Moving through the reality of COVID gave us all more experience with online work, new technologies, and platforms like Zoom and Google Meet. It also created new ways of making financial transactions, more robust marketing platforms, and an entirely new ecosystem for digital work. 

Industry experts predict that by 2035 there will be one billion digital nomads working remotely around the globe. Communities and hubs are popping up around the world where digital nomads are coming together to collaborate, support, and inspire each other. There are many ways to make it happen. Let’s take a look at a few models of working on the road. 

Location Dependent Work 

Some travelers work in roles connected to a specific place or season. For example, a hydrologist may work for six months designing and locating a well and helping with water supply planning. Our friend, Ang, took a position at a private school in Paris teaching upper-level English literature. Others may land positions as campground hosts, nurses, or painters. Jobs like these can have defined

As the owner of a record store, Will is always networking and buying and selling vinyl. Mr. Vinyl Guru in Nairobi was the best!

start and end dates, and during this period of employment, families can “live lean” and save large portions of their income to be put toward future travel periods.  

Take Your Job with You 

Increasing numbers of employees and business owners are location independent. They can go anywhere and take their job with them. Annika’s family owned a small business while they traveled, and she and Will created a way to keep running the business from afar. They scheduled meetings with the team back home on days they knew they would be in locations with reliable wifi and no background noise or distractions. These pre-arranged, consistent meetings were a key ingredient in keeping the business successful throughout their Wonder Year.

Take Your Skills With You 

You may have a skill set that is useful throughout the world, such as being a teacher, doctor, fitness instructor, or arborist. Some families build their travel itinerary around wherever the next job takes them. The income earned locally can help cover accommodations and other expenses in this “slow travel” mode. Sites such as Workaway allow hosts to recruit workers who can babysit, garden, cook, build, or provide other services in exchange for accommodations and wages, and often both parties benefit from the cultural exchange. 

Travel as Your Job

Some travelers thrive on writing about and photographing their adventures. This content might be turned into blog features, and some families are able to sell advertising on their websites, generating income. Some super-motivated travelers are able to establish themselves as social media influencers, posting about their experiences and securing sponsorships from well-known brands. While this may sound like an alluring pursuit, keep in mind that it takes time and consistent effort to be able to generate reliable income from it. 

Busy at work!

Teens Working on the Road 

Earning income on the road is not just for adults! Teens wishing to work and earn money during a Wonder Year can search for online business opportunities. For instance, they might engage in digital design, writing, podcasting, or other content creation. They can look for tutoring jobs or ways to broker goods in online or physical marketplaces. Talk with your teens and help them explore opportunities as global citizens—they might find inspiration and influence from their unique traveling vantage points.

Logistics

One important aspect of working in any kind of job on the road is to determine how it fits in with the rest of your Wonder Year experience. You’ll need to figure out how to make the time and space for work, and how this will impact the whole family as you live together 24/7. It can be especially challenging if all parents are working and children are doing online education at the same time. Desk space may be in short supply if everyone needs to spread out and maintain work or school materials. And what about time zones? Will you have to log on at 3:00 am to take part in a training back in the home office? One professional based in Brooklyn, NY worked with health partners in Africa. It was hard to work through the night at home and she found that living in Europe and the Middle East for the year eliminated the time-zone stress and created great worldschooling opportunities. A little planning can go a long way, so consider these additional working-while-traveling logistics: 

1. WiFi – If you need reliable WiFi, consider doing a speed test in advance. When booking a hotel room or Airbnb, you can ask to have a practice session where they do the test and share the results with you real-time. Some hosts may overstate the reliability of their WiFi, so don’t find out the hard way. You can also travel with a WiFi extender or booster, which can amplify the signal coming from a router or hotspot. 
2. Digital Nomad Visas – Digital nomad visas permit visitors to remain in a country while they are earning income. These visas can vary in length of stay and each country that offers them may have special requirements, limitations, and costs. Things are changing very quickly in this space, so it’s best to do your research or speak with an immigration attorney to make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities as a digital nomad. 
3. Climate – If you know you need to spend time working, consider how comfortable your environment will be. Will you have AC? Shade? Adequate light? What if it’s raining or snowing or super dry? Do you need a back-up plan to ensure you and your technology can reliably function? If you plan ahead, you won’t sweat a thing! 
4. Taxes – You may be working on a beach, but don’t have your head in the sand when it comes to taxes. If you earn over the minimum amount, you will have to pay taxes on money earned while working overseas. Taxable foreign income might include wages or salary, interest, tips, dividends, and rental income. State taxes may be more complicated than federal, so check your state laws before you leave so you are not surprised by an unforeseen tax obligation. 

It’s a very dynamic environment and options for work continue to expand. During our interviews with current and former travelers, we were surprised and amazed by the diverse and creative work that worldschoolers are doing. We share dozens of jobs that people take on the road in our upcoming book, Wonder Year: A Guide to Long-Term Family Travel and Worldschooling. Preoder is available now! 

You can even learn new job skills to bring back home!

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