Wandering Workers | ‘Mum we are fine’

In this series we’re exploring the tiny voice at the back of our minds urging us to escape normal. That little voice that asks “what else is out there?” That voice that questions our 9-5 jobs with that constant unanswered question of “what if I just dropped everything and explored this planet?”

We’ve tracked down the humans you want to hear about. The ones that sold up, broke lease, ended cable contracts, stored furniture and simply left.

In this edition of Wandering Workers we’re talking with Anton Malishev, a Landscape Architect in hibernation from Melbourne, Australia, who’s taken an extended leave from life to do something more exciting, more educational and more invigorating.

Image: Anton Malishev | Mum We Are Fine

What were you in your past life?

A white collared professional, either catching the train or riding my bike to work. I was a Landscape Architect, in Melbourne Australia. But let’s not use past tense because I loved what I did and still plan on doing more landscape architecture work in the future. I don’t know when that will be. I just got to a point in my career where I had developed enough skills, experience and confidence to use on the other side of the pond, in another big smoke.

What are you doing now?

I am drinking a wine while stroking my moustache in Medellin, Colombia. I have settled here for a while to learn Spanish. I think it is actually the first wine I have had here in 5 months. Colombia isn’t known for its wine.

Before this I was travelling through South America. I have been away for a total of 13 months and I don’t have any plans to return to Australia anytime soon. Sorry Mum.

Next, I will be making my way through Central America.

The best way to describe what I am ‘doing’, is that I am building a nomadic lifestyle for myself with a goal to earn a passive income. As part of building this lifestyle I set out to learn web development with the intentions to earn money remotely.

To do this I learnt HTML and started a travel blog ‘Mum We Are Fine’. I provide advice for others travelling in South America. I want to entice others to fall in love with this continent as I have through beautiful photographs of the incredible landscapes.

Image: Anton Malishev | Mum We Are Fine

Why did you choose South America?

I chose South America because I knew I could spend more time learning and developing on a lower cost of living. To prolong the travels I have been trading my skills in exchange for accommodation and food. It started with shoveling horse poo. Not all bad as I also learnt to ride a horse in a desert overlooking the snow capped Andes Mountain Range. This has progressed and I am now doing things that I enjoy doing and honing my skills in photography, web design and graphic design.

Right now I have a three way exchange of services where I will design a website for friend, he will teach English to another who in turn is teaching me Salsa.