November 2011

Life is too short to live all your life in the same city, same country or even in the same continent.  In the past four years I’ve setup camp and lived in various cities for an extended amount of time.  I’ve stayed anywhere from one month (Copenhagen, Denmark) to almost two years (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and many, more places in between.

When I was younger, I used to zigzag across continents sleeping in dingy hostels, on roach-infested bed sheets next to snoring backpackers that haven’t seen a shower all month.  Now that I’m a bit older, my traveling pace has morphed into a more living approach than the whiplash-inducing trailblazing of the past.

Having experienced moving around and living in different spots, I developed a system that enables me to hit the ground running smoothly and with minimum fuss.

Location

Once I decide where I want to go, I begin researching the city.  Location is an important factor for someone that will only stay for 3-6 months so I place that above everything else.  Most smaller cities in Europe (Riga, Vilnius, Copenhagen) have an old town: a central area where all the stores, restaurants, bars and clubs are which makes it an ideal starting point. On the other hand, many other bigger cities (Rio de Janeiro, Paris, London) don’t have a specific center so you need to do more research and see which neighborhood suits you best.

I place a great location above all else and will devote a large chunk of my budget to ensuring a great apartment close to the city’s main attractions.

For smaller cities, a quick and dirty way to find a center  is to enter the city name in maps.google.com and where the pin drops is usually right where you want to be.

Accommodation

They’re several options when it comes to picking a place to stay: hostels, hotels/b&b, furnished/unfurnished private apartments. Before arriving, I usually book a more expensive accommodation such as a hotel or short-term rental for about a week while I scout out the city and look for a more permanent and cheaper longer term option.  Once I understand the city better, and have a clearer idea how long I’d want to stay, I negotiate a good deal for a studio/one-bedroom in the best part of the city for a few months.

There are many rental agencies that would assist you with the above. In Kiev and Odessa, Ukraine, I had success with apartment rentals via Dobovo.  Even doing a simple Google search for “<city name> apartment rental” does wonders.

Communication

Bring an unlocked GSM phone with you because one of the first things you’d want to do is buy a local SIM card.  Local SIM card provides an immediate local number in the country for making and receiving calls.  The advantage is two-fold: you can txt/call local numbers (taxis, restaurants, friends) for pennies instead of the ludicrous roaming fees, and locals that you just met would be more willing to text/call you because their costs will be predictable.  No need to wander if that hot brunette you just met in the park is not replying because she doesn’t like you or because texting international numbers is not part of her plan.

I used to have a rule that I would need to stay in the city for at least a week before buying one.  Now, I just buy one right away even if I’m staying for a couple of days.  They cost few dollars at most and come handy in many situations.  Last month when I landed in Vilnius, Lithuania having a local SIM card allowed me to order a cab right from the airport at much reduced rates — up to 10x less expensive than hailing one from the airport.

It’s also fun collection local SIM cards.  I have about ten now, and plan to reusing them when I get back to the country.

Food and Drink

Once you have setup a pad in the center of town, it’s time to stock the place with the proper necessities.

Right away I buy:

• 5L jug of water (if the water is not potable)
• Oatmeal (for a hearty breakfast)
• Eggs (easy source of protein)
• Bread, Cheese, Ham (for quick sandwiches)
• Pasta, Sauce (for easy no-fuss dinner)
• Liquor (bottle of red wine)

The above is bare bones list to get started.  Water is important especially if the place you’re staying in doesn’t have potable water.  I learned from experience that having nothing to drink while lying completely dehydrated and drenched in sweat after vigorous sex is not the greatest feeling in the world.

Once I get settled in, I start eating out less, and cooking in more.  In that case, I would stock on more stuff such as meat, fruits, vegetables, etc.

I typically aim for three square meals a day, and unless there’s an exceptional culinary experience to be had (rare for Central/Eastern Europe), I tend to go out about once or twice a week, preferring to cook my own food instead.

Meeting People

I use Couch Surfing to kick-start my social life by contacting locals, and attending a meeting or two every now and then.  Couch Surfing is a social network of travelers who either surf or host other travelers.  While I’ve done a bit of both, I mainly use it for meeting locals. However, usually the locals you meet there are definitely not representative of the greater population since most of the members people have excellent English and have either travelled or lived abroad.

Social networks can have uses as well.  I know people that use Facebook and/or local social networks to quickly build a social circle by just messaging people and meeting up later on.

I hate to rely on nightlife for meeting people because in some places (Medellin, Cali) nightlife is more about hanging out with friends you already have rather than meeting new people.  Nightlife in other places (Brazil) are structured for meeting other people, and if you’re single male, being in a place with a usual 2:1/3:1 female to male ration doesn’t hurt either.

Having said that, the most interesting interactions I usually had were in random situations, such as at bus stops, supermarkets or airports.  It helps to be out of your shell and be ready to have a conversation anytime and in any place.

Having packed up and moved somewhere new and exotic has truly been an eye opening experience.  It wasn’t always peaches and cream. The time I spent in Brazil was the best years of my life, while the time I spent in Colombia had me counting the days until my flight out.  Nevertheless, having a plan ensures a smooth transition to hit the ground the running.  The rest is up to you.

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