Updated: 8/5/2019 (Originally published 02/21/12. Updated for grammar and links)
I poke. I push. I prod. I try to get people out of their cubicles and traveling the world.
That’s what I do.
Literally — that’s my job!
I do my best to show people from all around the world that traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. That there is more to life than grinding the hours away at a job you hate.
I do my best to make sure everyone can find a way to travel cheaper, better, and longer.
I strive to show that your fears are unfounded. I try to be a living example of that.
After many years of blogging, and judging by the emails I get from people, I think I’ve been relatively successful at getting people onto airplanes and into the world.
But last month, I faced a fork in the road about what to do when my current trip ends: do I move to New York City right away or do I move to Sweden for six months?
Once you go down a path, there’s no turning back, and I was very torn on what to direction choose.
But I decided to choose Sweden.
The guiding principle in my life is to have no regrets.
I don’t want to be on my deathbed saying, “I wish I did…” and I think that if I didn’t move to Sweden, I’d always regret it.
What would life have been like if just for a moment I finally got to live in Europe?
What possibilities and opportunities did I pass up?
Those are questions I wanted to make sure that I could answer.
To make sure I have those answers — and no regrets — I’ll be getting on a plane to Stockholm.
I’ll stay there until January when my book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day is released. I’d leave sooner, but I have some conferences and plans in the United States that I need to attend in the meantime.
I’ve laid awake several nights thinking this over since I decided on my direction. In that time, I realized that if I didn’t move to Sweden, not only would I regret it, but I’d also be a hypocrite.
After all, instead of facing my fears and reservations, I’d be taking the easy road. Too me, New York City is easy.
I’ve lived there.
I have friends there.
I don’t need to worry about visas, languages, or anything else.
New York is the comfortable choice.
Instead of breaking out of my comfort zone, I’d be staying firmly in it.
And if I did that, how could I ever again tell people to break out of their own comfort zones?
All you have to judge me by are the blogs I write and the information I share. Based on what I present, you decide if I’m trustworthy enough to listen to.
I can’t tell people to conquer their fears, live their dreams, and travel the world if I won’t even do that for myself. With so many sketchy websites these days, trust is in short supply. All you have online is your credibility.
Late one night, I thought about all the emails I get from the people who have told me I’ve inspired them to take a trip. I thought about all the messages from the people whose fears I’ve helped vanquish. I thought of all the people who told me a blog post was exactly what they needed.
And then I thought about how deep down I knew I wanted to move to Sweden.
There was nothing I wanted more.
I want to learn the language, eat the food, meet the people, and explore the countryside.
New York can wait six months. I’ll miss it, but it will always be there.
Yet if there was no doubt in my mind, how come there was doubt in my mind?
Because I was too scared to make the leap and commit. That’s why.
It was easier to stay in my comfort zone. It always is.
But I realized that I’ve helped so many people take a deep breath, close their eyes, and just go for it that not doing it when it came for my own turn would make me a hypocrite.
And that realization removed my doubt and made me commit.
And so in July, I’ll move to Sweden. It may be great. It may be awful. I may come home early or I may stay forever.
But at the very least I’ll have practiced what I preached. I can wake up every day knowing that I did what I tell others to do: I seized the day, conquered my fears, and leaped into the unknown.
Because if I didn’t do that, I’d be a hypocrite.
And I’d never be able to look at myself the same way again.
Book Your Trip to Sweden: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My favorite places to stay are:
- Archipeligo Hostel Old Town (Stockholm)
- Generator (Stockholm)
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want More Information on Sweden?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Sweden for even more planning tips!
Jane
I think you’re planning to far ahead Matt! July is a long time away. Anything could happen between now and then on your travels to change your mind. Who knows… you may not want to be in Sweden or New York by then! 🙂
Ren
July? Damn, that means I’m probably gonna miss you in Stockholm/Sweden by about a week or so. Best of luck!
Dave Brett
Hope you enjoy Sweden, its a lovely place to live. I did my Erasmus for a year in Finland (Swedish speaking part) and loved every moment of it, such a wonderful place in the world to live. Have a great time and good luck with the language!
Henry
Dude!
Congratulations! Good luck with your move and the impending release of your book!
… while I realize Stockholm is only a part of Sweden, I’m in love with Stockholm! 🙂
NomadicMatt
It’s a hard city not to love.
