20 Random Facts About Me
By NomadicMatt | Published: January 1, 2011
It’s a new year and I thought a good way to start it off in a light way. I don’t often talk about me here. Yes, I talk about my travels but I don’t often go into personal information about my life like many other bloggers do. So I’m kicking off 2011 with some random facts about me and my life:
I hate flying. I love airports, lounges, and elite status, but the act of flying makes me ill. I don’t like heights (I recently went skiing and almost had a panic attack on the chair lift) and any turbulence makes me think the plane is about to crash. Needless to say, I’m not a good flier. (Ironic considering how often I fly!)
When I was younger, I was hugely obsessed Pinky and the Brain. I even had a T-shirt collection. I also had one of those bowl haircuts, but I prefer to forget that.
I never really traveled independently until I went to Costa Rica at age 23. My travel experiences up until then were a series of road trips with my parents and a drunken weekend in Montréal when I was 19. I also never went west of the Mississippi until I was 25.
I got really bad food poisoning when I was in Costa Rica. It was so bad, in fact, that when I came home I had to be hospitalized for three days and put on a morphine drip. It’s the only time I’ve ever been in a hospital.
I went to school to be a high school history teacher, and I ended up teaching for one whole year. I was supposed to mold the young minds of the future, but I realized it wasn’t really for me and I ended up changing careers.
I am a really good cook. I don’t get to cook much on the road because I hate how hostel kitchens aren’t fully stocked and everyone crowds them at the same time but, once in a while, I like to cook a massive meal for my fellow travelers.
I used to be a vegetarian. After reading Fast Food Nation, I decided to give up meat and was a vegetarian for four years. I gave it up when I started to travel. It wasn’t eating meat I was against but the stuff in the meat. I started eating it again partly as a matter of convenience. But I think it’s rude to turn down food in other cultures. If you go to a village in Mongolia and you are given food, it’s insulting to refuse. “Sorry, your traditional and heart felt cooking doesn’t go with my dietary means.” I think it’s culturally insensitive. But that’s a rant for another post.
That being said, I refuse to eat veal as I think that is unethical. It’s the only meat I won’t eat. I once got into a huge fight with an ex-girlfriend about it because, as it turns out, her grandfather made veal.
I’m a huge fan of soul, motown, blues, and jazz. It’s way better than any of the pop music out there. If I hear “G6” or Ke$ha one more time, I might scream. Sometimes it’s good to be overseas and out of the loop of all this bad music out there these days.
If I could ever pick what time period I could live in, I’d pick 1920s Prohibition America. I think that would be an exciting time to live in. It seemed like a care free time in America. But maybe I’ve just read The Great Gatsby too much.
I am intensely political. After travel, politics is my second love. I live and breathe politics, and it is the only news I keep up with while traveling. I am always ready to discuss and debate the world any time of the day and with anyone, no matter how well I know you.
One day, when I become semi-Nomadic Matt, I would like to open up my own hostel. After staying in so many hostels over the past years, I think I have a really good idea of what works and what doesn’t. I want to make the coolest, most environmentally friendly hostel in the world.
I don’t have any desire to visit most Middle Eastern countries. I went my whole life without visiting the Middle East, I probably wouldn’t regret it. The area simply doesn’t interest me. They are at the bottom of my list of places to see. Just one of those things.
People always ask “will I do this forever?” My answer: I don’t know. Forever is a long time. I’d like to travel for the next few years, but who can say what the future holds and where it will take us? For now, I’m enjoying the ride and see no reason to hang up my backpack just yet.
I watch a lot of movies, even bad chick flicks, simply because I have so much while traveling. I’m addicted to boot leg movies as well as downloading them to my iTunes.
While I won’t ever go back to Vietnam, I sort of like Vietnamese pho and rice noodles. I have to say, Vietnamese food is pretty good.
I’ve been to over 30 Dave Matthews Band concerts. I’m a super fan.
I’m a Japanophile. I love everything about the culture – the food, the history, the etiquette, the landscape, the architecture- all of it. I would also eat sushi everyday if I could. I’ve even eaten it for breakfast.
I’m a workaholic. Maybe because I grew up in New England, I have the Puritan work ethic but if I don’t have work, I think something is wrong and create work for myself. My 2011 goal is to relax more and realize that most of my blog runs itself and that is OK to take a break.
I decided to travel after meeting 5 backpackers in a shared taxi while on vacation in Thailand. I was so amazed at what they were doing that the next day I decided to quite my job. They were two Australians, a Canadian, and Belgium couple. They changed the course of my life and have no idea.
Matt, I feel like I know you much better now! The only think I don’t ‘get’ is the politics; I’ve never been able to engage myself in this. I think a hostel is a great idea, even if only for the marketing synergies!
That was fun, Matt, thanks. I, too, hate flying – probably BECAUSE I’m a frequent flyer. I used to love it, but I sometimes have an irrational fear that the more I fly, the more I increase the odds of crashing. I even have an irrational fear that writing that fear down might tempt fate. I, too, am a huge fan of soul, motown, and blues… also old-school rhythm-and-blues, jump blues, and swing. I dig Dave Matthews. I definitely relate to creating work even when I’m supposed to be enjoying down time. When I did my global trek, I felt like I had to have one task or goal every day. I can even turn laziness into a goal: like where will I go to be lazy? will I read a book while being lazy? will I get better at meditating while being lazy? I’m working (oops) on overcoming that.
Nice to hear more about you Matt after reading your travel adventures for a while. Best of luck and much health and happiness (and good travels!) in 2011!
Anne
One of my most sacred travel rules is when meeting new people, never, never, ever talk about Religion or Politics! People have such strong views and it always gets heated.
I use to love politics and thought about going into it at a local level. But I very quickly learnt that just the urge to become a politician should be enough to warn you off. Modern politics is just spin and trash.
Travelling is much more fun and dignified
Matt, it was great to know you better, as I’ve been following your adventures for some time. I wish I could be a fulltime traveller as you. That’s why I’ve been studying English for more than 20 years. Now I’m teaching English here in Brazil so that later on, with a CELTA certificate, I can teach it abroad and travel, just like you did (or still do). I hope you have many good adventures in 2011 to keep on feeding your blog and its readers!! Cheers, mate!
Thanks for sharing Matt. All the best for your goals in 2011. Here is some info about sustainability of the Y hostels in Oz; and the Sydney Rocks hotel has million dollar views to go with it to help inspire you (http://www.yha.com.au/about/sustainability/)
Thanks for sharing. I loved reading the random facts. Happy New Year!
When you open your hostel don’t forget about us older travelers. We enjoy the adventure of meeting fellow travelers in a community minded environment.
Best of luck to you in 2011.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better. Fantastical post. ?
Matt,
Very interesting post. Takes courage to reveal yourself to so many while not knowing much about us! I wonder why you aren’t curious about the Middle East?
I would really encourage you to reconsider your views on visiting the Middle East. We’ve been living among Arabs for the past five years and have found them, in general, to be incredibly hospitable. As for the food, Lebanese food is one of my favorites!
If you ever make it to our neck of the woods, you would be welcome to stay with our family.
Needless to say I loved this post. As I realized myself, readers tend to like more personal posts rather than generic ones. Plus, considering the reputation you have in the travel blogosphere, it’s even more interesting to read.
ps I hate flying too. Like, really, really hate.
pps I totally understand the lack on interest for a particular region. While yours is the Middle East, I’m not too fond of SE Asia. Dunno why. Except for the beaches of Thaïland, maybe, but that’s about it. No interest at all!
As a kid I too was obsessed with Pinky and the Brain and I made my mum buy me the pencil case and lunch box. Even now at 24 I get the theme song stuck in my head and I watch the marathons on Foxtel.
