One of the side effects of post-pandemic living is that more Black travelers appear to be remote working while seeing the world. With more professionals embracing the digital nomad life, taking Zoom calls from Tulum one month and hopping over to Lagos the next is no longer a dream but a reality.
Generally speaking, many Black digital nomads find freedom in their adventures, however, the well-traveled lifestyle comes with its own challenges. If you’ve hung around any full-time nomads for a while, they’ll tell you that the world being your home isn’t always as glamorous and carefree as it looks.
From spotty wifi to navigating changes in relationship dynamics, the digital nomad life does come with its downsides. Here are 4 things to be mindful of when considering an extended nomad trip.
Personal and Professional Connections
Once family, friends, and colleagues get accustomed to you being gone more than you’re at home, the likelihood of relationship dynamics changing increases. Especially as your worldview grows and expands, so too will your ways of thinking and life change. It’s normal that relationships may shift as a result, but with the right research, you’ll discover new connections in your nomad city.
For nomads who regularly travel back and forth between home and their international destination flavor of the month (or year), connection is an underrated gem for people back home. Virtual check-ins are key to keeping in touch with personal and professional connections.
That said, there’s beauty in making connections in the cities you travel to. TN previously shared tips on how to make friends as a digital nomad or, when in doubt, consider joining an online travel community before your trip to connect with other nomads.
Connectivity Issues
Have you ever planned a trip knowing you have commitments that require reliable wifi only to discover upon arrival that your apartment has little or no internet? Yea, been there.
Confirming your accommodations have steady wifi or locating a nearby coworking space is the bonus tip you didn’t know you needed. It’s easy to assume you’ll get connected without issue, however, it’s always a good idea to message your host or front desk to confirm.
Isolation And Loneliness
Solo traveling is great for a period of time, even an extended period of time, but the possibility of feelings of isolation or loneliness creeping in is very real. While you may enjoy your own company, at some point, it’s completely normal to wish you had a plus one or group of people to share life-changing moments with.
Engaging in local activities like volunteering, language exchange meetups, or local dance classes are fun ways to get outside, meet new people, and build your nomad community.
Decision Fatigue
Working and traveling on the go usually comes with lots of decisions. From the time you touch down, navigating transportation to where to go for happy hour or over the weekend, you’ll be learning a whole new city. Nomad networks are always good to tap into for food and entertainment options.
The aforementioned travel communities are a great start to finding pre-planned things to do or restaurants to try. Online or social media searches can also assist in helping you solve everything from the nearest supermarket or places to shop.
In spite of the challenges digital nomads face, most will probably agree that the liberation, self-exploration, and eye-opening adventures they experience while abroad are still worth it.
Related: Wise Releases Report Of The Top 10 Places to be a Digital Nomad this winter