Digital Nomads
Welcome to Sridhar’s newsletter number # 8. Appreciate you being here, so we can connect weekly on interesting topics. Add your email id here to get this directly to your inbox (https://sridhargarikipati.substack.com).
As discussed over earlier post “ Working remote during pandemic “ , we will discuss about digital Nomad trend going on since last few years and picked up recently by few countries specially during this Covid-19 pandemic and will share few notes based on my conversation with fellow hiker a digital nomad I met 5 years ago in Boston as I was amazed by his work/travel routine.
So, who are they?
Digital nomads term is given to people who makes their living by working from anywhere in world with just Internet connectivity and, more generally, conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Mostly they work remotely from foreign countries, public library , or from their vehicle (see van life over YouTube for example).
It is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I am a person who like to know alternative living choices than this consumerism world. As an example, this lifestyle can be done by younger people or retired couple for a short term (not more than 2-4 years I guess), which I cannot do with my family. The reason it interests me is to know the alternatives and even if I cannot live it, but I can learn few positive things. The one person whom I met shown me high levels of self-reliance and self-discipline, which not just a person living nomadic manner should have but every person should show.
Their main reason for living such lifestyle is for financial independence, career that does not restrict to one location, travel, freedom etc. At the same time, they report loneliness as their biggest struggle and burnouts as well. Do not go by fairy tale over Instagram only very few people show the misery side of such living as well. So, it is a personal choice and I would say living in a moment. if someone is enjoying such living for the moment that is their beautiful world. As I said important thing for me is to learn positive thing from anyone which if you note above as I have kept them in bold.
This lifestyle may present other challenges as well such as maintaining international health insurance with coverage globally, abiding by different local laws, and sometimes obtaining work visas if one is working from foreign country. If you are working from your own country, then no issues. Mostly people from developed nations with passports having access to different countries for tourism have taken this lifestyle to foreign country. Legally one is not allowed to work on tourist visa, so they end up applying for work visa to stay in foreign country.
Remote work is core foundation of this lifestyle. This has resulted in the creation of several programs targeted at digital nomads. I guess countries are trying to address the issues faced by Nomads as its not legal to work on tourist visa in the country & also to improve the travel taxes etc. for themselves. Also, with Covid-19 the travel industry has been hit a lot and now few other countries are also joining to create such programs. Few of examples,
Republic of Estonia has launched a new Digital Nomad Visa that allows remote workers to live in Estonia and legally work for their employer or their own company registered abroad. There are some restrictions for application as not every income level applicant is applicable for this visa. So this will allow for traveler to remote work and temporary stay in Estonia (Click for Trip Advisor link) for up to 1 year. Click below link for more details,
https://e-resident.gov.ee/nomadvisa/
West Indian island in the Caribbean, Barbados is also one such country facing drop in tourism and capitalizing on the remote work revolution allowing to get work visa to stay up to 12 months and can work for any employer abroad, family is also welcome in this visa. Click below link for more details,
https://www.barbadoswelcomestamp.bb/faqs/
The reason why I said earlier it is not every one’s cup of tea is because we need to know directly from the person who has done this living. As I said, Instagram fairy tales will never share full picture and many sugar coat the lifestyle for online. At least for sure felt, I cannot do that for my reasons and visiting altogether different country. Yes, I can do it like 80% in one stable location work and 20% travelling in leisure time, but if we are talking about working and at the same travelling is not something, I can pull it off. Alright that is about me. let me share my thoughts about my conversation with fellow hiker. They first need to have strategy in place to make their travel schedule and work schedule fit together and that is why all their core job is working remote. For sure his travel was full on fun and experiences but every now and then he does gets imbalanced and lonely or not knowing close contacts in place burns them out. Yes, he met too many people in his travel, but at the same time said too many goodbyes as well. i.e. none took flight for long term relation. So, I guess its cycle of getting balance in his journey. As he mentioned for sure at some point, he will be done with this and will stick to one location, get married and have kids.
That is my quick update on Digital Nomads which I mentioned in earlier post.
Do let me know in comments or reply me over email to share what is your view on this trend.
You can hear this as well on my Apple Podcast or can hear on website. Do subscribe for Audio version over Apple Podcast. ( Search for “ Minimalist techie “ )
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sridhars-newsletter/id1527136384
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