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The Raw Truth of Nomad Living
Plus: 25 associate degree roles, the best nomad spots for 2025, and jaw-dropping Norway rail trips. 🚃
Kevin from Nomad for Less
December 30, 2024
In partnership with
Reine, Norway
Hey nomad fam! 👋
This week’s newsletter is all about high-impact career moves you can make with just a two-year degree, jaw-dropping train rides through Norway’s fjords, and Forbes-approved digital nomad hotspots for 2025. Whether you’re looking to bump up your earning potential, inject a little Norwegian flair into your bucket list, or scope out a new home base in the sun, we’ve got you covered. 🌍
📰 Nomad News – From FlexJobs’ top associate degree jobs to the legendary Flåm Railway, plus Forbes’ five must-visit destinations to amplify your remote work game.
💻️ Top New Remote Jobs – Discover new positions that might just help you fund your global adventures, wherever that next flight (or train) takes you.
📚 A Three-Part Deep Dive – Hacker Noon writer, Gleams, peels back the curtain on the digital nomad lifestyle—warts, wins, and all. It’s a can’t-miss read if you’re pondering the location-independent hustle.
🤓 Trivia & Quote – Test your knowledge on some delightfully offbeat global tidbits and wrap it up with a witty travel quote.
Let’s dive in! 👇
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📰 Nomad News - Top Finds of the Day
Bryggen, Norway
Think a four-year degree is your only ticket to a high-paying career? Think again! This FlexJobs article lays out 25 lucrative roles you can snag with just a two-year degree—everything from dental hygienist to web developer. If you’re itching for a career pivot (or know someone who is), consider these in-demand gigs that offer competitive salaries and plenty of room to grow. 🎓
Ready for an epic scenic detour? The legendary Flåm Railway offers a jaw-dropping trip through Norway’s most stunning fjords and waterfalls. In just one hour, you’ll climb from sea level to nearly 3,000 feet, passing through tunnels carved by hand back in the 1940s. Fjord views, cascading waterfalls—and maybe even a dancing troll or two—make this train ride a bucket-list must. 🚂
Ready to spread your wings (and your Wi-Fi connection) in the new year? According to Forbes writer Rachel Wells, these five spots top the charts for digital nomads craving a mix of affordability, adventure, and sun-soaked beaches. From the iconic island vibes of St. Lucia to the Euro-chic cafés of Barcelona and Lisbon, these locales are rolling out the welcome mat (and sometimes even a sweet tax break) for freelancers on the move. 🌍
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📚 A Three-Part Deep Dive Into the Realities of Digital Nomad Life
I’ve been binging a series of articles on Hacker Noon lately, written by Gleams (links below). She paints such a raw and honest portrait of life on the road, it almost feels like reading a diary. If you’ve ever fantasized about selling all your stuff and working from Bali or Bangkok, these pieces might just shift your perspective.
Part 1: “The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What?”
Gleams starts off strong: She’s living the dream, bouncing between countries and getting all the likes on her “How I Became a Digital Nomad in 6 Months With No Coding Skills” blog post. But then reality hits. Behind those perfectly framed latte shots and exotic backdrops, there’s loneliness, stress, and the relentless cognitive load of never staying still. She calls it “digital homeless,” which—love it or hate it—is a punchy label for the sense of rootlessness that comes from perpetually leaving one city for another.
Part 2: “The Reality of Digital Nomads: Defying Sight and Sound”
This second piece gets existential. Gleams talks about how living in foreign cultures (and hearing languages you barely understand) strips away your identity. Without the usual social cues or references, you start wondering, “Who am I without my home culture?” Turns out, not having a clue what the locals are chatting about can be surprisingly liberating. The hustle culture (or whatever else used to stress you out at home) suddenly fades into white noise—so you can finally hear your own inner voice.
Part 3: “The Truth of Digital Nomads: The Long Way Home and What It Really Teaches Us”
The big reveal? Sometimes the best part of traveling hits you when you come back. Whether it’s losing your job due to a random restructure, or realizing that “home” is actually the people and routines you once took for granted, the return trip can be a wake-up call. Gleams talks about how all those challenges—roaming from city to city, dealing with culture shock, and pushing her mental limits—turned her into a more resilient person. Yet she’s also torn: is the fast-paced “digital homeless” route worth the stress, or is slower “slowmad” travel a better bet?
If you’re considering adventuring to a new country yourself, these Hacker Noon articles provide a window into the unglamorous parts of the nomad life (yet somehow still make you want to try it). In my book, it’s always worth the leap—but pack lighter than Gleams did, and maybe bring fewer pairs of shoes! Let me know what you think if you give her articles a read.
🗳️ Test your knowledge in trivia!
Put your smarts to the test by answering today’s trivia question!
🐒 Which Thai city throws an annual “Monkey Buffet Festival,” laying out an all-you-can-eat feast for thousands of mischievous macaques?Select your answer below to find out if you're correct: |
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🙌 Quote of the Day
When you look like your passport photo, it’s time to go home.
That’s all for today folks! Thanks for your support, and happy exploring! ✈️
- Kevin from Nomad for Less
Me and the Coral Monster in Key West
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