It’s Monday morning, and I’m currently writing from my favorite coffee house in Amsterdam, Sweet Cup. I can’t believe it’s been a year and a half since we moved to Europe and found an apartment in Amsterdam to call home.
It’s hard for me to transport my life back to what it was in 2016 before we left to travel. If nothing had changed, I’d probably be sitting at my desk in Los Angeles right now and diving into the work week. My day would end around 6pm with a traffic-filled drive home.
Don’t get me wrong — I liked my job. What a lot of you might not know is that Jacob and I have been working at our old jobs while traveling this past year and a half. I stayed with the same company in Los Angeles, working part-time remotely for the marketing team and balancing some insane hours (I mainly matched U.S. hours, so was always working until midnight in Amsterdam).
Last month, this all changed. Though having a safety net was definitely something I haven’t taken for granted, I knew it was time to go all in on running Find Us Lost. So — I am proud to announce that I am officially a full-time travel blogger! It’s taken over a year to commit to making this decision, but I am so excited I finally did it.
Why am I sharing this? For those of you who found our blog from Instagram, or Pinterest, or through a friend — I’m so grateful you’re here. If you’re reading this, I have to imagine that you’re interested in visiting new places, creating a lifestyle around travel, and potentially…even designing a career around it.
I certainly don’t have all the answers. Everyone who starts on this path tends to have a unique story behind it. So, I wanted to share the best way I know how: with a breakdown of how our lives changed since we decided to move abroad, and how we got to where we are now.
Here’s the real timeline of how it all happened (ups and downs included!):
November 2015 — After years of throwing the idea around of moving abroad, I finally decide to choose a date and commit. I convince Jacob we should go for it, and we set a date 5 months out. Our plan is to try living in Amsterdam for 1 year.
January 2016 — We move out of our apartments in L.A. and sell a lot of our things. I keep my car because we’re still planning to move back. We move into Jacob’s parent’s house to save money, since we plan to road trip through Europe for a couple months before settling in Amsterdam. I give my notice at work.
March 2016 — I end up working out a part-time remote position with my job in L.A. We leave for Kauai this month, our first trip before heading to Europe. We start our Instagram account so we can share photos from our travels with friends and family. Jacob proposes to me the day after we arrive in Kauai.
April 2016 — We stop over in Los Angeles to say our final goodbyes to everyone, and then fly to Milan, Italy and pick up our rental car. We have everything we are moving to Amsterdam with in the trunk of our car (shockingly, I would not recommend this!). From there, we leave on our road trip:
Milan, Italy > Lake Como, Italy > Venice, Italy > Lake Bled, Slovenia > Ljubljana, Slovenia > Zagreb, Croatia > Plitvice Lakes, Croatia > Split, Croatia > Hvar Island, Croatia > Dubrovnik, Croatia > Kotor, Montenegro > Budva, Montenegro > Lake Ohrid, Macedonia > Meteora, Greece > Athens, Greece > Santorini, Greece > Galaxidi, Greece > Positano, Italy > Tuscany, Italy > Cinque Terre, Italy
Just a couple weeks into our trip, our photos start to get re-posted on Instagram. We start taking more photos and communicating with others through Instagram who are also traveling.
May 2016 — We start off this month in Hvar Island, Croatia, a little less than halfway through our road trip. Our Instagram has started getting attention and people are reaching out to us for travel recommendations and tips. I research how to start a blog, so I can share more of our photos and publish travel guides. Jacob and I fall in love with Santorini and get our engagement photos taken there.
Still one of my favorite photos ever, taken in Santorini by Melanie Nedelko.
June 2016 — We extend our trip. Instead of returning our rental car in Milan, we decide to drive it to Amsterdam. We add these destinations after Cinque Terre:
Annecy, France > Beckerich, Luxembourg > Antwerp, Belgium
Jacob and I arrive in Amsterdam and stay in an Airbnb while looking for an apartment. We find a place after two weeks and move in. After taking the past couple months off, I start my part-time position working remotely from Amsterdam. I launch our blog with my first travel guide to Slovenia and our story thus far.
