How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad • Hacker News Board

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#151

Post by wpietri » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 5:29 AM UTC

malandrew wrote: post #128

personlurking wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is in the last few years up this year, so it is nowadays. It's easy to keep it cheap, but many people have standards of living which say that a night out should be at nice bars and clubs. For example: Buses that run most of the night (roundtrip) - about US$2.75, Beers (four Skols from supermarket) - about US$3. That's US$5.75. Meet your friends near the beach, in Lapa, at someone's home or at some predetermined…

Yup. The rent in Rio de Janeiro is high, but you can really enjoy yourself at night for less than $20

Could you say what high means in that context?

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#152

Post by wpietri » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 5:32 AM UTC

khuey wrote: post #139

sobri wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Always take trains overland. Flying should be reserved only for trips that cross water. Besides, travelling by train is much more fun.

Unfortunately not always a realistic option (exhibit A: North America).

Why's that? I have a friend who travels mostly by train in the US. She seems pretty happy with it. It takes time, but she's got a laptop and an outlet, so she's happy.

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#153

Post by goblin89 » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 5:52 AM UTC

jimmhay wrote: post #141

heyitsnick wrote: post #137

I see there's lots of insightful comments here from "digital nomads." Are there any good forums or communities online where you congregate to discuss these issues?

I'm part of a paid, private online forum of 'digital nomads' (though everyone hates that term) or 'location-independent entrepreneurs' that also places much importance on solving entrepreneurial loneliness via in-person meetups etc. There are hundreds of members. You have to be doing something worthwhile to be accepted. It's called the Dynamite Circle.

From this page it seems you just have to pay around $30/month: http://www.tropicalmba.com/innercircle/

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#154

Post by lostlogin » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 5:58 AM UTC

ido wrote: post #136

trumbitta2 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cagliari, on the southern coast of Sardinia, a southern big island in Italy, is the perfect place: startups, astonishing sea, tens of beaches, hot summers, max 2 winter days at near zero (Celsius). I live there, I know how it is ;)

Italy is corrupt and has serious economic issues. It's probably a nice place to live otherwise though, I guess they "just" need to completely replace their government.

Corrupt and has serious economic issues. This statement applies to most countries, however I agree that Italy has it fairly bad. In terms if work/life balance, it has a few major advantages however.

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#155

Post by lostlogin » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 6:11 AM UTC

malandrew wrote: post #124

virtualwhys wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most cost effective way I've managed to pull off the expat existence is to find the equivalent of Craigslist in the country you'd like to visit; then arrange a 3 month rental (the usual visa limit, on an American passport at any rate), sorting out high-speed internet in advance (i.e. if no connection in place already, contact local ISP and get technician visit/installation for day after you arrive). Next, get a l…

There needs to be a service where you can just buy/rent a packet with all the essentials. Sim cards are just one of the many things that could come in such a package to save you a lot of time. My GF when she travels has often sought out exchanging used pre-paid SIM cards for the countries she goes to as a way to avoid all the bureaucracy that often surrounds their acquisition. It would be great if you could do this w…

Yes. When I last left the UK I remarked to the teller as I withdrew the last of my money that it was about 100 up on what I expected. Suddenly all the money was grabbed back. I was quizzed at length on what I had bought recently. It transpired that a recent purchase (it may even have been an ATM withdrawal) hadn't registered at the back yet, and I was made to leave all my money behind to cover the pending charge. Given the BS involved in opening accounts and the larger issue of te impossibility of closing them (10 years later I still have the bank and a tax authority writing to me regarding about 10 quid in the account), handing them on is a great idea. Makes me wonder if I could get paid to some other system - a non bank affiliated credit card or similar. Dare I suggest a Paypal equivalent (obviously not Paypal though).

