Ever read The Sovereign Individual?
Authors James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg argue our transition into the digital age will benefit those who are adaptable and can master the opportunities presented.
Mobility is a key part of this strategy. What’s more adaptable than the ability to change your location at any given moment?
- Reduce your taxes
- Get a better quality of life
- Expand your business network
In 2021 I started my own business, moved to Latin America and haven’t looked back. But easier said than done, right?
Here are 5 tips I’d offer you as you think about embarking on your own adventure across the world.
1. Embrace the local culture
Don’t be a Gringo Greg. The beauty of world travel is experiencing and embracing all these wildly cool cultures. So you can then learn about yourself and the world around you.
Being open to each new culture is one thing. Embracing it and living it is another.
Latin America isn’t a carbon copy of the Western world. Each country, each region is as unique as the street food you’ll find there.
Take that salsa class, try the local food and drink, ditch the common advice for that city. And get out of your comfort zone.
The goal is to immerse yourself as quickly as possible. Because that’s how you truly experience life.
- Getting takeout for every meal
- Refusing to mingle with the locals
- Staying in the touristy part of town
👆 3 great ways to stay in your little bubble.
The more you dive into the true culture, the more locals will trust and respect you. And that’s what makes a new place feel like home.
2. Master Spanish (at least the basics)
What’s holding you back from doing all the above? Likely the language barrier…
You don’t need to become fluent asap. That’s overwhelming.
But getting a grip on some basic Spanish goes a long way. You’ll find yourself in fewer sticky situations and you’ll be more welcomed by the locals.
Dressing, acting and speaking like an American tourist in Latin America = Begging to get taken advantage of (or worse)
Obviously, avoiding crime isn’t the only benefit to learning a new language.
- Expands your business network
- Activates a different part of your brain
- Allows you to connect with the people around you
500 million people speak Spanish. So there are plenty of resources to learn. My favorite? Conversation.
You can take all the online classes or download all the apps you want, but you won’t learn the vocabulary you need to learn to survive and thrive in Latin America.
Nothing beats regular ol’ conversation.
I’m lucky to have had a cheat code to become fluent in less than 2 years. My Colombian girlfriend doesn’t speak English, so I had to learn – and learn quickly.
3. Understand the economic climate
The United States is one of the most expensive places on the planet. Here’s a map of each country by its cost of living.
One of my goals of moving to South America was to save some money.
Earn dollars. Spend pesos.
And I have.
But that doesn’t discount the local problems many of these countries have.
The economic situation can be a rollercoaster. One minute you’re enjoying an affordable cost of living. The next minute hyperinflation makes the locals’ morning coffee half their rent payment.
- Argentina is wrestling with hyperinflation
- Ecuador and Perú just arrested their presidents
- Brazilians stormed the capital just like in the U.S.
Just be aware: For many locals, the rise in nomadism has increased prices, and they can’t afford to live in their cities anymore. So what may be a cheap price to you is astronomical for them.
4. Networking is key – just like at home
I admit I didn’t socialize enough in 2022, and I suffered because of it.
But even so, in two years in South America, I’ve met some of the most entrepreneurial people I’ve ever met – locals, expats and nomads.
My advice: Don’t be shy.
There are so many others in your same shoes. They’re traveling around the world and a little hesitant to meet others.
Attend local meetups, coworking events and expat groups. Use Twitter or Instagram to find others who are either passing through or live there permanently. Learn about your destination city before going, so you know what each neighborhood is like, where people congregate, etc.
NomadList and Hoodmaps are both great for this.
5. Patience is paramount
Things in Latin America don’t always operate at the speed of the United States.
Processes move slowly. People move slower. It’s just a part of life here.
(Note: I have not had any problems with wifi.)
I’m a fast-moving, decisive entrepreneur. It’s nice to have a balance of people around me who aren’t thinking about scaling their business, who aren’t rushed 24/7, who aren’t “on that grind.”
With a little bit of patience, you’ll find the slower pace of life gives you the freedom to breathe, relax and yes, even motivate you to go even harder.
Don’t believe me? Try it.
So there are 5 unconventional tips you don’t hear every day about leaving your country and embracing a more nomadic lifestyle.
All this to say, 2 years in and I’m spent. I need a home, a place I call my own, a sanctuary. That’s why I’m buying a home in Medellín, Colombia, and will become a permanent resident in 5 years.
Nomadism taught me a lot. But I’m ready for the first time in my life to settle down in a single spot.
