NuNomad

The Work-Travel Balancing Act

by Ricardo
I was watching an episode of “Family Guy” recently, the one where baby Stewie ridicules people who strive to be seen in public (eg: Starbucks) with their notebooks open—perhaps tapping-out that promising screenplay. Though the tot doesn’t blow the heads off of the coffee-gulping remote workers (the cartoon character tends to get extreme at times), the scene does illustrate the point of remote working becoming a sort of cliché these days.

What I’ve found in the nearly seven years of nomading the world is the increased misperception of those who choose to integrate their work and home life with their lust for travel—versus those who simply like to demonstrate to others that they can finish up their projects down the street from the office (such as the ubiquitous coffee shop that supports wi-fi). And that misperception is understandable. These days, it is no longer unusual to find overseas backpackers huddled in laptop sessions at the cheap eateries or guest houses. Where they once sat around watching pirated video tapes of Bay Watch on the establishment’s television, they’re now watching pirated movies on their personal LCD screens while updating their blogs. The trading of paperback books has been replaced by the trading of DVDs, MP3 files and MySpace URLs.
Is that a bad thing? Probably not. Sad and pathetic? Hmm.

Aside from the reality that real nomads tend to do their work in more productive, if not appropriate, working environments (eg: rooms with great views), one must also find their balance. One of the harder disciplines of living this sort of work-travel life (I’m going to list two of mine now) is finding one’s center. Pardon me if I sound like Zen Master Ricardo, but if you’re traveling the world and finding yourself behind the screen (be it notebook, BlackBerry, iPod, mobile phone or other handheld device) as much or more as when you were stuck in your home country, then maybe you’re missing out on the whole nu nomad travel thing. Travel is about “getting out there,” not becoming a mobile version of the bored, introvert you were at home. At least that’s how I see it.

So what’s the advice? It’s sort of simple: set boundaries. Okay, you don’t need to be anal about it, but do try to look to the horizon for your next travel destination—as opposed to, let’s say, over the lid of your screen to the cute person at the next table. When out in public, leave the hardware in your (secured) room. If you’re in nature (hell, the town center even), pull those ear buds out buddy and listen to the sounds around you. Simply steer your life from gadget man (woman) to care-free traveler.

This brings me to the other discipline: refraining from buying too many gadgets. Not only does having redundant and superfluous equipment distract, but it weighs you down maak-maak (that’s Thai for much-much). The selection process of what you really need to be mobile, yet get your work done properly, is a judicious process. And as one of the bigger offenders of this rule, with my two laptops (one is an overblown desktop replacement and the other is an ultra-ultraportable machine for weekend excursions) I am now moving to trim down. So I ask myself: “Ricardo, do I need to have an MP3 player when I have a laptop for my music and movies? Do I need a Palm Pilot when I already have easy Internet access and a small GSM mobile phone? Do I need a travel printer when I rarely print to paper any more and when there are printing services at the cyber cafes. The truth is that I can do my work with one good machine (I’m looking into the new Lenovo ThinkPad X300.
—which is similar in design and weight to that of the MacBook Air). As for my MP3 player, my bulking Creative Zen unit is going to be replaced by an iPod Nano. And since my full-feature camera is already very compact (Canon PowerShot A710), I can concentrate on buying a new guide book (for either Laos or Hungary). And the money I’ll save from not buying all “cool tech stuff” I can spend foolishly while on my journey abroad.

So, now that mobile technology for the real road warriors is trimming down we too can take advantage of less weight and increased (physical) mobility. And if you need a little more advice on what may be necessary for your nomadic travels and not, Quit Dreaming and Go! (our handbook on how to nomad) has a comprehensive section for you to pack with.

Book Review - "Tales of a Female Nomad"

I suppose it's proper to review books when they are hot off the press but this Christmas I was given an older book that is so great for nu nomads that I had to write about it. Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman, is a personal account of a woman's nomadic life over the course of nearly 20 years. Her marriage on the rocks and her children grown, Rita decides to escape to Mexico for a time to learn Spanish when her husband asks for time apart. She returns from this trip only to find that her husband wants a divorce but the nomadic spirit has been born within her and she sets off on an adventure of many years that takes her to numerous destinations including New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, Canada and Bali.

While away, Rita keeps her income generating through writing children's books. This is a career she had developed before hitting the road. As a writer she was able to keep contact with her editors and publishers from afar. The account depicts her transition from doing this work by snail mail to the advent of traveling with a laptop computer.

I found two things particularly inspiring about this book. First, as a woman and mother myself it was inspiring to see another woman who was in the midstream of life be able to make her traveling dreams happen. So many of us feel that we can't get away because of children, personal ties, or personal belongings. Rita shows that all those worries are just that - worries! Secondly, it was beautiful to read how Rita was able to enter a culture and create personal relationships on a very intimate level with local people without imposing her own western ways upon them. She returns home rich with the love she shared along her journey.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to get a sense of one nomad's life on a personal level. Rita's writing is very candid and you will put it down feeling that she has given you the details of her story in a very generous way.

Connecting to the Internet When There's No Cafe in Sight - GPRS

by Carmen Bolanos
October 15, 2007

This is the first in a series of blogs on alternative ways to connect to the internet. This blog covers GPRS is and how it works. Please visit back for the continuing series.

As nu nomads, we are often looking for ways to connect to the internet to communicate with clients, collaborate with colleagues, or simply to get information. Usually this is as simple as finding a dwelling with internet capability or walking down to the local internet café. But for those of us who like the more remote parts of the globe or the quaint life of a smaller town, connecting to the internet can be a real challenge. However, there is still hope for the determined individual. It takes a basic knowledge of the options and some pre-planning on the home-front to be sure you have the right equipment.

The fundamental need is getting a signal that will transfer data. Many mobile phones have internet capability and options such as Blackberries include a keyboard for sending those short emails.
But if you have more extensive internet use requirements the micro-mini screens and keyboards become unbearable over time. You need to use your laptop. Hence, getting a signal to transfer data — for the laptop. You do this with a mobile phone and GPRS.

