Our next guest for Free Spirits Friday is Daniela. I met Daniela in a Facebook group for travel bloggers and we’ve been sharing tips and tricks with each other ever since. Daniela was born in Germany but she moved to Peru in 2017, where she’s now still based. She’s the genius behind her travel blog, Digital Nomads Peru, where she shares tips on how to move to Peru and what to do there.
Hi Daniela! Introduce yourself to us and talk us through how you ended up as a nomad in Peru.
Hi, I’m Daniela and originally from Germany. I started out as a digital nomad in 2014. First, I travelled in East Europe and I spent a couple of months in Portugal afterwards. However, South America kept calling. I travelled here extensively in the 1990’s and have been fascinated by this part of the world as long as I can remember. I finally ended up booking a ticket for a flight to Peru in March 2017, made friends here and kept returning.
What exactly attracted you about Peru? Why choose a country in Latin America and why choose Peru over other Latin American countries?
Peru has an extremely interesting history, it’s home to some of the oldest cultures worldwide and the Incas turned it into one of the most developed civilisations on the American continent. In addition, the country is extremely diverse as far as microclimates and ecosystems are concerned. Why Latin America is easy to answer. I wouldn’t be able to live in a place where I don’t speak the local language and I love to be surrounded by Spanish. Becoming a resident in Peru was a bit of funny coincidence. I had been without a residence for almost two years and just knew that I wanted a place in South America that I could always return to. Then, I accidentally met an immigration lawyer in Peru who is now one of my best friends and he made it extremely easy for me to become a resident. Apart from that, Peru may suffer from corruption and bureaucracy (like many other countries) but it also offers a lot of possibilities for creative people. To me, Europe is becoming more and more restrictive, too many rules and laws. As an entrepreneur, I have much more freedom here. And it’s cheaper, too.
Why do you prefer staying a nomad and moving around over settling down in one place?
I’m actually pretty settled at the moment, spending a lot of time in Lima. However, I still don’t feel like signing a long-term rental contract or owning a lot of things. It probably has a lot to do with my personality. I’ve moved a lot in my life. However, I also like to combine travel with work. I’m an introvert who needs time on her own. Exploring new places is great but doing this all day long is a nightmare. As a digital nomad, I can stay for one month in a city and do one activity a day. Or just stay home if I feel like it. It’s much more relaxed. Well, and with my home base in Lima now, I have the best of both worlds, I think.
How easy or difficult is it for Germans to learn Spanish? Is it even necessary to know Spanish in Peru as a foreigner? Was the Peruvian accent an issue when you were learning Spanish?
I started to learn Spanish a long time ago. Just like any other language, it has easy and difficult aspects. In general, German grammar is probably more difficult but Spanish has many more tenses than German, that’s the most difficult part to master for German native speakers. If you stay in the touristic parts of Peru, you can get by with English but if you want to live here, speaking Spanish is essential, in my opinion. Peruvians speak very clear Spanish, so it’s definitely a good choice for people who are beginners with the language.
If you had to choose between living the rest of your life in Latin America on your own and moving back home and starting a family, what would you choose? Why?
I have two grown-up kids and no intention to go back home. Germany never felt like home to me. My kids are half-Brazilian, so the South American factor was always there. They visit me here, that’s much more exciting for them, too. And they’re all the family I have.
How difficult was it for you to leave your friends and family in Germany behind to go live across the ocean?
My kids were 17 and 19 when I left Germany. My daughter actually accompanied me during my first year as a digital nomad. It took me almost three years to make the decision to go back to South America (I lived in Brazil in the late 1990’s) because of them. I talked to them and they encouraged me to go. Nowadays, it’s much easier to keep in touch. 25 years ago, a phone call cost a fortune and I was still writing letters. Friends were more shocked that I quit my secure and well-paid job at the age of 44 and some judged me for leaving my kids alone (their father lives in Switzerland). Nowadays, there are just two people left in Germany who I’d still consider as friends.
What’s your favourite place in Peru/Latin America? Why?
My favourite city in Latin America is Buenos Aires. That’s Argentina, of course. It has a special atmosphere, difficult to explain. As mentioned above, my home base in Peru is Lima. That’s not a city you easily fall in love with. Lima is huge, chaotic, not always safe and has winters almost without sun. Many foreigners prefer to live in the Sacred Valley. I like that region, yes, but I’m a city person. Beside, Lima has much more culture to offer than most people think. Plus great cafés and restaurants.
How did your friends and family react when you told them about your desire to move to Peru?
My kids weren’t very surprised, they always knew about my passion for South America. As mentioned above, friends (or so-called friends) didn’t always react that positively. Germans don’t have the reputation to take many risks. When I moved to Brazil in the 1990’s, I experienced similar reactions. Now, it was probably a bit worse because at my age, people expect “more responsible behaviour” – whatever that may mean. It’s okay, people are different and I find it weird when someone of my age constantly talks about what they want to do once they retire (which will only happen in about 20 years and 20 years can be a very long time).
What do you think Peruvian people are better at than Germans?
Not only Peruvians, but South Americans in general, are much better at enjoying the moment and not being discouraged when something goes wrong.
Do you miss anything about Germany?
I haven’t been to Germany for a year and a half and it’s very likely that I’ll never go back. There’s nothing I miss and as I mentioned, it’s much more interesting for my kids to come here. It’s always a bit funny for me when people are looking for recommendations of where to buy certain things from their home countries in Peru.
What’s your favourite Peruvian food and why?
I’m not really a foodie, so nothing in particular, I’m afraid. Peruvians are very proud of their kitchen but to be honest, I prefer Mexican, Indian or Thai food. So the food is not exactly a reason why I’m in Peru.
A big thank you to Daniela for giving us some rare insights into what life is like as an expat in South America. You can follow Daniela on her blog Digital Nomads Peru, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Crystal
December 22, 2018 at 8:49 pmGreat interview Sander! Loved learning more about our lovely friend Daniela! I think it’s fantastic that you made such a move at 44!
I have friends who are in their late 20’s and early 30’s who think it’s too late to make the move to do what they love (such as returning to school or finding their dream job.)
44 is definitely NOT old for such a move – but the world seems to think different. Love that you followed your heart and moved to such a wonderful continent! Can’t wait to make it down to Peru someday and meet you for a Mexican meal, haha!
Sander
December 23, 2018 at 10:56 amYou’re never too old to follow your dreams! My mom pursued a career switch at 43 and she’s doing great now.
Alison
January 3, 2019 at 1:02 pmI like be reading about people’s decisions to follow their hearts. Great interview. Love learning more about Daniela!
Sander
January 3, 2019 at 2:15 pmThank you for checking in, Alison! More interviews with open-minded travellers are coming soon. 🙂