[Nomad freewriting] - Thoughts from a Hostel bed
Freewriting is my favourite style of writing. Why? Because people get to know me at my truest (is that a word?). People reading my writings can relate to what I´m telling them - or at least that´s what they tell me - and even though whenever I read them again I find some grammar mistakes or typos, it´s the same as it is in life. We don´t get a do over and we don´t get to click "edit", correct our mistakes and post again.
Freewriting is the best way to show true emotions, true feelings, to portray an authentic picture of ourselves.
I wanted to write about my experiences in Russia for the past month. I´s been a month, wow. I was taking the subway to my hostel this morning and said to myself "Eric, you have to post more, remember you are a full time Steemian traveling, don´t stop posting" but I realized I feel a bit guilty because while some people are struggling to get $1 in rewards, I was actually able to come to the world cup thanks to Steemit. It seems a bit unfair.
I mean, after all I´m trying to help as many people as I can, I´m doing all these contests where I have literally gave away more than 5,000 usd in rewards I could´ve kept, I try to spread my votes as much as I can - even if these prices don´t allow it - and I still feel a bit guilty when I post something incredible I´m experiencing while some other Steemians are struggling to pay rent.
I know I shouldn´t feel this way. You know why? Because I started from the bottom. When I joined Steemit I had no Steem Power, no money and no influence, all I had was a dream, determination and discipline.
I left my city to travel around the world and I left with 1k usd and no idea about how I was going to survive.
I started to make posts about my adventures in central america and how I struggled to stay afloat.
My content was different from anything you´ve ever seen on Steemit (and perhaps only a handful of blogs posted my kind of stories/content in the whole world wide web) and I built an audience. I slept in the streets some nights, some others I slept in strange people´s backyards, sometimes locals invited me to their homes and I had no choice but to trust them or sleep under a bridge, etc.
And I was posting all about it. In the blockchain, where nothing goes away and every letter stays forever.
I posted daily. Quality content daily. Written on a cellphone or in a notebook and then transcribed to my laptop - you can´t write on a laptop if you are hitchiking in Honduras.
I was speaking about this subject with a Steemian friend a few days ago. I call her my Fav Finn. I haven´t been able to speak a lot with my friends over discord or steemit comments because when I´m traveling, I try to make the most out of every moment and, even though now with my delegation I have to curate daily - which is why I had to buy an extra battery for my phone and I had to buy an unlimited internet sim card - I still try to be afc - absent from cellphone - as much as I can. This is to try and bring the best content I can.
Long story short, she told me "Hey, don´t feel guilty, you earned this and you deserve it. Your content is great and no one gave you anything for free, you earned it".
The point is, I didn´t want to make a post about the world cup, I haven´t had the drive to do one for days and that is the main reason. Somehow, I felt it was unfair for me to be here thanks to steemit and some other people earning cents with amazing posts.
But the thing is, I´m trying to help all those people, because I got a lot of support when I started and, if I find content worthy of supporting I will do it with my delegation. But on the other hand, not everyone can live of off Steemit earnings and if I´m lucky enought to do it, I shouldn´t be ashamed of posting about my adventures.
After all, I was posting all about my adventures when I was a rep 40 Steemian with 200 Steem Power. Why shouldn´t I keep doing it? It´s not like I´ve forgotten where I came from and where I want to be next.
I´m still the humble low budget nomad, I just got a bit lucky during my nomading.
Hi Eric, never feel bad or guilty. I remember listening to you on the whaleshares show b4 we knew each other at all, talking about how you got your delegation and yes you were lucky, but you also were and still are exactly the person that blocktrades put their trust in. It is that giving back to the world attitude, without question, which shows the type of person you are. I'm trying to do the same with the various things I am involved with and I know you have done it a thousand times over with the many projects/competitions you have set up.
I also remember that I asked you a question on that whaleshares show - 'what is the most important thing to consider as a digital nomad?' You were really helpful in answering that minimalism was something that you should strive for, or at least get used to. What you said here made me smile:
As my planned date of departure for travelling nomad style gets nearer and the markets keep taking a beating it is looking more and more likely that I will be sailing off in to the blue with a similar budget. Maybe sailing will be literal, like paddling a dingy across the Atlantic lol... but no matter what I will make it. Determination is key, which you touched on in your freewrite and luckily, the raj808 family trait is bloody-minded stubbornness. I shall also have to learn the art of minimalism of course ;-)
The struggle is half the journey I think and without all the hard work, the reward wouldn't be anything special. One day soon I'll make that dream a reality and when I do, I'll take your advice matey and not feel any guilt.