Living Life in 3G (or 2G or 4G)

Mobile phone/internet technology is evolving so rapidly that it would be nearly impossible to produce a piece that was completely up-to-date. The evolution of this technology is actually quite a bit ahead of what is readily available to the common user. So, while I write to you about GPRS, this is a technology that is already somewhat outdated even though it is still new enough not to have been adopted by many countries.

Mobile phones are categorized by generations. Older mobile phones that were made primarily for voice and sometimes photo transfer were considered to be “2nd Generation (2G)”. GPRS was a technology that evolved to allow 2G users to access the internet and also to increase interest among users in gaining more use of this option for the future. However, third generation mobile phones have now evolved, allowing for internet access at much higher speeds than their predecessors. In fact, 4G phones are already in existence. So is GPRS obsolete? No – not yet. At the moment, because of expense and licensing issues, many countries have not built 3G networks and for many that have begun to build, the coverage is still quite limited. Therefore, the international traveler should not expect to be able to access 3G features (internet) while away making GPRS a continued necessity.

What is GPRS ?

GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. GPRS service is billed on a “per kilobyte of data transferred” scale rather than per-second. This makes GPRS an affordable way to use the internet via your mobile phone. To access GPRS you will need a GPRS capable mobile phone and a GPRS enabled SIM card for the country in which you are traveling. (SIM cards are inserted into GSM phones to allow access to networks within various countries. These can be purchased in convenience stores, gas stations, etc. at your destination or before your departure at Telestial)

In a nutshell, when you use your mobile phone to speak, every minute that you are chatting is a minute that you are requiring space on your provider’s network system. Therefore, mobile phone charges are based on a per-second scale. However with “packet switching” that is used in GPRS, the network is only used for the few seconds that data is being transferred and in the meantime while you are working on your document or reading the web page that was just transferred to you, you are not using the network space.

What Kind of GPRS Phone?

If you read our article on Cell Phone Basics for Travelers, you will already know the importance of getting a GSM phone. This is no different when wanting GPRS capability. GSM systems are the only systems where GPRS is currently in use.

There are 3 classes of capability you may find when searching GSM/GPRS phones:

Class C phones cannot transfer voice (GSM) and data (GPRS) at the same time. With a class C device the user must use only one service at a time and switch the phone manually to change over.

Class B phones connect to both GSM and GPRS simultaneously but only one service at a time can be used. The phone automatically resets after the call or connection is finished and there is no need for the user to switch the phone manually.

Class A phones can use both GSM and GPRS simultaneously allowing the user to speak and transfer data all at the same time.

Most phones on the market right now are Class B phones.

And Now for Service

In addition to having a GPRS capable phone you will need to find a phone service provider or country SIM card that supports GPRS service. Read carefully when choosing your service or SIM card about whether GPRS is supported and what rates are charged. Here are some sample results I found through Telestial:

Spain Vodafone SIM Card – 2 Euros per megabyte ($2.80 US)
Thailand Happy SIM Card - .10 Bhat per kilobyte ($.003 US)
Jordan Cardcom SIM Card – GPRS not available
Canada Rogers SIM Card – GPRS not available but email is retrievable
France Orange SIM Card – GPRS not available

Don’t assume that GPRS will always be readily available anywhere you go. You may expect most extensive GPRS coverage in Asia and the U.S. but you may not find it in every European country. Do your homework before you leave home!

Making it Work

So you have your GPRS enabled phone and a GPRS enabled SIM card. The next step will be to learn how to use the service. There are 3 methods for connecting your mobile phone to your laptop.

1) Data-cable – yes, the good old fashioned wire method. This is reliable and not too inconvenient when traveling.

2) Infrared – requires the alignment of the IR port on the laptop with the IR port on the phone. However, if you are on a jostling train or in a limited space this might be difficult. For instance, some laptops have their IR port in front of the keyboard making typing impractical. You also need a phone that includes IR connecting.

3) Bluetooth – this can be an ideal option as it allows connection just through proximity but will require configuration of a Bluetooth enabled phone and laptop with Bluetooth or Bluetooth card. In addition, this option may slow your connection and run your phone battery down fast.

Once the phone and laptop are communicating, you will need to access the GPRS network. Accessing GPRS networks usually involves dialing in access codes and passwords. These codes and passwords will vary depending on your service provider and country in which you are traveling. Instructions for accessing the network should be provided by this service.

And, voila! You’re in business, nomad.

Sources:
http://www.telecomspace
http://pcworld.about.com/news/Sep292005id122411.htm
http://www.esato.com/archive/t.php/t-122341,1.html
http://www.fodors.com/wire/archives/002757.cfm
http://www.gprshelp.co.uk/html/GPRSArchitecture.html
http://en.wikipedia.org

Special thanks to Jeff Van West of Van West Company for his input on this article

TheBusinessClass.net - a True Nu Nomadic Office Space

by Carmen Bolanos
September 17,2007

Recently, our forum was joined by a new member, Manu, who described his business in Berlin as on in which office space can be rented for short periods of time specifically for the working traveler. TheBusinessClass.net offers space in downtown Berlin that comes complete with internet access, fax, phone, printer, coffee, etc. Everything you would need to keep your business running in an environment of people with like minds about seeing the world not just as the typical tourist. Manu Kumar, Head of TheBusinessClass.net, was kind enough to take the time for the interview below, describing what this new office concept can offer the nu nomad as well as how this Berlin business may soon spread to worldwide locations.

Can you describe what TheBusinessClass.net is, where you are located and what services you provide?

TheBusinesClass.Net (BCN) is an international network that works on two distinct levels. First it's virtual and second it's real. The virtual aspect is a digital (online) platform for artists, creative people and freelancers to present themselves, realize projects and find business contacts.

