As I discussed earlier this week, I spent the past two weeks in Long Island staying with friends. This was a change in many ways from the past year. 1) I was living… with other people. 2) I could see friends and share meals without mask wearing all the time. And 3) I could hug people! While most of the experience was great, it definitely gave me some things to think about as I get started on my trip.
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Here are some of the thoughts I was having about cohabitation with new people after a few years of solo living / pandemic living, especially for a now-nomadic traveler like me.
Some notes on the good and bad while staying with friends or family:
1) They have stocked kitchens (& bars & linen closets)
I have a bunch of kitchen stuff (storage, dry ingredients, knives, etc) that I have for those times when I’m starting from scratch in a rental kitchen. But when you’re staying with friends, they typically have stuff. From frying pans to spices and other ingredients, you have a good head start on cooking most nights. Always grab groceries for yourself to supplement, but being able to cook together and share meal times / after dinner drinks is very nice.
On a similar note, I’m also traveling with my own set of sheets & towels just in case. But it was nice to keep them packed away for a while until they’re needed.
2) You are sharing a space, and it’s not one you have a personal stake in
When staying with friends or family, you are in their space. It’s not like having a roommate that you negotiate with, it is 100% their space. So always be polite with where you have your stuff, clean up after yourself, and always be willing to offer a hand. Even if it’s your family or lifelong best friend, they are still doing you a favor. So make sure to keep that in mind. And maybe leave a nice gift when you go… especially when your dog was a monster and peed on a few rugs……………
There is a nice benefit to having your own space as you travel, and I’m definitely one to see the perks in personal space, but sometimes that’s worth putting aside for a few days to reconnect with those we love. If you’re heading out to travel more in the next year post-pandemic, give yourself time to adjust. It’s going to be a weird re-entry for most of us!
3) Remember that even if you are working from home, you are still spending time with friends
This may seem obvious, but sometimes when we get caught up in the daily work schedule, essentially when it’s from a home office, we forget that the nicest part of seeing our friends is… seeing our friends. Take that longer lunch to have a nice chat, take an afternoon walk, do an after work workout, make meals together. We have all been apart from so many of our loved ones over the past year or two, so being together with them is a gift. Remember to enjoy it!
All in all, spending time with friends and family is a wonderful thing, especially after the years we’ve had during the pandemic. So if you are out on the road like me or just looking to get away for a few days, maybe consider reaching out to friends and family to see who you can reconnect with.
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I hope this gave you a few things to consider as you travel, and if you have any thoughts or other things to think about when visiting friends as a nomad please leave them below!
~ Happy Travels, V ~