It’s the dream of many vagabonders: to earn money online while working remotely.  But as anyone who’s done a Google search for “make money online” knows, there are a lot of scams out there.  Finding credible, honest information can be difficult.

That’s why it was so refreshing to read about a vagabonder who gave the straight scoop: Digital nomad, Jason Batansky tells he how traveled the world.

He outlines his methods and gives good … Read more »

Pension Santa Elena near Monteverde, Costa Rica. Photo: Alex Steffler / Flickr Creative Commons

Opening a business abroad has an indelible appeal. You get to stay in one place you love and be your own boss.  If your business serves travelers, you can prolong the experience of meeting interesting people on the road.

The New York Times did a tour of the expat scene in … Read more »

They’re the bane of long-term vagabonders: those irritating fees for foreign currencies and doing transactions while abroad. Hitting up an ATM or paying with a credit card can trigger charges you may not have expected. This can smear the memory of a great trip.

The New York Times Bucks blog had a post about 3 Credit Cards without Transaction Fees. For more great tips, check out the reader comments to see what other people … Read more »

Since the glory days of Ernst Hemingway and Gertrude Stein in Paris, there’s been a certain glamor about being a writer while living abroad. CNNgo had an article about the expat writer scene in Bangkok.

The piece quickly bursts the bubble of starry-eyed dreamers.  The writers interviewed were frank about the state of the industry. John Burdett, author of Bangkok 8, said: “A lot of expat writing on Thailand — fiction and non-fiction — … Read more »

One of the most eye-opening moments when working abroad is finding about all the differences between your host culture and home culture. For example, a Japanese salaryman might accept unpaid overtime as business as usual. A French worker, on the other hand, might disagree with staying beyond normal business hours.

Salon.com did a detailed comparison of the work cultures Germany and the United States: Were you born on the wrong continent?

There is a … Read more »

Prolific travel blogger Nomadic Matt made the case for permanent travel in this article for The Huffington Post: Why we travel. He captures that exhilarating sense of freedom that vagabonders love. Freeing ourselves from routine to see the world.

Interestingly enough, Mike Barish wrote a reaction piece for Gadling.com titled, On long-term travel, snobbery & judgmental blogging. He mounts a spirited defense for having a home base, a stable set of friends, and … Read more »

In case you need any more motivation to figure out how to work remotely, here’s one more: 50 photos to inspire life as a digital nomad.

Of course, having the dream is the easy part. Wishing for something isn’t the same as working to get it.  If only we had a road map, so at least we would know if we’re going in the right direction.

The good news is that somebody created a … Read more »

The novelty of being a foreigner can lead to unexpected job opportunities, as this article in The Atlantic explains: Rent a white guy. The shady nature of the job and over-the-top pay could be a symptom of a bubble economy, reminiscent of 90’s Japan. Or at least racial stereotyping. CNN did a similar story, along with a video of interviews: Chinese companies ‘rent’ white foreigners.

Why do Chinese companies rent white guys?  The … Read more »

As more people travel, they want to bring home the experience by “globalizing” their houses. To help, they hire special contractors who scour the world for rare and exotic building materials. In this New York Times article, they come off as a blend of Indiana Jones and Philippe Starck:

Trophy hunters with their eye on interiors

Also be sure to check out the great accompanying slideshow: Searching the globe for authentic materials.

How … Read more »

Before, it used to be that countries had a monopoly on where you live. You used to be stuck wherever you were born. With the advent of globalization and improved travel infrastructure, expats have a wealth of options to choose from.

Most publications only talk about living abroad in the context of retirement. Luckily, vagabonders don’t put off travel until the end of their lives. Here is an article from U.S. News & World Report … Read more »