Today I’m writing to you about the opening of a new project that is at the core of our passion at NuNomad. For the last several months Ricardo and I have been hard at work creating a social networking component of our site we are calling the NuNomad Tribe. I truly believe that with your participation we will be able to create an interactive community that will change the way we all create and maintain location independent lives.

How is that?

The Inspiration

The inspiration came from my family’s year abroad last year. While planning the trip and later meeting many other nomadic families in our destination choices I had a realization.

1) Specific information for location independents when making travel decisions is not easy to find. While there are many travel sites and expat sites, there are very few devoted to our particular needs as working location independents who may stay in one place for a month or 6 months and have needs for remote office space or other business capabilities.

2) Most professional nomads are re-inventing the wheel over and over and over. Because there is not a great hub for information sharing among nomads, most of us have to spend many hours doing the same research of those before us when having a social network for communication among ourselves would greatly simplify things. For instance, when I was searching for a school in Oaxaca for my 10 year old I spent hours and hours online searching, reading and trying to find forums discussing the subject. When we arrived at the school on the first day we met at least 6 other nomadic families who had all gone through the same tedious searches only to arrive at the same decision. What if there had been a communication hub? How many hours would have been saved?

3) Nomadic lifestyles can be needlessly wasteful. Most of us in this community discuss downsizing, frugality and simple living. However, the reality is a lot of waste can be involved in maintaining location independence. For instance, many of the nomadic friends we made in destinations had had to purchase certain basics in order to conduct everyday life. Basic furniture when furnished dwellings weren’t found, or in my case just a coffee maker and a dvd player. When our friends were leaving their destination or returning home it was often difficult to know what to do with the things we purchased. Again, what if there were a communication hub for selling or trading these things? Yes, Craigslist is out there but it is often sparsely utilized in other countries.

4) Most nomads develop a wealth of information and personal connections to service providers in their destinations. Sharing this information can be invaluable. During our stay in Oaxaca we befriended our taxi driver who I came to trust like a family member. We also fell in love with Avril who came to clean our house once per week. I wanted to be able to continue sending them business after our departure and I wanted to help other new arrivals to Oaxaca with contact information for these amazing people.

5) There are many brilliant people on the internet writing about lifestyle design, frugality, travel and location independence. There is a wealth of information available for people wanting to develop this lifestyle. However, it is not always easy to find this information. Again, a communication hub where links to this information was readily available could be invaluable.

What We Have Created

Every cell of my being kept screaming, “We need this place to communicate!!” And so, the NuNomad Tribe has been born. This is our opening day.

I can’t tell you how excited we are to present this to you. Of course, we are new and will need to grow in numbers and activity in order to make it invaluable but we have a lot to offer. Here’s what the NuNomad Tribe can offer you:

• A centralized location to meet other nomads, make friends or communicate in real time through chat with others in your destinations or in places you may want to visit in the future.  Get the inside scoop from people who have walked the path before you! Where else can you find greats like Cherie and Chris of Technomadia, Barbara Weibel of Hole in the Donut, Christine Gilbert of Almost Fearless, Dragos Roua of Brilliantly Better, Annabel Candy of GetintheHotSpot, Joanna Haugen of Kaleidoscope Wandering, Greg Rollett of Rock Star Lifestyle Design or John Bardos of JetSetCitizen, just to name a few established members so far all in one place?
• A Classified Ads section where you can buy/sell/trade anything that’s relevant to nomads.  Browse the possibilities or place your own ad and perhaps bring in a little extra cash!  Where else can you advertise to a hand picked set of people at no cost.  This is the craigslist of location independents!
• The ability to create or join groups on topics of your interest.  Want to talk about gourmet food in Thailand? The viability of Digital Nomading?  Join a group conversation.
• Coaching for people who want to develop a location independent lifestyle.  As soon as we have enough interested parties we are willing to being group coaching calls helping future nomads get onto the road.
• Incentives for participation.  While we are trying to build our stores of information we’ll be giving away cool stuff.  We have a built in point system for your participation.  Win a NuNomad t-shirt to start!

If you are currently location independent or think you want to be I urge you to join our NuNomad Tribe today and participate in making this the premier social networking site for our special population!  Go now to the NuNomad Tribe where you can watch our video tour or simply click here to join now.  Hope to see you there!

by Ricardo

It’s that time of year again when the air ticket has been bought and the travel insurance is being debated. It’s usually a no-brainer for me since I traditionally go with the same company every year—mainly because of the big price difference between what I’ve been using and what I’ve chosen in the past. However, this year, I thought I’d do some checking around before I leave again for Asia. (I’m currently in the U.S.A.)

