“Emily, how can you afford to travel so much?”

(Post updated after deeper reflection)

I get asked this question a lot, and it’s often assumed I’m made of money, spoiled or both. But let me throw that question back at those who’ve asked: “Louise, how can you afford that new car?!” “Frankie, how can you afford to go out every other night?!” “Jeremiah, how can you afford that apartment in downtown Brooklyn!?” Well, maybe it’s inconvenient for Louise to get around without a vehicle. Frankie has a million friends and loves drinking and dancing. And Jeremiah, he enjoys living in the limelight of NYC. You see, how we spend our money is determined by our lifestyle choices. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the hippity hoppin’ NYC lifestyle once.

Nowadays I choose to go out less, live at home, and take the subway so I have more money to spend on my travels. When I’m on the road, in order to travel longer, I am willing to sacrifice my comfort of a queen sized bed with private showers and a hot breakfast for a shared hostel dorm with shared bathrooms and actually, oftentimes breakfast included. The point I’m trying to make is that money is not the main determinant of whether one can travel or not. It’s a matter of choices. 

As for personal finances, I’m not going to deny I live a comfortable life. I am not the fruit of a money tree, but I’m also not a pauper; I was raised in one of those rags-to-riches immigrant families and am the fortunate recipient of my parents’ success. This is a privilege I owe tremendously to my parents for their sacrifices, but it is also because of those sacrifices that I’m choosing to do what makes me happy. If money can’t bring people happiness, why should I devote my life to it? That might sound ungrateful, but it’s one of the most important lessons I’ve learned from my family.

Let me clarify that my parents do not throw money at me. But they do present many opportunities that have allowed me to lead the life I do. For example, I can live at home rent-free so I save A LOT from not having to pay rent and utility bills. They also got me started doing education consultancy for their students, aiding them through the application process of attending US universities. From this job alone I saved up enough money to travel through Southeast Asia for almost 4 months this past winter.

After grad school, I got a job at a guesthouse, Little Yard, in rural Beijing, where room and board was provided. For a little over a year, I divided my time between living and working at the guesthouse, and living and working at home. Accepting the job at Little Yard was an adjustment to my lifestyle, but I chose it, and rather enjoyed living remotely in the quiet of a rural Chinese village.

When I left China last December, I traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. In those 3.5 months I spent roughly $4500, including airfare, travel insurance, hotel stays, at least 1 massage per week (couldn’t resist), and a 4-day yoga retreat. I could have stretched out the $4500 much longer, but I traveled a bit with friends and frequently chose comfort over budget. In India and Nepal, my friend and I each spent $2500 for 7 weeks, including airfare (but we totally forgot about travel insurance).

How did I do this?

1. Staying at hostels
2.  Workaway, a volunteer exchange network — I spent 1 week at a meditation center in Yangon, Myanmar with room and board provided
3. Long bus/train rides, sometimes overnight
4. Very little alcohol consumption
5. Eating street food — it’s the best anyway!

   

Traveling definitely requires money in your pockets, but there are ways to maximize what you have if you’re willing to adjust your comfort levels and travel style. The circumstances in my life have allowed me to be more flexible with my finances, and I’m completely aware that of course not everybody is able to just take off and travel due to a variety of reasons, including lack of finances.

But like I said, what ultimately makes my travels possible are the choices I’ve made in how I live my life. Some people are afraid of leaving the comforts of stability (marriage, home, car, job, and insurance plan). Completely understandable! But I’m more afraid of what I’m missing out there in the world. Perhaps someday I’ll crave that stability but until then, I’m choosing to travel.