I left my home in The Bahamas in 2012 on a solo adventure and never looked back. At first, my plan was to prove to my parents that I could travel on my own but I quickly realised that I actually loved this lifestyle of moving somewhere new every year. Through a never-ending process of trial and error and an unassailable sense of humour, I have learnt how to travel safely on my own and how to negotiate easier ways of living abroad for a year or more. I have successfully managed this through deep travel and international volunteering — no tricks! After receiving tons of questions on my process, I have spent nearly a decade sharing my story living abroad as a Bahamian with Multiple Sclerosis.

Whether you’re making a career pivot, searching for a bit of adventure (on a budget!) or just looking for a good gap year idea, I’ve got some suggestions for you — but first, a little about me!

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A bit about me, B the Travelling MS, a Bahamian experiential travel enthusiast with Multiple Sclerosis

First off, the name,

B = Brit

the = a necessary article

Travelling = I love to travel and have been since 2012

MS = I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2016.

I am from a small, close-knit island community in The Bahamas. Family is *everything* for islanders, as is hard work and education. I tried to strengthen my roots at home and accept my lot but instead, I found myself quickly growing bored and frustrated with my decision to stay home in favour of my comfortable but mundane work routine. I wanted my own life. I wanted to do something different. Be someone different. Where did this come from? How could I crave a life I never experienced and couldn’t fully describe?

Eventually, I managed to convince myself that studying abroad would be the best way forward to see more of the world. I graduated top of my small class of 15 in secondary school and applying to uni didn’t feel impossible. Mind you I didn’t find my “calling” at uni but I did like the freedom of being away from home and my old routine.

As graduation grew closer, I was gut punched with the reality that I had loads of memories, international friends and student loan debt (it’s 2024 and I still do btw) but I didn’t have a plan. Brilliant. My newly-educated self would be sat on a plane on the first thing flying back to my old life on the islands with nothing more to show for myself than a Bachelor’s Degree. Four years abroad wasn’t enough.

I needed to come up with a plan after uni or I would have to return home with nothing to show myself except a diploma

It was in my last semester of uni when I decided I did not want to return home. When I hugged my parents and siblings goodbye after the graduation ceremony, that would be the last time for two years.

This amazing plan to travel the world did not come together overnight like I hoped it might. As the academic year came to a close, I spent more time with the counsellors in the Career Centre to find local and international work opportunities. Nothing really piqued my interest or paid a salary and what did, required visas which were way out of my tiny budget.

I was desperate. After graduation, I made a routine stop by the Career Centre. As she handed me a scrap of paper, the receptionist informed me that they received a phone call that morning from a friend of the uni who was looking for a part-time dog walker.

I could do that! Why not? The vetting process was quick and casual. Before I knew it, I was responsible for a very friendly Labradoodle a few hours per week. This was a triumph. I was near my friends and my sister but I could not ignore that my temporary housing arrangement was falling apart.

I was desperate to find a good work and housing opportunity and I jumped at what seemed like the right decision at the time

My new employer and I got on well and we had lovely, long chats whenever we crossed paths. She was interested in my goal to travel the world and offered her guest bedroom if I ever needed a place to stay. At first, I politely declined but soon after that conversation I had no choice but to take her up on her generous offer.

The move was relatively painless and I was relieved that the friendship with my new host only grew stronger. She told me more about her son who had something called Down Syndrome. I was embarrassed because I had never heard about DS and if I did, I certainly could not explain what it meant for her son.

My new living arrangement turned out to be too good to be true

My host was very laid back with her son. She didn’t dwell on his diagnosis or tip-toe around him so as a grateful guest, I mimicked her approach and offered to babysit whenever she needed an extra hand. As I learnt more about her son, I also learnt that her marriage was not perfect. It did not affect our arrangement so I was empathetic but not worried.

One particular evening after dinner I could sense something was off. Within moments of being left alone with my host’s husband, I got my first warning that something had to change. Once his charismatic wife was out of earshot, I made a light comment to cut through the somber mood that replaced her presence. Unamused, her husband’s eyes fixed on me.

