Thanks for the feedback T.W. It’s nice to see that cultural immersion still exists in the traveler repertoire. Seeing that we’re loving Mexican life in the Yucatan just down the peninsula from you we can totally understand your desire to spend time in this area. It is gorgeous and there’s so much to see and do here that a week or two just won’t cut it.

We’ve thought about making this area our winter base a lot in the past few years. We’ll see how Spain and Southern Europe compare to it before making the plunge though! 😉

Thanks for the comment!

Nora, I just read your post and I definitely see a similarity. (Nice post BTW). I hadn’t seen any other blogs out there talking about the paralysis of choice and it’s nice to know that the problem isn’t unique to us. I actually figured that most avid travelers run into this problem every now and again and that’s why I thought a post about it was a good idea.

It all boils down to the old saying “Ignorance is bliss.” The less you know, the less choices you have in life. It’s once you rip off the hinges of closed doors that you realize all the world has to offer.

The problem is no one ever tells you that there is great big huge world out there with so many possibilities that it can sometimes be overwhelming. I think the trick is just making a plan based on what information you have at the time and go with it. Be open and flexible to change and just enjoy yourself. If another opportunity opens up or you learn something new, be prepared to alter your course as needed.

Thanks for the words of wisdom and the confirmation that we’re not alone in our paralysis!

Lyn, I love all aspects of travel. If I could I would live like a local for a time in every area that interests me. However that isn’t always possible and my list of places I want to go is a mile long. I think true happiness as a traveler is enjoying both those times as a tourist and as a local equally. Like most travelers, sometimes that’s the toughest struggle to overcome.

Good luck deciding on your next adventure and I hope you have a great time wherever you decide on going!

But with our retreats coming up, I’m going to be going back to places I’ve been before, to see some more. I want to get back to Bulgaria again, even though I lived there for 2.5 years and explored for 6 before that through multiple trips, and I really want to get more of Colombia under my belt.

That being said, I do have two more immersion guidebooks planned with Marginal Boundaries…I was thinking Brazil or Chile next, or perhaps Argentina, or I might even go to Spain somewhere for a 2 year immersion and another guidebook. But it also depends on where my significant other wants to head =P She’s been on the outskirts for the past couple of years with the brand, but she’s helping me run the retreats and stepping up into social media in Spanish for me.

Anyway….I can see your dilemma! It’s the difference between skim reading a destination as opposed to reading the whole novel. When you can set down for a while, a couple of years, you can have a home base, security, no need to pack a bunch of things, and explore the surrounding countryside at your leisure. So much more to see/do, pick up the language, live like a local, go native. I am *very* passionate about cultural immersion 🙂 Love it!

So I definitely second this post 🙂

Also, since one of yours is getting to the point where she’s going to start remembering bits and pieces of the travels…that’s awesome 🙂 If you go somewhere for a longer duration now…year, couple of years…that’s a perfect opportunity for your young one to start picking up multiple languages as well. And the cultural memories/experience will last a lifetime.

Great post! I certainly recommend putting down roots somewhere for a longer spell 🙂

It’s okay. Breathe. You don’t have to conquer a country/experience on your first visit, or even your second or third. You can go back! This is the luxury – and sometimes the agonizing amount of choice we have!