July 2016 — After only being in our new apartment for a few days, we fly back to California for a friend’s wedding. Our family throws us an engagement party while we’re home, and we choose our wedding date: September 3rd, 2017.
August 2016 — Jacob helps get me set up on Adobe Lightroom, and I teach myself how to use the program so I can get better at editing photos.
September 2016 — We hit 10K followers on Instagram while in Morocco and start getting offered free products.
November 2016 — We get our first ‘sponsorship’ opportunities and stay for free in Budapest, Hungary. I start reaching out to other hotel properties to host us so that we can keep traveling from Amsterdam. We’re featured for the first time in Forbes.
January 2017 — We secure our first paid opportunity on Instagram — a sponsored Instagram post and blog post. Together we launch a professional website dedicated to content creation for travel, lifestyle and fashion brands and start working with more clients.
February 2017 — We put together our first travel video from our trip to Romania.
March 2017 — We hit 50K followers on Instagram. Jacob does research on photography equipment, and we purchase a new camera (Sony a7R II) so we can shoot video and photo simultaneously.
April 2017 — Our Instagram photo from the Saturnia Hot Springs in Tuscany goes viral, reaching tens of millions of people through re-postings across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
May 2017 — At this point we’ve been hosted for free at a number of hotels, and we go on our first press trip this month. We’ve been getting inquiries for paid work, including content creation (both photos and videos) for fashion brands and hotel companies. We turn down a lot of sponsorship opportunities because we don’t want our Instagram to be filled with ads.
June 2017 — Jacob and I travel to Kauai to meet with our wedding planner. Our wedding day is less than 3 months away!
July 2017 — We hit 100K followers on Instagram.
September 2017 — We tie the knot in Kauai. For the first time in over a year, we take a week off Instagram and our jobs while we honeymoon in Tahiti.
Right after saying ‘I Do’ in Kauai, taken by Logan Cole.
October 2017 — We go on back-to-back freelance jobs to shoot photo and video for a number of different companies. Our schedule is so crazy between our wedding and ongoing work that we don’t make it home to Amsterdam for 3 months. We register our business this month.
November 2017 — With so many inquiries coming in, I decide I want to develop our blog more but I barely have any time to focus on it. I’m working from the morning to mid-afternoon on Find Us Lost, and from then until midnight for my other job.
December 2017 — Jacob and I finally take the time to evaluate our schedule and the past year. Even though we’re traveling constantly, we love Amsterdam and want to make it our home base permanently. I launch a new look for our blog, with the promise of more content, more guides, and more personal writing. Since it doesn’t make sense for me to keep working remotely for another company, I make the decision to commit full-time to Find Us Lost and give notice to my other job.
January 2018 — My last day is January 19th. As of this month, I’m officially a full-time travel blogger!
That brings us to now. In terms of what’s to come — my ultimate goal is to create a blog that inspires you to travel and serve as a resource when you’re planning your next trip. I also want to encourage others to pursue the lifestyle they want, if that means following in similar footsteps and creating a career by building a travel brand.
If this past year and a half has taught me anything, it’s that anyone can create a lifestyle out of travel. However, no two paths to get there are the same. You have to accept that your plans will change, as will your focus, goals, and timelines. But if you’re passionate about it, there’s no better time to go for it.
Take it from someone who could just as easily be sitting at her old desk in Los Angeles right now.
—
I hope my story was useful if you’re considering a lifestyle change. If you made it all the way to the end of this post, what brought you here? What are your travel goals? Comment below…
alsooouq Says
I think youve created some actually interesting points. Not also many people would https://alsooouq.com actually think about this the way you just did.
James Says
I love your story, Selena.
I’m considering a similar path right now. I didn’t explore travel until my 30s, and I wish I had had the inspiration, knowledge, and courage to do it at a much younger phase in my life. My passion now is to help people knock down their barriers so they can experience the wonder of the world with the short time we have here.
Thank you for sharing your story and the road on how you got here.
Martin Magenheim Says
Congrats on all your success.
As someone who also desires to live in Europe; how do you live abroad , when 90 days is the maximum amount of time an American can reside in Europe ( most European countries, etc.) ?
Thank you . / Martin M.
