🎙The Digital Nomads Daily Podcast Podcast Episode #02
From a Stolen Passport to Almost Being Deported – Horror Nomad Stories with Saurav
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Listen to our interview with digital nomad Saurav
🔥 What to do when you passport and belongings get stolen
🔥 How to handle being deported and spending 24 hours out of the radar
🔥 Different things to think about for visa problems
🔥 How to avoid booking the wrong flights
🔥🔥🔥 And so much more must-know digital nomad lifestyle tips for (aspiring) digital nomads!
“No matter how much you plan, traveling is so unpredictable. 6 out of the 7 days, it will go as planned, but the 7th day will be a nightmare. Things just go off the tracks.”
An episode about common digital nomad nightmares
Meet Saurav “ The Indian Digital Nomad” started his Digital Nomad lifestyle 11 years ago. During his trips, he has mostly traveled alone but sometimes his wife, father or brother tag along. As we go in life, we live and learn, and that’s exactly what Saurav shares with us in this episode. He has experienced many travelers’ nightmares and he says that it’s just the reality of being a Digital Nomad. There are incredible advantages of being a nomad, but there are also some truths that are not commonly shared under the hashtag “Digital Nomad lifestyle”.
He has been nomadding for more than 11 years and plans to continue for many more years. He started his nomad journey by working remotely while doing trips. Now Saurav is a digital nomad entrepreneur and he has several internet businesses. He also runs a digital nomad community called “workstays”, he and his team helps people to shift from their 9 to 5 life to a Digital Nomad Lifestyle. His mission is to visit every country in the world, so far 91 and 106 more to go!
Passport & belongings were stolen at his first destination
Being robbed by itself it’s a torment, but being robbed on the first destination of your Digital Nomad lifestyle (or any trip) is a whole other ball game. Saurav tells us his experience with his belongings and passport being stolen, some useful ideas on what you can do when this happens to you, and how to get a new passport the next day.
Being deported and spending 24 hours of the radar
Each country has its laws laid out for foreigners and travelers. If you don’t follow these rules, you can end up being deported. Asian countries can be very strict, especially places like Singapore. Saurav’s brother lives in Singapore and while he was staying with him, he would go on trips to the Philippines or Bali. One day he found himself in a triangle of travel where he was not playing by the rules, and he wasn’t even aware of it!! When he tried to re-enter Singapore he got flagged and was detained for 24 hours at the airport.
Visa problems for digital nomads
Everyone knows, getting the right visa can be a true nightmare, especially when you want to stay longer than the tourist visas allow. This can vary a lot depending on your nationality, the country that you are traveling from and heading to. Saurav learned the hard way that you always need to double-check how you need to apply and what the rules are before you plan your entire itinerary. Saurav had to learn the hard way.
Booking wrong flights
Nienke Nina asked for one more quick last digital nomad nightmare and tips for digital nomads between the laughs he said “never book a flight sleepy”. Going to the airport at 5 am and for the flight and having someone tell you that your flight is not for another year… must be surreal. Something similar happened to Nienke Nina too, she booked the flight the other way around and as digital nomads you learn the hard way. Now it’s just a funny story!
When you travel, work online, and keep switching locations it can be tough to create a sense of home. You might not really crave any of this when you are just starting out but as your nomad journey goes on and live in different places you start to get a feel of what type of home works best for you. Things like what house works for you, the neighborhood you want to stay in, if you need a proper desk or prefer a co-working space around the corner slowly become key things to look at. This article covers 6 questions that help you find your next digital nomad proof accommodation.
How do you find the perfect digital nomad home
How long will you stick around?
Some people visit a place and have no clue for how long they will stay while others prefer to plan their trip. We see that some places are great for just two weeks and other places are nice to stay for 1 up to 3 months. The duration of your stay impacts your type of stay. A hostel, hotel, or small apartment might be good for 2-4 weeks. If you’re sticking around, say longer than a month, you probably need a more comfortable space.