Maribel
I find your blog very inspiring as i love to travel and i think that it’s so great you are taking the risk and leaping into the unknown!!! i did the same thing but instead of staying the 6 months i’d planned i’ve now been living in south america for a year and a half….though sometimes it’s been hard and i get homesick from time to time it was the best decision and has changed my life and perspective of the world for the better. All the best 🙂
johnny
this is pretty cool matt, and awesome that you’re practicing what u preach 🙂
NomadicMatt
You have to I think!
Robin
I think you made the right choice. It’s not easy, but sometimes you just kind of have to dive in. Excited to read about your adventures in Sweden.
tatiana
Ah!! Congrats, that’s so awesome!! I was just thinking about Sweden today too! Not in any in-depth, complex sort of way – but definitely!! Good luck!!
Alexandra
Great post! If traveling teaches you anything it to take chances. The world is small, the opposite end can be reached in a days travel so why not experience as much of it as one can! Good luck on your move! I am moving to Germany in April as well. I have always wanted to live in Europe so I am not letting this invitation pass me by!
Mina
Great step dude 🙂 and you are totally correct about practicing what you preach 🙂
I might be studying in sweden starting next august (fingers crossed I get one of the scholarships I applied to:P) So if I do, I’ll hopefully get to meet you in Sweden 🙂
NomadicMatt
I’d love to! Let me know!
Melanie
Matt
Great decision, both to not be a hypocrite and to move to Sweden. And I agree with you on the life lesson part, none of this “I wish I would have, I think I could have and maybe I should have”, no life mulligans allowed right?
NomadicMatt
There are no mulligans in life. Life only moves one way – forward.
Jessica
Matt, I was pumped to read that you had made your decision today. After following you for the past few years, and finding out that you’ve made the decision to end your long run, I was excited to see where that would take you next. I can imagine that making the decision between New York and Sweden was difficult, but I was thrilled to hear that you have chosen to move to Sweden. Despite not actually knowing you, I had to share the news with the people around me because I was so excited. I just love to see people be happy, and make a leap to the unfamiliar.
NomadicMatt
Did the people think you were crazy or were like “who?” but I thank you for being excited too. The new adventures await!
Tearei
Hooray for you, Matt!!
We’re a tad older and traveling with a dog, but even at the times when we miss home (and there are many), I never regret the decision we made. And others have said it well, New York will wait, you have many, many years ahead of you to get friends, neighbors, favorite hang-outs :o) Not to mention how fast six months will go by. Looking forward to seeing photos and hearing about your time over there :o) It’s on our list for when we are able to travel internationally.
Travel safe!!
Bianca
Of all places in the world, when you started your adventure did you ever think that you would end up living in Sweden?
Have Fun!
NomadicMatt
No, my original goal was to travel for one year and then get a desk job. It didn’t quite work out the way I planned.
Natty
You’re right, New York isn’t going anywhere but July is 5 months away, something else might come up in the meantime. Good luck whatever and wherever you end up.
David Nikel
Hi Matt, great news you’re heading to Scandinavia. I moved to Norway in May last year and absolutely adore it here. The long distance buses, internal flights and trains are great value so you should be able to see as much of Sweden, Norway and Finland as you like 🙂 Have fun!
NomadicMatt
My cousins will probably want to see me so I’ll be visiting Norway I suspect! Where are you?
David N
Oslo 🙂
Linnea
Good luck! I hope you will enjoy Sweden, Though for me Stockholm wouldn’t be my first choice of city, but if you come down to Lund someday, you are very welcome, i’ll give you a tour around 🙂
Linnea
NomadicMatt
I’ll be all over the place so I suspect I will take you up on that offer!
AnitaMac
Wow – moving and personal – this really is quite a big fork in the road. Exciting opportunity to live in Sweden. I am sure you will be able to relax into it and love it! New York will still be there when you are done. Very excited about your book – not long to go now.
Looking forward to hearing more about your experience in Sweden. I have a lot of family in Norway and hope to get out that way in the next couple of years – covering both countries is on the cards.
NomadicMatt
Norway is extremely beautiful. I have some cousins in Oslo myself and I love visiting. Save up though! It kills the wallet!
Bessie
There’s much to be said for facing any uneasiness and fears and just going for it. You gain so much in return when you’re willing to put yourself out there.
You’ll have a great time.
NomadicMatt
Thanks Bessie! I hear all is good in Burma! Sorry I missed you when I was in CM! Hope to see you two soon!
Belinda
SO glad it’s Sweden as the outcome of your having to choose! You may not be Nomadic Matt once settled (though possibly semi-nomadic), but it will be a lot less of a shock to you to be in a foreign country with easy access to Scandinavia and Europe than if you moved back to New York. Sweden will still feel like an adventure with so many new things to adjust to, whereas NY would feel like coming to a halt…game-over. I wish you lots of happiness in this journey.
