The word of the day is: 

hat-trick 

noun.

definition: three successes of the same kind, especially consecutive ones within a limited period.

“These 5 alumni have lived Unsettled in at least three of our locations, for all three durations of one week, two week, and one month.”

——–

Olga Gonzalez

How was your one month experience in Cape Town different from the two weeks in Tuscany? Were you more productive in Cape Town because you had 30 days to ‘settle in’? Or did you approach exploring/working differently? 

I think you approach an experience differently when you know you have more time to settle in and connect with everyone and everything around you. When you have a one month experience you really have the opportunity to live like a local. At the beginning everything is just surprising and slowly you blend in beautifully. After three weeks in CT believe me I needed my waxing and my hair to be done, just like back home, haha. Meanwhile Tuscany has a natural slow way of living… 

What was the most appealing aspect of choosing the one week sailing experience? 

I was looking for a digital detox and to reconnect with nature. During sailing and the Amazon, I completely lost track of time. I woke up with the sun and naturally closed my eyes when my body was tired at night.

Living on a boat with 8 strangers having to sleep, bathe (or not bathe!) and cook in such a small space is a very interesting social experiment. Also knowing that you have just one week to connect with people accelerates the process and you become family very, very fast.  

What is one thing you learned about yourself from each Unsettled location? 

The capacity to adapt to anything, anywhere. I understood that your perception creates your reality, and the moment you change your point of view, your reality changes. I recognized that the world is big, yet we are all not that different.

Do you still feel a little bit Unsettled — in a good way?

Yes and I love that I am comfortable with that. Life is movement, it’s full of transitions, if you are able to navigate with it, embrace change, and the Unsettled feeling that comes with that, everything shows up with ease, the good and the not so good.

—

Megan Eiss-Proctor

How was your one month experience in Cape Town different from the two weeks in Morocco? Were you more productive in Cape Town because you had 30 days to ‘settle in’? Or did you approach exploring/working differently? 

I went to Cape Town expecting to figure out what was next for me career wise – I planned to work more there than on either of the other two Unsettled trips. I really enjoy slow travel so I was excited to get into a bit of a routine in Cape Town (and I never found a routine in either Morocco or sailing). In Morocco, I came with a project in mind that I wanted to tackle but I guessed (correctly) that I’d be working fewer hours.

What was the most appealing aspect of choosing the one week sailing experience?

I had never been sailing before and I had no idea if I was going to get sea sick or what it would be like to be trapped on a small space in the water with strangers for a week. I would probably not have signed up for a longer trip (because I wasn’t sure about the whole thing and I would have been too nervous to commit) so I was happy it was only for a week. All that being said, I did LOVE sailing and that trip – I would now consider a longer sailing adventure. 🙂

What is one thing you learned about yourself from each Unsettled location? 

In Cape Town I learned to make peace with my own working style. In NYC you often feel pressure to work really long days and nights (and you can feel like something is wrong with you if you aren’t doing that) but in Cape Town I met so many successful people who made room for a work/life balance and I learned there was space for me to create that for myself as well.

In Morocco I learned what it’s like to stand out just by walking out the door. As a blonde woman it was virtually impossible to step out of the riad and not feel like I was being watched by everyone. I’ve carried this feeling with me back in the States (and in other travels) because I think it’s important to remember your experience is just one experience and not everyone feels as safe, welcomed, or self-possessed as you might.

Sailing: I learned about how I respond with few distractions. There was virtually no internet. I had only my kindle, snacks, and the company of great people. I learned to be more self-reliant on the boat. I learned how to sit quietly with my thoughts without a lot of distractions.

Do you still feel a little bit Unsettled — in a good way?

Most definitely. I think part of the fun of the trips is learning to accept that I may always feel unsettled – and that’s a good thing!

—

Uday Jhunjhunwala

How was your one month experience in Bali different from the two weeks in Tuscany? Were you more productive in Bali because you had 30 days to ‘settle in’? Or did you approach exploring/working differently? 

Both were very different, particularly because of location. In Bali, there was more of an opportunity to explore Ubud and the island, to get to know the area and get into a bit of a routine. In Tuscany, we spent more time at the villa, enjoying the surroundings and each other’s company. There was a bit less routine because I spent less time on my own working. I find it easier to be creative when I’m in one place for a longer time so Bali was definitely easier to settle in and be productive. In Tuscany, I worked but had a bit more FOMO given we only had 2 weeks. I treated Tuscany more as a vacation, where I kept on top of my investment work but knew I likely wouldn’t get much creative writing done. 

What was the most appealing aspect of choosing the one week sailing experience? 

I’ve always wanted to go sailing, but was concerned about who I would end up with on a random sailing trip. With Unsettled, I knew the boat mates would be friends of friends with a particular Unsettled character and approach to life and experience. I was more comfortable being in tight quarters with a group curated by Unsettled, forming instant community where everyone was responsible and thoughtful.

What is one thing you learned about yourself from each Unsettled location? 