Why the second-guessing? Well, I was also prodded to do some comparison shopping after a good friend and fellow world-traveler had touted her insurance provider—one I’ve used before—Travel Guard. Although my friend usually travels for only 1-2 months at a time, where I tend to travel from 5-11 months at a time, I thought I’d check prices just to be sure (and to write a blog on the results). At the end, we were both right. I found that Travel Guard has better prices for short-term travel, where World Nomad was outstanding for the long-term travel.

But, there is more to a policy than price. What happens when you need to submit a claim?

Last year when I was nomading through Thailand I began getting a slight pain in my chest. I wasn’t sure if it was due to my having worked-out extensively that month in Bangkok’s “Prison Park” (it’s the old Bangkok prison that was converted into a really nice public park that promotes all sorts of exercising: from Tai Chi to weight training).  Anyway, I thought it prudent to go visit Doctor Nick at Mission Hospital (if you get sick in Thailand, that’s the hospital to visit) for a check-up. After a series of tests (chest x-ray, blood, EKG, some pointed questions by the doctor) it was determined that I was in fine health and that the pain I was experiencing was most likely due to muscle stress.

Whew!

So the next day I submitted a claim to my travel insurance provider—World Nomads. As I’d just mentioned I’ve been using them for the past few years, but this was the first time I had the opportunity to file a medical claim. (BTW, I’ve used the other two major travel insurance providers—Travel Guard and STA Travel—in past years and had made claims with each. None of them made it difficult for me to file claims and I was pleased with their service overall.) Anyway, once I contacted World Nomads they directed me to their on-line claims form. It was simple and quick. As for their response, that too was quick; and they assured me that I was covered. Excellent. But then they “reminded me” that their medical coverage is supplementary to whatever “primary” medical coverage I may already have.

Huh? I hadn’t remembered seeing such a provision when I was ordering the insurance policy on-line.

After it being pointed out to me, I did find it eventually. It was buried deep within the “What We Cover” section of the website, as well as within the fine print of the policy itself. After the claims agent had pointed that exclusion out to me, I assured him that I had no other “primary insurance.” No travel, health, life, auto—or any other insurance. “No problem,” was his initial answer. However, I was then notified that I would have to submit a written NOTARIZED statement made to that effect (that I had no other travel insurance) before they could proceed with the claim.

WTF?

Not only did their policy not make this nuisance provision clear (I’ve still yet to find any mentioning of notarization requirements on their website) but throughout the entire claim process there was no such requirement to have a similar notarized statement for the more important claim questions such as: costs, and if the medical event had actually occurred! (Heck, if one is lying about not having a primary insurance policy, they’d probably be lying even more about the injury itself.) Anyway, after complaining to several higher-ups in World Nomads’ company they eventually relented and let me submit my claim without notarization.

That being said, does this make World Nomads untrustworthy, or a bad value? Absolutely not. After researching and comparing World Nomads with Travel Guard and STA Travel, I found that only Travel Guard offers their medical coverage as “primary coverage.” As for the notarization issue, that seems to be at the whim of the provider and matter at hand. And once I compared policies between the three, I felt that the real issue was now down to the basics: price and the limits of coverage. And guess who blew the competition out of the water? My old stand-by, World Nomads. But, and to be balanced, the other guys had some necessary coverage areas that were better than that of World Nomads. For example with Travel Guard, as I’d just mentioned, their medical coverage is not supplemental but primary. You won’t have to prove that you’re not covered with some other company. As for STA Travel’s edge, it’s in the Damaged Belongings category. They don’t limit electronics, like one’s notebook computer, to that of only $500. So, there are some important differences between the companies besides cost.

Below are my comparison results between the three big travel insurance companies. But, I shall remind readers to read the fine print of whatever travel insurance policy he/she may select. This could make a big difference between reimbursement and getting nothing.

Your comments on travel insurance is greatly welcomed.