The second aspect - the real, physical network – is a network of offices, so-called BCN-ports. These offices provide accessible and uncomplicated working spaces world-wide, with all necessary office equipment like wireless internet access, fax, phone and answering machine, scanner and laser printer all in a comfortable, friendly surrounding. The first BCN-port was opened in Berlin, Germany in May 2007.

In the bigger picture each BCN-port acts as an interface between the local and global network through the local BCN-Port operator.

What gave you the idea to start TheBusinessClass.Net?

Simple, I would have loved to have something like TheBusinessClass.Net myself. For nearly a decade I worked as a freelance architect and artist throughout Europe and Asia. I sometimes envied employees of large international corporations (Sony, Microsoft, Nike etc.), because they instantly had access to their company's global network. On the other hand I can't imagine working permanently for such a 'major player' - as an artist I need my freedom and independence.

Then one day the idea just popped up: an independent network of freelancers providing working spaces, contacts and local infrastructure. Come, plug and play. It's your business, anywhere.

How has the response been so far to using your service?

A lot better than we expected. After the first three months we have over 80 members from several countries and our web traffic is rising steadily. Our customers in BCN-Berlin were all very satisfied and I really enjoyed personally meeting all those people from different professions and backgrounds. My personal favorite: every customer of BCN-Berlin recommended us to friends and acquaintances.

From a practical perspective we really enjoyed being able to mediate several contracts through BCN-Berlin: a Spanish company seeking a local construction company for a trade fair booth; a local metal worker – also from Berlin - specialized in the construction of artistic installations, who is currently completing installations for well known artists in Venice (Italy), Iceland, France and the United States. And we also received a couple of requests from people looking to open their own BCN-Port ...

… I wanted to mention that later …
I noticed your maximum duration is 12 weeks. Is there a minimum?

Currently our minimum stay is one week. In special cases – whether shorter or longer duration – we will of course consider making exceptions.

Let’s say I’m a nu nomad who really only needs internet and phone. In other words I have no need of paper/fax/printers/etc. What would be the advantage for me of using your service vs. just going to an internet café?

Our coffee tastes better... No, seriously, our main advantages are quite simple. First, while each BCN-Port provides the necessary infrastructure, it also offers a highly professional atmosphere. Practically speaking, we all need to be able to concentrate to work efficiently - no background party please. You'll be much more productive in a quiet, spacious environment than in a small booth in a noisy internet cafe. Our equipment is compatible to virtually all systems and is available 24/7.

Second, every BCN-Port offers a local network, concrete practical assistance and an array of everyday contacts and addresses: from pharmacies to government agencies, night clubs to post offices, health insurance to night life, workshops and translation services to room rental. And a small kitchen where you can grab a quick bite to eat or enjoy a really good espresso...

If I were wanting to conduct some in-person business at my destination would you have conference rooms that I could use to meet with clients or hold meetings?

Sure... if you give us some lead time. How many people? Any special requirements? You need a beamer? How about a small buffet or full scale catering...

I noticed that you are offering franchises of your business, or as you call them “fairchises”. What are the opportunities for others to open a BusinessClass.net?

A BCN-Port can offer its operator his own office and a basic living with a minimum of effort. We take care of all the backend and marketing, including your own web presence and local and global advertisement in six different languages. As a side effect a BCN-Port operator constantly meets new and interesting people – potential contacts – from all over the world. The larger the network, the more every operator and BCN-member benefits. That's why we prefer a fair and equitable partnership... a 'fair-chise'.

Our basic concept of 'fairchise' is based on:
 no license fees (which we believe amounts to financing the franchise offerer)
 no expensive 'managment courses'
 no inventory or equipment that must be bought from the franchise offerer
 no fixed monthly fees (for royalties, marketing, etc.)
 short franchise contracts (3 years)
 instant start-up (open a BCN-port within four weeks)

Generally speaking, any outgoing, sociable person can operate a BCN-port. The bottom line is that there are only a few basic rules and standards in order to guarantee that our customers find the same working conditions wherever they go. Due to our 'fairchise' policy the only restriction is that we reserve the right to decide who we accept as a BCN-port operator.

The 'classic' or 'typical' BCN-Port operator was previously deeply involved in this profession, but at some point found their own niche. From their own professional experience they developed a profound expertise in their profession. As a 'NuNomad' they found their place and built up a lively, interactive network.

Ideally there should be an intense exchange between the local people and BCN-members that inspires all.

Do you have certain destinations that you are targeting for growth?

Basically, TheBusinessClass.Net is looking for two types of locations. First, cities and large towns where members can work directly on their projects. Second, nature retreats and sanctuaries where members can really turn off and brood over their next big idea.

Currently we are discussing and planning BCN-Ports in Cape Town (South Africa), on St.Cruz / Tenerife (Spain) and in the Mojave desert (California, USA). Our goal is to establish seven BCN-Ports by end-2008 – at least one on each continent ;)

Thanks, Manu.

Further information about BCN, Membership and Fairchise under:
www.TheBusinessClass.Net
or just contact Manu directly: manu@TheBusinessClass.Net

Let's Do Our Part - Light Up the World with the Bogolight

by Carmen Bolanos

Did you know that two billion people in developing countries rely on kerosene lamps, candles and single use battery flashlights for light? Think about that. Think about the environmental impact - candles, kerosene and batteries that must regularly be replaced. Think about the safety impact - how many homes may catch fire each year as a result of kerosene or candle accidents. Think about how many of these people including children spend all their daylight hours working outside the home so that their only time to read, study, or attend to daily tasks in the home is after dark.

As Nu Nomads many of us have had the privilege to experience places like this first hand and to see what some of the basic needs are for these families. Part of my reason for co-founding Nu Nomad has been that I believe that the more we as a human species can experience each other and learn about each other's lives, the more we will gain understanding and the more we will come to a state of peace in the world. This is my big hairy audacious goal. However, there are also practical ways we can all make a big difference.

