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Following up with my post on why I think the nomadic lifestyle is a perfect one for Gen Y, I’m sure you would hear or even have some doubts about it. This post addresses the possible negative opinions and stereotypes with this lifestyle, starting with that I have received whenever I gave a hint about my desire to live such lifestyle:
- “My status in a particular location usually do not go as planned. You go with the cards that you’re given.” -Anonymous
- While I partially agree with this statement with nothing going exactly as planned, I disagree with the total compromise part. Nothing would go 100% as planned explains why my list of destination places of short-term opportunities includes more than 2 dozen (!!) places. Going with the cards that I’m given sounds like total compromise in positive terms, or “sucking it up” in realistic terms. For example, if you’re in a place where the only types of jobs available are oil and gas (energy sector) related, and you totally dislike that sector, would you suck it up, adapt to the local demands, and stay in your current situation? This is where I highly disagree with the latter statement of the quote. Besides, from a webinar that I have attended at Brazen Careerist about Location Independence, one statement that the hosts, Penelope Trunk and Ryan Paugh, mentioned really applies to everyone: “No matter how happy you are about your current situation, you should always think about where you want to go next, and not get complacent. Then get the act together and execute the tasks that would get you to where you wanted to go.” For me personally, I don’t think complacency is an option, since there is no such thing as a desired stable job at least from the last time I have looked. Part of the qualities of a fitting nomad, although I do sense a generation gap here, as that person is not in the same generation as me. Gen Y’s tolerances are typically fairly low.
- Parental objection
- You’ve guessed it. Usually parents aren’t fans of their children wandering off different places for their careers. They presume that sinking most of the salary on rent is not sustainable in terms of preserving and building wealth eventually for a family. They think paying that money instead to a mortgage is better financially. Again, this only works if stable jobs are available in a given location. If they are not available (which applies to a lot of jobs these days b/c circumstances change very quickly), then trying to pay down a mortgage while unemployed is hopeless. This also explains the growing number of foreclosures in the United States. Basically boils back down to the overcommitment point that I was previously talking about in this post. Hence, I have managed to use the words “career opportunities” and “flexibility” to ease the parental criticisms. As long as I am able to meet their obligations somehow, I should be fine, which I probably have a better chance meeting if I live by my desired lifestyle.
- Challenges of finding opportunities abroad as a foreigner
- This is not an easy challenge to overcome, as I’m personally overcoming right now. Since this process would be repeating fairly regularly due to my desired lifestyle, I’m also finding out how this can be mitigated. I highly agree arranging to do free work that I’m absolutely passionate about as described in page 13 of Charlie Hoehn’s guide would help lead to opportunities facilitating this type of lifestyle. Once you’ve completed enough projects while making meaningful contacts, the sky is the limit. The world is the limit!
- Needing an unlimited bank account.
- Conventionally, people think in order to be a nomad, huge amount of funds is needed. First a lot of money is needed to move between locations, then the living expenses while finding opportunities. I highly disagree on the expense and method arguments. Firstly, I would never move to a certain place without working out the details on the opportunities. I would likely (and highly recommend) a modified version of the strategy in the link I have included in the previous bullet point, as it’s a low-risk, high-reward (rate and satisfaction) option. Secondly, settling down somewhere is even more expensive than living the nomadic lifestyle. For example, let’s compare the case of renting and paying a mortgage. If gone unemployed for a considerable period of time, mortgages aren’t easy to get away from (unless the house is closed or abandoned waiting for a foreclosure); if renting, it’s comparably easy to move to a place for the time being with low living expenses, as there are minimal obligations; also, there is more available/accessible opportunities b/c not of not being tied to any particular location.
- Homesickness.
- This is understandable. It is one of the most challenging drawbacks. However, if planned properly, this can be mitigated by planning sufficient amount of trips back home. That way, at least an attempt of a balance can be made.
What is your choice regarding the choice between the two lifestyles? Why? Regardless your choice, if you have the will and patience, you can always work out the details and execute it any time you want.
Stay tuned for some tips that I have gathered and enlightened in next post of this series! Meanwhile, feel free to drop me a line below or at blog@sysil.com.
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