As a photographer, the digital nomad lifestyle offers a unique opportunity to transform the entire world into your creative playground. Imagine breathtaking landscapes waiting to be captured with every turn of the road.

But translating this nomadic vision into reality requires the right gear – a balance between capturing stunning visuals and staying light on your feet. This guide equips you with the essential tech tools to thrive as a nomad creator, ensuring you never miss a shot while exploring the world.

Unveiling Your Mobile Studio:

Camera Gear

Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera: Strike the perfect balance between image quality and portability. Mirrorless cameras offer stunning results without the bulk of traditional DSLRs.

Drone: Elevate your perspective with breathtaking aerial shots. Research drone regulations in your destinations beforehand.

Waterproof Action Camera: Capture life's adventures, from underwater dives to adrenaline-pumping hikes. Rugged action cameras ensure durability in any environment.

Moment Phone Lenses: Transform your smartphone into a powerful photography tool. Moment lenses offer exceptional quality without sacrificing precious luggage space.

Your Portable Editing Powerhouse:

Laptop & Accessories:

• Apple Macbook Air 13 inch M1: Edit your photos on the go with a powerful laptop. Ample storage ensures you have enough space for your ever-growing photo library.

• Laptop Stand: Maintain ergonomic comfort during editing sessions with a portable laptop stand.

• Laptop Sleeve: Protect your valuable device from bumps and scratches while traveling.

Securing Your Precious Memories

Storage & Backup:

External Hard Drive or SSD: Create a local backup of your photos on a reliable external hard drive or a super-fast SSD for quicker transfer speeds.

Cloud Storage Subscription: Double down on security with a cloud storage subscription. This ensures your photos are always accessible, even if your physical drives are lost or damaged. My preference goes for Google One, but Amazon and Dropbox are also great options.

Staying Connected & Powered Up

• Connectivity:

  • International SIM Card: Stay connected with an international SIM card like Google Fi. Reliable internet access is crucial for uploading photos, sharing experiences, and staying productive.

  • Travel Router: Create a secure Wi-Fi network wherever you go with a travel router. This is especially helpful in areas with unreliable public Wi-Fi.

Boosting Your Creativity

• Productivity Tools:

  • Notebook: Jot down inspiration, shot ideas, and location-scouting notes in a trusty notebook.

  • Selfie Stick & Tripod: Capture stunning solo photos and experiment with long exposures using a compact selfie stick and a travel tripod.

Powering Your Journey

• Power & Charging:

  • Universal Plug Adapter: Stay charged anywhere in the world with a universal plug adapter that offers multiple USB ports for powering various devices.

  • Battery Pack or Spare Laptop Battery: Ensure you never miss a shot with a portable battery pack or a spare laptop battery for extended shooting sessions.

Need some inspiration? Follow this fellow digital nomad @Balsieber who is always on the lookout for the best digital nomad setup for optimum productivity on the go

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bal Sieber | Award-Winning UX Designer (@balsieber)

By strategically selecting these compact and versatile tech tools, you can embark on your photographic nomad journey with confidence. Capture the essence of your travels, stay productive on the go, and rest assured knowing your memories are always safe and secure.

Remember: This list is a starting point. Research specific camera models, lenses, and accessories to find the perfect fit for your photography style and budget.

Ready to unleash your inner travel photographer? Join our brand new free Nomad Creator Community here and receive your free guide to help you make your digital nomad dream a reality.

If you enjoyed reading this article make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference. And if you know anyone else that could benefit from it, feel free to share it with your network.

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Ever fantasize about working from a beach hammock instead of a soul-sucking cubicle? The digital nomad lifestyle might be calling your name. But let's be honest, it's not all palm trees and sipping margaritas by the pool (although there can be some of that). Building a successful remote work life requires strategy and hustle.

Balancing Work & Wanderlust (Because Adulting Doesn't Stop)

The key? Structure, not rigidity. You're not chained to a desk anymore, but that doesn't mean routine goes out the window. Design a schedule with dedicated work hours for focused productivity, but also block out ample time for exploration. It's all about crafting your ideal work-life blend – with a healthy dose of wanderlust.

This is the way I managed to travel to Singapore. I was working by day and exploring the city in the evening.

• Singapore The Ultimate Travel Guide: Is it worth visiting?

Crafting Your Remote Office (Wherever You Land)

Your workspace matters. Whether it's a trendy co-working space, a charming cafe with Wi-Fi, or a quiet corner in your Airbnb, invest in creating an environment that fuels focus. Think reliable laptop, noise-canceling headphones for those inevitable chatty neighbors, and a rock-solid internet connection – your nomad essentials.

• Essential Tech For The Nomad Creators

Taming the Tech Chaos (Staying Organized on the Go)

Tech is your nomad lifeline. Embrace a suite of productivity tools to keep you organized and on top of your game. Project management software like Asana or Notion can streamline tasks, while time trackers like Toggl can ensure you meet those deadlines. Cloud storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox are lifesavers for keeping your important files accessible anywhere.

Time Management Mastery (Because Deadlines Don't Disappear with the View)

Feeling overwhelmed? Break down those projects into bite-sized chunks! Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique (focused 25-minute work intervals with short breaks) or time blocking (dedicating specific time slots to specific tasks) can be your weapons against procrastination. Remember, effective time management is key to maximizing your precious travel days.

Embrace the Flexibility (But Don't Be Flaky)

One of the biggest perks? The freedom to explore! Craving a spontaneous weekend trip? Do it!

But remember, with flexibility comes responsibility. Clear communication and realistic scheduling are key to keeping your clients or team happy while you're off living your best life.

Building Your Nomad Network (You Don't Have to Do This Alone)

The nomad life doesn't have to be a solo adventure.

Connect with fellow digital nomads online through forums, social media groups, or even in-person meetups at co-working spaces. These communities offer invaluable support, tips, and a chance to network with like-minded individuals. Sharing experiences and challenges with others who understand the nomad lifestyle can be a huge motivator.

Join our brand new community of Nomad Tech Creators for free by clicking the button below.

Prioritizing Your Wellbeing (Because Burnout is a Real Threat)

You're a human exploring the world, not a machine! Taking care of yourself is essential for long-term success. Schedule regular breaks, prioritize healthy eating habits, and don't forget to squeeze in some exercise – even if it's just a jog along the beach. Feeling your best physically and mentally will fuel your productivity and allow you to truly enjoy your adventures.

Communication is Key (Especially When You're Miles Apart)

Open communication is the foundation of successful remote work. Keep your team or clients informed with regular check-ins, clear updates, and utilize video calls to maintain a sense of connection. Building trust and strong communication channels will ensure smooth collaboration, even with miles separating you.

Stay Organized, Stay Protected (Data Loss is a Nomad's Nightmare)

Develop a system for organizing your work files and folders. Back up your data religiously! Cloud storage solutions or external hard drives are your best friends. Losing precious work files can put a damper on your travel mood – be proactive and prevent disaster.

Check out the digital nomad essentials article for a list of items I always keep with me.

Never Stop Learning (The World is Your Classroom)

The world is your oyster as a digital nomad! Embrace opportunities for personal and professional growth. Online courses, industry webinars, or even attending conferences in your travels can keep your skills sharp and fuel your creativity. Remember, lifelong learning is essential for staying competitive and adaptable in the ever-changing digital world.

Ready to Ditch the Commute for a Co-working Space?

The digital nomad lifestyle offers a unique blend of freedom, adventure, and professional growth. By implementing these tips and strategies, you can craft a work-life balance that allows you to thrive as you explore the world. But remember, it's real work, with real challenges.

Are you up for it?

Still confused about making this dream a reality? Do you need a roadmap?Join our free community and receive your free copy of my ebook.

If you liked reading this article, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference and if you have any comments, feel free to leave them in the comment section below.

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Nowadays, with the fast-paced, demanding world of technology, it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of work commitments, deadlines, and the constant pursuit of innovation.

We tend to often neglect our personal interests and hobbies, relegating them to the sidelines of our lives and pushing our dreams to tomorrow.

However, pursuing hobbies and interests outside of work can be a transformative force, leading to increased happiness, creativity, and overall well-being.

In this article, I’d like to share with you how starting a hobby helped me reignite my passion for travel and photography but also helped me create a more balanced lifestyle.

Why Hobbies Matter

Hobbies provide a much-needed escape from the daily grind of work, allowing us to explore new passions, connect with like-minded individuals, and rediscover a sense of joy and fulfillment. They offer a refreshing break from the digital world, providing an opportunity to engage in physical activities, creative pursuits, or simply relax and unwind.

I am not much of a social person, but traveling pushes me to get out of my comfort zone and go talk to other travelers. This led me to network with incredible people working as digital nomads who shared with me their best practices and introduced me to the remote lifestyle.

Photography on the other end was my therapy. After a long day at work, being able to turn on my camera, browse the streets of my city and snap everything that stood in front of my eyes put me in that flow state. I could walk for hours without even realising the time it was.

Not only starting a hobby will help you develop new skills but it will also help you create that balance in your life.

The Benefits of a Well-Rounded Life

A well-rounded life encompasses a variety of interests, passions, and experiences outside of work. This balance is essential for overall well-being, as it prevents burnout, enhances creativity, and promotes mental and emotional health.

When we engage in activities that spark our curiosity and allow us to express our individuality, we tap into a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment.

The Three Places Concept

Our grandparents, who often faced less demanding work schedules, had a different approach to life.

They maintained three separate spheres: one for work, one for home, and one for leisure activities.

This separation allowed them to fully engage in each domain, leading to a sense of balance and fulfillment.

The Pendulum State

In his book "Transurfing Realities," Vadim Zeland introduces the concept of the pendulum, a state of being influenced by external forces and limiting beliefs.

