Hi, I’m Tate Nanje.
This is my travel site. I am here to bring together my love for travel, teaching and money making.
If you have been dying to travel and see the world or just leave your home country for a little bit then you’ve come to the right place. If you have always wanted to teach English in another country and basically have your travels paid for while earning money, then you have come to the right place as well. I am not rich because I haven’t met all my financial goals, but I am able to earn money and have my travels paid for and save what I earn from my company. I am here to tell you, you can do it too.
From a small town to a world traveler
I spent the first years of my life in Cameroon; West Africa. My parents were already in the United States but wanted me to ‘get to know my origins’ before joining them in the U.S. And that’s exactly what happened on my 10th birthday. My present was being reunited with my parents again. I arrived in Atlanta, Ga and for the years that followed, ATL became my home.
Since I played soccer since I could walk, I got a scholarship to Lincoln Memorial University. I had a great time there in Tennessee but after two years I transferred back home to attend Georgia Southern University. Not long after, I earned my degree in English Literature with a minor in Psychology and an Independent study in Computer Engineering.
My University hired me as a Computer Analyst and Web Designer while my business I started my junior year thrived as well, but after a year of working there, I realized that that wasn’t what I wanted to do at the time. I wasn’t ready for the 9 to 5. It was different with my own business, because I set my own hours. But I also knew that I couldn’t grow it any further in that town because of the population. So, I sold everything and moved back to Atlanta. I however kept the online part of the business that didn’t need brick and mortar. That’s what you see at Hostmonkey.net.
I started to look into traveling abroad. A friend had once spoken about teaching English so I started doing research into the idea. I started to like what I saw on blogs and forums.
My initial plan was to teach for a year then return to my computer business I had started and was doing well at. In April 2009, I packed my bags and was on my way to South Korea to teach in small town called Pyeongteak.
I had no idea what to expect. I was afraid, I was nervous but I was sure it was what I wanted.
When I told my mother she said,
Korea, what are you crazy?
My profesor’s words were,
You gonna stand oooout!
A lot of my friends were more to the point,
Don’t do it dude, get a job and start making some money. You are just running away from the real life but you gonna have to face it one day.
And you know what, they were right, well, to some extent at the time. But as I sit here and write this years later, I like to think I was right by making my choice, my decision and taking control of my life.
But to make sure they weren’t right, after teaching in Pyeongtaek for a year I went back home. I stayed in Atlanta for 6 months but something was calling me into the world again. So, I took off. I took off to New York and there I met a family that lived in Aulnay Sous Bois, Paris, France and before my stay in New York City was over, they had invited me to France. I went and later found myself in Portugal, Spain, Germany trading stocks (another hobby of mine that has become very liberating) to fund my journey; I had explored the countries I wanted to see so I decided to return to U.S after 9 plus months in Europe.
After another 6 months of being home the travel bugs were knocking and as before, I answered. Now I was sure what I wanted and what I didn’t want. One thing for sure, I didn’t want the norm.
The norm
Parents, society, family and even friends reinforce the social conformity: go to school, get a job, get married, have kids; maybe not in that order but all the same. And after that, you are told to start saving for a retirement that may never come.
Life is too short for that. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds good if your dream is to grind it out and you are passionate about your job. But if that’s not you, you have the right to be, choose and live however you want. That’s exactly what I did and I enjoy every moment of it.
The more I travel the more I want to keep traveling. I know I am suppose to do this because it is what my heart longs for. I want to own a hostel someday but that can wait for now. But like I said, I am not rich but you don’t have to be yet I am able to hike mount Jirisan, have a cafe at the Seoul Tower, eat a crepe under the Eifel Tower and enjoy a glass of Paulana beer in Gottingen Germany; I can go on but I think I have made my point.
The point is, you can do it too. You can do all these things and more. You can live your life the way you have always wanted starting right now. Stop waiting for the retirement that may never come. Take control of your life, join me and enjoy this short life we have.
Life waits for no man.
If you need to get in touch with me, you can reach me via my contact me page.
You can also ‘like’ me on my facebook page
And you can also follow me on twitter.
More INSPIRATION?
See my bucket list.
I also wrote a page on how to make money. I have used a lot of these methods and I have made a penny here and there.
I hope to run into you somewhere in this small world; who knows?
Keep in touch:
You may also leave me a comment 
