Nomadtopia Radio: Digital Nomad and Expat Lifestyle

Nomads can experience grief in many forms: grief for the places we've loved and left, grief for saying goodbye to the friends we meet during our travels, and of course grief for those we lose to death. Losing a loved one is always life changing, but it can be especially difficult for those of us living and traveling oceans away from home.

In this episode, I'm joined by Charlene Lam, grief coach and founder of The Grief Gallery Charlene Lam, who came into this work after losing her mom while she was abroad. She explains how grief can be a unique experience for nomads, but also how grief feels different for everyone. Charlene also shares her advice for creating a plan in case a family member dies or has a medical emergency while you're away.

In this episode:

• Why Charlene loves the unique combination of stability and flexibility in her nomad life
• How she created a career in grief work after losing her mother suddenly
• Navigating the emotional challenges that come with living far from your loved ones
• Why it's important to have conversations about loss before it happens
• How to create a plan in case a loved one dies or needs medical care while you're away
• How to stay connected with family from anywhere
• Creating a support network of people back home to help in case of emergencies
• How different people process grief, and respecting how you process grief
• Where to find help and resources if you're experiencing grief

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/194

Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Many people think about remote working and the digital nomad lifestyle as being something new, but it's actually been around nearly as long as the internet itself. Those of us who've been here since the early days have evolved along with it, both in our careers and in our traveling lifestyles.

In this episode, I'm joined by digital marketing consultant and digital nomad Luis Betancourt. We talk about how we first met in 2007 during the heyday of Couchsurfing and how Luis's digital nomad lifestyle has changed since then. He shares how he and his wife have found their unique balance of home versus traveling and work versus play. Also, Luis shares his advice for utilizing online networking to grow your business.

In this episode:

• How Luis's life as a nomad has evolved over the years
• How Luis became a digital nomad before it was a worldwide trend
• Falling in love with solo traveling, and then sharing his love of travel with his wife
• How the pandemic allowed him and his wife to become fully location independent
• Finding a balance between traveling the world and enjoying time at home
• How working remotely has changed since Luis first discovered it
• How to market yourself as a solopreneur or freelancer
• The power of virtual networking to grow your business and client base

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/193

Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

You never know when a new place might take your breath away. And sometimes, it's the most unlikely destinations that produce the most profound impacts in our lives. As you'll hear in today's episode, even a spur-of-the-moment trip can create a lifelong passion for a place.

In this episode, I'm joined by the founder of Expat in Croatia, Sara Dyson. She shares her story of moving to and falling in love with Croatia, even though it wasn't her first choice of destination. She explains some of the bureaucratic and logistical challenges of moving to a different country, and we also talk about the impact digital nomads and expats can have on a place and how to be sensitive to these issues.

In this episode:

• How Sara turned her childhood dreams of living in Europe into a reality
• How she decided to move to Croatia, even though it wasn't her first choice
• Why Sara created Expat in Croatia, the resource she wishes she had when she first moved overseas
• Making the leap from employee to entrepreneur
• How Sara has fallen in love with Croatia and made it her home in the past ten years
• Who Croatia is a good fit for, and how most foreigners experience the country
• Types of visas and permits available to people who want to live in Croatia
• How to be sensitive to the impact digital nomads and expats have on a place's economy and real estate market

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/192

Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

To live—and really flourish—abroad, cultivating self-trust is critical in finding your footing in a new place. Living in another country can come with a range of difficulties, but that's just part of the challenge. It's not a balm to fix all your problems, but it does provide an opportunity for self-actualization.

In this episode, I am joined by Christine Job, a business strategist currently living in Spain. We talk about how taking a different path gives you the space to choose what you really want, accountability as a form of self-care, and how living abroad can be a pathway to wellness. You'll get her insight into what it's really like living abroad and facing challenges with language differences, a new sense of identity, and learning to surrender.

In this episode:

• What brought Christine to Spain and kept her there
• How self-care and betting on yourself doesn't always look the way you'd expect
• The biggest benefits of living abroad and having an international experience
• How living abroad is a pathway to wellness
• How nomad living opens you to a sense of surrender
• How this kind of lifestyle shifts your sense of identity
• The language barriers of living abroad
• The biggest surprises of living in Spain
• How you can hold joy and grief at the same time

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/191.

Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Working with your spouse poses a unique set of challenges. When you throw full-time RVing into the mix, it becomes an even bigger adventure. But as you'll hear on today's episode, there's nothing quite so freeing as hitting the road with the person you love to live untethered by your location or work.

In this episode, I'm joined by wives and business partners Jennie and Meredyth Mustafa-Julock for a conversation about living and working together on the road. Jennie and Meredyth are sharing their story of giving up their big-city lifestyle for one of full-time RV travel. Plus, they're sharing their advice for sharing responsibilities and working together in an RV.