To counteract this, he recommends finding activities that resonate with our inner selves, activities that allow us to tap into our passions and strengths.

This aligns us with the "surfing" state, allowing us to navigate life with greater ease and resilience.

Cultivating Hobbies and Interests

Here are some tips for incorporating hobbies and interests into your life:

• Explore and Experiment: Step out of your comfort zone and try new activities. Take a cooking class, join a hiking group, or learn to play an instrument. You might be surprised at what you discover.

• Connect with Like-Minded Individuals: Surround yourself with people who share your interests. Join online forums, clubs, or attend workshops where you can connect with like-minded individuals. Facebook groups and Reddit communities are my go to places.

• Make Time for Your Passions: Schedule time for your hobbies and interests just as you would for any other important commitment. Dedicate specific time slots in your calendar and stick to them.

• Embrace the Journey: Don't expect to become an expert overnight. Enjoy the process of learning and experimenting. The journey of discovering new passions is just as rewarding as the end result.

A Personal Note: Embracing the Transformative Power of Travel

My passion for traveling has been an integral part of my life, providing me with a much-needed escape from the daily grind and a chance to connect with both myself and the world around me.

Traveling pushes me out of my comfort zone, forcing me to explore new places, experience different cultures, and connect with like-minded individuals. It's also a unique opportunity to tap into my passion for photography, capturing the beauty of the world through my lens.

Most importantly, traveling allows me to embrace the journey without any real planning, simply going with the flow and embracing the unexpected. This sense of freedom and spontaneity is a refreshing contrast to the structured and often rigid corporate world.

Reawakening Your Passion

Hobbies and interests play a vital role in our overall well-being, providing a much-needed escape from the stresses of work and life.

By cultivating a variety of passions and engaging in activities that spark our curiosity, we can rediscover a sense of joy, fulfillment, and personal growth.

So, step away from your computer, pick up a book, grab a paintbrush, or lace up your running shoes.

Explore new passions, connect with like-minded individuals, and allow yourself to be carried away by the transformative power of hobbies and interests.

Remember, a well-rounded life is not just about balancing work and home; it's about embracing the full spectrum of experiences that make us human.

The key to unlocking this transformative power is to simply embark on the journey, with an open mind and a willingness to explore. Whether it's through travel, photography, or any other activity that ignites your passion, embrace the adventure and rediscover the joy of living a life well-rounded.

If you enjoyed reading this article, make sure to like it and leave a comment, it actually makes a difference. And if you’d like to receive future articles straight in your inbox, you can subscribe to my email list via the form below.

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]]>Reignite the Passion: Harnessing the Power of Hobbies and InterestsMillennialLifestyleTheMillennialNomadSun, 28 Aug 2022 21:52:33 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/cybersecurity-tips54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:630a28b8648b2774f52bb8fa

This post contains affiliate link, meaning that I earn a commission on each sale at no extra costs for you. The commission received helps to support this website and keep it ad free. ;)

Cyber security is one of the most important things in the modern world. Your online life today is completely digital thanks to smartphones and computers, which are pretty much everything in our lives.

We've become so tech-savvy that we can hardly imagine our daily routines without the Internet. However, with an open connection to the World Wide Web, we leave ourselves vulnerable to threats.

We use our smartphones, tablets, and computers for almost all of our tasks: from paying bills to communicating with your family and friends all over the globe.

As such, it's essential to protect your digital assets. After all, anybody can hack into your private accounts if you're not careful enough when going online.

If a threat does occur and someone gains access to your data, it's important to know how you can fight back against hackers or cyber criminals . 

In this article I will break down the reason why cybersecurity is something you should care about nowadays and an overview of the different ways your account can get hacked online and what you can do to protect yourself from them.

What do hackers want?

Hackers are after three things: data, money and power.

They typically use malware to steal personal information such as passwords or credit card numbers — but it can also include medical records, social security numbers and more sensitive documents like birth certificates or passports.

This information can then be used fraudulently or sold on darknet markets for easy profit (or both).

Some hackers go after bank accounts and other financial information because they want money — whether they use it themselves or sell it to others who want access to someone else's funds without their knowledge or consent.

You need to be in control of your online life.

The internet is a wonderful thing. You can do your shopping, watch movies, find out what's happening around the world and even talk to people on the other side of the globe. But it's also a dangerous place — especially if you're not careful with how you use it.

Cybersecurity has become an important topic in recent years as more and more people go online.

"The internet has been around for decades but only in recent years has become mainstream," said Adam Levin, co-founder of Credit.com and chairman of Identity Theft 911. "The bad guys have recognized this shift as a tremendous opportunity to steal personal information and money."

Credit card fraud is one of the most common types of identity theft, according to Consumer Reports' most recent poll about Americans' financial lives. It found that 13 percent of respondents experienced credit card fraud in 2017, compared with 10 percent who reported it the previous year. And it's not just credit card fraud — identity theft can take many forms including stealing social security numbers, tax returns or medical records.

That’s the reason why I recommend to always use a virtual card for doing purchases online. I personally use Revolut that generates a new virtual card every single time I do an online purchase. You can learn more about the benefits of using a Revolut card here.

Everything that you do online is recorded. Whether you share personal data or take actions on website.

Don’t believe me?

Click on this link here and see what Google knows about you.

Scary right?

That is how brands know how to target their target customers. Because brands like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc… records everything you do to create a customer avatar brands can use by spending money on advertising.

There is a saying that says

“if a product is free, it means that you are the product”.

Cybersecurity is a big deal. It’s not just a matter of protecting your personal information. It’s about protecting your business, your customers and your employees.

Note: You can use the website Saymine to delete the data collected by websites you browsed online.

Security is often ignored until it’s too late.

Cybersecurity is a topic that is often left off the table until it’s too late. It’s not the sexiest part of IT, and most people don’t want to think about data security until after they have had their identity stolen or hacked.

But in reality, cybersecurity needs to be at the top of everyone’s list of priorities, from C-level executives all the way down to the front line employees.

Why? Because when it comes to cybersecurity, it’s not a question of if you will be attacked but when.

The good news is that there are many things you can do to protect yourself and your company against cyberattacks. You just need to remember that security is an ongoing process, not something that happens once and then never again.

Different ways your account can get hacked online

The internet is a great resource for finding information, getting work done, and communicating with others. But it's also a place where your account can be compromised or your computer can be infected with malware. If you don't take some basic steps to secure yourself and your devices, you could become a victim of cybercrime.

Here are some ways your account can get hacked online:

Phishing scams — A phishing scam is an email that looks legitimate but is actually an attempt by someone to trick you into giving up personal information — like passwords or credit card numbers — or clicking on a link to download malware onto your computer.

Malware (malicious software) — Malware is any kind of software that's designed to do harm to your device or steal sensitive data from it. These can come in the form of viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware. Phishing emails often contain links which direct you to websites that contain malware.

Spyware — Spyware is software that tracks the things you do online without your consent or knowledge."

Social engineering: Social engineering is any attempt to deceive people into giving up valuable information by pretending to be someone else — such as an IT support technician who calls you claiming there's something wrong with your computer — or someone else in authority who requests sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers and bank account numbers.

Ransomware attacks: Ransomware is malware that takes control of your computer and locks. Here is a list of examples https://www.upguard.com/blog/ransomware-examples

Knowing this, now the question is to know what you can do to protect yourself online.

How to protect yourself online

There are many ways that you can protect yourself against hackers and other cyber criminals. Here are some tips to help you stay safe online:

Use strong passwords: Your password should be unique and long (10-12 characters). Don't use any words or phrases that are easy to guess or find in the dictionary; and don't use your name or birth date either.

To further protect your accounts, turn on a 2FA or two factor authentication wherever possible. You can use an application called Authenticator that will generate random codes every minute.

Using an authenticator app to generate your Two-Factor login codes is more secure than text message. The primary reason being, it's more difficult for a hacker to gain physical access to your phone and generate a code without you knowing about it.

Change your passwords regularly. Hackers often use passwords that are easy to guess (like “password” or “1234567890”) to break into accounts. So it's important to change your passwords frequently — at least once every six months or so — and keep them unique for each site you use. You should also avoid using personal information in passwords (for example, using your birthday as part of a password).

Don't click on suspicious links: If you receive an email from someone claiming to be PayPal or another company asking for your information, don't click on any links in the email.

Instead, go directly to the company's website yourself and log in there — not through a link sent by email or text message.

Don't respond to phishing attempts: If you receive an email from someone claiming to be PayPal, Facebook, a bank or another company asking for your information, don't respond with any information at all!

These emails are known as phishing scams because they try to trick users into sharing personal information with them over email, phone calls or texts.

Cybersecurity threats are everywhere. The ones aimed at your data are the worst because they're designed to steal, expose or destroy valuable information.

It doesn't matter if you're working from home or on the road, conducting an important project or just catching up with friends; your privacy should be taken care of.

Cybersecurity is a hot topic these days.

If you're worried about being hacked, it's not too late to protect yourself.

You can take steps to protect your identity and your online accounts from hackers using a VPN and cybersecurity best practices.

Using a vpn to protect yourself online against hackers

One of the most important ways to protect yourself against hackers is to use a virtual private network (VPN).

A VPN is a service that encrypts your internet connection and tunnels it through an intermediary server in a location of your choosing. This means that if somebody does manage to intercept your data, they'll only see gibberish.

A VPN can also help protect you against government surveillance and censorship. In countries where there are no laws protecting internet freedom, a VPN can be used as a shield against state censorship and surveillance.

Many people use VPNs to protect themselves from hackers when they're using public Wi-Fi hotspots at cafes, airports and hotels. However, this isn't always enough because you're still exposed to attacks after you've connected to the hotspot.