Getting a Bogolight is one of these ways. Mark Bent, the genius behind the Bogolight, has invented a solar powered flashlight that will run for 4-5 hours with 8 hours of charging. The charging can be done as it hangs from your backpack while you climb the Himalayas. The battery needs only to be replaced about every 2 years (and recycling programs are underway). The flashlight itself will last for 20 years. However, the best thing about the Bogolight is not the flashlight itself, but the program behind it.

BOGOLight stands for Buy One Give One Light. For every flashlight you purchase, another one is sent to a person in a developing nation. In addition, Bogolight will donate $1 to a charity in that nation with your purchase. So you're really helping in several ways. There are even programs underway to remove the batteries out of the developing nations for recycling when they need replacement.

Whether you're hiking in the Amazon or spending a month in Paris, a flashlight should be a part of your Nu Nomad gear for practicality and safety. I encourage you to make it a Bogolight. Besides, it may keep you from having to figure out how to say, "where can I get a new battery?" in Swahili someday.

Visit the Bogolight site, take a look at their program, their success stories, and their product. Then do something good for yourself, for someone else, and for the world around you!

Meet the Nomads - Greg and Yoko - Nomadesigners in Japan

This week I am proud to introduce you to two beautiful and creative nomads, Greg Moulinet and Yoko Chiba. Owners of Nomadesign, Greg and Yoko are transforming their international lifestyle into a major part of their brand image. As a French/Japanese couple doing business in at least three languages they truly represent a global enterprise. Read on to find out more about who they are and how they live!

What is your business/profession?

Greg: I am a graphic designer specializing in visual identity (logos). I operate 90% online.

Yoko: I operate as a branding director, mediating between our clients and graphic designers, and represent our branding & design company, Nomadesign.jp with Greg. We also call ourselves Nomadesigners. In addition, I specialize in fashion design, so I teach fashion design as well as fashion history in Tokyo as a part-time job.

What training/experience did you receive in order to be able to have this business/profession?

Greg: Coming from 2 art schools, I am suppose to have learned something about aesthetics and technique... but I actually learned nothing of commercial design and I can safely say I taught myself graphic design from a very early age and started to be a professional in this field at 16.

Yoko: I have lived, studied and worked in the fashion design field in Paris, London, Tbilisi (Rep. of Georgia), Nicosia (Cyprus), Rome and Milan for a total of 7 years. So pretty good aesthetic, trend watching & setting and communication senses were there I think, but the technical knowledge of graphic design was passed on by Greg, since we started to work together 8 months ago.

How long have you been doing this?

Greg: 20 years as a designer, 6~7 years as a designer using internet, working/traveling abroad and I can say 5 years making it a lifestyle.

Yoko: I've been living a nomadic lifestyle for 25 years, have been a linguist for 18 years, in fashion for 10 years, a professional designer for 5 years, teaching for 3 years, and in the new field, branding for 8 months. These are most significant aspects and time that it took to become current “me”.

How long were you in your business/profession before you began traveling?

Greg: In my case, just 2 years because I started to travel and work as an artist and designer at age 18. But, as a real nunomad/laptophobo... it took 15 years.

Yoko: I was a student when I started to travel and it took me a while to become fully professional in design. Taking advantage of internet technology, more than just exchanging e-mail with my acquaintances is quite recent, probably about 3 years since I once set up an online shop of my collection.

What interested you in becoming mobile?

Greg: I always lived my adult life working/traveling abroad. As a graphic designer, a computer allowed me to bring my atelier with me... forget letraset, forget airbrushing, forget argentic photographs... When the internet came about, I immediately saw the possibility to set up shop online. Internet meant for me that I could find clients online, provide the work online and be paid online. Before, when I was going to a country, I had to generate contacts, promote myself and gain the trust of clients. With the computer and internet, I suddenly had not only my atelier and portfolio with me but also my client list. Deciding to work and live abroad every 3 months, just seemed entertaining while affording me the possibility of seeing my family and friends in various locations more often.

Yoko: Like Greg, or even longer than he has, I have been mobile most of my life. When I was 9, I started to move around with my family in Japan, stayed a year with an American family in Alabama as a teen, coming back to Japan, moved around Tokyo for a decade while I finished high school and college where I majored in linguistics and cross-cultural communication and started to work in PR and then fashion retail. I was in my mid-20s when I went to Europe to study fashion design, so it is hard to imagine my lifestyle otherwise. But I can say that I always enjoyed having new networks of people, and it is interesting the difference in networks of travelers and non-travelers. Well-travelled people appreciate small encounters, but do not cling on each contact. They simply move on in their life, and very casually and spontaneously, they may come back to the contact somehow somewhere later on. People who don’t travel do not understand this, so they think we disappeared from their lives. To me, nomadic lifestyle is not about how often one travels, but more to do with the mind set for the lifetime. So if nomadic people decide to stay in one place for a few years or even longer, that doesn’t make them quit being nomadic.

Where do you like to travel and for how much of the year?

Greg: I travel mostly between New York, Miami, Paris, Grenoble, Tokyo and Kyoto.
The number of times I travel can be very different each year. Last year it was about 8 times, between all the cities mentioned above. When I was working alone I liked to travel non-stop between hotels. I wrote about it in my last post on working and traveling in Japan. This year, we have not moved much... only 1 month in France and will be traveling next June mostly in the west of Japan for a month. We are trying to settle the nomadesign business and hopefully hire like-minded designers to expand it.

Yoko: I have traveled mostly in European cities, I guess it was coming from my interest in fashion. I was seeking stimulation, excitement that big cities can provide. I have also traveled to Bangkok sometimes, I like their climate, food, genuine people, bright colors. I think I would like their beach even more. I have never been to, but I think I would like Vietnam as well, since I have similar image of it as Thailand. I think we all have cultures that suit us, now I feel more comfortable and drawn to Buddhist or Mediterranean culture. I have traveled less often since I came back to Japan in 2003, and recently, Greg and I started to focus on buying a house. Now, some people might think we decided to be settle in Japan and stop being nomadesigners? It is to the contrary actually. We want to have a secure base and stop paying rent so that we have more financial freedom which allows us to travel whenever and however we want. Actually we look forward to have more than one base abroad in the future, so that we have more reason to travel, and we are “going home” at the same time.