Word!
And yes to
I feel the same at times knowing i'll probably get 10-15$ in autos, but to be fair, we both started with nada and haven't changed style.
You are at the world cup man, get some more hotties with the sombrero already! :D
Absolutely right.... you earned it brother. I've watched you grow from the beginning. Hard, thoughtful work along with good content and ideas that keep smiles on a person's face while entertaining the mind is what you've done. Hell, I know I've learned a thing or two from your adventures along the way. One foot after the other and eventually one will get there.......... Good to see you brother!
En este momento has construido un nombre, una reputación, eres un líder y seguimos de cerca tus pasos, seguimos cada publicación tuya, como por ejemplo cuando estabas montado en un metro con otros mexicanos, cuando estabas a las afueras de los estadios, cuando nos compartiste en 2 o mas ocasiones comentarios y música de músicos de la calle en Russia, cuando nos decías que te enamorabas de cada hermosa mujer que pasaba a tu lado, inclusive tu experiencia en el Monasterio-Museo super hermoso y fascinante, pues... nosotros disfrutamos contigo, disfrutamos junto a ti porque tu nos permites hacerlo, nos muestras el mundial de cerca y desde otras perspectivas que nos haces sentir por un momento que estamos ahí contigo, viviendo el mundial y lo que pasas alrededor, y lo de ser un nómada de bajo presupuesto, estoy seguro que el 90 % de nómadas lo son, solo que no lo dicen jeje.
Quizás es el precio que pagar por conocer al mundo en directo.
Te mando un fuerte abrazo y saludos desde Venezuela, animo amigo.
At this moment you have built a name, a reputation, you are a leader and we follow your steps closely, we follow every publication of yours, for example when you were riding on a subway with other Mexicans, when you were outside the stadiums, when you shared with us 2 or more times comments and music from street musicians in Russia, when you told us that you fell in love with every beautiful woman who passed by you, including your experience in the Monastery-Museum super beautiful and fascinating, well...we enjoy with you, we enjoy with you because you allow us to do it, you show us the World Cup up close and from other perspectives that make us feel for a moment that we are there with you, living the World Cup and what you are going through around you, and being a low-budget nomad, I am sure that 90% of nomads are, only they don't say it hehey.
Maybe it's the price to pay for meeting the world live.
I send you a big hug and greetings from Venezuela, my friend.
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Es cierto mucha personas publican cosas de calidad y no ganan nada yo creo es que tampoco saben del todo como funciona steemit , y es tan genial que da cabida a personas que escriben libremente como personas que escriben sobre un tema objetivos, y yo he pasado de escribir algo cotidiano en mi vida como algo objetivo y e sido recompensado en los dos formatos.
No debes sentir culpa por algo que tu te ganaste creo que eres una persona humilde y se nota por las cosas que escribes, hacen falta mas personas como tú.
Saludos!
Exactly you should not feel bad because you have been doing an amazing job to help the new users who are part of the community, also must be inspiring for them to see everything you've accomplished with your own effort! That is to say if you can them too so it is a matter of setting goals
Well said man! First of all . I can confirm you are a man with a good heart! So don't be always too hard on yourself man xd.
Freewriting is one of my personal favourites reads too, because by showing giving us your thoughts the article feels much more warmer. I always give advice to people I mentor to include a bit of themselves in their articles no matter what they are writing, because they can never go really "wrong" with it.
What is free writing? what does it really means?
@minhaz416 it is where you just write freely - it doesn't have to be for any particular purpose - if anything, the purpose is just to write, And if you want to publish your free-writing you would post it without editing it - that's why @anomadsoul says that it's 'the truest' - when you write freely, you are putting your thoughts down as they happen.
Felicidades por tus logros Eric. Es bueno porque alientas a tus seguidores a ser constantes.
Saludos.
this is real talk... your story is an inspiration to many who believe in steemit.