The other day, as we were extending our visa in Thailand for another year, I found myself sitting in the immigration office, reflecting on our journey. It’s amazing to think that 8 years ago, on a cold autumn day (when it’s already chilly but the heating isn’t on yet), I was sitting at my computer, wrapped in every warm thing I could find, looking at photos and videos of warm countries. That’s when the idea struck me: “Why not live where you want to?”
The Path to Freedom
It took 5 years to go from idea to implementation – to establish an online business. Then we decided to test this idea in practice:
- First Test: Germany
- We set a condition to live only on the money we earned.
- Took minimal savings for the initial period.
- The first attempt wasn’t perfect – we spent more than we earned.
- But it proved it was possible.
- Second Attempt: Success
- We learned from our previous experience.
- It went much better.
- The Big Move: Thailand
- After Germany, we returned to Russia for a month.
- The main goal? To pick up Aliska (our cat) and head to Thailand.
Overcoming Doubts
Every day, I’m grateful we didn’t give in to fear or doubts. And there were many… oh so many…
Just getting our cat, Aliska, ready for the move was a challenge:
- Certificates, vaccinations, waiting, tickets.
- Flying through Novosibirsk, we discovered her documents were incorrectly filled.
- If not for a kind man at the airport, we would have had to return to St. Petersburg.
- We couldn’t leave her behind, of course. But everything worked out, and our faithful friend is with us :).
The Rewards of Taking the Leap
In these 3 years, I’ve seen and experienced more than perhaps in my entire life before – 15 countries, 66 cities and islands :).
I wish for everyone to find their passion, to gain true freedom, so that 100+ years from now, they can say: “Yes, I lived this life exactly as I wanted.” Everyone deserves this!
Reflections
- The journey from dreaming about warm countries to actually living in them.
- The importance of perseverance in building an online business.
- Testing the digital nomad lifestyle before fully committing.
- Overcoming challenges, like moving internationally with a pet.
- The incredible experiences and personal growth that come with this lifestyle.
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a digital nomad? What steps are you taking to make it a reality? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
#DigitalNomadLife #LocationIndependence #TravelDreams #LifestyleDesign #PersonalFreedom
