How I Find Work Abroad, Pay my Bills and Afford to Travel
I’ve shared a few life updates before, but I often receive questions about “How I afford to Travel”, “Where I find freelance work”, and what I do to make ends meet. There’s a secret that many digital nomads don’t want to tell you…
But first, let me tell you the back
I moved to Bali a few months ago to work for a programming Bootcamp that I used to be a student at: Le Wagon Progamming Bootcamps.
Here’s how I chose my programming school
I am a part-time Teaching Assistant for Le
It’s not the first time that I have worked internationally, and I know it wont be my last. I usually just focus on blogging and writing about travel, but this time I have had a completely different motive: writing my book.
Because I spend a lot of time behind a computer screen writing as much as possible, I am a bit of a connoisseur of cafes with good food and wifi. I also visit a lot of coworking spots when I need to spend the entire day working and don’t want to overstay my welcome at a cafe.
The Secret To Becoming A Digital Nomad
This is how I noticed something super cool:
There. Are. Tons. Of. Freelance. Jobs. At. Coworking. Spots.
Seriously. I started working at a coworking spot called Outpost last month and had to start giving away content writing, graphic design and photography jobs to people I have met here.
This is the secret. If you are interested in becoming a “digital nomad” and are looking to start a career becoming location independent, start applying to jobs at coworking spots. Tell people that you plan to stay in an area for a few months, and begin researching where the expat community works. You will find jobs via word-of-mouth. Make sure people know about your skill set, whatever it might be.
How to Find Work as A Digital Nomad
In Canggu alone, I have worked as a photographer, a graphic designer, a copywriter, a travel blogger, a backend developer, and a programming teaching assistant. The opportunities here are endless if you are a bit flexible.
So if you are looking to get a prized “Digital Nomad” job, I highly recommend finding a good coworking spot, paying the $10/day fee to use the wifi (while applying to gigs on Upwork, freelancer, and the like), and attending the networking and play events the location puts on.
It’s that easy.
The hardest part is finding the way you would like to live as a Digital Nomad
Read more: A Digital Nomad’s Search for Belonging
Especially in a place as cheap as Bali or Thailand, you will meet other developers and writers that might be “too busy” (aka fun-loving nomads that don’t want to work so hard) to finish off a lot of their lower-paying gigs. You don’t need much to survive here. And by stretching your budget, working hard to find opportunities online and networking, you will find a way to make it work.
One job turns into two. Word of mouth helps you find other opportunities you might have not thought about. I once met a girl that traveled exclusively by selling her jewelry and offering hair-cut and dread services. I know of another woman that teaches yoga while moving from place to place. The options are endless.
On that note….maybe I’ll see you sometime soon in Bali! 🙂
