My Story

I’m Pat, a first-generation Polish-American hailing from Chicago. Halfway through university, I planned my first solo trip. I made it “easy” with three English-speaking countries (UK, Ireland, and Scotland). I vividly remember getting on the London Tube after landing; all alone amidst foreign English commuters. How exciting and freeing!

Soon after, I made a bigger leap by studying abroad for a semester in Madrid. It was one of the most fun times of my life and planted a seed in me of what it’s like to live life abroad. A year later I graduated and embraced being home in the amazing city of Chicago while starting my career.

The next year, I made the impossible happen, pushing for my company to allow me to work remotely in Mexico for three months (anything is possible when you make the effort!). That was my first time working abroad. Of course, I loved it.

I eventually changed jobs to work full-time in the crypto industry. Aside from being passionate about the space, the role allows me to nomad freely! I spent another month in Mexico and two in Colombia, my first time in South America. With a year of living abroad under my belt, I had confidence in my ability to navigate life abroad and felt strongly that it was what I wanted to do. In October 2023, I stored all my belongings and flew to Patagonia.

Why Livable?

When embarking on this journey, I felt I wanted to create something. Making videos isn’t my thing, but writing is my form of art. My job involves research and writing all day, and for fun, I write reviews on movies and books via Letterboxd and Goodreads. So, I started thinking about what I could write.

All travelers watch YouTube videos, read Reddit, and browse blogs to get a feel for where they are going, or thinking to go. But, I felt the typical travel blog was too basic. There are 100 “Top five things you need to do in Buenos Aires” lists. As I moved through my first few cities, thoughts started flowing about what I liked and didn’t like about them. I preferred living in one over the other.

That’s where the thought of Livable emerged. What if I “review” what it’s like to live in the places I go to? Every nomad who’s thinking of going somewhere will look up what it’s like and how long they should stay. This could help others, be different, and force me to think more deeply about my travels.

After months of procrastination (I had no clue how to make a website) and lack of time (nomading takes a lot of time to plan, then do the things you plan), I finally began. What you see here is the culmination of that process, and if you made it this far down, I appreciate you greatly!