What VPN service to use?

There are many available online, so I won’t talk about all of them in this article. However, I have been using NordVPN services since 2019 and I am not looking back. My mind is at peace browsing online no matter which device I use.

NordVPN is a VPN service that helps you protect yourself online against hackers, snoopers, and cyber-criminals. It does this by hiding your IP address and encrypting all of your data.

They offer security solutions for your online protection .

The services offered:

• A private connection to the internet, which hackers cannot break into. This way, you can browse the web safely and securely.

• VPN service from any location You can choose from 140 locations in 61 countries including 64 countries located outside of Europe (14 in Asia and 17 in the Americas).

• Built-in ad blocker. An ad blocker built into the browser allows blocking ads on unwanted websites and fully protecting your device from threats such as malvertising , phishing attacks

• A strict no logs policy and uses military-grade encryption to protect data from third parties.

NordVPN is not only a great VPN service, but it also has an intuitive interface and fast speeds. You will be able to enjoy your online experience without any interruptions or interference from hackers.

Cybersecurity threats are everywhere. The ones aimed at your data are the worst because they're designed to steal, expose or destroy valuable information.

It doesn't matter if you're working from home or on the road, conducting an important project or just catching up with friends; your privacy should be taken care of.

Use a secure VPN service to encrypt your connection, use private connections for WiFis and make sure you use two-factor authentication for your accounts.

You can learn more about NordVPN by clicking here or on the button below

What about you? Do you have any other methods of protecting your data online that were not mentioned in this article? Leave a comment below to complete this article.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference and if you believe it could help someone you know, do not hesitate to share it.

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]]>cybersecurity tips for beginners: how to prevent your accounts from being hacked onlinedigital nomadTheMillennialNomadWed, 27 Oct 2021 15:58:56 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/life-designed54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:61771ae337ebbc3712471b26

This is something I have not really shared black on white since I started this blog although it goes in par with my motto “Life is short, create memories”.

What I am about to share in this blog article is the result of:
- Thousands of euros spent in education
- Thousands of hours spent on learning and practicing
- Experiencing this lifestyle

If it is your first time reading this blog and do not know much about me, I’d like to invite you to watch that YouTube video below where I share the full story of how I got started online.

Just press on the play button.

Have you watched the video yet?

Ok, great, if you are still reading this after watching this video, that means that you resonate with my mindset and want to design a similar lifestyle.

So, let’s dive right into what you came here for! Here are what you will need to design your ideal lifestyle

1. Who do you need to become?

Who do you need to become to live the type of life you imagine?
What are the things you need to change in your life right now to become the person you want to be?

When I started my freelance online journey, I was still working a 9to6 job that was very demanding. But there was one thing I was done with, and that was to push tomorrow something I could do today.

I always wanted to travel, but always found excuses not to travel.

From the moment I made that mental shift and decision to set travel as a priority in my life, things started to change in my life.

I stopped hanging around with certain people. I started saving money. I started educating myself about ways to travel for cheap.

And guess what?

I then went on weekend getaways locally or abroad. I started to travel solo. I started to capture moments of my adventures with a camera. I started writing my travel experiences.

What matters is to take tiny actions every day that align with the person you want to become in the future.

2. Have a vision

If you do not have a vision for your life, someone else will create that vision for you.

Without a goal you cannot score.
Without a GPS it will take you a lot of time to find your final destination. Without imagining what you want you cannot create.

Stop reading this article right now and have a look around.

Everything that you see around you comes from someone’s mind.
The device that you use to read this blog came from the mind of someone who then found a way to create it.

Same for the sit you are using right now, the cup you use to drink your coffee or tea, the desk you use to work on, etc… you get my point.

You need to have a vision of what you want to be able to create it.

Call it the law of attraction if you like.

But one thing for sure is that once you start being single minded, meaning that you move toward one goal, your subconscious mind will help you find the answers you need to get there faster, and you will start seeing things you did not pay attention to in the past.

The best example of this would be when you start looking to buy a car.

You usually know that you want a specific model in a specific colour. Once you set that thought in your mind, the next day you start seeing this car everywhere you look!

Our brain is our best asset!

3. Know where to find the information you need

Nowadays, Google is your best friend to find the answers you need.

I personally wanted to find ways to earn a living online. And thanks to internet, the sky is the limit when it comes to options to earning a living.

My goal is to create streams of passive income and I specialised in setting up automated online systems over the years, that generate me a revenue 24/7.

And the best way I found how to do that is to leverage the technology at my disposal.

Hey, I am a millennial after all!

But I also have a professional background in digital marketing and for me, getting introduced to the digital world was life changing. It showed me that earning money online is just a matter of working smart.

If you are still wondering what type of online careers you could go after, I wrote a free guide that you can download here that sums up the 16 best ways to earn a living nowadays with social media.

In this blog article I am going to break down the ones that I used myself.

Blogging

I started blogging since 2015. At first it was just to share my passion for travel and photography and then I built an online audience and started to monetise it using Instagram.

If you are wondering if blogging is still a great option nowadays, just click here or below to read a blog article where I share with you that now is still a great time to start one.

• Is Blogging still Worth It: How To Start A Blog For Free And Make Money?

The ways you can make money with blogging are via advertising displayed on your blog, via sponsored posts and via affiliate marketing.

Freelance Content creator

I bought my first mirrorless camera a year after I started my blog.
I learned and practiced photography a lot to reach the level I am at today and I still have a lot to learn.

But, through the years I built a portfolio and this has allowed me to work with brands.

It is something I started doing more frequently since early 2020 and that I am aiming to do full-time in the future.

I learned how to find work with brands by joining an online community called the Lost Creator Academy.

It is run by a travel vlogger known as Lost Leblanc and he created his online academy where he shares the behind-the-scene of his creative business.

Affiliate marketing

This is what allows me to make most of my income from my blog.

I already wrote a few articles about affiliate marketing that you can find below.

• Everything you need to know about affiliate marketing

• Low ticket vs high ticket affiliate marketing

• How to make money online with social media

• How I earn a passive income from affiliate sales

• How to monetise your blog with affiliate marketing

But to sum up, you promote a product or service on behalf of a company and you get a kickback for every sale made via your recommendations.

This is the easiest way to make money online as a beginner in my opinion because you do not have to create a product from scratch, you just need to promote it. I learned most of what I know from a social media bootcamp I joined to help me monetise my blog. It lasts for 14 days and costs only 7$. If that’s something you are interested in, just click here to learn more about it.

Sell digital products.

I wrote a few ebooks and created several digital courses related to the knowledge I gained throughout the years and put everything in my online academy.

I also created Lightroom presets to help beginner photographers edit their photos faster.

The benefit of digital products is that there is no upfront cost and no shipping fee involved. Everything happens online in a matter of seconds and can be fully automated.

Sell physical products

I started selling prints of my photos taken in Dublin since 2020 and this has been a great source of passive income that is fully automated.

I use a print on demand service that takes care of the production and the shipping to my clients from the moment the order goes through. There is no stock involved and everything is fully automated.

There is no upfront cost but bear in mind that the supplier takes a percentage out of the sale to cover the production and shipping costs. So make sure to price your products accordingly to keep a profit.

UGC Creator

I have partnered with brands from time to time to promote their products on my Instagram account.

My niche is focused on travel and photography. This is not something I often do but from time to time it is a fun way to earn some extra income.

Same, I learned everything I know today on how to receive freebies from brands in exchange of exposure via my social media accounts thanks to the Lost Creator Academy.

Consulting

One thing that you may have noticed in my previous examples is the word “automation”. This is something I specialised in throughout the years. For me running an online business is all about working smart and using the online tools as leverage.

That’s what I help my clients with. Better understand marketing automation to get them the results they want and free up their time to live the life they aspire to. If that is something you would like to discuss further, do not hesitate to schedule a call with me.

Those are the main ways that I use to earn a living online that is aligned with my lifestyle. My goal is to use leverage (here technology) to automate my work as a solopreneur so that I spend less time on my laptop and more time doing what I love. Whether it is being with my family, traveling or going out to take photos.

Most of them can be done online from anywhere in the world and do not require me to work more than a couple of hours per day.

But note, that most people see only the successful part, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. What lies under the water is the foundation of any success.

4. Surround yourself with the right people

Finding your community is very important.

The reason being is that most people from your current entourage won’t understand the reason behind what you aspire for and won’t even understand what it is that you want to do to earn a living.

Hence the reason to be surrounded with people striving for the same life goals as you. You cannot imagine how great it is to feel understood. Not having to justify the reasons why you went on that entrepreneurship path.

Finding your community that gets you will lift you up rather than stalling you to unleash your true potential.

I found mine among the content creators and digital nomads. Up to you to find yours based on what I have shared with you so far.

You are also welcome to join my free online community of aspiring nomad creators from all around the world.

5. Focus on your strengths

The biggest lie that we are being taught since our young age is that you need to be great at everything and that you are not allowed to fail or you might get sanctioned.

Although, failure is the only way to learn and become a better version of yourself.

But at school for instance, if you get bad grades, you’d need to work hard to get better grades or you might fail your school year…

Why should we focus on our weaknesses and not on our strengths?

As an entrepreneur, that will be the mindset shift you will need to make.

You are the one running your business, you need to know the way you work and what you are capable of doing to not waste time.

All the things that you are not great at can be delegated nowadays using freelancers on Fiverr or Upwork for instance.

6. Be patient

It takes time. If you will do for the next 1 to 4 years what no one else will do, then you can have for the rest of your life what no one else can have.

You may feel lonely at times, you may believe that all the hard work you’ve done will never pay off.

The biggest curse of our current society is to seek instant gratification.

