Jenni Mahnaz is a nomadic traveler with a lot of international experience. (Nomadic travel is to travel around the world without a home base.) Her  goal is to see as much of the world as she can and to connect positively with people across borders, language barriers, and cultures. While she travels, she stays with friends she knows. Although traveling is a lot of fun, there are many small problems along the way. Whether it is not having enough money or losing something important, Jenni figures out a way to solve the problem. I got a chance to catch up with her and ask her about nomadic travel and more. Here’s what she has to say…

Jenni & Aaron Mahnaz, of Witness Humanity, in Panama

What do you need to do as a nomadic traveler?

You need to pay attention to the way you spend money. It is important because you need it to go different places and do activities. Also you need to be aware of your own cultural biases and still be open to new things. You need to be less attached to material items, since when you’re a nomadic traveler, you carry everything you own with you.

Why do you like about international travel?

I like it because any international travel has the potential to positively affect a traveler’s life. When you visit another country, you have the opportunity to try new things, learn in an authentic way, and stretch yourself beyond your limits.

Lago Atitlan in Guatemala

How has traveling affected your life?

It has made me realize that the world is huge and small at the same time. Also that the world is far too big to sit in one corner for an entire lifetime - and yet the more you get out of that corner, the more you realize that there are far more similarities than differences in the people of the world.

What advice would you give to beginner travelers?

Be open-minded, be kind, and above all else, ignore the childhood advice and talk to strangers.

Why do you like travel?

There are a lot of things I like about travel. I love exploring new places and getting familiar with an area that was once "foreign" to me. I like learning languages, trying new foods, and never really knowing what my next step is. I love figuring things out, almost like a puzzle, and having to stay connected to the current moment in order to really experience it. I especially like knowing without a doubt that there is a never ending stream of things to learn and see and do in this world. But most of all, I like connecting with people across borders, cultures, and language barriers and re-affirming my belief that we are all far more similar than we are different. That's really why I travel.

How do you think traveling can change your health?

Travel has the potential to greatly affect your health! Anyone who has taken a vacation and indulged more than they cared for their bodies can tell you that! But the reverse is true, as well. Changing scenery has incredible benefits not only for the body, but for the mind. Getting to a new locale can positively affect one's mood, inspire creative thinking, and provide time and space to relax the mind. There can be physical benefits, too. Many countries have a far healthier diet than ours! If you are willing to really experience local living, you might not only improve your diet for a period but you could also build your stamina for walking between destinations, or learn a new activity like surfing or windsurfing. There are so many potential benefits that I can't even list them all here!

Sometimes surrounding yourself in a new culture, with new opportunities, and different expectations of what is "normal" in the day-to-day can really have a positive affect your physical, emotional, and mental health.

sunset in El Salvador

Jenni is a very good example of being able to do anything if you want it badly enough, and has great advice for travelers. She has traveled so many places, and yet she would love to travel to them again (as well as explore new ones). Not only is travel a great experience, it is a chance to change your view, your thoughts, and altogether your whole life. When she runs into problems, she keeps an open mind and finds ways to solve them. Through her travels, she lives by this motto from Tolkein: “Not all who wander are lost.”

Follow Jenni’s travels at http://www.witnesshumanity.com/

Connor Gayne is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program

All photos courtesy and copyright Jenni Mahnaz