• About
  • Travel Planning Services
  • Blog
    • Stories of People & Poetry
Global Heartbeat Travel

travel that speaks to the heart

MENU
  • Contact
  • Work with Me
    • Partners and Sponsors

July 3, 2015 By Hailey

This Atypical American Life

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go.
I travel for travel’s sake.
The great affair is to move.”
—Robert Louis Stevenson

To say that I’ve been on the move as of late is a severe understatement.

Since I left my office job in downtown Orlando one year ago, I have spent over fifteen weeks abroad – thanks to a variety of unique opportunities. Before I took that step of faith away from my cubicle, I had no idea how much traveling overseas I was going to do in the year ahead:

that I would make my way through Bavaria and Berlin,
across southern France and the Andorran mountains,
down the streets of Brussels and Ghent,
over the coral sands of Grand Bahama Island,
to many dining tables in central Taiwan,
all across Thailand’s largest island of Phuket,
around ruined temples in Cambodia,
and through the southern regions of my beloved Spain.

With the same bewilderment over my list of international travels, I have repeatedly said to friends at home, “I know… my life is not normal.”

Which – in all honesty – is just fine with me.

This year has been a whirlwind of unexpected travels that have taken me far from my homeland, and yet, the story of my atypical American life is far from over.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Even though my life’s journey is wrapped up in his, I haven’t shared much about my husband on Global Heartbeat – a small attempt at privacy. Now, I’m deciding to throw privacy out the proverbial window in order to share more of our story.

One of the many reasons I love Justin is that he has a spirit of adventure and exploration. We fell in love while studying abroad in Chile, where the magic of travel captured our hearts and entwined them together forever. Between walking across the graduation stage and walking down the aisle, each of us moved to other countries: Justin went to Turkey and I relocated to Spain. Eventually, we came back to the U.S., got married, and made Orlando, Florida our home. We have loved living in Orlando these past five years (Seriously, Orlando is really cool!), but we have continued dreaming of and pursuing opportunities to live abroad again.

Feel at Home Anywhere

Before I go any further down the Travel Dreams Trail, let me be clear: Justin and I love The United States of America, and we are so grateful to be Americans. We are celebrating the Red, White, and Blue this week with our family, friends, and fellow countrymen, and we recognize that American citizens are privileged to call this country home.

Perhaps what makes us different than many Americans is that we have this strange calling to travel that goes beyond vacationing or a form of entertainment. As the English author Geoff Dyer puts it, we have this unusual desire “to feel at home anywhere,” to forge a life and create community in different settings around the globe. We are attracted to cultures different than our own, fascinated by foreign customs and practices, languages and lifestyles. We are curious to know and experience people of all places, spaces, and time, and we are willing to throw ourselves in completely.

I’m so excited to share that the time has come for us to realize our dream of moving abroad. In just a few days, we will board a plane bound for Europe…

because we are moving to Switzerland!

Justin has accepted a special job offer within his company that is taking us to Zürich, our new home for the next two or three years. On this side of the Atlantic Ocean, we don’t know how things will play out in this new season of our lives. But we’re not afraid. After all, the move to Switzerland is just the next chapter in our life story, This Atypical American Life.


Hallo friends and family, readers and fans! Do you think we’re crazy for wanting to “feel at home anywhere” in the world? What do you think about this move from America to Switzerland? Do you have any tips on living in Zurich (i.e. recommended neighborhoods, must see experiences, good eats, learning Swiss German, etc.)? What locations in Switzerland should we check out first?

Postcards from Hailey
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Get helpful tips, exclusive insights, and updates on my latest travels - just every once in a while! Also, when you subscribe, you'll receive my lookbook "The Best of Switzerland" for free :) So, what are you waiting for? Continue the adventure and join my travel team today!
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.
Tweet
Share on Tumblr

Related

Comments

  1. Ida says

    July 3, 2015 at 6:47 pm

    Not crazy at all! One of my favourite feelings in the world is the one that comes from setting up somewhere new, and that sense of infinite possibilities. Speaking from personal experience, home is never really a place, but the community we create and the relationships we develop. Taking the opportunity to explore new horizons, and having the courage to start all over again is a brave and beautiful thing.

    Best of luck! I look forward to your stories and new discoveries. <3

    Reply
    • Hailey says

      July 15, 2015 at 9:08 am

      Thanks, Ida! I totally agree that we make our home by forging friendships. Justin and I have been in Zurich a week now, and we have our work cut out for us. Relationships take time, patience, and understanding… and I’m wishing a few of my favorites would come over for a visit in the meantime ;-)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hailey Domeck is a Southern girl with a Spanish heart and Swiss soul.

As a wife, mom, and travel addict, her love for mountains, fairy-tales, and great food keep her mind and heart always on the lookout for the next great adventure.

