Sergio Sala | Cape Town | Europe low-entry dn visas | Issue #0027

Back with another week of news, fun and interesting stuff, and a little insight once in a while. Hope the week has started on the right foot.

We had a conversation with an o.g. of digital nomadism this week, and one of the nicest guys you could want to meet. It’s not misspeak to say that he’s influenced a lot of nomads to become one.

Also, give our our Instagram a quick follow for some bullet updates and useful stuff we find throughout the week.

See out February with…

🌏 Low barrier to entry digital nomad visas
🇰🇿 On-the-ground Nomad Week Cape Town guide
💤  Sleep better
🤝 Last minute deals on retreats and nomad experiences
💰 Last chance to win $5k with AI thanks to Blotato

Bring on springtime in Europe!

NEWS
Is this really Europe’s lowest-cost dn visa?

It is nearly Europe season for nomads, as the weather shifts from winter into spring and summer.

Here are the four lowest barrier of entry visas in Europe, in terms of minimum income:

• Finland (€1220 a month). Remarkable that a Scandinavian country has the lowest required income as obviously the caveat here is that Finland has far from the lowest cost of living.

• Montenegro (€1400 a month). You can get a whopping four year stay in this small Adriatic Sea nation. They are also ironing out some favorable tax breaks.

• Albania (€9800 a year). With a long coastline and affordable living, Albania is more on the radar these days. Extendable for up to 5 years, too.

• Spain (€2763 a month). Ok, we reported the hike in requirements recently, but relatively speaking it still offers great value for nomads.

Get more details, and some alternatives at a higher entry level here.

WHAT ELSE…

🏘️ What is responsible? DN life looks great on IG, but we know it’s not always unicorns and cheeseburgers. What footprint do we leave?

🛳️ Get your business shipshape Fancy being ship-bound on the Med with hundreds of other nomads? Us too.

🛌 You’re ahead of the curve Apparently you are getting more sleep thanks to the digital nomad lifestyle you live.

🇹🇭 Thailand goes digital The TM6 is back this spring following it’s post-COVID pause. Luckily it’ll be digital and you do it in advance. Just don’t forget!

GET CONNECTED

The Digital Nomad was born from the desire to connect nomads with each other when we were in Chiang Mai, where it isn’t always as easy as it should be.

We’re building a resource for nomads in as many cities and countries as possible. New links for finding events in the Thai Islands, Northern Thailand and Goa added thanks to Eran from Todo.today.

If you are in a nomad hotspot then help another nomad out and share any communities you are in or know of with this quick form.

DIGITAL NOMAD STORIES
The nomad inspiring a generation of nomads

Sergio Sala - many of you will know him or seen his YouTube channel, and if you haven’t we’re not sure you’re a real digital nomad - premiered his latest movie during Nomad Summit last month. He was also one of the first to reach out to us when The Digital Nomad launched months ago to share his story.

There’s a difference between travel YouTube and digital nomad YouTube, and then there are levels within that. Sergio tells stories. He doesn’t drop your typical tips, facts and numbers. He makes you feel what a town or city feels like to nomad in.

We could have filled 5 issues from our chat, but here’s the short version - you’ll learn plenty more in his videos…

You’re an o.g. of digital nomadism. Where did it start?
I’m from Tabasco - like the sauce - but moved to another city to study, and since then been traveling for a long time. First time outside of Mexico was Torino, in Italy, in a student exchange, and loved it. I wanted more so tried to find a way, and started as a web designer working online, and realised this is what I like.

This must have been the early days of digital nomadism then…
It was before it was even a term people used, before it was cool!

And now you have a pretty successful YouTube channel. How did that start?
It goes back a long way. I love watching movies, how they make the cool stuff in Marvel and all that. When I first started out traveling in 2014 I started a blog in Spanish but eventually I felt like I could start something visual to share my life as not many people were doing this back then.

You didn’t start with YouTube then?
I built an audience with the blog and people were reaching out saying they love my articles and posts and inspiring them to go here or there, or starting working online. I realised I am actually good at this. I wrote it for 5 or 6 years, but in 2019 felt I needed more. When in Chiang Mai I met a Mexican YouTuber…it was kind of the sign I needed.

So now you have a well established channel for nomads.
The videos are like movies now. I started in Montreal and people liked it, so thought maybe I should make more. I went to Medellin, Antigua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, but people said they are like travel videos, we want to see more of these places.

That changed things by the looks of it.
The next one was like 28 minutes long and it got a lot of great responses. Now I spend a minimum of one month in a place and really get to understand a city, and document what it’s like being a digital nomad there.

How do you choose destinations now?
It’s a whole mix of places I want to see, or been and not made a video in, and also what people want. The next one is Cape Town - I’ve always been curious, but mostly I am going because people are talking about it a lot.

Where do you think will be the next big hotspot for digital nomads?
Siargao - I’ve just come from there and the community is growing. Pipa, where I did my last video too. I think people will talk more about it soon, and I hope watch my video!

