Become Nomad - Digital Nomad Lifestyle and Long Term Travel

Recorded from the coast of Taiwan, Eli shares thoughts on the book Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. He walks walks through the passages he bookmarked and what still holds up: why long-term travel is cheaper than most people think, the cost of staying constantly connected, what you lose when travel becomes routine, and why the best quote in the book might be enough on its own. A book review for people already on the road, thinking about it, or just curious what holds up after two decades.

Join our Telegram community - https://bit.ly/BecomeNomad In this episode, Eli shares reflections on Anything You Want by Derek Sivers. Speaking from Singapore, he explores how building a company can be an act of freedom: designed around happiness, purpose, and profitability. Through the lens of the digital nomad lifestyle, the episode touches on why solving real problems matters, how client obsession creates clarity, and what it means to build a business that supports life on the move. A thoughtful conversation for founders, freelancers, and nomads who want to build something meaningful without losing joy along the way.

Join our Telegram community - https://bit.ly/BecomeNomad In this episode we begin a new experiment with Eli sharing insights and experiences from his weeks of disconnection. We start with a great week that just ended in Koh Samet and Phitsanulok, with a small break in Pattaya. Learn about an island that is not overly touristic and still close to Bangkok, which city Pattaya really reminds Eli of, and why Phitsanulok is a place he keeps returning to.

Based on a listener request from our Telegram community -https://bit.ly/BecomeNomad In this episode of Become Nomad, hosts Eli and Dan explore one of the most fascinating aspects of travel: understanding the national psyche. Drawing from their experiences in countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and the United States, they discuss how culture, pace, and mindset shape the way societies operate and what those differences can teach us about adapting as travelers.They also introduce two of their favorite mental models for interpreting culture: the Escalator Approach, a way to understand how societies move collectively toward progress, and the Uber Test, a quick lens for sensing how a country approaches service, efficiency, and social interaction. By the end of the conversation, Eli and Dan reflect on how these insights help them and their listeners see beyond surface impressions, recognizing the deeper mental patterns that define each place. Join them as they unpack what it truly means to understand a country not through its landmarks but through its mindset.

Join the conversation and connect with fellow listeners in our new Telegram community -https://bit.ly/BecomeNomad In this episode, Dan and Eli share their annual reflections on the nomadic and sometimes non-nomadic chapters of their lives. They talk about how their lifestyles are evolving, the questions they are asking themselves as life changes, and what being nomadic really means to them today.

Join the conversation and connect with fellow listeners in our new Telegram community -https://bit.ly/BecomeNomad In this episode, Eli catches up with longtime friend and digital nomad Derek Baron. They talk about what it really takes to keep the lifestyle going for over 20 years, from shifting travel patterns and new nomad hubs to the struggles of relationships and work on the road. Derek also shares why he's moved from blogging to newsletters and how shorter, more purposeful trips keep the journey meaningful.

Join the conversation and connect with fellow listeners in our new Telegram community - https://bit.ly/BecomeNomad In this episode, Eli shares his personal journey of creating a "Week of Disconnection," a practice he has maintained since 2016. From his recent travels in Singapore and Vietnam, he reflects on the hidden costs of constant connectivity and how structured digital detox weeks have transformed his work, lifestyle, and wellbeing.

In this episode Eli talks with James Clark, the legendary digital nomad behind Nomadic Notes. With over 20 years of experience, James shares his insights on how the digital nomad lifestyle has evolved since the pandemic, including the rise of digital nomad visas and the shift to career-driven travel. They also dive into the growing appeal of Southeast Asia, with Danang, Vietnam, now crowned as the new digital nomad capital of the region!

Nikita is back to teach us everything he knows about staying disciplined while constantly on the move. Eli is mostly just hoping some of it can rub off on him so he can finally wake up and make it to important appointments on time. The talk includes finding freedom through structure, building rituals on the road, and how discipline can come from joy rather than force. Along the way: ice cream at 2am, spiritual treks in Portugal, and why Eli sometimes locks his phone in a bag just to stay focused.

