Sponsored by

Hey, PrideNomad!

👉Was this forwarded to you? Be sure to receive our next destination deep-dive. Sign up here. It’s Free!

Today’s PrideNomad™ Quiz:

In Today’s Email:

Editor’s Note: Duality Week

Reader Report: “I’d Go Back”

Reality Bites: True Confessions: Pride Epic Fail

Support our Sponsors: The Jungles of Costa Rica—Join us!

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This week’s issue lives in the tension I know too well.

One story is about falling in love with a country. The other? What happens when travel throws you a curveball and everything starts to unravel.

But that’s what this life is—it gives, it takes, it teaches. And if we let it, it connects us in the most unexpected ways.

Wherever this finds you: remember that even when things fall apart, you’re not alone. And the road still loves you.

—Ken

READER REPORT:

🌏 “I’d Go Back, No Questions Asked.”

So you know that question we asked in our last issue?

“If you could wake up tomorrow with permanent residency in ANY country, no questions asked, where would you choose? And why?”

Well, someone wrote in with this beautiful answer — and I just had to share it with you (no names, of course):

“My husband and I started working on getting passports last summer and had them by November. We had no destination in mind, just an awareness that it was time to prepare.

He watched one of your videos and heard you talk about Uruguay. LGBTQ+ friendly. Stable. Intriguing. So we booked the trip.

We just got back… and it was magical.

We stayed in Punta del Este, Piriápolis, and Montevideo. Not once did we feel uncomfortable being two men traveling together. The people were kind, curious, and surprisingly aware of what’s happening in the U.S.

I speak some Spanish, my husband doesn’t — but between my basic vocabulary and their basic English, we got everything we needed.

The slower pace of life? Honestly… we’d go back in a heartbeat.”

God, I love this. Not just because it affirms what we already suspected about Uruguay — but because it speaks to something bigger:

Sometimes the destination doesn’t matter at first.

Sometimes you just feel it in your bones: It’s time to open the door.

📬 Now it’s your turn

If you haven’t answered the question yet… I’d love to hear from you.

If you could wake up tomorrow with permanent residency anywhere in the world — no red tape, no paperwork — where would you land? And why?

Just hit reply. I really do read them all.

Oh, and btw…Thailand is winning so far!
And, one last thing…we’d love to share YOUR stories. PrideNomad is a community. That’s our power—now more than ever, we need to stay connected to support one another.

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

REALITY BITES:

😞 My Pride Epic Fail (And 5 Lessons You Shouldn’t Learn the Hard Way)

I didn’t want to have to write this one.

But if we’re building a real, honest community… sometimes we have to talk about the days that don’t go right.

This was one of them.

When I landed in Colombia last week, the immigration line took over an hour. I hate lines. But instead of sulking, I did what I always tell people to do: I struck up conversations with the people around me.

We shared travel tips, local restaurant recommendations, and numbers. I even got some great Uber advice that’s saved me money all week (it’s super cheap here).

That small act of connection? It mattered more than I knew.

Because a few days later, I found myself at the massive Medellín Pride parade—an unexpected bonus I didn’t know I’d be around for. In Colombia, the Pride parade happens on the same day in every major city: Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali, Medellín…

The energy was electric. Music, color, love everywhere. I was filming, smiling, facetiming friends and my mom to share the joy.

Then: chaos.

Someone started spraying shaving cream into the crowd. It felt harmless at first, but I didn’t want it on my face, clothes, or glasses—so I started wiping it off, shouting “Stop!”

Fifteen seconds later, my iPhone was gone.

Just… gone.

The shaving cream was the distraction. A classic move. And I fell for it.

Within minutes, I went from dancing at Pride to staring blankly at the sidewalk, rage and disbelief pouring in.

I left immediately. My friend from Bogotá followed me back to the hotel even though there was nothing he could fix.

All I could think was: When’s the next flight home?

And then—I ran into a guy I had met in the immigration line. He recognized me. I barely remembered him.