Selena Says
Post authorI don’t currently live in Europe, but when I was there previously my husband was under a visa that allowed him to stay in the NL. I have dual citizenship but he does not. So if we were to return, he’d have to re-apply for a work or partnership visa. I’d recommend checking out the expat site of the country you are looking into for more info – some countries (like Germany, Portugal, the UK) have work visas that allow for extended stays. Hope that helps!
Rose Says
Hello – I found you via Ryan Pernofski’s utube channel, by clicking on the winning comment from a drawing he held. Your channel was in the winner’s subscriptions and looked intriguing and here I am.
I’ve felt super called to travel but would not even know where to begin without the safety of remote income, so it’s very unlikely to happen. Also the more I learn about my carbon footprint the less inclined I am to travel by air. I have just renewed my expired passport however so who knows!
Your blog is super impressive – beautifully designed. Do you hire a pro or is that part of your work? Thanks for the inspiration and the beauty!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Rose, great to meet you! Thanks so much for the kind words, I’m glad you found me
Traveling in shorter bursts is always possible, or traveling locally. I’d start with what inspires you (cities, nature, even coffee shops!) and just plan a trip. As for your carbon footprint, there are ways to offset this if you’re traveling frequently. Google ‘offsetting your carbon footprint’, and companies will come up with info!
A web design team created my blog layout, they’re unfortunately no longer accepting new clients but I recommend 17th avenue which offers great designs for more affordable prices! Here’s my link: https://17thavenuedesigns.com/ref/157/
Hope that helps!
Lisa Says
Hi Selena,
I’ve only just discovered your blog today, and what a treat it is to find! My boyfriend and I moved to Australia just 3.5 months ago from Canada/US, and I have been fiddling with the idea of starting a travel blog myself. It would be my dream to live life without having to go to a desk every day! I am instantly a big fan of your page, and am excited to see what else I can find and learn from you!
All the best!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Lisa! Thank you for the message, this made my day! Congrats on the move, I’m sure you’re still settling in a bit, but you should definitely celebrate that you made the jump and made it happen there’s so much to see in that part of the world!
Curious, how did you find me? xx
Sym Says
Loved reading this!! Your story is very inspiring and fills me with so much wanderlust i don’t know what to do with it. My partner and I have been toying with the idea of living abroad for a year, we’re thinking Canada because we love the snow and it’s completely opposite to lovely little Perth, Aus where we live now. When you first started your instagram, what did you do first to get it going? Did you follow a lot of likeminded nomads/travel blogs etc and use hashtags? I’ve always been curious at the process of beginning something and it being able to grow. Your photo’s and posts and amazing, can’t wait to keep following your journey!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Sym! You should absolutely try Canada – I find it so inspiring being anywhere new (and completely different from where I grew up).
To answer your question, yes. I was avid about following, communicating with, and learning from others as well as constantly trying to get better with a camera and editing. I researched hashtags and posted consistently. This topic probably deserves it’s own blog post…and I actually have a series in the works you might like stay tuned!
Sindy Says
Hi Selena,
Just wanted to drop a quick line after following your blog and instagram for a few months now and and let you know that you are one of my favourite people to follow. Your photos are absolutley dreamy and more than that, you come across so kind and lovely to every single person you interact with.
No plans to travel full time (I like the comfort of home too much) however after many years of contemplating, we recently made the plunge to move from Australia to London for a few years to experience living abroad and travelling Europe more frequently. Quite homesick but at the same time loving our life abroad
Anyway, please keep up with the great work and travel guides we have referred to the Christmas market guide already and plan to use all of them in the near future!
Wish you both a great new year
Selena Says
Post authorSindy, thank you so so much for the kind words! What a way to start off 2019
Exciting you are relocating to London! It’s so nice being based in Europe and getting to fly just an hour or two and be in a completely different place. You’re in for lots of travel, no full-time travel schedule needed — that’s the truth!
Please keep in touch and thank you again for the message, it really made my day. Happy New Year!