You and Yoko are traveling together now. Was it always like this or did you meet on the road?


Greg: In 2004 I contacted Yoko after seeing her profile online, because she had a similar lifestyle. We had a very good exchange of emails in which we were talking about how we were doing in our business and I was giving her advice on how to settle her studio online. A year later during a trip in Japan we met and figured out we were actually a good match for each other. We decided to test out living together and I took a serviced apt in Tokyo for 3 months. After these 3 months and a trip to New York, Miami and Paris, We then decided to move to a real apt. 3 months later we figure out the nomadesign business and made our lifestyle the brand of our design studio. nomadesign.jp was put online by September 2006. It was also at this time that I looked around to see if other people were doing/thinking the same thing... and found you guys.

Yoko: Greg and I have traveled together for the first time in Dec-Jan to France. When Greg spent 7 long years in Japan, I was mostly in Europe, so it is interesting to think about the time we took to finally travel together, while we traveled most of our adult life individually.

Is there any special equipment or infrastructure you must travel with in order to run your business? (ie laptop, telephony, fax)
If so – what brand/models do you choose and why?

Greg: I have a 17' screen macbook pro, Yoko has a Vaio VGN-FS30b. I have another Vaio I keep as a backup tool... but the screen is dead. I also have 2 portable HD one from Buffalo (150GB.) and the other from Seagate (100GB.). We use a linksys pocket wireless router... very useful to connect in an hotel room or the family/friend apt without making a mess with cables. For telephony I use sipphone with a US number and skype. I also use efax for receiving and sending faxes. I use the Shaun Jackson design laptop luggage, I wear mostly victorinox clothes... I do not use their luggage (expansive and fragile). I have a different mobile phone for each country using pre-paid systems. I have a small garmin GPS to note interesting locations or find my hotel when I am lost... on a geeky note... I am a sound freak, I have the Bose noise cancelling headphone... fantastic in a plane but somehow not so efficient in a TGV. and I also have the amp and speakers of Cambridge Soundworks model twelve... that are suppose to be portable... I do not bring the thing with me all the time... much too heavy... but it is the best sound you can bring with you using the bass box as a suitcase. And to finish up the nomadesigner costume... I have a foldable skateboard and an electric skateboard... the electric skateboard is also too heavy to bring each time, but if I could, it would be a lot of fun to use it for discovering well paved cities.

Yoko: I have the 15” screen Vaio laptop which does its work just fine, both for administrative and design work of our company. I have Nokia 3 band phone which I can use pretty much anywhere in the world. I have rarely used the phone to call abroad, but it’s good to have the option just in case, especially when you are in unfamiliar foreign countries. I communicate with our clients mostly via e-mail, so I have not used Skype with them, but it could be very useful when we are away from our base more often. I am not as much of gadget geek as Greg is, so some wrinkle-free clothes and a few pairs of shoes, really few, especially black leather low-heeled pumps from Anatomica (France), all in computer bag from MH Way, travel toiletry bag and suitcase from Muji (both are Japanese international brand) would be enough for a usual trip.

Are there any services you use while you travel in order to run your business? (ie Skype, supportsoft, online appointment services)

Skype, Sipphone, Gizmo, efax, Adium for telephony and IM
paypal.com, 2co.com, citibank, HSBC for online banking, accounting and payments
Apple Dashboard, Stratfor, google news for travel, conversion, translation and info.
Oanda and Invast for trading and investing.

Are your clients/customers located at your home base or scattered?


Greg: Because we are focusing on establishing our current business in Japan, our customers are mostly Japanese right now. I continue to use my logo design business for some works and clients are worldwide (25 different countries so far) but about 60% are American and 80% fro English speaking countries.

What kind of reaction have you had from your clients/customers about your traveling lifestyle?


Greg: "I would like so much to be able to do the same as you guys"... that's usually the main comment. When I started, I was hiding this fact and designed my company like a respectable brick and mortar US company. But now we decided to put that aspect of our way of living and doing business front and center.

Yoko: I deal mostly with Japanese clients. They somehow find it awesome at a personal level, but soon they become concerned of our professional credibility. So I do not emphasize much of our lifestyle to them, not more than the spirit of active and creative designers. Unfortunately, I get pretty much the same reaction from my Japanese close people, I guess they don’t know how to react to it, the concept, unless it becomes somehow well-recognized as an option. That is actually one of our dreams.


What would you say are the pros/cons of the nunomadic business and lifestyle?

Greg: Pros are everything you can expect from a traveling life.
Cons are only cons if you have not chosen this kind of life. For example... I am not covered by a governmental social security. Solution? I buy an international private insurance that costs me $3000 a year. Expensive? Not really if you consider I do not pay income tax in France representing 60% of my income. Almost every con has a solution or a balance... you have to consider yourself a government of your own to prepare safety nets in terms of health, security, finance and comfort. As for other aspects, yes it has been difficult so far to settle a family, have pets, a garden, my collection of books and keep my belongings in one place.

Yoko: Cons are some inconveniences caused by not having your own base as Greg says. Your professional credibility for your potential clients can be at risk, as well as your old friends or cousins might forget to invite you to their weddings. I think most of the problems can be solved by having at least one good base somewhere in the world you feel comfortable to maintain for long term. Obviously it is easier to have it in your home country, but even if it was not, let it be. You just need to be involved and be patient to let the network grow organically there. Pro is needless to spell out but if I may, FREEDOM!

Do you have any advice for those people wanting to set up their own mobile business?

Greg: Focusing on being more free and self-sustainable would bring someone to naturally choose to travel and discover the world. It has never been easier to do so as right now especially if you are single or a couple. I admire you Carmen to be doing it with all your family.