I think I’ve learned several things over the course of my Unsettled trips. I like to travel slowly, be in one place for longer than it takes to see the sights. I like to live local. FOMO is still strong in me. I have to remind myself that there’s work to get done and that fun and exploration of new places sometimes has to wait. As social as I am, I’ve noticed that more and more I like to have a little solo downtime to just be, read, and reflect. 

Do you still feel a little bit Unsettled — in a good way? 

As happy as I am every time I return to NYC, within a few days, the urge to be somewhere else bubbles up and I find myself looking at a map and my calendar.

—

Beatriz Ayala

How was your one month experience in Bali different from the two weeks in Tuscany? Were you more productive in Bali because you had 30 days to ‘settle in’? Or did you approach exploring differently? 

My one month experience versus my two week experience was different not because of timing but because of my intentions going into each retreat. I was highly present and highly productive at both because I was clear with myself as to what I was willing to give and receive. Exploring happened everyday; whether it was self based or location driven I gave myself permission to follow the flow I was in and to go as fast or as slow as I wanted. 

What was the most appealing aspect of choosing to go on the one week experience in the Amazon and sailing in Thailand?

The most appealing aspect was the location, overall timing (not the length but the actual dates) and the overall component of nature, fun, and community mixed in together. 

What is one thing you learned about yourself from each Unsettled location? 

Amazon- that I am capable of slowing down and voicing my vulnerability. 

Tuscany- that everything I am looking for lies within me, that I needed clearer, stronger boundaries.

Cape Town- that to feel alive I must ground myself and release the old to open space for the new to emerge.

Thailand- that I am capable of giving without conditions.

Bali- that my heart is bigger, more patient, and clear on what it wants. 

And one thing that I learned from all of them is my limitless abundance to give and receive without hesitation. 

Do you still feel a little bit Unsettled — in a good way?

I am always Unsettled— my hunger for more- expansion, growth, building connections, love, truth, and beyond keeps me on my toes and automatically takes me to uncharted, unknown territories. 

—

Patrick Chebli

What was the most appealing aspect of choosing the one week sailing experience? 

Gosh! I’ve always wanted to sail. BVI + Unsettled, are you kidding me!! I think I signed up the same week I was in Tuscany. A week experience is completely different! No work! None. it’s short enough to let go of that, and short enough to not lose your mind because you are worried about that customer or that deal you’ve been working on. It’s long enough to feel rejuvenated; and it’s unique enough to feel like it’s the trip of your life! You get to do a crazy trip like this, when you want, on your schedule, when all your friends back home are babysitting, stuck at work, or whatever. If I want/need a vacation, I’m not going to wait for a friend or friends to become available; I’ll just book a week with Unsettled!

 What is one thing you learned about yourself from each Unsettled location? 

In my first experience, Buenos Aires, the group chemistry was unbelievable. Small background story: I run my own company in a very niche industry: Human In Vitro Fertilization. It’s a very lonely thing to be an entrepreneur or at least for Patrick as an entrepreneur: you are intimately tied to what you do, rain or shine. You breathe your business, you feel it, and eat it, and see it every single minute of every day. No one around you really gets it; they get it, but not really.

Before BA, I hadn’t realized how much I had isolated myself. I forgot how much I liked being around people (who kind of get it too!). I remembered how good it was to accept and be accepted in a fellowship of sorts.

I’m glad I now belong to something large, something international. In the two week Tuscany adventure, I realized how important it was for me to create relationships with the people around me. It was hard to achieve similar ones as with BA, since it was a much shorter trip with less pressure in general (we were in the countryside; no discos, no bars, and live music).

It’s not enough for me to be with others; I need to connect on a deeper emotional and intellectual level with others.

In the one week BVI sailing experience, the intensity level of the activity was extremely elevated. Living on a 50-foot sailboat with 7 other people, 3 boats tailing each other, that was super cool! Cool is the key word here: everyone was jiving on vacation. No one was serious, no one was struggling to balance anything in their lives, people were just half partying – half living every single moment in its intensity and uniqueness.

I really got to enjoy the moment in and of itself; as one passed, a whole new immersive one came to be, and so on. I had never sailed before, so that was a hell of a cool experience. I had never lived on a moored boat, that was a hell of a cool experience. I had never jumped off a boat to swim to another, crawl up the sides and roll exhausted onto the deck, and be offered a beer by the other crew.

Do you still feel a little bit Unsettled — in a good way?

The routine of life kicks back in really quickly. You can go on a trip and come back full of knowledge, realizations, and expectations for a while, but sooner, rather than later, you get sucked back to your reality. My energy level isn’t as high as when I’m on an Unsettled adventure.

That being said, what’s great about it is that the community is still around, still present, even though it’s spread around the world. I pick up the phone and message Doug, Rob, Olga, Fausto, whoever, and I’m right back in that energy level I felt while I was truly Unsettled.

For me, it’s the community that makes the experience, that makes it Unsettled-esque. I feel nostalgic, that’s for sure, but I also feel grateful I can pick up the phone, plan a weekend in San Fran with Doug and Jam, meet Superman and Dimitra in NYC, plan another sailing trip with The Dirty Dinghy Queens somewhere, and know that wherever I go, I have a network of like-minded people to reach out to.

You can meet more of our alumni community here!