Emma: Digital Nomad!

Hi all! Well, I did it. I made it out of the country with a suitcase and a backpack full of stuff, and my work laptop. I’m a digital nomad now! First stop: Movement Mexico, Puerto Escondido. Where I intend to spend my free time diving deeper into the movement practice of Ido Portal, which was such a defining part of my time in San Francisco from September 2022 to November 2023.

I’m going to post updates on the blog for anyone who wants to follow along. Feel free to subscribe to get those updates in your email inbox. For this first update, I’ve got daily logs from yesterday and today. We’ll see how it evolves.

1/6/2024 – Night 1 at Casa Shanti, Movement Mexico

Well, I made it to Puerto Escondido! I barely slept last night and it was a trek to get here, so I’m a little wrecked but beginning to settle in.

I have my own little cabin at Casa Shanti. It’s two levels so I’ve got a little living room + kitchenette, and a lofted bedroom. We are just a couple blocks from the beach, Playa Zicatela. I actually got here just in time to catch the sunset, along with probably everyone else in town.

I seem to be sharing space with an array of beings. I’ve only met one human so far, a surfer who’s renting one of the rooms here on AirBnB and working remotely. He’ll be here a month. There are also at least 3 cats and 2 dogs here. One little grey kitty is pretty persistent about wanting love and attention and following me around. …And jumping on my lap while I eat, and trying to lie on my keyboard while I type! Lol. Will be working on boundaries with this one.

I’m a little intimidated being in a new place where I don’t speak the language… though there certainly seems to be a lot of English-speaking travelers here, particularly in this touristy-feeling neighborhood. I love the idea of taking language lessons while I’m down here but am not sure if that would be too much to commit to on top of daily 2-hours movement sessions (starting Monday!) and my job.

First hit walking around after sunset… It feels a bit like a party town here. I wonder what kind of groove I’ll find for myself over the next 6 weeks? My vibe is more Yoga than Nightlife. People keep telling me about Mazunte, an hour or so drive down the coast, which sounds like a smaller town that draws more of the hippie/yoga/meditation-focused travelers. I hope to make it down there for a day trip or a weekend.

Tomorrow…. is Sunday! I’m going to need to go out in search of ATMs where I can get some pesos.

1/7/2024 – Night 2 at Casa Shanti, Movement Mexico, Puerto Escondido

Ahh, I slept great last night and had a wonderful day today!

Upon awakening to the sounds of street life out my window I was struck first by a sense of wonder and excitement – “Wow, I’m in a totally new place!” – and then by a perhaps inevitable wave of fear – “I don’t know what I’m doing here!!”

Most of my anxiety was pretty short-lived though, as my host and soon-to-be movement teacher Jonathan offered to take me into town and show me around. What a gift! I was able to get fully set up in my little space today because of him, with jugs of water and some food, and a hopefully-good-enough work station in my cabina for doing computer work… and I learned a bit about how transit works around here, and some bits of what’s-what.

Beyond being grateful for his helpful orientation, I also just enjoyed spending time with Jonathan today. He’s my first friend here! We had a leisurely breakfast at the local Mercado, and a juice and coffee. I bought myself some flowers. I learned from him a bit about this place – Puerto Escondido, and Casa Shanti. When we got back from town I helped him make a sign for our movement space with rules for the space, since the trimester of movement practice starts tomorrow morning. I am happy I was able to contribute some time and energy to the space today. It made me feel like I am home here.

After the morning of getting my space set up and helping Jonathan with the sign, I decided to go out for a walk and explore a bit. It was very hot and humid. I made it to a Spanish Language school (while listening/talking to a language lesson on my way there, haha). It’s a bit of a stretch goal for my time here that I will take language and/or surf lessons… I’m hesitant to make a commitment now because I first want to feel out the balance of Movement sessions here 2 hours a day with full-time remote work. But this place looks amazing and offers both. Fingers crossed that it could work for me, now or in the future.

I spent a lot of time on my own today, between walking around and journaling at home and on the beach in the shade of palm trees (<3), and had a couple phone calls with friends… all helpful for putting me in a reflective and present space, appropriate for a Sunday wherever I am in the world.

Then I met another new friend this evening, eating dinner in the outdoor communal hangout space at Casa Shanti. A non-digital nomad named Sarah who mostly lives in the physical world, and hasn’t given away her life force to the virtual reality technology vortex. We had a deep, dropped in conversation about what life is and what it is to be present and available to life and creative… what “finding a place to settle into” means… and what sacrifices that might require. One conclusion we both came to is that everyone has their struggle, no matter what path they are walking. I hope I get to spend more time with Sarah and that she doesn’t float away from here too quickly. I hope I get to meet other travelers and make more friends.

I’m feeling that this nomad journey is like life… on some essential level it’s a solo journey. But I can’t actually do it alone. I can make my plans and try to have my ducks in a row, but I’m inevitably going to end up in places that are unfamiliar and need to rely on the goodwill of friendly people along the way to help me out. I’m really grateful that there are friendly people in my path and that Life is about helping each other out and enjoying it. It’s easy to forget that sometimes.

One of the best parts of my day today had nothing to do with Mexico… it was a phone call with a friend from home where we prayed for each other over the phone. Prayer is a true salve for my spirit, offering nurturing to the deep questions and sorrows flowing in the deeper currents of my being, underneath this budding nomad journey. I’m working on building a daily prayer practice. I hope it keeps growing steady. I’m going to need it!

Anyway… time for bed for me. Hopefully I won’t be up too late scratching mosquito bites – Tomorrow is my first training session at Movement Mexico! And a start to a new work week in the digital ecosystem (“ego-system”? – got that from Sarah. I like it.) I’m excited to meet my peers in this cohort of movement enthusiasts, and start to feel into a weekly routine here. Wish me luck!