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Kaitie Ries

I'm a New York native who left my home to explore the world slowly and thoroughly. I’m just a little obsessed with photography, scuba diving, and reading guidebooks to countries I have no immediate plans to visit.

You know that old saying — or country song — l

You know that old saying — or country song — live like you were dying? 💭🤍

I was writing out a birthday card for a friend today and lovingly thought of the countless birthday cards and letters I found in my mom’s things, both received and sent. She was the Queen of communications — and beautiful paper products.

And then a profound thought popped into my head: I’m 32. My mom died at 64. At this age, she was halfway through her life.

And what if I am?

I read a quote recently that I thought of immediately.

“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” — Steve Jobs

Life is so short. If today truly were the halfway point, is this exactly how I want to be spending my precious time on this planet? Are there changes I need to make? Relationships I need to focus on? Priorities I need to reshuffle?

It’s true, there is no reason not to follow your heart. Right now I’m in a season of trying to hear what mine is telling me again.

🤍

Two week, three states, countless friends… and a

Two week, three states, countless friends… and a whole Southern vibe 🌸

I have traveled far and wide but there’s a lot of my own country I’ve missed out on! I don’t really have a desire to go to every country in the world but I DO want to go to every state in the US.

On this trip, I got a little closer! Here’s where I went:

🌅 Mobile, Alabama
🌼 Tupelo, Mississippi
🙌🏼 Memphis, Tennessee

I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome than landing exhausted from New York into the warm Mobile night air and @travelingspud and @scatherinemackey drinking bubbles in the parking lot waiting for me.

Excited to show you more from each and every stop!

Home is where the… LLC is registered?🗽 New Y

Home is where the… LLC is registered?🗽

New York (city, but also state) is where I’m pretty sure I’ve slept the most cumulative nights in these last years. And it’s where I pay my taxes. So i guess that makes it home, even though im still struggling quite a bit with that concept since 2019.

Tonight I’m posting this from Tel Aviv, where ’m I’m spending the week in a fairly similar way to how I spent this one. Dinners and nights out with friends, days working and pursuing my movement passions, getting sunshine wherever and whenever I can. While I’m beyond lucky to have keys to places I sometimes reside in in both upstate and downstate New York, is either one my home anymore, any more so than this apartment I rented this week in this city that I love?  After a few years of torturing myself trying to commit to a place to call home, but not finding the place that felt just right, I wonder often if I’d be happier if I just truly fully embraced being nomadic again — after all, it’s basically what I’m doing.

Then, I think back to my old apartment back in Thailand, and the island I called home for seven years. And I know there’s not a gem of an Airbnb or a fabulous five star hotel in the world that could compare to that feeling.

But, my travel business is thriving, and I can’t seem to find my next Koh Tao, so… out of a suitcase I live, for now.

And I feel pretty lucky that my default, in the meantime, is such a stunner. From Brooklyn to Albany and back again one million times on the Amtrak, I do in fact love New York.

Curious how my other former/current expats and nomads who’s lives got shaken up by the circumstances of the last few years are feeling about all this. I’d love to hear where your heads and hearts (and suitcases) are at!

Forward my bills to Tel Aviv ✨ Haha, I’m so f

Forward my bills to Tel Aviv ✨

Haha, I’m so far behind on my feed that I arrived back in Tel Aviv last night — but these photos are from my quick stop back in March en route back to New York from the Maldives!

Five days flew by but after feeling a true Tel Avivian winter in February, March felt like spring… and now May feels like summer!

It was true on my first trip here in 2018 and it’s still true now. This city is one of those magical places I feel like I am always coming home to, every time I land.

Can’t wait to show it through my eyes to my @wanderwomenretreats crews.

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