Yoko: Having courage to take the first action and continue making them would be the key, just as any other process of self encouragement. Don’t get caught up too much in what ifs beforehand, you’ll find most of the answers by just doing it. I think freedom is not about being irresponsible, it is to let yourself enjoy your only life in full, so you would do anything to maintain the right. Who can blame you for wanting it? And I agree with Greg, when you can share the joy with your family, create a community or make a big movement, it would be even more meaningful.

If you are a Nu Nomad or know someone who is and would like to be featured in our Meet the Nomads series, email carmen at nunomad.com or post a comment to this blog entry!

Homesick for a Great Movie, Nomad?

As much as I am an advocate of immersing yourself in local culture when you're traveling, I have vivid memories of getting homesick for an occasional movie in my mother tongue. I remember finding an Audrey Hepburn festival at the local theater in Naha City, Okinawa. I saw every one. But somehow watching Audrey's beautiful mouth move while I heard a high pitched Japanese voice-over of very different words just wasn't the same.

That's why I was so excited last week when I logged into my account at Netflix.com

If you have Windows XP,with Service Pack 2 or higher, Internet Explorer version 6 or higher, Windows Media Player version 9 or newer, an active connection to the Internet and the free Netflix Movie Viewer, you are just moments away from watching some great stuff.

So, what does it take? If you are already a member of Netflix, you can access instant viewing for free. Just go to the home page and click on "Watch Now" to see the choices and read about how it works. You are allowed an hour of viewing time for every dollar of your monthly fee. In other words if you are paying 17.99 per month, you have about 18 hours of instant viewing time for free. You will need to download their Netflix Movie Viewer program.

I downloaded the Movie Viewer and it took less than a minute. You can watch the movie on full screen and you are able to pause, fast forward or rewind as needed. Within moments I was watching a movie.

If you are not yet a member, just sign up at Netflix.com and you can try it for a month free. When it's time to pay you can use a credit card so it shouldn't matter where you're located as long as you can supply the information needed.

I will say the variety of movies, documentaries, and tv shows available for instant viewing is much smaller than the regular Netflix library. You can browse what's available in the "Watch Now" section before making your decision to sign up. Also, remember that if you don't have access to a good internet connection, your viewing experience may not be of very high quality. The faster the better of course. All that said, however, if you're really wanting something from home like I was in Japan, this could be the answer to your flick fix!

Other possible uses of this service? Just imagine - you're in the airport with your two young kids after 7 hours of travel on the last plane and you've just been told your next flight has been delayed 3 hours. Netflix to the rescue. The possibilities are endless. Happy viewing!

MojoPac: A Laptop Hobo’s Best Traveling Companion

How many times have you wished that your computer was with you while out-and-about? You know, like when you’re checking emails at an Internet Café in some end-of-earth location and one of your customers has just emailed you an urgent request—a situation that requires you to use all the tools within your home computer. But, unfortunately, you’re nowhere near home. Now imagine that you have your entire home computer environment within your pocket hard drive, MP3 player or even flash stick.

I’ve been waiting for such a travel tool for quite some time now. A program which converts any PC operating on XP or Vista into a fully-functioning, near-mirror image, version of the password-protected computer I work on everyday—complete with programs, settings and document files. Thankfully I’ve found such a tool, Mojopac , and the test results are impressive.

How it Works:

Simply plug in your USB device (in which you’ve pre-loaded MojoPac, along with all the stuff you’d load onto your home computer—save for the actual operating system) into the host computer and their screen becomes your familiar desktop. Toggle back and forth between the host environment and your MojoPac view. Their Internet connection is yours, and there’s no need to add anything to the host computer.

After spending a week testing MojoPac out in various working situations: multi-tasking between half a dozen programs (Macromedia Studio, MS Office, and far lesser known applications), and going from one computer to another, I can say that the MojoPac can serve as your primary working environment, where you treat PCs as simple (to quote the makers) “dumb terminals”.

Road Tested:

I was on day 5 yesterday of testing my MojoPac when I realized that I had to renew my tourist visa (make a visa run), requiring me to drop everything to take a mini-bus to the Malaysian boarder. (I’m currently based in Southern Thailand.) That morning I check my email box and got a request by one of my customers to update several of their web pages. My primary computer, however, is an HP Pavilion zx5000—a heavy, oversize, desktop replacement machine. I wasn’t about to lug that beast along for the ride. However, I also have a Fujitsu p7120 ultra-portable notebook (for when I’m traveling light). Luckily (since there was no time to transfer files from one PC to another) all of my working files and programs were now on my MojoPac, and all I had to do to keep working (for the duration of that hellish 10 hour journey) was to grab my little p120 notebook, my mobile phone (with Bluetooth), and my MojoPac. (Yes, my passport too. Sheesh.) And by the time the mini-bus reached the first ferry off the island from where I’m based, I had already made the Web file change with Dreamweaver, created a new jpeg image (with Fireworks), uploaded the revisions to my customer’s web server, and logged the working time in Excel. Afterwards, I downloaded new emails and replied to them (via Outlook), and then read BBCNews.com and NYTimes.com before calling that spur-of-the-moment workday complete.

A few matters of concern:

I loaded the trial version (free for 30 days) MojoPac onto a 60GB, USB 2.0, external hard drive. Although I found little resistance in applying programs to it (involving the same procedures as loading applications to any PC), I noticed a couple of minor issues. One was “power twitches”. This blinking on and off of the MojoPac working environment was due to the fact that USB offers far less power than when working directly from a host PC. Secondly, I found that MojoPac would not allow me to load my Norton Anti-Virus. RingCube’s (the makers of MojoPac) tech people recommended that one uses a “USB power cable” or a “dual-headed” cable that attaches to 2 USB ports—one for data, the other for power. I experienced a little less twitching when experimenting with the later option. My external HDD does not provide for a power cable. The twitching, however, was simply a minor annoyance than anything else. As for protecting your MojoPac against viruses, MojoPac offers a list of other security product options that work (including TrendMicro) and have assured me that their next version of MojoPac (due out soon) will allow for Norton Anti-Virus. I did, however, notice (between toggling back and forth between the host and MojoPac view) that the Norton Anti-Virus on my host was already filtering out my emails for me on the MojoPac. And though this makes me question whether there is any sharing of programs or files going on between the host PC and MojoPac, the people at RingCube state that “no, nothing” is shared between host and MojoPac.