But he showed up big: comforting me, reminding me I wasn’t alone, walking me back to my hotel with his wife. They even offered to Uber me anywhere I needed. His reassurance made all the difference. He understood my pain, and helped me get my bearings back.

(Seriously. TALK TO PEOPLE. It matters.)

At first, I thought this was a $1,000+ disaster. But then ChatGPT reminded me of something that saved me: AppleCare+ with Theft & Loss.

I filed the claim online. No police report needed. Approved in seconds.

They’re shipping a brand-new iPhone to my U.S. address (my mom’s house), which I’ll pick up when I return. Just $149 out of pocket (and some data loss and the lost time in dealing with the madness).

Here’s a few quick lessons that might help you avoid what I didn’t:

1. Talk to people.
   Not just for fun—but because they might just become your lifeline when things go wrong (and when things go right, it’s even better!)

2. Travel with a backup phone if you’ll be gone for a while.
   I had an old iPhone 12 I use with my teleprompter for my videos (you think I remember everything?). I activated it and restored my primary phone’s backup. That’s what I’m using now for the next 12 days. Sanity restored!

3. Apple users: GET AppleCare+ with theft/loss protection.
   If you’re international, know this: Apple will only ship your replacement to countries where they have service infrastructure. Colombia isn’t one of them. I had to ship it to the U.S. and wait. This is such a lifesaver.

4. Back up your photos.
   Automatically. Constantly. Sure, I had iCloud backups. But because the last few hours of photos hadn’t synced yet… I still lost all my Pride footage. Heartbreaking.

5. It happens to everyone.
   This isn’t my first phone theft—and I really hope it’s the last. But even when you do everything right, stuff happens. It doesn’t mean you’re stupid—it means you’re human. Be kind to yourself.

So yeah… Pride 2025 in Medellín didn’t end with glitter and kisses. It ended with yelling, crying, and a whole lot of deep breathing.

But I’m still here.

P.S. Ever had something stolen or gotten scammed while traveling?

I’m putting together a collection of real PrideNomad stories—epic fails, close calls, hard lessons. If you’ve got one, hit reply and share it. Your story might help someone else avoid the same pain. No judgment—and no, it’s not a competition (though that might lighten things up a bit, yes?).

I’ve also created a special report on one of the scariest travel scams happening right now: The Devil’s Breath Scam.

It’s short, free, and important. You can grab it here»

Oh, and that’s not the only scam you’ll be hearing about. Wait until next week when I reveal the “Be a Nice Guy” scam that cost me over $100 and embarrassed the hell out of me.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:

🌴 From Unicorn Exit to Jungle Awakening: Why You Should Nomad With Us In Costa Rica This Month 🌈

You’ve heard of Turo—the Airbnb-for-cars unicorn worth billions.
But you probably haven’t heard what happened after its queer founder, Shelby Clark, was pushed out.

He didn’t launch another startup.
He went into the jungle…
And built something real.

Now, Shelby’s the creator of the Jungle Gayborhood—a transformational queer sanctuary on 300 acres of Costa Rican rainforest.

🗓️ July 27–Aug 2, I’m joining Shelby and his team for a life-changing LGBTQ+ retreat—and you’re invited.

🌈 Expect waterfalls, deep breathwork, optional plant medicine, and a space where you can finally exhale.
 🧠 Fully trans-affirming, trauma-aware, and science-backed.
🏕️ And yes—you get $200 off any retreat this year when you mention PrideNomad.

👉 Ready for jungle magic? Click here to request info or just reply “COSTA RICA” and we’ll send you everything (Early birds get first pick of the treehouse suites!).

Let’s go.

Answer to Today’s Quiz

NOTE: Some of the links we provide may be affiliate links, which may potentially generate a referral fee to us. That’s one way we’re able to keep PrideNomad available to you at no cost. Rest assured that we only recommend providers who we feel can deliver great value to you.