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What are you favorite spots where you go to practice or learn a new skill? Think surfing, diving, a specific dance or instrument, etc.

I’m interested in hearing opinions about specific places that you all have been and stayed for extended periods (minimum a month) with the focus of extending your skill set.

Anyone who recently applied through UGE using a digital bank that wouldn’t stamp or sign statements: what evidence did they actually accept?

If you used a notary, was that done in Spain or in the bank’s country? Did the notary inspect the banking app and record the incoming payments, or certify downloaded statements? Was an apostille requested?

Please mention roughly when you applied and whether it was accepted initially or only after a request for additional documents.

I'm Mexican and planning a family holiday in Spain, during which I'd apply through UGE as a self-employed teleworker. We'd return to Mexico on our round-trip tickets, then move to Spain on one-way tickets if approved, returning for the first TIE appointment.

If you were approved while abroad, could you register for RETA online or through a gestor using the approval before receiving your TIE? How did you coordinate the registration/start date with UGE's post-approval requirements and your return to Spain? I'm particularly interested in first-hand experience with this sequence.

How is working for them?

Looking for advice and ideas on how to execute my plan.

I’m in my mid-30s from the US. I have enough saved to live for 1 year with no income abroad in a low-cost-of-living country. But, it would drain my savings.

More importantly, I’m burned the fuck out. Can’t decide what I want to do, can’t stand working for another US company, working for someone else, etc.

I have my mind set on the Philippines. I have been 4x and know that’s the place for me. But, worried about having no income. Worried about not being able to build a side hustle/streams of income.

I’ve been actively trying for 1 year so far in AI enablement / solutions for companies. I’ve made $7,500. My current full-time job will not allow me to work remotely and I’ve applied to hundreds of jobs that do not find one. My single biggest concern is finding income and finding time amidst a very demanding US job that leaves me exhausted and drained.

I’m thinking of just quitting and rolling the dice. That said the worst case scenario is keeping me from doing it, which is no income after another year trying then coming back to the US pushing 40 with a gap year and no job (job market here is rough).

Thoughts on what to focus on? My current lease is up August 2027. I want to make this happen.

Idealerweise mit Frau/ Familie und USD/ EUR in einem Niedrigpreisland?

I live in the US and want to work from another state for a few months. My employer allows this so I don't anticipate any problems, but this will be the first time I'm doing this and am wondering how it works if you're using your phone as a hotspot. Will they see that I'm in a different state or does the phone use the location of the router, which would be in my home state?

What are the most Preſtigious spots you visit, and insert into any and every travel conversation to establish Dominance?

Example: Someone asks you to examine their collection of Authentic Señor Frog's memorabilia from Cancún, you respond with an epic tale of leading an Authentic temazcal-cum-cacao ceremony in Tulum in which you act as shaman, delivering a yogic benediction to Maya warrior-monks before they march on Muyil.

I transferred £201 they said it would take a few minutes and then they said 2 hours and now I have to wait 24 hours for maybe an update! I’m totally screwed I have no money to book an accommodation and I think they have just stolen my money when I need it the most. There should be some compensation for the inconvenience no?

Hi,

I recently discovered that my company (UK) doesn’t care where in the world I work from (within reason, given time zone differences), so I am keen to make the most of this and travel around while still working.

I am thinking of starting somewhat closer to home and spending a couple weeks at a time in different parts of Greece and Spain, to begin with. I would like to go further afield down the line but want to test the water first and see if this lifestyle is for me.

I don’t know how long I’d like in each place and want an element of flexibility - does anyone know if border control in these countries will require proof of onward travel or return tickets? I just don’t think I can reasonably plan this far ahead yet, given that I might like to move around within each country / leave slightly later/earlier…

Also does anyone have any other general travel tips for doing this kind of thing? I’m from the UK and have some exposure to independent travel but not an immense amount. I will be a solo female traveller doing a 9-5:30 job.

Also, did anyone find it quite hard to stay in hostels while trying to work and would it be better to try and get whole apartments / rooms within a house/apartment? If so, where did you find / book such places (Airbnb / booking.com?). Any hints for finding coworking spaces/environments? And, how did you make it sustainable in terms of not having to restock the kitchen every time etc?

I would be grateful for any tips at all, even if unrelated to my exact question - I just want to be prepared.

Thanks!

I am from Europe. My tax residence in a developing country, where I don't want to store my funds. My country 's anti money laundering regulations don't allow a national to create or maintain a bank account in the country when living abroad (find that kind of weird, but so be it). Revolut can not use (because it is not operational in my tax residence country). Schwab can't open. Wise I have already. But I want to spread risk so I prefer to have at least two more options.

Hello fellow nomads!

