Expats and lifestyle numbers growing?

[flybykite]

I'm curious if you think the expat kitesurfing community/lifestyle seekers are growing globally. By this I'm referring to those who've either moved their lives to another country or travel many months each year chasing ideal climates, wind conditions, travel, health, economy, culture, community, etc. Perhaps even if you've moved within your own country to chase windy conditions and lifestyle.

I suspect the number is quite small compared with those who kite on vacation, weekend warriors , or happen to have local access areas nearby.
Has the recent lean into online business allowed more people the choice to live and work wherever they choose?
Seems I've met more in the past few years than ever before.

Is this one of the personal big dreams/goals in the community?

[dylan*]

I think the number of people moving around is just generally increasing. The current trend is emphasizing work-life balance and creating memorable experiences, rather than slaving away in a place you hate...

I jumped on that wave 2 years ago, quit my office job at 26 and drove across the country without a plan... still doing it

[cemdev]

Spent 6 months this year travelling and kiting (and working). Next year, that will probably be 8 or 9.

[Toby]

It is great if you can...then you should do it for sure.
I meet and met many people with interesting stories.

But I would say most don't have kids...that is a different story in life...way more responsibility.

Or if they have grown ups, then they are free again

I work online, so have the luck to be anywhere and do my job. Of course I choose a kite spot to live...for me the best place in the world.

[shawn13]

If you have the opportunity i definitely suggest it.

I was fortunate enough to get an offer last June to consult in Africa on rotation for my company working 8 weeks then getting 2 weeks off and free business class travel anywhere so I have gone to 2 different new kite spots each two week period since. I have been able to ride spots in Africa and Asia i had only dreamed of before, including an upcoming trip to Mauritius finally at the end of the month.

I haven't seen my family or friends in a year, but they all understand and ill head home soon, but it would be stupid not to take full advantage of an opportunity like this. I dont regret it one bit and will continue to do it as long as i can.

I started a blog just so i can keep track of everything as it happens so fast.

http://buildingarealdream.com/

[corbett]

I met this American Peace Corps woman in Moldova and she did nothing all day thank god but I was thinking, what a great way to bag a free kite holiday of up to 2 years.

[SuperMorriso]

Well I did it 2 years ago and have not since looked back! I meet loads of others working online and traveling with the wind seasons; there's actually a fairly big community of us!

My advice would be to just make the leap - things will work out and it's not as hard as you think it will be! Stop putting too much emphasis on needing money, preparing and possessions - once overseas you'll realise you really don't need that much at all to live the dream !

PM me if you'd like any advice

[flybykite]

I wasn't necessarily looking for advice on how to live abroad, been doing it since 1995 myself, mostly in SE Asia. I was curious if others had noticed a recent swing in the trend to live and travel away from the "norm".
I think Dylan may have nailed it. "The current trend is emphasizing work-life balance and creating memorable experiences, rather than slaving away in a place you hate..."
It may be more of a general trend today, especially amongst those in their 20s and 30s. For me personally, living abroad for all these years started as a rebellion of the 9-5 and the system in general while discovering some freedoms and finding ways to continue with as little effort as possible.
Since I started kiteboarding I've met far more people with similar values than I had anywhere else. We see a lot of the same faces year after year for longer times each year and some stay to make new lives for themselves.

[downunder]

I live abroad for the last 14 years, and travel extensively (sort of, less and less last years). I am 46 now. Put it this way, the petrol prices and air fares were never such affordable. Air bnb, smart phones, voip and remote desktops enabled a lot of tech guys to live with no permanent address (check "Value Alliance" for pan-Asia now).

Some ppl have no courage for a major changes tho. Some lead, some follow, not everyone is the same and I think this will put extreme pressure on many in soon future. Since in general we talk more and more about changing a career many times in a lifetime.

[North_Wind]

A few years back I decided I wanted to do something different rather than work away until 65 (or is it 67 now), collect my gold watch and retire.

So I planned ahead and set up the Cape Town Kite Club lodge business and grew it up to the point where it is (almost!) breaking even.

Then last December I pulled the trigger and quit my job as a law firm partner (aged 43) to take an in house legal job but only after doing a search for a role that would allow me to work from the Club part time and remotely for 8 weeks per year, holidays on top so about 13/52 weeks "having fun". Work does intrude on those 13 weeks but I enjoy being busy ... I just wanted to be busy in the sunshine rather than in the Northern Hemisphere winters.

So far I am loving it. It is a modern way of working, but it is working for me!

BA