In this episode:

• Why Jennie and Meredyth decided to become digital nomads
• How they adjusted to the RV lifestyle as two women who'd never camped before
• How the RV lifestyle allowed Jennie and Meredyth to become more minimalist
• How to do a "test drive" of the nomadic lifestyle to make sure it's a good fit
• How Jennie and Meredyth prepared for and researched the nomadic lifestyle
• What you learn from working and living with your partner in a small space
• Jennie and Meredyth's advice for couples who want to make a similar life change
• How to separate responsibilities while on the road and find your traveling flow

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/190.

Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

In this episode, I'm joined by mother and business owner Ami Dehne for a conversation all about the realities of our Nomadtopia with young children. We explore what it's been like to incorporate children into our lives and travels, and Ami shares her thoughts on finding adventure closer to home. Plus, we chat about creating businesses that allow us to live our lives to the fullest.

In this episode:

• Why traveling with kids, especially babies, is a major adjustment
• How to find adventure closer to home and adjust for your children
• Defining "Nomadtopia" for yourself and crafting a unique life for your family
• How to live, travel, and parent with intention
• How accepting your identity as a parent can open you up to new kinds of adventures
• Why you should focus on simplicity and consistency in your business
• How to build a business that lets you be location-independent

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/189.

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Nomadtopia Radio is all about showing you that there's more than one way to live a nomadic life. Even the most unlikely people can become full-time travelers or create their own unique version of a location-independent lifestyle.

In this episode, I'm joined by wife, mother, business owner, and full-time sailor Erin Carey. She shares her journey from suburban Australia to living on a yacht with her husband and three children. We talk about the realities of living on a boat at sea or in a marina, how she balances family and work, and her advice for anyone considering a similar courageous leap.

In this episode:

• How Erin and her family came to live on a yacht with no prior sailing experience
• The resources and research Erin turned to at the beginning of her journey
• How your daily life and community changes as you travel around the world
• How Erin creates balance between her family life and her business
• Why even full-time nomads should create routines that work for them
• How Erin runs her business from all over the world
• How entering a country on a boat is different from flying or driving
• How COVID-19 has affected Erin and her family
• What to consider before you and your family commit to a nomadic lifestyle

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/188.

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Identity is often closely tied to our location: where we were born, where we grew up, where we live now. For those of us living nomadic lives, however, that sense of identity can feel out of reach. As we transition from place to place, we experience the grief of leaving our old selves behind and the excitement of stepping into a new world. But how can you find a sense of belonging when you don't belong to any one place?

In this episode, I'm joined by third culture kid educator and author Megan Norton. She's sharing her experience as an adult third culture kid, how her identity informs her work, and how those of us living highly mobile lives can find belonging wherever we are in the world.

In this episode:

• What a third culture kid is and how it affects people in adulthood
• How those of us living nomadic lives experience a similar blend of cultures and places
• The benefits and challenges that come with being a third culture kid
• How identity and diversity are shifting in our interconnected world
• Processing the grief and loss that comes with a nomadic or highly mobile lifestyle
• How to thrive in a nomadic lifestyle full of transition
• How "belonging" can mean different things to different people
• Using your multicultural experience as a strength in the professional world
• Building your own community as a nomad or third culture kid

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/187.

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

When most of us think of real estate investing, we think of late-night phone calls from tenants, constant repairs, and huge price tags. But in reality, the barrier to entry in the real estate world is much lower than we think it is, and with the right systems in place, it can become a fantastic form of (mostly) passive income, even for full-time travelers.

In this episode, I was joined by nomadic real estate investor Sarah Weaver who shared how she started a career in real estate investment while traveling the globe.

In this episode:

• Buying your first property as a real estate investor
• How COVID-19 affected Sarah's path
• The benefits of creating passive income as a nomad
• Common misconceptions about real estate investing
• How the nomadic lifestyle can actually help your finances
• How to manage your properties from anywhere in the world
• What to consider and look for when investing in rental properties

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/186.

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Have you ever dreamed of moving to Europe? Many non-Europeans think it can't be done, but there are a lot of visa options for living in Europe, and with the right research and planning it's entirely possible to make your dream of moving to Europe a reality.

In this episode, I was joined by Cepee Tabibian, co-founder of She Hit Refresh and author of a book all about the visa options for Americans who want to move to Europe.

In this episode:

• Common misconceptions about moving to Europe
• How visas can affect and limit your European travel plans
• The best European countries for digital nomads
• How to navigate the Schengen zone as a non-European traveler
• Finding the right time to move to Europe and when to start the application process
• How to move to Europe on a visa with a partner or children
• Finding a European country that's a good fit for you
• How to "hit refresh" on your life, even if it means taking an unconventional path

For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/185.

Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you'll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

Let's connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram @nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.