NomadicMatt
Thank you! I will always be semi-nomadic. Travel is in my blood.
Kate
Love hearing the reasoning behind your choice. Sometimes it is so hard to just make the leap and it’s great to have examples of other people doing it to reassure and inspire.
Ellen
Glad to hear you’ve reached a decision — and glad that it’s this one! You never know what you might end up regretting … looking forward to following your adventures from Sweden!
Rachael
Crazy to see this since I just made the same decision last month! Hoping for a May/June move… You’re going to miss Midsomer!
Good luck with the visa process.. I’m having a heck of a time with it now! (Although I’m looking at a possible year or two there.)
Lycka till!
NomadicMatt
Where are you moving to? I also haven’t decided which visa I want yet. Since it’s just for 6 months (as of now), I can get a tourist visa. That might be enough.
Rachael
I am moving to Jönköping, a few hours southeast of Stockholm (so if for some reason you ever find yourself there, let me know!)
I’m doing a “moving to Sweden to cohabit with a Swedish citizen” residence permit visa… interview at the embassy in a few days! *fingers crossed* I though the tourist visa was only good for 90 days?
Nate
Trust, and not being a hypocrite, are two of my motivations in life as well. You’ve maintained your credibility since day one, I hope I can do the same. You certainly are one of my travel inspirations, I like the way you tell it like it is. Keep it up, Matt.
NomadicMatt
Nate, flattery will get you everywhere!
Katja
We just moved to Sweden a few weeks ago, and love it so far! It’s a very easy country to be without knowing the language, everyone speaks English. I speak (bad) Swedish, and have to force myself to try to speak it instead of English, even though most everyone understands it. I had the similar type of feelings like you… I blog and inspire people to live life to the fullest and I would have felt like a hypocrite if I hadn’t taken this opportunity. I grew up in Finland, and to me it’s almost like going home, but not, and in a way I felt like I was “failing” my world travels by moving back close to home, but at the same time, I’d be “failing” to take the opportunity to try something new. We sold everything in New York, and are now starting from scratch in Sweden, and I am loving every minute of it!! Start looking for apartments immediately, we have been house hunting since November and still live in a hotel 🙂
NomadicMatt
I’m sharing an apartment with friends!
BTW what visa did you come in on?
Tash
Good one! Always knew deep down this is where you were leaning towards, but you’re right, that out-of-your-comfort-zone decision is still tricky and the hard choice, every time. No matter how often you push yourself to make it!
NomadicMatt
I feel like a lot of people knew before I did.
NomadicMatt
Tack! 🙂
NomadicMatt
Seems everyone wants to move there! We should have a big party!
NomadicMatt
Thank you!
NomadicMatt
My book launches in January 2013 so I need to be back in the states for that.
NomadicMatt
Wait….they aren’t the same!? Now you tell me! 😉
NomadicMatt
No, there’s no special somebody I’m going for (contrary to popular belief).
NomadicMatt
I am very much looking forward to it!
NomadicMatt
I’m going to search for Santa up north!
NomadicMatt
Yeah, I don’t really like the cold. My mother is having a hard time believing I’m going to stay beyond the temp dropping below 20 C.
Derek
Wow – It sounds like your primary motivation for moving was to set a good example. Rock on. That takes both guts and dedication!
Sweden won’t be cheap though 😉 A beer costs like $10.
NomadicMatt
It’s worth something! Thank you.
Rhona
I am very happy you chose Sweden. When you first posted about making a decision, I was like, really, hands down Sweden! You can do NY anytime you want. Why not live in a place you love but have not truly experienced in a full capacity. I am so excited to be along with you virtually for this Swedish ride.
Kae Lani
Enjoy! You’ll be going during a wonderful time of year – but don’t expect too much night during the winter! I experienced, what seemed like, an “Eternal Sunshine”. But there is great biking and camping in Sweden – just watch for mosquitos 😛
Ryan
Awesome Matt. No matter what, it’s always good to follow your gut, and if you don’t like it, it won’t be the end of the world. Just another decision you made while deciding how to live your own life.
I am one of those people you speak of up top, I trust you. Thanks for inspiring us and hope you love Sweden!
Victor Tribunsky
I have been to Swedem two times. I like this country, though, there are not so many historical attractions there. But it is very clean and comfotable country.