Co-living spaces – often come with a co-working space
Hostels – sometimes have common spaces
Apartments –
Houses
There are different places to find your nomad accommodation. Hostelworld.com is great for hostels and co-working spaces. For longer stays up to 1 to 3 months we recommend using Airbnb. You often get a 20% to 40% discount on long terms stays (1 month) and there is room to negotiate the price.
What is your monthly budget?
Picture yourself living in a pumping neighborhood with a ton of restaurants, cafes with wifi, co-working spaces, and bars. If this is where you feel most at home and you want to fully experience the nomad location, you probably spend more money than when you are working from home and prepping your own food.
The question is what is your monthly budget for rent, food, going out, shopping, and working outside the house. If your next location has great food and bar culture and you can’t wait to experience it, just allocate more money to going out and lower your rent budget. You also want to have a look at the conversion rate and find out the cost of living. It’s pretty easy to find out how much a coffee costs, a beer, lunch and dinner.
Budgeting is challenging because you deal with different cultures, currencies and just because someone else can afford it doesn’t you can afford it. Even places like Bali can become pricy depending on how you live your life. In this article, we give tips about how you can work on your finances 😉
Are you working from home, a wifi cafe or a co-working space?
Some people like to work from home and others prefer to work in a co-working space. You can also mix it up. The real question is that you know where you get your best work done. This also circles back to what type of house you will be looking for. If you love working from a co-working space and there are plenty around in your next nomad location, a good desk or table isn’t really necessary. On the other hand, when you do work from home you need to find a place with at least a desk and chair you can use for 6-8 hours a day.
Working from home → Is there a decent chair and table
Working from a co-working space → are there any good co-working spaces in the area
Working from wifi cafes → what are the wifi cafes in the area and can I work from here
Tip: whether you’re working from a cafe or co-working space, don’t forget to add it to your budget. Even a coffee a day can add up your bill 😉
Is this neighborhood right for me?
Thanks to the internet this question is probably very easy to answer. We recommend doing a little research and having a look at what the neighborhood has to offer. One mistake I once made was booking a house in front of a nostalgic bar. From Wednesday to Sunday people were drunk on the street and super loud until 2 am in the morning. You can use Google maps to see what is around
Other things to consider are daily restaurants, groceries stores and, if there is a gym around or open space to workout outdoor. Feeling safe is important, especially when you are traveling on your own. Nomad List has shown an overview of different digital nomad locations across the world and rates the safeness based on fellow nomads experiences. They rate if it’s female friendly, LGBTQ+ friendly, Friendly to foreigners and the lack of crime.
Find a nomad home that matches your lifestyle and daily habits
We all have different habits and needs and your home needs to match those. After years of traveling and switching houses, you get a pretty good sense of what home works for you. Think about are key things that make you feel comfortable throughout the day. We listed down a couple of examples
Daylight
Balcony or a garden
Separate bedroom
Comfy couch
Is there space for indoor workout & yoga
Park or gym around
Good TV
Does the kitchen has everything I need
Not so much of a kitchen princess? You still want to keep continuing reading. Even if you don’t cook often you will need a fridge to keep leftovers, a microwave, and perhaps a blender to make shakes. Especially when you stick around for a while and work from home you want to peek into the kitchen before booking a place. Things you can look out for are:
Size fridge
Waterboiler
Blender
Microwave
Oven
Dishwasher
Water filter
If you can’t tell from the photos, for example on Airbnb, you can always send a message and enquire what kitchen equipment is available.
Your next nomad accommodation
We covered a lot of things that you can keep in mind when you’re searching for your next nomad accommodation. Each person has different needs. Finding a good nomad accommodation starts with identifying what you need to feel comfortable on a daily basis. This includes creating a positive work environment, a place that helps you sustain your lifestyle and allows you to do the things you seek to do.
