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zeno
joined 10 months ago
If you're currently living in Brazil, I suggest you find the meetups and WhatsApp groups for digital nomads. You will find out what people do there. Do not get false impressions from Instagram.
In my experience, people have a variety of jobs that they do but most lean towards tech. I've also seen my fair share of coaches, whether life or executive coaching, as well as remote teachers. Some are doing it via discreetly via full-time W-2 employment, with a tacit understanding of "don't ask, don't tell".
I often try to get the feeling of a city by watching a 4K walking tour on YouTube. I try to do this on Google Maps as well, but often their maps are 5+ years old. I just watched a few of Montevideo for example.
I also look on Google Maps for "consumption zones" which are the yellow areas that are typically commercial or mixed-use zones where people might be going around to get a feeling for the walkability and vibe.
Vloggers IMO are not a great fit for digital nomads. They are trying to create engaging content for the average person, which means, they are trying to create artificially engaging content, whether it reflects reality or not. I'm personally trying to see how day-to-day life would be if I were to be there for more than a few days.
This is a great attitude, and this is the reason why I try to be patient those who ask me these questions.
This happens to everyone, not just Americans. How many people in the world know that Brazil is a multi-ethnic society? A Brazilian with Japanese ethnic roots (1.4 million) will experience weird reactions when traveling in the US. People have outdated stereotypes of what someone who is from X country. If you watch Italian TV, you see many Italians of African descent in the entertainment business, as well as the recent Italian sprinter in the Olympics. I think those who have not traveled around the world just maintain a simplistic view of cultures and ethnicities and it is somewhat natural to expect that.
I find it tiring too but I appreciate the fact that I've had the privilege to explore the world expand my knowledge. The people with these simplistic attitudes have not had a chance to and you wish they would one day go out there.
If your primary purpose is to travel and you don't like "IT", then it might be hard to follow through because to be proficient in tech takes commitment, blood, and tears.
In my travels, I've met many nomads and there are a lot of ways they've done so. Examples that are non-tech include
- Coaches
- Wellness leaders
- Creatives such as copywriters, illustrators
- Online teachers
- Entrepreneurs
I recommend the Coffee Axis Eje Cafetero in Colombia. It's quieter, more nature, and beautiful mountains