About Me

Hi there, and welcome to my slow travel and digital nomadism blog! First, let me introduce myself: My name’s Mary Bolling (it’s a double name…but you can call me Mary for short).

I’m from Connecticut in the U.S.A. originally, but haven’t really lived there since I was 18 years old (I’m now 33). 

I blame that on…

Getting the Travel Bug

I suppose that my travel bug started when I was 16 when I had my first real out-of-the-country cultural experience. 

A girl from New Zealand came to stay with me in the states for 3.5 weeks, and then that summer, I went to visit her in Auckland, New Zealand.

Fortunately, we got along really well (or it might have been a bit awkward!). She showed me all around her city and part of her country. She took me to school and parties with her. I got a real taste for a culture that, while similar in many ways to my own, was also very different. 

Fast forward to a few years later…Shortly after graduating from college in North Carolina, I packed up my things and booked a one-way ticket (yes, hence the name of this blog!) to France, where I ended up living for the next 4 years (first, to teach English and then to do my Master’s).

After that chapter came to a close, I once again packed my things but this time headed south. Wayyy south. To Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

I spent 9 months in Rio learning Portuguese, soaking up Brazilian culture and looking for a job before I finally headed back stateside (this was before I even knew that working remotely was an option for me…and I felt like my best “career options” were in the U.S.). 

I spent another few years living in the U.S., until I got itchy feet again. Luckily, at that time, I was able to find a remote job that paid me more than my office job in San Diego did and afforded me the flexibility to live anywhere in the world (so long as there’s a good wifi connection!). 

Becoming a Digital Nomad

Since then, I’ve hopped around from place to place: San Diego, California; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Medellin, Colombia; Delray Beach, Florida; Florianópolis, Brazil (yup…I went back!), and currently, Barcelona, Spain.

Next stop? I’m dying to uncover Southeast Asia (as soon as this quarantine is over!). But I refuse to go for just a few weeks. When I go, I want to go for at least 3-6 months, if not a full year (or who knows…maybe more!). 

All that said, my remote job has given me the freedom to be able to pick up and travel anytime I want–so I can spend more time with my family and loved ones around the world. 

It’s allowed me to be able to slow travel. To spend as much time as I want visiting a new place. To stay there long enough to actually get to know the culture and lifestyle. 

Since I’ve started working, I’ve had so much people tell me how jealous they are and how I have the best job in the world. How lucky I am to have the location independence that I do. 

And honestly? I couldn’t agree more. And now, I’d like to be able to help you do the same. 

I started this blog as a way to just document my thoughts and experiences while traveling. Now, my goal is to continue to document those thoughts and experiences, but hopefully also help all of you out there who want to become a digital nomad or simply want to travel the world like a local. 

Not Your Typical Travel Blog 

Although let me warn you: You’ll find travel tips on here, but this isn’t your typical travel blog. To me, travel is about quality over quantity.

Rather than tick off destination after destination, my goal is to slow travel as much as possible. To spend time really getting to know a place, its culture and its people. 

I prefer to travel spontaneously…to leave things open-ended. Which is the reason why this blog is named one-way travel only. 😉 It’s my preferred method of travel, after all. And fortunately, I have a job that allows me to do that! 

So whether you’re here just looking for tips on how to blend in like a local while traveling or you’re determined to find a remote job and jump start the digital nomad lifestyle, you’re in the right place. 

I hope that this blog helps you in some way. If nothing else, that it maybe gives you a bit of inspiration to go after your dreams and live the life that you deserve! 

If you have any questions at all or tips you’d like to share, please  don’t hesitate to comment, reach out or engage in the forum! 

Happy (slow) traveling. 🙂