Vanessa Brown
Bio
Writer, teacher, and current digital nomad. I have lived in seven countries around the world, five of them with a cat. At forty-nine, my life has become a series of visas whilst trying to find a place to settle and grow roots again.
Stories (56)
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Getting Lit in an Argentinian Prison
By the time I turned fifty, I had only ever been drunk once, and this honour I bestowed upon myself on my eighteenth birthday. In true teenage fashion, I drank too much champagne chased by a few hefty glasses of punch before dancing on the tables we had set up in our family room for the occasion.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Wander
The Sounds of Rushing Water Can Soothe the Soul
I set out with a little trepidation. Over the last thirty years, I have travelled extensively around this world on my own but I must admit, I’m growing more and more weary of solo travel. I know this as I have begun to shy away from engaging in certain experiences alone.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Psyche
Uncovering Surprising Facts and Traditions from Around the World
Before I started teaching English online, I had lived in five countries, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Costa Rica - mostly English-speaking Western cultures. While I enjoyed learning about each culture, it was when I began teaching that I truly immersed myself in the factoids that were being presented daily.
By Vanessa Brownabout a year ago in Wander
Crossing Borders by Bus in South America
Tôrres, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina My epic 24-hour journey began at what I would never be able to call a bus stop of any kind. Hanging out under a highway overpass, we kept our eyes on the dirty, run-down store across the street for the JBL bus to stop briefly and pick me up.
By Vanessa Brown2 years ago in Wander
Plans Change — A Brazilian Christmas and New Year
Having spent my last few Christmases and New Years in Ontario, Canada, I have found snowy grounds, homes decorated in an assortment of lights, and Christmas music playing unabashedly in every store and café gives me some much-needed Christmas spirit as each year comes to a close.
By Vanessa Brown2 years ago in Wander
Eating My Way Through German Delicacies
In a delightful twist of fate, I found myself slap bang in the middle of Bavaria, Germany, at the beginning of August 2022. This destination had not been on my five-month digital nomad plan, nor did I imagine that I would spend five weeks with an acquaintance, and her family, that I hadn’t seen in over thirty years.
By Vanessa Brown3 years ago in Feast
Being Multidimensional in a Unidimensional World
I was introduced to Emilie Wapnick’s Ted Talk on “multipotentialites” and “why some of us don’t have one true calling” last year. She spoke very eloquently about the pressure of the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and how damaging it can be to those she calls, “multipotentialites” — people who don’t feel called in one direction, but who have many interests, many jobs, and many interlocking potentials.
By Vanessa Brown3 years ago in Motivation
Advice to Airbnb Hosts from a Seasoned Traveller
I have spent more than 10 months, collectively, in Airbnbs spanning four countries. From renting studio and basement apartments alone to renting a single room in a shared environment, I have had a lot of experience with Airbnb hosts.
By Vanessa Brown3 years ago in Wander