Samantha Says
I’m so thankful to have found your website!! I found it through LaurenConrad.com. I have traveled a lot as a child with family, mostly around the U.S. I was lucky enough to visit Spain and Italy on a trip as a gift for graduating high school with a best friend. Ever since then, I have wanted to go back so bad! I have so many more places on my list yet to see. I have always loved writing as well, and am dabbling with the idea of starting a blog. I am currently a Wedding Planner in Michigan, and as much as I love my job, I want to work from wherever I am (and not be in the same spot!). This inspires me so much to plan my travels,(I LOVE that you have travel guides on here), as well as sharing my love for traveling! I can’t wait to sift though your posts and see more of the world through your eyes. You two have an amazing lifestyle and I can only hope to experience a sliver of what you both have. Keep it up, and thank you for sharing the world!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Samantha! Thank you so much for this message and for telling me how you found us (always love to hear how!). You should absolutely start a blog. Just start documenting – plan weekend trips, take photos, write, and just put words and photos out there. The hardest part is getting started. And please shoot me an email or leave a comment again when you start one…you’ll have at least one person following along
P.S. props to you for being a wedding planner, I’m convinced it’s one of the hardest jobs out there! xx
maja Says
that is incredible.. well done!10 k followers in a few months! wow! HOWEVER i want to add you are EXTREMELY LUCKY AND BLESSED TO HAVE… each other. I an based in London now & in July 2018 after years of travelling i thought why not a blog & instagram… how naive i was in my late 30s, in 2018 with all so saturated..& most successful people are couples so you help each other in pics in posting coposting etc.. After trying to learn for 3-4 weeks with work & travel i have 1400 followers & it just seems i d have to buy some or win lotto to a) travel all around Europe or Asia to have great content to gain 10k in few months b) have a partner to build it all with .. so hats off, all incredible.. but when in a couple Of course can be done solo as i am trying but way way less posts reposts help etc .. thx for sharing!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Maja! The industry is definitely changing rapidly, but if i was starting now I’d say more than anything — sharing consistent, unique content and interacting with other people you genuinely admire (and by the way, who are all growing with you!) is more important than anything. There’s room for anyone, as long as people want to see your content and what you have to say.
P.S. good for you for balancing all that with a full-time job! Don’t be discouraged by numbers – focusing on the positives and feeding off that always works best for me when I’m caught up in the comparison game
Pingback: From 9-to-5 Jobs to Travel Bloggers: Our 2 Year Update - Find Us Lost
Ashley Says
How does the visa process work for moving to Amsterdam and how do you go about getting one?
Selena Says
Post authorHi Ashley – I’m actually a dual U.S./EU citizen, so Jacob was with me through a partner visa. Originally though, we didn’t know this would be an option and instead looked into Jacob starting a business in Amsterdam under an ‘Entrepreneur Visa’. This is also doable — you would need to have money in a Dutch bank and a business plan. I’ve heard from others who have gone this route, and it grants you at least 2 years in the country.
Alternatively, if you are sponsored by a company, this is another option. These rules change so I recommend consulting someone there if you’re serious about moving. Hope that helps!
Jessa Says
Hey there! My name is Jessa and I just recently started following you on a Instagram. I’m a 33 year old mother of three and have been in the military for 14 years. I’ve been doing some traveling and have fallen completely head over heals in love with it. My dream has always been to be a writer and am currently in the process of getting a creative writing/ English degree. My family and I are getting stationed in Italy at the end of next summer and I CANNOT wait!!! I’m hoping to use my experiences while living there to open up opportunities for my future as a traveling freelance writer. My instagram is @jessafrances. I would love some advice for you! Thank so much!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Jessa! Great to meet you. How exciting you are going over to Italy, I’m sure you are going to love it! I never had any ‘formal’ training in travel writing, but I firmly believe there’s space for everyone in this field if you have the passion & voice for it. My best advice would be to start writing anywhere you can (on Instagram, a blog, guest blogging, etc) to develop your voice and start getting your name out there. Sounds like you’d have a lot to offer with such a unique background too.
Bonnie Saxton Says
I love this. If only I had it to do over again. But at age 69, I am trying anyway. I just started a blog about traveling and life with my 4 disabled daughters. And thank you for following us on Instagram. This article was very helpful because I didn’t know how much Instagram is part of all this. I knew it was needed but it seems like you got your start there.
