Traveling around the world was a part of my life since I was very young. I was born in a third world country and moved to the United States at an early age. I would travel back and forth in order to spend time with both my mother and father.
At one point it was decided that we would live in the United States full time. In between we would take family trips and cruises to hot spots in the Caribbean.
A short time after starting college at the University of Tampa I moved to Italy because boredom arose from the mundane life at university. This is around the time my interest began in day trading in the stock market. I returned to the land of the free in order to fulfill a promise to finish my studies at the University of Tampa. These are the very same studies that I never planned on using in my life. Sarcasm.
I threw everything I had into what my vision of success was, freedom. I took out roughly $25,000 in unsecured student loans (the first round) in order to start day trading. I also took out approximately $25,000 in student loans to obtain a college degree.
University Of Tampa picture courtesy of UT.edu
The only difference between the two is the interest on the regular student loans (not unsecured) is tax deductable. I was working full time, going to school full time, and also staying up all night two to three times a week in order to hone my new craft.
Enter Marcello Arrambide, professional day trader. I eventually found consistency after two years of hard work. After unceremoniously graduating from college I adjusted my work schedule to be able to day trade in the mornings and work afternoons.
I wasn’t quite ready to quit my job because of the security. It’s the unknown feeling of going against the norm. I was being tugged in one direction to follow my dreams but still held grounded by the idea of what society considered as “normal”.
While day trading is a skill that one develops, there is no guaranteed check at the end of the month. There are no vacations.
If something happens and a trader doesn’t perform that is the end of his livelihood.
I have to admit that I had a very cushy job, an entry level position earning more than team managers with a full month of vacation every year. The opportunity to rise within the corporate ranks presented themselves endlessly. That just wasn’t going to be enough for me.
When I returned from an extended trip to Iceland there was an incessant idea that wouldn’t go away. What if I just left and moved to a place like Canada to ease the transition of living overseas?
My Apt in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The end goal was to move to Buenos Aires, the Paris of the South, to experience one of the most unique cities that can be found in South America.
I took a brief trip to Argentina to test the waters and realized that is where I wanted to be. It seems as though destiny was waiting for the right time to strike. It was in Argentina that Wandering Trader would be born. It was where I would begin to share my travel experiences with the rest of the world.
As I reach the third year of my nomadic lifestyle where I have no abode I am now returning to places that I have begun to call home. Anytime I travel I prefer to live in a city and rent an apartment. This is the best way to get to know a culture.
Living in hostels and only interacting with tourists doesn’t allow me to delve deep into a society. Colombia will be my extended home throughout 2013 and soon I will finally be visiting Asia proper in order to open a business in Singapore. Singapore has always caught my attention as a travel destination. I am fascinated about the beauty of the city,diversity of the culture and outstanding Singapore hotels such as Marina Bay sans resort.
We are all headed towards the ocean. We all are born and are meant to die. But it is up to you to decide which rivers to take in order to reach your destination. There will be endless rivers of options but it is up to us to decide which route we want to take in life.
I am a person that was born in a Third World country. I had to start working at 12 years of age and was working 4 jobs by the time I was 18. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t live your dreams.
I envy you (didn’t make it as trader at first, and continued 13 years later with a bank) … nevertheless, I’m in Spain now, where my routes are taking me, and I’m from Asia, had lived in England for quite a number of years. We won’t know best of other cultures, people, if we don’t take the first step out. May we bump into each other in Singapore, perhaps… where I left half of my heart. Happy travel, forever!
I like that last line 🙂 cheers!
– María Alexandra
Great read. I always thought that I would have a suit and tie job growing up and recently that changed that thought. While in college I started my own business blowing glass and travel to music festivals and had the time of my life. Now, I’ve graduated and want to travel the world. While I don’t have the day trading skills you have, I do a little investing and am confident in my entrepreneurial ability to survive abroad. I’m thinking I may start an export company or something related to all the networking I’ve done in the last few years.
Good stuff:
“We are all headed towards the ocean. We all are born and are meant to die. But it is up to you to decide which rivers to take in order to reach your destination. There will be endless rivers of options but it is up to us to decide which route we want to take in life.”
Wow, this blog post was really from your heart. I have been following you on Twitter for a year, this is my first comment. Thanks for giving! 🙂
Wow, this post made me want to jump on the next plane back to South America! Straight from the heart, especially the last three sentences.
Great blog man!
We do the same with renting a place. You get such a better view of what real life and the not-made-for-tourists culture really is like.
Love the ending to your post.
Great read, excellent ending!
Thanks Denise
loved the last part 😀
I am from Canada and share your passion to travel and some similar background. Let me know if I can of help.
What I love about this post is the word “FOREVER” in the title!
More and more people want to travel around the World. But forever? That takes deep passion, dedication, courage to be yourself and not let anyone put you down (etc. etc.!). And that’s what many don’t have.
I thoroughly enjoy your travel blog and admire the free spirit with which you are living your life!
It seems to me, that, ‘International Ants’ … ‘Parasites’ – for lack of a better word, … never consider the ‘Nationalistic Sentiments’ … ‘feelings’ of the locals – the native population – of the “TURF” which ‘they’ the unnecessary ‘cocaine-sniffing traveler’ – invades.
In that: Perhaps you are invaders, and not, TOURISTS?
Don’t flatter yourselves; you are ALL foreigners to many.