18 Things I've Discovered as a Digital Nomad
đ It's now been a year and a half since I've worn pants...
No wait⊠that didnât come out rightâŠ
Itâs because I've been wearing shorts...
âŠBecause I've been traveling on an "endless summer" to warm places.
Anyway, here's 18 things I've discovered as a digital nomad in 18 months:
1. Remember: You're nomading... not traveling
Plan to stay in each place at least 2 months so you can make friends, build a routine, etc....
You'll be surprised how much time & mental bandwidth it takes to book your next flights, airBNBs⊠then find new gyms, grocery stores, etc⊠even just once every 3 months
2. Activated Charcoal supplements are a godsend
They have helped me avoid or drastically reduce stomach issues (like âBali Bellyâ)
3. When arriving in a new place, book an airbnb for ONLY a week or so first
Yes, it might be good to lock down something for 2-3 months if youâre confident itâs a good spotâŠ
But you donât want to commit to a place and then find out you donât like the neighborhood, vibe, etcâŠ
PLUS, you can often find better deals once you arrive and call places directly⊠versus using something like AirBNB.
4. If you have a significant other, make an effort to maintain a date night
This life can feel like one big date, but itâs important to have that intention - even though you may be doing date-like stuff all the time
5. Even though youâre likely to be headed to warm places, you still need to be aware of seasons and timing
For example â Rome is scorching hot in August & nearly everyone takes the month offâŠ
And Costa Ricaâs rainy season starts in May⊠Baliâs in October...
6. When it comes to choosing your destination, consider WHO you are taking advice from
After we arrived, I realized most of the people who said they loved Medellin, Colombia, were single guys.
Big city, nightlife⊠not exactly our vibe in this stage of life.
We prefer the beach, waking up early, peace, smaller cities, etc.
7. Double check countryâs entry requirements before your trips
(Ask me how I originally got denied while trying to enter Colombia đ )
8. Each place you go, join a nomads/expats FB group or WhatsApp group chat associated with it
These can be a great source of info.
With that said, I prefer ânomadâ groups rather than âexpatâ groups...
The former tends to have like-minded business peopleâŠ
Whereas the latter can be hit-or-miss in terms of quality (Some expats can be⊠letâs put it⊠interesting)
9. No matter how awesome it is to be âon the road,â youâll realize the benefits of having a routine once you start
Living in one place can get boring...
But itâs easier to stay focused because youâre not dealing with the random details that come with constantly adapting to new environments.
Pros and cons to each lifestyle.
10. Amsterdam sells psilocybin in stores⊠Mexico too, plus San Pedro
đ đ”
11. Nomad hot spots are popular for a reason
Bali⊠Thailand⊠MexicoâŠ
Places like these have a combination of:
AffordabilityâŠ
Decent infrastructureâŠ
Beautiful landâŠ
Modern amenitiesâŠ
NetworkingâŠ
Co-working spacesâŠ
General safetyâŠ
Etc.
You might think youâd like to go to some remote, untouched beachâŠ
But when you donât have a good gym, reliable internet, etc. â youâll get tired of it.
Keep your ear out for rumours of good places from other nomads.
12. Itâs normal to feel fear before starting this life
Itâs a BIG life change.
Donât let fear deter you.
13. Going to your bucket list places is great, but donât forget to save time for rest
Itâs very stimulating to go to new places...
And you can feel guilty for taking a lazy weekend... like youâre not taking advantage of the moment...
But again, this is a LIFE... not a 24/7 vacation.
14. When looking for co-working spaces, try to find one which has a staff that organizes events
Some places are purely offices, whereas others are more like communities.
15. Not being able to speak the local language is not that big of a deal 90% of the time
Most of the world speaks English - especially in the âinternationalâ neighborhoods that youâre likely to be staying in.
16. If youâre relatively young, getting private rooms in backpacker hostels is really fun for short weekend trips
In places like these, people are in such a great mood, so itâs easy to connect with new friends.
Itâs also a good way to get tips about the area.
17. Transportation is different everywhere
Playa del Carmen, Mexico doesnât allow Uber; only taxis, buses, and "colectivosâ (which is like a mix of bus and taxi)âŠ
In Italy, youâve got the buses, metro, and âBirdâ & âLimeâ electric scooters (f.y.i people drive like theyâre racing there).
This is important to consider.
For example â
You may hate motorcyclesâŠ
But if you go to a place like Bali⊠you pretty much need a moto to get anywhere⊠whether youâre driving it⊠or youâre on the back of a moto taxi.
(Bonus tip): The Eurail pass is an easy, affordable way to see Europe by train.
18. The world is changing faster than you think
The USA is still the #1 land of opportunityâŠ
But now, I believe that opportunity can be anywhere you have your laptop.
The quality of life in places around the world is VERY high, in some cases.
So, be open to what the world has to offer you.