It’s neat to get to know the person behind the blog much better. I don’t eat veal too.. err, well, I’m a vegetarian so I guess that should be obvious :p But we’re going to Mongolia next year and we’ll see if I have to do some compromises there.
Matt – I am really disappointed by your narrow mindedness regarding travel to the Middle East.
Do the Pyramids of Giza, Jordan’s Petra, or the streets of the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth (Damascus) not interest you in the least? Or is it just the “Islamic” aspect that doesn’t interest you?
I’d be curious to know what your political leanings are, now that you brought it up.
I do want to go to Egypt but that’s Africa
It’s just not a place that interests me.
Politically, I’m super liberal!
Fair enough, but like the poster below, I’d also think a “super liberal” travel enthusiast would be interested in the Middle East.
Oh, and Cairo is most definitely in the Middle East (as well as on the continent of Africa). In fact, Cairo is the largest of the world’s Middle Eastern cities.
Some places in the world don’t interest people.
Hi Matt, I am new here so nice to learn some about you. I too am very interested in politics though tend not to talk about it too often..hehe.
I love flying, more turbulence the better, and I love airline food…weird hey!!?? must be all te little packets or something.
If you wanna hear something a bit different music wise go to triplej.net.au and stream live on line, mainly cool up and coming aussie bands.
best of luck and fun times in central america
earl
Nice to know you a bit more Matt, your blog does lack a personal touch at times, feel free to let us know more!
It’s interesting to me that you’re into politics but don’t have a desire to go to the Middle East. For me personally, my college classes on the Middle East (I was a poli sci/international relations major) were SO interesting and really made me want to see that part of the world, so it’s just interesting to hear how people can share similar broad interests – like politics and travel – but have totally different specific interests.
And I have to admit that your last point made me smile because it sounds suspiciously like a chance encounter that changed your life – I thought those were just for idealistic new travelers
Random Fact #21: I’m just a bottle of contradictions.
Interesting stuff! The hostel idea is a brilliant one, I could see us doing the same thing in maybe ten years!
Happy 2011
Ditto – my buddy and I have been talking about doing one for a few years. More of a long term goal…
Thanks for sharing. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you hate flying, that much of it would turn anyone off. Myself, I find that part barely bearable, but airports and security are much worse. Coming to dread it in fact. Love trains, would very much like to do more long distance train travel.
It’s funny how different parts of the world appeal to different people. I couldn’t care less for going to Australia for example, but absolutely love Mexico, the States, and France.
Here’s hoping for a great 2011 for everyone!
Is that mount Teide in the picture? I’m not sure because I find that all volcanos look alike!
Over 30 Dave Matthews concerts? Amateur. I am at over 50 easy. =)
I find your lack of desire to visit the Middle East interesting. When I was younger, I knew I wanted to travel the world. Ironically, I never had a desire to visit Africa, yet that changed in college and it’s actually the first place I went overseas alone! A friend of mine changed my opinion, so maybe like your decision to quit your job, you may just end up in the Middle East after all
Interesting how even though you came home from Costa Rica sick, it still inspired you to travel.
Would be amazing if someday one of those people from the taxi read this post.
All the best in 2011!
Great post, a fun way of getting to know you better!
Both me and Nathan are vegetarians, and like you, if we were given food by someone in a Mongolian village, we wouldn’t deny it (but we wouldn’t just go out there and buy meat snacks on the street either)
Dan and I have been fortunate enough to meet up with you in person twice in 2010, so I knew a few of these things (e.g., like being political) but didn’t realize you were such a good cook & feared flying so much. Always fun to learn new random facts.
When I was a first year at UVA, Dave Matthews still played at the local joint (Trax) for $5 every Thursday night. He made it big later that year, but I still feel fortunate to have seen him in small venues in Charlottesville and London…and then later at a big stadium in San Francisco. Incredible band.
I have many a recording from Trax! Love listening to those shows!
Thanks for sharing, Matt. This was a really great way to get to know you. We’ve met at various events over the years but just haven’t had time to enjoy any in-depth conversations. I’ll have a nice starting point next time our paths cross!
