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Date: May 30, 2022
Episode: WeNomad Episode 16
Title: Elise Coleman on Giving Up Corporate Life To Start a Travel Company
If you’re looking to create a life of freedom and fulfillment, make sure to listen to this episode of the WeNomad podcast.
About Elise Coleman
Elise Coleman is a digital nomad and co-founder of Here & Now Travel, a company that sells group trips to young professionals to destinations all over the world including Cuba, Iceland, Greece, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Mexico.
Elise’s favorite thing about being a digital nomad is getting energy from a new city. And her best advice for aspiring digital nomads is to not plan anything for the first two days after arriving in a new city.
In This Episode…
Elise Coleman talks about her experience as a digital nomad in Antigua, Guatemala. She shares how affordable it is to live there and what the expat/digital nomad community is like. She also discusses the nightlife scene and why she believes it’s a great place for digital nomads.
Key Takeaways
- Elise’s travel company started as a passion project on vacation days and then evolved when COVID hit. They used their time during the pandemic to focus on building an online community, and the skills they learned from working in the corporate world prepared them for entrepreneurship.
- Travel can be a great way to get energy from new places, experiences, and people. However, it’s important to realize that traveling can also mean you miss out on some of the community aspects and relationships that come with staying in one place. So it’s crucial to get energy in different ways when you’re traveling, such as looking forward to new experiences and spending time in nature.
- Some Airbnb Tips:
- Use Google Street View to get a feel for neighborhoods. Look for clean streets, cafes, and grocery stores.
- You can negotiate monthly rates if you’re staying long-term.
- Check for reviews about the quality of the shower and mattress before booking an Airbnb. Use a mattress topper to make a bad bed more bearable.
- Learning about different cultures and societies by traveling to different countries can give you a totally different perspective from what you might learn in school.
- City planning in other parts of the world is often geared more towards walkability and community, rather than cars and businesses.
- Healthcare systems in other countries are often much cheaper and more accessible.
- Antigua, Guatemala is a great place for digital nomads with its affordable cost of living and active expat community. The weather is good year-round, although there’s a wet and dry season. Nightlife is known to be good there, although it may be limited during COVID. Consider avoiding Holy Week if you want to experience a typical working week.
