Worthwhile Wander

The Schengen Agreement abolishes border controls when traveling between countries in the Schengen area. This means once you enter the Schengen area you are unlikely to need your passport as you cross over into another Schengen area country. This lack of border controls is great for Schengen area locals but includes a limitation for visitors: a three month (90 days) maximum stay in a six month (180 days) period. For an American nomad who wishes to travel for longer terms, this presents the problem of wanting to stay in the Schengen area but being limited to only three months. For example, if you spent two consecutive months in Germany and wanted to spend another two months in France, you wouldn't legally be allowed. If you had already spent two in Germany, you'd only have one month left for France. So how can you get around the three month limitation if you wanted to stay longer in Schengen countries? You can get a visa from a specific country, some of them do offer nomad visas....

It’s very important to be aware of and respect the local customs of the country you’re visiting. Not doing so can lead to minor embarrassments or major incidents which could place your safety at risk. If you’re unfamiliar with a country you’re visiting, take the time to research local customs and how tourists are expected to behave. Unfamiliar, in this context, simply means a country you don’t know much about. To ensure you have a safe trip, research these questions before visiting an unfamiliar country: Is it safe for a woman to walk alone in the area? If you’re of a minority group, is it safe for someone like you in the country? Is it safe to drink the water without boiling it? Is it safe to use public transportation? How do locals move around? Understanding an Unfamiliar Country Questions to explore: Is the country a democracy? How does the country treat foreigners? Are there any ongoing conflicts (e.g. wars, political unrest)? What are the local customs? Is there reliable internet ...

  The following recipe was developed during our stay in Lisbon. There are many smashed burger chains around the globe, but I felt that there were too many vegan meat options. I find the black bean burger superior to both vegan and non-vegan burger options so I developed this recipe and I hope you enjoy making it! This recipe is perfect for meal prep because it makes enough for at least 16 patties, and since the patty recipe is vegan; it can be eaten without further cooking, it can be turned into patties or used as a salad topping. Ingredients 2 large cans of black beans, mostly drained ½ bag of frozen cauliflower, about 8 oz.  2 Tbsp of olive oil, divided  1 pack Mushrooms, oyster preferably, but use your preference  1 bunch Parsley leaves, leaves and stem separated and roughly chopped   3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped, 1 onion, diced  1 Tbsp each cumin, curry powder, black pepper, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, 8 oz cream cheese 3 jalapeno peppers,...

Learning these phrases will greatly improve your experience when traveling to any new country with a foreign language. Whenever we travel somewhere with an unfamiliar language, we copy these phrases into Google Translate and store them in a note on our phone. From there it’s just a few taps away anytime you need to communicate in most situations. The Most Common Phrases Hello and Goodbye Good Morning and Good Evening Please and Thank you Yes and No Okay Entrance and Exit How much for this? Where are the toilets? Where is…? Excuse me Sorry Sorry, I’m still learning… [insert language] Do you want any bags? You may be wondering why phrases such as “entrance”, “exit” and “Do you want bags?” are included in this list. The first two are easy to explain; as you explore a new country you’ll want to read the signs for entrances and exits to help you navigate and avoid going into wrong locations. The bag question; workers at many European grocery stores will ask you this question, it makes for a...

A World Without Email by Cal Newport describes the current unproductive world of knowledge work. Newport coins the term hyperactive hivemind to describe how current offices work, constantly receiving and sending communications which leads to a flurry of interruption for work and flow. His recommendations for how to get out of this state of chaos are outlined below. While the lessons learned from the book are valuable, I can't recommend the book itself as the format is less than readable. It's structure sometimes prevents easy absorption of its ideas. The book's lack of organization is especially ironic given the book is about creating clear, concise, and organized work. If you can focus on one task without any interruptions then it is possible to reduce the amount of time it is required of said task. Autonomous Workflows Value : When implemented, workers are able to work for long hours in interrupted deep work. Definitions Workflow : Sometimes referred to as processes, t...

Do you want to travel the world? Your Country? Your State? Or even just around your hometown? Working Remotely can give you a sense of freedom, not being tied down to any one location has been such a blessing for my partner and I. We've travelled over parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The same can be true for you. In the following article, we'll share some advice and tidbits on how we look for apartments for our adventures around the globe! Unfortunately, traveling and being a digital nomad is not possible without a decent source of income. A comfortable income varies from person to person, but the modern advice is to spend no more than 40% of your yearly income on rent and household expenses.  In our example, we supposed an $1,800 expenditure on rent, which is doable to travel but also easily can be lessened with the proper planning. In the following article, we hope to help you plan for and find the perfect travel apartment for your nomad adventure. Let’s get into it! The g...

Throughout our travels, we’ve enjoyed reading plenty of books. Some books consist of such valuable information, it doesn’t make sense to keep them trapped in the pages of its namesake. For these books, I like to write Actionable Summaries. What's an Actionable Book Summary? An Actionable Summary is a book summary distilled to its most useful and practical parts. It's a summary created for the reader to absorb the book’s teachings and apply them across their personal and work life. You may ask what’s the purpose of an actionable book summary? They exist for people who want to learn about a subject, or at least learn about a book, but don’t have the time required to read the whole manuscript. Some books are lengthy and others simply aren’t worth reading for the small nuggets of gold buried within them. In my summaries, the most essential learnings are taken from the text and distilled into its most empirical and pragmatic. My first actionable book summary is coming soon: A World ...

Don't Know What to Expect? You'll be impressed! When my partner and I visited Portugal in December of 2022, we didn't know what to expect. Our expectations were low, we didn't know anything about this amazing country. When we arrived, we were just blown away. Now I want the same for you! Looking for your next vacation spot or nomad location? Here is why you should choose Lisbon! 1. Port Wine Named after the second city of Portugal, Porto. Port wine comes in three colors: White, Tawny, and Ruby. It is sweeter and more alcoholic than regular wine, and there are plenty tastings around the city so you can learn more about this amazing drink. Port wine is indulgent and sweet, like a wine cocktail in a glass. It's one of my partner's favorite drinks. Bonus Ginja : This sweet cherry liquor is Lisbon's hardworking friend. You can grab a small shot of it in kiosks and shops around the city. During Christmas, it's not unfamiliar that it is served in a chocolate cu...

  As mentioned in an earlier article, we believe as a digital nomad, one should spend no less than one month wherever they choose to stay. However, my partner and I arrived in Portugal and chose to divide our time spending 2 weeks in Lisbon and 2 weeks in Porto. Portugal is probably one of the most underrated countries in Europe. It’s beautiful scenery, delicious pastries, amazing wine culture, and pleasant climate make it an ideal place for your nomading adventures. Portugal even has a Digital Nomad Visa (which you can learn more about in an upcoming article).  Whether you plan to spend 1 year, 1 month, or even 1 week in this wonderful country, we have our ideal itineraries to help you in your planning. Day 1 Explore your neighborhood and settle in. Travel days are hard. Don’t try to do too much. Enjoy your time, take in the neighborhood and look forward to an awesome week in this bewitching city. Day 2 Don’t worry about waking up too early. The European lifestyle is a laidba...