The fact that we are the same age (I think) and you didn’t travel independently until you were 23 (!) and you have this HUGE blog was what inspired me to start mine.
I don’t have the skills to be as big, but it gave me the motivation to start somewhere and get it all down and experiences out there!
the question is.. are you going to travel there anyway because of the travel site? Or would you rather guest blog and get opinions from other travel bloggers you value?
Mr. Nomadic Matt,
So I don’t even know if you read any of these, this is the first time i’ve ever commented on someones blog like this but I liked reading about you. I’m just a random person and if I were you I might feel a bit awkward having someone I don’t know at all reading about me. You’re like a celebrity. But your story is very interesting. More intriguing than most celebrities, at least to me. Isn’t it pretty inspiring that five backpackers could change someone’s life so dramatically? I’m attending college at the moment but my dream is to travel. I think about it everyday. I ask myself what I would put in my pack? WHere I would go first? What I could live without and what I couldn’t? It’s pretty incredible what people have turned into necessities these days… Anyways, I also love movies, the 1920′s and Dave. I’m a huge fan. Nice reading about you and safe travels.
Peace and Love,
Kellee
Thanks for the great comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the site.
Ha, cute comment.
As a nomad – beyond must peoples’ ideas, I SAY: yes, it’s all good. Especially, the ISLAM world … go and see IRAN, IRAQ, JORDAN, SYRIA … etc. Start with YEMEN.
the candy trail … a nomad cross the world, since 1988
Wow what a great idea for a post, it’s great to learn some more about you. I find it funny just how many of us traveller types are bad fliers too and totally understand where your coming from on that front. Incidently, where would open your first hostel?
Good stuff Mr Interesting! And yes, scary turbulence, I still hate it even tho it’s the everyday part of my job and free time!
Awesome blog – came across it via brendans adventures – looking forward to reading/seeing more posts from you!
Thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed the site!
You are a successful couple! I wish you luck. This year we will begin another journey around the world. So wish us luck)
wrote the name in Cyrillic) I beg your pardon
Haha, but this comment was for the article you wrote “Running away from Life” (the comment form their wasn’t responding, so had to comment here).Well just one question , weren’t you really running away fro life ? I mean quitting your job and traveling – what did you learn from it ? (I’m “running away” from life right now – on a sabbatical from studies) !
Matt,
I found your blog via the Miss Alabama program (one of the contestants listed your blog as her favorite), and the title alone intrigued me enough to Google search for your site. I have a travel destination for you since I noticed you like blues: the Mississippi Delta. If you haven’t been, go. The Mississippi Blues Trail starts in Memphis and goes all the way down to New Orleans (I think), but there are some incredible museums (ex. B.B. King in Indianola), traditional juke joints (ex. Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Po’Monkeys in Merigold), and fabulous restaurants boasting Delta like prices (read dirt cheap) and larger than life flavors (ex. Doe’s in Greenville, Lusco’s in Greenwood). If you want to really feel the blues, drive down U.S. 61, U.S. 82. or MS-49 while listening to Robert Johnson or your blues musician of choice and look out your window… it’ll be tough not to feel the sorrow and joy you hear in their voices. Alright, sorry for the obnoxiously long diatribe about the Delta. I look forward to reading more of your posts, and I love your travel tips.
Great work!
Just sent you an email about this!
Wow. I just found this site, and I’m so inspired by your nomadic life! I’ve secretly wanted to just pack up and go for years now. I’ve been unemployed (not by choice) for 5 months, so maybe I should just sell all my stuff and go! Except that it’s expensive to travel. And I’m stuck in the rat race mentality even currently without a job. But I will definitely live vicariously through your adventures! And maybe someday I’ll become a nomad as well.
Happy travels, and thanks for sharing your life with us!
P.S. Do you ever read about other travelers? Two of my favorite books are Cold Beer and Crocodiles, by Roff Smith, and Tales of a Female Nomad, by Rita Golden Gelman.
