Today I’m sharing my reaction to the recent New York Times (NYT) article by Erin Griffith titled, “Digital Nomads Did Not Prepare for This.”  The author attempts to show the less glamorous side of the digital nomad lifestyle.

This article irritates me.

Welcome to the Real World

This article details the stories and misadventures of a handful of people who recently tried their hand at a digital nomad lifestyle. It’s an article filled with failure and misfortune. I’m not sure if the author was just picking the worst parts of their stories, but these travelers came across as arrogant, entitled, and ill-prepared.

I could feel my blood pressure rising and eyes rolling with each sentence I read. Many of their misfortunes could have been avoided and I’ll show you how in a minute.

Please know I applaud these folks for taking the risk and trying the nomadic working lifestyle.  Unfortunately, it didn’t always work out for them, but such is life.

“Welcome to the real world” as my mother always told me when I complained about things not working out.

Digital Nomadism

I also want you to know that the people in this article do NOT represent the thousands of digital nomads who have been successfully killing it in this lifestyle for the past 10-15 years.

Traveling and working remotely is NOT easy and is NOT for everyone. It is NOT a new concept brought to you by the COVID-19 pandemic.  In fact, I fear the pandemic (and the sudden shift to working from home) has actually emboldened people to think being a digital nomad is easy and anyone can do it successfully at a moment’s notice.

I decided to use this article for something positive.  I wanted to help aspiring digital nomads learn from the mistakes mentioned in this article.  Therefore, here is a list of top recommendations for being a successful digital nomad:

1) Research & stay current with border rules & requirements.

There is no substitute for knowing border regulations when traveling from country to country. This is especially crucial during a global pandemic as these can change at a moment’s notice and you have to keep up with it.

I recommend using the following sources:

Travel Off Path is the top travel blog in the world right now.  It contains detailed, up-to-date information on every country that allows tourism right now.

I also recommend researching the websites from airlines, airports, embassies, consulates,  Ministry’s of Tourism or Interior, border police, etc.

The NYT article details a story of a US resident who, in June, planned to travel from the US to Mexico with onward travel to Amsterdam. After he flew to Mexico, he realized he couldn’t get into the EU. I don’t know if this was some form of naïve arrogance assuming US passport holders can go anywhere they please or just sheer stupidity. It was NO secret the EU has been banning US residents from the borders hard and fast from the very beginning of the pandemic in mid-March. I don’t know how anyone could’ve missed that one.

I will say, though, there are some instances where travelers have successfully entered countries they are technically banned from.  They do this by staying at least 14 days in a non-banned country prior to attempting entry.

We call this loophole travel. You are hoping the passport control agent allows you entry into the country based on where you’re traveling from, not your actual residency. Some travelers have gotten away with it, while others have been denied entry at the border.

If you attempt loophole travel, you must be prepared for the possibility you might not be allowed entry. Good luck but no sympathy if you’re denied entry.

2) Prepare before you leave.

There are an infinite number of logistical scenarios to consider and plan for before you leave the country.  It’s not the sexiest of tasks but I highly recommend thinking through and planning for as many as you can. Here are some examples:

• Accessing every online account including managing your passwords, phone numbers, text messages, two-factor authentication, foreign IP addresses, etc.
• Planning logistics like best flights, cars, buses, shuttles, car rentals, taxis, etc. based on your budget, where you will be, and where you want to go.
• Reserving accommodations that are safe, in good locations for food, and well-equipped for working (i.e., comfortable chair, big table, plenty of electrical outlets, Wi-Fi, etc.)
• Having reliable, strong Wi-Fi like this global mobile hotspot we used all over the Balkans.

Spend the time upfront thinking through as much as you can and you will be happy you did.

Keep in mind you probably won’t be prepared for everything but having to think creatively and figure things out on the road is also part of the fun and adventure of traveling.

3) Ditch the entitlement mentality.

The stories in this article are dripping with an entitlement mentality which irritates me most.

Entitlement and a lack of humility will be your biggest Achilles heel no matter where you are in life.  However, this couldn’t be more true than when you’re traveling and working abroad during a pandemic.

As previously mentioned, countries are constantly changing the rules for travelers and holding a US passport is not your golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

I am disgusted and speechless to read how someone had the audacity to ask a landscaper to stop doing their job while she was on a conference call from a sidewalk (stealing Wi-Fi from a business so she could do her job).

Wow… just wow!

I am also shocked to read someone considering spending a significant amount of money to fast-track a special visa to Bali, while moments prior the article noted “the travel shutdown was hammering his business.”

This was then followed-up with a possible alternative to the special, fast-tracked visa to Bali:  citizenship in Portugal.  For those who don’t know, it takes YEARS of time and effort to get dual citizenship.  The impression I’m left with from this article is this guy thinks Portuguese citizenship is as simple as ordering a latte from Starbucks.

So… I can’t figure out if this guy is clueless, entitled, or just plain arrogant.

He sounds like an aspiring jet-setting mogul who doesn’t have the life experience to know what he doesn’t know.  His blind spot and perhaps inflated sense of self-importance caused him to make a string of poor and hasty decisions. I can only hope his struggling business can weather the storm despite its captain.

Look, nobody’s perfect but I can’t emphasis this enough:  having humility will take you far in life!

4) Keep a positive attitude.

Maintaining a positive outlook during your journeys is critical because things don’t always go smoothly or according to plan so you have to learn to enjoy the ride when you’re living on the road.

I know it’s cliché but when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

I struggle to be sympathetic for the young couple trapped at a resort to themselves in Mexico for two weeks with nothing to do but “sit by the pool or go to the gym.”

Should you BE so lucky?

If this happened to me, I’d relish the opportunity to do a ton of different things like:

• 10X my business
• Learn some new skills online
• Engage with my network of friends, family, colleagues
• Treasure quality time with my significant other to deepen our relationship
• Work on relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga
• Read more books
• Listen to podcasts
• Journal my thoughts and activities

The list could go on and on…

5) Expect AND accept the unexpected.

When you are traveling during a pandemic, the rules and regulations are constantly changing – by the day and even by the hour. This is just the risk you take.

For example, a border could close while you are in-flight, and you won’t be allowed into the country.  Be prepared with a Plan B and familiarize yourself with other options.  This is where constant research and awareness come into play, as well as establishing a Plan B ahead of time.

To give you a practical example, when we traveled to the Balkans this summer/fall, we wanted to mitigate the risk of EU and Schengen border closings and transiting bans for US residents. Therefore, we booked direct flights from the US to Serbia, and from Turkey back to the US.  Since both Serbia and Turkey did not have any entry requirements or restrictions, we felt they were good travel points to avoid the Schengen altogether when traveling to and from the US.

While we mitigated the risk of transiting through the EU, we were also prepared to choose alternative routes or destinations at a moment’s notice based on prevailing regulations at the time.  We understood and accepted that things could change, and we were prepared to roll with the punches.

6) You Are Not a Tree.

As the saying goes…  If you don’t like where you are, go somewhere else.  You’re not a tree!

This advice would bode well for some in this article but also for their friends and colleagues who are envious of other people’s situation.

Everyone is responsible for their own personal happiness, so if there’s something you want to do, it’s your responsibility to figure out how to arrange your life and make it happen.

Nobody should feel guilty or shameful for chasing their dreams and doing something awesome!

For more information on traveling during a pandemic, check out Tips for Planning Travel During a Pandemic.