How a Visa Stuff-Up Turned Into the Best Detour of My Life

Ever had life serve you a curveball so wild you could either cry into your coffee… or laugh and roll with it? Spoiler alert: I chose the second option (with a cheeky glass of wine on the side).

I’m Linda, Aussie-born, Northern Terra-torian (a bit of a terror some times) co-founder of Nomad Stays, and professional mischief-maker when it comes to turning chaos into adventure. My partner (in both business and life), our dog, and I packed up our lives in Australia, all fired up to relocate to France on this shiny thing called the French Tech Visa. We thought it’d be smooth sailing — two weeks of paperwork, tops. Easy peasy.

Well… let’s just say the French have a slightly different definition of “soon.”

Visa Schmisa! The Waiting Game Nobody Asked For

My partner’s visa rocked up after nine months (not two weeks — nine!), while mine took… wait for it… over a year. A whole year! I was the co-founder, mind you. Honestly, you couldn’t make it up.

So there we were, stuck in visa limbo. No home base. No clear plan. Just a startup dream, a dog, and two slightly frazzled Aussies bouncing around Europe like human ping-pong balls trying to stay legal. Definitely not in the business plan.

Castles & Crack-Ups: Turning Lemons Into Lemonade

Instead of losing the plot, we decided to make the best of it. My partner and our pup parked themselves in Spain, while I thought, “Stuff it, I’m off to Scotland and Ireland for a bit.”

And here’s where the magic happened.

I threw myself into volunteering at hostels, BnBs, and even a castle (yep, Cinderella eat your heart out). In exchange for helping with marketing, hospitality, and the odd bit of heavy lifting, I scored free digs, priceless experiences, and — sneaky bonus — some very handy industry insights for Nomad Stays.

It wasn’t just about killing time. I was doing live, boots-on-the-ground market research, chatting with hoteliers, spotting pain points, and building supplier relationships. All while learning what makes travellers tick. Who knew waiting on a visa could turn into an unofficial MBA in the travel industry?

Family Roots & Funny Moments

The best part? I got to explore countries I’d never been to before, some connected to my family heritage. Every day was a fresh adventure — wandering cobblestone streets, lending a hand in quirky little hostels, or sipping tea with locals who had more stories than a Netflix series.

And volunteering wasn’t just enriching for the soul (and my sense of humour). It was practical too. Instead of burning cash on double rent, I swapped skills for stays. Smart, thrifty, and way more fun than stressing over bureaucracy.

From Bureaucracy to Breakthroughs

Four years on, we’re happily settled in France, visas renewed (hallelujah!), startup thriving, and me still giving back as a mentor with the Inspired Rare Birds Foundation.

Looking back, I wouldn’t trade that “waiting period” for anything. What started as a frustrating delay became one of the richest, most transformative chapters of my life.

The Aussie Takeaway: Just Give It a Crack

So here’s the big takeaway: when life tosses you a curveball, grab it, spin it, and see what else you can make of it. Volunteering turned out to be more than a stopgap — it was growth, connection, and adventure rolled into one.

If you’re stuck waiting for visas, between jobs, or just itching for something new, chuck yourself into volunteering. It opens doors, builds resilience, and, if you’re lucky, gives you a few castle stories to brag about at the pub.

Because sometimes the detour is the destination.

✨ Ready for your own adventure? Start your new adventure with Coaching with Linda and if your wanting to learn more about living and working from anywhere then try Nomad Stays, we make it easier (and way less stressful) for digital nomads to find their next base — whether you’re waiting out a visa, chasing the sunshine, or just keen for a new chapter. Life’s too short for “Plan A.” Sometimes Plan B is even better.