Aspiring Digital Nomads’ first steps: Where to start?

Where to start?

Let’s start from the basics, first of all, what is a digital nomad? It can have various definitions, more or less poetic, but in reality, the most complete definition according to me is the following:

A person who loves to travel and discover the world following their passions.A person who finds home wherever they go living in the community they are in managing to adapt to every situation.A person who loves their job and at the same time it allows them the flexibility to travel anywhere without presence constraints.

A definition that encompasses all the concepts that the digital nomad must face. If you think you have these qualities then the first step to start is to ask yourself:

• Do I love to travel and discover new cultures and places?
• Am I a person who adapts to circumstances?
• Does my job satisfy me and allow me not to have to be physically present in the office?

If there is even one no or maybe as an answer it means that at this moment you are not yet ready, but you can work on it if you want it!

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Where to start this adventure

There can be a thousand ways to start here, and all are correct because fundamentally everyone has their character and approach to challenges.

However, I have prepared a list of principles, tips, and precautions to be ready from the beginning:

The following list will be updated over time and for the more complex points, in-depth explanations will be provided in other articles

1. The first piece of advice is to be lovers of travel. It seems obvious but from what I see it often happens that people travel to be able to say “Hey, I’ve been here too!”. For me, on the other hand, traveling is about seeking out hidden places and exploring new cultures, and ways of life. All this can be summed up in two words: Slow Travel.
2. The starting point is to have a job that allows for full-remote and company policy without too many constraints.
3. Have a spirit of adaptability and not be afraid to make mistakes. Often you will find yourself in unplanned situations that differ from how you had foreseen, it’s normal, and in those cases, you have to be good at containing the problem and not give in to despair. Spoiler alert, you learn over time, make mistakes quickly, and always try again!
4. Read the positive and negative experiences of other digital nomads. Not everything is beautiful, and observing through experienced eyes allows you to get an overview of digital nomad life in all its nuances. Each experience is unique of course, but getting an idea of what can happen is always useful.
5. Plan the right amount and unless you have unlimited money or an unlimited budget compare prices on various platforms whether it’s for accommodation, for travel, or anything else. Everyone tackles the journey differently, but what I can recommend is not to plan everything down to the smallest detail for various reasons, one above all: the stress of trying to fit everything together.
6. Depending on the chosen place and the time you want to spend there check the necessary documents and do not take laws, regulations, or customs for granted (e.g. Traffic regulations that may differ from those in Italy, residence visas, etc…).
7. Travel light if you want to be more comfortable, only bring what you need. Being able to organize and fit all equipment and clothes into the smallest possible space is essential for comfortable travel.
8. Find accommodations in a good location with a kitchenette. It’s necessary to find locations in strategic points to reach places of interest and it’s also necessary to have a kitchen, as it helps you save but above all it gives you the possibility to manage meals without always having to look for local restaurants (which in other cultures would mean eating at 6 pm 😳).
9. Always bring basic medicines and check for any necessary vaccinations.
10. When possible use applications or tools to facilitate searches or bookings. This will save you time and ensure you can enjoy every experience.

But what are the advantages of all this effort?

As said before, everyone can see it differently.

I can tell you what are the pros and cons for me, obviously based on my experience. Let’s see some:

Disadvantages

• You are not getting distracted. You must guarantee your work performance, which means a stable internet connection, quiet places (or isolated in safety contexts), but above all the concentration to complete tasks without loss of efficiency.
• Co-working stress (or worse bars where you work) even if they are well supplied the fact is that often and willingly they are noisier places compared to an office or your own home.
• Planning the trip is particularly complicated especially if itinerant and can cause stress.
• Getting caught up in the phobia of having to see everything aka FoMO.
• Distance from loved ones and your routines. It’s not trivial and it must be taken into account that after a long period away you may want to have your normality, don’t be scared it’s legitimate, but remember that you can always come back.

Advantages

• Experience the place as a new home (temporary) without frenzy.
• You don’t have to wait for holidays.
• Coming into contact with different cultures.
• Meet new people who can open up new worlds by talking, observing, or exchanging ideas.
• Changing location encourages and stimulates creativity. I always come back with many ideas or insights that then reflect in my work or my passions.

I could add many others but as said before it is all subjective, but the thing I care about and want to emphasize is that

Let yourself be carried away by your emotions and feelings.

Don’t think it’s impossible, you don’t need to go who knows where, and you don’t even need millions. All you need is your will, passion, and a remote job. If you have this, any place can be your home!

How to plan your first trip

Here we could talk about it for a long time and perhaps we would never finish.

I thought to tackle this topic in the next article to delve deeper, trying to give a complete overview of:

• How to choose the first destination (or destinations)
• Which tools to use for organizing and booking
• Legislative aspects and duties towards the company
• Suggestions taken from my experiences

The first trip is an experience that must be lived calmly with the awareness that it is only the starting point.

Thank you for getting this far, see you in the next article 💚

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