Everything you need to know to become a Digital Nomad
What is a digital nomad?
What is a digital nomad?

What is a digital nomad?

What is a digital nomad?




I am sure you have seen the expression somewhere. I am sure you have seen photos of people with their restored vans, traveling endlessly. Maybe you are familiar with the rise of co-working spaces, made exclusively for remote workers. There is a high probability that these people call themselves digital nomads. But what really is a digital nomad? We are here to tell you!

Digital Nomad
The stereotypical, but very romantic depiction of a Digital Nomad

Nomads

Let us start out with the latter word of the expression; a nomad. According to Britannica, a nomad is ‘a member of a group of people who move from place to place instead of living in one place all the time’. In fact, if you look at it historically, you will come to realize that much of human existence was spent living the nomadic lifestyle. People would travel from place to place, as a part of a nomadic tribe, in the hunt for better vegetation and wildlife. It was a way of being better attuned to nature.

“The urge to migrate, to quest, to go on a journey, is deep-seated – ancestral, essential and instinctive”

Felix Marquardt in his book ‘The new nomads’
A true nomad
A more ‘traditional’ depiction of a Nomad

Modern nomads

It appears then, that the urge of the modern nomad to go on a journey to see the world, is something deeply rooted in the human being itself! The modern nomad is definitely more equipped and more luxurious than the traditional nomad, however. The journey is not one of necessity, at least not in survivalist terms, but one of curiosity and wonder.

It is also true that modern nomads are more diverse than they were originally. On the one hand, you have those who prefer the simple life, who are happy to explore using a van. On the other hand, a digital nomad can also be a jet-setter, who stays in exclusively 5-star accommodations. It is not only their way of traveling that is diverse, they have also come up with different ways of making money as they travel.

What most of them have in common, however, is that they work online. This is what truly makes them digital nomads. Well, that, and their constant traveling.

Remote Working
The modern internet allows people who have ‘office jobs’ and creatives to work remotely, as long as you have an internet connection

Digital nomads

So, we have already established that digital nomads are people who travel, whilst simultaneously making money online. They are location-independent, which means that they take their jobs with them, instead of showing up to the same office every day. The twenty-first-century digital nomads operate from laptops, social media, and mobile phones. Digital nomads can work from a beach community in Costa Rica for a few months, before moving to a temporary share in London or Rome for another few months.

One of the greatest advantages of being a digital nomad is the ability to live and work anywhere you want. It is now easier than ever to plan a stay for a few days, weeks, or months thanks to the surge in short-term house and office shares available worldwide via internet platforms. For instance, Airbnb is increasingly offering its services to digital nomads and remote workers.

Insurance as a Digital Nomad

Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads is probably not at the top of your mind when you plan your next travel. But when you suddenly find yourself needing one, you’ll be grateful you got one.

There are a lot of different options for insurance, so it can be difficult to pick the right one specifically for you. We recommend going with SafetyWing, they’re the leading Digital Nomad insurance provider worldwide. You can calculate your custom price right here:

Why now?

The increase in the number of digital nomads seems to be a rather recent phenomenon. However, the term was actually coined in 1997! Nonetheless, it appears that the pandemic showed people that working remotely is attainable. And in fact, quite enjoyable.

We are also living more and more in the digital world on a global scale, which makes working remotely sensical. Oh, and let us not forget about social media. People have found a way to monetize their social platforms, which allows them to travel freely while making money online.

It appears then, that there is no time like today, to start building a nomadic lifestyle for yourself. There is a host of resources for you to take advantage of, which details everything you need to know about digital nomadism, including where to stay, how to be safe, how to find suitable insurance, and so on. We have written many posts covering these topics that you should take a look at:

  • What is a digital nomad?
    What is a digital nomad?
  • How to Stay Safe Traveling as a Digital Nomad
    How to Stay Safe Traveling as a Digital Nomad
  • 5 Downsides of Being a Digital Nomad
    5 Downsides of Being a Digital Nomad
 # #


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *