Go-with-the-flow-travel: Meet Justine

1. Can you introduce yourself quickly in one or two sentences?

Hi, I’m Justine, a French Nomad, yoga teacher, very passionate, a believer and a lover of life and the ocean.
I believe that yoga and surfing are more than just types of sport. For me, it’s more of a lifestyle, a way of living..

2. Justine, I met you in a town in the jungle of Costa Rica when you were looking for a place to stay and Lac and I were frantically searching for a replacement cable for our Macs and you saved us! Since then, you’ve been travelling to various places. Where are you at the moment?

Well, I definitely remember the day I met you, we were both looking for something, (that’s one thing I love about this lifestyle, SYNCHRONICITY). I lent you my computer cable and you sent me to the same place, where a very handsome man stayed at, who I’ve met a week earlier. The beauty of it is that this handsome Kiwi is my boyfriend now, since these days in Costa Rica we are sharing this dreamy nomad life.

When I met you, I just left Nicaragua, where I stayed about 2 years running my own yoga and movement studio. Since then, I’m, how I call it, in transition. I stayed in Costa Rica for more than 2 months, then spent 2 weeks in New York.

I’ve been travelling and working as a yoga teacher around Europe, France, Spain, Fuerteventura and Canary Island. I’m now in a small town called Sanary Sur Mer in Southeast France, which means back to the roots, spending time with family and friends before taking off again to fly to Bali very soon.

3. Do you have any favourite country/city/place?

I’ve been living this lifestyle for 10 years now. I’ve travelled to various countries, lived there and I loved most of them so far. I believe that the people you meet and the community make a place even more special.

In the moment you feel you are exactly where you have to be, the place becomes perfect. It’s a lot about the present moment for me, the now.

Maybe we will stay and travel around New Zealand, Australia, Bali and Nicaragua for now, and of course, I love the town  I grew up in, Sanary Sur Mer, in the southeast of France.

4. I’m a big fan of go-with-the-flow travel. Do you plan ahead and always know how long you’re staying at one destination or do you prefer not to plan too much?

I’m actually a big fan of this sentence to “go with the flow” (I use it a lot in my yoga class) Life is a gift when you let her surprise you.

Never plan too much. We never know what will happen, when we arrive somewhere. First it’s about travel and the beginning of being somewhere, then soon you’ll get an idea what will be and you can start to plan, create your intentions, adapt your objectives and make things happen for you.

5. What are the 3 most important things you look for in a destination?

Sun, coconut trees and the waves of the ocean

I love tropical weather, in my everyday life and for yoga (lots of benefits), a destination with fresh and healthy food, some good waves to surf and good potential for work, to organise workshops, teach yoga retreats and develop my knowledge.

6. How do you earn money while travelling ? Working remotely or do you pick up jobs along the way?

I’ve always been working wherever I go. I used to work as event planner in a few different countries and have always been teaching movement, yoga, meditation and more on the side. Yoga is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle, a way of living, the perfect combination with travel.

I had an amazing opportunity to open and create the yoga studio YogaSanatropic in Nicaragua. I’m now teaching and organising workshops with yoga, meditation and especially surf yoga, and I’ve been learning some news techniques.

I’m actually working on creating a website/blog with the description of my creations, events, classes, tips for yoga and I will write and share some articles about wellbeing.

7. Do you have a monthly budget when you travel? If yes, how do you stick to it? Any tips?

I don’t have a base, I’m home where I am, so I don’t really have a monthly budget. I’m living off the money I make in life, I travel and I also save some money to reach my goals.

Money comes and goes, you can always find a job on your way to make good money or if you don’t know what to do and you have little budget, I think workaway is a really good option.

8. What are the downsides of living the nomad lifestyle?

Sometimes it’s not easy to have to take decisions often in life.

But the real downside for me is to miss events and important moments in life of friends and family back in France, even though nowadays we are able to speak and video call at any time and from everywhere in the world.

9. On the other hand, what do you love most about this lifestyle?

There are so many things I love about this. Better than just a good lifestyle, I will say it’s a dreamy life.

Live simply, appreciate what is around you and what you have at the moment, Do what you love, share, learn with amazing, inspiring people from all over the world that you meet in a certain time of your life.

I love the synchronicity, meaningful coincidences that help you along your way to create and live your dreams.

10. What are the 5 things you always take with you when you’re travelling?

I will say my house, well my suitcase :-) is always with me. Other than that, I have a small box with lots of little things I love inside. My camera – I love pictures – my phone to always stay in touch with family and friends. A compass, which was a gift from my sister 10 years ago when I started this life.

11. What is the craziest/funniest/most memorable experience you’ve had so far?

I have the best memories from everywhere..

12. Where can people follow you on social media?

I’m a little old school but i’m trying to be better:-)

@justinesana
@yogasanatropic

Photo credits: Justine