"If I Just Left My Job and Traveled, What Would Happen?"

From nurse to world traveler - interview with Sara Burdick

Sara Burdick

First of all, thank you, Sara, for agreeing to this interview!

Recently, I've been feeling the pressing desire and curiosity to interview you, considering the interesting travels you narrate in your articles and newsletter, as well as your 'life philosophy' that runs through them.

Not only that, but you've also written articles or occasionally made comments on my writings that I often found 'liberating.' I thought they aligned perfectly with the theme of my newsletter, Freedom Focus!

Let me explain.

First of all, your straightforward tone, unafraid to speak the truth about things we might hesitate to write about, is refreshing. Secondly, you demystify mainstream notions, challenging the idea that traveling or leaving an unsatisfactory job must be very hard. 

I’ll give our readers an example of both.

As of the first one, I particularly enjoyed this excerpt in your article titled ‘The American Dream is Alive and Well, Just Not in America’ where you reported a conversation you had while traveling through Georgia (the country). In that occasion, you stumbled upon two friendly men who started talking to you:

‘They find out I am from the US and instantly start smiling; one guy is translating for another guy. He says he wants to marry you. I said:

“ Well, I am not on the market, and then I said, why? He just met me?¨

¨Because you are American, he wants to go home with you and become American.¨

I laughed and said well, I have not lived in the US for over five years, so your plan would not work too well.

Then I said ¨why does he want to go live in the US?¨

Money.

He wants to make money. They go on to tell me that everyone in the US is wealthy because that is what they see on TV. That is what the media portrays of us.

I looked at them and said the US is going through many issues right now, which is probably more dangerous than your country. Of course, they did not believe me and kept saying ¨American Dream¨.

That they both knew in English:

¨I said well, sorry to disappoint you, but the real American dream is to earn USD and live not in America.¨

I always try to tell people I meet this. I give them options and tell them to teach their language online to make USD, EURO, and Pounds. I understand their money does not go far; here you are, either rich or poor.’

As for the second example, I appreciated your comment on my article titled 'How Much Do You Need To Leave Your Job?' At that time, I was planning my (second) exit from a good job, one that had allowed me to work from anywhere 6 months a year. Naturally, I was immersed in the anxiety and questions of the moment. What I realized was that the anxiety was more influenced by the recommendations I was reading on the internet and the average reaction I was envisioning from people back home than my own thoughts and analyses of the upcoming months.

I loved that in that circumstance, you commented:

What captured my attention is the last sentence, which I believe is something not many people think about in similar situations. I would like to touch upon this later on. 

So, let’s get this interview started!

First of all, who are you, how long have you been traveling for, and what do you do?

I was born in a small town in Kentucky, so I am at heart a country girl. I was an ICU Nurse for 16 years and I knew that I wanted to see the world. I started as a travel nurse and ended up in Los Angeles, and then got into the normal humdrum of ordinary life, and then I got bored. I knew I didn't want kids, and I always wondered what if I just quit my job and go, what would happen? 

I knew I could always return to being a nurse, so I spent a couple of years planning and then one day a friend said ‘what are you waiting for?’ So I bought a one-way ticket to Colombia because it was the cheapest place to visit! I saved money for 6 months, sold all of my things, including my car, and left in August of 2018. Now, after traveling all over the world for 6 years, I am back in Colombia. 

I worked as a nurse consultant for a couple of companies remotely, until COVID and I got laid off. Then I continued volunteering and decided to move to Colombia to learn Spanish in 2021, then a friend recommended I start writing so I did, and I also started recording videos on YouTube. Now I write full time, still, volunteer and my goal is to buy a farm and create an off-grid homestead here in Colombia, while I continue filming and writing. My ultimate goal is to inspire one person to leap into the unknown because you never know what will happen.

I also want to live a life without regrets, and one that will let those in my life realize anything is possible. I have 9 nieces and nephews, and I want to inspire them to live a life they want, not one that someone else wants for them. 

In your writings, I've occasionally observed a recurring theme centered around understanding 'how much you need' to sustain the lifestyle you desire. I find this approach very grounded, in stark contrast to the messages spread by social media centered on comparison and the constant need for ‘more.’

For example, you recently shared a poignant moment where you contemplated putting an end to writing as your main income stream to accept a job that offered a similar income. Could you delve deeper into your life philosophy and what values guide you?

When I was younger I lived a very grounded life in Kentucky, however, I had a tragedy in my family and lost both of my parents. Me and my siblings went to live with my grandmother who survived the great depression, and she reiterated what I had learned as a child with my parents. However once I graduated and was a nurse, and had a good job, I started spending money like crazy. I never had money so once I did, it was almost like a kid in a candy shop, and it only made me miserable. I was depressed for many years and shopped out of boredom. 

