Bobby Brodney
Sep 3, 2018 · 7 min read

This article is a personal reflection on my awesome experience with Unsettled in order for you to have a firsthand account of how awesome this emerging company is. Unsettled is a company that hosts nomad style retreats around the world. It’s designed for creatives, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and anyone who wants to leave their home to live and work and take part in an action packed, learning filled, cultural adventure. A short list and opinionated description of the fun and informative activities we did explains why I think this company is so clever.

Unsettlers Horseback Riding in the Hills of Jardín, Colombia.

I ran into another advertisement on Instagram. I know, shocking; but this ad was different. This ad was talking about going to Medellin, Colombia, a place I have always wanted to visit, with a small and highly selective group of entrepreneurs from all over the world. Some people in the group owned and operated businesses and others wanted to try living in a new city and didn’t want to go at it alone. Most of the group I would classify as digital nomads; someone who doesn’t have to physically go into an office every day (people in the group reported into their offices using Skype). It’s inspiring to live and work with talented people from all over the world. Unsettled creates this experience for every person in a retreat.

The cities Unsettled chooses are exotic places, or places you might not visit such as Chile, Marrakesh, Bali, or Nicaragua. The programs range from a week to one month, and some have the choice of rooming with another Unsettler to cut costs. Before you arrive, living, 24/7 office space with unlimited coffee, and culturally rich group retreats have already been planned for you. Workshops lead by other Unsettlers allow you to have an exclusive peek into the communities other group members come from. For instance, one of my group members started his own ride share app, and he explained how he got his business off the ground and how he keeps it running. This is a valuable part of the experience because learning about what other entrepreneurs do help you to develop as an entrepreneur.

Overlook in Medellín. Photo by Liza Schmidt.

Some of the coolest experiences from the entire trip took place outside the city we were staying in. This isn’t to say that Medellin isn’t a fun city, trust me, it’s got beautiful landscape and tons of great places to visit. Our time spent in the city was intelligently planned and executed by the organizers from Unsettled. They took care to cover their bases when it comes to cultural planning. Both day trips and weekend trips were part of the itinerary. Although there’s always more to do than a person is physically able to do in one month, some places we visited as a group had such a great impact on me, I want to share them.

1. Comuna 13 is a district within Medellin which until six years ago was rated one of the most dangerous communities in the world. Talk about a natural high. This town built on hillside, is the final section of the city before heading into the mountains towards the ocean. Drug and human traffickers used this village as a trading place and the military had to use force in the village to keep order. Visiting this village was truly a humbling experience, and taught me a lot about the misconception Americans have of Colombian culture. This city reshaped itself from the inside out. Residents started teaching and pursuing art instead of illegal activity. It has done a ton of rebuilding and renovation, in the streets, but more so the infrastructure in general. What was once a village covered in bullets is now a village covered in art, filled with love instead of violence. The importance of locals to changing the perception outsiders have of Colombia is something I never would have known if it weren’t for the Unsettled experience.

Comuna 13 and Medellin. Photo by Bobby Brodney.

2. Weekend tripped to Jardín, a mountain village about two hours from the center of Medellin. In this village was a plethora of awesome experiences. From seeing all the beautiful colors of all the houses and classic Colombian architecture in the town by pedicab, to your hair whipping the back of your head horseback riding through the mountains down the valley where we were lucky enough to tour an organic coffee farm. What a trip right? We actually got the full scale experience; we arrived via bus as a group, which was a wonderful journey in itself with the winding roads and waterfalls spiraling away. Upon arrival, we split into small groups and toured the entire coffee plantation. There was also plantains growing on the property. The coffee plants run along a hillside to let water flow, promoting healthy growth. We physically walked up and down the hills too see and pick beans from the plants, then went over to the mill where we got to see how the beans are cleaned, dried, and processed.

Coffee Beans Drying with Unsettler Farah Ramadan. Image by Bobby Brodney.

After, we were served an authentic Colombian dinner; the home made coffee after the meal was spot on. They even gave us a bag to take home. This entire trip was organized by the Unsettled team, and I have to admit, when large group excursions like this happen, there always feels like there’s a problem due to miscommunication or something missing. On all the excursions, we were accompanied by a local who was able to make sure the trip went according to plan, no shortfalls. We learned a ton and had a wonderful opportunity to take pictures and even fly the drones.

3. Day tripped to Guatapé — A flatland village in Colombia with the largest rock I have ever seen. I don’t mean that kind of rock. I mean a rock which when you visit, you trek up hundreds of steps, straight into the sky. You climb the steps on the side of the rock, through the rock, and buy a gift, go through the rock some more, have lunch and enjoy a beer or coffee on top before making the descent.

Aerial Image by Bobby Brodney of Guatapé, Colombia.

It’s important to point out this was not a group planned excursion, but an excursion planned by an individual member, and other unsettlers joined in. Everybody in the group, even though the commonality of being a self starter or entrepreneur, has their own interests and may not have the same needs and interests as everyone else. Half of the group went on the trip to Guatapé; the other half divided into small groups to visit other parts of Colombia and nearby countries. It’s important for a company like Unsettled to structure itself with flexibility because when traveling, people like to do what they like to do. If it were a strict company, no one would want to go. Regardless, the group had a great time exploring another artistic village of Colombia. We got to see the real side of the country away from the city, which is an experience I will cherish forever.

If you are a new traveler or someone who is interested in learning opportunities while traveling, plus having a trip that you know is going to rock because the team takes such care in creating the experience, don’t hesitate to check out www.unsettled.com. The prices are reasonable (like what I already pay in rent anyway in the US), and all you have to pay for is airfare and some meals during the week. Its part of the deal that you get some meals here and there on the group since meet ups are group oriented experiences. Again, the company is an emerging company because of its ability to create memorable experiences at a reasonable price. It also frees up time as a busy young professional to worry about important aspects of your trip instead of the whole thing.

Bobby Brodney is a writer, entrepreneur, and film maker based in Hollywood, CA. He is interested in progressive businesses that pivot with times. Traveling, good food, and even better conversations are inspiration to his work in film & writing.

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