How to Get Started as a Nomad
Where do you even begin?
Hello and welcome back to Nomad in Training!
I’m writing to you this week from Bogotá, Colombia. After a few months in Medellin, I decided it was time to see more of the country besides the coast and Paisaland.
Catedral Primada de Bogotá - I made friends with this street vendor directly after this photo!
While I spent most of the week working, I spent my days off at craft festivals, street food tours, and walking around La Candelaria. I’m staying at Selina (a chain of hostels with great WIFI) and have so far been impressed. I was able to teach my classes without any issues on their internet. Hopefully, this trend will continue when I’m in Rio de Janeiro next week. Peep my remote work set up in my room.
My remote work setup at Selina hostel - they have a coworking space but I made a makeshift desk out of my stand up hanger!
I met up with a friend that I met at a Maluma concert in Medellin (ps. I don’t recommend going to a concert when you have an early flight the next morning as I did). Something that continues to amaze me is that in every city I go to now, I seem to have friends. The more I travel, the more friends I have in every city around the world.
Meaty topic of the week:
Where do I start?
I get this question from many aspiring nomads. Where do you begin when you want to have a location independent life?
Start by assessing your remote job prospects.
Can you take your current job remote? Would your company consider that, or can you get a new job in your field that is remote?
If not, it’s time to look at a new career - if you want to be location independent.
There are so many jobs that digital nomads have, but I run into the following the most frequently around the world:
Software Engineers
Web Developers
Marketers
Social Media Managers
Graphic Designers/Artists
Yoga Teachers
Teachers (that’s me!)
Copywriters (that’s what I want to be!)
Data Scientists
Coaches
Content Creators
Here are three websites with other remote jobs you can do:
Fluent U’s Best Jobs for Digital Nomads
I was very lucky. I fell into a remote job straight out of college due to the pandemic. I thought, “I could teach a few classes for some extra money!” and ended up a full-time online educator.
Lucky for you, you can learn most of the skills required for these jobs without going back to university.
Everything is possible with the internet today. YouTube, Twitter, and courses are your best friends.
I’m doing that as we speak with copywriting!
I’ll be honest, I don’t have all the answers on this. I lucked into my current location independent job, and I’m stumbling along with copywriting.
But - I know so many nomads who were self-taught in their careers. Do the research, follow the experts, and go all in!
Location Highlight: Bogotá, Colombia 🇨🇴
I spent the last week in Bogotá, Colombia, and really enjoyed it. While Medellin is typically where remote workers go in the country, don’t overlook Bogotá.
Bogotá is full of culture, food, and great hostels. There are also many fun day trips from the city to explore more of rural Colombia.
Where to Stay: La Candelaria
When: October-February
Cost/Month: $1006USD
Average Internet: 6 MBPS
Nomads: 1,000 there now
Best Museum: Botero Museum (for really unique art from the most famous Colombian artist) and Museo del Oro (Gold museum!)
Nomad Question of the Week
Question: Do I need insurance, even for a short trip? (@lxoariel)
Short Answer: YES!
I ALWAYS purchase travel insurance. I’ve not used it once (though I could have a couple of times).
Why?
I have 5 major reasons:
Trip Coverage: Canceled flight? Lost luggage? Have to stay somewhere longer due to illness? Many insurances will help cover trip interruptions that occur during your travels.
Adventure Sports: It can be so cost-effective to try adventure sports outside your home country. That being said, sometimes they are a little less safe in other countries. If you’re sporty and like to take risks, you should always have insurance just in case.
Traffic Accidents: Traffic laws in some countries are lax, to say the least. You might be traveling in older vehicles or on dangerous motorbikes. Motor vehicle accidents hurt more people than almost anything else - don’t get saddled with medical bills from a car accident.
Violent Crime: It’s rare, but it does happen. Nomadic Matt was stabbed for his phone in Bogotá a few years ago. His insurance covered his hospital stay and he’ll never go without it.
Death: I know, incredibly dark. A gentle reminder that you can die anywhere, at any time - not just while traveling. But, I have travel insurance so my family won’t have to pay to ship my body back to the States.
Join the conversation on Twitter about this topic with my atomic essay here.
Read about the best insurance for nomads here.
Be sure to DM me on Twitter (@alexaleighrome), reply to this email, or comment on Substack your questions about digital nomadism! I will answer all of them, but some of the most interesting ones will end up here!
Nomads in the News
Being a Nomad Cost This Woman Less Than Being at Home - Insider (PS, this is my experience too!)
The Best 10 Countries to Live Abroad in According to T&L - Travel + Leisure (Comment if you agree or disagree with any of these!)
This Gay Couple Shares Their Love of Life and Travel Together Online - Out Travel (my heart!)
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
— Anthony Bourdain
Well, that’s it for this week’s Nomad in Training!
I am so appreciative that all of you are here.
I’d love to hear what you think of the issue and any questions that you may have! Feel free to comment on Substack, reply directly back, or to DM me on Twitter (@alexaleighrome).
Have a great week, nomads!
Love this issue, Alexa! So great you took the chance of online teaching and started traveling! I wished I was so sure about this a few years back, but I’m working on it already to get back on the road again! 😊