The Pros and Cons of Being a Filipino Digital Nomad

Embracing the digital nomad lifestyle is a huge leap from the usual 9-5. Yes, you’ll have more control over your time and the opportunity to travel the world, but you’ll also encounter some challenges that might test your mettle.

If you’re still on the fence about embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, let me help you make a smart decision by outlining its pros and cons.

Let’s start off with its benefits:

What are the pros of being a digital nomad?

Digital nomadism offers a lot of perks that traditional work setups simply can’t provide. Here are some of its biggest pros:

You can work from anywhere

Being location-independent means you can work from virtually anywhere — as long as you have a laptop and a stable internet connection. I used to spend hours in traffic just to get to my BPO job in Taguig. Now, as a digital nomad, all I have to do is open my laptop and get on with my day.

Remote work makes it possible for me to get stuff done from my home office, a coffee shop in BGC, or from a cabin up in Tagaytay. Of course, internet speed matters, so it’s important to pick a place where this isn’t an issue.

You have more control over your time

If you had an extra 4-6 hours a day, how would you spend it?

Would you go to the beach and surf? Pick up a new hobby? Or maybe spend more time with your family?

We often underestimate the time we spend going to and from our physical offices. Remote work completely eliminates the need to commute so you can spend your extra time however you want to.

Related: How remote work is changing lives, including my own

You get to explore lots of places 

If you love traveling, then the digital nomad lifestyle might be a good fit for you. The world doesn’t just become your office; you can also transform it into your playground. Imagine taking in the beautiful beach views of Siargao right after a Zoom call or going surfing in La Union during your lunch break.

The digital nomad life has given me the opportunity to explore the beauty of the Philippines and Southeast Asia. We’re lucky to live in a region where traveling is relatively cheap. In the past couple of years, my wife and I have been able to travel to dream destinations like:

• El Nido

• Siargao

• Singapore

• Bali

• Malaysia

• And many more

This year, I plan to expand my horizons even further and visit countries in Europe and North America. Being a digital nomad gives you the freedom to experience the best places the world can offer.

Related: My favorite digital nomad destinations in Southeast Asia 

Discovering different cultures

Travel isn’t just about taking photos for the ‘gram. It’s also about creating enriching experiences that expand your horizons.

Traveling to Bali, for example, was a fascinating experience for me. Most of the locals in Bali are Hindu, so they're very conservative about nature and karma. They treat people with respect and love, so much so that our tour guide ended up being one of my closest friends. It was one of the most eye-opening trips of my life.

If you love learning about different cultures, then the digital nomad lifestyle could be a great fit for you. 

Building connections from all over the world

Traveling as a digital nomad means interacting with locals, learning how they live, and sharing their culture.

At the same time, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with fellow travelers who hail from different parts of the globe. It’s a great way to learn from people with different backgrounds, interests, and nationalities. If you’re lucky, you might end up with life-long friendships.

Being a digital nomad can also widen your professional network. If you hang out at digital nomad hubs like Chiang Mai, Siargao, or Bali, you can open yourself up to lots of work opportunities and collaborations. 

Related: My journey from BPO worker to startup co-founder

You start appreciating experiences rather than material things

Last but definitely not least, being a digital nomad makes you appreciate experiences more than material things. When you’re constantly traveling, you’re forced to bring only the essentials. You’ll be surprised at how we tend to keep things that we don’t actually need!

Being a digital nomad opened my eyes to minimalism and the pura vida way of life.

What are the downsides of being a digital nomad?

Of course, being a digital nomad is not always rainbows and butterflies. At the end of the day, it’s a lifestyle that may not be suitable for everybody. Here are some of the downsides that you should consider:

It can get lonely sometimes

If you don’t have a solid support system, being a digital nomad can be a lonely journey. When you’re constantly traveling, missing important events like birthdays, anniversaries, and family gatherings back at home is par for the course.

You might also feel isolated if you are traveling alone or if you don’t have a strong connection with your remote team.

Building deep connections can be tough

That being said, building genuine relationships also takes hard work! Yes, you’ll meet lots of new people, but most of them won’t be staying long in one place. They’re constantly traveling, just like you. Missed connections and empty plans happen more often than you’d think.

Some digital nomads may also find the parties and networking mixers to be exhausting after a while.

If you want to truly make friends as a digital nomad, you’ll have to put in a little effort at actually catching up with the people you meet along the way.

Travel fatigue

If you enjoy planning itineraries, booking different tickets, and scouting for the best accommodations, you might enjoy being a digital nomad. Otherwise, the constant travel planning could be exhausting. You’ll experience inevitable delays, missed flights, and long layovers spent on the airport floor. Flexibility is key if you want to enjoy your time on the road.

Immigration offices can also be challenging for people with “weak” passports, like us Filipinos. You’ll need to set aside time and resources to apply for visas to places like the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea. Be mentally prepared to answer the immigration officer's questions, too.

Missing a sense of stability

Some digital nomads sell everything they have back home and literally live out of their backpacks. Not knowing where you’ll end up next can be exhilarating for some — and anxiety-inducing for others.

You’ll miss small comforts like having your own bed, using your own kitchenware, and maybe even using your own bathroom. You might feel a bit untethered if you don’t have a home base, so keep this in mind when planning your digital nomad leap.

Adjusting to the culture and language

Discovering new cultures is an awesome experience, but it also comes with real growing pains. Not being able to speak the language of the region, for example, presents a barrier that you’ll have to overcome when interacting with locals.

Adjusting to a different culture can be a challenge, too. In New Zealand, for example, shops close as early as 3 p.m.! You might find that surprising if you’re used to the 24-hour coffee shops we have here at home. You’ll experience cultural differences in all of the places that you’ll visit, so keep an open mind.

Final thoughts

Digital nomadism is an alternative lifestyle that might be a dream come true for some and a headache for others. In my case, being a digital nomad has been a wonderful and life-changing journey — and I plan to pursue it for as long as I can.

In the next posts, I’ll share how you can sustainably live the digital nomad life. For now, I hope this blog helped you decide if being a digital nomad is for you. Do you feel like the pros outweigh the cons, or is it the other way around? Let me know by dropping a message or by sharing this post on social media.

Thanks for reading this blog post and I’ll see you on the next one!