Sean
Hey Matt, I know the feeling all too well. I sold everything and moved to China back in 2008 right out of university. I had no idea how long I’d be there, but I stayed just under 3 years to move back to Florida to help my dad with his business. I knew all along the job wouldn’t be there forever, because my desire was to sell his business and do something else (long story about disability). I’ve been home just under a year, and I’m itching to travel and do something else again (like move back to China and start a business with the money I’ve saved here).
I’ve become complacent and scared about leaving my family again, but I know my heart is still in China, so I have to choose between finding a “real” job, or going back to the Middle Kingdom to find my fortune, hehe.
Good job with the site and following.. after 4 years, I still only have my facebook friends and family reading my blogs.. lol
Linda
Great decision Matt!! You will love Stockholm!
If you need someone to show you around, let me know. I have good friends there who have traveled a lot in the past as well.
Jon
Good on you Matt! I just finished a barter gig shooting video and pics for a green tortoise adventure that does a baja trip living on about $20. a day for the last 2 weeks. I sat on the fence a short while thinking I “should” really be looking for actual PAID work. But travel is my passion and I just trusted that it would all work out regardless of the money issue. So off I went and so far it has panned out wonderfully. It was an AMAZING adventure. So I concur fully! One has got to follow one’s bliss! Keep following your muse brother!
Shiva
Fantastic information..thanks to a friend, I was able to live in the UK for 5 months…I am back in the US and having a very hard time with my loving friends who don ‘t understand why I am so homesick for Europe.
I have both Romanian and polish grandparents, and am hoping to find out how to claim my legal right to stay in Europe through one of those lineages…..any pointers would be very much appreciated!
NomadicMatt
I’ll live in Stockholm and travel the region.
Linda
Wow! That was interesting news for sure, but I think I understand you. I still wonder how come you did choose Stockholm though… *always curious*
Regarding the visa issue, have you seen this page:
migrationsverket.se/info/besoka_en.html
You’ll come to Stockholm while we’re away on our summer island, + we’re doing a long roadtrip from Stockholm down to the French Riviera with lots of detours (lol), we’ll probably not be home again until the beginning of September or something… let us know if you want to meetup for a beer or anything else – and feel free to ask us anything you need to know!
Good luck with the move – and book publishing 🙂
Sandra
Stockholm in July is glorious–you will love it! But as someone who has lived in this city for 7 years now, I have to admit that November is just plain dark. That said, you will love the adventure. Lycka till!
Roberto Gallegos Ricci
We have just met a nice young couple from Sweden in the place we volunteered and they are very nice. You will have so much fun in Sweden. Definitely you made a very good decision, not because it is better than the other, but because you seem so convinced about it. Again Matt thanks for sharing your travels with all of us. Hope to meet you soon somewhere. The invitation to cycle with us for a couple of weeks still stands if you want to. We would be glad to pedal with you wherever we are. Cheers amigo and safe travel.
Brit
Exciting stuff! Sweden is an amazing country and the quality of life there is brilliant. I am looking to move back to Sweden in either April or July of this year. Summer beers in the archipelago somewhere??!!
NomadicMatt
Sounds perfect to me!
Rob
Depending on when you get there we may overlap. I’ll be in Stockholm July 1 – 9 visiting friends.
I lived there 1984-1988 and it was an awesome experience. You’ll love it. Drop me an e-mail if we overlap and I’ll buy you a beer/coffee 🙂
NomadicMatt
I don’t get to Stockholm until July 9th! See ya at the airport.
Michelle
You are such a huge inspiration. Since going on my first solo trip at eighteen I’ve been waiting for the right time(when university is finished) to take off and explore the world for years at a time. I love your blog, thank you for all of your posts and good luck with Sweden!
NomadicMatt
Thanks!
Jennifer
LOVE your spirit and your site, thank you!! We’ll be in Stockholm early Feb, so unless you’re so in love with it you can’t leave we’ll miss you! Hack swing dancers, we are potentially looking forward to Herrang dance camp in June. Thank you for your recommendations to Stockholm, I hope you have had a great time there.
*I’d love to see *why* you chose Stockholm, and what other places you have lived in! I’ve been in Toledo Spain, Paris France, now in London, will be in Stockholm soon. Learning Swedish, is hilarious.
Tak, Matt!
NomadicMatt
I left Stockholm months ago but have a great time!
John Hancq
Well said sir. This is a narrative on taking the leap to travel, and also on any decision in life. We are often bogged down in fear governed by societal preconceptions. If we break out of our fears, we could be much happier.