Starly Santos is on a novel journey, each actually and figuratively. The Florida native spent her school years in New York and has been totally nomadic since graduating in 2018.
Santos, 27, travels full-time, with no set residence base, experiencing all of the marvel and journey that life has to supply — she’s on a mission that will encourage the romantic in anybody.
Starly Santos is on a journey to go on a date in each nation on this planet.
Santos, who has a vibrant social media presence that’s stuffed with each her courting and journey experiences, has already been on 12 dates in 12 totally different nations so her journey is nicely underway although she nonetheless has many miles to go. She spoke solely to YourTango to tell us how issues are going thus far.
She funds her journey by investing and buying and selling in cryptocurrency, “which has been very profitable for me and I can work from my cellphone or laptop computer wherever on this planet.”
Her objective is to go to a minimum of 160 extra nations within the subsequent 2 years whereas documenting her expertise courting throughout totally different cultures.
“I spun up this concept to place myself on the market, as far and huge as I might probably think about,” Santos says in an Instagram publish. “Go to each single nation and meet multitudes of individuals from all walks of life, within the hopes that I discover one single multitude to match mine.”
Santos finds her dates in a wide range of alternative ways. A few of the dates are with previous acquaintances or males she’s met by mutual buddies; different dates she arranges as soon as arriving within the nation.
She’s discovered some dates by apps, noting that Bumble is her go-to courting app, and a few males attain out to her— she’s acquired “a number of DMs on social media from males in numerous nations all all over the world providing to be my date after I come to their nation.”
Whereas she tries to rearrange her dates earlier than arrival, it doesn’t all the time work out that means. Santos’ date in Thailand was a person she met on the lodge the place she was staying. She says, “He struck up [a] dialog with me within the foyer and we hit it off so he provided to be my date!”
“All the dates have been actually enjoyable and insightful! I let the lads plan what we do, however I often recommend that they be culturally immersive so I can be taught concerning the tradition with somebody firsthand!” Santos says.
Santos reviews that one in all her favourite dates thus far “was most likely Mr. Colombia.” She tells us, “We did a espresso tasting, since Colombia is understood for cultivating espresso, and discovered a ton about various kinds of espresso and their historical past. We additionally went to a mud volcano the subsequent day which was tremendous enjoyable.”
Santos explains that she has “significant and clear conversations” with totally different males about her courting journey. “They general help what I’m doing and need me to see it by!”
Her date with “Mr. Bombay” had “the strongest connection and chemistry. We’re planning to fulfill once more out of the country subsequent month!”
For that first date, Santos joined Mr. Bombay for his birthday celebration with buddies on a yacht.
“I took a second with my new buddies to pause and categorical gratitude for the second and the unimaginable life I’ve been given. I’m on a yacht internationally with folks I’d by no means met, who welcomed me with open arms,” Santos acknowledged in an Instagram publish about that date.
Touring “lights my soul on fireplace,” Santos tells YourTango. She appreciates the cross-cultural dialogues created by going exterior of her consolation zone. She notes that the concept for her courting journey was borne from a need for private development and a want to see the world.
“I like touring and assembly new folks from all walks of life, so this can be a solution to push myself to do much more of that, and likewise be capable to share it with others who haven’t got the chance to journey as a lot as I do,” Santos says.
When requested what she hopes to perform on her journey, Santos says, “I hope to encourage and encourage others to place themselves on the market [and] be open to assembly new and totally different varieties of individuals.”
She additionally hopes to interrupt stigmas round feminine solo journey. She recommends varied security measures for different feminine vacationers, together with being alert and conscious wherever she could also be. Santos explains that she doesn’t actually drink alcohol, one thing that helps maintain her conscious of her environment, though she acknowledges that “that is unusual,” and recommends “consuming responsibly and ensuring you’ve gotten a plan to get again residence protected after an evening out.”
She additionally notes that she completely shares her location along with her members of the family to create a degree of accountability. “Actually, I’ve been to over 60 nations already, many thought of ‘harmful’ and have by no means felt unsafe but!” Santos says.
Santos’ deep appreciation for her journey comes, partly, out of her wrestle with despair. As she says, “In moments after I really feel grateful to be alive, it’s vital for me to pause and respect deeply. Since beginning this journey, I’ve had many extra moments like this one and I hope to expertise numerous extra. That is what fuels my fireplace.”
Alexandra Blogier is a author on YourTango’s information and leisure group. She covers celeb gossip, popular culture evaluation and all issues to do with the leisure trade.
