PH – 21 | Jules & Christine | Discover & Ignite Your Love For Travel

Responsible Tourism and the Nomadic Life

Could you imagine quitting your job and travelling around the world full time? For many of us, it’s a dream of freedom, for others, a nightmare of uncertainty. Recently I had the opportunity to chat with Jules and Christine from Don’t Forget to Move, a resource for adventure travel and responsible tourism.

During our talk, we discussed the pros and cons of the nomadic lifestyle, and the importance of living your life’s purpose.

Jules and Christine were both graduates of International Studies in college before meeting each other in Peru while volunteering with relief efforts there in early 2012. Their shared love of travel, combined with their passion for non-profit work around the globe sent them on adventures throughout the world, from private Caribbean paradises in the Corn Islands and cruising through Cuba, to volunteering with marginalized women’s groups in Mexico and helping create livelihood programs in Tacloban after typhoon Haiyan.

They use their blog Don’t Forget to Move http://dontforgettomove.com to advocate for responsible tourism, share their incredible experiences with the world, and show people how they can tap into the benefits of travel, regardless of their finances, physical ability, age or experience. It’s become a treasure trove of information, inspiration and advice on incorporating travel into our everyday lives.

First and foremost, you must be honest with yourself about the kind of lifestyle you want to lead. While travelling the world and seeing new things sounds exciting, it must be balanced with the knowledge of what you’re leaving behind: stability, friends and family, etc.

Indeed, even veteran travellers like Jules and Christine have begun to realize that they must slow down a little, staying in one place for a month or more before moving on. The fact is, the nomadic lifestyle is not suited to everyone. Jules shared a story in which they were in El Salvador, and hadn’t met any travellers for some time. When he called home to speak to his parents, the sound of his father’s voice released a torrent of homesickness he didn’t even know he had possessed, leaving him in tears.

The fact is, most of us simply don’t have the ability or the resources to quit our jobs and become nomads. The good news is you don’t have to.

Travel can be more than just arriving at a destination and buying a few souvenirs. Jules and Christine have incorporated community service into their travels, helping non-profits and aid organizations in areas around the world. Not only does do they get to see beautiful and exotic places and meet people from other cultures, they are also making a positive impact while they do it. They call it responsible tourism.

The idea is to visit and explore a place and its people, and leave it in a better condition than when you found it. This makes travel and vacationing not just relaxing and fun, but personally fulfilling as well.

Being a Path Hunter is all about finding your life’s purpose, the thing that sets your soul on fire and allows you to be the best version of yourself. Responsible tourism is a fantastic way to expand your view of the world, while simultaneously having a positive impact on it.

Whether you decide to become a nomad like Jules and Christine, or just opt for a short adventure in a far away land, remember that your visit has an impact whether you realize it or not. Why not make it a positive one? Who knows, you might just find your calling far from home.