- I'm from the US and I've lived in and worked from 53
countries in just a few years. - Visiting grocery stores and taking cooking classes is a great way to learn about local culture.
In 2017, when universal remote work was a figment of our imaginations, I faced an internal dilemma.
Do I continue to work a desk job in advertising, an industry I love and worked hard to succeed in, or do I leave to pursue my passion for traveling and seeing the world?
Ultimately, I chose to travel because I was only 25, had more energy than ever, and had zero obligations holding me back. It was extremely exciting and wholly nerve-wracking.
As you can imagine, being a digital nomad and traveling from country to country for two years came with many surprises. Here are 14 worth highlighting:
Being a digital nomad is not the same as vacationing
My Instagram may paint a different story, but during my two years of being a digital nomad, I was not "on vacation."
I stayed in apartments outside of the heart of the city, not hotels with concierges. My typical day consisted of writing articles inside of coworking spaces, not going on tours and sightseeing.
I frequented more coffee shops than museums throughout my nomadic journey — and it was delightful. The ability to truly live in different cities worldwide allowed me to take in the people and culture way more than any vacation could.
And, fortunately, I did still plan excursions on the weekends and spend nights at popular restaurants and bars.
I didn't run into any language barriers
With every new country I visited, I made an effort to learn critical and conversational words or phrases in the native tongue.
Before I left the US, I was worried I wouldn't be able to communicate in each city I visited. Fortunately, many locals appreciated my effort — and some were excited to practice their English by speaking with me.
In reality, the global scale of language as a primary-school subject outside of the United States opened my eyes to the lack of importance of language back home.
Even though I took Spanish classes since I was 5 years old, it wasn't until I lived in South America for eight months that my ability to speak the language blossomed.
It's extremely easy to navigate healthcare when you're abroad
Another pain point that kept me up at night before leaving on my travels was access to healthcare.
I wasn't sure what I'd do if I got sick or how I'd maintain my regimented schedule of six-month dental cleanings. I was on the phone with my insurance provider for hours on multiple occasions seeing how my coverage translated in various countries. Turns out, all of this stress wasn't worth it.
Although it is imperative to have coverage when
My dental cleaning in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was one of the best I've ever received, and the facility was beautiful. Most importantly, my cleaning (with X-rays and all) was only $35.
Grocery shopping is an excellent way to learn about a location's culture
I believe that to find the heart of a country's culture, look at their food.
Between the amazement of $60 candy grapes in Japan to over 2,000 variations of potatoes in Peru, our perception of produce and meal preparation is so tiny compared to a global scale.
Shopping for groceries and cooking them actually became some of my favorite things to do in each country I lived in.
Local cooking classes are another great way to learn about a country
In addition to shopping for new foods, spices, and ingredients, I wanted to learn how to prepare them properly.
I made an effort to partake in a cooking or mixology class in every country I visited.
Whether creating goulash in the Czech Republic or empanadas in Argentina, each cooking class led to a fascinating discovery about a place that you may not get from a traditional sightseeing tour.
Swapping phone SIM cards as soon as you land is the best way to stay connected to others
I was surprised to learn that swapping your phone SIM for a local telecom's minimal data plan at the airport was a signature move for nomads to save money from a US telecom provider.
Until month three of my travels, I was toggling airplane mode. Once I swapped SIM cards, I learned how to communicate through WhatsApp on a local network.
Most of the problems I ran into involved technology
Since I was a digital nomad, my laptop was my lifeline. But it stopped working during the first month of my travels.
AppleCare wasn't valid on my devices outside of the US (nor was it often readily available). And since I was on a five-week rotation in each country, I couldn't send my device back to the United States to have it repaired and returned in time.
Eventually, I had to buy a new, subpar laptop. It didn't cost much, but the quality of the machine put a severe dent in my work output.
In addition to the computer troubles, I was often at the will of coworking spaces' internet quality. I also hoped certain countries would allow me access to specific websites without investing in a VPN subscription, but it wasn't always the case.
Renting a bike is sometimes the best form of transportation
Having lived in New York City for four years before becoming a digital nomad, I would have laughed at the idea of renting a bike as a primary form of transportation.
But there are cities worldwide that do an exceptional job at creating navigable paths for bikers. And biking is a beautiful way to explore a new place. I loved biking along the river in Kyoto, Japan, and near the coast in Lima, Peru.
You may not be able to watch your favorite Netflix show from country to country
It may be strange to hear that someone traveling to the most beautiful countries around the world would be sad about not being able to stream "The Office" or watch the premiere of the final season of "Game of Thrones."
But, like I said, being a digital nomad wasn't quite the same as being on vacation. After a long and stressful day, there were many times during my two years of travel that I just wanted to get home, put on PJs, and watch a familiar TV show.
Although Netflix existed globally, each country's offerings would change depending on the location's preferences or media rights.
You may not be able to find your favorite wellness products, either
Many countries have different preferences, products, or brands available for purchase when it comes to the wellness space.
For example, to cut down on plastic waste, many countries do not have plastic-applicator tampons available.
If you have specific needs or brand preferences for wellness products, you need to bring them with you on your travels.
A capsule wardrobe was crucial for traveling light
I lived out of one checked bag and a small carry-on for two years.
Before my travels, I had a closet full of seasonal clothing with prints and bright colors. Now, patterns and unique colors are very easy to identify and extremely difficult to mix and match.
When you're repeating outfits every 10 days, both fellow travelers and your social feed are going to see the same outfits over and over.
In these situations, neutrals become your friend. A black top and jeans can work with just about any look.
A trip to Costco was key to helping me stock up on a year's worth of necessary items
When I decided to uproot my life, I got a head's up that some of my favorite wellness products would not be available overseas, so I prepared with a trip to Costco.
One Costco-size supply of Dove Sensitive Skin, Crest 3D White toothpaste, Cetaphil face cleanser, and Tampax Pearl tampons lasted me close to a full year without needing to be restocked.
Surprisingly, these items and the rest of my belongings weighed less than 45 pounds in my luggage. Plus my load began to lighten month after month.
A lot of travelers collect just a few sentimental souvenirs, or tokens, from every country they visit
Instead of opting for bags souvenirs while jumping from country to country, digital nomads who emphasize minimalism tend to collect one or two items from each place.
Some travelers choose more traditional items like magnets, pins, and laptop stickers. Others might collect coffee mugs from every country or a signature piece of apparel popular in the area.
My sentimental souvenirs are Christmas ornaments and cookbooks from every country I've visited.
Traveling while working gave me the purest sense of freedom I've ever experienced
The things that used to stabilize and root me — a steady job, an apartment lease, etc. — were taken entirely off the table when I decided to pursue traveling and commit to a
From this experience, I learned two valuable lessons. First, a home is wherever you create one. A specific address, city, or set of four walls are not the only parameters that make a home.
Second, when it comes to career or finances, you can continually reinvent yourself. If you have enough passion and hard work, there's a career out there for you and money to make.
The unimaginable realities of 2020 and the global pandemic caused a lot of heartache for many people. Although it's impossible to say there's a silver lining to a situation such as this one, something that has now resulted from the pandemic is the ability to leverage remote work.
Back when I decided to start my journey as a digital nomad traveling country to country, it meant leaving a job I love. Now, for some, it's possible to work a dream job while exploring the world.