Longing for a Comfort Zone - I'm Tired of Traveling

What is a comfort zone?

For me it is a place or a way of living, where things don’t change that much, where I knows how things work, where I can relax and recharge because there’s nothing to worry about, not too many problems to solve most of the time.

Lately I’m fighting a lot with the feeling of being lost.
For three years now I basically live without any comfort at all, solving new problems every day, in countries where I don’t know the language, the culture. Where I have no friends, no family, no clue of how things work.
I’m moving all the time, with no place to return to.
No place where I can recharge.
No "comfort zone".
No home.

I chose that life for a reason and it still feels right. Somehow this weird life is the right path for me (at the moment ) and I’m totally willing to deal with all the challenges that it brings, because it also brings me a lot of freedom and joy.

But the nomad life was never meant to last forever. I always knew it was just one phase of my life. We call our van "the ark", because it is meant to take us where we are supposed to be, to take us home, wherever this might be.
And right now I hope so much that we’re there soon.

Over those traveling years I really learned to appreciate having a home, a comfort zome, where I know my way around, where things mostly stay the same unless I decide to change it, where I know my neighbors and their language. A place where I can recharge and relax and don’t have to think about basic things like where to sleep or where to get water.

I’ve never had a problem with "leaving my comfort zone", I’m not an anxious person. I always loved adventures, trying new things, I’ve never been afraid of the unknown.
But right now I’m tired of it. I’m tired of moving, tired of being a stranger everywhere I go, tired of adventures.
I need a break.

So my man and me decided to move into a temporary home for the winter, a nice little apartment for at least two months in a city that we really like: Sarandë in Albania.
Here we started our busking tour last year and its promenade will always be filled with memories of our first steps as street musicians.

We moved in a few days ago after weeks of looking at apartments, moving into one and moving out again after having difficulties with our landlord. But the apartment that we now live in feels right, even thought there’s a construction site nearby which makes it quite noisy during the day. But it is very cosy inside and quite spacious.
I even have my own little office! which feels like the greatest luxury after having lived on a queensized bed, that was our kitchen, office, living room and bedroom all in once ^^

I'm sure that here we can recharge and focus on our projects. I want to get back into the art business and I have a thousand ideas and things I’d like to realize.

I guess the trick is to not get stuck in any kind of lifestyle but to ask yourself from time to time if your life still feels right, if you’re still happy. And if the answer is no, to try and find ways to change it, even if it takes a while.

I’m looking forward to having a temporary comfort zone for a while and just focus on art and music.
(And cooking! Which is so much more fun when you have a proper kitchen with an oven and a fridge and a table! 🥳)

And probably after a few months we’ll be ready for the next adventure whatever it might be. Maybe looking for a permanent home? Who knows.

Love, Ana <3

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all images taken by me