In this solo episode recorded in Hanoi, Eli reflects on 15 years of nomadic living, the highs, lows, and strange in-betweens. Prompted by questions generated by ChatGPT, he dives into how AI is reshaping his workflow, the evolution of Become Nomad, personal sacrifices, startup ecosystem insights from around the globe, and the odd $180 meal… that thankfully turned out to cost just $9.

Living as a nomad starts with a remote job, but it doesn't end there. In this episode, Eli speaks with Anna Maria Kochanska about building a career on the move, turning remote work into real impact, and why Cape Verde might be your next favorite destination.

Nikita and Eli catch up and talk about the rituals they follow when arriving in new places, such as gathering around campfires, along with a range of other related topics.

It's always on our minds as we seek to make this lifestyle sustainable -- the financial aspect of location independent work. Because let's not sugar-coat it: building a career that lets you enjoy such freedom requires work. It requires asking some tough questions and finding your particular answers. Here, Eli touches on how to approach tackling uncertainty, intention setting, becoming world class, accounting for technological change, and a whole lot more of those tough questions.

What does it mean for a location to be "winning" for nomads? This is something Eli thinks a lot about -- as he plans his next flight and as he continues the work of his main project, StartupBlink. In this ep, we dive into what trends, factors, and overall values determine a location's nomadic potential. And, of course, we name a handful that fall into this category -- plus some predictions for locations that are on the rise. Check out StartupBlink for more detailed analysis: www.startupblink.com

Our star listener Nikita Smelyanskiy is back! This time to ask Eli some deep questions about his nomadic journey. They chat about how Eli started moving around (at age 31!), his early approaches to making income, simplifying your lifestyle into "first-level principles," maintaining nomadic relationships, how this lifestyle impacts your larger perspective of life, and much more. Have some additional Q's you'd like us to tackle? Get in touch at [email protected]!

We often talk about the values of nomadic freedom. But nomadic freedom also includes the freedom to stop being nomadic for a while. After all, there are many ways of living true to the nomadic spirit -- even when you're stationary. Here, Eli & Dan discuss Dan's recent less-nomadic exploits en route to bigger questions about the long-term nature of this lifestyle and transitioning in & out of various situations.

Today we have a special guest episode with our friend Nikita, a long-time listener of the show. He takes us through his unique approach to digital nomadism which started with some creative adventures in his home country -- perfect inspiration for anyone thinking about starting out. He and Eli move on to a grab bag of related nomadic questions about taking the plunge, finding your people, & living without fear. Have thoughts on their discussion? We love hearing from you! Reach out to [email protected] & we'll reply on a future episode.

Let's dig in to some essential nomadic FAQs: How do you choose a place for new residency? How do you handle taxes while on the road? How does it all play with your origin country? In this quick "emergency pod," Eli outlines some advantages, considerations, & interesting countries worth exploring when thinking about residency & related logistics. (We're a little behind schedule but more make-up pods are coming your way soon!)

Don't come to this episode hungry! Eli & Dan discuss some of their favorite locales for food and try to get a bit deeper: How much can food play a role in our perception of a location? What's the best way to really experience a local flavor? And what's our strategy for staying healthy while still experiencing food culture? Furthermore, we'll plant some seeds: Our favorite locations & food experiences -- the cuisines that sit with us for years after the fact. Hopefully, they'll inspire you (... if not for your next destination, then at least fo your next meal!).

Every few years we like to check in & ask: What digital tools are we most heavily leaning on? What are we using on a daily basis during our nomadic journeys? In this ep, Eli & Dan cover categories such as social life, learning, navigation, and fitness. Hopefully giving you some helpful tips... but very likely just demonstrating our own ignorance :) Let us know what vital new tools we've missed at [email protected] or [email protected].