Although, the best rewards are the ones gained as long term gratification.
The journey is what leads to success and makes you the person you wish to become.

So, set your goals, keep putting in actions every day and trust the process. Soon or later an opportunity would come that you will be able to seize and will change your life for good.

As you can see designing your ideal lifestyle requires time and commitment.

It won’t happen from one day to another.

But as long as you move forward towards your goal it will eventually happen.

I never thought I’d be able to travel across the world and set foot in 46 countries once I set my mind to travel more back in 2015.
I never thought I’d be earning a living online and working remotely.
I never thought that I’d become a travel photographer.

If the digital nomad lifestyle is something you wish to learn more about, whether you want to work fully remotely or want to do a career reconversion, I invite you to join the 7 day digital nomad BootCamp where I help you build the foundations of your digital nomad lifestyle.

Things in life just happen when you follow your guts or that little voice in your head.

You are the one in control and no one else can tell you what you can or cannot do.

It is up to you to design the life that you want with the resources at your disposal.

And today with Internet, the answers to your questions are just a couple of clicks away.

I hope that you enjoyed reading this article and that you found value in the advice I shared with you.

If you did, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference. And if you’d like to receive more articles like this one, but also travel and photography tips, don’t hesitate to join my free online community below.

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]]>Life Designed: 6 tips to create your life as you want itMillennialLifestyleTheMillennialNomadMon, 11 May 2020 21:17:15 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/can-the-ipad-replace-a-laptop54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5eafc2e56468d57b5baa5592

So i’ts been more than a month that I started using my iPad as my primary device. Since earlier this year, I have been eager to get the new iPad pro with the stylus because I see many creatives and online entrepreneurs using it and enjoying how compact and powerful they have become.

I also watched one full 30 minutes video review on YouTube showing how much my iPad is underused.

The new iPad OS 13 update making your tablet now work like a computer, I was curious to know if using an iPad for my daily tasks could improve my workflow rather than just using it for entertainment.

Now, I know myself (tech addict) and before buying the iPad pro, I wanted to know if it is just a nice to have or something that could help improve my workflow and productivity on a daily basis.

Hence, the reason I set myself a challenge. For one month I would be using my current iPad mini 2 for most of the daily tasks I do which includes

• Light video editing

• writing

• entertainment

• admin work

• coaching sessions

And see if I can stop using my laptop. Now, the caveat is that this iPad cannot get the latest iPad OS. So for all admin work that required using online tools, I used my wife iPad Air that is compatible instead.

My goal is to keep the amount of gear I need to work on the go very minimal but still remain as productive.

Here are the lessons learned from this experience.

New workflow

Transitioning most of my daily tasks from a laptop to an iPad was challenging. Especially for all admin related work. As a content creator I use many creative apps to help me do my job. I divided my tasks into categories:

Writing and blogging

Writing is not a problem on an iPad and I actually really enjoyed the experience. The main benefit is that you get less distracted than on a laptop because you are focused on doing one thing. You have one app opened dedicated to do your task. No distractions or multiple tabs opened in your browser. I got myself a bluetooth wireless keyboard that is very light weight and slim, perfect to carry around in small backpack.

When it comes to blogging, the website that hosts my blog (Squarespace) has an updated app that allows you to write new blog posts and edit your website (with limitations) from any devices. So overall, the writing and blogging experience was a success and actually better enjoy it now doing it from iPad.

Content creation

I take a lot of photos on a daily basis. Whether for practice and improve my skills or for work. I also use creative apps to create graphics for my blog and promote my content online. The good thing is that most of the tools I used have a dedicated application. Now the question was to know if the user experience would be easier on a tablet.

I use Canva or Adobe Spark for my graphics - I prefer the user experience on a desktop. There is more room to visualize your graphics and you spend less time going through all the menus from the application to find what you need. Even though the applications are very well designed, the workflow on the app is slowing me down.

This is a great solution to have if you are on the go. But if you are bulk editing, it can become a frustrating experience.

I use Adobe Lightroom CC to edit my photos. The user experience on tablet is very enjoyable and user friendly. I like how simple and funny it’s become to edit my photos. It makes the whole editing process more enjoyable. Being able to edit my photos with my fingers rather than a click of a mouse is also an experience I really enjoy that is more intuitive.

Now there is a learning curve and a new workflow that you need to adapt yourself to. But overall, once you found your workflow, you will be able to edit your photos on the go in matter of seconds and have them at hand anywhere you go as long as you have an Internet connection. Ideal when you are traveling.

I use Final Cut Pro X to edit my videos. This was tricky as there is no equivalent of this application on tablets (yet! maybe some day). There are some similar apps you can use though, among which:

Lumafusion - Very complete and cheap ( about 30 euros one time payment) but there is a new learning curve to render a professional looking videos. I personally did not want to spend hours and hours learning a new video editing software although I already invested time and money into Final Cut Pro X.

InShot - Ideal to create short videos for social media. I use it a lot and it is very user friendly. It makes the whole video editing experience fun and intuitive. The only thing is the watermark that stays on your video once you export it unless you want to pay for the subscription, that is not expensive to be honest. But that is not what I was looking for.

VLLO - A very intuitive and user-friendly app that allows you to edit your videos. There is no watermark once you export it and I have created a 10 minutes long video using it with no problem. No lag, no frozen app experience. Even though most videos are shot in 4K 60fps.

I would not personally use it to create cinematic looking videos. But it really helps me with the first step of the video editing process that is to sort all my video files and cut the parts I don’t need.

Once I derushed all my videos from a project, I can export the file to my gallery and airdrop it to my mac where I can import it as a video file in FCPX and continue the edit from there and add the effects that I want.

This is ideal when traveling for a week or two and being able to derush your videos on a daily basis, instead of waiting to come back from your trip, import all your videos and feel overwhelmed by the amount of footage to go through.

This is my worst nightmare and one of the reasons I still haven’t had the courage to edit most of my travel videos! But with this new app and workflow, this will change!

Social Media Management and advertising

I use multiple online tool to manage my social media. From scheduling my content for my blog and Instagram accounts with Later.com and Tailwind, to setting up ad campaigns to promote my offers online. Therefore I’d use my Internet browser to use these tools.

The experience on my iPad mini 2 was bad. Loading the pages was very slow. And as this tablet does not have the latest iPad OS 13, I was not able to use the desktop version of Power Editor to manage my Facebook ads for Instance. It still redirected me to the Facebook ads app that is very limited!

So I used my wife’s iPad Air instead. And I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was. Sure it requires some adaptations, but overall, I could do what I usually do on my laptop and I did not spend more time as the user experience is exactly the same.

Work gamification & Improved productivity

What I really enjoy with the iPad is that work does not seem like work when using it. It is hard to explain unless you experience it yourself. But being able to have the freedom to move from a sitting position at a desk to a laying position on a couch and still be able to work on your task is a unique experience. And it makes it fun.

Hence, the work gamification. Everything you do is fun because the iPad user experience makes it simple for anyone. Whether you are a kid or an elderly person, you will know how to use an iPad. Although using a laptop for professional purposes requires a learning curve.

Also, being able to focus on one task at a time is a game changer in terms of productivity. On a laptop it is very easy to multi-tasks and have many tabs opened in your internet browser, which most of the time you do not even check but keep open just in case. Being forced to have this minimalist approach forced me to stay focus and therefore improved my productivity.

Limitations

There are some limitations obviously. An iPad will never replace a laptop. But it can actually complement your workflow and if like me you travel a lot, you will find that the user experience on a iPad is more enjoyable. It is compact, light and multi-purpose. It feels like carrying a Swiss knife with you. But there are limitations regarding some tasks.

Some applications are not ideal to work on. So I’d rather work on those tasks from the desktop version of the website instead. (i.e. creating graphics in Canva or editing full videos in Final Cut Pro)

Is the iPad going to replace my laptop?

My answer is yes…

because I really enjoy the flexibility of using it on the go.

It is light and compact. I can carry it in my backpack with me

It is easy to use. No need to find a flat surface to work on it or be in an awkward position to work

It is modular. You can use it as a tablet on the go and connect a keyboard when you need to do more heavy writing tasks

It feels like playing a game. Editing my photos on my laptop can sometimes take hours sitting on a chair and leaning on my desk for support. I would end up with back and neck pain over time. So, editing my photos on an iPad in the position I want anytime I feel like it and also being able to use my fingers to edit is a game changer. It is making this whole experience more enjoyable. Of course there are some limitations regarding the editing task you can do. But again it is all about the workflow you decide to adapt.

…But under one condition.

As I do not travel as often as I used to and I am planning on settling down, I am thinking of having a dedicated work space at home with a big screen, a desk and a comfortable chair! Yes, I am getting too old for this laptop lifestyle!

So, being able to create a workflow with an iPad where I can start creating my content on the go and take over those projects I started to my desktop to complete them is sounds like the ideal seamless workflow to me.

This challenge was very fun to do actually. And I started to use my iPad for what it actually is (a mini computer) and not only an entertaining device. Now is time to think about upgrading.

Will I get the latest iPad Pro?

I do not believe so, but I will start looking for a compatible iPad OS 13 tablet that will answer to my needs.

If you have any recommendations, feel free to share them with me.

What about you? Do you own an iPad or tablet? Do you use it for your work? I am always curious to know how others manage to create workflows with the devices at our disposal.

If you enjoyed reading this post, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference. And if you know anyone that would find this article helpful, do not hesitate to share it with them.

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Have you ever had that feeling to live your life on automation?

Every single day, the same scenario is being played and you don’t really have the control anymore. This is pretty much how I have lived during these past few years.

