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Arts + Lifestyle

Modern Digital Nomads: How To Choose Travel and Career

Being connected anywhere you choose is one of the characteristic of a modern lifestyle. As the generation that grew up on technological advancements, millennials are using this opportunity to the max.

They are known for being a generation that’s truly unlike any other – most likely to be liberal on social issues, most likely to be for improving workplace equality. On an economic level, being a millennial also means that you are far more likely to want to become your own boss – and that’s why millennials are being called “Generation Entrepreneur.”

You’ve all seen articles, photos and reviews from bloggers travelling all around the globe with nothing more than a backpack. Their lives seem adventurous and full of excitement- almost like they effortlessly combine the words and pictures into the perfect travelogue. There’s also a different bunch who decided to turn their lives around completely and relocate. They work remotely from another country they now call home.

Photo credit: pexels

Photo credit: pexels

According to the United Nations, this is a growing trend today. Based on the new data in 2015, 244 million people live outside the country they were born in. Based on OECD, Ireland has the highest number of its native population living abroad, followed by New Zealand, Portugal, Mexico, and Luxembourg. Millennials are also the fastest-growing age group when it comes to travel spending. They’re twice as likely as non-millennials to travel as a hobby, with 50% taking at least four leisure trips a year. What’s more, young people make up about 20% of all international travelers, according to U.N. estimates, generating a whopping $185 billion in tourism revenue abroad.

But there is still that burning questions between “What you should do” and “what you want to do.” Conventional thinking dictates that one has to come at the expense of the other. You can travel. You can have a career. But you can’t have both—at least not at the same time. Living abroad can even open your eyes to so many different creative career paths you never even knew existed.

Millennials are more careful and tend to start doing things later in life than their parents. They take their twenties seriously and use them to discover themselves and the world around. One of the proofs is the fact that only 26% is married by the age 30. However, one does not become a digital nomad just by packing their necessities and buying a ticket. The key to successful nomadic life today depends on the following factors. For millennials, they are almost like the items on the checklist.

No strings attached

Millennials are mostly unmarried and without children in their 20s. This gives them a unique opportunity to travel and easily adjust to new people and cultures. They are not under pressure to provide or carry out  responsibilities for dependants, so they are more relaxed when it comes to finances.

Some decide to relocate and teach languages, work for humanitarian organizations or IT companies. Others work via laptops and carry tasks out from anywhere with an internet connection. This is a great opportunity to work on networking abilities and to develop people skills.

Around the world with a click

However, those who turned their travelling into business are usually the ones envied by the most. This blog encourages the trend: bloggers and influencers. They are no different from pre-internet explorers but unlike Mark Twain and Jack Kerouac, they can immediately post their experiences and carry on to their next big adventure. Travelling has never been easier. Airlines constantly offer discounts and arrangements which are very welcoming to any backpacker. In addition, trains and buses are a perfectly reasonable means of transportation in any developing country. If you’ve created a name for yourself, you can expect to be pampered with most of the expenses paid.

Flexible schedule

Typical work schedules are from 9 to 5, sometimes during weekends and holidays- underpaid and underappreciated. Flexibility is something that will bring you an opportunity to make your own rules and work ethics. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be better paid, but that you can earn more by coordinating your time more efficiently. It all depends on the country of course, and the job. For example, your local salary is above average local pay for that particular profession, then it becomes a plus. On the other hand, you can find employment as suggested by this Forbes article, such as teaching language classes. In this case, you may have to put in long hours in order to financially support yourself in some countries. But if you’re in Bali, with the sun shining and fresh juices galore, the long hours don’t seem so bad after all.

Young entrepreneurs

It’s become evident that millennials are currently the very symbol of entrepreneurship. They don’t want to work for someone, but rather be their own boss. Being digitally more savvy than any other generation and resourceful researchers, millennials easily fall into the role of entrepreneurs. Since the work is performed remotely, they can change location without influencing their transactions or tasks. Switching to satellite work leaves room for travel and integrating with other cultures.

Find a job abroad

Although this may sound like a fairytale, in most cases, there are many opportunities abroad. If you are already working somewhere, check if your company has offices abroad. If you decide to move to another country for work that you will need to find yourself, there are a few things to do beforehand. First, consult experts or lawyers on visa requirements since that can be crucial for your relocation. Next, check all available job openings for your qualifications. Even a temporary job can be a great learning experience and give you space to travel some more.

Connecting with people

It’s never been easier to connect with people and make friends all around the world. There are groups specialised in welcoming foreigners like language clubs and women’s Facebook travel and entrepreneurship groups (Blooming Founders and Women Who Travel). This may also exercise your confidence to connect with potential employers and companies globally.

Finally…

Humans have always been explorers. They were always curious with what lies behind the next hill or across the ocean. In the century when one man has proven that cars can fly to space, it is not hard to test our own limits and expectations. So go for it – explore, set sail and travel!

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