As for technical support,

Posted at 03:00 PM in Products for the Nomad, Ricardo, Stuff You Need, Tech Stuff | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

In this last post on cell/mobile basics let's look at choices for those of you wanting alternatives to mobile phone communication while you galavant around the globe.

Return Call Service (also called Call Back Service) offers an alternative way for international travelers using mobile phones to avoid the high international rates for outgoing calls on their phone. In some cases, Return Call Rates may be better than local SIM cards with GSM unlocked phones. Here is how it works. First, you obtain a unique telephone number in your home country (these can be obtained from sellers such as Telestial or China Mobile. When you are traveling, you call the unique number using any phone (your mobile, your hotel, it doesn't matter). Upon the first ring you hang up. This prevents you from being charged for an international call. The Return Call Service records your number and calls you back a few moments later (China Mobile numbers offer a feature where you can record a message for this return call instructing hotel personnel to connect the call to your room). Once you receive the call back you are then within the Return Call automated system where you can dial the number of the person you wish to reach. Most cell phones do not charge for incoming calls and some SIM cards also offer free incoming international calls. Thus, you do not pay for the incoming call, you only pay the per minute fee of the Return Call service. I found fees to be around .14 cents per minute for U.S./France calls and .20 cents per minute for U.S./Thailand calls.

A word of caution for Return Call Service users: Be aware that certain Global Roaming SIM cards do not allow for use of this service. However, you should be alright with local prepaid SIM cards.

A couple of benefits of choosing Return Call Service:

* No set up fee
* Pay as you go
* No need for special equipment. In fact, you could call from any phone and really have no need to travel with a mobile.
* No need to ask clients to call you.

Our second alternative to a mobile phone will appeal to those most adventurous folks who travel beyond the boundaries of mobile phone services. The satellite phone will allow you to shoot the breeze with mom and dad while you're planting your flag on the North Pole. Satellite phones come with all the features of most mobile phones without any of the boundaries. However, you will pay the price. Satellite phones can range from $700-$2000 U.S.. You can also choose to rent if you don't wish to own. Rental prices from Telestial range from $7 per day to $19 per day depending on duration.

A word of caution for satellite phone users: In addition to your cost for purchase or rental of a satellite phone be prepared for rates around $1.70 U.S. per minute, as well as set up fees. Also, be aware that not all satellite phones reach to the far corners of the earth. Some of the less pricey brands have more limited ranges of service. Buyer beware.

Benefits of choosing a satellite phone:
* with the right phone you can get service on 100% of the globe.

Finally, we have Skype". If you'd like to do away with the phones altogether and travel only with your trusty laptop, consider Skyping. At this point in time many people are Skype pros and yet the technology is still new enough that there are plenty of folks who have never heard of it. Skype allows you to open an account on their web site with name and password. By attaching a headset to your laptop you can then "Skype Out" or place a "Skype to Skype" call to anyone anywhere. Skyping out allows you to call any telephone in the world from your laptop. Placing a Skype to Skype call refers to a call from your laptop to the computer of another individual with a Skype" account. The beauty of the Skype to Skype call is that it is completely free! However, even Skyping Out rates are extremely reasonable and better than any phone rate you can probably find. In addition, Skype accounts come with voice mail features just as your phone would.

A word of caution to potential Skype users: be sure that you will have access to a good high speed connection if you intend to use Skype for important conversations such as coaching calls to clients, or teleconferences. Without a good connection you may experience substantial noise. However, with a good connection, calls are as clear as with any other telephone.

Benefits of using Skype":
* Probably the best rates overall of any audio communication device.
* Ability to communicate without a telephone and from any place with high speed internet.
* Possibility of free communication in a Skype to Skype scenario.

If you read my first entry on mobile phone basics you may remember we left with tips on purchasing a mobile phone for international travel. They were as follows:

- ask for a GSM phone
- ask if the phone is locked. If so, how can it be unlocked?
- ask what frequency the phone uses (most countries use 900/1800 MHZ)

So, let's understand better why GSM technology is important for international travel and how it works. First, as I stated before, most of the world (over 200 countries) use GSM technology, so you will get greatest mobility with this choice. Secondly, a GSM phone is not tied to any particular service provider. In the U.S. most mobile phones are tied to a particular provider and will not work in areas the provider doesn't cover. With an unlocked GSM phone, you are able to purchase SIM cards (which stands for Subscriber Information Module) to allow you to access particular providers in the country you are visiting.

In other words, imagine I am taking a tour of 4 Mediterranean countries. I can purchase 4 pre-paid SIM cards for Italy, Greece, Spain, and France. As I move from country to country I change SIM cards and my GSM phone continues to work throughout the trip. SIM cards vary depending on the amount of minutes you are pre-purchasing. Expect $30-$60 US on average. These may come with features such as free incoming calls (including international incoming calls) or credits for outgoing minutes. Per minute rates with SIM cards should be significantly cheaper than global roaming rates.

Some people choose to purchase GSM phones from their U.S. mobile phone service and to request that the global roaming feature be activated. If you make this choice, be sure to find out what the cost per minute will be for calls from the countries you will be visiting. Costs can range up to $6.00 US per minute. Don't get slammed with a huge bill on your return. However, if you only want the ability to call out in case of emergency and don't plan on using your phone otherwise, this may be a good option.

Maybe you are convinced now that a GSM phone is essential to your voyage. Now there is another choice point. Should you rent or purchase? In my online search I found prices for unlocked international GSM phones to range from $100 to $700 US depending on features (take a look at Telestial). Rental rates average about $50 US per month with an average $20 US delivery charge (found at Cellular Express).