I have lived in Ireland since 2012. Before that I lived in London where I completed my college degree. The decision to come to Ireland was because I already knew it from past summer trips, but also because it was easier to get a decent job. I spent a whole summer in London looking for a job after I graduated, going to interviews after interviews with no luck to get hired. And after applying to a few positions in Ireland I got 3 positive feedback within a week!

Ireland is a great place to start a career. It is an international platform, very young and qualified workforce. You also have the opportunities to work for Fortune 500 companies that decided to settle their European HQ in Ireland. The work experience and the network you can build in this city is incredible.

I have learned a ton from living here and I believe the biggest changes that happened in my life was during this period:

• I have built an expertise in social media marketing

• I have started my online entrepreneurship journey here

• I have met and learned new skills from very talented individuals I worked with

• I have had a foretaste of the laptop lifestyle working for big tech companies

• I have started and earned money from photography here

• I have met my wife and gotten married here

• I have become a dad here

These milestones have helped me become the person that I am today and for that I am grateful to have been able to experience living in this country.

But it is now time to close the Irish chapter and start a new one.

As I get older, I have more responsibilities and need to think about the lifestyle that I want for my family and unfortunately this cannot be done by staying here.

Hence the reason to go live in my fifth country: Latvia.

My wife is from Latvia and I have been there a few times already. I really enjoy their simple lifestyle. The country is beautiful, the food is amazing, the weather is great, I will finally be able to enjoy the 4 seasons after nearly a decade living on rainy islands! And also I will finally be on the European continent, which means being able to travel to neighboor countries more often without having to take the plane every single time!

Latvia is also becoming a tech hub among the Baltic countries.

Even though it has a small population of 1.96m people, Latvia punches way above its weight in terms of technology, and the country is home to more than 300 solid start-ups.

Professionally, this is exactly what I have been looking for. Being surrounded with like-minded people, entrepreneurs and freelancers.

I am also considering getting the e-residency in Estonia and register my company there. The main benefits from the research I have done so far are:

• No taxes. You are only taxed for the salary and dividends you earn.

• Everything is done online (accounting, contract management, etc…)

• The accounting and taxes are directly managed so that you can focus on your business without worry if you decide to use their local services

I will write more about it once I’d have gone through the whole process.

Overall, I am very excited about these changes. I know it won’t be easy for a few months. English is not the first language, I will have to build a new network of friends and I will have to adapt to the customs and culture and even learn Latvian! But the best way to learn is to actually practice and living there, I’ll have no choice but to learn!

Challenges are there to help you grow. And I feel that is what I need right now in my life.

Will Latvia be my last destination? It is still too early to say. Contrary to when I first came to Ireland thinking that I would stay for 2 years and ended up staying 5 more years! I am not setting any deadlines this time. I am going with the flow.

The most important is to be able to enjoy a family life and be surrounded with like-minded people. I am also looking forward to taking photos of this beautiful country. So make sure to follow me on Instagram to see future updates if you don’t already.

I am also planning on switching a few things up with my Instagram feed. Still work in progress!

I will end this post with a quote from an Irish Author named Bernard Shaw that sums up pretty well my life journey so far:

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything”

Chat soon from Riga!

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]]>Good Bye Ireland: It is time for a new chapter of my lifeLifestyleMillennialTheMillennialNomadWed, 17 Apr 2019 13:30:00 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/what-is-the-millennial-nomad-lifestyle54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5a146a65f9619a31d81e4aa3

By definition a Millennial Nomad is:

“Someone who sees themselves as an explorer, a thinker, a person who embodies being wanderlust and doesn’t necessarily have one single place they call home.”

This community of travelers represents people working for themselves like digital nomads, freelancers and online business owners. But also people in their workplace, having the option to work remotely.

Nowadays, multinational companies know that if they want to keep their young employees, they will need to be flexible. This is how I started to adopt this lifestyle as my work provided me the flexibility I needed to have a foretaste of the laptop lifestyle and intrapreneurship.

Millennials are redefining the workplace and if companies do not follow the trend they will not hesitate to quit and go see somewhere else. Long gone is the time you would stay in a company for life or at least for 5 years. Nowadays, unless you manage to change a role in the company you work for, millennials would tend to jump from one company to another at least every 2 years.

But none of this would be possible without the evolution of technology.

The Millennial generation has known the transition of before/after internet and has adopted internet and technology into their lives.

Today, Technology and Millennials go together.

If one is missing the other, the world makes no more sense, the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) kicks in after couple hours and you feel like you have “lost connection” with the world if you did not use internet for a whole day!

With Technology being part of our lives and guiding the way that we work, Millennials expect to be able to use it at their workplace, whether being able to browse social media at work or even working remotely. 

Having this work flexibility, no wonder that the digital nomad community grows bigger day after day.

When you realise that you only need a laptop, an internet connection to be able to work from anywhere in the world, suddenly there is no more limits but ourselves.

The Millennial generation is also a generation of roamers and entrepreneurs.

Roamers because it has become very easy today to travel and live in a different country. It is not as complicated as it used to be and not as expensive either. If you need any travel hacks to plan your next trip you can check my posts How To Find Cheap Travel Deals Online right here.

And entrepreneurs because it is no more rocket science to launch an online business with the tools that we have nowadays. And there are thousands of online resources available depending on how serious and committed you are to achieve your goals. I started my journey as a blogger and then decided to transfer my professional expertise in digital marketing and create my consulting business helping small business owners and entrepreneurs promote their business using social media. And this would have not been possible without this training I enrolled for. It really opened my mind on the endless possibilities of earning a living using social media.

Some will even start their online entrepreneurship journey as a side hustle and see where that lead them. That is how I started. And others will take the leap, quit their corporate life and start working for themselves because they enjoy the freedom of being their own boss and create things that would create value for a community.

They can decide when and where they want to work, live and travel.

But if you think that becoming a digital nomad means not having a professional structure, you are wrong.

The rise of co-working  and co-living spaces is also in expansion. If you want to work from a coffee shop in the morning and then join a community of digital nomads at a co-working space, it is now possible. Or if you want to spend your productive hours working from the beach before your surf lesson in the afternoon, this is also possible. The choice is yours.

You can even rent offices per hour if you wish. I found this cool website recently which is the Airbnb for workplaces. It is not yet available everywhere in the world, but I love the concept.

We live today at the age of information and it is evolving like a bullet train. Hence the reason to keep up with the last trends regularly or you might fall in the box of “has been”!

The way our education system is made is no more adapted to this new lifestyle.

Nowadays, it is all about practice and taking risks if you want to become successful. Learning how to be successful is a great start but won’t allow you to become successful if you do not decide to take action.

The idea of work-life balance is no more something foreign or exclusive. It is happening more and more every single day and you can see it with real life examples like travel bloggers, YouTubers, film-makers, online entrepreneurs.

So, rather than daydreaming about how your life could be or scrolling through someone else’s feed and envy their life, why don’t you combine work, life and travel using the technology available at your disposal.

After all, if you are reading this today, it means you do everything else at the click of a button. ;)

If you would like to learn more about the exact steps to become a digital nomad and work from your laptop, you can learn everything I have learned through my Social Media Bootcamp course where you will learn the foundations of setting up and running an online business using Social Media.

And if you’d like some 1-on-1 advice instead, feel free to schedule a call with me where I will be able to answer all the questions you may have before you take the leap!

You are only a couple of clicks away from a totally different life.

As always, if you enjoyed reading this post, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference. And if you know anyone that would be interested in starting an online business and travel the world and live the digital nomad lifestyle without breaking the bank, feel free to share this blog post with them. 

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]]>What Is The Millennial Nomad Lifestyle And How You Could Live It TooreviewsTheMillennialNomadFri, 16 Nov 2018 17:43:26 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2018/11/16/review-of-woodwe-skin-cover-for-your-tech-devices54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5beef5bdc2241b2c4eaaf65f

A lot of people like to use skins on their devices to protect them from scratches, water splash or minor bumps. Which makes absolutely sense considering their price tags. There are a ton of different kinds you can find online, but to me, I haven’t found a skin that would not feel plasticky and look stylish at the same time. I have tried a few skins for my macbook pro but I never sticked with them for too long. Until I found a brand called Woodwe.

Who is Woodwe?

It is a company based in Lithuania whose mission is to dress your device stylishly, naturally, and with unparalleled quality materials because they value the human need to stay in tune with both our natural world and your individuality.

What products do they offer?

WoodWe offers covers that are an elegant and natural way to protect your tech gadgets. They are warm, cozy and environmentally friendly. WoodWe covers are manufactured from high quality sources, such as our natural and elegant Belgium wood veneer, strong and highly dependable German stone veneer, or exotic and elegant Taiwan Rust veneer.

How do you apply the covers

Here is a short unboxing video I made to show you how it looks like.

Should you get one?

If like me your laptop is your most precious possession as you work on it every single day, then yes you should first consider protecting it by using a cover. What I love about WoodWe is that their covers feel real. It is authentic sheets of wood they use to make their covers and provide a second skin to your laptop. It is like having a brand new device and your laptop still feel as light as without the cover.

Maybe that is my inner hipster talking, but I really like the way the wood looks, it really gives a unique look to your device and protect it really well. It also attracts a lot of attention. Every time I pull it out when I work in cafes or co-working spaces, someone says something about it and people like it a lot.

These are a bit pricey considering they are real wood. So they run about 60€ for a Macbook cover and kinda go down from there depending on the kind of devices.

But for the price they are really durable, will last for a longtime and will protect my precious laptop. So it is a great investment.

Where can you find it?

They have an online store that you can access here. They offer a range of products going from laptop and keyboard skins to iphone and ipad covers.

Bonus

If you would like to get yourself one of their products, I partnered with them to offer you a 15% discount at checkout by using the code “ALEX”. Thank me later!

