Gabrielle CollardThe remote working revolution during the pandemic has made the digital nomad lifestyle more possible now than ever before, and exploring new countries while maintaining a career is already a dream come true for many.
But who are these people exactly? How did they make it happen and what do they do for a living?
We have 10 real digital nomads here who want to share their experiences with you.
They will show you what’s possible, at any age, if you want to expand your horizons whilst working from a laptop.
Brandon Green, sales contractor
This is me in Larnaca, Cyprus.
Although I’m back in my home country of Australia right now, I have been living away as a nomad since 2015. I’ve lost count how many trips I’ve had.
I have travelled in the USA, UK, Colombia, Fiji, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, and Eastern Europe to name just a few places.
In the beginning, I was a solo traveller, but now I have a wife and children and we are all embracing the digital nomad lifestyle. You can read more about it on my blog.
The most I’ve enjoyed most about the experience is the feeling of being free whilst working in sales (selling solar panels). I’m my own boss, and can explore the world on my own time and at my own pace.
If anyone else is thinking of becoming a digital nomad I think that they would be mad not to pursue it! In my opinion it’s the best way of life on earth by far.
Friska Wirya, management consultant
I work for myself as a consultant, speaker, and facilitator on all things future fitness and digital transformation. My clients are large corporates such as Salesforce, Culture Amp, Microsoft, KBR, and Cox Automotive.
I’ve been away too many times to remember, I spend half the year abroad and have been fully remote for three years.
Right now I’m in Indonesia, but I have also worked in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, France, Italy, Czech Republic and Hungary. I spend half the year abroad.
What I most enjoy is being able to earn while I travel and meeting people from different countries. Some have turned into friends, and some have turned into clients.
My advice to others is to start small if you’re unsure of whether to take the plunge. Travel regionally first, then domestically, and then internationally.
Lucyna Polok, student
This is a photo of me enjoying my first-ever rugby game in Wales.
I’m 22-year-old university student from Poland, finishing my undergrad in modern languages.
How does this make me a digital nomad? Well, my studies took me to various countries, and I did an internship at my first destination which ended in a proposition of a full-time remote job offer, which I accepted.
My nomadic lifestyle is funded by my less-than-impressive salary (I do not have financial support from my parents). So it’s not true that being a digital nomad requires a lot of money.
What I have enjoyed the most is the long list of friendships and the memories I have with them. I also love the rush of going to a new place and discovering it piece by piece.
So far I have lived in Wales, Spain and Switzerland and can’t wait to take my next steps outside of Europe. I definitely don’t intend to stop moving around and am not planning on settling anytime soon!
Instagram: @velucieraptorr
Dan Lawrence, marketer
I started digital nomadding in 1999 after setting up my own ‘drop ship store’.
(I’m probably one of the first digital nomads from the UK!)
In 2008 I wanted to see if it was possible to run a business from a tent on a beach so I spent the entire summer doing so from a campsite on the beautiful and fun island of Ibiza (which you can read about here).
I’m currently based on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of the UK, (I seem to gravitate towards islands), where I still run my drop shipping store, SEO consultancy, and curate my digital nomad newspaper.
I most enjoy the freedom to live and work from wherever, for whatever reason. My advice to aspiring digital nomads is to just get on with it and get out there. “You only live once” and all that.
Wishing you all a truly wonderful digital nomad life 🙂
Annie Medwin, agency team leader
In early 2021, I quit my job after barely surviving Melbourne’s lockdowns. So I bought a van and went clockwise around Australia whilst doing remote contract work.
At the beginning of 2022 I wanted to make this lifestyle a more secure reality and landed my dream digital nomad job running a digital marketing agency. My travels now include Italy and Bali where I currently live.
The best part is I’ve never felt as free as I do now. It is also about all the amazing creative people you meet along the way all across the globe and finally the work/life balance you get from working remotely.
My advice is: you’ll figure it out after you take that first leap. Without doing that you’ll never get there!
Instagram: @anniemedwin
Jacob Aldridge, international business advisor
I have been a business coach since 2006, and since 2010 I have worked from more than 25 countries as a digital nomad. This month I celebrated my 41st birthday in Dubai, UAE.
