Beach Commute - Digital Nomad Experts

By Beach CommuteSociety & Culture Places & Travel

Beach Commute - Digital Nomad Experts episodes

February 02, 2022Best and worst countries for coffee, food & alcohol as a digital nomad | Ep 30
One of the most appealing aspects of being a digital nomad is the variety of food and drink that you'll run into while traveling (for better and worse!). Jeff and Diego are certified food and drink snobs, traveling the world in search of the best coffee, food and alcohol they can find.
As qualified snobs, they walk you through the very best and worst places you could seek out as a digital nomad. Some of the places they discuss:
Coffee:
Phillz Coffee: one of the best pour-over coffee shops/trucks that won Jeff's heart over to Third Wave coffee in its San Francisco location.

Tekafe: Brasov in Romania is a shockingly good place to find coffee, with a special tip of the cap to Tekafe, offering dozens of pour-over varietals.

Two Minutes: Another strong showing from Romania, Two Minutes serves both a top-notch pour-over, and amazing food.
Food:
Zanooba: Egypt won over Diego within just weeks, topping his list with a local slow-cook favorite.

OCI: Both Jeff and Diego agree that OCI in Medellin is on a completely different level with its incredible slow-cooked pork and specialty cocktails.

Shiro: Representing Seattle, Shiro may be the best sushi you'll be able to find in the world. It's a destination restaurant.
Alcohol:
Gin Gin: Mexico City does A LOT of things right, including stellar gin cocktails. Gin Gin won over Jeff with its fancy, smoked rosemary concoctions.
Jeff and Diego talk about more best (and worst) locations for each. Join us to find out where you need to travel next to satisfy the foodie in you!
55 min
January 26, 2022 Stuck in Mexico with Covid, pt. 2 | Ep 29
Part II of Jeff's experience of getting Covid while traveling in Mexico.
In the previous episode we described a nightmare scenario for a digital nomad: catching Covid while traveling, with a large group, with an expiring Airbnb, and with travel plans upcoming.
So far, Jeff made it to a new Airbnb where he was going to spend the duration of his isolation before returning home.
In this episode, Jeff discusses the recovery process, symptoms to watch out for, and a few tips on how to manage isolation.
If you have any questions about what it's like to have Covid while traveling, or want tips on how to manage travel plans and isolation, shoot us a note at [email protected]

15 min
January 25, 2022 Stuck in Mexico with COVID, pt. 1 | Ep 28
I'm stuck in Mexico with COVID, pt.I
What's one of the worst situations you can think of getting yourself into as a digital nomad?
How about catching Covid while traveling, having to find a place to isolate, find food, not get anyone else sick, and recover at the same time?
That's exactly what happened to Jeff while traveling for New Years Eve in Mexico.
Listen in to hear our most raw podcast as Jeff tries to navigate the world of traveling with Covid, as it happened.
22 min
January 18, 2022How to avoid income tax & ensure your cyber security while living as a digital nomad (with Dallas the Privacy Postmaster) | Ep 27
How to avoid income tax & ensure your cyber security while living as a digital nomad (with Dallas the Privacy Postmaster)
Have you ever wondered how you’ll get your mail or important documents while you’re traveling the world for months at a time?
Or how you can pay less (or no) income tax back home while you’re traveling to foreign countries?
Or how you can make sure your private banking and computer information is safe from cyber attacks while traveling?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then this episode is for you.
In this episode, Marisa interviews Dallas the Privacy Postmaster, a longtime digital nomad who is a resident of both South Dakota AND Lisbon, Portugal, in order to creatively (and legally!) avoid income taxes while he lives abroad and travels the world.
Through this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Dallas chose to get residency in South Dakota (even though he’s never lived there) in order to legally avoid state income taxes, what the process was like, the pros and cons of different states in the US that offer tax free benefits, and how you can do it too

How he got his residency in Lisbon, Portugal (in addition to his US citizenship), the reasons he (and so many other digital nomads) choose this particular destination, and how you can do it too

How he ended up living in Japan for 3 years teaching English in the 80’s, even though he “barely graduated high school” himself

The 3 most popular states in the US where you don’t have to pay income tax (and the caveats to each)

How living as a digital nomad can actually save you so much money, even if you’re living in amazing destinations or paying for flights around the world

How his mid-life crisis at age of 50 led him to run away to Europe for a 7 week “eat, pray, love” jaunt, including showing up at airports with no tickets booked