If you decide to get one of their covers, take a photo and tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see your device new look.

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]]>Review Of Woodwe Skin Cover For Your Tech DevicesLifestyleMillennialTheMillennialNomadFri, 06 Jul 2018 08:57:59 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2018/7/6/good-byes54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5b3f2dfd758d46e0546754e1

Saying goodbye is not an easy thing to do. You know that you can still be in contact with your friends and family thanks to technology but you know that it won't be the same.

I remember saying goodbyes many times in my life :

• When I was 3-4 years old and left my home country to live for one year in France
• When I had to say goodbye to my brother and sister when they left our home country ivory coast to go pursue their studies in Europe.
• When I had to leave my country and people I mostly knew my whole life because of the civil war that started in ivory coast 
• When I had to travel for the first time abroad on my own 
• When I had to say goodbye to one of my best childhood friends who died on the operation table at the age of 20...

And so on and so on...

You can prepare yourself as much as you want, saying goodbyes are not easy. It is a piece of you that goes away and reminds you of a special time in your life. Whether it is good or bad.

How to cope with saying goodbyes?

I'd say: just embrace it.

It is a great reminder that life goes on. You shared some special moments with people that have played a big role in your life but it cannot always remain the same way forever.

It is a great exercise to learn how to adapt to new situations quickly.

That is also the reason why traveling can be the best experience as the worst experience of your life. Letting go of people who shared a special part of your life you will remember forever is not easy. But the good news is that the day you will meet face to face again, it will feel like you just saw each other the previous day!

To all the people experiencing this today, know that you are not alone and that over time it will get better.

Farewell to my friends starting their new life adventure. It is a new chapter of our lives starting again.

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]]>Good-byes LifestyleTheMillennialNomadSun, 24 Jun 2018 16:16:14 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2016/9/9/how-i-paid-off-my-student-loan-debt-fast54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:57d295a6725e255de6c5bc18

Like many of you, I had to take a loan to pursue my studies and also to pay for my driving license and have enough cash-flow when I decided to leave France to go pursue my studies in the UK in London.

I was 25 when I graduated and started looking for a job. I was about 20,000€ in debt to pay back to my bank. I'd have to pay them back an amount we agreed on every month for the next 10 years after graduation.

I hated that feeling of spending hours doing a job I didn't enjoy to see my money slip from my fingers every month. 

I knew the best way for me to fully enjoy my life was to get rid of this student debt as soon as possible so that I could invest that money into myself.

But how?

Here is how I tackled my student debt:

1.  Savings

I saved as much as I could every month on my salary even if that meant not going out and socializing with my friends

2. Find a job that pay a higher salary.

Don't be afraid to jump from one job to another. It is very common nowadays to stay in a company for a year and move to another one. Don't forget that the system in place uses you, so if you are smart, also use the system to define your means. In 4 years, I worked in 3 different companies. Just try to keep jobs in the field of your interest, mine was marketing. If your current employer cannot give you a raise, there are many other companies willing to hire you out there.

3. Aim for the companies with the perks that can benefit you

In most multinationals and tech companies nowadays you can get amazing perks like free food and snacks, stocks, work phones and laptops. So negotiate carefully depending on your needs and focus on the basic more than the variable. The basic is what you will get every month, the variable will depend on many conditions that do not only depend on your performance. 

Regarding the gadgets they lend you, it allowed me to save some money I did not need to invest in a phone, a laptop and even phone bills.

And the RSU or Restricted Share Units they offer as part of your package allowed me to leave some companies with some extra cash. I was lucky that the value of the stock tripled by the time I left my first company, which allowed me to get a decent amount of cash that covered most of the remaining student debt I had.

4. Live closer to your work place

It is not always possible but if you can you will save a lot of money on commuting. I used to commute one to two hours per day by public transport. Not only I was wasting my money but I was also wasting time. By moving closer to my workplace I could get to work by bike or walk within 15 minutes. It was life changing and helped me better appreciate my mornings. 

5. Sell everything of value you own that you don't use anymore 

We all have shoes, clothes, gadgets we have not used for months but keep "just in case". By selling those, not only you will make some cash but you will also be able to declutter your home. Less clutter has a tendency to improve productivity and creativity. It is a win win situation. And today, with Facebook Marketplace, it just takes couple taps and less than 5 minutes to put any items on sale.

I hope this post will help you on your quest to get out of your student debt. That's my experience and that's been working so far. Living without debt is such a relief. Your mind can focus on things that are important for you in your life and afford more things you always had to put aside.

I graduated when I was 25 and was debt free by 28. Since then I have been investing that money in doing something that I love: Traveling and photography.

What would you do if you would be debt free?

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]]>How I Paid Off My Student Loan Debt FastLifestyleMillennialTheMillennialNomadThu, 12 Apr 2018 12:13:38 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2018/4/12/why-is-data-privacy-such-a-big-issue-with-facebook54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5acf34362b6a28b29965f3a7Data privacy plays a big role in our modern lives. Nobody wants to share something publicly that will affect their image.

Yet, how many of us read the Terms Of Services of any online platforms we use. You know, that boring endless page that tells you in law lingo what you can do and what information you are ready to share by using the platform.

99% of us would not.

And in my opinion, that's where the problem is. If you buy a house, you would read all the paperwork before signing up the lease. If you buy a car, you would do the same.

So why wouldn't you read through the terms and conditions that bound you with the platform you decide to use?

Is it because it is free to use? Is it because it is trendy and all your friends are on it? Is it because it is too long to read and you don't bother?

One thing I learned quickly in life is that nothing comes for free and that we are accountable for our actions.

Companies have business models they strategically put in place in order to generate a sustainable income. And in the example of Facebook, that is paid advertising.

Advertisers can promote their products in front of the eyes of people who show that interest in this kind of products.

But to be clear, it does not mean that Facebook is selling or making your personal data available to third party companies. As Mark Zuckerberg said during the hearing this week:

"What we allow is for advertisers to tell us who they want to reach, and then we do the placement … That’s a very fundamental part of how our model works and something that is often misunderstood.”

Every action you take on Facebook means that you are willing to share your information with the company. Every action generates signals of interests that can be used by the company to show the right product or service from advertisers to you.

Mark Zuckerberg added:

"Every piece of content that you share on Facebook, you own, and you have complete control over who sees it and how you share it, and you can remove it at any time.”

I believe the problem is not only about how Facebook or other companies handle our data.

The problem comes from everyone not making the effort to be aware of the risks of using social media platforms.

I would always say that if you do not want to share your information online, then do not own a smartphone and do not use Internet. If you can live that way nowadays, kuddos!

But for the majority of us, soon enough we would feel like an outcast and it would take only couple hours before FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) hits us.

We live in the digital information age and technology will continue to change over time, as user devices or methods of interaction with others.

The problem does not come from the technology but from the usage we make of it. Nobody taught us how to use technology. We kind of just learned on the go but the majority of us would let technology control our lives so much that digital detox retreats are now becoming something common.

Technology is so present in our lives that we do not know anymore how to live without our gadgets.

We have to disconnect (from the digital world) to reconnect (with the real world).

Is that normal?

Technology and online tools only have the power we give them.

Sure they are designed to keep you using them as much as possible, but without you they are powerless.

I believe the best way to better manage our data is to learn first how the technology works and be aware of the kind of data we decide to share online.

Companies can be as transparent as they can in their Terms Of Services, but as long as people won't make the effort to read them, it won't matter.

We all leave digital footprints everywhere we browse on Internet like we would do in the real world. Yet we are more aware of the prints we leave in the real world than in the digital world.

In one hand, Learning how to better manage our digital footprint would be already a big step towards avoiding usage of data collection.

In the second hand, Companies like Facebook are not bulletproof and we need to be aware that our data will never, ever be 100% secure.

Data security is the issue of our time as more and more of our daily lives is stored on online servers. Personally, I do not mind as I know the risks, but not everyone does.

What are your thoughts on data privacy? And would you continue using Facebook?

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]]>Why Is Data Privacy Such A Big Issue With Facebook?LifestyleTheMillennialNomadThu, 25 Jan 2018 13:35:08 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2017/12/23/review-of-the-year-201754c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5a3e3de0c830259b5d96540b

This year 2017 has been a roller coaster, full of travel adventures, personal accomplishments and unexpected events. But looking back at it, I see progress in everything I started earlier this year and because of that I could not be more grateful to have accomplished all of that this year! 

I still remember last year writing this as my 2017 goal:

"Next year will be all about branding and creating video content to get out of my comfort zone! Remember to always push your limits!"

Learn Film-making

2017 was meant to be the year I learned as much as possible about making videos, which I did. I have always carried a camera with me as long as I can remember and was capturing moments of my life and people I care about in order to see them again later in the future. But what happened is that I transferred them on to an external drive and they remained there forever accumulating virtual dust...same with my photography, hence the reason I created my blog and an instagram account where I publish a photo every single day. And that is the same thing I want to accomplish with videos, give them a second life. 

So I studied film-making watching tutorials on Skillshare, Lynda.com, Youtube. I learned how to plan my shots, how to shoot videos, what gear to use and what settings to get the best quality image as possible.

I invested into new gear (Sony a6300, smartphone gimbal, DJI spark drone), even though your gear doesn't define your work. I spent hours and hours learning how to edit videos and finding the right format of videos I would like to make. 

I wanted to test everything I could in order to know what worked for me and what did not, and I believe I get a pretty good idea today of the type of video I want to make in the future.

I already published a few videos on my Facebook page. Go check it out and stay tuned for more videos to come in 2018!