In 2019, the year my daughter was born, I worked from 21 countries. That included conference speaking engagements in Canada, the USA, Australia, and the UK, plus remote coaching work around much of Western Europe including my favourite place in the world Lake Como, Italy.
My location-independent journey began in 2010, when my beautiful wife and I relocated from Australia to London.
Over those 13 years the journey has evolved as we’ve dealt with changing career priorities, 10 rounds of IVF treatment, and a pandemic. At one point I had 120 flights in 120 weeks, but I’ve also had some years with a home base and more recreational travel only. Right now I’m learning about homeschooling and worldschooling as a potential digital nomad family.
Our destination focus for 2023 is South-East Asia, with some additional time likely spent in Hong Kong, the USA, and Dubai.
Being a digital nomad allows me to travel more often and more easily, moving from one destination to another without spending 24 hours on a plane to return ‘home’ in between.
And that means more time to enjoy the places I visit, especially the history and the wine. Some clients love seeing the changing background on our video calls, but I’ve also discovered that most don’t care where you are as long as the work delivers.
For others thinking of becoming a digital nomad, my advice is to choose your timeframe. If this is a ‘gap year’ type experience, earning a basic income while country hopping, then get remote income and jump right in. If you see this as a long-term lifestyle choice, however, then it pays to establish your career base before you go travelling. It’s harder to build a business while also being nomadic, so be patient and build your core business for a few years before buying the plane ticket.
Vanessa Lovie, business broker
Some places I have worked remotely whilst travelling are Thaliand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Japan and Pakistan.
I own an online marketplace business called Bsale.com.au which allows us to travel, usually every year. When I was younger, I went for 3 years straight, now it’s more like 3 months at a time.
I love the freedom and flexibility. There is so much technology available now to manage the business and my team, so it’s a great opportunity.
Life is different when you can be part of another way of life. It really makes you appreciate what we have. I love food. Through travelling, you get to experience so many different foods!
For those who are wondering whether to become a digital nomad, I would say rethink your priorities and go explore this beautiful world we live in. Whether you are single, married or with kids, there are some great options. We don’t have to live the ‘traditional’ lives we always have.
Jill Healy-Quintard, yoga trainer
My French husband and I are currently travelling in Outback and Coastal Australia, living the ‘van life’. Since 2019 I have been running live stream classes and coaching in wellbeing, from France and Vietnam as well as Sydney.
My live streams have continued from various and interesting locations and my clients are loving the variety.
Meanwhile, my husband manages my website and my online video classes and is creating courses for me to have uploaded on a platform to run without me having to be streaming or face-to-face.
Recently I won the 2022 Ausactive Award for Pilates Professional and Yoga Business, so being on the road has not held me back – and my adventures will continue in 2023.
Becca Rich, time management coach
I’m an ex-engineer turned holistic time management coach, and have been a digital nomad since 2020.
I’ve travelled throughout the US, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia where I am currently, and I’m headed to Greece this weekend!
What I enjoy the most is experiencing all the new cultures and meeting people. Knowing I have friends all over the world is SO cool!
If you’re thinking about becoming a digital nomad, it IS possible! It requires creativity, integrity, and focus but it is possible and completely worth it.
Emily Hill, travel writer
I am currently in the United States and will be heading to Germany, France, Egypt, Portugal, Netherlands, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Bali and more in the new year as a full-time digital nomad. I first trialled this experience in places around the United States and then in Canada for a month.
Appropriately, I am a travel writer (for Tripscout and Vacayou Wellness Magazine), but I also work as a creative director for a remote venture design studio.
During my experience nomadding, I have created new relationships, experienced new places, optimised my days – so I can work and explore – and I have also connected with deeper parts of myself.
Digital nomadding teaches you how to believe in your capabilities on a whole new level. You are working in different time zones, living out of a suitcase and immersed in a culture you weren’t raised in. Yes, it is destabilising, but on the other hand, rewarding.
You need to be willing to pivot, problem-solve and create new norms. You also have to release any past version of yourself you’ve held onto. This experience will evolve everything you thought you knew about yourself. As Darwin discovered, we evolve to the environment we are in.
Let it happen!
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