There is a big wide world out there, with as many as 200 countries (it depends how you count) to explore. As you’ll see at digitalnomads.world, there are increasing numbers of people that want to live and work in as many of those countries as possible. If that number includes you, then you’ve probably already had some ideas about where you would like to go. At this point, a word of warning is probably worthwhile: even as a digital nomad, you’re not going to see every country there is to see without dedicating your life to doing that, so you may have to winnow some things down.
In truth, while this kind of lifestyle can mean you see a new country every few days, that’s not how it tends to work out. If you’re constantly travelling, it’s hard to find the time and energy to work, and vice versa. So the most sensible thing is to get some plans down and work out a basic itinerary for use as a digital nomad. It may not end up being the one you follow – because opportunities and chance meetings can mean you change things around – but making a plan in the first place will help you give shape to your digital nomad life. And one of the key considerations is how you choose which countries you’ll live and work in.
Is it nomad-friendly?
There are two key elements to being a digital nomad, and they are as the title suggests. The one that takes more planning is the “nomad” element, because you may need to secure essential paperwork depending on where you intend to go. Some places will require you to apply for a visa, while others fall within a common travel area. Some will demand that you have certain vaccinations before entry, and some may not let you travel with medication that you require. In short, your plans should involve knowing what it takes to enter your preferred country, and what will be expected of you while there. We all want to see the world, but the world has to have a say in that.
Is it digital-friendly?
We did say there were two key elements. This is the other one. Working and living as a digital nomad means, essentially, working remotely. It’s working from home, except your home changes on a regular basis. So you will need to ensure that you can work from wherever you end up. You should, ideally, know which lodgings are friendly to remote workers, whether you will need to seek out co-working spaces and where those are, and also know at least a bit about how good the internet service is going to be before you turn up in a new destination. The trade-off to leaving the office is that you need to sort out connectivity on your side, and that’s all the more important if you’re moving around.
Do I have what I need to settle and live there for a while?
If you want to work reliably and actually experience the places you stop off in, then you’re not realistically going to see a new country every week. You may not put down roots in a new place, but you’ll at least need to stay in some places long enough to get your bearings and figure out next steps. Deciding where those places are means thinking about how you’ll handle effectively living there for what can become months. Ideally, you’ll be able to speak the language at least a bit, to afford semi-permanent lodgings and go through the essential admin to cover everyday concerns like medical needs and internet service. These parts of your journey will be a lot easier if you’re in, or close to, a main city.