I love following you on your adventures. Your photos are beautiful and I can’t wait to read more of your blog.
Keep doing what your doing. You bring joy and wanderlust to many people.
Selena Says
Post authorHi Bonnie – it’s great to meet you. And it’s never too late to travel more — your own story sounds amazing! What is your blog, I’d love to check it out? xx
Julia Says
This was absolutely amazing! I’m a new follower and I loved reading your story!! So inspired by you and what you’ve done in the past 2 years!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Julia! Love to hear that, and that you’re a new follower – thanks for the message! xx
Sophie Says
This was such a great read. I have been back in Australia for the past year, after spending 12 months living in Amsterdam… and I can say my heart still FULLY belongs to Amsterdam + the Netherlands in general and it seriously makes my heart ache with wanting to go back… my main reason for leaving was that I got offered a job back in Sydney, but also because my year visa was due to expire.
How do you manage that part of the process? I imagine your options are quite similar to what mine were… I’d be curious to know more, as I would seriously love to move back to Ams!
Keep up the hard work, I love your photos and blogs – the more real the better (I think people think travel blogging or any form of remote work is a walk in the park, but far from it!!!) Xxx
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Sophie! I can definitely relate to that feeling — felt it when I was living in LA! As for visa info, you aren’t the first one to ask..
I’m a dual U.S./EU citizen, so Jacob is with me through a partner visa. Originally though, we didn’t know this would be an option and instead looked into Jacob starting a business in Amsterdam under an ‘Entrepreneur Visa’. This is totally doable — you just need to have money in a Dutch bank and a business plan. I’ve heard from others that this is a great option and grants you at least 2 years in the country, though we haven’t done it ourselves. Hope that helps!
Jordan Says
This post is just the inspiration I’ve been looking for! I’m an American living in Paris, and I started a blog and instagram page over a year ago but have been really struggling to gain momentum.. I’m still a full-time student but will finish in July. Your encouraging words and story really cemented my desire to travel full-time and to try and make a career out of my passions Thanks for sharing!!
Selena Says
Post authorSo happy to hear it! You absolutely should go for it — sometimes all you need is a change to get inspired. Graduating will definitely help with that…;) xx
Erika Says
I love this, Selena! A friend sent me this post and I’m so glad she did—your story is so relatable and inspiring. For Christmas last year, my boyfriend and I skipped material gifts in favor of booking our one-way flights from LAX to London on June 27th. We moved in together this month to save money as we begin to sell and pack our stuff into storage. I’m even working out a part-time remote contract with my company right now! We’ll put our feet down in Chelsea for a few days before heading to Amsterdam (also one of our favorite cities) for the month of July. So far, from Amsterdam, we’ve booked August in Stockholm and September in Split. Ultimately, we plan to travel from Europe through India, SE Asia, Australia/NZ, and Japan before deciding where to return ‘home’ to. I have your travel guides bookmarked
Selena Says
Post authorThat’s amazing! Such an exciting time for the two of you, crazy how similar we started out! Shoot me your Instagram handle so I can follow along on your adventure.
Jaz Says
Wow, what an inspirational story! How lovely that you & Jacob got to pursue something you’re truly passionate about & I’m pleased to hear this is now your full-time career. I fell for The Netherlands when I went for the first time on a press trip & I can’t wait to return to explore more cities!
Look forward to seeing your upcoming adventures!
Jaz xoxo
http://www.thelifeofasocialbutterfly.co.uk
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Jaz – we still pinch ourselves because it doesn’t quite feel real. xx
Stass Says
Selena,thanks so much for the post.Really thank you! Great.
Selena Says
Post authorYou’re so welcome Stass.
Giovanna Says
It was so nice to read your story! I am finishing my internship in one month, after that I will start working full-time on my blog.
I wish you guys more and more success and lots of happines each day!
