7 Reasons Why I Chose To Work Remotely

Happy (almost) five months on the road! I left home on 28 June 2013 to start my journey and it’s the best decision of my life. There were a lot of turn-arounds in my life and believe me, I’ve never felt this great.

1. I can travel.
I am marking my 5th month of being on the road (without going back home) and it feels great! Social media marketing, publishing and writing are one of my jobs and it only requires me a laptop and a good internet connection. I cannot believe that this is even possible!

2. I am in full control of my time.
In my current job(s), I am only required to work at least four hours a day. The rest is up to me. My usual routine is finishing tasks in the morning, do yoga in the afternoon and then live like a local in the current city I am in. (Hey, I am still in Brazil!)

3. I don’t have to bust myself to sit all day in an office.
I don’t commute. Whether I am in a hostel, a beach, in a farm, or Couchsurfing, I can work. I can choose to sit in a cottage in Rio de Janeiro or on a porch at a coconut farm. Internet connections are always challenging but so far, I am getting by. This world is so techy, you should see it!

4. Looking for a job is easier.
Climbing to the fashion industry ladder was a struggle for me and it took me years to get to where I was. There are a lot of jobs available online, as long as it fits your skills and interests. If you are a fast learner, why not, give it a shot. All you have to do is fill out that small box in Google and voila! P.S. I recently watched The Internship and I am dying to be an intern for Google. 

5. I am living my life.
I am definitely not saying you’re not. I think deciding for what you have to do in life is already considered living — a struggle that many of us face each day. In my recent interview with Mo, he asked me to choose a movie title for the story of my journey. I answered, “Everybody dies but not everybody lives.” What are we living for? Have you asked yourself what is the purpose of your existence in this world? I have, many times. I used to enjoy the attention in my ‘prestigious’ job. Hearing people commend you on how you got there is overwhelming. I have not put that aside. Of course, I will always remember everything about my career! And it’s the only job I know!

It’s just that, Reed is right this time.

6. The opportunities are endless.
I have worked with employers from the USA and Denmark and they told me that whenever I need visa-assistance, they will help me. I am very clear of my intentions with my employers and so far, I have never used anyone just because I wanted to hop in countries. I will stick to my decision to travel visa-free countries for Filipinos now. In the future, we will see. At least the offer still stands and these people whom I never met personally trust me. Inshallah 🙂

7. I craved less. My life is very simple.
Before I left, I gave away, sold and let go of those high heels that I use to work everyday; my precious Marc Jacobs coat; my LBD from Chanel and all those fancy stuff that one owns when working in the fashion industry. It took extra effort to let go but I did it! I had a hard time packing. I didn’t know what to bring, to sell or to give away. It was one of the biggest life decisions I faced. Am I really letting all these go? Do I have to think again? Shall I bring everything Chanel? Now, I have been wearing the same thing for five months and it didn’t harm me. Not at all. A few people can’t still believe that I am constantly repeating outfits. I guess this is who I am now — and I am loving it. I only own a 80+10 backpack. The rest is up to you to imagine what can fit in this kind of bag.

More often than not, later becomes never. I am young, single with no children so I guess I am entitled to do this. I have waited all my life to see the world and now it’s happening! I cannot believe it as well! I received all your queries regarding this digital nomadic lifestyle but I cannot answer all of it since I am busy juggling work and learning about culture at the same time. I hope this post helps. Let me know if there are questions that I wasn’t able to answer. I’ll be posting more about this so you will be enlightened. Maybe you will then decide to make your later, a now.

The day I become a grandmother is also the day that my family will look back and enjoy my life.

Trisha Velarmino

Trisha is one of those people who left their comfortable life to travel the world and learn about life. Her style is to stay in one place she likes for 3 months (or more) to know what it feels like to eat, cook, speak, and sleep in another culture that isn’t hers. She’d like to believe she’s not traditionally traveling but she just chooses to be somewhere else all the time. In no particular order, her favorite cities in the world are Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Mexico City, and Tel Aviv.