When I quit my job and sold all of my things I felt like a new person, sort of reborn. I started realizing I only needed what I had with me, and no more. I started traveling to countries where people not only had less than I did but were happy and would create things out of what little they had. I started to think differently, more of how I grew up. When I was a child in Kentucky we had very little, and it was the happiest time of my life. 

For years I tried to recreate this feeling, and once I started traveling and had very little, I finally began to feel happy again. I related it to being able to create with my hands, and my words, and create the life that I want. Social Media feeds you a lie and makes you feel that you are not good enough if you do not have XYZ, but you are. Everything you need you already possess. Also, Mother Nature will provide for you if you allow her, the world is full of incredible magical things, if we only open our eyes to see the miracles that are around us. Do not look at what you don't have. Instead, look at what you do have. 

My life philosophy has transformed into a complete and total trust in following my intuition and guidance by a power that is bigger than I am. Maybe I am a bit optimistic, but it is only because I have experienced it all, have come full circle, and have complete trust that what I need will show up when it is time. I was very angry for a long time, at the world, and once I stopped my life completely turned around, instead of seeing the bad, I see the good. Instead of seeing the hate I choose to see the love. I am not blind, and I am aware of the world around me, but why focus on that when you can focus on inspiration, possibility, and love?

Yet trying to take a well-rounded realistic approach to life, and I honor myself and keep true to who I am. I no longer allow things to control me. 

Going back to the volunteering opportunities you mentioned in the comment, have you participated in any over the years? Do you consider them as a means to lighten the financial burden of travel while engaging with local realities? Do you have an experience to share that particularly struck you?

I have been volunteering for the past 6 years all over the world. I started out volunteering to help me travel longer, but the more I volunteered, the more I realized that I was making a difference in at least one person's life, or one family's life. I have always wanted to make a difference in the world, but always thought it had to be on a big scale. Yet once I realized if I can help just one person, that might be the key to happiness. Plus it helped me connect with locals, and experience a different type of travel vs the normal backpacker route, it took me to places I would never have gone before, and have seen and met some of the kindest humans in this world. All through offering whatever I could do to help them on a very basic level. 

Whether it was cleaning a hostel, or taking care of dogs, or elephants it changed my outlook on life, and how I wanted to live my life. Plus during this time I have seen people leave their high-paying jobs and pursue their passion, and have seen it work out. 

In Thailand, I worked with two Dutch women who wanted to save two elephants from living a life of torture, and they are doing it, and now they have adopted a third elephant. They inspire me to keep chasing my dreams. People all over the world are doing amazing things, but if I never took my leap to chase my dreams, I would never have realized others are doing the same thing, and I am not alone, and more importantly, it will work out. I have seen those doing it, and volunteering inspires me. It is not easy for them, it is hard, but anything worth it is always challenging. 

Another one of my favorite volunteer gigs was in Argentina. It was the end of the pandemic and the family needed someone to help take care of their dogs and horses. They were normally a busy horse and husky farm, but due to tourism decreasing, they took a hit. It was only the two of them and if they had one horse ride there would be no one to stay on the farm, so I went and it was hard and rewarding work. I was even able to go on a four-day horse ride through the Andes Mountains with them when other volunteers came. It was incredible, and I am still in contact with them. 

That sounds fabulous! And very inspiring. On a slightly different note, I’ve been following your journey through Colombia lately in search of a property. How has that been going? Why Colombia? 

Finding land in Colombia has been a challenge. I am currently still searching. I first came to Colombia in 2018 and loved how I felt being here. Then I traveled all around the world and kept coming back to Colombia, and realized that I wanted to make it my official home. The Colombian countryside is magical and I want to create an off-grid homestead. Currently, I am volunteering at a Spanish school, helping them learn permaculture, and creating a garden to have fresh fruit and vegetables for the students. 

Good luck with your project! I'm confident that you will accomplish whatever you set your mind to.

What is a suggestion/tip you would give to the folks who are thinking about quitting their 9-5 to travel or taking a similar important decision?

Do it, you can always go back to what you were doing before. If you don’t do it, you will always wonder what if you did. Choose the unknown, since you already know what it's like to do what you are currently doing, and maybe who knows, you discover something new that you want to pursue! Life is short, so why not make it a fun adventure, if you volunteer along the way, you can add a ton of interesting things to your resume. 

Thank you so much, Sara!!! Where can our readers follow your stories?

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity! If you would like to get in contact you can read more stories here: 

https://substack.com/@saraburdick

https://medium.com/@saraburdick

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnKDYFCEiYlMNe6F3A_deA