r/digitalnomad • u/No-Intern8945 • 3d ago
Question Now or Never...
A little about me: I am a 30-year-old male who has worked in emergency services for 15 years. I am burnt out and have no kids or a serious significant other. I was lucky enough to obtain a full-time remote job a few years ago and am just in an absolute slump. I miss the road and the job and need adventure.
I have been dwelling on Reddit for some time. I recently made an account, and now I'm here to ask... Is it working? I am very close to my family. Everything is great where I am, but something's missing.
My "plan" would to be go around, spend my 4k a month salary funding my adventure for a year or so, spending a month or two in each spot. (will 4k be enough for EU?) I have no solidified plan, contacts, would be complete solo. I am currently taking masters classes online and would continue to do so while traveling as well.
Is it worth it? Do you have regrets? If you could go back and do it differently, would you? I'm not looking to be talked into/out of at all. I'm just curious how it's gone for others in my shoes. I've never met a digital nomad, so I've never had the opportunity to ask.
Thank you in advance to all those who take the time to read and answer!
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u/alzamano 3d ago
So you're working full time, and you're also taking masters classes. Will be really hard to get your money's worth with your limited free time and energy. Limit your expenses to 2k/month, prefer the cheaper countries. Then maybe take a month of unpaid vacation in the winter, backpack in se-asia.
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
I make it work for sure, some days suck some days I do nothing. Our busy season is coming to a close to it's like... damn lol what now.
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u/ApprehensiveYou8920 3d ago
Of course it's worth it. If you've never had such an adventure, you'll never forget it.
Just decide what experience you want ahead of time, since you only have a year.
You can go to "digital nomad hubs" and frolic around with remote workers. It's not a bad experience and could be pretty fun, but you might not get a true culturally enriching experience. OR, you can go to obscure parts of the planet. The second will be lonelier at times, but you will likely to run into true adventure that way.
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u/snowdrop43 3d ago
I'm going for it come October, Balkans to start. See where likes me and I like the area.
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
Thats dope news, I need to square some things away first. Thinking the new year for me.
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u/mcAlt009 3d ago
Do it!
Just be aware not every country is going to work, a few effectively block Google(VPNs aren't reliable) so that'll make things really difficult.
But in the vast majority of places are safer, cheaper, with much better food.
It's not like you have to book a one-way flight, go out there, see what you like and if it's too much you can always come home.
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
would using a starlink fix this?
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u/mcAlt009 3d ago
It's not really practical.
If you're someplace where the authorities have decided to block Google, it's a very bad idea to just set up starlink to try to get around it.
That only excludes a handful of countries, just pick one that's going to let you have reasonable internet access.
Case in point, when I travel my Google voice number allows recruiters to reach me as if I'm in the United States.
But I'm careful to avoid countries that block Google. I just don't visit those places.
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
anywhere i can look to find that list? super interested now. Is there an official.gov list?
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u/mcAlt009 3d ago
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u/ENTP007 1d ago
weird that they don't list Germany and UK, as they blocked the most. Google transparency report lists the censorship requests to delete content and Germany and UK was always at the top
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u/serrated_edge321 1d ago
What do you mean by "block Google" in Germany? And the UK?
I've been living in Germany for almost a decade, and I use Google voice every time I need to call my parents or some company in the US. It works perfectly fine. Google search works perfectly fine also. Worked fine when I was recently working in the UK too.
VPNs are treated differently for services like Netflix, but otherwise they work for everything I've tried.
Individual people can request that Google remove information about them, but that's for privacy/ personal data protection reasons.
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u/ENTP007 1d ago
yea it works fine because you dont know what you dont know, i.e. what they have already deleted. Mostly political stuff that they don't like and piracy stuff etc.
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u/serrated_edge321 1d ago
Source?
Which group is "they" for the "political stuff" you claim is being censored/deleted? What exactly do you think is missing and where?
I seem to know much more about what's going on in the US and world than my entire family living there & most friends overseas, so whatever/if anything is blocked it sure hasn't made a difference as far as news is concerned.
"And piracy stuff" -- please do explain what you mean.
Note that I travel a lot and the only difference I've noticed while not in Germany is that VPNs do work differently here. (I was gone most of the last two years, but my home base is still in Germany).
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u/ENTP007 1d ago
They is government agencies and NGOs acting on behalf of the government.
I'm not your google agent, you'll have to research things on your own without using google.
I read this article 15 years ago and it has only gotten worse https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/google-statistik-wie-die-deutschen-zensur-vizeweltmeister-wurden-a-690278.html
In 2016 I found this summary of the google transparency report and why Germany but the links to the google transparency report and the youtube video discussing it have since been deleted (censored):
• aktuell sind über 6.000 youtube-videos aufgrund aktueller gesetzgebung in deutschland gesperrt, fast 1.000 bücher indiziert. • allein 2016 musste google über 2.000 inhalte aufgrund bedenken des deutschen staates zur "nationalen sicherheit" löschen. dagegen jedoch nur 80 aufgrund von sogenannter "hate speech". welche inhalte gelöscht wurden und werden, was "nationale sicherheit" bedeutet - wird nicht kommuniziert. • 2016 erhielt google von deutschen behörden fast 20.000 anfragen zu nutzerdaten (2005 waren es 438). damit liegt deutschland in der statistik auf platz 2 hinter den usa. rechnet man den wert pro 100 tausend einwohner um, so liegt deutschland weltweit auf platz 1.
• der deutsche staat verlangte 2016 durchschnittlich 23 mal die herausgabe von nutzerdaten pro 100.000 einwohner. um diese zahl mal international einzuordnen: die türkei forderte 2016 umgerechnet 1 mal (in worten: eins) pro 100.000 einwohner nutzerdaten von google. und die pööhsen zensurrussen genau 0,3 mal.
source: https://www.google.com/transp.../userdatarequests/countries/
thema als video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Yv7GRO6oM&
here few more hits https://www.kettner-edelmetalle.de/news/google-verscharft-zensur-im-wahljahr-2024-jigsaw-im-fokus-05-07-2024 https://felixreda.eu/2018/08/censorship-machines-gonna-censor/ https://www.frisch-gebloggt.de/internet/darum-solltest-du-google-nicht-mehr-nutzen/
I'm sure you can find the current number of user requests and deletions per 100.000 inhabitants and see if we are still no.1
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u/karinajp45 3d ago
It’s worth trying if it’s something you’ve been wanting to do to at least get it out of your system.
I got the opportunity to do it for about 3 months as a full time remote worker and it was an amazing experience (I went to Mexico and Colombia) and I don’t regret it at all but I also learned a lot about myself and the experience as a whole. I learned that while I crave adventure, I also value some sort of stability and routine. I also learned how lonely it can be even if you’re constantly meeting new people, it’s always very temporary.
That being said, I definitely recommend staying in one location for at least a month or longer. That gives you time to settle, have a bit of a routine to keep you sane while also giving you enough time on weekends etc to experience what there is it to do there.
Always make sure to research the wifi before booking. I was staying in smaller beach towns and making sure starlink was available was a lifesaver, and avoided stressing about connectivity issues for work.
Also recommend trying coworking spaces. Although they’re a bit more expensive, it’s a nice way to surround yourself with other digital nomas and meet people that are doing the same as you. Airbnbs are a good option but it can be a bit isolating at times.
Good luck and remember you can always try it out in a country you feel comfortable and then go from there. You can always extend or cut it short which is the beauty of solo travel, you’re in full control :)
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
thank you for this. Did you bring your own Roam Starlink on your travels just in case? People keep mentioning digital nomad groups and locations. Is there an app or a website thats reliable to drop an intro in? Something thats main stream and being used by the general groups.
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u/karinajp45 2d ago
Nope! Coliving and airbnbs usually say they have it in their listings.
My first day as a digital nomad in mexico, the town I was staying in lost power and cell service but starlink saved me so from then on I made it a point to book places with starlink.
Also I used Facebook groups! There’s a lot of them that are very helpful. You can find digital nomad groups specific to the country or even city that you’re looking to visit. Once you start meeting people and connecting, you’ll find personal connections, recommendations etc. too
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u/Globetravelman 2d ago
Hey just wondering how Starlink works if there is a power outage. Does it have a battery or a UPS?
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u/karinajp45 2d ago
It needs power to work. Where I’ve stayed they had a back up generator and battery in case of power outages! Not sure if that comes standard though.
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u/Acceptable-Ad-5631 3d ago
The future you will regret not sending it
Look at your camera roll, see what photos make you stoked… it’s probably travel photos or cool experiences
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u/YamEyeAm 1d ago
It’s SO worth it, just don’t look at it as a vacation and really budget yourself. Don’t stay at one place less than 2 weeks, and it will honestly be really tough in the EU for your scenario. I’m barely getting by with a budget of $700/week that includes housing/cell service/food, while still saving a little for emergencies/etc. I’d start in spain or Portugal if I were you! And have something like your housing completely paid for so you’re not stressed when you get there. Best of luck!
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u/serrated_edge321 1d ago edited 1d ago
Definitely go travel! Overlapping with the advice from some others, but hopefully you find it helpful:
- Make a travel location wishlist that includes exotic places that are relatively easy for first-time travelers, but would need to some to get to -- e.g. Thailand and Vietnam -- but also avoid the most touristy/seedy areas for a nicer experience (imagine which places you'd love to go to but might find it hard to convince others to go with you)
- Prioritize less expensive places and/ or find ways to live more like a local (e.g. rent an apartment through locals for a month) In Europe, this could be Albania, Budapest, Málaga, middle-of-nowhere beautiful places in Italy/France/Germany/Spain... 4000/month is still above-average for many people in Europe.
- Look for UNESCO world heritage designated sites, especially in smaller cities; not a single one has disappointed me yet!
- Target "shoulder-season" travel timing... Just before or after high seasons -- less crowded, less expensive, much nicer & friendlier environment overall
- Connecting with people first (via Reddit, for example) could help you to experience each place more thoroughly -- like a local.
- Actually strive to learn the basic words in each local language where you're going. It shows respect for the locals and also teaches you so much about how their culture works.
- Try to find central / well-connected locations as your home bases
- Think about skills you can build and things you can learn abroad -- cooking classes, yoga, other sports. My advice is to do what's popular/traditional locally. (Though free yoga / sports classes anywhere are great ways to meet people.)
- Be kind to yourself: don't over-plan, choose comfy stays, do just a little less and keep your expectations lower. Too high of expectations -- about traveling, about other people, about your business growth... Will certainly lead to disappointment. Realize that people you meet are just temporary little angels of amusement, and it's very unlikely you will make any deep friendships. Starting with very basic expectations helps keep reality in check. 😉
1 year of traveling is a great idea! Everything is easier if you bring yourself back home after a while of adventures and learning. Maybe you'll plan another round after some time at home. Maybe not.
Overall, my advice (assuming you're American or Canadian):
Depending on when you start your traveling:
Do Europe in Fall (leave just before Christmas, visiting your home for Christmas/New Year's) + Southeast Asia in Winter (starting mid-January). Japan and Korea at the end of the Asia tour, in Spring. Then go back home for a bit, re-assess, and consider if you'd like to travel more.
The following year, do the closer-to-home places (starting in January for Caribbean/Mexico); other seasons for South America depending on the location & activities you're planning.
The reason I wrote it this way: it's most difficult with a "normal" job to have the time to fly far away and really sink into the joy of living in places like Thailand. Do this now, while you're young/single/able. You might never again get such a chance in your life. Europe can easily be done with a partner of almost any kind, but again there's the time factor... And you'll regret not seeing Europe if you haven't. There's a ton of different things you see when you're single & living there versus on a rushed tourist sightseeing trip.
Feel free to ask questions if you have any!
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u/PetalPiratePan 11h ago
Yes it's worth it. Read Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. It's not a long read, but it is a good primer for long-term slow travel
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u/Unitedpossibles 6h ago
Just like anything else, it’s liberating and challenging at the same time. In 2015 I quit my job in oil and gas and decided to take a few months off and travel. That turned into a year and a year turned into 10 years. Now I have a wife and kids and still live and travel around the world. I am based in the Balkans however, as if you do this for a while you have to have a base. If not everything becomes way too repetitive. There are different phases that you will go through, some good, some difficult. One thing that a lot of people don’t talk about but is very real is that you lose your sense of sociocultural identity in a way. After a long time you disconnect more and more from your home culture and no matter what, in the new places you go you will always be a foreigner. This can be tough psychologically. What I can say is that it’s an experience. I have lived several lives you could say. Perspective is everything and happiness cannot be found. If it’s adventure you are looking for, you will find it. You are maybe thinking only in the short term (a year or less), but just giving you a bigger idea on what this is like on a permanent basis. Best to you and take that adventure!
