Jamaican Nomad

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‘Digital nomad and author Alexis Chateau shares her journey from Jamaica to Spain, driven by a passion for exploration. She discusses memorable destinations such as the Maldives and Joshua Tree, the cultural insights gained during her travels, and the challenges of travelling with her cat, Shadow. Emphasising authenticity, Alexis encourages others to embrace their unique stories and pursue their travel dreams as she plans future adventures in Europe and beyond.’

Background

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I’m a digital nomad and solo traveler living in Spain with my adventure kitty. I was born and raised in Jamaica and moved to the United States at 26. At 30, I bought an RV and took off across the US and Mexico with my cat. We had a great time on the road but ultimately decided to leave North America for Europe after four years as full-time RVers.

What inspired your passion for travel?

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My family moved often when I was a child in Jamaica. Some children would have hated that, but I loved it. I lived in 6 of our fourteen parishes and attended schools across the island.

As an adult, I haven’t outgrown that desire to keep moving. I get antsy once I’ve been in one place for too long. It’s not just about travel per se. I like to live for long periods in new areas, too. I see myself in Spain long-term, but my mom says she’ll believe it when she sees it. No one thinks I’ll actually stay put.

What are some of the most memorable places you have visited? Why do they stand out?

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Rasdhoo Island, Maldives: This is the only place I’ve visited in the world with turquoise waters that come anywhere close to Jamaica. I was impressed. I don’t say that often about anyone else’s beaches.

Joshua Tree, CA: I initially visited Joshua Tree in 2019, about a month after going to the Maldives. I wanted land for my tiny home. Once I arrived, I noticed that most homes had RVs parked in the driveways and wondered how much those things cost.

I ditched the tiny house plans after seeing how affordable RVs were. I spent my house downpayment on my FJ (a very responsible and adult decision I do not regret, haha!) and mortgaged the RV.

I spent most of my RV years in Mexico, but I spent at least half of my US RV time in Joshua Tree, California. It’s a magical place.

Grand Tetons, WY: I often don’t look up pictures of places before going because I want to experience them without expectations. The Grand Tetons were nothing like I expected. Those mountain ranges look like Decepticons live up there. They were stunning.

Can you share a specific experience that made a significant impact on you during your travels?

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I spent a month in Málaga on my first test trip to Spain in 2023. At the time, I thought there was no way I could move anytime soon, but visiting inspired me to make it happen.

I applied to grad school two months after returning. I then got a master’s in tech, switched careers, landed a contract role at Google, and moved to Spain in 2024. I now work as a product manager at a tech startup and will start my PhD in AI Ethics in August.
What can I say? Spain really inspired me!

How has your Jamaican heritage influenced your travel experiences and interactions with different cultures

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People often initially assume I’m American. They are friendly, but it’s interesting how much warmer they are to me once they realize I’m Jamaican. I’ve experienced this change everywhere, including Mexico, the Maldives, and Spain.

Jamaican culture overall is both admired and respected. We aren’t a threat to anyone…unless you’re running next to our athletes on the track. I don’t think it’s that people dislike Americans. I think people just feel more comfortable vibing with us. We are the culture of chill vibes and One Love, after all.

Traveling as a Jamaican in the US was also interesting. I’ve been told by Americans that they know I’m not American the second I step out of my FJ Cruiser. Unfortunately, minorities are often not welcome in outdoor spaces, and some people go out of their way to let us know.

Sadly for them, I was born and raised in a country where I am the majority. I walk into every space like I own it—just as they do. It often catches people off guard and has probably kept me safe while I traveled through Confederate areas in the US. They were too surprised by my “audacity” to do anything about it.

It also kept me safe that one time I ran into the cartel in Mexico. I didn’t know who they were. They were blocking the street and just stood there saying and doing nothing. It was like a quiet game of chicken. Jamaicans are friendly, but we can be hotblooded. I was pretty irritated when I wound down the window and said, “WHAT?!?!?!”

They laughed and let me through. I was telling people how annoying the Federales were when I first arrived and quickly learned…it wasn’t the Federales.

Are there any Jamaican traditions or customs that you find resonate with people you meet while traveling?

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I hear reggae everywhere I go around the world. It always makes me feel proud of how influential our island is. As we say, “we likkle, but we tallawah”. There’s no direct English translation for this, but it means that even though we are small, we are powerful.

What do you think people misunderstand about Jamaica or Jamaican culture when they visit?

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Marijuana: Most people in the US and Mexico instantly assumed I smoked when they learned I was Jamaican. No one in my family smokes, and that’s true for many Jamaicans. People in Europe don’t assume, but they always ask me if the stereotype is true.

