah, that that airport is a
workout. It's like when I'm leaving old
mine and I stopped there and I'mjust like eating good, drinking
good. And then I when I get back to
Atlanta, I'm just like, Oh my goodness, it's going to take me
an hour to get my bag. You have to go like it's.
A lot of work. It's like it's it's a lot of

(51:04):
work, didn't. It's the worst like those.
Oh, here, oh, here is up there too, like.
Oh, here's for me is the worst, but it's the double that I know
it's the double that. I know now because I've been
going through Atlanta so much. Atlanta takes the cake for me
now because every year, just like it's always something when
I come back to Atlanta. Yeah, for those that have not
been, yeah, for those that have not been to Chicago O'Hare

(51:24):
Airport, it was one of the world's busiest airport, still
is to some level. But it's just it's a miserable,
drab airport. Like like there's not any good
restaurants. People are not ever happy that
it's like, it's narrow, it's cramp, it's old, it's not even
updated. And it just feels like a chore
to just have to get through it. And Hamad airport in Doha, I

(51:48):
mean, I did not have the best experience there in terms of
like my, of the encounters I hadwith customs.
That's a whole nother story. But like, but it is a really
bougie airport. And I'm just like, wow, this is
really something I haven't experienced on our airport.
I also like the Singapore Changiairport is a really nice one.

(52:11):
I like that one a lot. You know, I've always liked
Inchon airport in Seoul, Korea. I always feel like, I mean, you
and I have been very familiar with the airport and I mean, it
feels very spacious. It never feels chaotic.
It's always very spacious. I feel like I'm in.
I have a Zen moment every time Iwalk through that airport.

(52:33):
Another airport I really did notlike was Hanoi's airport,
because there's no such thing asa line in and customs and it's
like literally just a zoo. And.
And I feel like that airport is not enough to handle the
additional millions of travelersthat it has.
So I think the same with Ho Chi Minh City, like that airport

(52:55):
I've been to once and was not crazy about it, but I think that
they're making a new airport or about to make open a new
airport. In the airport that I want to
visit is the new Phnom Bang airport.
I heard a lot of great things about that in Cambodia, so I
that looks fascinating. So yeah.
Yeah, You know, not, not that you mentioned yet sync, because

(53:16):
I think I haven't been in like Asia in so like Southeast Asia
in so long. So it's like, Oh yeah, I forgot
about Singapore. Yeah.
Like that. That is a good one.
It's been years. I actually want to go back
because I feel like there's a lot, a lot of change since the
last time I've been here over 10years ago.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
And when you look into, I know that's kind of hard to think

(53:36):
about the future in a sense. And then you have elaborated on
it, you know, like as we are at the age where, you know, people
in our lives are aging and getting older.
And I know that this is something that that that is a
very hard process for a lot of expats when they have their
parents that are aging and getting sick or relatives close

(53:59):
people in their lives are getting sick.
And also like, even with their own health, like, you know, you
know, I mean, I want to name outlike, you know, I think about
Marcus, who passed away earlier this year.
He's a friend of ours and, you know, and he unfortunately, like
he lived in Dubai for a number of years and had cancer and, you

(54:20):
know, died when he finally came home.
And, you know, like these things, like life situations do
happen. And is this something that you
are thinking about like for the next 5 years?
Like, what is it going to look like?
You know, for me? And like, like, because I think
the fear of having to come back and restart all over and trying
to like re establish relationships, make new
relationships is a very, it's a tough thing to do.

(54:43):
It's a trade off for the adventures that you know we
have. No, it's crazy that you say that
because like, honestly, I was literally just having a
conversation earlier this afternoon when I got home from
work with a buddy of mine. He was reaching out to me, a
friend of his who was interestedin moving abroad to teach.
He was just like, oh, I thought,I want her to talk to you.
And, you know, I had that conversation about like, what's

(55:05):
next after, oh, mine, you know, like, obviously this is in my
forever home. Like in most places when you're
teaching English abroad, like, you know, there's a time on
this. You know what I mean?
Like, honestly. And you know, I was telling him
ideally if I don't come back to the States, like I do want to be
closer to the States, like looking at Europe or even like

(55:26):
one of my friends, she still want to place at Panama.
And I'm just like, OK, This is why I'm like so big on right now
thinking about like future, my future of retirement and saving
because I'm just like, like you said, when you have the, the
time and the money to just be able to, you know, figure that
out. If, if, if I need to, you know,
that that's so important to me. Thinking about my mom getting

(55:49):
older and she has COPD and you know, like I said, she's she's
I'm so grateful that she's just like, girl, live your life.
Don't worry about me. I'll be all right.
Like put me, put me in a like, put me in this community.
I don't care. Like just as long as I get like,
she's so sweet, you know what I mean?
She's just like, and it's just like, of course, but but my
sisters are there in the states,so I don't know what the future
holds. Like honestly, I don't, but I

(56:11):
was actually thinking about Marcus ironically enough, you
know, like I literally saw him and why, you know, in Dubai
right before he got back to the States.
Like I was trying to help him just like, you know, like giving
him his advice. I look into this airport because
he was. It was really a struggle for him
to get back to the States when. Yeah.
And that that's it was us. Like it was, you know, having
that conversation with him, justlike, you know, securing

(56:31):
yourself, securing yourself is so important.
And like that stuck with me. Like, you know, I was like, I
have to do better, you know, because like that was one of the
things that he told me, you know, and it's just like I was
literally look like, you know, how you go through your friends
list on on Instagram and his I saw his name.
So I went to his profile. His last picture on his profile.