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#156

Post by Vivtek » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 6:18 AM UTC

Lucadg wrote: post #106

Vivtek wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh man, yeah, decision fatigue. I've been a freelancer (web work and later technical translation) since 1996 and we've moved, kids and dog and all, from Indiana to Puerto Rico to Budapest, at will - and the one thing that makes it difficult is that you're always asking, "Should we be staying here or going somewhere else now?" It never stops. The kids are having allergy problems? Let's move to the Caribbean! The Carib…

I'll be in Budapest for a week from the 8th of October with my wife. It would be nice to meet for a coffee and discuss our gypsy lifestyle problems :)

Hey, cool! That would give me a great excuse to go into town! My email is in my profile, so let's definitely hook up.

Neat venture you have there, by the way - social reservations, I like it! I just did the Craigslist thing in Budapest a couple of years ago (before we moved more permanently) and it worked out nicely - but I think we got lucky. A little more triangulation would have been nice, and it looks like that's what you're doing. Neat!

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#157

Post by virtualwhys » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 6:19 AM UTC

__--__ wrote: post #138

virtualwhys wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spent a winter here once, not easy, but quiet, and the waves keep coming despite the brrrrrrrr, cold water. I tend to come here in the autumn and spring now, weather is beautiful and the living is nice.

Do a lot of people continue to surf during the winter there, in wetsuits?

This place is a zoo year round, surf-wise.

Dead of winter, if the waves are pumping, it will be packed all day (surprising how everyone manages to be unemployed when the waves come).

January/February the vast majority are in a 4/3 wetsuit with booties (to protect the feets), but really it's not _that_ cold, nothing compared to northern Europe (where the poor bastards rub vaseline on their faces) or northern Cali in the winter, which is not only colder, but has a much larger issue, the man in the gray suit.

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#158

Post by Vivtek » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 6:21 AM UTC

chetanahuja wrote: post #140

sliverstorm wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd love to hear from people who've managed to do this Anecdotes about how "hardcore" people are in this regard usually wind up being worthless. 9 times out of 10, when I ask someone about an "all-nighter" they just pulled, it turns out they actually stayed up until 4:30 and slept until 9. I expect most people who talk about how they can stay locked in the zone for 8 hours, in reality take breaks for coffee, browse t…

Well fwiw, I personally have pulled honest-to-goodness all-nighters in exceptional circumstances (debugging production problem, team (including management) expecting my code the next morning to start release-testing, etc. Of course it includes things like bio-breaks, snacks/coffee etc. But since "The night is a programmer's best friend for it is silent and expects nothing"(1), it's not that hard to get back into the…

Yeah, the adrenaline of sheer terror can motivate you to amazing things for a while...

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#159

Post by raverbashing » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 7:11 AM UTC

personlurking wrote: post #109

raverbashing wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"In Brazil, I was going out 4-5x per week! My average night out in Rio I'd spend about US$5, maybe $10" That is certainly not nowadays... Even though yes, this may be doable in some places still (if you keep yourself to drinks and maybe some food for sharing)

This is in the last few years up this year, so it is nowadays. It's easy to keep it cheap, but many people have standards of living which say that a night out should be at nice bars and clubs. For example: Buses that run most of the night (roundtrip) - about US$2.75, Beers (four Skols from supermarket) - about US$3. That's US$5.75. Meet your friends near the beach, in Lapa, at someone's home or at some predetermined…

Ah ok I understand it now. Yes, like that you can have fun and meet people for cheap

Re: How I thought I wanted to become a digital nomad

#160

Post by trumbitta2 » Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 7:13 AM UTC

ido wrote: post #136

trumbitta2 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cagliari, on the southern coast of Sardinia, a southern big island in Italy, is the perfect place: startups, astonishing sea, tens of beaches, hot summers, max 2 winter days at near zero (Celsius). I live there, I know how it is ;)

Italy is corrupt and has serious economic issues. It's probably a nice place to live otherwise though, I guess they "just" need to completely replace their government.

Indeed. But not as much as one would think. There are people hustling for change. Also, if you can work from south pacific, you can work from Sardinia.