Flying Solo

Tell us a bit about yourself!
I’m Celeste and I’m currently freelancing as a graphic designer. I’m planning to freelance for quite a while because it’s been my dream to be able to work remotely from anywhere in the world!

Nice! How’s that been going for you?
It’s actually been pretty great! I started solo travelling last year—I spent about three weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand, working remotely and just living there for a bit.

Why Thailand?
I really like the culture there. Everyone is just really open and friendly, and it’s very easy to get around. Actually Chiang Mai is considered super safe. Of course, that’s if you don’t go to those shady alleys, but I feel very safe just walking around by myself, even at night.

What’s one piece of advice you have for female solo travellers who are worried about their safety?
Always trust your gut feelings, and do your research. TikTok is actually very useful for reviewing different places or accommodations, because you get to see actual videos of the place.

Great tip! Now back to work-related questions—what’s your favourite part about being your own boss?
I’d say I really value the creative freedom I have now. When you’re working for someone else, you naturally have to follow their direction, but at the moment, I get to be my own art director, which has always been a dream of mine!

What kind of designer would you say you are, and what kind of projects do you gravitate towards?
I would say I’m more like an artist using graphic design as my medium. I design for a variety of film programmes, mainly handling their social media content and, in some cases, developing the visual identities for the programmes as well.

Interesting! Outside of work, what do you like to do?
I actually enjoy photography, and I also create handmade jewellery that are inspired by macramé. I’ve been thinking about selling them for the past three years, but I’ve been trying to figure out a unique selling point that really ties everything together. I want to make sure that what I offer feels truly valuable and worth the price for people.

Well we hope to see your brand out in the wild soon! Last question: how has your 20s been going so far?
It’s honestly been a bit of a roller coaster (laughs). I graduated in 2022, and suddenly, you’re out there on your own. Before that, there was always a clear next step, like going from school to a diploma, so you kind of have a path laid out for you. But once that ends, it’s all up to you. You can choose what you want to do, which I do enjoy, but at the same time, the lack of structure can be overwhelming. You start questioning things like should I go for a degree, or should I just start working? It’s a bit of a mix between freedom and uncertainty.

For me, I’m considering furthering my studies in the Netherlands, but it’s so pricey there, so I’m saving up for it first!