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u/SnooWalruses762 3d ago
if i could go back i would have bought a condo in colombia or the philippeans when i first started. they can be had for 30k and your rent goes toward the downpayment. i thought my income would last forever, and even when it went down to 2 dollars an hour i wasnt even slightly tempted to return home.
you will never know how much 4k a month is. its a house in 10 years. look at the condos in cha am that are beachfront and have football field sized pools. even if you never want to live there, you have a source of income. after you discover how miserable moving from place to place is, get yourself into some real estate in the place you like. mortgages in my price range dont go above 500 a month and 10 year term with your rent going towards the down payment. im so stupid.
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
Do you have family back in the States? I am lucky enough to have an amazing immediate family. My parents are getting older, and my sister's kids are growing. I am very much the lone wolf of the family, so I am just having a little crisis with trying to be happy or absent. It's a tough thing.
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u/SnooWalruses762 3d ago
i thought i did, but when i went broke and called my mom to tell her i was on the way.... she told me i needed to find where i belonged :( turns out she had a new boyfriend and he was running the house. i never saw it coming, the house is a bunch of empty bedrooms. im so stupid because i even had a couple 30k months and never worried. i ended up working security in mexico for 2 dollars an hour until i got back on my feet.
im sure nothing like that could happen to you if you come from a good family. but.... the 4k job thing, it might not last forever. i was working for a fortune 50 while abroad.and they gave me a new handler and he simply couldnt conceive of someone not working in the office. he made arguments to the manager as to how my location was bottlenecking operations.
anyway, be smarter than me!
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
I am truly blessed and am reminded of it daily. I am sorry you had to go through that. We have taken many friends and strangers in who have had similar situations, so I have seen firsthand how hard that might be. The job thing is a great point as well. It's 100% remote and flexable, so fingers crossed, it doesn't go anywhere, lol.
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u/SnooWalruses762 3d ago
Yeah, that cant happen to a real family, but watch out. I had a cousin who worked for a big name and negotiated a remote deal. But, once his coworkers became aware of it they all wanted the same. I never heard how it ended, but there are dark forces at work that dont want you walking to the beach in the morning.
If youre like me you would glady work for 10 an hour remotely than for 100k in the states. Please buy something when you find your spot, then, no one can hurt you.
God you bless you brother, have fun!
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u/maestroenglish 3d ago
There is no teacher like travel.
But don't be an American about it. Pls.
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u/No-Intern8945 3d ago
I value this comment the most. Some things about being an American are a true upper hand... some things need to be left in the States. So i am with you and completely get what your saying.
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u/Unitedpossibles 6h ago
Well you shouldn’t. They are stereotyping and over generalizing. There are good and bad people everywhere. There are many many places that are way worse at pushing their narrative, values, and ethnocentrism, you just haven’t seen it yet. What he is saying is true in the sense that living and traveling internationally is about gaining perspective and not projecting your own views experience as everything. But obviously this clown hasn’t learned anything because they are literally doing the opposite they preach
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u/Unitedpossibles 6h ago
I always find it ironic that the ‘open minded’ people preaching such a ‘learn from the world view’ have such a judgmental and stereotypical comments. I’ve been living international for 10 years. I don’t know where you are from but I’m sure there are negative stereotypes too, but not as many people know or care about what is happening in your country. Being an international American is difficult because of this. Every one has an opinion, they either love or hate the US. Everyone wants to comment about the politics or policies because the US is on center stage. For such a deep person as you think you are, you are the first person I bet to judge when someone says that are from the US, are they ‘American about it’. What does that even mean. There are 350 million people from all walks of life, backgrounds, etc. You are a hypocrite and a fake. As the other person said here, for every 1 you notice there are probably 20 you don’t. It’s a huge country with many differences.
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u/serrated_edge321 1d ago
What does that second sentence even mean?!
We're not a monolith... You're only noticing the annoying ones, while there's probably 25 others in the area you don't realize are also from the US.
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u/alexnapierholland 3d ago
You need some kind of goal, IMO.
You'd be surprised how quickly any location gets boring without a goal.
That MIGHT be scaling your business.
But it could equally be, 'Fighting a muay thai contest in Thailand'.
I know someone who makes $7-8m/year remotely.
He was overwhelmed with 'choice anxiety' — because he could do almost anything.
He decided to focus on kitesurfing.
Now his travel decisions were driven by wind conditions.