He wanted to know how much longer I would be staying with them. Apparently, according to her husband, I seemed “like a nice person” but I have overstayed my welcome. I was mortified. I immediately apologised and an awkward silence filled the room. After his wife returned, feigned smiles and polite conversation carried on.

Although I didn’t have a plan, it was obvious that it was time to move on

The next morning, I packed my bags, left an obscure voice message on my host’s voicemail to explain my hasty departure and I walked out to a nearby lake with my two bags and no plan — again. I spent the next few months couchsurfing and reassuring my parents that I would be home soon. They thought I was visiting friends on an extended farewell trip post-graduation. A few obscure rounds of vague marketing positions, a dabble in peddling beauty products and a disastrous SeekingArrangement (now Seeking) experience, I started to believe I would be returning home soon too. Until one phone call from a friend changed EVERYTHING.

In September 2012, I boarded a one-way flight to California. Once I got my feet on the ground, things were actually going ok and I felt I was finally making strides. My parents had no idea how I was supporting myself and they insisted that I return home immediately. Truth be told, I really was fine.

That is, until I hit a major setback.

I received a diagnosis that made me rethink everything

A few days before a trip to Vermont, I woke up with a strange, sharp pain in my eye. I brushed it off, obviously not wanting to slow down or cancel my plans. After all, I was healthy and had nothing to worry about.

Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the next few days, or the next few weeks for that matter. I went from being very healthy and independent to anxious and dependent on everyone around me for support.

Within a matter of days, I slowly lost all vision in the centre of one of my eyes

I could not drive and my depth perception and balance all of a sudden were scarily off. I had no idea what was happening to me. There were no visible signs to those who examined me and I had no other symptoms. One GP even suggested it might be dry eyes. It wasn’t until I saw an Ophthalmologist (specialist in medical and surgical eye issues), that I heard the terms “optic neuritis” and “MS” (“Multiple Sclerosis”) used to explain my condition.

Even then, the specialist thought it was highly unlikely since I was from the Caribbean and had no history of MS in my family–at least none that I knew of at that time.

At the time I could not even think of one Bahamian with Multiple Sclerosis

In the weeks following, I would have my first relapse, MRI and receive the official diagnosis that I had relapsing-remitting MS.

*cue waterworks*

I was committed to this new lifestyle of travel but for the first time, I could not see a way of continuing. After one of the darkest and most confusing periods in my life, I made another big decision. Travelling is my new life. I have to keep moving while I can and it’s just going to require loads more planning and preparation.

Fast forward to today:

• • I am a member of the MS Support Group of The Bahamas,

• • I have been taking a disease-modifying drug (DMD) since 2016,

• • I do not live at home and thankfully, I am still physically able to travel.

I have also developed a few tricks along the way to make this work.

Why I created a website about my experience volunteering abroad as a Bahamian with Multiple Sclerosis

Every time I visit the islands or another city, I am met with the comments “I wish I could travel like that” or “I don’t have the money to live that way.”

To those people and to you, I say the same thing: it’s possible to have the world on a budget. When I can sit with friends on the verge of giving up or wasting a lot of money and help them find a better-priced flight or accommodation with my travel tips, I’m reminded of this.

Each year I make mistakes, learn from them and I collect more tips and ideas. Also, meeting different people along the way has given me some insight as well. Now I want to start sharing what I’ve learned on a bigger platform. It’s time you took that trip!

What I hope you get out of all this

I recognise that not everyone will feel the need to leave home and travel. It goes without saying but for clarity’s sake, I must stress that this is a perfectly normal perspective as well! I hope that people who share this perspective can also enjoy my travel stories and what I am learning from MS.

The idea behind The Travelling MS is to present a different approach to work and inspire a lifestyle change if that’s what you’re after. As you explore, you’ll see how it became possible for me. It’s all here.

Make yourself comfortable. Take all my tips with you and share a few of yours too. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Happy browsing,

Brit the travelling ms