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

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 all over in 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.

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 they are, as well as my 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, being a big reason why 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.

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

S