Meet Kasey: Our Dream Job Winner!

Imagine being paid over $1000 dollars to live for a whole month, all expenses paid, in the vibrant city of Budapest to create Tik Tok videos about boat parties, wine tastings and thermal baths.  Sounds like a Dream Job?  Well, we created the opportunity for one lucky applicant to do just that.  Suffice to say we had a busload of applications, but there could only be one winner, so let’s find out who she is!

Meet 28-year-old Kasey DellaPenna from Orlando, Florida.  Travel Influencer, digital nomad, sushi lover.  “Two years ago I never would have guessed this is how my life would turn out!” she told us.  

No kidding!  Kasey first started her journey a year ago by documenting her travels via social media to family and friends but along the way she gathered a loyal following of hopeful travellers who were amazed at her ability to live life on the road while sticking to an affordable budget.  Since then she’s dedicated to keeping to the budget-friendly theme of her content, hence declining paid sponsorships and travel experiences that fall on the pricey side.  For her, transparency and trust are important things to maintain with her audience, as well as a passion for content and her ability to continue learning the basic skills of videography, photo editing and photography to keep things looking slick.

“Instagram and Tiktok are different,” she says when asked about what content works on social media.  “On Instagram you want quality photos and good stories that provide information, yet on Tiktok you want to be more real and casual. Both, however, should either be inspirational, educational, or entertaining, to generate plenty of comments.”

Most comments, of course, are kind and sweet and Kasey’s favourite types are the one’s when her followers share how she inspired them to visit a specific place or strap on a backpack for a solo trip themselves.  In fact, that’s her favourite part of the job: influencing people to see places they might never have considered seeing.   

Kasey’s friends see her as probably the most outgoing person they’ve ever met, and we can attest to that!  She’s a fan of Young Adult fiction, specifically Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, and loves romantic comedy movies, fantasy and action.  When meeting strangers, Kasey notices their energy first.  “I can usually tell within the first few minutes if I’ll get along with someone. Listening to your gut is huge.”

Living the nomadic life is something many of us dream about, but what is the biggest advantage and disadvantage that comes with such a lifestyle?  “Having freedom, flexibility and being able to experience new places constantly is the greatest advantage,” she says.  “But on the downside, missing out on big life moments at home can be really frustrating.” 

So what advice does Kasey have for fledgling travellers wanting to emulate her life on the road?  “Just start!” she says.  “I didn’t know what I was doing when I started traveling or creating content. I started networking and doing things by trial and error.”

And finally, if she could capture a message for the world to hear, what would it be?

“Live the life you want,” she says.  “Not what society expects from you, not what you think you should be doing.  Really listen to what you heart is telling you. Life isn’t full of obstacles as to why you can’t, only problems to solve along the way.  Hard work and opportunity came together to create a truly amazing life for me!”

We can’t wait to see how Kasey captures her month-long Budapest adventure in her own unique way and if you’d like to share the whole experience with her, follow up on our socials!