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7 Sobering Reasons This Expat Walked Away From The Digital Nomad Life
What I Thought Was Freedom Turned Out to Be Burnout With a Better View
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Confession Meets Confrontation
When I hear someone call themselves a digital nomad, I cringe.
It’s not because I’m some bitter expat yelling at remote workers to get off my Balkan balcony.
I’ve lived in Ukraine, worked from the cafés of Tbilisi, and brought my Kyiv students with me when I moved, teaching them remotely over Zoom.
I’ve stayed in more budget hostels across Europe than I care to admit.
I’ve chased cheap rents in Georgia and shuffled through Airbnbs in France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece.
I’ve played the visa-run game across Ukraine, Georgia, France, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, and even Thailand, always calculating how long I could stay without getting flagged.
In other words, I get the appeal.
The dream. The promise of freedom.
The Wi-Fi, the wine, and the fantasy of working from anywhere.