Important note:
I am not getting paid in any way to name any specific sites, brands, or products. My recommendations are solely a result of my opinions.
Welcome to the first edition of the “Field Guide” series. This series works best in tandem with my latest Otherwhere Blog Series post, where I fully de-brief you on what I’m doing in my life right now! So, if you haven’t read that yet, check it out here. All the advice in this post will be related to that blog and where I currently am in my journey. But, without further ado, on with the Field Guide!
I am moving to Montana for a short period of time while I figure out what I want out of life. I spent so many years torn between the outdoors and the office. I constantly wanted to live a life in greater communion with nature, but when it came to my job, I always chose the office. I finally changed that and am trying my luck in the Rocky Mountains.
That is a difficult choice to make, and not one that comes easily. Yes, I could have likely kept my corporate job intact by moving to Denver or Seattle, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to deal with insane rent and paycheck-to-paycheck living, and for once I wanted to wake up to a natural skyline, not a group of buildings.
So I decided to move to the mountains… and I mean REALLY to the mountains.
My destination is Bozeman Montana, where I’m living in a hostel for FREE. No rent, no utilities, no parking fee, and even free breakfast plus a weekly food stipend.
In this article I’ll list what all my options were, why I landed on this option, and how I did it. I’ll tell you what I do for work, how my work is affected by this choice, and what I’m doing about that. So let’s get started!
What did My Life Look Like Before This?
I am a 25-year-old man. I was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and I have lived in several other places by choice: St. Louis, Missouri; Charlotte, North Carolina; Phoenix, Arizona; and Madrid, Spain. I went to college in St. Louis where I majored in Finance and Entrepreneurship, and soon thereafter I got a job as a consultant.
The word “consultant” is meaningless. What I do specifically is help companies build products. My more specific title is, “Product Manager.” Here are some extra answers to questions you probably have about my job:
Do I work Remote? No, I work hybrid.
Do I work in Des Moines? Yes.
Do I like my job? I like my consulting company just fine, but I do not like my client.
Why am I leaving? Because I want something different out of life.
What I wanted to Get Out of Leaving
I’ve always been infatuated with the outdoors. It’s where I think I’m the most happy, and where I feel the most at ease. So, my theory is that being outdoors more often, and in places I find beautiful, will make me happier and more fulfilled. Fool-proof theory, right?
The reality is more complicated because I’ve chosen to let one thing control most of my life: corporate culture. That culture dictates that, even though I’m less happy in an office and I have to deal with stupid and pointless shit every day, I should do it because I can make a lot of money and the routines will make my life stable.
Well, I don’t really care about routines, stability, or money… at least not yet. I’m 25, unmarried, no house, no kids, and not even a pet. So what was I doing sacrificing my life for rewards I didn’t want?
I’m not dumb. I know how important money and a job is (my major was finance), but I wanted to see if I could get money and a good job without compromising everything else. To do this, I knew I had to do something unconventional.
Keep reading, and I’ll tell you everything I thought of doing, and everything I did instead.
Options I passed on but You Might Want to Consider
I first thought that I’d go on a long vacation. I thought maybe it would get my travel bug out. I’ve grown accustomed to taking “working vacations” which are just longer vacations where you don’t take PTO, but work remotely. These vacations work best when you have somewhere cheap or free to stay.
I’ve gone to Costa Rica, Seattle, and gone on a huge road trip, all while working remote. I know friends who’ve spent several weeks in Panama, Spain, and countless places all around the US with only a few days of PTO. It’s a great option if you just need a break.
But, I knew in the back of my head that it wouldn’t work for me. I’ve taken several month-long vacations in my life, and they all ended up the same – I’d go back to the office and hate it all the same. So, I wanted something greater.
I went to a website called coolworks.com. It was recommended to me by a friend. It works like Indeed or LinkedIn Jobs, but specifically lists companies that work in and around National Parks, or other cool outdoorsy places.
The gist is that most of the jobs on Coolworks are 1.) seasonal, and 2.) usually provide some type of subsidized food/housing situation. That way you don’t need to worry about that sort of thing while you’re working there.
At first, Coolworks seemed like a great option. It would give me housing, let me work in amazing, beautiful places, and I’d make money. What could there possibly be to worry about?
I ended up with cold feet over the contract length. I knew I wanted to try out this lifestyle, but I was far from certain that I was ready to dive in head-first. Applying for these jobs meant signing up for several (normally 6+) months of a life I wasn’t even sure I wanted. I also had the issue that I am an extreme extrovert, and my mental health would suffer greatly if I felt isolated during those months.
