How Travel Has Helped Me Deal With Depression

12/21/15 • 35 min

What do you do when you’ve left University with a degree in Theatre? Travel the world of course! For Chris Walker-Bush staying at home in rural Australia wasn’t an option – and when a friend suggested teaching English in Korea might be a career move Chris decided it was time to start traveling.

After a further stint teaching English in China Chris found himself in the unique position of helping an African safari company develop their business in the Asia region and he has since been on over 20 safaris in places such as Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya.

We caught up with Chris during a visit home to Australia where he discussed his travels and how they have helped him deal with depression. You can follow his journey (and his upcoming 2016 climb of Mt Kilimanjaro) at http://www.aussieontheroad.com

What I learned from speaking with Chris:

A name we associate with genocide has moved on so far in the last few years. The nation is developing well and has moved ahead of its neighbors, such as Uganda, in infrastructure development. The country has modelled itself on Singapore with a benevolent dictator who is unique – he wants to resign but the people won’t let him!
Chris’s interview was very candid in terms of his battling with depression. For many travel might seem like a means of creating more stress for someone already with a lot to deal with, but he has credited travel with the ability to help him overcome it. It has a unique ability to heighten the senses and, as he rightly says, when you’re battling to make yourself understood in a foreign country you have little time for inward focus.
You can turn your own unique talents to any opportunity. Chris credits his job opportunity to a unique combination of travel experience, English teaching skills and his theatre background that helped make him ideal for the position. There is certainly a benefit to making yourself unique when it comes to finding job opportunities on the road!

What I learned from speaking with Chris:

A name we associate with genocide has moved on so far in the last few years. The nation is developing well and has moved ahead of its neighbors, such as Uganda, in infrastructure development. The country has modelled itself on Singapore with a benevolent dictator who is unique – he wants to resign but the people won’t let him!
Chris’s interview was very candid in terms of his battling with depression. For many travel might seem like a means of creating more stress for someone already with a lot to deal with, but he has credited travel with the ability to help him overcome it. It has a unique ability to heighten the senses and, as he rightly says, when you’re battling to make yourself understood in a foreign country you have little time for inward focus.
You can turn your own unique talents to any opportunity. Chris credits his job opportunity to a unique combination of travel experience, English teaching skills and his theatre background that helped make him ideal for the position. There is certainly a benefit to making yourself unique when it comes to finding job opportunities on the road!

Previous Episode

Making it Up as I Go - 5 Years of Earning on the Road

A travel agent, an English teacher, a horseriding instructor and now a copywriter. When it comes to making a living on the road Stacey Kuyf has done it all.

The kiwi traveler left New Zealand over 5 years ago and has lived and worked in a variety of countries showing that you don’t need a clear plan in place to start traveling the world. She has always managed to find something she can turn her talents towards and her life has been richer for the experiences she has enjoyed along the way.

We caught up with her in Guatemala where she has been spending the last 7 months and had the opportunity to discuss some of her more interesting working experiences including teaching in China (without a degree), setting up her copywriting business and what she loves about Guatemala.

You can follow Stacey’s journey at http://onetravelsfar.com or contact her via her copywriting business at http://kuyfcopywriting.com

What I learned from Stacey’s interview:

You don’t have to know where your money is coming from to get going. After 5 years Stacey now realizes that something will always come up! There’s no harm in getting some travel funds behind you but there is a variety of work options out there to take advantage of.
China appears to be one of the easiest countries to teach English in with Stacey getting work there even though she didn’t have her TEFL or the usual requirements of a degree. Be careful though – it only works if the school in question is willing and able to fund a blind eye being turned. You might not want to risk this unless you’re pretty relaxed about being deported!
Guatemala is a beautiful country, especially if getting away from the capital. She has set up in the stunning town of Antigua with cobblestone streets and volcanoes on her doorstep. Safety can be an issue however as it’s not safe to be out at night. The town does have a digital hub with reasonable internet though so if you’re a digital nomad traveler with an urge to find somewhere new there is a strong expat community there.

Next Episode

Leaving the Legal World - Life as a Legal Nomad

If you search the internet for travel bloggers it won’t take you long to stumble across Jodi Ettenberg. Her website Legal Nomads regularly ranks highly on the list of world’s top travel bloggers and has featured in numerous publications since she hit the road back in 2008 after 5 years working as a lawyer in New York. Her long form story telling style of blog has gone against the grain of standard blogging practice but has won her a huge following amongst a loyal group of followers who appreciate the depth and insightfulness of the stories she shares. Jodi’s travels aren’t without their challenges. As a celiac sufferer finding the right place to eat in a new town can be daunting. Her website includes useful advice and tips from those suffering from this disease or gluten intolerance generally and her attitude and spirit shows that you don’t need to let major health challenges stand in the road of being a fulltime travelers. We caught up with Jodi in Chiang Mai where we discussed her attitude to blogging and how street food can be one of the best ways to monitor what you eat. You’ll find details of her stories and her food guide at her website www.legalnomads.com What I learned from Jodi’s interview: 1. Jodi is absolutely right when it comes to travel blogging. You can rank well with posts about 10 best things to do in Penang but in reality you are only providing your readers with information they can gain elsewhere. If you’re serious about developing a blog then you need to inject some of yourself into the story and provide a perspective they would not find elsewhere. This will make you unique and draw a true following over time. Jodi writes long form blogs which her audience appreciates and it’s not unknown for her to write 5000 word posts or longer. Much like The Uncornered Market she has focused on quality over quantity. 2. Even if you suffer from food allergies or a reaction to certain foods it’s no reason to avoid travel. Jodi is a celiac which means certain foods can have an effect on her. She needs to spend more time researching where she will eat than most people but to a large extent she would still be having to do this even if she wasn’t on the road. She has gluten free food guides www.legalnomads.com/gluten-free on her website along with her book, The Food Traveler’s Handbook which is a great starting point for anyone suffering from gluten intolerance who is planning to travel. 3. She finds street food a great way to deal with her celiac condition. It’s difficult in a restaurant to see what’s going on in the kitchen but when it’s cooked fresh in front of you, there is a much better chance to control what you’re receiving. Street food, contrary to popular opinion, is often a good way to avoid general sickness as it enables you to see the general cleanliness and how quickly the food is being turned over.