Summary

The article provides an honest insight into the realities of a digital nomad lifestyle, debunking the glamorous image portrayed on social media.

Abstract

The author, a seasoned digital nomad of five years, sheds light on the less-discussed aspects of the lifestyle, emphasizing the disparity between social media portrayals and actual experiences. The article highlights the solitude of solo travel, the necessity of reliable Wi-Fi, the emotional challenges of missing family, and the personal sacrifices made, such as forgoing romantic relationships and pet ownership. Despite these challenges, the author maintains that the lifestyle offers more rewards than downsides and remains committed to the nomadic way of life.

Opinions

The author does not subscribe to the idyllic image of working at the beach, preferring indoor spaces away from the elements.
There is a significant difference between the digital nomad lifestyle as marketed to young people and the practical realities of life on the road.
The author values human connection and occasionally volunteers to meet like-minded individuals and make friends, despite the potential negative impact on work due to unreliable Wi-Fi.
Digital nomads are heavily dependent on internet connectivity, which can limit travel destinations and require strategic planning to balance work and exploration.
The author experiences homesickness and prefers to live in proximity to family, which influences travel and living decisions.
The desire to adopt a pet is hindered by the transient nature of the author's lifestyle, which lacks a stable home environment.
The author avoids dating locals in countries where they have no intention of settling, prioritizing stability for future relationships.
Despite the challenges, the author is content with their decision to leave a nursing career for a digital nomad lifestyle and does not regret their choices.

The secrets about being a digital nomad that no one wants to talk about

Don’t be fooled by the ¨insta¨ or TikTok videos and that working at the beach lifestyle.

This upcoming August will mark my 5-year career as an official digital nomad. I don’t call myself one, but for the article’s point, today I will.

The first two years I was working remotely, legally, all of my employers knew I was traveling, which is why I took the jobs, and then when I lost my online job to covid, I had to restrategize.

Hello, writing!

So yes, five years, full-time-ish. I have never worked at the beach or anywhere near a beach. First, I do not like the beach, unless it is a beach on a lake or river, the ocean, no way, no how.

I only go when someone else wants to go. Now I have worked overlooking mountains as I write this. Yet I am inside, away from the elements of the weather, because that is real life.

I do not fly first class, stay in five-star hotels, or have a company telling you how to be a digital nomad. Since most digital nomads market to the younger crowd, they sell a lifestyle.

In reality, it is not anything like social media.

The secrets about being a digital nomad that no one wants to discuss; let’s move on, shall we?

If you are a solo traveler like myself, life on the road can get lonely, and you will spend almost all your time alone.

I love to be alone, but I sometimes crave human connection. When this happens, I usually book a volunteer gig to interact with people who are similar to me and for me to make some friends. Then after a few weeks, I will spend about two months recharging.

While at a volunteer gig, the wifi is not always great, so my work almost always sacrifices. Luckily I freelance and work to reschedule articles or videos, but often when I volunteer, I might not pay for anything and do not make any money.

However, digital nomads are at the mercy of the wifi connection; sometimes, a volunteer site or a remote village I want to visit does not have wifi, and I have to decide.

Usually, I will spend the month before working like a mad woman, so I can travel somewhere that I want to see. Most of my DN friends often stay in the bigger cities for this reason and will take a weekend exploring.

I can not live in a city; my soul slowly dies. So I figure out ways to cut back on costs, and right now, I even have a wifi plan so I can still work and be in a remote village.

We miss our families, or at least I do.

However, most digital nomads who travel full-time go home often, at least once or twice yearly. I like living in a country closer to my family, and being on the other side of the world is challenging as I can not just hop on a plane and be home in a few hours.

When I was living in Colombia, I was so much closer; I went home three times last year, and it was a quick, easy flight. As much as I love this part of the world, I am still determining if I could stay here for longer than a year because I miss my family, and that flight is pricey.

I miss being in the same time zone as family and friends, even though most of my DN friends are in Latin America.

A personal struggle for me is I would love to adopt a dog from the street; I saw a cutie last night and fell in love.

I live in hostels, hotels, and guesthouses, which usually do not allow dogs. Therefore I can not get a dog while I have a life on the road, which is a big reason I want to find a home base, even if it’s for 6–9 months at a time so that I can adopt a puppy.

cutie I found in a park in Tbilisi, I think he has a home but so cute!

Dating on the road is difficult. I have a rule; well, I do not date, and I especially do not date a local if I would never live in that country.

One of the only reasons I dated my ex was because I wanted to stay in Colombia, I wanted more of a flexible travel/life situation, but he did not, which was a huge issue.

So now I do not date.

In the future, when I am more stable and decide to sit still, I will think about it, but for now, it is out of the question. I am not into travel flings, so I avoid that topic. This leads back to the first topic: I spend a lot of time alone.

These are just a few downsides to the life that I chose to live. Yet there are more upsides than down, and until I decide where I want to settle for a bit, it will be the way I continue to live my life.

It, however, is not a fairy tale; even though you see it all over social media is one, if something is too good to be true, it probably is.

It is a great way to live, even with the ups and downs; I would never change the choice I made five years ago.

Leaving my nursing career was the best decision, and I can not imagine living any differently. And you might never choose my life, but that is the beauty of life; we get to decide how we want to live, and we can always change our minds.

XOXO