Accent: I often get asked by people in the South why I don’t sound Jamaican, so I ask them why they don’t sound like cowboys, and that usually ends the conversation pretty quickly. Yee-haw! Hilariously, most of my friends in Jamaica speak like I do without an obvious accent. We do have one. It’s just not what people expect us to sound like. If they listen to us long enough though, they start to notice we don’t pronounce words the same.

What are some challenges you’ve faced while traveling, and how did you overcome them?

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I travel with my cat, Shadow. He is eight, so I do everything possible to ensure he is comfortable. This can mean expensive vet bills for elective procedures just in case. But the last thing I want is for him to be in pain while sitting in a carrier for a flight from Atlanta to Barcelona.

Getting passports for Shadow can also be a pain in the you-know-where. If you want to travel with your pet, plan far ahead. It won’t work for international travel if you're a last-minute person. For example, I started Shadow’s paperwork five months before leaving for Spain, and his passport still only came through about three hours before our flight. Yes. THREE HOURS. Nerve-wracking would be an understatement.

Worth it, though! I couldn’t imagine being here in Spain without my little buddy, especially after four years of traveling together full-time.

Have you encountered any cultural barriers? How did you navigate those situations?

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Interestingly, I mostly encountered cultural barriers in the United States. This is one of the big reasons I decided to move. I felt at home in Mexico, and I feel especially at home in Spain. Neither country is perfect, and they won’t ever replace Jamaica, but I have a quiet peace here that I didn’t have in the US.

I will say that nowhere in the world will ever compare to what I can only describe as the majestic nature of the United States. Nowhere else can you travel that far and safely (for the most part) without crossing borders.

Acres and acres of land set aside for camping. Quiet nights beneath the stars. Large lakes nestled against rugged mountain backdrops in the middle of the desert. Piles of alabaster-white sand, stretching for miles and miles beneath a pink sunset sky. These are the things I miss most about the US, and those spaces felt like a piece of home to me.

What advice would you give to fellow travellers, especially those from Jamaica, who want to explore the world?

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Walk into every space like you belong there. Because you do.

Are there any essential items you always pack for your travels?

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My cat: He will holler if I leave him.

My laptop: I work remotely and often work while traveling. Even if I’m not working, I’m probably working on my blog or a novel.

How do you stay safe while traveling in unfamiliar places?

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My mom always knows how to find me. I have nothing to hide from her.
When I was a full-time RVer, I also had an alarm system on my RV. It had a panic button and a distress pin to “disable” the panel but alert the alarm company that I wasn’t safe. I could change my address to anywhere—even random coordinates in the middle of nowhere.

I also kept a machete in my RV, which is one Jamaican stereotype I will own up to. A man came to fix my RV once and asked me if I wasn’t worried about a man hanging around with no one around to call for help. I took out the machete and asked him if he thought I should be worried. He finished his work without another peep and left.

What is your upcoming travel plans or dream destinations?

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Australia is very high on my list. I love deserts and beaches, and, like California, it has both. Now that I live in Europe, I will also travel more here. I head to Paris in a few months.

How do you see your travels evolving in the future? Are there any specific goals you hope to achieve?

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I plan to ship my FJ Cruiser from the United States to Spain. I initially thought this was a terrible idea, but someone in my community has one. If his FJ can fit on these tiny roads, so can mine. I navigated narrow mountain roads at 38 feet long all by myself in Mexico and the US. So, I feel pretty confident I can fling an FJ into a parallel parking spot or two in Spain.

Once my FJ is here, Spain will become a whole new country to me. I plan to go overlanding here and will probably take the FJ into North Africa. We’ll see!

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about traveling as a Jamaican?

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If you’re a Jamaican traveling, you will find others like us everywhere. One of my friends here in Madrid is someone I attended college (the University of Technology Jamaica) with a decade ago.

Do you have any parting thoughts or messages for those who aspire to travel more?

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Most of us have limited resources, and we must allocate them according to our priorities. The everyday person can’t afford the penthouse apartment and several international trips per year. People ask me how I managed to afford to travel all these years, and it’s because I picked one. Location independence is always my focus. I want the freedom to go where I please, when I please, for however long I please. Right now, it pleases me to be in Spain.

To continue following our explorer Alexis’s journey or simply want to reach out and say Hi, you can connect with them on the following accounts:

Instagram:

@AlexisChateau_

Alexis Chateau

Jamaican Nomad

To continue following our explorer Alexis’s journey or simply want to reach out and say Hi, you can connect with them on the following accounts:

Instagram:

Substack:

Novel:

YouTube:

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Christie Brown

Ben Dawson