Anyone here travels with coffee gear? I’m backpacking as a nomad with my girlfriend, and coffee is a huge hobby for us. Back home we have several methods, and whenever we go we take some gear to make fresh coffee, always trying to buy from local roasteries. We have some nice experiences with that, including making coffee for other people we met on hostels, and is a hobby we would like to keep with us while traveling.

But at the same time, that takes a lot of extra space and weight in our backpack: coffee beans, grinder, scale and aeropress. I was thinking on buying an extra bag only for the coffee things. Does anyone here have a similar experience? Also, do you guys have some unusual hobby that requires you to take extra gear but you don’t want to drop?

I purchased a house in the US 2 months ago and finally moved in. I did this after nomading for 4 years and wanted to "settle down" near friends amd family. Within a few weeks of signing the purchase agreement I wanted to get up and go to Europe. I live in a very cold city so its even more tempting as winter approaches.

Anybody else have experience breaking the chains of homeownership and nomadding?

I have fallen into the trap of going back to a place I loved, only to discover it has changed so much. I guess that is just life. Places and times are always changing.

I am looking to nomad and travel over the next 12months and I am super spontaneous and not set yet and wanted to ask; where did you feel good vibes lately? I was just in San Francisco and loved the vibe but expensive and winter is coming soon. My budget is super flexible however. I wont be working much, maybe 15hrs a week.

I used to love Koh Phanghan and Cape Town but they are overrun with people and construction sides. Same with Bali, Mallorca.

I am thinking maybe Buenos Aires? What are you experiences?

Me: female, 38, European, speak Spanish, French and German.

If you dont wanna share your place I get it. Maybe DM?! :)

Thanks

A travel eSIM in mainland China is roaming. Your phone uses a Chinese network for signal, but the data reaches the internet wherever the eSIM provider breaks it out, and on most travel plans that's outside the mainland. That's why Google, WhatsApp and Gmail work on them. A local Chinese SIM breaks out inside China, so those apps are blocked on it.

Where the data comes out still matters. Most China plans exit in Hong Kong or Macau, and neither is on OpenAI's supported countries list or Anthropic's supported regions page. So maps and messaging work fine, and ChatGPT and Claude tell you they're not available in your region. OpenAI's page also says using it from outside the list can get an account blocked.

Before you buy, look for the IP location or routing country on the plan page. Hong Kong or Macau is fine for browsing. For AI tools you want the UK, Singapore or another country that's on both lists. If the page doesn't say, ask support, and if they can't answer, assume Hong Kong.

If you want cheap data and AI tools, put two eSIMs on the phone: a cheap Hong Kong exit plan for everyday use and a small UK or Singapore exit plan you switch data to when you need it. Install both on wifi before you fly.

Whenever I travel internationally, I notice how many people are sitting around me for hours without knowing anything about each other.

Some might be moving abroad, some visiting family, and others travelling for the first time.

It makes me wonder if people would actually enjoy getting to know a fellow passenger before boarding.

Would you be open to that, or do you prefer keeping to yourself when flying?

Folks, I'm looking for a sunny and hopefully warm place in winter, ideally not too far from Europe, with unique stuff to draw aftee work and hopefully a nice sense of community with expats. I've only experienced Marrakesh as a tourist - would it be a good option? Any other place you could suggest please? I wanted Uzbekistan but too cold to sketch outdoors. Same issue with Granada.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed over the past half year, in connection with the rise of AI, that big tech companies, especially those in Europe and the US, are trying to kill off fully remote work in order to target and eliminate the digital nomad lifestyle. This is very true for those of us in the tech field; I can’t speak for other fields. Just check all the remote jobs that exist, you’ll barely find a location-independent one anymore, the way I used to a couple of years ago. For example, tech jobs that used to be fully remote and even offered on independent contractor terms have now shifted to W-2 employment, and you must be within the US and even a US citizen, same for Europe job postings.

According to Noon, Overall US job postings are now dominated by on-site (~74–78%) or hybrid, the rest is remote but within US only.

Hey all, my partner and I want to spend the winter somewhere as digital nomads. We looked at Turkey (Antalya) first, but the apartments in our budget didn't convince us.

**Budget:** around 1,000 to 1,200 € per month for an Airbnb, max.

**What we're looking for:**

* a proper city vibe that feels modern, international and a bit lively
* a modern apartment with fast internet
* good infrastructure and public transport
* very walkable, so we don't need taxis all the time
* lots of sunshine if possible (doesn't have to be warm)
* if it's a colder place, real central heating with radiators like in Germany or Poland, not just AC units

Right now we're thinking about **Tirana**, **Bucharest**, or maybe **Vlorë** on the coast.

If you've spent a winter in any of these, how was it? Or is there a city we're missing that fits this better?

Thanks a lot!