Yep this is the answer i will give if someone will ever ask me to marry him, adapting it to my context
“People always ask “will I do this forever?” My answer: I don’t know. Forever is a long time. I’d like to travel for the next few years, but who can say what the future holds and where it will take us? For now, I’m enjoying the ride and see no reason to hang up my backpack just yet.”
Hahaha. What if another traveler asks you to marry him? Then what’s the excuse!
Why wouldn’t you go back to Vietnam? I lived in Saigon for 9 months… it’s dirty and noisy, but I rather enjoyed it. It’s the closest thing I’ve round to living in the wild west. You can drive your motorbike the wrong way down a one way road or on a sidewalk and no one blinks an eye. Outside of the city there are lots of beaches other than Nha Trang that are less developed than other places in SE Asia. Oh and Pho is delicious… of course I live in San Diego so there are plenty of Vietnamese people and Pho places here too, it’s just a lot more pricey.
Interesting about veal. I won’t eat it in the US, but when I mentioned this to my (Italian) husband, he seemed confused about why anyone would keep a calf in a box. I think torturing production animals is often a US conceit, though it’s by no means exclusive. Humane treatment of farm animals is gaining popularity in here in Europe, though it probably was never as bad as the US. In any case, I did have Wiener Schnitzel in Austria at a restaurant that is known for raising its own cows in a healthy manner. I try to consider the source when making decisions like this. My €.02.
Love this getting to know you article! You are an inspiration to me.. I love to travel, but my life gets in the way.. I have been to Italy, but mostly I travel the USA. Some day I will get to go farther.. My husband and I have a 40th Anniversary in 2 years. We were thinking of seeing Ireland, or Australia, or have even thought about Spain.. Out of these where would you suggest?… Or any place else instead? I would love your input!
GREAT blog. I love reading it!
Hi Matt! I don’t know you at all but I ended up in your blog after doing some research online and…I LOVE HOW YOU THINK! Dont stop doing what you do and Keep it up
Besos desde Spain!
Olivia
Gracias, Senorita!
As someone who currently eats about 90% vegan, I am already planning on abandoning (or putting on hold?) a good percentage of that when I leave my job to travel next June. Between convenience, and cost, and the amazing food I’m sure to encounter abroad (french pastries, greek gyros, etc) I’m just not willing to sacrifice that part of my journey. Veganism will still await me when I return. Whenever that may be. And also-I’m with you on the work ethic! I was born and raised in upstate NY, and if I’m not working or being productive, I feel like I’m being lazy. It’s just something that’s been instilled in me!
I’m glad your giving up veganism. Food is so important to so many cultures that you can’t ignore it and if locals offer it to you, you shouldn’t turn down that hospitality.
Loved reading more about you! One thing though – although I totally understand (and used to share) your feelings about the Middle East, I recently came back from a trip to Israel and Jordan and it was truly fantastic! Highly recommend those places if you ever get the chance and change your mind about that region
@Matt. Have you been to the Philippines? If not, you must visit the Phil. too. I recommend Banaue Rice Terraces, Sagada and Coron, Palawan.
Happy to heard your traveling adventure, even i want to go at adventuring places and want to make my tour memorable of whole life. Interesting all 20 facts about you. I got help for how to do a adventure traveling. that’s why it is so appreciable post. Please update your blog with new article!
good day… you are quite the young man. i admire your pluck. remind me of myself. having said that, i just finished a session with a good friend who insisted i desist from the travelogues i have written for many years, send as pdf’s to friends, and get down with what is current, begin a blog and get advertisers, companies whose products you are already using, to foot some of the bill. with that in mind, i thought i’d write and find out how you got started with your blog and your advertisers.
thanks much, and happy new year to you… avi
It’s sad that you would eliminate going to an entire region of the world, the Middle East, without at least visiting it once. Your views are based on ignorance not facts. I’ve been all over the Mideast, from Eygpt, Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan to Qatar, Oman, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. It is one of the most interesting places in the world, with probably the most amazing and friendly people in the world. I have not made it to Syria or Iran unfortunately, which according to other travellers has even friendlier people.
