Ever want a chance to be far away from everyone or everything – just to collect your thoughts and realize your worth? Do others depend on you too much and the pressure beats you down? Are you looking for a change and can work remotely from any destination? This blog is an inspiring view on the day in the life of a traveling entrepreneur that works from a co-working space while experiencing world’s breath-taking views.
This is a day in my life of a social media consultant overcoming challenges in society as a physically disabled individual while inspiring others to always be positive.
Detroit to Bali
To start my adventure across the world, I jumped on a plane in Detroit, Michigan not knowing what to expect when I landed. I had a layover in Los Angeles, CA with 5 hours to spare before my 13.5 hour flight. I used my electric scooter to ride around the airport arriving at a nice place to enjoy a hot meal, listen to a local band from Venice Beach and monitor social media activity / respond to emails.
When it was time to board my plane from Los Angeles, CA to Sydney, Australia, my nerves began to kick in full force. I was anxious, nervous, excited, scared and full of fear. I reminded myself that these emotions are all a mindset and I had to overcome them to make the most of my energy. Deep in my heart, I knew I was ready!
I boarded the plane first – even before priority. This is a safety procedure for disabled patrons to make sure we are in our seats, comfortably. The staff at Delta was so nice!
After we took off into the sky, I pulled my laptop back out to blog about my experiences so far. My mind was constantly running at full-speed with excitement and I wanted to pour out all of my feelings. I blogged about traveling, things that I wanted to do and my expectations of the trip. I worked on my social media content calendar, drafted emails and updated pages in WordPress for my agency site.
After 14 hours in the sky – we landed in Sydney, Australia! I was thrilled to be close to my finally destination – Bali! It was a quick layover before taking off to Indonesia. We were almost to Bali when the pilot came on the overhead, ‘a volcano has erupted near an island by the airport, we are turning back around to Australia.’ I was so bummed but not too upset. I wanted more time in Sydney anyway, so this would give me the opportunity to enjoy dinner or drinks. Our turnaround plane was featured on the news.. bonus points.
Be Nice, Be Patient & Things Will Happen
Some people may get stressed under these situations but I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I was patient, calm and understanding about the grounded plan and what was next. People panicked because of lack of communication but I waited for next steps. While others were pushing at the hotel registration for a room; I waited calmly in the background. When it was my turn to come to the counter, I looked directly in the hotel staff’s eyes and asked how they were doing. I’m a very intuitive person who reads body language. I could tell that I was the first person to ask about their night of caos. Wow, did that pay off.. I was placed in a larger room with ADA accommodations on the first floor. This was such a convenience as I wasn’t sure how I would get my two large suitcases and electric scooter in the elevator (if placed on a floor above one). I received a $50 voucher from the airplane and comped room to have a nice evening of relaxation. I wasn’t stressed about it.. I just wanted to get there but things happen. You have to take life by the horns and make the best of it.
I took a long shower, had a warm meal and enjoyed a glass of wine at the hotel’s restaurant in Sydney, Australia. I went to bed at 8PM with my next day outfit laid beside me. I woke up at 4AM to wait on hold and be disconnected countless times to get an update on the flight status. My persistence paid off because I finally reached someone who put me on the first flight out.
Hello, Indonesia!
I arrived in beautiful Bali! They didn’t have a lift for handicap passengers so our entire plane had to wait for one to arrive from the staff…it was okay, everyone was very patient and understanding that I couldn’t take the stairs. I was pumped down on this lift to ground floor and shuttled in a bus to the airport. On way!
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I grabbed a taxi which was an hour drive to the hotel. I was still in jet-lag mode but really wanted to see my co-working space because my excitement lingered over the last 3 days of flying. After unpacking some things at my hotel in Canggu, Bali – I found a ride to travel near Eco beach where my coworking space, Dojo Bali, was housed. I knew that I would get adapted quickly and wanted to make the most of my time, resources and opportunities.
Where I worked…
I spent most of my day at the coworking office, Dojo Bali. The coworking space was lax, chill and full of talent. There were two floors, room with air conditioning, a cafe, and pool!
I had the pleasure of speaking about my skills in social media to the members of Dojo Bali. The sessions were standing room only with excellent feedback! I enjoyed the sessions so much, that I am inspired to continue teaching and develop online courses in social media. To come!
Where I slept
I stayed a surfer hotel in Canggu that had a nice room, rooftop and access to a restaurant. I spent many mornings on the rooftop relaxing over a good book and soaking up the sun. I was in awe with my surroundings because everything was so fresh and new.. I wanted to try it all!
There were days that I pulled my laptop out to enjoy the view from the rooftop terrace. I found that working as a social media consultant was convenient because I could work remotely from any destination. The 12 hour time difference was a challenge at first, but I adjusted to being available for my clients. I found myself to being more focused because I was distracted by the city noise and traveling for in-person meetings. It’s amazing how much you get done when you control your schedule.
What I ate
I wanted to keep an open mind when it came to food so I tried a little bit of everything. The restaurants were diverse, unique and presentation was on the top of the list. It is challenging to find restaurants on Google because Canggu is very new.. and I mean new with construction popping up everywhere! I recommend taking walks and finding yourself in a new place… that’s what I did!
Where to go
I met a lot of talented individuals in my co-working space. Many of these coworkers were digital nomads, entrepreneurs, start-ups and travel bloggers. I embraced their skillset and positive mentality. I didn’t think that there were others like me, but here they were!
There were days that I spent exploring temples or relaxing by the beach. I felt completely out of my element and it was natural. I embraced the artwork, culture, people, and surroundings.
A photo posted by Melissa DiVietri (@missydi) on
In summary, if you put your mind to something and work at it.. you will get there. If you challenge yourself and take risks; life will be worth your while. Things are not handed to you .. you must work for them. Life will be hard but you should remain positive with everything you do. Positive people attract other positive people.
Do you research.. you will get there. It won’t happen over a day but if you put enough energy and time into it – it will happen! You may find peace with yourself.. just like I did. Read more about my disease sacral agenesis in this blog post.
