Step outside the nomad bubble

Hey nomad friends,

Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend somewhere in the world.

When I first became a digital nomad, I threw myself completely into the lifestyle. It was exciting to finally feel like I’d found my people—a community of like-minded individuals who understood what it meant to live and work on the move.

But over time, I started to realize something: I was stuck in the nomad bubble.

You know what I mean—the constant conversations about remote work setups, the best coworking spaces, upcoming digital nomad visas, and “Where are you headed next?” talks.

It’s inspiring, yes, but it can also be limiting.

That’s when I realized: I was letting my identity as a nomad become my entire personality. And as much as I love this lifestyle, I knew I needed to step outside the bubble to truly grow.

For me, this shift happened when I started exploring communities outside the nomad space. I listened to podcasts about indie makers, read blogs by SaaS founders, and even joined conversations with people in completely different industries like coffee experts, school teachers, home builders.

Here’s what I’ve gained from getting out of the nomad bubble:

• Cross-industry inspiration. Ideas I’ve borrowed from other spaces have helped me improve Freaking Nomads and think differently about my other projects.
• A clearer sense of self. I love being a nomad, but it’s not my entire identity. Exploring outside the niche helped me reconnect with my individuality.
• New ways to add value. By combining insights from unrelated industries with my experience as a nomad, I’ve found unique ways to contribute to our community.

So, if you’ve ever felt like the nomad space is starting to feel repetitive like me, I hope this is your reminder to look beyond it. There’s a whole world of ideas, stories, and inspiration waiting for you. Don’t be afraid to explore it.

Until next week,

Luca

🗞️ What's new in the nomad world

• Bangkok’s smog solution for nomads: The city just launched a work-from-home policy to combat severe air pollution—great news for remote workers who’d rather avoid apocalyptic skies. If you’re there, perhaps think about investing in an air purifier.
• Nomad visas are having a moment: Thanks to post-2024 US election policy shifts, countries worldwide are rolling out digital nomad visas like never before. Panama? Portugal? Paraguay? The options keep growing faster than your email inbox.

👀 What else...

• Siem Reap: Not just temples & tuk-tuks: Our new Digital Nomad Guide to Siem Reap by Vin Kebblewhite spills the tea on why this Cambodian gem is quietly becoming a nomad hotspot. Spoiler: $400/month rent, a budding coworking scene, and yes, sunrise Angkor Wat trips after your Zoom calls.
• We stress-tested another eSIM, so you don't have to. This time, we tried aloSIM, and looked at its speeds, performance, level of support, and more. See yourself if it's worth it.

🧑‍💻 Community spotlight

This week’s #nomadstory is told by nolimit.nomads. They share their take on how to spend time wisely as digital nomads.

✨ Our favorite nomad quote

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson

💼 100% remote jobs handpicked for you

Who is hiring this week? Here are some top roles to check out:

• Head of Marketing at SafetyWing
• Brand Communications Officer at Mozilla
• Backend engineer | Mid-senior | PHP | UCP at NordSecurity
• Clickhouse C++ Developer at Ahrefs
• Senior Database Administrator at Wikimedia

💡This week's pick (to make your life easier)

For those of you who’d rather spend time exploring than wasting time with invoices, we discovered FreshBooks. You can use it to:

🌍 Bill clients in 12+ currencies (no extra fees)
⏱️ Track time across time zones (perfect for hybrid teams)
📱 Snap receipts mid-flight (auto-syncs with your bank)
💸 Slash tax-prep chaos (exports IRS-ready reports)

Want more resources? Check them all on our website.

That's all for this week.

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Threads if you want to get in touch with other members of the FN community.

We'll see you there, Freaking Nomads!

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