“Nice to meet you. Where do you live?”

As CEO of a company that tackles global humanitarian issues, that’s the question I get asked most often. Whether I’m on a work trip to Singapore, Mexico, Bermuda, or anywhere else, people always feel compelled to ask where I live.

My first reaction is always laughter. Because the answer is really confusing.

I don’t live anywhere. Or rather, I live everywhere.

I don’t have one established residence where I pay rent, leave my dirty laundry, or get asked if I’ve considered joining Jehovah’s Witnesses. Instead, I just travel, going wherever my presence is needed to oversee projects, meet with clients, develop new partnerships, or speak at conferences.

One of the first follow-up questions asked after revealing my travel-heavy lifestyle is, “Where do you keep all your stuff?!” Well, the answer to that one is, I got rid of almost all my stuff. And I don’t miss any of it one bit.

That’s because I’ve come to love living out of a suitcase. While growing up in Honduras, my middle-class family didn’t get the chance to travel much, beyond a few trips to the United States. I moved to Canada when I was 19; between jobs, studies, and expenses, I still couldn’t explore my dream of seeing the world.

In 2016, I got a generous and life-changing opportunity to spend some time in Europe while job-hunting online for my next position in Canada. After getting a taste of the freedom that comes with being completely untethered, my subconscious made a decision. Flash forward to 2020 and I’ve made friends around the world, experienced many fascinating cultures, and as my Instagram will tell you, munched on truly spectacular food. I look at the world with an endless sense of wonder, which informs who I am as a person, and as a CEO.

From a professional point of view, travel is absolutely essential. At Emerge, we design systems that benefit people in very specific, often austere, places and contexts. By getting an on-the-ground view of the challenges people face, we become far more aware of potential unintended consequences that can arise if we’re not careful with our development and our implementation. Our company delivers solutions that truly work best for everyone involved. So, around the world I go.

My suitcase, which I check on every flight, never contains more than 22.5 kg worth of stuff — the maximum most airlines will allow you to travel with before you have to pay a hefty penalty. After tons of practice, I can now lift it and accurately estimate its weight. Add a carry-on bag and a purse, and you’ve got most of my worldly possessions, with me at all times.

All conversations about my travels inevitably seem to arrive at this question: If you live your whole life out of luggage, what on Earth does that luggage carry?

Conferences and other public appearances require a refined look, so I always start with the right shoes. I’m loyal to brands I love and trust, so I bring the same pair of professional heels in red, black, and nude. I also bring three pairs of identical flats, in the same colours. Rounding out the shoe brigade are a pair of party shoes, a pair of sneakers for working out, and a pair of lifestyle sneakers — an amazing gift from my family that features artwork made by an indigenous Honduran woman.

With the shoes baseline established, I mix and match a rotation of versatile, solid-colour, mostly lightweight clothes. That includes three pairs of jeans, two blazers, one (faux) leather jacket, one suit, one pair of formal pants, several dresses, two skirts, and about 10 shirts that I use to mix and match. Depending on the season, I’ll bring some combination of one sweater, one fall coat, and one winter coat. Finishing off my suitcase are three pairs of workout wear, the usual array of undergarments, a swimsuit, and two belts.

Oh, and lots of socks. I lose socks all the time, so now you know the answer to the age-old question: Is my dryer eating my socks? Nope. Life eats your socks.

For someone so dependent on luggage, I’m less loyal to brands in the case of bags than you might think — perhaps because I have yet to find the perfect ones. I’ve gone through soft-shell bags (often but not always Samsonite) and multiple hard-shell bags. My last hard-shell one cracked by Trip #8, and soft-shell zippers tend to be flimsy and weak. (Hit me up if you’ve got suggestions for the perfect bag; having four wheels is essential.)

My carry-on is a four-wheeled Delsey hard-shell (spacious and great to look at, though a bit heavy). It contains a range of items that’s both versatile and eclectic. I usually carry multiple reports I need to read on the plane, because even in our digital world, a lot of the materials I get are still on paper. A podcast mic goes with me everywhere, because you never know when a golden opportunity will arise to connect with people and share their stories. That side of the bag also includes notebooks, a pencil case full of pens (life takes those too, and by life I mean people), and plenty of Emerge swag to hand out. The other side of my carry-on starts with my jewelry; I have a special attachment to earrings made by indigenous and/or female entrepreneurs. All of my beauty products go there too, and all of them are travel-sized. I use reusable containers for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

I’m a voracious reader of issues-based fiction and non-fiction, so I’ve always carried tons of books in my carry-on too. Or at least I used to. Someone got a Kindle Paperwhite for my upcoming birthday, a perfect gift for a constant wanderer. Though I’ve always been loyal to the smell of newly printed paper or old leather book covers, I dislike leaving books behind after I’ve read them to make room for new ones. I read Half the Sky at least three times last year.

Finally, there’s my purse — long time traveller favourite, Longchamp Le Pliage. Inside you’ll find a lot of the usual items you’d expect a businesswoman to carry: my passports, electronics, Airpods, chargers, pens, hair ties, plane-friendly beauty products, gum, wallet, sunglasses, Panadol, caffeinated Panadol, and a notebook that I use to make lists. Less obvious: a stack of sweet notes that people have written me over the years, stashed in a little side pocket. Specific to my spur-of-the-moment lifestyle: a little purse full of coins from different countries in case I ever visit again (and because banks really like those bills), and a set of keys that open some mystery door I don’t remember…but hey, I never know when I might need them!

Sometimes, suitcase-living life can be exhausting. Occasionally confusing too. The first morning back in Honduras with family for the holidays, I woke up in a daze, wondering how I’d missed my wake-up call. I’m also pretty sure my body has stopped trying to adjust to time changes. After spending nine weeks in eight different time zones, it said to itself, “meh, just do whatever you want.”

Still, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Because thanks to my nomadic way of life, the world is mine to explore. And if you ever invite me over and turn me loose in your kitchen, I guarantee you a feast that pays tribute to all the places I’ve been, and all those I have yet to discover.