(56:51):
Was you and. So like, that really was like,
you know, it really touched me. I was like, Oh my God, like, you
know, I was having a moment. Like I was literally thinking
about that just like just a couple days ago, I saw that.
And all of these things are in the back of my mind, like you
said, just like thinking about my family and the future.
And you know, obviously I'm trying to plan, but you know how
they say what is what does the saying saying go?
You know, you plan and God laughs like you don't know what

(57:13):
the future holds. So, you know, back to say token,
I have to be prepared because I've been out of the US
workforce for so long. Like it's not like I'm probably
going to not get Social Securityunless I came back like
tomorrow, you know what I mean? Which is probably unprobable.
So, so like I'm thinking about like This is why that that that
grime mentality of like, OK, I got about 3 or 4 jobs, you know,

(57:35):
like I'm a teacher and I'm a teacher by day writer.
Like I'm not not doing all thesethings for my health.
Like I enjoy it, don't get me wrong, but multiple streams of
income because I got financially, I'm trying to like
set myself up for like what's next you?
Know, and also, I think, you know, to protect your own
health. And I also remembered like not
long ago you had talked about having to unlearn the hustle

(57:57):
grind, the grind culture. And I remember you used to call
yourself Nikki Hustle. And like, what has that look
like for you now that you've transitioned out of this
mentality of having to like really hustle 24/7, you know,
trying to make ends meet and trying to make something, you
know, like how have you tried tounlearn them?
What has that been like for you to to pivot away from that?

(58:19):
Oh my goodness, that is so you know, like I literally and I had
to bite my tongue because I was going to say I was just like in
the hustle and I was just like, no, to go, no, you don't want to
hustle. Like that's literally what
you're not trying to like. It's been ingrained in me for so
many years, like trying to unlearn that.
It's a little bit of a challenge, you know, but I'm I'm
at the point now where I'm just like work smarter, not harder.

(58:39):
So that's why right now, like I'm trying to teach myself tech,
you know, technology, AI, like different because I'm just like
there, there's too, there's too much, too many resources out
here for me not to be utilizing these things so that I'm not
just like burning myself out and, and working myself into the
ground. Like there, there, there, there
has to be a better way. So that that's where that's
where I'm at right now, just trying to be smarter about the

(59:02):
opportunities that I'm taking and, and what's next, you know,
outside of teaching and I'll getthere.
Like, like, like you said, like I, I, I know me, like I, I'm a
Detroiter, like I'll figure it out.
So, but I'm just trying to stillhave Peace of Mind at the end of
the day and just not stress myself out because it's just not
worth it, you know, I have to take care of myself so.

(59:23):
Yeah. What's next for you with I Love
to Globetrot? Well, what's next for you and
Renee for I Love to Globetrot and also what is next for your
other projects or collaborationsthat you've been working on?
That's a really good question. Like honestly, it's something
that I have to circle back with Renee Owen.

(59:43):
Like I can't really speak on that.
Can't completely. I know what we want to do, but
it's just like making the time for it and figuring out just
just like timing wise of her being on Australia, me being on
mine and just like figuring out what's next.
I know one of the things we really wanted to do was just
like retreats and then and get back into the group trips thing.
So you know that that's that's an idea, an ideal world if.
You know, I get out of teaching by, by next year that that's

(01:00:05):
really been the goal of mine in the next couple years at least,
but hopefully by next year is tobe able to work remotely and
then that way I can have that location independence and that
freedom to, to toast and do these trips with Renee.
So that really is a goal of minefiguring that out.
So that's where I'm at right now.
Like time will tell, but by the grace, hopefully everything
works out the way that I, that I, I envisioned.

(01:00:28):
So we'll, we'll see. And the last question I also
have in mind is, as we wrap up, what would you tell yourself at
the age where you were ready to live in South Korea?
What would you say to that, Nicole?

(01:00:48):
Oh my goodness, that is good. That's like 15 plus years ago.
So by my late my late 20s Nicoleversus my mid 40s.
Oh, child, what would I tell myself, Nate them all go go out
there, have fun, girl, because you know, like you know, there
there's when when you get older,the hood it's rough out here.

(01:01:10):
So definitely date them all. I would tell her to do that.
But definitely, you know, honestly, I feel like I wouldn't
be where I am now if it weren't for the decisions that I made in
the past. So like I would just tell her to
trust her instincts, you know, about about certain situations
and, and always go with your gutbecause your gut is definitely

(01:01:31):
your, your friend. Yeah, honestly, I would just say
keep going on girl, cuz you're on a on a fabulous path.
And then that's that's that. Yeah.
And I got to say thank you so much for, you know, being on my
show. It feels so great to connect
with you and talk about, like, one of my favorite things, which
is traveling. And it feels great to talk with

(01:01:51):
someone who has been been this game for quite a while and
continuing to show us what travelling can really look like
and what it can become. And I really appreciate that.
I hope that people get to followyour work.
I love the globetrot. I'm going to put down the show
notes and also follow Nikki or Nicole on on Instagram.

(01:02:14):
And yeah, I, I gotta say all thebest to you in your journey and
thank you so much for sharing a lot of your insights and
experiences. Definitely thank you for having
me. This is so much fun catching up
and definitely I appreciate the opportunity.

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