Testing the Digital Nomad Waters

Exploring the middle ground between staying put and full-time nomad life.

I’m writing this edition from Boston, MA. I’ve been traveling quite a lot recently, and it does become tiring, but today’s edition is about the middle ground. Also, here are some pictures that I promised from my trip to Norway last week:

I visited Bergen, a city on the west coast of Norway. It’s known for its beautiful harbour with a historic wharf.

I’m getting more into hiking, and this was the view after four hours into a six-hour hike. There were lots of mountains and the ocean!

Seeing Fjords like this one made the trip extremely special. I took an 8 hour boat ride through the world’s largest Fjord, got to jump in the water later on too!

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For the longest time, I thought being a digital nomad meant fully committing:
Selling your furniture. Living out of a carry-on. Changing cities every month.

But I’m starting to realize there’s a middle ground.

I travel a fair amount, and I’ve found that working while away doesn’t feel like a burden. It actually energizes me. New places give me fresh perspectives. I focus better. I connect the dots I might’ve missed at home.

So now I’m thinking about taking it a step further:
What if I chose a new city and worked from there for a whole month?

No vacation mindset. No packed sightseeing schedule.
Just living and working somewhere different.
A test run of digital nomad life.

My friend Chris gave me this idea when he did this in New Orleans recently and had the time of his life being a local during all the various festivals of Mardi Gras.

This is not a thought because I want to become a full-time nomad.
But because I’m thinking about moving out of Buffalo eventually—and this could be a great way to “test drive” potential new cities before making a big move.

A lot of us—especially Gen Z—are looking for more flexible routines and fresh inputs. Staying put forever feels limiting. But constant travel isn’t the answer either.

A few reasons I’m considering this experiment:

• New environments = new ideas. Changing scenery sparks creativity and you meet new people with different perspectives/skills.

• Testing long-term flexibility. Can my routine and work style adapt to a new place?

• Lifestyle design. It’s not just about travel—it’s about choosing how and where I want to live and work.

I’m not sure where I’ll go yet.
But I like the idea of designing my work life with more intentional movement—even if it’s just once or twice a year.