Become Nomad - Digital Nomad Lifestyle and Long Te 45h4u

Living as a nomad starts with a remote job, but it doesn’t end there. In this episode, Eli speaks with Anna Maria Kochanska about building a career on the move, turning remote work into real impact, and why Cape Verde might be your next favorite destination. 

Nikita and Eli catch up and talk about the rituals they follow when arriving in new places, such as gathering around campfires, along with a range of other related topics.

It's always on our minds as we seek to make this lifestyle sustainable -- the financial aspect of location independent work. Because let's not sugar-coat it: building a career that lets you enjoy such freedom requires work. It requires asking some tough questions and finding your particular answers. Here, Eli touches on how to approach tackling uncertainty, intention setting, becoming world class, ing for technological change, and a whole lot more of those tough questions.

Our star listener Nikita Smelyanskiy is back! This time to ask Eli some deep questions about his nomadic journey. They chat about how Eli started moving around (at age 31!), his early approaches to making income, simplifying your lifestyle into "first-level principles," maintaining nomadic relationships, how this lifestyle impacts your larger perspective of life, and much more. Have some additional Q's you'd like us to tackle? Get in touch at [email protected]!  

We often talk about the values of nomadic freedom. But nomadic freedom also includes the freedom to stop being nomadic for a while. After all, there are many ways of living true to the nomadic spirit -- even when you're stationary. Here, Eli & Dan discuss Dan's recent less-nomadic exploits en route to bigger questions about the long-term nature of this lifestyle and transitioning in & out of various situations. 

Today we have a special guest episode with our friend Nikita, a long-time listener of the show. He takes us through his unique approach to digital nomadism which started with some creative adventures in his home country -- perfect inspiration for anyone thinking about starting out. He and Eli move on to a grab bag of related nomadic questions about taking the plunge, finding your people, & living without fear. Have thoughts on their discussion? We love hearing from you! Reach out to [email protected] & we'll reply on a future episode.  

Let's dig in to some essential nomadic FAQs: How do you choose a place for new residency? How do you handle taxes while on the road? How does it all play with your origin country? In this quick "emergency pod," Eli outlines some advantages, considerations, & interesting countries worth exploring when thinking about residency & related logistics. (We're a little behind schedule but more make-up pods are coming your way soon!)

Don't come to this episode hungry! Eli & Dan discuss some of their favorite locales for food and try to get a bit deeper: How much can food play a role in our perception of a location? What's the best way to really experience a local flavor? And what's our strategy for staying healthy while still experiencing food culture? Furthermore, we'll plant some seeds: Our favorite locations & food experiences -- the cuisines that sit with us for years after the fact. Hopefully, they'll inspire you (... if not for your next destination, then at least fo your next meal!).  

What does it mean for a location to be "winning" for nomads? This is something Eli thinks a lot about -- as he plans his next flight and as he continues the work of his main project, StartupBlink. In this ep, we dive into what trends, factors, and overall values determine a location's nomadic potential. And, of course, we name a handful that fall into this category -- plus some predictions for locations that are on the rise. Check out StartupBlink for more detailed analysis: www.startupblink.com

Every few years we like to check in & ask: What digital tools are we most heavily leaning on? What are we using on a daily basis during our nomadic journeys? In this ep, Eli & Dan cover categories such as social life, learning, navigation, and fitness. Hopefully giving you some helpful tips... but very likely just demonstrating our own ignorance :) Let us know what vital new tools we've missed at [email protected] or [email protected].  

It's our eternal question: Where next? Eli's constantly thinking of how to answer this question -- not just with places as answers... But with principles & concepts that always stand true. In this episode, he talks about some of his new and undiscussed principles to make sure the next destination is a place you connect with.

Derek from Wandering Earl is back! To share more of his endless insights from 20+ years on the road. He & Eli touch on the classic question faced by lifelong nomads: Where's the finish line? Or, more accurately, is there a finish line? And they discuss what it's like to stop and start nomading again. Plus a grabbag of other topics: Building community, running a tour company, connecting your location with your work, and a whole lot more. Please give our friend some love & go check out WanderingEarl.com

You pack your bags and hit the road with a certain expectation in your mind. You imagine what you might experience, how you might change, what you might see, and who you might meet. But after years on the road, once the honeymoon phase has worn off... What unexpected realities might the digital nomad lifestyle bring? In this episode, we look past the glamorization and excitement of this lifestyle. Let's talk about some of the hard personal truths & ongoing psychological battles that might emerge. Because as much as there is to love about the digital nomad path, its reality isn't a Hollywood story and it isn't a shiny Instagram post.

On this ep, Eli's ed by a special guest: James Clark, founder of the travel blog Nomadic Notes. They discuss the ups & downs of being on the nomadic journey for so long, how the landscape has changed since James hit the road in 2003, the importance of holding onto hobbies & interests, and a whole lot more. ... & if you have any thouhts of Qs, give us a shout at [email protected]!

Eli has spent years of nomadic working on both sides of the aisle. Looking back on his experiences, he shares the pros & cons, the rewards & tradeoffs, of both working solo and managing a team. Plus: He shares how starting a remote company wasn't a product of ambition or courage as much as a product of necessity. And he dives into how this change in work-life forced a change in nomadic values. Thoughts or questions? Please shoot us an email! At: [email protected]

You know about the Chiang Mai's and Medellin's of the world -- the established digital nomad hubs mentioned in every other blog post. But which places might become the next Chiang Mai? The next Medellin? In this episode, Eli & Dan scour the global map to identify a few dozen places on our BecomeNomad radar -- some have long been emerging, some have just piqued our interest, all worth at least considering as you plan your next plane ticket. ... And of course we missed something, but what did we miss? Let us know at [email protected]!

Accommodations! We start with Eli looking back at the early days of finding a place to stay via travel guides & simple spontaneity... And then see how things have drastically changed in the past ten years. Have they changed for the worst? Is the convenience gained by the Airbnb's and Booking.com's worth the dilution of nomadic adventure? What matters the most when we look for accommodations? And what further changes can we expect as trends like coliving become the norm? All that & a whole lot more to inspire your next temporary home in this episode!

We may not be doctors, but we do have a few useful principles for approaching personal health on a day-to-day basis. Because the nomadic life inherently complicates our ability to stabilize our routines. Meaning that something like health, which so fundamentally requires stability, is more vulnerable to frequent disruption. So how can we reduce that risruption? Even if just a bit? **One more thing!! If you're a BN fan, please fill out this quick 1-min Google form to help tailor future episodes to your interests: https://forms.gle/Dr7UQs3CzaQHktEz5 Any & all input is extremely welcome -- thank you!

It's definitely not the sexiest part of our nomadic adventures... but it may be the most vital. Still, banking's tricky because, more than most, it's not a one-size-fits-all topic. In this episode, Eli & Dan try to tackle the distinct financial "tiers" and the different opportunities nomads have -- all to eventually establish some universal truths & words of wisdom. If you're looking for a more practical episode -- one without any rose-tinted, Instagram-filtered glasses -- this one's for you.

You arrive at a new location. Now: What do you do? And more pertinently: Why do you do it? The more Eli lives this lifestyle, the harder it can be to answer that second question as he moves to new places. In some ways, accumulated knowledge from years of nomading can actually obstruct his ability to access some core truths. So that's what this episode is about: Those core mindsets about finding your version of happiness in a new location. **Finally: This episode is sponsored by Nomad, one of the fastest-growing eSim apps! Easy to install, easy to use, & way cheaper than roaming -- check 'em out at getnomad.app and use referral code DANI92CE for $3 off. They'll also have promos for an additional 10-15% off running all summer!