Four Traveler Archetypes I Met During My Sabbatical
As a traveler, one soon recognizes the diversity among the ways you can travel. Which traveler archetype best resonates with your journey?
When I quit my job to start traveling full-time, I experienced a significant shift in my identity. I was no longer defined by my previous roles as a project manager, facilitator, or organizational consultant. Instead, I embraced the identity of a traveler. But what exactly does it mean to be a traveler?
Before this journey, my travel experiences were limited to trips with deadlines, lasting between one to four weeks. Even while traveling, I remained tied to my job or studies back home, so I never fully shed my old identity.
However, this time was different. I consciously let go of my former identity and began to observe the expectations people had of me now that I was a ‘traveler’ — and the expectations I developed for myself. To grasp my new identity, I initially studied other travelers: how they spent their time, the stories they shared about themselves, and their way of communicating. I encountered four distinct archetypes.
Tourists (The Short-Term Travelers)
Most of the travelers I encountered initially fell into this category. They typically embark on trips lasting between two weeks to two months while maintaining ties to their jobs or studies back home. Having saved up both money and energy for this journey, they seek to extract as much as possible from their experiences. Their approach mirror my previous work style: structured with plans, deadlines, and to-do lists. Following well-trodden paths in each country, they predominantly stay in hostels or dorm rooms and enjoy socializing with fellow travelers. Their itineraries are packed with trips and tours, and they extensively research each destination through online sources, books, or conversations. Their conversations often revolve around ‘doing’ and they ask me questions like: “What are you doing today?” or “Have you done the volcano/hike/waterfall yet?”. They are driven by a focus on exploring and they measure their experiences in ‘quantity’.
Backpackers (The Long-Term Travelers)
Similar to tourists initially, backpackers embark on their journeys with a fervor for exploration and experiences. However, their trips extend beyond the two-month mark, sometimes lasting up to a year. The extended duration necessitate a slower pace, allowing them time for relaxation. They grow weary of repetitive conversations about origins, trip durations, and future destinations. Seeking deeper connections and a sense of contribution to local communities, many turn to volunteering at farms, hostels, or schools. This shift introduce a sense of routine, fostering longer-term relationships, and prioritizing the quality of experiences over the sheer quantity.
Digital Nomads (The Workers)
These travelers balance their journeys with part- or full-time remote jobs, requiring only a stable Wi-Fi connection and a conducive working environment — be it a co-working space or a café — typically from Monday to Friday. While they enjoy meeting new people and exploring new places, their travel is not a temporary excursion but a lifestyle. Their preferred pace is slow, often spending between one to three months in a single location (based on visa limitations). I have found myself drawn to this lifestyle, aligning well with how I prefer to structure my weekdays, reserving weekends for trips and exploration.
Nomads (The Indefinite Travelers)
Traveling without any specific deadline, these individuals often travel for years. Some engage in occasional work, while others embrace a minimalist lifestyle, traveling on a tight budget with minimal possessions. I find these travelers incredibly inspiring, but they also frighten me a little bit with their strong focus on non-attachment. They have a philosophy of living in the present moment, and do not have any limiting commitments to anyone (partners, family, friends or even work). I’ve delved deeper into their lifestyle and that of digital nomads in a longer blog post here.
Which Archetype Am I?
During my travels, I’ve picked up bits of different traveler styles. I’m quite like a digital nomad in how I structure my week, often settling in cafes or at home during the day and saving adventures for weekends. While I prefer a slower pace, I’m also easily enticed by new opportunities, sometimes hopping to a new spot after just a few days. I guess you could say I’m a mix of these types — trying to carve my own path while enjoying the best of every traveler’s world.
I have written a more in-depth article on my struggles to accept my own way of traveling that you can read here.