When you are just starting out and this is all new to you, save this post and use it as a reference. If you have specific questions about nomad homes or something else feel free to get in touch with the Digital Nomads Daily team via Instagram.
How to thrive in your digital nomad relationship with Anat & Orr
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Learn from digital nomad couple Anat & Orr:
🔥 How to spend 24/7 together and have quality time together
🔥 How the relationship changes after becoming digital nomads.
🔥 How to create community and make meaningful connections.
🔥 How to find me-time and activities you can do on your own.
🔥🔥🔥 And so much more must-know digital nomad lifestyle tips for (aspiring) digital nomads!
“You need to put yourself in social situations that will allow you to find connections.”
An episode about Digital Nomads Couples
Anat and Orr are high school sweethearts and started their digital nomad journey in April 2021. Before they took the leap together, they had put a lot of thought into how they wanted to live their digital nomad lifestyle. Even though they have been together for a long time, knowing each other really well and understanding all their personal and professional needs, it wasn’t always a smooth ride.
24/7 together, me-time and quality time
It’s common for digital nomad couples to spend many hours in the same space. You can easily avoid this by working from a coworking space or cafe but since the restrictions, this isn’t always an option. Of course, it depends where you are in the world. When you’re 24/7 together it’s important to get a moment for yourself, also known as me-time. For Anat, me-time could be as simple as hopping on her yoga mat. Orr on the other hand likes to play the guitar. They also share that if they really need a moment for themselves, a walk in nature or running errands works.
Relationship changes after the nomadic change
Before Anat & Orr left Israel they have put a lot of effort into what a good nomadic lifestyle entails for them. One of these efforts was listing down their personal desires, dreams, and what they both need to feel happy and satisfied. This created a strong foundation for their new lifestyle. Of course, Anat & Orr experienced struggles but by communicating and being transparent it hasn’t impacted their relationship in a negative way.
Creating community and making meaningful connections
As a single traveler it’s probably easier to find community. Not only Anat & Orr agree with this but also Podcast host Nienke Nina experienced this. A piece of advice Anat & Orr give is to take initiative and put yourself out there. You can find Facebook Groups for expats, digital nomads or find community in a co-working space. Another great place to find fellow nomads is hostels. Anat shares that even though they can afford a hotel room, they sometimes choose to stay at a hostel because it’s easier to find community.
Quick take aways from the digital nomad couple
Ask yourself what makes you happy as an individual and as a couple. Collect this in a list and use this as a checklist to see if you’re still living up to your expectations.
Be conscious of how you spend time together. There are different ways of being togehter, you can have individual time but still be in the same space. You can be mentally and physically together, or just be in the same space but focus on your own thing.
Take initiative! As a couple, you are a unit and this makes meeting other people harder than if you are a single digital nomad. Use Facebook groups, co-working spaces, or stay at hostels even when you’re a couple. You can take turns so the burden isn’t always on you.
Find common hobbies and skills you want to learn. That’s a great way of quality time instead of just watching Netflix.
In this episode of Digital Nomad Talks we are honoured to have a conversation with entrepreneurs, sisters and business companions, Manda and Meleah Manning also known as Sistersthatstray. We talk about their journey of becoming location independent and their personal take on the link between a work/life balance and a high level of productivity.
Rather than focusing on limitations, Manda and Meleah decided to quit their jobs in Florida to pursue their dream of starting their own business in tropical Costa Rica. Throughout their journey they’ve found their passion in holistic health and female empowerment, coaching women to love their bodies, to heal their relationship with food and to start their own business online. All, so they can create a beautiful abundance of time and become the healthiest and wealthiest versions of themselves.
Hi girls, how are you?
“We’re thriving and happy to be in Bali”. Both Manda and Meleah are early morning people. A solid morning routine helps you achieve more, think clearly and do things that actually matter. They, therefore, start their day with mindfulness and a practice of gratitude. A routine that includes meditation and/or journaling what they are thankful for. Because, if you choose to start your day on purpose, you can control the first few important actions that determine how the rest of your day turns out.