The benefit of having multiple passports from different countries, and how you can do this too

Why VPNs are an absolute must as a digital nomad, and how a private VPN may save your life in a bind while traveling

His best tip for you to figure out which country or destination you’d like to explore or live in longer term
Links:
7 most popular jobs that digital nomads in our community do: www.beachcommute.com/7jobs

91 remote job titles of digital nomads in our community: www.beachcommute.com/91
44 min
January 13, 2022The pros and cons of living in Italy as a digital nomad | Ep 26
The pros and cons of living in Italy as a digital nomad
Have you dreamt about moving to Italy for a month, living in the romantic town of Florence, enjoying the beautiful hillsides of Tuscany on the weekends, and eating the best pasta of your life?
If so, this episode is for you…but it has a surprising twist.
Jeff recorded this solo episode after spending 1 month living in Florence with four other digital nomad friends. However, his experience wasn’t so magical, due to the wifi conditions and inability to get work done. This episode serves as a great reminder that the best vacation destinations are NOT always the same as the best digital nomad locations.
If working remotely from Italy is on your bucket list, make sure to give this episode a listen ASAP to make sure it goes off without a hitch.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Jeff didn’t have a great experience living in Florence, even though it’s on the top of almost everyone’s bucket list destinations

The 4 criteria he uses to judge any digital nomad location, and his rankings for each as they relate to Florence, Italy

The 5 internet backups you MUST HAVE in each location while traveling as a digital nomad, and how even these precautions almost didn’t work Jeff (even though he’s an expert)

The amazingly weird “Macgyver move” that Jeff and his buddies did in Florence, resulting in “the most digital nomad thing you could ever do”

Why Jeff almost through his mifi device out the window and onto a rooftop

The 3 food and drink staples that Jeff lived off of during his month in Italy (hint: two of them were beverages, and the 3rd may surprise you)

Why Italy has the potential to bring out your insecurities, and what to expect if you live in this country

The top 3 activities Jeff recommends doing while living in Florence

And lastly, if you love great food, you’ll appreciate this episode (Jeff’s rule of thumb for food in Italy - “The food is going to be good. It’s just a matter of HOW good.”)
Resources:
7 most common jobs that digital nomads in our community do: www.beachcommute.com/7jobs

List of 91 real job titles from digital nomads in our community: www.beachcommute.com/91
29 min
January 05, 2022How to manage healthcare, insurance coverage, & medical emergencies when traveling abroad as a digital nomad | Ep 25
How to manage healthcare, insurance coverage, & medical emergencies when traveling abroad as a digital nomad
Do you have a desire to travel the world as a digital nomad, but haven’t done so yet due to a fear of health issues or medical emergencies happening while you’re abroad?
If so, this episode is for you.
While you could read a million blog posts about how healthcare works in foreign countries, nothing beats the tales of real health scares and stories from people who have been there and done that when it comes to medical care abroad.
In this episode, Jeff and Marisa share countless examples of how they've personally handled healthcare emergencies in foreign countries throughout their 10+ years combined of living as digital nomads. From brain scans to unknown rashes to rabies scares to dental work and everything in between.
You’ll also hear…
The ONE APP you MUST have on your phone to navigate healthcare and medical emergencies in foreign countries

The difference between travel insurance and travel health insurance (you DON’T want to confuse these two)

The 3 travel companies we buy travel insurance through (this can save you hours of research!)

Whether or not you need to buy travel health insurance in addition to your health insurance policy in your home country (you may or may not need to depending on how long you’re out of the country)

What to do if you’re in a super remote location and something goes wrong

The 7 medications to bring with you ahead of time in case you’re in a bind

Why this past year was the year of health problems abroad fo Jeff
Join us as we share the times we’ve had an unidentified growing rash in a tropical destination, got bit by a monkey, walked off a wall and had to get x-rays of a foot, had a bulge in our stomach and had to go the hospital, get a root canal, and experience a hernia…all while abroad in destinations where we didn’t speak the language.
Through hearing these stories, we hope that it gives you the courage to know that you can manage any health scare abroad too (hopefully you’ll have none).
[Note: This episode does not provide legal or medical advice…these are simply our experiences].
Links mentioned:
World Nomad health insurance