♥ Connect with Me ♥



💫 2020 - not about travel; all about family. 💫

#littleAlpenRose #WaveyBow
For me, this year was all about #motherhood - the For me, this year was all about #motherhood - the beauty of growing a child in the womb and then nurturing a precious newborn around the clock; the wild roller coaster of shepherding a toddler, whose contagious joy and  stubborn defiance make each day a challenge and a gift; the mundane tasks that help make a home feel warm and welcoming; and a bunch of other things. 

.
.
.
#littleAlpenRose #WaveyBow
📷: @whitneykeilman
Merry Christmas, y’all! 🤍 No matter your circ Merry Christmas, y’all! 🤍 No matter your circumstances, may you experience JOY in this holiday season and have HOPE  for a brighter year ahead. 

.
.
.
#littleAlpenRose #WaveyBow 

📷: @whitneykeilman
• T H A N K F U L • We are saying thanks for • T H A N K F U L • 

We are saying thanks for all things in life this week. It’s so easy to get stuck on either the big picture or the tiny details, but I believe it’s important to take it all in - like I did on this ridge overlooking #Manang Village last year while trekking the #AnnapurnaCircuit in #Nepal. 

Creating a culture of gratitude takes intentionality and discipline... and it’s especially not easy when babies and toddlers demand so much of you at all hours of the day and night. Yet, here we are at the start of the holiday season, and I’m choosing to be grateful for the whole lot. 

What are you thankful for this year?
Hooray, it’s the weekend! 🥳 I don’t have a Hooray, it’s the weekend! 🥳

I don’t have any big plans today (#newbornlife), but I’m recalling the joy of “Heidi Hailey” in the Himalayas last November. ☺️ Shout out to @thatdutchieguy for bringing his Polaroid camera on our #CreateConnectNepal journey... what a fun way to capture special moments, - like my favorite stretch of the #AnnapurnaCircuit in the #Manang District ❣️

What are you up to this weekend?
As I sit here nursing an 8-week old babe, it’s j As I sit here nursing an 8-week old babe, it’s just wild to me that on this date exactly one year ago, I was walking among giants and completed the most difficult hike of my life. 

On November 11, 2019, the #CreateConnectNepal team and I went up and over the Thorong La Pass. At 17,769 feet (5416m), this is the pinnacle of the Annapurna Circuit and one of the highest mountain passes in the world. The day began in the dark with a grueling 4+ hour ascent through snow-kissed trails and then required a fierce descent down a bone dry valley. It demanded everything of me. 

Yet, that day up and over Thorong La was just one part of my epic adventure in #Nepal last November. I am eternally grateful for that experience and cherish those memories dearly. I also miss those people a lot. ❣️
Follow on Instagram

  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Latest
  • Today Week Month All
  • 7 Things to Do in Zurich in Winter 7 Things to Do in Zurich in Winter
  • Hiking in Zermatt: 3 Scenic Trails You Don’t Want to Miss Hiking in Zermatt: 3 Scenic Trails You Don't Want to Miss
  • To the Top of Pilatus To the Top of Pilatus
  • The Best Fondue Restaurants in Zurich The Best Fondue Restaurants in Zurich
  • 6 Fun Things To Do At The Zurich Airport 6 Fun Things To Do At The Zurich Airport
  • 3 Questions to Ask Before Travel Planning 3 Questions to Ask Before Travel Planning
  • Reset & Ready: An Update from the Swiss Family Domeck Reset & Ready: An Update from the Swiss Family Domeck
  • An Open Letter to My NEWEST Newborn Daughter An Open Letter to My NEWEST Newborn Daughter
  • The Don CeSar: Highlights from Our Stay at the Pink Palace of Florida The Don CeSar: Highlights from Our Stay at the Pink Palace of Florida
  • 7 Tips For Planning A Trip to Nepal 7 Tips For Planning A Trip to Nepal
  • Today Week Month All
  • Sorry. No data yet.
Ajax spinner

Tags

adventure travel art & culture beach trip expat life family travel festivals & holidays food & drink hiking Munich Orlando Paris people & poetry Photography product reviews reflections road trips Sicily summer travel tiny country spotlight travel tips winter travel Zermatt Zurich

Recent Posts

  • 3 Questions to Ask Before Travel Planning
  • Reset & Ready: An Update from the Swiss Family Domeck
  • An Open Letter to My NEWEST Newborn Daughter
  • The Don CeSar: Highlights from Our Stay at the Pink Palace of Florida
  • 7 Tips For Planning A Trip to Nepal

 

DISCLAIMER POLICY

SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE “POSTCARDS FROM HAILEY”

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Discover Stories

adventure travel art & culture beach trip expat life family travel festivals & holidays food & drink hiking Munich Orlando Paris people & poetry Photography product reviews reflections road trips Sicily summer travel tiny country spotlight travel tips winter travel Zermatt Zurich

Global Heartbeat Travel

Copyright © 2023 Global Heartbeat Travel travel that speaks to the heart

 

Loading Comments...