Keep traveling

Colombia - Bogota, Cartagena, Medellin

US - Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas

Canada - Quebec, Toronto

Thailand - Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi

Indonesia - Bali, Ubud

Northern Ireland - Belfast

Ireland - Slieve Bloom Mountains, Sligo

United Kingdom - London

Italy - Rome

France - Nantes, Paris

Latvia - Riga, Jelgava

Spain - Barcelona

Austria - Vienna

Hungary - Budapest  

14 countries, 27 cities and I don't even want to count how many flights and hours spent in the air! The year 2017 was a great travel year once more. Travel has become part of my life and I just cannot stop. I still have many countries in Europe, Asia and Africa that I would like to visit. Hopefully in 2018.

Professional life

After 5 years working in tech companies in Ireland, I decided to take a break to reflect on myself. I felt like my life was automated and that I had no control over it. Every day looked the same. The only thing I could notice was how tired I was and my grey hair growing on my face! It was time to take a step back and really figure out what I wanted to achieve with my life.  Hence, that is why I quit my job as a social media advertising analyst last summer.

I needed more time to work on a couple projects I had in mind but was putting aside because I did not have enough time to work on it. 6 months later, I am finally seeing the results of my work. There is still progress to make and a need to keep the momentum but I could not be more grateful today to have made that decision.

Today I can finally say that I found a way to make a living working online and doing something that I love. Photography, traveling, blogging are the 3 things that drives me professionally nowadays and thanks to technology and my work experience I can leverage my knowledge to live a life on my own terms.

Branding

Building a brand requires time and a good vision of what you wish to achieve. It is easy to do it using only one platform, but when it comes to build your brand identity on multiple platforms, you really need to have a marketing strategy in place and focus on what you are good at.

I created my personal website that showcases what I personally do. I needed something to sum up what I do and the services that I offer to work in collaborations with brands or other bloggers.

Click here to check it out.

Online Business

I work as an affiliate marketer and earn a commission on sales that I make. I wrote a full article about it if you are curious to learn more. Being an online entrepreneur or an entrepreneur 2.0 as I like to say is a LOT of work. And the transition from an employee state of mind to an auto-entrepreneur requires a few adjustments when it comes to your mindset and the impact of your work. You really need to think about what is the one thing you can do in order to pay your bills at the end of the month, rather than going in every direction, trying everything hoping for the best!

If you are going through the same struggle, I highly recommend you to read "The ONE thing". This book redefined the way I work and helped me become more productive in projects I work on.

Success stories of 2017

• Traveled to my 5th continent, South America
• Quit the corporate world
• Earned a living working online
• Reached 10K followers on Instagram
• Traveled to 14 countries
• Built a community of aspiring entrepreneurs and full-time travelers on Facebook called Millennial Roamer
• Launched my online merchandise store
• Read 24 books on personal development in one year with an average of 2 books per month
• Got engaged

Overall a great year 2017. Many things happened and literally changed my life in a good way. I feel more in control and see life today with a different perspective. Seeing life as an employee VS an entrepreneur are two different things, but that would be a conversation for another time!

Let's say that today I realise that the only person stopping you from doing what you love is yourself and that if you do not believe in your vision of life, no body will do it for you!

2018 will be a year of creation I believe. I want to build an online course for aspiring Millennial Roamers and help them in building the life they desire by leveraging the technology at our disposal to setup their business on automation to earn a passive income.

If I can do it and many other online entrepreneurs that I know can do it, there is no reason why you could not do it either. All you need is to be exposed to the right information, know how to use a couple online tools and have the mindset to make it happen.

This online course will be divided in couple segments:

• Photography
• Online tools to setup your business
• Social Media Management
• Facebook advertising to generate leads for your business and grow your audience

If you are interested in joining the Millennial Roamer Academy, click here to join my Facebook group  or click on the image below and get your credentials.

I also want to build collaborations with other entrepreneurs and brands in order to work on projects that will challenge me.  I have been thinking a lot about promoting African countries in ways no one have seen them before. Africa is such a huge continent and the 52 countries have each a story to tell and gems to see in your lifetime.

So if you know any travel bloggers or vloggers, please let me know as I already have a couple of ideas on how to make it happen!

That's it for 2017, it is a wrap and the time to turn the page to a new chapter of our lives. If you need advice and tips on how to setup your goals and track them overtime in 2018 to see your progress, make sure to join my Facebook group Millennial Roamers where I share daily hacks on business, travel and social media marketing!

Until the next one, Happy New Year 2018 and may this year bring you the success you have always dreamed of!

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]]>Review of the year 2017how toblogTheMillennialNomadFri, 17 Nov 2017 14:26:50 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2017/11/17/my-blog-in-your-language54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:5a0ee6d8419202f3449e4426

Hello Millennial Nomads!

I have some great news for my non-English speaker fans!

This is something I wanted to do for a longtime as many of you also asked me this request. And I finally found a way to do it thanks to Google! (Thank you Google!)

From now on you will be able to read my blog in the language of your choice. How cool is that? 

That being said, the translation will not be 100% accurate and that will be good enough for you to understand the meaning of all my crazy sentences!

How to do it?

You will notice at the top of the page a new plugin, this is the Google translate plugin. Just click on it to select your language and once you do... VOILA! The full website will automatically be translated!

For this instance I selected the French language to translate the website, and you can see that everything on the page has now been translated in French! 

1. This is the Google translate plugin

2. If you wish to go back to the original view, just click on the grey button "Show Original"

3. The Menu buttons are now translated

I hope that you will find it useful. No more excuses to read my blog posts now! haha

Have a great day!

Safe travels

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]]>My blog in your languageLifestyleMillennialsTheMillennialNomadTue, 26 Sep 2017 10:26:26 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2017/9/26/i-quit-my-job54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:59ca1f5e4c0dbf45c95fc8f3

Hey hey Millennials!

I just wanted to give you a quick update on my life right now. The purpose of my blog originally was to show that with great organisation and dedication, it was absolutely possible to travel the world often while having a full-time job. I believe I proved it while traveling to more than 30 countries in two years! It was not always easy to keep up with the pace though, but when you are passionate about something, you can make it a priority.

However, my job required many hours of work and I would often work overtime to meet a deadline. But my rewards would always be a trip to a sunny destination to escape from my daily routine. After two years doing it I noticed couple things happening:

- I spent less time with people I care about, mostly my friends and my family as I was in my work bubble.

- I had many grey hairs showing! Sure I am getting older, but I did not expect so many to grow at the same time!!! This was mostly due to stress.

- The more I traveled, the less I wanted to go back to work in an office. Sitting down between four walls for a full day without even seeing the light and the life happening outside became a struggle.

- I needed more time to work and focus on my online business. I am helping aspiring online entrepreneurs build their brand image online and promote their business.

Therefore, as I reached a crossroad in my professional career, I decided to "proceed and be bold"! So I quit my job and took the leap to focus the upcoming months on my travels and online business. 

It felt scary in the beginning, but two months in, I absolutely have no regrets at all. I believe that if I did not do it then, I would have never done it and would have kept pushing the decision to later.

So I am adopting the so called Digital Nomad lifestyle and will be writing more about it, especially when it comes to working remotely where I live in Dublin, Ireland.

I also wrote this e-book "How To Become A Digital Nomad In 2017" that is a small guide to prepare you to live this lifestyle today. This sums up all the research and work I have done before taking the leap. So if you are aspiring to live this lifestyle, do not hesitate to get your FREE copy here or by clicking on the image below.

Despite my situation changing, my motto remains the same:

"don't forget to live your life to the fullest because life is short. Create memories."

And that is what I am going to keep doing while starting this new lifestyle and I hope my experience will be beneficial for you guys, maybe willing to follow the same path.

Thank you for being a loyal fan.

Safe travels

PS: Make sure to subscribe to my bot if you did not already so you do not miss out on any new updates happening on my blog! :)

Hey hey

It's been a minute I did not post. I have been busy working on creating my new chat bot: Lexi!

This is something I wanted to do for so long. I thought about creating an app but it required too much programming! Facebook heard my prayers and allowed me to create a bot instead for my website. Thank you Facebook!

But I am sure you may wonder what is the chat bot, right?

Let me explain:

By definition, a chat bot is a computer program that mimic conversation with people using artificial intelligence.

This one I created is not that advanced...yet! Lexi only answers to questions I thought you may wonder about me, my travels and how I manage to travel so often and finance my trips, as those were the most common questions I got asked all the time!

The main benefit of subscribing to Lexi is if like me you never have time to read your emails. One day you may have subscribed to my newsletter, but you never have time to open my emails. I do not blame you, don't worry, I am guilty of doing the same! Well, here is the good news, you will receive my updates directly via Facebook Messenger from now on!

So, how to interact with Lexi?

Lexi is integrated to Facebook messenger. So, if like me you connect to Facebook on daily basis and do not have time to go check your favorite pages feed because of how cluttered your newsfeed is, here is how Lexi can help!

First you will need to click on the get started button if you wish to interact with him. There are two ways:

Either you click on the image below to get started now

Or you will notice a pop up window on the website from now prompting you to get started

Then you will just need to answer to the questions Lexi will ask you by clicking on the options he will offer you! 

What else can Lexi do?

Help navigating my website

Are you looking for travel tips? Are you planning on traveling somewhere I have already been? Or are you interested on how to leverage technology to make money online? Lexi will guide you to the right content of my website depending on your interest. You just have to follow the steps! 

Do not miss any new updates

If you decide to subscribe, Lexi will notify you every time there will be a new post on my Facebook page.

You will receive a message directly in Facebook Messenger from Lexi!

Don't miss out on any new updates going forward, many changes are currently happening in my life!

Subscribe to my future e-courses

From time to time going forward, I will offer you the opportunity to opt-in to one of my e-courses either related to travels or online businesses. If that something you could be interested in, you will have the possibility to subscribe and receive a lesson directly in Messenger on daily basis!