Selena Says
Post authorHow exciting! Best of luck on where it takes you next. xx
Lilla Says
Your story is really inspiring! I love travelling and for that reason 3 years ago I decided to be an au pair in the US. (Time flies…) During my time there I visited so many beautiful cities and places, I even wrote a blog about my adventures in the States and I loved doing that. After a year I came home to Hungary and started to work full-time. Since then my travel options are limited and I have only a few trips per year. A couple months ago I started a travel blog and @travelilla Instagram page to share my pictures and stories. I find it really hard to be original and great. It is also difficult for me to gain more followers but reading stories like yours, always keep me motivated! Thank you very much!
I can’t wait to see more of your adventures in the future!
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Lilla! Absolutely keep it up with the Instagram account. Opening yourself up to the community is always so rewarding in my experience. And developing a style with VSCO or Lightroom definitely helps to stand out! Your photos are gorgeous.
Enjoy Hungary, it’s one of my favorite European countries!
Emma Says
I LOVED reading this. I love knowing it’s real and it’s possible to change your passion into your job. Thank you for your amazing photos and travel guides they are truely an inspiration for future travel plans. I love that I am now considering visiting countries I never would have thought of before your photos. They are really stunning! I can’t wait to see the world’s wonders with my partner as you have!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Emma — so glad you found this post helpful. Also, so happy to hear you’re inspired to go to new places because of us! That is one of my absolute favorite things to hear.
Keep in touch! And keep traveling…xx
Emma Toms Says
Hi Selena,
Thank you, we most definitely will! We have more holidays in the works than leave available! I had another question, when you first started out with you blog and social media accounts, what kind of camera did you use? My partner and I want to document all of our travel but we have no idea about camera’s or equipment. Can you offer any advice on starting out?
Selena Says
Post authorSure! It all depends on your budget, but here’s a post Jacob wrote about our equipment last year:
https://finduslost.com/how-to-choose-the-best-camera-and-lens-for-your-travels/
We’ll likely post another in the coming months, but this provides a great overview on what to look for when buying and some of our favorite cameras.
Anna Says
Loved this post! Such a beautiful story – I can’t wait to follow along and see where 2018 takes you guys
xo
Selena Says
Post authorThank you Anna!
María Says
You guys are such a great inspiration! I bet everyone tells you that! I really mean it. I’ve been working in tourism industry since I was 16 (mainly as tour guide) and traveling was always one of my passions. I lived in 4 different countries, so I really know how living abroad, meeting new people from different corners of the world are inriching you and making you a better person! I’m Russian myself and my husband is Italian and we live in Belgium, so this is kind a crazy mix But since we are together we travelled so much, took so much photos that I decided to start sharing them in Instagram. Some days I think “why I started all this”, but I see one of your shots and it gives me so much hope! I wish you further success guys! If you travel ever to Belgium (which is really close to Amsterdam), don’t hesitate to contact me and I’ll be really happy to guide you around!
Selena Says
Post authorThank you Maria! Love hearing your background — how incredible that you’ve lived in 4 different countries! We’ll definitely keep your offer in mind the next time we are in Belgium..;) What city do you live in? xx
Maria Says
I live in Ghent! You’re always welcome guys! would be nice to meet you in person
If you’re interested you can check my Instagram account worldishme.
Selena Says
Post authorChecking it out now.
Shondra Says
Hi there! I LOVE your story & thanks so much for sharing. I don’t think I saw anyone ask this, but how are you able to stay in Amsterdam beyond the 90 day tourist visa? I absolutely adore Amsterdam & have been exploring various routes to get there more permanently & would love your insight/advice!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Shondra! I answered this above, here it is
I’m a dual U.S./EU citizen, so Jacob is with me through a partner visa. Originally though, we didn’t know this would be an option and instead looked into Jacob starting a business in Amsterdam under an ‘Entrepreneur Visa’. This is totally doable — you just need to have money in a Dutch bank and a business plan. I’ve heard from others that this is a great option and grants you at least 2 years in the country. Hope that helps!
Danny Says
It’s cool to hear someone else’s story. There aren’t too many of us out there, and everyone has their own story on how they made it happen. Thanks for a nice, well-written post and the handy timeline?
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Danny! I love hearing other people’s stories too.
Robert Says
I’m a student, 21 years old. After I graduate, hopefully in 2.5 years, I want to travel the world first for a year or more. I’m already saving money for it so this is a dream that no one can take from me!