Since our chat, Sergio has been announced as a speaker at Nomad Week in Cape Town. Having spent a bit of time seeing him talk, and face-to-face, if you needed a reason to go, then go to hear from Sergio - it’ll be worth it!

His latest video of Pipa, in Brazil, was premiered last month, and you can find it here. Find his YouTube channel, with dozens of locations covered, and give him a subscribe. Or hit him up on IG.

We love to feature nomads and what you do that can help the rest of us. Fill out this form to show us your thing!

SOUTH AFRICA
On paper, this city is perfect for nomads

So, a nice segue from Sergio here 😉. Next month sees Nomad Week Cape Town, a city he was looking forward to seeing, but one that on paper looks pretty ideal for nomads.

Like any new city, it can be quite the task to work out where to stay, where to work, and how to connect to your people while you’re there.

Luckily, Simon Lewis of Digital Nomad Safari has a wealth of experience in South Africa and has a guide specifically for Nomad Week Cape Town, but is full of useful information for any visit to the tip of Africa.

POLL

BRAIN FOOD

Book - Mel Robbins is no stranger to most of you. Her latest, The Let Them Theory has gotten quite a lot of press and might just resonate with you nomads.

Apps - Should you update your apps and software? Plenty of people don’t, but are they right?

Useful - This is maybe a hack we shouldn’t be sharing.

Music - A great travel album (yes, an album if you still listen to music the way it should be!) from Sam Fender released last week. Find it on your favorite music platform.

If you have any recommendations we can share here, let us know.

MAKE DIGITAL NOMAD LIFE EASIER
Resources that are actually helpful

Check out our new resources page for the longer list. This gets added to every week, but here are a few notable deals for retreats or getaways coming up:

• Mastermind Event for Business Starters - Join Max’s retreat in a luxury pool villa in Hoi An next month - the perfect time of year for a visit. Focussed on learning, sharing and leveling up. Get 5% off using code TDN5.

• Vietnam Nomadfest in Da Nang & Hoi An is only a month away. Get tickets here, and use code TIM for 10% off too!

• Alt_Coliving’s popup in Japan is only a few weeks away. More on this off-the-beaten track destination here.

• Kaya Connections’ April retreat in Siargao - for entrepreneurs and business owners - that we featured recently is filling up fast. Mention The Digital Nomad for $50 off!

Other popular products or services right now:

• SafetyWing are now their own provider of digital nomad insurance, streamlining their claim processes.

• Get an eSim from Airalo, using code NEWTOAIRALO15 for 15% off with this link.

• VPN - NordVPN have a birthday sale on. You’ll get up to 70% off and 6 months free on most plans using this link.

Check out the new resources page for an extensive list of useful tools and services.

THE LIST
Get a better night’s sleep

In line with the report we shared in What Else… that says you’re likely to sleep better than most by staying in hotels, what about the rest of you? Here are the top natural sleep aids in case you struggle to sleep on the road, according to Sleep Foundation:

1. Melatonin

2. Cannabis

3. Magnesium

4. L-Theanine

5. Glycine

6. Valerian

Obviously, some of these will more readily available than others in different locations, but we can root for magnesium glycinate, if you want our two-penny’s worth.

BE SEEN AND HEARD

We would love to hear from you if you have some valuable knowledge, products or services, information, or just a fun or crazy digital nomad story. Get more eyes on your thing, or maybe you just like sharing with fellow nomads!

Fill in this form if you want to FEATURE FOR FREE in The Digital Nomad.

TRIVIA
This month in quiz form

How well do you know February - what happened this month or just boring facts about what is the last of the winter/summer months?

1. Who was the lead act in the Superbowl Half-Time Show this month?

2. Mardi Gras falls in February. What does the name translate to in English?

3. February sees Groundhog Day. What does it mean if the groundhog sees its shadow?

4. On Setsubun (3rd February) what do the Japanese throw out of their windows to ward off spirits and bring good fortune?

5. The thaw that usually starts this month in Canada sparks the production cycle of what?

6. The English called this month Solmonath, which in modern English translates to what?

Answers below.

COFFEE BREAK

🥊 History - Muhammad Ali first became world heavyweight champion on this day in 1964. Still the greatest.

📸 Art - If you’re a diver, these images will make you want to go again. If not, you’ll wonder why you’re not.

📺 Watch - The phenom is back, and cue a big rush to stay in Koh Samui! The White Lotus is being drip-fed to us on Netflix.

SPREAD THE WORD

Have you been forwarded The Digital Nomad by a friend? If so, don’t miss out on future issues by getting it every Tuesday.

Or do you have digital nomad friends, or ones planning to be? They could use a quick weekly fix of what’s happening in their world, so share this link or share on your socials with the links at the top of this newsletter.

WHAT DID YOU MISS?

If you are new to The Digital Nomad - or just want to go back and read a previous issue - then you can find them all here.

ANSWERS

1. Kendrick Lamar. 2. Fat Tuesday. 3. Six more weeks of winter. 4. Roasted soybeans. 5. Maple syrup. 6. Mud month (if you’ve spent winter in the UK you coulda guessed this probably!)