Why read Nomad Without a Country?
If you’re reading this, you may want to know:
Why is this guy a nomad?
Why doesn’t he have a country?
And why should that be of interest to me?
You might also wonder if nomads are untrustworthy wanderers. If you want to see a nomad, just look in a mirror, and you’ll see one looking back at you.
We all started out as nomads. We were nomads for 95% of our existence on this planet until we settled down to be farmers, but inside us, the nomad still lives on.
Why no country?
I spent most of my life working overseas, but always considered the US my home, until the last year or so, when it changed so much that I couldn’t recognize it.
I couldn’t fix everything, but it upset me how we began to treat our neighboring countries and peoples with whom we have gotten along for so many decades.
I felt called to go on a mission of personal diplomacy, visiting neighbors, meeting people, trying to make friends, and showing people the better side of America.
I can’t change a whole country, but maybe I can change one or two minds.
For 40 years, I worked in Africa as a global health expert, fighting AIDS and providing disaster relief. I spent decades crossing remote borders, adapting to strange new cultures, and trying to make sense of a very complicated world.
Almost overnight, that ended. COVID struck. I turned 60: jobs dried up. I wrote a book, got a van and a dog, and embarked on a six-month book tour of the US.
That was four years and more than 100,000 miles ago. Soon, I was a nomad. Mr. Bones and I traveled all over the US, Canada, and Mexico, living on the road.
Now that I’m a nomad, I’m a different man. Because I live as nature intended.
Less anxious. No longer depressed. I stopped waiting for life to return to normal and created a new normal. I no longer believe a home has to be a fixed address.
Nomad Without a Country is about more than travel. It’s something that I want to share with others, on the chance that one of you might want to go wandering, too.
What this blog offers
In the blog, you’ll find stories about life on the road with Mr. Bones
Aging, reinvention, and redesigning the second and third acts of your life
The freedom that comes from letting it all go, then getting back even more
The ache of loneliness, the joy of belonging, and discovering new communities
Enjoying new music, cultures, foods, and fascinating adventures
What this blog is not
This is not a how-to guide for van life. I don’t sell courses, coaching, or offer secret formulas for happiness. I tell stories. Some are funny, thoughtful, or uncomfortable. All are true.
What is in it for you?
If you’ve ever wondered whether life still holds new possibilities after retirement, burnout, loss, disappointment, or a major life change, you may find something of interest here. Open your mind.
Do something crazy.
Free your imagination. Imagine a future that makes you feel alive. I did it, and this blog tells you what happened next. Family and friends thought I was crazy.
Maybe I am. But it sure is fun. If you’d like to check out my travels, welcome.
Meet my dog, Mr. Bones. I’m from Indiana. He’s Bones.
Together, we are Indiana Bones.
If you’re ready to “roam”—or you want to imagine what it’s like to start a new life or a new chapter — please hit subscribe (it’s free) and come along for the “ride.”
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