The first part of our Nomad Interview series aimed at discovering interesting Digital Nomads and how they manage their Nomadic lifestyle. We spoke to Chnelik Sebastian who just got back from an 18 month trip around South America going to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, Peru and Chile!
Chnelik is a Mechanical Engineer currently at Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a photographer, amateur writer. He’s finishing up an artesanal book of his experiences of the last trip of a year and a half. You can find his stories and more information on his Facebook profile.
1 What got you into the Digital Nomad Lifestyle?
Finishing the career of Mechanical Engineering in the UBA, working in a construction company in the capital, went on holidays to northern Argentina to have a different experience … and all changed.
Now I have +70000 km of roads by land and water, from Argentina to Mexico. The experience of an hurricane of ideas, new people, knowledge, made me choose the nomad life. Connect with people, places, myself.
2 How do you earn as a Digital Nomad?
I am raising a project of giving talks in schools, communities about, travelling, cultural diversity, following your dreams. With an E-Book, the plan is to make a template with all contact links and to use crowdfunding to pay future travels.
3 What is your favourite destination as a Digital Nomad? What is so special about it?
There’s no an unique one. I think, places are it’s people. You can go to a place not so nice in a landscape point of view, but have lots of friends and have the best experience. I can mention, Merida, Venezuela as I placed I liked a lot for its beauty and people, but I have a lot more, in every country I visited.
4 What are some challenges you’ve faced as a Digital Nomad?
Going against the flow direction, in a system that tells you the unique form of living is studying+working+buying car, house+build a family+save money has its difficulties. Some people will discourage you. You will have to break a lot of preconceived ideas. You will have to be creative to find your passion. It’s worth it!
5 How do you find places to work at and explore in a new city?
Again, people have the best knowledge. In general, people in-situ. Recommendations of friends in the digital world are very useful. But nothing as going to the place, talk to people and hear their recommendations. Also, hitch-hiking, people I met tell you about a lot of very interesting places and things to do.
6 Any tips for Digital Nomads looking to start out?
Follow your dream. Connect. Know people in the same situation as you. Get inspired. Believe. World will conspire in your favour.