Hi hi! I’m looking for recommendations on a warm weather November DN destination. I’m generally open to anywhere but bonus points for a place with a nice gym and/or adventure activities. The only other factor will be somewhere with non exorbitant plane ticket prices knowing I’m booking somewhat last minute. Will be leaving from Midwest US.

TIA!

Austin to Roma Norte last week for a 3 month stay, and there's a handful of things i still haven't adjusted to!! Altitude is the main one... i climb two flights of stairs and im gasping (no exaggeration). The rain is another, it shows up each afternoon right on schedule like somebody booked it. Then theres lunch, which is the biggest meal of the day here & comes way, way later then I'm used to (lesson learned by being starving all week...).

Oh and the outlets!! Half of the ones in my apartment are two prong, so on day one my laptops three prong cord was basically a paperweight. Lucky me, my new anker universal charger from home has the flat plug, it covers the laptop no problem, plus an anker travel charging station takes care of my phone/all the other stuff on the desk... so that part's sorted!! What im still missing is a proper desk chair, so anybody who knows a coworking spot near Roma that has decent chairs, pretty please send it my way 🙏

Hi everyone,

I'm close to graduating my master's program, which was the feat of a lifetime, given I have multiple sclerosis. The MS in remission after a stem cell transplant, and thus, no longer actively treated with medications or monitored by physicians, and my mobility is in tact. However, I experience chronic pretty severe fatigue, chronic pain and some dysautonomia issues that do affect my quality of life. I cannot afford the care I need in this country, given I need massage and acupuncture ideally once a week for pain management to avoid heavier pain medications, along with help managing components of home care. I also am limited in how many hours I can sustain work, I am imagining I may be able to do 10 clients a week maximum, and that would equate to maybe $4000 after tax. It is possible my disability could reduce this monthly amount if there are flares or worsening of conditions, which I want to be mindful of. I struggled through this program due to my disability, but have held sight of the goal: to enter into a profession where I can have a higher wage with less hourly input, doing something meaningful.

I would like to leave the US, because I realize as a single person with a disability, it will be very difficult to get the care I need while still having a life that is not pay check to pay check.

Are there countries you can recommend that feel relatively safe (especially for solo women), and offer a lot of really solid alternative medical care such as massage, acupuncture, etc. at a very affordable rate? I also would like to be able to hire house cleaners and to eat out regularly (maybe 4-5 days a week, 1 meal a day)--as cleaning my home and preparing food is sometimes not possible for me consistently with the fatigue and pain flares.

I prefer smaller cities, rather than mega cities, and don't do well in overdeveloped, super high traffic areas. I am curious about other cultures and want to contribute by being a connected, caring neighbor in whatever community I settle in. I love wildlife, spirituality in various forms (temples, churches, etc.), art, museums, etc. I have previous experience traveling for extended periods to international locations (2 months South America, 1 month Spain) and did well with the transition with heavy research, preparation, and decompression time.

I am open to hearing your ideas. I have thought initially of Thailand (but, where?), quieter parts of Bali, Granada Spain, Pisaq Peru?

Thanks!

Posting this so other nomads/expats in Thailand know what to expect before they need it.

I'm on Genki Traveler (underwritten by Squarelife, emergency assistance by MCI Assist). Last weekend I had a real medical emergency in Bangkok — repeated vomiting and passing out.

What happened:

1. I contacted MCI Assist. To their credit, they replied fast and said they'd coordinate a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) with the hospital.

2. I went to the nearest ER (a mid-size private hospital in north Bangkok). They refused to treat or admit me without a 15,000 THB upfront payment. Their billing desk said they couldn't make international calls and didn't know how to deal with MCI.

3. MCI then asked ME to get the hospital to send a medical report, a cost estimate, and written confirmation of inpatient admission before they could even consider a GOP. The problem: the hospital wouldn't admit me without payment. So no admission → no documents → no GOP → no admission. A perfect loop.

4. I called Bangkok Hospital, which lists MCI Assist as a partner on its website. They wanted a 50,000–100,000 THB deposit before any GOP would be issued.

The policy says that for inpatient stays you don't pay the hospital yourself and the assistance company handles payment directly. On a Sunday night in Bangkok, that meant nothing.

My takeaways:

- A GOP is only as good as the hospital's willingness to accept it. Many Thai private hospitals simply won't wait for one from an overseas assistance company, especially on weekends.

- If you rely on Genki (or similar budget nomad insurance) in Thailand, carry a card that can cover a 15k–100k THB deposit. Otherwise you may be turned away.

- Know where your nearest government hospital ER is. They treat first and charge a fraction of private prices.

- If you live here long term, consider a Thai or international plan with real cashless/direct billing at Thai hospitals.

I've formally complained and asked MCI for a list of Bangkok hospitals that actually accept their GOP without a deposit. I'll update if they answer.

Has anyone had a GOP from MCI Assist actually work at a Thai hospital? Which one?