SafetyWing

Allianz

Doctoralia (find a doctor in latin america)
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1 hr 1 min
December 28, 2021Our best and worst travel moments of 2021 (year in review with Jeff, Diego and Marisa) | Ep 24
Join us as we take a look back at the best and worst moments of our 2021 travels
On Instagram, life as a digital nomad looks perfect…the epic destinations, the freedom, the adventures. However, while digital nomad life is filled with some of the most amazing “pinch me” moments, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks.
On the Digital Nomad Experts podcast, we like to share both the highs AND the true lows with you…so that you have real expectations of what your life will be like when you begin living as a digital nomad.
As 2021 comes to an end, Jeff, Diego and Marisa take a look back at 2021, and share some of their favorite moments, destinations and experiences…as well as some of their least favorite experiences and travel fuckups. You'll get a lot of laughs as these 3 goofballs recap the good, the bad, and the ugly of their travels this year.
By the end of the episode, you’ll learn:
The favorite & least favorite places that they each lived this year (find out which place Jeff loved so much that he went back for a THIRD time, and which place most people LOVE, but left him with “unadulterated anger and frustration”)

The most underrated places they each lived (Diego said he thinks this place will explode soon, as it’s “the Bali of Latin America”)

The weirdest foods they each ate (we’ve all tried this insect in Mexico…)

The most thrilling adventures they each experienced (Diego’s was the coolest thing he’ll NEVER do again)

Their favorite accommodations that they lived in (find out in which destination Diego stayed in a villa that Shakira has also stayed in multiple times)

The WORST accommodations they accidentally found themselves in (learn about the “Airbnb fuckery" that led Jeff to a terribly dark apartment in Barcelona, and the dark basement I accidentally found myself staying at in Latvia)

Their very favorite moments as digital nomads this year (Diego’s favorite moment was the same moment he genuinely asked his guide - “Are we going to die?”)

Their LOWEST travel moments (some rock bottom health moments for Marisa and Jeff)

The most memorable people they each met this year (miraculously, of all the people in the WHOLE entire world, Jeff and Diego chose the SAME person as the most memorable in all of their travels!)

Their biggest travel fuckups of the year (Jeff had two missed flights, Diego almost got deported back home, and I almost ended up on a train to the wrong country)

What they've got in store for travel plans in 2022 (Egypt, Mauritius and Bali may or may not be on the agenda)

And so much more...
Links mentioned:
Sign up for our email list (www.beachcommute.com)
Get our list of 91 job titles of real digital nomads in our community (www.beachcommute.com/91)
49 min
December 21, 2021From life in Colorado to life as a digital nomad (with Amanda Pointer) | Ep 23
In this episode, Marisa interviews her client, friend and fellow digital nomad, Amanda Pointer, who she met over a year ago while living in Playa Del Carmen Mexico. Since then, they’ve also lived and traveled together in Costa Rica and Guatemala, and have potential plans to reconvene together somewhere in Africa in 2022.
In this episode, Amanda shares her journey from working at a digital media ad agency, and living with a boyfriend in Colorado who didn’t share her travel dreams, to ending her relationship, finding a new remote job, and launching her life as a digital nomad (she’s now been traveling the world almost non-stop since 2017).
In this episode, you’ll also learn:
Why the split from her ex ultimately freed her to follow the grandiose travel plans she had been dreaming about for years

Where her desire for travel came from (it was a trip to an unexpected country when she was younger)

The group travel expedition that initially inspired her to live as a digital nomad, which went out of business on the day she booked her flight to meet them (and how she didn’t let this stop her from traveling)

Why getting laid off from a company was actually a good thing, and why she turned down their offer to continue working there after all

The first country she ever booked a solo flight to, and why, in the first hour of being in this country, she thought to herself: “If I get abducted at this moment, my mom is going to kill me!”

The 3 steps she took to prepare for her first 5 month stint abroad as a digital nomad (these are great tips for you!)

The travel scam she fell into while visiting Morocco

How Wifi Tribe members turned from strangers to friends to family in a matter of weeks

Why having an EXIT STRATEGY is Amanda’s #1 rule for returning home (and how often she visits), and the culture shock she feels when returning home now

The pros and cons of working as a freelancer vs. a remote employee with a salary and benefits

How taking the leap to travel actually led her to landing her DREAM JOB (after being ghosted by a company she thought she wanted to work for)

How to find the fine line of dedicating yourself to work while you travel vs. experiencing all the fun adventures available to you as a digital nomad

What it’s been like to be a coaching client and a friend of Marisa’s at the same time

What she loves most about being a digital nomad (it’s not what she originally thought it would be)

