Tristan Pollock, together with his wife Danyelle Pollock, after having travelled over 100,000 miles and stopped in 55 countries, they are now running a public poll, as to where they should build their next home.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2020 – There’s a new way to honeymoon in town: the sabbatimoon. It’s where you take a sabbatical that usually spans a year and combines it with your post-wedding trip. It’s important to note the difference also in that you are traveling with two, not solo like most often sabbaticals are done. Traveling as a couple means all sorts of different things when it comes to spending nonstop time together and developing your relationship communication skills in addition to the traditional sightseeing and tourist meanderings.
Newlyweds Danyelle and Tristan Pollock have spent the last year and a half traveling around the world as part of one of these elongated honeymoons. During that time they have traveled over 100,000 miles (that’s four times around the Earth) and stopped in 55 countries (so far). Everywhere from unfrequented places like Saudi Arabia and Albania to nomadic hotspots like Bali and Vietnam. “It was easier than expected to transition from a 9-5 life in the US to a nonstop travel lifestyle spending every day with the same person,” explains Tristan Pollock. “Life normalized pretty quickly for us. We only made small adjustments to how we support each other in lieu of having our community around us.”
The couple moved at a faster pace than most people do during a vacation and from January 2018 to January 2020 reaching those 60 countries in only 18 months and ending (with extreme luck) in Minnesota right as COVID ramped up in the US. “We usually spend 2-4 weeks in a city or country,” shares Danyelle Pollock. “For us, that was the balance between getting to know a new place and being able to keep the exploration alive.”
Despite the fast pace and long duration, the couple agrees that it’s doable for anyone to live an alternative lifestyle that involves travel, relocation, or being a digital nomad. “If you do the math on working a remote job in Bali with a salary from California, it’s a no brainer,” says Tristan Pollock. “The bigger challenge is how you stay connected to your family and friends from your last home.”
As the couple nears what feels like their third year of a sabbatimoon life on the road (they have yet to find that future home due to COVID and decided to stay with family in Minnesota), they are reflecting more on the importance of community and what home means to them. “We are looking for our next home every day,” says Danyelle Pollock. “Part of that is experiencing a new place, and part of it is looking within and knowing what we enjoy.”
To help the couple choose their next home and as part of their journey (and COVID) end, they have created a poll on their website to accept suggestions from people or cities for their next home. So far, Vancouver, the Twin Cities, and Denver rank in the top three. Also mentioned in the list are Berlin, Portland, Bali, Lisbon, Reno, and Seattle.
You can send a submission of either a city or region and a note about why or email the couple directly with your suggestion.
The values they are looking for in a home city are:
- Close to Nature — can we easily go swimming or hiking on a daily basis? Is the air clean? Can we grow a garden in our backyard? Dog-friendly?
- Near a Cultural Hub — will we be inspired by the people and ideas around us? Is art welcomed? Are there interesting organizations to work with?
- Open-Minded Community — are there loving, caring and empathetic people there? Are different ways of thinking and living respected and embraced?
You can vote, see the current city rankings, and see more about their travels here.
