Thursday Traveler: Jason Batansky of Locationless Living

Every Thursday, A Dangerous Business will be shining the spotlight on a world nomad, travel blogger, armchair adventurer, or just someone really cool in the travel world. This week, the traveler is Jason Batansky of Locationless Living and Flashpacker Guy. Jason is a location independent 23-year-old traveling throughout the world, working 20-odd hours a week running 3 web-based businesses. He writes about travel, businesses, and lifestyle.

1. How do you define the word “traveler,” and why would you consider yourself one?

My opinion on this type of question has changed constantly ever since I began traveling. When I first began traveling, the experiences were mostly exciting and new. I didn’t personally know anyone else doing the same thing as me, so I took on an elitist attitude. If you asked me six years ago, I would have considered myself a traveler and told you that the word traveler means, “acting like the person you have always wanted to be but never had a chance to. Your smile goes a hundred miles and your positive energy attracts you to positive people. You act differently, dress differently, talk differently and feel different. With no worries in your mind and an entire strange world to explore, you wake up every day never accepting things and never having a routine. Life only gets better and people only become more warm and friendly.”

Six years later, I’m doing the same thing but am much less philosophical with travel and what it should mean. Travel is a great thing. But over time, travel is becoming a less important part of my life. I still consider myself a traveler, but care more about other aspects of life now that travel is just a hobby, rather than a way of life.

2. What has been your favorite travel experience thus far?

The latter part of my first independent trip abroad was my favorite. I was traveling through Colombia at age 19 for around a month. The experience of traveling was so new and unfamiliar. I’d feel such anxiety and excitement when boarding a bus because I never could be sure I was on the right one. I visited exotic cities and environments with new friends from Colombia and around the world. That month was the first time I really felt independent and a sense of maturity. I sort of loosened up and did things I never would have considered that have since become a norm, like dancing, for example. The entire month was excellent.

3. How about your proudest travel moment?

When taking a long bus ride solo in a foreign country, I’m given an abundance of time to reflect. I feel moments of extreme happiness on these long, monotonous, and uncomfortable journeys. It’s often these times when I feel most proud of the direction of my life. It’s probably knowing that I am mostly responsible and in control of these new experiences.

4. Have you had any travel mishaps or bad experiences? If so, have these influenced how you view the place where they happened? Would you go back?

I rarely blame the entirety of a country for a bad travel experiences. Bad things happen from constantly being on the move and not knowing the surroundings very well. I was jumped in Ecuador, harassed by gypsies in Spain, and could name a bunch of other negative experiences. But I don’t blame any of that on the country. These experiences are not the norm.

It’s the attitude of people that can really change my view on a country. I can only name one place where the majority of the people I met were consistently bad. Bolivia is the only country in which I consistently had negative encounters with the people. I do believe that Bolivia is a beautiful country for its environment, but the people are a different story. I am in no hurry to return.

5. Name one thing you can’t travel without.

I can easily say without hesitation that traveling without my laptop would be nearly impossible. I work full-time through the Internet. The few times my laptop has broken while traveling were some of the worst and most stressful.

6. Name one thing you wish you COULD travel without.

My laptop. I have this secret fantasy that my businesses might someday all fail and at that point I could travel without a laptop, not having to worry about working while I travel.

7. What do you think has been the biggest thing you’ve learned while traveling (about yourself, a destination, a culture, travel itself)?

It took me a while to grasp the importance of having lifelong friends and family. I have nearly come full circle from wanting to travel non-stop, meeting new people from different countries, to now having the idea to set up a base in my hometown to be closer to my family. It’s a pretty simple concept, but without having had the opportunity to live my dream of travel, I never would have made peace with the importance of family and friends. Travel helped me understand this idea from developing relationships with families and friends in other countries.

8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I would choose a city like Bogota or Medellin, Colombia. That’s assuming that factors like friends and family don’t count. If you have a little money, the country allows for such a nice lifestyle. Medical care is less restricted and affordable. The scenery and weather is beautiful with green-covered Andes Mountains. Most important are that Colombians are typically really fun and generous people. If I could have been born in another country, I would easily choose here.

9. Name one place you’d like to see or one experience you’d like to have before you die.

I’d like to travel without working. I imagine not having to balance work or even think about it would make my travels a lot different.

10. If there was one thing you wish somebody would have told you before you started traveling, what would it be?

All the clichés you’ve heard about travel are all true. It will change your life.

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Are you a travel blogger who has something to say on these topics? Do you know of somebody really interesting in the travel universe that you’d like to see interviewed? Speak up! The Thursday Traveler needs some interview subjects.

Visit Jason’s site: Locationless Living and Flashpacker Guy
Follow Jason on Twitter: @Locationless
Follow Jason’s Stumbles: Locationless

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