Grateful Gnomads is a travel blog for digital nomads where we help digital nomads create a fulfilling and sustainable location-independent lifestyle. We live by our tagline: Improvise your life! Check out the resources we offer below and sign up for our newsletter!
from backpackers to now
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Hey, Gnomies! Hola from sunny Puerto Vallarta! We’re back in one of our favorite destinations after almost two years away, and it feels good to return to a place that holds so many memories from our nomad journey. Being here again has me reflecting on just how much has changed over the past decade - not just in the way we travel, but in the way we work and live. We didn’t start out with a grand plan to make this our lifestyle. We were just a couple of backpackers in love with travel, exploring the world with no idea what would come next. We started our blog simply to keep our friends and family updated on our adventures. At the time, Sasha had some freelance blogging experience and knew his way around WordPress, but we had no idea it would turn into something bigger. In the process of learning how to monetize the blog, I discovered VIPKid and started teaching English online with them. That opportunity gave us the confidence and financial security to keep traveling. As we moved from country to country, I was also learning everything I could about SEO, digital marketing, and creating digital products. Meanwhile, I was also honing my travel skills learning about travel hacking, packing smart, and navigating new places like a pro. The skills we built along the way opened up new opportunities we never could have imagined back then. Sasha landed his fully remote job at CashorTrade because of his blogging and social media expertise. I got my role with Bridge because of my digital marketing and blogging experience. To be honest, learning the ropes of this new role while still teaching and traveling was overwhelming. That’s why you haven’t gotten an update from us in a while. But now that I’m finally getting the hang of things, I’m ready to get back to creating new content and sharing more with you. The biggest lesson from the past decade? Just start. Take that trip. Start that Instagram page. Apply for that remote job. Do the thing you’ve been thinking about because you never know where it will lead. We started with no roadmap - just a desire to keep going - and that’s exactly what got us here. Keep reading for travel tips and a sneak peek at what’s coming up next! Where we've been traveling and working since December: Since our last update, we’ve been on the move! We wrapped up our Central Europe trip in Budapest, with one main mission: Christmas markets! The city was pure magic in December, and we managed to visit three different markets - even though I came down with the flu while we were there. I’ve never felt worse. It was one of those sicknesses that make you question all your life decisions. But honestly? It was still worth it. Mulled wine, twinkling lights, and festive vibes everywhere made it an unforgettable experience. After that, we flew back to the U.S. for the holidays - spending time with family, ringing in the New Year at concerts, and catching up with friends. We also spent three weeks in Denver, which meant even more concerts (because, of course) and lots of quality time with some of our favorite people. Then, it was time to follow the lines going south. We’re now back in Mexico, where we’ve been splitting our time between a few different places. In addition to Puerto Vallarta, we spent a week in Mexico City soaking up the energy of the capital, and Sasha just got back from a quick trip to Guadalajara. It’s been a whirlwind few months, but that’s exactly why we love this lifestyle - every chapter brings new experiences, challenges, and unexpected adventures. Digital Nomad Tip of the Month: Pack versatile, not just light. We all know about packing light, but the real trick is packing smart. Think multi-use items - like shoes that work for city walks and beach days, or a scarf that doubles as a blanket on long travel days. The more versatile your gear, the less you have to pack (and carry). It saves space, money, and decision fatigue on the road. Bonus: It’s easier to say yes to spontaneous trips when your bag is always ready. Get more packing tips in our Nomad Packing 101 blog post. What's Coming Up1. The free 5 Day VA Challenge is back! My good friend Hannah, who’s been training VAs (virtual assistants) and freelancers for over 10 years, is hosting a free training called the 5 Day VA Challenge. She’s helped over 35,000 people kickstart their freelance journeys, and this challenge is the perfect intro if you’re curious about how to use your skills to work online and live more freely. Honestly? What I do for Bridge is exactly what she teaches. I work with them as a freelancer, using the skills I already had - blogging, SEO, editing, email marketing - and I get paid to do work I enjoy on my own schedule. It’s a great way to get started in the digital nomad world without needing a brand or business of your own (yet). Here are the details: 📅 Dates: April 21–25, 2025 🕒 Time: Materials drop every morning (NYC time) 👉 Click here to sign up for the free challenge. 2. TEFL Info Session – Learn How to Teach English Online One of the things I do for Bridge is host live info sessions that help people learn more about teaching English as a foreign language and the many courses Bridge offers to support that journey. If you’re thinking about teaching English online - or if you’ve already started and want to level up your skills and offer more value to your students - the next info session is a great place to start. 📅 Date: March 27, 2025 🕐 Time: 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT 🎓 Session Title: Career Path: Teaching English Online 👉 Head to the info sessions page to sign up. (Make sure you choose the right session - look for “Career Path: Teaching English Online”) That's it for this newsletter. Thanks for opening and reading it to the end! We appreciate it more than you know. Feel free to write back! We love hearing from you :-D Cheers, Resources for Digital Nomads:Ready to start your location-independent lifestyle but overwhelmed by it all? Looking for advice for your specific situation? Rachel can coach you through the prep and mindset to get you started on your journey. Get more info here. Need help planning a trip? That's Sasha's superpower. Hit him up for more info here. Teacherpreneur Academy - Ready to take the leap into independence and build a robust English teaching portfolio? This program introduces the 3 ways to teach English online and culminates in the creation of your Preliminary Business Outline so you have the plan to start building your business. Take 10% off with the code grateful10. SafetyWing - Travel insurance for digital nomads. Make sure you're covered! Sign up for just $56 for 4 weeks. Teachable - Easily create and sell your online course. BridgeTEFL - Get certified to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) and continue your professional development as an ESL teacher. TrustedHousesitters - save money on accommodation by caring for someone's home and fur babies or find someone to take care of yours while you travel! Xero Shoes - the best shoes for travelers! They're lightweight and fit very nicely into your bag. They have lots of different styles from casual, every-day shoes to hiking boots. Click the link to check them out! Some links may be affiliate links, earning us a commission if you purchase at no extra cost to you! We're super grateful for the support as it helps us keep the lights on ;) In case you missed it, our latest blog posts and videos... |
Grateful Gnomads
Grateful Gnomads is a travel blog for digital nomads where we help digital nomads create a fulfilling and sustainable location-independent lifestyle. We live by our tagline: Improvise your life! Check out the resources we offer below and sign up for our newsletter!
Hey, Reader! One of my favorite English students - who's now a good friend - recently spent a week with us here in Albania. When we first started our classes, he was curious about the idea of a location-independent lifestyle. He was already working remotely but hadn’t taken the leap into traveling just yet. After hearing more about my adventures and getting a bit of advice, he finally took the plunge. Fast forward to today: he's on multi-month trips and has joined us not once, but twice, on...
Hey, Gnomies! You're receiving this email because you downloaded or signed up for one of our resources. Perhaps the Digital Nomad Roadmap, the Digital Nomad Income Blueprint course, How to Travel the World as an Online English Teacher ebook, the Phish Summer Tour Guide, or the Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta guide. Or you found us through the Kit Creator Network. Greetings from Prague! We've been in this gorgeous city for almost two weeks after spending seven weeks in Poland. Poland is a...
Hey, Reader! The number one question I get when I tell people about our lifestyle is, "How do you do it? How can you afford to travel and live like this?” I get where they're coming from. Most people only know travel as going on vacation, so they assume we must be rich to pull off this lifestyle. But here’s the thing: we’re not rich, and you don’t have to be to live a location-independent lifestyle. If you're curious about how to create this lifestyle for yourself, then I’ve got something...