In the end, neither the long vacation or seasonal job methods seemed right for me at this moment. BUT they might be right for you, so I suggest you use them if you think they’re what you’re looking for! These are also opportunities I’m keeping in mind for later 🙂
Now For What I'm Actually Doing
I wanted the best of both worlds. I wanted to stay in a place that didn’t feel so “permanent” but wasn’t just a vacation. I didn’t need to make a lot of money in this adventure, but I just needed to see if I liked the lifestyle. If I did, then I’d explore more lucrative and permanent employment options.
I didn’t want to make any other “permanent” decisions either. I didn’t want to quit my job yet or sign a new lease on an apartment. I wanted to have the ability to tap out when I wanted to and return to my old life if needed.
You might think I’m being picky, but I ended up getting everything I wanted. Here’s how!
I found a website called Workaway.info. This website works like Coolworks in that it offers jobs with housing in cool places, but the difference is that 1.) Workaways are primarily run by individuals, not companies, and 2.) Workaways are often unpaid.
The deal you strike with a Workaway is purely work in exchange for housing and some food. However, Workaway jobs are much more passion-centric. You could help someone build a community garden, build an off-grid house, create an Earthship home, help them with an art project, or start a commune. Anything!
Other great benefits of Workaways are that they’re often more chill about the time they need you for (could be a week, could be a few months – you can decide!). The site also has a great international presence! So, you could potentially stay for great lengths internationally for free.
Also, many Workaways know that you still need to have a job when you’re with them, so many accommodate for digital nomad lifestyles or will work around another job. The flexibility is amazing.
The one I found was a hostel in Bozeman. I’ll live and work alongside the other Workawayers at the hostel and get free housing in exchange for 20 hours of work a week. They accommodate digital nomads and give a small food stipend for their workers. The interview was super chill and my soon-to-be boss gave me so much flexibility on how long I stayed for.
What am I Doing With My Job and Old Life?
I did everything I could to make sure my life was just paused, not severed.
I am giving up my apartment and storing or selling all my things. I’m going to be gone for a few months, so it just doesn’t make sense to keep paying rent during that time. Plus, saving that money is going to be great if I decide to keep travelling.
I AM going back to Iowa, at least for a month or two, after I am done with the hostel. That will allow me to decide what I really want to do with my life and make more permanent arrangements for my next step. My parents have graciously offered to house me when I get back until I get a new apartment, move back to the Rockies, or anything else.
As for my job, there’s a unique situation I’m taking advantage of. Since I’m a consultant, I make my company money by working with a client. My company offers “bench time” which is paid time when you’re in between clients. I lined this trip up for after I end my time at my current client, and am doing something a little risky: my company is giving me three weeks of “bench time” before I need to tell them whether I’m moving to Bozeman permanently, or if they can work on getting me a client in Des Moines.
If I choose to stay in Bozeman, I’ll be unpaid. I won’t be fired, but they won’t pay me until I greenlight a new client search. But, that comes with perks. For example, since I’m not getting paid, I get to decide when I come back to work. I can travel at ease knowing I have a job if and when I need it. I’m very grateful for that, and I love my company for offering me that flexibility.
So, essentially, my corporate life is on hold. I can come back to it, but I am happy to be free for now. It feels great!
Closing Notes
The biggest tip I can give you is to follow the old Michael Scott quote, “‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,’ – Wayne Gretzky” If you want a life of travel, you need to be openly enthusiastic about it. No job can accommodate a change they don’t know is happening, and no friend can offer help for a problem they don’t know you’re facing.
I wouldn’t have many of the benefits I’m currently enjoying if I never made this lifestyle a cornerstone of my personality. I wouldn’t have housing, I wouldn’t know what Workaway was, I wouldn’t have cooperation by my employer, and I definitely wouldn’t have the support system of friends that encourage me to live my best life.
Resources are great, but people are better. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know 🙂
If you’re interested more in my journey, feel free to peruse the website to find other blogs about my life, topics to find inspiration in, and other resources to live your best life.
Thanks for reading!
I started the Field Guide series so I could help you live the life you want. Check out the links I have in here and please copy my plan if you like it. Always feel free to reach out to me on my socials if you have a question:
Instagram: @theotherwhereproject
TikTok: @theotherwhereproject