How to travel responsibly as a digital nomad, taking into consideration the cultures, people and animals that she encounters along the way

The two cities she would consider settling down in (if she HAD to pick), as well as her two favorite countries to explore

Her one piece of advice for someone who isn’t yet living nomadically
Resources mentioned:
Wifitribe
List of 91 jobs that digital nomads in our community do
1 hr 18 min
December 15, 20213 reasons why Cape Town, South Africa is one of the best places to live as a digital nomad | Ep 22
Why Cape Town, South Africa is one of the best places to live as a digital nomad (+ latest Covid info happening in South Africa right now)
In this episode, Marisa interviews Diego about his love affair with Cape Town, South Africa, as he’s nearing the end of 2 months living in this incredibly unique destination with 25 other digital nomads.
Diego has spent the last 6 years working remotely while living in a new destination every month or two, and moved internationally with his family every 1-2 years as a kid. So when he says that Cape Town is THE place that he can see himself potentially setting up a home base…you know it’s a special location.
But what makes Cape Town so special? Give this episode a listen to find out!
In this episode, Diego shares:
What makes Cape Town SO unique (there are only 2 other cities in the whole world that share these same 3 characteristics!)

The magical aspect of the beach that you won’t find almost anywhere else

What a typical routine looks like for many nomads in Cape Town (hint: it involves a LOT of activities, like surfing, yoga, hiking and more…all within the workday)

The bucket list weekend trips and destinations nearby to Cape Town (we’re talking wine country, great white sharks, bungee jumping, safaris, penguins, whales, and the most epic road trip route)

Why Diego wasn’t planning to jump off the world’s tallest bungee jumping bridge, but found himself freefalling after all

The nearby safari you can fly to, checking off 3 new African countries in one short trip while cruising among elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras and more

The best time of year to visit Cape Town (and which month YOU should go in order to get the best bang for your buck on accommodations while still getting great weather)

Why you’ll want to make sure to get your Visa squared away before visiting

Which neighborhood to live in (and which location NOT to live in) if you’re booking an Airbnb in or visiting Cape Town

Why safety concerns are an issue in Cape Town, the crime that Diego has experienced while living here, and his tips to visit this epic location in a safe way
We also recorded this episode about 2 weeks after the breakout of the Omicrom Covid-19 variant. Diego shares the drama the ensued in Cape Town as South Africa got blamed for this new variant, and his take on why the number of Covid cases reported went from 312 to 18,000 cases in the span of literally 24 hours from Nov 22nd to Nov 23rd, 2021.
(While recording this episode, Diego was quarantining in a hotel room away from his girlfriend and friends, and tested positive several days later. You can quite literally hear his symptoms come on more strongly as the episode unfolds).
46 min
December 09, 20213 ways to find cheap international flights as a digital nomad ✈️ | Ep 21
How we found a $185 flight from Europe to the US just 2.5 weeks before flying (and how you can find amazingly cheap flights too)
Many people have a misconception that inter-continental flights are always incredibly expensive, especially if you don’t book months in advance.
But we’re here today to tell you this is NOT the case.
In fact, just 2.5 weeks before flying back to the US from Europe, Marisa found a flight for $185 using 3 specific hacks that she'll share in this episode.
In this solo episode with Marisa, you’ll also learn:
How Marisa saved over $1,300 on my flight from Europe to the US last month (and got a direct flight for $235 from Madrid to my home in Atlanta when it was listed for $1,600)

The reason digital nomads are able to book cheaper flights compared to most other travelers

Why you don’t have to book flights months in advance to get a good flight price (and how far in advance we do recommend booking before prices to start to rise)

The website we use to find the best deals on inter-continental flights

How using a VPN saved us $$$ when booking a flight (and how it can work for you too)

The EPIC website you can use to save absurd amounts of money, and the two rules you MUST know to use this website effectively (the airlines tried to sue this website because people were saving so much money!)
Leave a review here if you learned something new in this episode!
Websites mentions:
Google flights explore page

Kayak explore

List of regional airlines

Skiplagged

The VPN we use

7 most common jobs that digital nomads do
21 min

About Beach Commute - Digital Nomad Experts

From the publisher's feed

Beach Commute: Whether you are currently a digital nomad or aspiring to become one, this is the podcast for you. We talk all things remote work and travel, including how to get a fully-remote job, how to become a digital nomad, how to optimize your experience as a current digital nomad, and top travel destinations and personal experiences.