THE DIGITAL NOMAD A new way to work and see the world at the same time

By Kim Boykin

Digital nomads are remote workers who can work anywhere they want. All they need is a wireless connection, devices like smart phones and mobile hotspots and a space to login. They often work in coffee shops, co-working spaces or in their Airbnb. A digital nomad lifestyle can be an exciting way to travel and break free from the chains of a 9-5 work week in an office.

I have been following my friend’s daughter on social media for several years. It all started with Covid and being forced to work from home. That setback was the catalyst she needed to launch herself into an entirely different life, full of travel and adventure. I just had to pick her brain and find out more about this exciting way to work and travel.

KB: To get started, please tell us about yourself, where did you go to school, what was your major and when did you graduate?

AG: My name is Ashley Gapusan. I am originally from New Jersey, but am now based out of San Francisco. I went to Georgia Tech and graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.

KB: Where do you work and what do you do?

AG: After college I moved to San Francisco to work for a startup called Allbirds. I work in supply chain, specifically retail planning and allocation. We’ve recently went public which was a really exciting milestone in my career.

KB: Tell us about being a digital nomad and how did it start? Was it the Covid lockdown that prompted working abroad?

AG: Being a digital nomad has been the greatest gift in my life. It has given me the world. I’ve had incredible experiences, pushed myself out of my comfort zone, made new connections with countries and people, learned (and am still learning) a new language (Spanish) and have had overall amazing work and life balance.

It all started when the pandemic did. In the beginning I went back home to my parents’ house in Atlanta for what I thought would only be a few weeks. Little did I know back then how long the pandemic would last. I ended up spending about five months at home until I had to go back to San Francisco and pack up my apartment. My roommates felt it was time to end our lease. So, I went back to the city and moved into an 11-person house in the Mission. My first day in the house, a few people came up to me and said, “we’re moving to Hawaii! You should come!” Five days later, I agreed. Three weeks later and I was living in Kapaa, Kauai on Wailua River with people I just met. This was the start of my digital nomad journey. I lived there for a year and in that time, I learned that life was so much more than I was taught.

The priorities there were so different. It wasn’t about having the best grades or highest paying and prestigious job. How kind and open to love and life you are, were valued much more. Community in Kauai is huge and locals, old and new, really support each other. This really put my world into perspective and while my work is still a priority it’s not the priority.

I moved off island after a year because the office called us back in. But by the time I had left Kauai, our return was postponed. I decided to head down to Placencia, Belize to live in a digital nomad community called Noma Collective. I’m honestly not sure how I found out about it. I just had the tab open in the back of my phone and saw it while I was cleaning my phone out. At Noma Collective, I learned just how big the digital nomad community worldwide is and what it could offer me. I talked with many people there who were long time digital nomads and asked how they did it. They told me about various coworking hostels and houses around the world. And so began my digital nomad journey around Latin America, where I’ve so far spent 6 months bouncing around from country to country.

KB: Where have you worked and how long do you stay in each location?

AG: I lived and worked in Kauai for almost a year. I stayed in Belize for almost two months. My Latin America trip has been more mobile. On average I move my location every week.

I started in Antigua, Guatemala and spent New Year’s Eve there. I then moved to Lake Atitlan. After I met up with some friends I met in Belize in Tulum to celebrate one of their birthdays. We made our way up to Cancun and Isla Mujeres until leaving the coast for the middle of the country. We ate our way through Mexico City and Oaxaca City then swung over to the coast to Sayulita. At this point in the trip, I was slowing down a bit so I opted to stay and work from Sayulita for 2 weeks vs. my usual one week. Fast traveling is super fun but can be tiring when I’m also working. When my time was up in Sayulita, I headed to another beach town, Puerto Escondido, back in the Oaxaca region. In total I spent six weeks in Mexico.

I took a brief break from my digital nomad travels to meet up with my college friends in the Dominican Republic for a Bachelorette party. After celebrating, I traveled to Medellin, Colombia and worked from there for two weeks. My little brother came and met me there for his 19th birthday! It was super fun and special to be able to share the experience with him. When he left, I moved to the coffee farms of Colombia to the Quindío region to the small town of Filandia. My last stop in Colombia was Villa de Leyva, a colonial city outside of Bogota. I then popped back up to the States for the wedding of my girlfriend who had her Bachelorette party in the Dominican Republic.