What person inspired you to pursue the nomadic lifestyle?
One of their biggest inspirations is Kathrin from Manifestation Babe. “She is a total boss babe and her podcast gave us the inspiration to know that we could lead this life of total freedom too” Meleah says. Yet, their desire to go nomadic also came from within and from each other. Both were working unfulfilling jobs in Florida and they’ve always known they were meant for something more meaningful. For a long time, they aspired to become their own bosses, in life as well as in business. In the end, it was this urge and gut feeling that led them to follow their intuition of living a nomadic lifestyle.
What is so awesome about the nomadic lifestyle?
“The best thing is having freedom. Freedom of our time and our financials”
The sisters agree that one of the most amazing things is, to be in total control of your own business and to have complete freedom to scale it as big as you want. Compared to their previous jobs, now, there’s no cap on how much they can earn, what they can do or where they can go. When being your own boss you have the freedom to work anywhere in the world. They continue: “ We absolutely love to travel and explore different cultures. Our previous job didn’t allow us to do this, so it’s a huge privilege to be able to do what we’re passionate about”.
What are your biggest failures?
“We don’t believe in failures but in learning lessons”
Manda and Meleah describe entrepreneurship and the nomadic lifestyle as an ongoing learning process. However, their biggest learning lesson has been to take action. “As we tend to overthink things, it can paralyse you. Leaving you not doing anything at all” Leah says. So even if your idea is messy or feels like a mistake in the beginning, it will never be a failure if you just go for it. People make the mistake of waiting for the perfect time to start their own thing, to have their big launch or post their first Youtube video. Not realising that there isn’t such a thing as a perfect time. Therefore you should jump into it, wholeheartedly and never look back!
They furthermore mention that when it comes to entrepreneurship, it is good to have an accountability partner who compliments you. Someone who has different strengths and weaknesses than yourself. “If you already are in business together, you have to keep in mind to be each other’s biggest fans” Manda says. Because some days you need to hear that you’re doing enough. As entrepreneurs, we are already passionate and driven people. So its good just to appreciate and recognise each other from time to time.
How do you keep eachother accountable for that?
“We’re all about structure, systems and huge believers in time blocks. Otherwise, our days get really jumbled and it’s hard to divide work from everyday life” Meleah says. In order to maximise your time and energy, time blocks are a good tool to get more done in less time. Another advice, is not to only put work tasks on your agenda. Schedule your “me”, “community” and “social time” to make sure you maintain a work/life balance.
What book or podcast would you recommend to other nomads and entrepreneurs?
“It’s about business, manifestation and creating the life that you love. A strong mindset for entrepreneurs is important and her book definitely contributes to that” – Meleah
Manda and Meleah are only at the beginning of their digital nomad journey but ready to pursue their passion and help women make small mindset shifts to live an empowered life. If you want to learn more about their coaching program and how you can become the healthiest and wealthiest version of yourself, get in touch with them right here. Or visit their IG to follow their journey. View our top reads list picked by digital nomads here
Key Take Aways For Nomads
✅ In entrepreneurship, it is good to have an accountability partner
✅ Take care of your physical and mental health in order to maintain your energy flows
✅ Maximise your time and energy by implementing time blocks
Meet Virginia Salas Kastilio, founder of Gini.TV and the “I Trust You Movement”, a “third culture kid” and personal branding expert. Virginia has been grown up in a family of entrepreneurs. Hence, after working for five years at tech giant Apple Inc and Oracle she came to the realization that corporate wasn’t her calling in life. By dealing with high level clients and managing multi-million dollar deals, she proved her worth at a young age and was ready to pursue her passion for filmmaking and content storytelling herself. The entrepreneurial focus of her upbringing had a lasting impact and made switching from corporate to the creative world of YouTube pretty easy. She has been on YouTube for 13 years now and is, as she quotes herself ‘in full-time occupation to saving the earth.’
