Speaker 2
But I was fairly nomadic. I do the show from a variety of places around Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Speaker 1
Basically, as long as they had an internet connection, I could work. OK, so in that sense, you were definitely a pioneer.
Speaker 2
Why are you asking about being a digital nomad? Are you thinking of hitting the road and getting out of Tokyo?
Speaker 1
No, no, no. I love it here. The reason I brought it up is because the Japanese government very recently announced that they are creating a new six-month work visa specifically aimed at digital nomads. Oh, that's a
Speaker 2
curious development. Japan's not the easiest country to get permission to work in, if you're not a citizen. It is an interesting development.
Speaker 1
And Japan is certainly not the first country to buy for digital nomads to come over and set up shop in the country. More and more people are adopting a digital nomad lifestyle these days. That is true. They are. And today on down to business English, we are going to take a closer look at this growing trend. And perhaps you could share your insights on what it is like to be a digital nomad. Sure. I'd be happy to. Great. So let's do it. Let's get D2B down to business with the digital nomad lifestyle. MUSIC
Speaker 2
Maybe a good place to start is with the term itself, digital nomad.
Speaker 1
That is a good idea. Why don't you explain? Sure.
Speaker 2
Let's break down the two words. The definition of a nomad is a person who moves from place to place, looking for resources like food, water, shelter.
Speaker 1
The indigenous people of North America were traditionally nomadic before the Europeans showed up. That is. Yes.
Speaker 2
The indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian prairies, especially, they follow the Great Plains buffalo for food.
Speaker 1
So to be nomadic means to move from place to place. Right.
Speaker 2
Add the word digital to nomad. And you're talking about a person who leverages technology to do their work from anywhere, any continent, to any country, any city.
Speaker 1
Chasing Wi-Fi instead of food and shelter. Exactly. And with the improvement of technology and digital tools over the past 10, 15 years, the digital nomad lifestyle has become more accessible to people. I'd say so.
Speaker 2
I'd also say that employers have become more open to their employees, working from outside of the office, especially since COVID.
Speaker 1
And the statistics back that up. It is estimated that there were 35 million digital nomads working globally in 2023. That is up significantly from pre-pandemic levels. And who are they?
Speaker 2
I mean, where are those 35 million digital nomads coming from?
Speaker 1
By far, the US. 47% or 16.9 million of those nomads are Americans. Wow, that's almost half. It is. And American digital nomads far surpass the nationalities in the second and third spot. And they would be the UK with 7%. And Russia and Canada tied at 5%. Wow, that is a significant difference between top spot and second place. I wonder what is driving that? A lot of factors go into it, but I suspect that the data collection is skewed toward US-based companies. In any event, the number of digital nomads is on the rise.
Speaker 2
And what about demographics? Is there one particular age group or gender that is inclined to lead a digital nomad lifestyle?
Speaker 1
The largest age group at 47% is in their 30s. And that is the millennial generation.
Speaker 2
Well, that makes sense. Millennials typically have some career stability, not to mention the tech skills to work remotely.
Speaker 1
And 23% are Gen X, and 17% are Gen Z. And gender? 57% are men, and 43% are
Speaker 2
women. Almost, but not quite evenly split. Interesting.
Speaker 1
I could go on and on with statistics.
Speaker 2
One specific statistic I would be very interested in knowing is where are the top destinations for digital nomads? I'm guessing Thailand would be right up there. And you would be close.
Speaker 1
Actually, the US leads in the category as the most visited country. 15% of the trips made by digital nomads were to the United States. Spain and Thailand are tied as the second most visited countries, at 5%. However, in terms of the top cities for a digital nomad to set up, Bangkok, Thailand comes in first.
Speaker 2
I knew it would be a popular destination. Looking at a map, it is right in the middle of Southeast Asia, and acts as a great travel hub. And if there is one thing you can say about Thailand, it is geared for welcoming visitors. It plays such a huge role in their economy. Well,
Speaker 1
Thailand may be OK with digital nomads, calling their country home for a few months a year. But in other places, there are tensions brewing.
Speaker 2
Mm, tensions, tensions over what?
Speaker 1
Unlike a tourist who comes to a country for a short time and spends money, a nomad comes and, in addition to consuming, is earning a salary too. And in most cases, those salaries are in a stronger currency than the local currency. Right.
Speaker 2
So digital nomads can live a lifestyle that may be unrealistic or unreachable in their home country. Exactly.
Speaker 1
And the consequence of that is gentrification of the local economy.
Speaker 2
Mm, that is problematic.
Speaker 1
The price of everything from a cup of coffee to apartment rentals, skyrockets. In a worst-case scenario, the influx of digital nomads into an area can result in local residents being pushed out.
Speaker 2
It just becomes too expensive for them to live in the area on a salary based on the local currency. Not good.
Speaker 1
Not good at all. To me, the idea of being a digital nomad is quite appealing to a degree. I could see myself at some point in the future living in Tokyo half of the year, back in Canada for a few months, and then working from the road for the remainder of the year. But at the same time, I just don't know if the dream matches the reality. Tell me some of that. As a pioneering digital nomad, can you give me any insights on what it is like to be one?
Speaker 2
Well, as long as you were organized and stick to a plan and get your work done on time, you will be okay. I had an added challenge of having to find places that were quiet because I was recording. But other than that, I loved it.
Speaker 1
And now that your son has graduated and is out in the workforce, could you see yourself returning to the life of a digital nomad at some point in the future?
Speaker 2
Yeah, for sure. That is the plan. But I do have a mortgage now. I see people posting pics on TikTok and Instagram about their amazing digital nomadic life. And it looks like a lot of fun. But I know that is only one side of it. There is the other side that requires you to do your work.
Speaker 1
You could just retire.
Speaker 2
Not until that mortgage is out the door. Okay, and on
Speaker 1
that note, I think it is time for us to get D2V down to vocabulary.
Speaker 3
Let's kick D2V off
Speaker 1
today with the expression to hit the road. This phrase has two different nuances. One means to start a journey and the other nuance means to leave a place.
Speaker 2
In the introduction to today's report, I used it with the first nuance.
Speaker 1
You did. Samantha asked me if I was thinking of hitting the road. She was asking me if I was thinking of leaving Tokyo.
Speaker 2
In a business context, imagine a scenario where your team has just finished preparing a proposal for a major client. Now the team needs to present it the next day at the client's office to their CEO. If you were the team leader, you might say, okay team, we've got a big day ahead of us with the client presentation tomorrow. Go home tonight, get a good rest because I want you all back here by 7am. We'll run through everything one more time before leaving for the client's office. Don't be late because I want to hit the road by 10am
Speaker 1
sharp. 7am. I am glad I am not on that team.
Speaker 2
Obviously, you couldn't be a
Speaker 1
tradie. What's our next words, Samantha?