If you just want to believe the US media’s portrayal of the Mideast, then I guess you are a typical ignorant American. I’m American and it’s sad that even someone like you, one of the view Americans who actually bothers to travel, would also have such pathetic views of the Mideast without even trying to visit it once.
Also, I know you covered this in another post once before, but I really have no idea what the point of your blog and travels is when you just go to “safe” countries, mostly in Europe. I know you “travel for me” – whatever that means – but it’s pretty sad that you aren’t more open to going to other places. I started backpacking ten years ago and first went only to western Europe. After a while I spread out to new regions and each time I visited a place the first time, whether Africa, the Mideast, Asia, or South America, I fell in love and wanted to see more. You should be more open minded and take a trip to Africa or the Mideast instead of having this American attitude towards the world.
Has nothing to do with being American or the media. I travel lots of places (been to all over Asia, Central America, parts of South America, places in Eastern Europe most people don’t visit) and Africa is very high up on my list of places to see. Hopefully will get there sometime this year. But you know what? I don’t have to want to see every corner of this world. Neither do you for that matter. And I’m OK with that. I’ll see what I want to see in the order I want to see it.
I admire what you do, Matt, truly! I would LOVE to just spend my life wandering the world. However, I will just have to live vicariously through you – I don’t foresee myself becoming a nomad! As much as I enjoy traveling, I also LOVE my job (I’m a junior high teacher, and teaching and watching those kids grow into adults is super rewarding). I have a great husband and a house I love to fix-up… I could never walk away from it all. But you are an inspiration, and a great reminder to follow your dreams, so even if I don’t “go nomad”, I can still travel and see the world whenever possible! Thanks for sharing about yourself, and keep posting about your fabulous adventures!
downthewrabbithole.blogspot.com
Hey Matt! If it wasn’t for your article “There’s not enough money in the world to get me to go back to Vietnam” I wouldn’t have found your blog. The article made quite a stir in the Vietnamese online community, and I’m sorry for those astonishingly defensive comments that have been thrown at you recently. Matt – you probably don’t know this, but even the Vietnamese people don’t treat each other nicely, so don’t expect anything better when it comes to their interaction with foreigners. Having said that, I admit there are still good people here and there, but still, it’s getting increasingly difficult to be a good person in Vietnam society nowadays.
So I just drop by to say hi. I’m also a world traveler myself, just not as frequently… I own a business so although my schedule is quite flexible, I cannot really go anywhere for too long. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to leave everything behind to become a nomad
Thanks for sharing about yourself and your adventures – they really inspire me!
Thanks for the message! I have some very nice Vietnamese friends. I’ve sort of have been shocked at the comments I’ve gotten but it doesn’t bother me! Thanks for stopping by. Come back again.
Hi Matt,
I just stumbled upon your website today for the first time and honestly, I cannot wait to explore it even further!
I, like you, have lived in the Boston area my whole life, went to college to become a high school history teacher, and realized that at my age (23), if I took a full time history position and settling down in the next forty years, then I would live the same life that my parents and now my friends stive to accomplish. I wouldn’t be happy and I would only satisfy the needs of my parents and not mine. Also with the Great Recession, I couldn’t find a job in this economy, and it made me dream of other possibilities.
While I am not on the road of vagabonding quite yet, I have accepted a position to teach in South Korea for a year with the option of either signing another contract, or backpacking my way from South Korea to Italy (or where my feet and heart take me). It is an exciting time but there are those worries that I’ll have because I never travelled by my own (except Mexico where I would love to travel and visit once more).
You give hope and inspiration to those who have never made this step in their lives. It has not hit me fully yet, but once I am saying goodbye to my parents at Logan, I think that’s when the actual reality will hit me.
Have good, safe travels in the future.
Oh, and go Patriots!
I went to school to be a history teacher too. Small world.
Best of luck on your trip!