Explore Now as a Nomad
Nomad Profile
I’m a fan and subscriber of Clarie’s newsletter Wander, Wonder, Write. I’m drawn to both her engaging writing style and the personal stories she shares, which often feature the heartfelt, human side of travel.
Be sure and check out Claire’s latest book Woman of the Hour, a collection of 50 stories about everyday women climbing over obstacles and forging life to meet their needs.
9 Fun Facts
First Name: Claire
Age Range: 40s
Nationality: Dutch
Nomadic Stance: Full-time
Last Corporate Job: None. I’ve always been independent.
Current Job: writer, editor, teacher, coach; it depends on the circumstances
Favorite Country: Japan
Next Stop: Argentinia
What do you like best about the nomadic life? Open-mindedness
2 Questions
1) In your nomad origin story, you mention planning to travel for 2 years; now you’re in Year 6. Looking back, what’s one thing you’d have done differently in the first year?
Had I known then what I know now, I would have left my comfort zone sooner. After my husband and I lost our home in Paris, we first returned to the countries we already loved, Italy and Greece. We enjoyed slow traveling through Sicily and spending a month on Skopelos, but I didn’t grow much as a person until we ventured into Morocco and, in early 2020, made our first journey to Asia.
We visited Thailand and Cambodia before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped us short and kept us in Vietnam for nine months. That was life-changing, experiencing a global event from a culture virtually unknown to me.
Had we lingered in Europe even one month longer, we wouldn’t have been able to leave our familiar world for several years. Life is unpredictable. If you desire to expand your horizon, don’t wait. Go far when you can. Explore now.
2) As an author, blogger, editor, and creative coach, what inspires you to keep writing?
I believe that stories—fiction and nonfiction—can connect people, give comfort, and change reality.
I don’t have a million followers and my books haven’t made it onto international bestseller lists, but enough readers have reached out to me over the years to inspire confidence: My stories matter.
None of us can know how exactly we affect others, but we surely influence thoughts and possibly actions when we share our views and experiences. Each time I write or help others write their stories, I feel hopeful that we create a better understanding of one another and increase our empathy. 🦋
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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson has traveled to 130+ countries & all 7 continents. She is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked “Explore the World with Nomads.”
Curious to read more Nomad Profiles? Get the bonus edition to the guide—Meet 10 More Nomads: Bonus Interviews 11-20.
Claire — that reflection about not truly growing until you left familiar territory really stayed with me. Loving a place isn’t the same as being changed by it, and that distinction is so honest.
“Had we lingered in Europe even one month longer…” captures how thin the line is between momentum and delay. Timing, luck, courage — they’re all braided together in nomad stories, but we don’t always name it this clearly. Vietnam arriving when it did feels like one of those life-recalibrating chapters you only understand in hindsight.
And your answer about writing without chasing scale felt grounding. Stories matter because they land, not because they trend.
Erin — this was a great profile choice. Claire’s clarity about growth and purpose fits Nomad Life beautifully!
—Kelly