I thought I'd found my perfect home in California. After 5 years, I left it behind.
A former San Diego resident shares her personal journey of leaving a stable life and desk job to pursue full-time travel. She reflects on the trade-offs between the comfort of a settled home and the desire for global exploration.
Why it matters
It reflects the growing cultural trend of 'digital nomadism' and the shifting priorities of the modern workforce regarding lifestyle and career.
I found the city of my dreams, then left it to travel full-time. Julia Atkinson After living in various US cities , I settled down in San Diego, which felt like my perfect home. However, five years in, I decided to leave my desk job and apartment to travel full-time. There are things I miss about the life I built in California, but I'm glad I took a risk. When I moved to San Diego in 2021, I thought it was my perfect home. I'd spent months living in different US cities — none of which were quite the right fit — before moving to California. I absolutely loved taking runs on the city's beaches and hunting for the best tacos in different neighborhoods on weekends. I decorated the brick walls of my San Diego apartment with work from local artists and bought cute furniture for my patio.
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