About Unbridled World
& Nate the Nomad
This website is for adventure-junkies who love to travel as a lifestyle.
Whether you are a (soon-to-be) digital nomad or long-term traveler, the most important part is that
you are living the life how you want it.
What does Unbridled World stand for?
No, it's not about ponies.
Instead, it is about an unrestrained lifestyle that allows you to travel.
Ultimately this website will be a main resource and community (through a Facebook group) for digital nomads and the people who want to start a life like this.
I know the digital nomad lifestyle is booming extremely. Every so-called “millennial” – there is this mean word again - is starting a life full of travel.
However, I think it is somewhat lacking in great resources and also community. Most people do their own thing, don’t want to connect, and I don’t want to share tips. I don't like this. I want to change this without dragging all the money out of your wallet.
So ask me questions via emails or comments to start a conversation!
This way I even might be able to write about the topics you are interested in and need help with.
Everyone thinks differently and that’s what I love about a community.
My goal of this website is to give you the best resources to start or live a digital nomad life. Let it be, improving your business, finding a good business model, guides to great locations, as well as adventurous or relaxing trips to unwind from your work life.
So who is this "Nate the Nomad" actually?
Well, my real name is Natalie. The only short version of my name I like is Nate.
After my best friend and I had a couple of wine glasses one night, he came up with “Nate the Nomad” and I found it so catchy that I had to use it on this blog *thanks man!*. If you could make up a great alias with your name, would you hesitate?! I don’t think so.
I am German born and raised but I also have spent a loooot of time in the U.S. over the past years. The reason for this is simple: I met the love of my life. He (my now husband) is U.S.-American and we met in Hawaii during a study abroad semester. After spending 2 years in a long-distance relationship, we’ve decided to nomad through the world. We still love our lifestyle to the max, as well as each other. Sorry for being a bit cheesy but sometimes it just needs to be.
But this shouldn’t be all about myself. There are a couple of things people keep asking me, so I just gonna answer them for you here.
More info about me and my digital nomad life
How did you start?
I started right after my graduation in October 2016. I had no clue about online work because I studied Social Work. However, I consider myself quite smart, creative, passionate, and ambitious. Oh, and most importantly I learn quickly. So, I had no doubt it wouldn’t work out for me.
The first year was horrible! If I could travel back in time, I would tell my “young me” to put a focus on a better paid business model. Well, but who knows what would have happened even with a different path. Maybe I would have struggled as well. It could just be part of the process. So, I just gonna accept the way things happened. During the first year, I lived from paycheck to paycheck, had no funds, no credit card, and no time to develop better skills. I felt overwhelmed with the whole situation and was about to quit the digital nomad life altogether. Instead I quit freelancing and my life became better step by step.
I joined the famous drop ship lifestyle and finally stressed less. Freelancing is tough. People don’t pay much unless you are really good. There are plenty of freelancers out there that do just fine. Me as a translator, however, not so much. Therefore, it was the greatest step I took on my way to running a successful business.
How do you earn your money?
Now I am managing an online store with my husband and we rather think about how to grow instead of how to survive the next month.
We also have a couple of content websites that we started working on this year. Let’s see how this will work out for us. So far this only brought in a few dollars.
How do we travel?
We are moving around very slowly, especially if we like a place.
You may think in the beginning of your journey that you want to combine backpacker life with online work. This ain’t gonna happen.
If you want to be successful, you need to work. In the beginning of building your business, you may work way more than later on. And if you are walking through the cities all day because you only have a few days or weeks, you’ll be too tired to work the necessary hours. You’ll have to find a sweet balance between work and exploration.
That’s why we usually stay in one place 1-3 months at a time. It gives us the possibility to actually get to know the area and culture, as well as work. Balance is the key!
Ok, so why do I tell you all of this?
The moral of the story is: Things happen the way they happen. You can’t be prepared for everything. You fail, you learn, you get back up, and you’ll succeed at one point. Certain events will throw you out of your path and eventually you’ll get yourself back on track. Most successful people are just living a good life now because they learned from their failures.
Many people who are thinking about a digital nomad life are scared of daring the step. Yes, be scared but keep in mind you are doing this to fulfill your dreams. It’s for YOU (+ maybe your partner)!
Life isn’t easy, we all know this, but it can be glorious with seeing the world and experiencing new cultures.