Leave me a message

Lexi is not that smart yet to have a conversation with you. However, if you wish to leave me a message, it will offer you the "contact a human" option! Feel free to leave your message and I will get back to you as soon as I can!

That's it for now! 

Lexi is like a young child at the moment but the more time passes by, the smarter he will become and help you with any questions you may have. I am already working on his new version, hopefully will be ready by the end of the year! 

Talk to you in the next one!

Today I would like to talk about how technology and social media is changing the travel industry and people's travel behavior.

Let's take Instagram for instance. 

331 Million posts are shared worldwide with the hashtag #travel

70% of people share their own travel photos

67% look for inspiration of new places to travel

62% build excitement for upcoming trips

Long gone is the time when you had to book and schedule everything from start to the end on your own going through travel magazines or via a travel agency. 

Everything can be done online.

Nowadays, you just need a return ticket, speak a bit of English, financial flexibility, a smartphone, and an internet connection to be able to travel to foreign countries and experience it as a local! Or you could just stay in the comfort of your home and travel to the other part of the world by scrolling through your feed! #staycation

This is so powerful!

And I even find myself doing that more and more. The more I travel, the less I plan my trips ahead. 

I like to have an itinerary idea of what to see and what to do, but otherwise, I just go with the flow. It is not made for everyone, and other people might find it stressful!

BUT I believe it is more enjoyable to experience a country this way rather than being on a schedule from the beginning to the end.

After all, you are going on holidays to switch off from your busy schedule right? So why bring it with you on holidays!

That is one of the reasons why Millennials seem to make the best travelers. They are spontaneous and travel with a purpose. 

Technology is a big part of every millennial's life. We all carry everywhere we go this piece of technology that fits into our pockets and allows us to be exposed constantly to content that we like, follow or subscribe to. 

We are in this continuous loop of information being provided via different mediums like blog posts, vlogs, youtube channel, Facebook posts, tweets or Instagram posts. It has become easier today to follow your passion for traveling and be inspired on daily basis by scrolling your social media feed.

Traveling has become accessible to everyone owning a device connected to internet and millennials today do not want to fall into the tourist traps and spend their holidays in hotels or big resorts. 

They want authenticity, they want to experience traveling to a foreign country and experience it like a local. They would rather stay in a cheap hostel and taste the local street food to save on a budget and get to know the locals and other travelers rather than staying in a hotel room on their own and eating in fancy restaurants.

They are looking to learn something from their trips.

And that is exactly what applications and online services are offering today. The flexibility to book everything on the go and experience your journey at your own pace.

How?

You can get inspired from travel influencers via social media networks like Instagram, Facebook, twitter, youtube

You can book your flights with the best fares using websites or applications like Skyscanner, Google flights or Momondo.

You can book your accommodation and live like a local using Airbnb or Couchsurfing.

You can get around a foreign city not speaking the local language and not being scared of being ripped off by using applications like UBER, Lyft or Grab.

You can connect with locals or traveler communities by posting a question on travel Facebook groups, twitter or quora and they will be able to provide you with their best tips and personal experiences.

You can keep in touch with your friends and family and let them know that you are ok by using applications like Messenger, Viber, Skype or whatsapp.

You can take photos and videos of your holidays directly from your smartphone and don't need to look for an honest looking person to take a photo for you! (thank you selfie sticks)

Who could imagine doing this 10 years ago?

We live today at an exciting time where technology is breaking the countries borders, but also empowering people to follow their passion for travel and be able to share it with the world in a matter of minutes. And the best thing about it is that it is moving fast and is far from stopping soon!

So, if you are not exploiting all these resources today, now is the time to do it. Whether you can afford to travel to other countries or stay home, there will always be a way to discover new things about the city you live in or new cultures from different countries around the world just a couple tap away.

All you need is a smartphone, an internet connection and a passion for traveling!

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference. If you know anyone who would enjoy reading, feel free to share it with them and if you would like new articles straight into your inbox, make sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter via the subscription box in the side bar.

Safe travels

Other travel related post you may enjoy reading

How To Plan Your Next Vacation With Instagram

How To Plan Your Next Vacation With Facebook

How To Plan Your Next Vacation With Google

How Do I I afford To Travel So Often

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]]>How Technology Is Changing Travel BehaviorreviewsMillennialsTheMillennialNomadWed, 18 Jan 2017 22:40:44 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2017/1/18/do-you-own-an-international-sim-card54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:587fcbfe46c3c40b3736d8f6

Hello fellow travelers,

Quick question?

What do you do when you travel abroad to keep contact with your friends and family? Are you roaming Internet, although it is pricey, or do you wait to find the next free Wi-fi area, if you are lucky, to tell your entourage that you have safely arrived at destination? 

Rings a bell?

What if I told you that there is a Sim Card that allows you to stay connected with your friends and family for a fixed price with no additional hidden costs? Too good to be true?

Have you ever heard of International sim cards?

During my trip in Colombia I tried Chat Sim. This is an International sim card that allows you to use chat application like Whatsapp, Viber, Wechat, Messenger and many others while abroad and send unlimited text messages and emoji. You can find it on Amazon for 24 Euros.

What are the benefits?

• No more roaming costs. You can travel anywhere in the world without worrying about roaming costs.
• The technology. ChatSim cuts all unwanted data by 90% which allows faster speed on 3G and 4G networks because it always connects to the operator with the best coverage.
• The price. For only 12 euros per year, you can use this SimCard and applications to send unlimited text messages.
• It is available on Android and iOS and they provide different SIM card sizes that are compatible with all smartphones.

I must admit that for the price it is really a great thing to have, especially if you travel as often as I do. Who sends SMS or call friends and family nowadays when you travel abroad? No one!

Everybody uses Internet because it's free to communicate and easier to get in touch via social media platforms or chat applications.

If you wish to know more about it, check out their website!

I personally started to use it and will keep it for my future trips abroad.

You can use this link to get the Sim Card directly from Amazon if you wish to purchase it.

Safe travels

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]]>Do you own an International Sim Card?Millennialshow toreviewsTheMillennialNomadWed, 18 Jan 2017 17:59:28 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2017/1/18/how-to-earn-cash-back-on-all-your-online-purchases54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:587fa311f7e0abac0d978411

I discovered this couple weeks ago and I am amazed!

Did you know that there is a free way to get cash back (up to 40%) when you shop online? I really wish someone showed me this earlier.

Have you ever heard of a company called Ebates

It’s totally FREE and when you make purchases online, they will give you cash back and send the money to your PayPal account.

So I gave it a go as I needed a hotel for my next trip and… BOOM! I got $8.04 back as I found a great deal and clicked the cash back button.

I don’t know why I’ve never heard of this before! Since I discovered it, every time I book flights, hotels, or things from Amazon I use it …Ladies can even buy makeup or clothing!

Here is how it works?

Step 1: Sign up for a free account here: ebates.com

Step 2: Click the Join Now button on the top of the page.

Then you will see this…

Step 3: They’ll ask you if someone referred you. If you are feeling generous, then here’s my email which they will ask for themillennialnomad@gmail.com (Thank you very much! :P) 

Step 4: That’s it! Now you’re ready to earn up to 40% cash back on your online purchases.

If you are like me and keep on forgetting this kind of things that could save you money! There is an add-on that you can add to your browser, it is free and will allow you to get your cash back by clicking directly on the button while your next purchase!

Then you can decide on the way to get your money, either by check or like me via paypal, it is safe and quick.

So for your future purchase, do not forget to add this and gain some extra cash!

Start your free account here: EBATES.com

Safe Travels

Alex

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]]>How to earn cash back on all your online purchases?Millennialshow toTheMillennialNomadWed, 07 Sep 2016 10:55:12 +0000https://www.alexandrekan.com/lifestyle/2016/8/5/the-millennial-way-to-send-postal-cards54c65950e4b0579944c39167:56aa4ca64bf118aef485f3af:57a4b000ff7c50767c6de73d

Are you the kind of travelers who always send a postal card to your close friends and family when you travel abroad? Then you are like me, but the main problem with it is that you need to find the postcards, find the stamps, show off your beautiful handwriting skills and then you need to post them if you can find a mail box. If you are like me you will wait for the last moment to post them and will end up at the airport looking for a mail box!Yep, story of my life...!

Well, I found a solution for you (and for me). Fizzer has become the millennial way to send post cards nowadays. So how does it work:

1. Install the application on your smartphone Android or Apple

2. Select the best photo(s) from your trip. You can select up to 3 photos to make a collage.

3. Write your message

4. Add your recipient(s) and hit send

5. Your postcard gets printed and posted for you

What do you need? A great photo to make everyone jealous, an internet connection and voilaaa!

But how much does it cost?

Well, it uses a credit system. For every postcard sent, you pay 1 credit. So for instance, if you send a postcard to 10 recipients, you will use 10 credits. You can find the rates below: 

1 credit = 2€39

10 credit = 20€00

25 credit = 45€00

50 credit = 80€00

It can be a bit more expensive than the usual postcards but less the hassle and with a customized card that you can make yourself. considering that the card is printed from your photo, it can be worthy to use it from time to time!

How long does the delivery take?

In France it takes 1-3 days

In Europe, it takes 2-4 days

In USA- Canada - Australia, it takes 4-12 days

In the Rest of the world, it takes 1-3 weeks

It is a great way to make people you care about happy and show them that you still think about them from the other side of the world. The card comes in an envelope, so don't worry about the photo you send! You can find more information on their website here. I really like the concept and will definitely be using it more and more from my next trip! :)

Safe travel!

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]]>The Millennial way to send a postcard