"I feel so lucky" - Nicole's story

Nicole has been a big animal lover since she was a kid. So, when her living situation in Berlin suddenly changed, becoming a TrustedHousesitters member just made sense. As someone who loves to move around, it felt like the perfect opportunity to get her claws into becoming a full-time pet pal. She began to search for pet sitting stays in the German capital.

Combining passions with TrustedHousesitters

It wasn’t long before Nicole began to land house sits all over the place, one of which happened to be in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona.

“I was visiting family for the winter and got an amazing gig with Rusty the shaky Chihuahua in a three-bedroom house with a pool overlooking the beautiful desert. At the time, Rusty was quite elderly so he didn’t need walks, he just needed someone to open the sliding door to the backyard from time to time and help him get buried underneath his blankies.”

Speaking of amazing sits, when we spoke to her, she was on a particularly spectacular one with two furry felines and a pooch.

“[I’m in] a converted barn in the French Pyrenees. Every morning when I wake up to feed the cats, Chile and Cookie, and Moka the dog, I glance out at the snow-dusted mountains in the distance and can’t believe this is my life! I feel so lucky I get to see beautiful places around the world and hang out with some pretty cool animals at the same time.”

"TrustedHousesitters is helping me live out my dream life"

Animals and travel don’t always go hand in hand, and for many, having pets can make exploring the world a challenge. Nicole discovered this for herself.

“I love animals but I also love traveling, so it’s complicated to have pets of my own.”

But with all her worldly pet sitting experience, Nicole has learnt exactly what makes a good sitter.

“I think it helps when you can detect any anxieties they might be feeling due to the separation from their human, and then show them extra love and attention, especially during the first few hours of their human’s departure. Getting on the floor with them and giving them a good belly rub goes a long way.”

Connecting with kindred spirits

“I love critters of all kinds… but my favorite animals to care for are dogs. They are just so sweet and protective. They really just want to give love all the time.”

As a fully remote worker, Nicole has the freedom to meet new furry friends all over the planet. While enjoying her time with four-legged friends, she's also keen to connect with like-minded travel and animal lovers. 

“I can work remotely, travel the world, stay in beautiful places for free, and connect with other folks who, like me, believe life is meant to be enjoyed, lived on your own terms, and surrounded by snuggly creatures that make you laugh. And that is just so inspiring.”

So, where's next on Nicole’s world tour?

“I am headed to Sagunto, Spain where I will watch three dogs and two cats. After that, I’ll head to Olhão, Portugal, and watch an entire farm including chickens!”

If you’re keen to keep up to date with Nicole’s amazing travels and pet antics, you can follow her on Instagram at @nmpaulus. She’s also currently writing a book outlining all the steps that curious souls need to take to live outside the status quo. Read her blog here: nicolepaulus.com/blog

The Nomad Almanac: Lev and Mia's story

Want to learn more about the lives of sitters? Self-described ‘slow-mads’ Lev and Mia share how they balance life on the road with TrustedHousesitters while working online.