The girl was disillusioned after 9 months of traveling to 22 countries, and was overwhelmed on the day she returned.

Sharing on Business Insider, Kofman said that after switching to remote work in 2021, she and her boyfriend decided to embark on a long journey to many countries across Europe and Latin America.

In 2021, Dasha Kofman and her boyfriend traveled to 22 countries across Europe and Latin America for 9 consecutive months. Photo: BI/Dasha Kofman

"While those were some of the best days of my life, I quickly realized that the videos depicting the glamorous life of a digital nomad posted online were far from reality.

"Most videos only talk about the bright side and don't mention the dark side of this full-time travel lifestyle," Kofman emphasized. She also said that nine months of traveling through 22 countries across Europe and Latin America made her realize that this was not the lifestyle she expected.

Kofman insists she will "never travel full-time again."

According to a female tourist from New York (USA), when they first start their journey, many people will be excited to set foot on new lands. But after that, most of them want to find places or experiences that make them feel comfortable and at home.

"If you go on short trips and then return, you will easily notice the difference in the place you just went to and enjoy it, instead of staying in one place for too long and trying to adapt, trying to consider that place as your home," said Kofman.

Dasha Kofman reveals that she is not suited to the nomadic lifestyle. Photo: BI/Dasha Kofman

Not only was it the desire to find a sense of familiarity, but the ability to afford the long journey also prevented Kofman and her boyfriend from enjoying the trip as expected.

"Sometimes I have to choose to buy cheap items to save money, accept that I cannot visit all my favorite museums or enjoy local cuisine at romantic restaurants," the female tourist shared.

She said she usually only buys cheap meals for dinner to fill her stomach.

Despite her best efforts to control her spending, Kofman couldn't avoid spending too much. During the first two weeks of her trip, she visited most of the must-try restaurants recommended online in Paris.

However, the harsh reality brought the female tourist back and reminded her that she was on a journey with no end date. "If I don't spend wisely, I will soon be broke. After 2 weeks of luxury dining in Paris, I had to live frugally for the next 3 weeks," Kofman revealed.

The next thing Kofman realized about the downside of traveling full-time was that it was hard to find quality friends like she did back home. Even when she did find a “buddy,” Kofman could only keep in touch remotely because they were as mobile as she was.

“New places are always exciting, but I also miss having a sense of home,” Kofman said. Having spent many nights in beds that weren’t her own, she nearly “broke down” when she returned to New York.

The female traveler realizes that traveling is a must, but there are ways to see the world without necessarily quitting her job, selling her house, and moving full-time.

Now, she travels abroad four times a year, for one to two weeks at a time. This gives Kofman the feeling of being on the move without having to give up the comfort of home, her career, or her close friendships.