At the Digital Nomad Bootcamp at Camp308 in Canggu, she provided some valuable guidance when it comes to personal branding. Here is what we learned.
Why do I need a personal branding?
Whether you know it or not, you already in some way have a personal brand. It’s not just your logo or your (potential) website. It’s not just about what your organization does or sells but who you are and what you stand for.
Defining your brand and truly understanding your audience should therefore be the foundation for your business and marketing strategy. Not only differentiate effective personal branding you from your competition and allow you to build trust with your audience and potential clients, but it also allows you to build your own imperium without a lot of cash at hand. You will never get a second chance to make a first impression, so making one that sets you apart and reflects who you are is crucial.
According to Virginia, there is a lot of value that can be extracted from your personal brand when switching from being behind the publication to standing in the front as a real human being. “Not everyone will be comfortable with being the face of the brand, but if you want to do it cheaper and not spend too much money on ads – you will get a lot of benefits from it.” she says. It’s a very practical route to go. However, if you want to save money while accelerating your business it will be worth the effort. Obviously, you can have other people do that for you but it will both be more financial costing and you won’t have the same control over your own brand.
Declare your “why”
If personal branding hasn’t been your focus, the first thing you can do is to define what your passion is and where you can bring value. Whatever that is, you need to declare it in your space and field so people know that you are the expert for that specific topic. According to Virginia, as soon as you become more accessible and visible to the world, people will get excited to learn from your skills and expertise.
Example: Make a video that declares your “why”. What has been the “shit” that you had to overcome in order to be where you are right now? One of Virginia’s biggest lessons is, that as an entrepreneur you make a lot of mistakes and lose a lot of money in order to learn the things that you need to know. You might trust the wrong people or invest in the wrong project, but it sharpens your skills and you will never make the same mistake again. Each one of us might have a different niche or specialization, but through sharing our stories, fuck-ups, and what made you, we can learn and share.
“The more authentically you share your learnings, people are going to be interested in doing business with you, because they are going to feel like they really know you and it’s all about melting that relationship of trust.”
💡Advice: Subtitle the video to make it easier to watch on all devices
Create and share your story unapologetic
Sharing your story can for some feel daunting. However, when it comes to social media, Virginia encourages you to see it as self-expression, not self-promotion. It might be an ego thing where you feel like “I don’t want to seem like a show-off, that pushes my agenda on everyone else”, but according to her, that is exactly what you are supposed to do. It’s about cultivating a relationship and creating a storyline of why you and your brand are important.
By not sharing your message, skillset, and your capabilities, you are giving away a customer to someone else who might not even deserve it. The universe has its funny ways to give us anything we are asking for. So if we don’t dare to ask for it and hide behind our talent how is anything good going to find our way?
Growth hack the f*** out of social media platforms
Declaring our zone of genius and our “why” sounds all good, but how do we get more people to see those videos? This is where it gets tricky. Many brands were absolutely rocked by the 2018 Facebook algorithm update that resulted in a nosedive of organic reach. But according to Virginia, there are still ways to survive (and outsmart) the Instagram algorithm. Even though the outreach is more limited than before, she still posts on Facebook and IG as it still converts a small audience and brings more people into her tribe.
Email marketing does also works. “It’s not a coincidence that people are making 8 figures from emails! It’s really about creating that storyline and posting as if your writing articles and not trying to sell sell sell”, she says. What she recommends is to focus more on LinkedIn and Youtube. Video is one of the most popular content formats for Social Media and Youtube is just like a huge content library. Google and other search engines tend to favor video, so sharing your video via YouTube with good titles, descriptions, and tags is a great way to improve your search engine ranking.
Key Take Aways For Entrepreneurs
✅ Share your story unapologetically
✅ When sharing videos focus on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Youtube
✅ The more authentically you share your learnings, people are going to be interested in doing business with you
✅ As an entrepreneur, you have to make a lot of mistakes in order to learn
