How the Digital Nomad Came To Be

Words by Gabriel Pe

A new trend emerged among young workers, especially during the pandemic. The shift to remote work or even hybrid work encouraged young professionals to reevaluate how to live and work. Some decided to uproot from their daily routine to explore the world, venture out of their comfort zones, and take to the road and enjoy the journey. These new workers are digital nomads, and their lifestyle has gained popularity during the pandemic.

In their simplest forms, Digital nomads are individuals who work remotely via the internet, hence the digital. The nomadic life is much more interesting and exciting. Digital nomads, like their namesake, do not stay in any location for extended periods, only lingering as long as they want or for the duration of their travel visas or work permits.

When work shifted mostly to remote and hybrid due to the pandemic, people saw the perfect opportunity to bring work to different locations. In the US, a study found a 50% increase in workers becoming digital nomads from 2019 to 2020. The same study notes that 10 million Americans identify as digital nomads. Another study predicts their number to grow to as large as 1 billion globally, as work adopts a remote setup.

The fad isn’t just in the US or other western countries. Even in the Philippines, digital nomads have started exploring the world outside of the office. Some Filipino professionals have already taken the opportunity to move out of the metro to areas where they can feel at ease and productive. Some popular destinations are beach towns, with many Luzon and Metro Manila workers heading for the surf town of San Juan, La Union.

At a time when tourism was essentially all but dead, digital nomads helped keep the tourism-dependent economies afloat, as many availed of long-term stays in resorts and patronized local cafés to work. It also presented excellent opportunities to meet new people, as our writer Ces Aguila found out.

Digital nomads, believe it or not, are not products of the pandemic. Even prior to COVID, there were already individuals trying out the lifestyle. You might know some people yourself, as many of them often shared their experiences on social media.

In fact, blogging/vlogging is one of the livelihoods of digital nomads; but it is not the only one. As the world embraces remote work, opportunities have also come in droves. Getting remote freelance jobs is one way to earn a living. Other people have asked their employers to adjust their office-bound jobs to remote ones.

But before packing your bags and moving off, many digital nomads will tell you to first do your research. Learn about your destination, where you’ll be staying, working, and even eating. If you’re going abroad, find out where your country’s embassy is located, as they’ll be your go-to for documentation troubles. Also have a list of the emergency hotlines for where you’re going. Consider access to banks and how you’ll manage your funds, for such mundane details like whether your current bank has local partners and what international fees may be charged.

“But before packing your bags and moving off, many digital nomads will tell you to first do your research. Learn about your destination, where you’ll be staying, working, and even eating.”

Being a digital nomad is not illegal. There are often questions about the legality of working and being a digital nomad when you’re on a tourist visa. It is a complex issue since you are technically working but, at the same time, you are just a tourist who will leave once your permit to stay expires.

It is this uniqueness that has prompted other countries to create specialized visas for digital nomads. Depending on the country, this guarantees digital nomads a right to work remotely in the country. Of course, there are countries where you need to pay taxes if you earn income even if you’re not a citizen, so add this to your research.

The first and foremost reason why becoming a digital nomad is appealing is the power it gives back to you. It gives you the opportunity to break out of a boring routine and experience all that life has to offer. Digital nomads look like they have achieved the quintessential work-life balance, enjoying what life has to offer without sacrificing their careers.

There are also digital nomads who, after a time, return to the hustle and bustle of the city. Many point to starting their own families as the reason for settling down. Others have grown weary of the itinerant life and miss the feel of staying put once again.

Also, some people just aren’t made for the digital nomadic life. It gets quite lonely after a time, the sights become old, expenses pile up, and many other reasons. But even for those who return to a settled lifestyle, it’s interesting that no one expresses regret at the time spent on the road. To experience what the world has to offer and the thrill of a brand-new place or a new routine — that is the allure of the nomadic life.