Fortaleza, Brasil

I move every month in search of cheaper rent. It’s easy to do when you have no furniture or appliances. I lived on the road for two years, traveling to twenty-five countries and holding jobs or volunteer positions in most of them. I moved so often that I limited my possessions to just one carry-on bag. Life was simpler that way; it was perfect.

Now it’s different. Instead of living in dorm rooms or shacks in exchange for part-time work, I’m living in furnished apartments and paying market value. I’ve been in Fortaleza for four months now, long enough to fill up a second backpack with olive oil, sunscreen, milk, laundry detergent, shaving cream, books, two kinds of soap, and other “essentials.” I used two stuffed backpacks to move this weekend, which is fine, I guess.

I guess.

This all feels dirty. I’m an explorer. I’m a minimalist. Who was the last minimalist to explore the world with twice as much as he needed?

Life was easier with one bag. Time to get back to my roots.