I wish I could travel more as a student, but my busy life (school + work) doesn’t let me travel a lot.
Let’s hope that I can make my dream job come true after school!
It’s so nice that you live in the Netherlands, I’ll live there too! You should visit Groningen soon, it’s such a beautiful underrated city where I live! Thanks for inspiring me so much! Keep doing this!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Robert! I was saving all my money throughout college too — I KNEW I wanted to travel, just didn’t know in what context yet. So glad I saved though, it really paid off in the long run.
Just added Groningen to my Netherlands list!
Michael @ Mile in My Glasses Says
Thank-you for sharing your timeline, this was fab! Also huge congratulations on officially going full time with blogging! Eeek!!!
I hope you’re having a great Tuesday,
Michael
https://www.mileinmyglasses.com
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Michael! Still can’t quite believe it… :)!
Carmen Says
This is sooo inspiring ! I’m glad I found your blog this year- my husband and I just started out Instagram account too to recount our travels together for our friends and family (a lot of what you said is so relatable!) im currently working full time as a doctor and blogging and my husband works full time too. We love traveling and meeting new cultures much like I’m sure you do as well. I followed you on Instagram! Love the pics, cheers – @adventures.from
Selena Says
Post authorCongrats on starting an Instagram together! Can’t wait to see what you two end up doing…shoot us a message on Instagram when you’re traveling so we can check out the photos and stories..
Grace Says
Are you guys American? What type of visa are you staying there on? I have lived in a few places in Europe (including Amsterdam!) and I always find the visa options are limited. I even went to the immigration office in Amsterdam and the only option was starting a business through the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty laws which had a lot of requirements. I am so curious how you found way to legally stay – I have had the same issues in France!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Grace – great question. I’m actually a dual U.S./EU citizen, so Jacob is with me through a partner visa. Originally though, we didn’t know this would be an option and instead looked into Jacob starting a business in Amsterdam under an ‘Entrepreneur Visa’. This is totally doable — you just need to have money in a Dutch bank and a business plan. I’ve heard from others that this is a great option and grants you at least 2 years in the country. Hope that helps!
Claire Says
Wow Selena! This is so inspiring. I’m 21 years old and will finish my undergrad this spring. I have big dreams of creating a similar lifestyle one day! Your Instagram and Blog inspired me to start my own last summer: @theadventuredecade and http://www.theadventuredecade.com. Thank you for being so open and inspiring! I love following your page!
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Claire! Just followed you on Instagram. xx Can’t wait to see what you do after graduating!
Brittany Schwarz Says
Just the inspiration I needed right now, thank you! I was recently laid off from a major media company in Oakland so I’m using this situation to propel myself into Europe. My husband and I have been planning on moving to Berlin for the past 2 years to pursue a life of travel and escape the corporate rat race. Love reading about your journey and it encourages me to take the next steps! Keep writing and we’ll keep reading.
Selena Says
Post authorLove this! Nothing better than turning a ‘bad’ situation to a good one — sometimes you need that extra push. Check out my friend @augustaleighphoto on Instagram, she moved from Texas to Berlin and loves it!
Anastasia Says
Thank you so much for sharing Selena! How inspiring is your story! We taking a slightly different way in but the objective is also to be able to travel more by creating content and inspiring others. I just quit my job too after 9 years of corporate career to pursue my dream of traveling long term and we hope with @travel_leap we might be able to sustain this dream..who knows what the future looks like!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Anastasia! So great to hear the context behind your Instagram account! Just followed. Best of luck to the both of you, exciting times!
Helen Says
Wonderful story! No better place than Amsterdam!
Sooo you’re trying to say that creating good content is enough? I don’t get how people grow their follow.
Hugs&kisses and good luck!?
Selena Says
Post authorHi Helen — if I were to break down how we grew our following on Instagram, there were 3 main components:
1. Quality content (only posting our best work, which helped with engagement and got us noticed by larger, more influential accounts).
2. Using hashtags strategically (especially location-based ones — you want people to find you when they are researching a trip!)
3. Interacting and learning from others (organically engaging with people we admire and paying attention to what works for them, so we better understand how to grow).