After a week at home, I flew down to Peru with my little sister and met up with my best friend and another friend I met in Mexico. We spent a day in Lima before going to Cusco to see Machu Picchu, among other sites you can visit around the area. After Cusco, I was traveling solo again. I went to Arequipa and

Huaraz before heading to Ecuador to join a Digital Nomad Retreat run by Selina. Selina is a coworking hostel chain, where I normally stay during all my travels.

I met up with 25 other digital nomads in Quito where we traveled together for two weeks to the Amazon and Banos. That retreat ended recently and I am now finding myself on the Ecuadorian coast in Montanita and Ayampe.

KB: Do you have to adjust your working hours to work when your home office is working?

AG: I always work PST hours unless I coordinate otherwise with my team. I’ve spanned at most 6 hours difference with my coworkers, but we all make it work. I don’t work your typical 9-5 hours but this actually allows me to do some adventuring in the mornings or afternoons since my day is shifted.

KB: Do you travel with other digital nomads, or do you go alone?

AG: For the most part I travel solo, but honestly, I’m never alone. I am constantly making meaningful friendships and connections and my friends and family from home have come out several times to join me.

KB: Where do you stay when you get to your destination?

AG: I always stay in Selina’s, a chain of coworking hostels around the world. I am a part of their CoLive program so I pay monthly and can travel to their various locations around the globe. This includes a bed and a desk in their coworking space. I love staying here because I never have to worry about having good WIFI and the community I find in Selinas is always so warm.

KB: How long do you typically stay in one place?

AG: I’ve stayed anywhere for at least one day to one month. On average, I stay in locations for one week. I will say though that I’m slowing down and am finding pleasure in slow travel.

KB: Is there an expiration date for doing this? Do you plan to settle back in the US soon? Does your employer want you to return to the office?

AG: I really believe this is a lifestyle for me now. After two years of travel, I can’t see myself going back to mundane office life. It’s just not for me. And as for living in the US, I’ll put it this way – I’ve lived there all my life, now its time to experience living in as many different places as I can.

KB: Where else do you want to go?

AG: Literally everywhere!! I am doing a lot of Central and South America right now because it works with my time zone but in future I hope to hit up Europe, Africa, India, and Asia.

KB: Has this experience given you a greater appreciation for the comforts of home? If so, what do you miss the most?

AG: I have a much greater appreciation for all my friends and family back home and our time together. It is really special and rare when I get to see them again so I am very mindful of that. As for physical comforts… maybe TV and delivery food and groceries? Although I have a laptop to watch TV on, I just don’t have time to watch while I’m traveling. I’m too busy adventuring. But it is extremely fun and relaxing when I do get to put on a show or movie. Many cities I travel to also have delivery, but not all, so sometimes when I’m really exhausted, I wish I could just order something in.

Truly though, this experience has made me realize how little I really need. I travel with just a backpack so I only carry around the essentials and it has made life so much easier.

KB: What would you like our readers to know about how this experience has changed you?

AG: A quote I read recently that sums up a lot of how I feel is this, “You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place” – Miriam Adeney.

This experience has really made me believe in people and fall in love with the human experience. Truly, I am in awe at how kind, resilient, strong, fun, funny, adventurous and well-rounded people from all over the world are. I’ve never had an easier time making friends and trying new experiences. It’s been so empowering for me as well, to know that I can solo travel the world and not feel scared but actually craving more.

KB: Thank you Ashley for sharing your experiences with us. I know our so many of our readers will be ready to get their backpack ready and take off for new horizons after reading about your lifestyle and adventures.

KB: Since I last interviewed Ashley, she finished another amazing adventure by hiking Mount Everest. Ashley shared with me, ”It was the most brutal experience of my life. I can’t believe it that I walked 62 kilometers.” She didn’t make it to the summit due to wind, ice and cold conditions, but she certainly showed her strength and perseverance to climb the world’s tallest mountain!

BY BART MENDOZA ©