In terms of making the buy/rent decision you'll most likely want to consider:
1) How long will I be away?
2) How often do I travel?

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series. I'll be discussing alternative phone communications!

Cell/Mobile Phone Basics for Travelers Part 3: Beyond the Mobile Phone

In this last post on cell/mobile basics let's look at choices for those of you wanting alternatives to mobile phone communication while you galavant around the globe.

Return Call Service (also called Call Back Service) offers an alternative way for international travelers using mobile phones to avoid the high international rates for outgoing calls on their phone. In some cases, Return Call Rates may be better than local SIM cards with GSM unlocked phones. Here is how it works. First, you obtain a unique telephone number in your home country (these can be obtained from sellers such as Telestial or China Mobile. When you are traveling, you call the unique number using any phone (your mobile, your hotel, it doesn't matter). Upon the first ring you hang up. This prevents you from being charged for an international call. The Return Call Service records your number and calls you back a few moments later (China Mobile numbers offer a feature where you can record a message for this return call instructing hotel personnel to connect the call to your room). Once you receive the call back you are then within the Return Call automated system where you can dial the number of the person you wish to reach. Most cell phones do not charge for incoming calls and some SIM cards also offer free incoming international calls. Thus, you do not pay for the incoming call, you only pay the per minute fee of the Return Call service. I found fees to be around .14 cents per minute for U.S./France calls and .20 cents per minute for U.S./Thailand calls.

A word of caution for Return Call Service users: Be aware that certain Global Roaming SIM cards do not allow for use of this service. However, you should be alright with local prepaid SIM cards.

A couple of benefits of choosing Return Call Service:

* No set up fee
* Pay as you go
* No need for special equipment. In fact, you could call from any phone and really have no need to travel with a mobile.
* No need to ask clients to call you.

Our second alternative to a mobile phone will appeal to those most adventurous folks who travel beyond the boundaries of mobile phone services. The satellite phone will allow you to shoot the breeze with mom and dad while you're planting your flag on the North Pole. Satellite phones come with all the features of most mobile phones without any of the boundaries. However, you will pay the price. Satellite phones can range from $700-$2000 U.S.. You can also choose to rent if you don't wish to own. Rental prices from Telestial range from $7 per day to $19 per day depending on duration.

A word of caution for satellite phone users: In addition to your cost for purchase or rental of a satellite phone be prepared for rates around $1.70 U.S. per minute, as well as set up fees. Also, be aware that not all satellite phones reach to the far corners of the earth. Some of the less pricey brands have more limited ranges of service. Buyer beware.

Benefits of choosing a satellite phone:
* with the right phone you can get service on 100% of the globe.

Finally, we have Skype". If you'd like to do away with the phones altogether and travel only with your trusty laptop, consider Skyping. At this point in time many people are Skype pros and yet the technology is still new enough that there are plenty of folks who have never heard of it. Skype allows you to open an account on their web site with name and password. By attaching a headset to your laptop you can then "Skype Out" or place a "Skype to Skype" call to anyone anywhere. Skyping out allows you to call any telephone in the world from your laptop. Placing a Skype to Skype call refers to a call from your laptop to the computer of another individual with a Skype" account. The beauty of the Skype to Skype call is that it is completely free! However, even Skyping Out rates are extremely reasonable and better than any phone rate you can probably find. In addition, Skype accounts come with voice mail features just as your phone would.

A word of caution to potential Skype users: be sure that you will have access to a good high speed connection if you intend to use Skype for important conversations such as coaching calls to clients, or teleconferences. Without a good connection you may experience substantial noise. However, with a good connection, calls are as clear as with any other telephone.

Benefits of using Skype":
* Probably the best rates overall of any audio communication device.
* Ability to communicate without a telephone and from any place with high speed internet.
* Possibility of free communication in a Skype to Skype scenario.

Cell/Mobile Phone Basics for Travelers Part 2 - Why GSM?

If you read my first entry on mobile phone basics you may remember we left with tips on purchasing a mobile phone for international travel. They were as follows:

- ask for a GSM phone
- ask if the phone is locked. If so, how can it be unlocked?
- ask what frequency the phone uses (most countries use 900/1800 MHZ)

So, let's understand better why GSM technology is important for international travel and how it works. First, as I stated before, most of the world (over 200 countries) use GSM technology, so you will get greatest mobility with this choice. Secondly, a GSM phone is not tied to any particular service provider. In the U.S. most mobile phones are tied to a particular provider and will not work in areas the provider doesn't cover. With an unlocked GSM phone, you are able to purchase SIM cards (which stands for Subscriber Information Module) to allow you to access particular providers in the country you are visiting.

In other words, imagine I am taking a tour of 4 Mediterranean countries. I can purchase 4 pre-paid SIM cards for Italy, Greece, Spain, and France. As I move from country to country I change SIM cards and my GSM phone continues to work throughout the trip. SIM cards vary depending on the amount of minutes you are pre-purchasing. Expect $30-$60 US on average. These may come with features such as free incoming calls (including international incoming calls) or credits for outgoing minutes. Per minute rates with SIM cards should be significantly cheaper than global roaming rates.

Some people choose to purchase GSM phones from their U.S. mobile phone service and to request that the global roaming feature be activated. If you make this choice, be sure to find out what the cost per minute will be for calls from the countries you will be visiting. Costs can range up to $6.00 US per minute. Don't get slammed with a huge bill on your return. However, if you only want the ability to call out in case of emergency and don't plan on using your phone otherwise, this may be a good option.

Maybe you are convinced now that a GSM phone is essential to your voyage. Now there is another choice point. Should you rent or purchase? In my online search I found prices for unlocked international GSM phones to range from $100 to $700 US depending on features (take a look at Telestial). Rental rates average about $50 US per month with an average $20 US delivery charge (found at Cellular Express).

In terms of making the buy/rent decision you'll most likely want to consider:
1) How long will I be away?
2) How often do I travel?

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series. I'll be discussing alternative phone communications!