Developing a unique style is important, as is being responsive/receptive to your audience and what’s resonating with them. Hope this helps!
Helen Says
Thanks a lot! That’s what I’m doing for the past two months, I guess the instagram community has grown, a lot, so it takes time. But yeah, once I learnt how to use Lightroom, my photos started getting reposted. ?
Mafalda Silva Says
Loved reading your story!!! Had no idea how you started and it’s amazing how things can change!!? I also have a full time job but not 100% happy there. I thought about starting a blog and a few people told me I should.I love taking photos and usually travel every couple of months, and I love sharing my stories too! But it is so scary thinking about leaving everything and it’s so hard to get into this industry now! but your story is definitely an inspiration and motivating!?
Selena Says
Post authorThanks Mafalda, so glad you liked it! My advice on blogging: it may be ‘hard’ to get into the industry now, but on the flip side — there’s also no better time! There are so many tools for bloggers out there, the secret’s out on how to make money, and there are so many opportunities to learn from others who are in the same boat. Maybe start with a travel Instagram account if you haven’t created one yet…it will only progress from there.
Mafalda Silva Says
Thank you for your advise my dear ? I have created one about maybe 2 and a half years ago? And I have not hit the 1500 followers yet ? I think that’s why I have no motivation to start a blog of my own. Maybe I need to put a
But more time into it. And congratulations on starting blogging full time ??
Stephanie Says
I loved hearing your story. Found you on instagram a couple months back as I’m just now starting a blog relating to travel and food. My life situation is very different in that I live in the middle of the U.S. and most travel is mostly local -and dragging three kids along!
It’s always inspirational to hear about others who go for it and love what they do. As an aside, I studied abroad in Utrecht for two months about ten years ago. Miss going to coffee shops and having a cappuccino and stroopwaffle! Look forward to reading more on your blog!
Selena Says
Post authorHi Stephanie — congrats on starting a blog! And majorrrr props to you for bringing 3 kids along to travel..you’ll have to teach me the secret on how to do that one day.
Utrecht is one of my favorite cities in The Netherlands — I still go to Winkel Van Sinkel for hot chocolate when I visit (ha ha!) xx
alex Says
my husband & I moved to utrecht in jan 2017 from texas and have loved following your travels on instagram! we gave travel blogging a shot but it just wasn’t for us. cant wait to see what 2018 has in store for you both
Selena Says
Post authorAlex – first of all, I adore Utrecht! Hope you’re enjoying the adventure! I NEVER would’ve thought I’d be blogging full-time, but I guess life is just funny like that.
Afrotravelers Says
Thank you for sharing your story! You guys are such an inspiration as we hope to be able to the same eventually. After travelling for 1,5 years we find ourselves back home in the Netherlands with jobs that don’t truly make us happy to keep doing wat does make us happy before and after working hours, creating our own content through lifestyle& travel photography and videos. Reading this made me realise to keep having faith that hard work pays of and to maintain hopeful and positive. Congratulations guys, so great!!
Selena Says
Post authorLove this. It’s absolutely a combination of hard work, timing, and rolling with the punches. Seriously – go after what makes you happy, life is too short not to! And send us an email at finduslost@gmail.com if you ever want to meet for coffee in Amsterdam. xx
Charlotte Says
I loved Reading this! I am currently still working fulltime in Belgium as a dentist But also want to evolve more in travelblogging. I already have my blog which for now I work on in the weekends. And every other minute during patients and at home I am busy with editing and my instagram. I realise that this isn’t the best option But for now I do need my safety net. I am planning to move in a few years to Hungary where my boyfriend lives. But first stepping up my instagame so that can provide me some “stability” when I would quit being a dentist. Sorry for the long comment. Everything you wrote just felt so relatable!
Selena Says
Post authorCharlotte – that’s amazing. I can totally relate, and I’m so impressed you are working full-time AND blogging! I won’t be surprised if this time next year you’re writing a post like this. More power to you, keep up the blogging (and send me a link so I can leave a comment there!) xx
Charlotte Says
https://www.charlieswanderings.com
Thank you so much for responding! ?