The Digital Nomad Lifestyle (6 things nobody tells you)
I’ve been living overseas on and off since 2017. And since 2020, I’ve been location independent…I’m a digital nomad.
And it’s amazing! This is a seriously fun life, but it’s not without its problems.
This is a list of the most common digital nomad struggles——the stuff people tend to leave out (or things we just don’t fully consider since we’re too focused on the romance of being a digital nomad).
Let’s get right to it then.
1. You Meet Leave A Lot of People
You don’t just meet a lot of people when you travel as a digital nomad…you leave a lot of people too. This can get old, especially when you meet people you seriously vibe with.
It’s cool having friends all over the world, but sometimes I miss having a consistent community. This is one reason I love having a core home base country. Even if I do come and go a lot, it’s at least semi consistent.
By the way, if you’re curious how I meet people abroad, I usually stay at a share house. It’s an instant community of locals, expats and other nomads (plus they’re flexible and convenient with short-term contracts).
2. You Don’t Need a Digital Nomad Visa
You can get a digital nomad visa. But you also don’t need to get one.
As long as you’re moving around every few months to new spots, you can just use tourist visas (at least, that’s what a lot of nomads do)…as long as you’re not earning money in the country you’re staying and don’t come and go too often. For example, I don’t stay more than 6 months over a one year period in Japan.
But this what I asked for…it’s in the name after all, digital nomad.
So just be sure to check the requirements for each country you visit (like how long the tourist visa lasts for) and have proof of onward travel. But yea, you don’t need a digital nomad visa to start living this life.
Explore more:
➤ Become a Digital Nomad (free course)
3. Sometimes, I Wish I Could Have More Stuff…
I’m used to fitting my life into a suitcase. But sometimes, I really wish I could have a little more. Sometimes, I get tired of hopping between short-term leases, not being able to have more stuff.
Large paintings, an art studio, a cozy couch, that cool statue I found at a vintage shop in Kichijoji…a dog.
I’m not saying I want to settle down and give up the adventure, but sometimes, I wish there was an in-between option. That’s why my ultimate goal is to buy a place in Japan——the dream!
4. Full-time Travel Doesn’t Mean Full-time Travel
Digital nomad life is most sustainable with ssoommee routine.
At least for me, being a digital nomad doesn’t mean I’m constantly adventuring and exploring. That’d be exhausting. I like periods of rest and having some type of routine.
This is where creative travel projects come in. I have this blog (plus two more) and my music and art projects. This adds intention and purpose to all my traveling.
And routine.
I love living a semi-normal life while staying overseas. Waking up, having coffee, making breakfast and then going to a cafe to work, tinker and chip away at some larger macro goal.
Travel is just one part of the digital nomad lifestyle (not the whole thing).
5. You Still Have Taxes
This might feel obvious. But even if you live overseas full-time, you still need to file taxes back home (at least in America).
It’s easy to sort of “forget” about this when you don’t spend more than a month in your home country. But it’s super important that you don’t skip this part.
And if you have a digital nomad visa (or some other type of work visa), you’ll need to file taxes in your country of residence as well (obviously, you don’t need to file taxes if you’re just staying somewhere short-term as a tourist).
I’m not a tax expert though, so don’t just listen to me. Do your research and make sure you do what you need to do.
If you wanna learn more advanced tax strategies (especially if you’re setting up shop overseas full-time), Wanderer’s Wealth has great resources.
Explore more:
➤ Best Remote Jobs for Nomads
6. You’ll Probably End Up With a Home Base
Being a digital nomad doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll forever be traveling from place to place every few weeks or couple of months.
(broken record here, sorry)
This might be true early on, but eventually you’ll likely want (or stumble onto) a home base. You’ll find some place you love and end up spending most of your time there (for me, that’s Tokyo).
This doesn’t mean you’re abandoning the digital nomad life though. It’s nice to have somewhere semi-permanent (especially overseas). You can keep the adventure alive but still enjoy a cozy home.
And that’s a wrap! Lemme know below of any other surprises you’ve had as a traveler/digital nomad!
Otherwise, thanks for reading——later ✌️
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