Digital Nomading

Expert Advice From A Veteran Digital Nomad

“What’s a Digital Nomad?” you ask.

A digital nomad, simply put, is someone who works remotely (digitally) while traveling, often in exotic locations far from (what they might call) home.

You could say I started my global journey on the outskirts of the small German city of Bad Kreuznach (Dad was in the Army and took my sister and pregnant mother over to Europe with him in 1974). We spent four years in Germany, and you could say I spent 43 years living in the United States (I use the past tense since it’s slowly becoming clear that I might not ever return to the US, at least not to settle back down). In between giving world-class English lesson (110+ 5-star reviews), I’ll be building out this section of my personal website as time permits. Feel free to email via the contact form with any questions at all, or to just say “hello”!

To date, I’ve lived in or visited 35 of the 237 countries listed by the CIA (listed by me in order of my first memory of that place). Why a list found on CIA.gov, of all places? The official UN member state list doesn’t include polities like Gibraltar.

In short, you might just say that I’m simply scratching countries and places therein off my bucket list (and yes, I also have a movie bucket list) and expanding my list of reviews.

Also, for a bit of practical advice from a veteran who’s been there and has probably been wherever you’re going, see this Veteran Digital Nomad’s International Packing List page.

  1. Germany (1974)

  2. The United States (1978)

  3. Canada (c. 1984)

  4. Mexico (c. 1984)

  5. Japan (1991)

  6. Sweden (1992)

  7. Russia (1992)

  8. France (1994)

  9. Belgium (1994)

  10. Luxembourg (1994)

  11. Denmark (1994)

  12. Austria (1994)

  13. Switzerland (1994)

  14. Ireland (1999)

  15. United Kingdom (2001)

  16. Poland (2001)

  17. Netherlands (2001)

  18. Estonia (2021)

  19. Finland (2021)

  20. Croatia (2021)

  21. Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021)

  22. Turkey (2021)

  23. Slovenia (2022)

  24. Italy (2022)

  25. Holy See (Vatican City) (2022)

  26. Egypt (2023)

  27. Jordan (2023)

  28. Greece (2023)

  29. Spain (2023)

  30. Morocco (2023)

  31. Gibraltar (2023)

  32. Georgia (2024)

  33. Armenia (2024)

  34. Romania (2024)

  35. Bulgaria (2024) …

*Note that, at the end of 2023, the planned 2024 implementation of the Schengen Area’s new ETIAS system was delayed until at least May 2025 (if and when ETIAS is ever finally implemented, Americans and many others will have to pay a few Euros to essentially fill out an online pre-screening application before setting foot in a Schengen Area country).

**Also note that, as of the end of March 2024, Bulgaria and Romania will be joining the Schengen Area, but only in terms of air and sea travel (in other words, starting in April 2024, for nomadic purposes, they’re Schengen countries for all intents and purposes if you choose to enter these countries by air or sea, and non-Schengen countries if you enter by bus, train or foot).

***Finally, more good news: In 2024, Turkey has dropped its visa requirement for Americans!