Being a Nomad

By Ilene (one of the Two Nomads)

Last summer, I had the incredible opportunity to join a women’s retreat in Mongolia—a land famously tied to the nomadic legacy of Genghis Khan. As a nomad myself, I was eager to learn from the true experts. What I discovered surprised me: nomads aren’t constantly on the move. Instead, their travel follows a natural rhythm, moving seasonally or cyclically based on resources, weather, and community needs. Sometimes they stay put for months or years before moving again. This purposeful pattern of movement, rather than constant wandering, deeply resonated with me.

Tuul River Valley, located within the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area three hours north of Ulaanbaatar

Now, as we enter our third year living a nomadic lifestyle, we’ve found ourselves settling into rhythms that reflect our core values: Explore, Connect, Contribute, and Grow. Each year, we visit new places to satisfy our curiosity and expand our horizons—Mexico, Mongolia, various countries in Africa—each destination feeding our desire to open our eyes and hearts to new cultures and experiences. We spend the autumn in Hong Kong and Asia, and summers at our home in Vermont, grounding ourselves by connecting with our sons, our family, friends, and our roots. Giving back is essential to us, too. We both serve on nonprofit boards, embracing the chance to contribute our time, talents, and resources to causes we care about deeply. And growth—both personal and communal—is a constant question: What seeds are we planting? What do we need to thrive?

Our travel often weaves around my board meetings for Volunteer New York!. While virtual attendance is possible, I prefer showing up in person because the energy and connection are on a whole different level. Recently, while the other Nomad traveled through Asia, I chose to stay put in the spring, aligning myself with the time zone to fully engage in my new Board role with The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice. This balance between movement and presence feels essential.

In a world that often feels heavy and overwhelming, my intention for 2025 is clear: to make a positive impact by connecting with people who are striving to do good. Sometimes that simply means offering a smile, a listening ear, or a kind word. Other times, it requires a bit more. I never imagined I’d find such profound connections through facilitating prison visitation programs, engaging in honest conversations with people whose life experiences differ greatly from my own.

For us, being part of Two Nomads isn’t just about travel. It’s about creating a life rooted in values and setting up camp wherever we need to be in the moment. How do you decide where to land? What is calling you? Sometimes it leads us to faraway lands, and other times it brings us back home, to the simple, cherished moments—like conversations with your mom at the kitchen table. Wherever the journey takes you, may it be guided by purpose and heart.

I’d love to hear from you: What values guide your own journey, whether you’re traveling the world or rooted close to home? Hit reply and share your story—I’m excited to connect. And, if you’d like to sign up for the Frederick Douglass prison visitation program, you can either get in touch with me or sign up here: https://www.douglassproject.org/

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