Pursuing Beauty as a Nomad
Nomad Profile
I love Stina’s lust for life. Writing the Substack Far From Here, her zest comes through in all her writing; from her artful newsletter and colorful inspiration boards, to her city (Stockholm, Cairo) & country (Senegal, Tunisia, Sri Lanka) guides.
My favorite Stina piece is her hilarious post: “Voodoo people: A beheaded chicken and promises of a better mental health in Benin.” I’m not going to spoil it for you. Go read it today!
9 Fun Facts
First Name: Stina
Age Range: 40s
Nationality: Swedish
Nomadic Stance: Episodic
Last Corporate Job: none
Current Job: Designer and nurse
Favorite Countries: Egypt and Lebanon
Next Stop: El Salvador
What do you like best about the nomadic life? Unexpected meetings
2 Questions
1) In your writing and travel, you seem to be drawn to design and color. How does a place’s aesthetics shape how you view the world?
Good observation! Design, art, and architecture are the foundation of most of my travels. It’s how I get familiar with a place and try to understand it.
I love aesthetically beautiful spots in general, but through art, it also becomes easier for me to understand the joys, the struggles, and the hope of the people who call that place home.
Take Belfast, for example. The murals tell the full story of The Troubles. In Mumbai, I was amazed by the beauty of the Art Deco buildings. I’m obsessed with castles. I’m very much not a royalist, but I adore lavish palaces with coloured glass decorations and lots of gold. I’m easy like that : )
2) You’ve decided to center travel in your life (with your upcoming sabbatical). What led to that decision, and how are you navigating the transition?
I’ve travelled for long periods of time over the years. It all started as a solo backpacker in 2003—what a time (he he). Later, I worked as a freelance designer and art director for many years, which meant I could be based wherever in the world I wished. It was brilliant.
Then I had a midlife crisis, as one does, and decided to become a nurse. That meant staying in Sweden for a few years to study and work.
Now I’m ready to take off again. I’ll be travelling for the coming six months, starting in Central America, then spending two months in the north of Sweden (it’s amazing this time of year), followed by Australia and Southeast Asia for a bit. I’ll round it all off with some nurse volunteer work in West Africa. Yalla! Let’s go! I’m so excited!
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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson has traveled to 135 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.
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