* Denotes that this is secondary coverage. If you have health insurance, you must submit your claim to that provider first. Any benefits you receive from your primary insurance provider or from any excess coverage will be deducted from your claim. Note that there may be similar supplemental provisions/limitations within all policies for coverage that may include more than just medical. Although NuNomad.com is a member of World Nomads Partner Network, it is our primary priority to bring our readers balanced information.

by Ricardo

Last year I did a longer stint in the States, “home,” than usual. A French friend of mine from Thailand had met up with me, so we found ourselves all over California and Arizona. (Oh, and Nevada too. Vegas—if that counts.) Anyway, throughout this road trip we ended up staying in varying accommodations, none of which were very ergonomically-hospitable environments. So by the time the summer ended, my right arm felt like I had pitched twelve innings for the Dodgers—after having it yanked out of whack by a professional wrestler! But, I have only myself to blame because I know better than to work off of dinner and coffee tables, dressers and from my lap for any stretch of time.

This article is for the digital nomad who’s often anchored to their notebook computer and who are avoiding repetitive stress disorders.

The Ergonomic Luxuries of the Old Cubicle

Remember when you worked from “the office,” such as that fully functioning work-at-home setup you may have had, or the ergonomically-correct work station your employer provided you—which was more having to do with workman’s compensation insurance requirements than any comfort concerns they may have had for your well being—before your nomading began? Wasn’t getting the job done so much nicer to your body? Rarely did we have to consider the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerves, a bad back, eye strain and a host of other musculo-skeletal disorders in these ergonomically attuned environments. So why is it we forget ergonomics when we’re on the road?

“Perhaps, Ricardo,” you retort, “availability, weigh considerations and cost might have something to do with it?”

Alrighty, those are some damn good reasons. We can’t just tug our old office with us as we nomad. Yet, there are options indeed! Let’s look at some problem areas and real solutions.

Ergonomic Solutions for the  Nu Nomad Office

Firstly, let’s assume that you’re traveling with an average size notebook computer and not a desktop unit with 20 inch monitor, contoured keyboard and scalable office chair. (I know, “dah.”)

• The keyboard. If you’re working from a 12-inch wide or less notebook, your keyboard will most likely be a reduced sized one (perhaps 90% of normal). But, even if it’s a “full size” keyboard, the placement of the keys is usually behind the touch pad, thus putting a natural strain on the neck, back and forearms.
  Solution: attach an external keyboard to your machine. There are plenty of thin, lightweight, full-size keyboards available that are no wider than 14 inches. I myself wouldn’t dream of working longer than an hour or so a day without one.
• The mouse. If any computer peripheral should be eliminated from the face of the earth, it’s the computer mouse. Dragging that rodent around your desktop endlessly simply invites trouble: spikes of sharp pain between your shoulder blades, shoulder ache and cramping arm. I really believe the inventor of the mouse was one sadistic %#!ker.
  Solution: Since traveling with a pen tablet is usually not a practical option, the external trackball rules. With a trackball, your fingers do the work while your hand simply rests onto the unit. Your arm is no longer doing the heavy work. Plus trackballs work in the tightest of spaces (think airplane).
• The monitor. Small monitors increase eye strain and headaches.
  Solution: If you’re going to be in place for a few months or longer and are expected to work extended hours, it might be a wise investment to buy a large external monitor. The $150 or so investment may be worth it to you. (And, you can always unload the device onto another nomad or local desk jockey.) If the external monitor option is not possible About.com has a few tips on alleviating eye strain.
• The desktop. Ever feel like you’re Godzilla hunched over the keyboard? You know what I mean, your hands are positioned high over the keyboard and it’s as if the keys are Tokyo buildings and you’re going to menace them? Having your keyboard higher than the height of a good fitting office chair’s arms, thus putting your arms and chest away from an “L” position, is inviting carpal tunnel syndrome, neck, back and nerve disorders.
  Solution: Travel with a computer work station! (Just kidding.) If you’re unable to get your arms and upper body into an “L” position by raising the seating or lowering the table/surface, try my TV tray makeshift solution. Because I’ve found that even accommodations with desks are not set-up for use with a keyboard, I had to find a work-around. What I do is look for either a small, low, table to put my external keyboard on, or I’ll buy a (usually wooden) folding “TV dinner” tray table for this purpose. The computer itself will remain on the desk above a stack of books or a brick or two as to position it at a good eye-level. The trackball usually fits next to the keyboard.
• The chair. Of all the variables to good ergonomics, the chair can be your buddy or foe. If your chair is too low in proportion to the keyboard, you’ll most likely experience all of the ailments mentioned above. Also, chairs without arm rests don’t provide the necessary support to your arm when having to use the trackball frequently.
  Solution: Beg, borrow or steal a good chair. Alternatively, you can add the requisite amount of padding to the chair to elevate you. And should you be working from an L-shaped desk, you may be able to position your tracking/mousing arm atop one of the panels for greater stability and comfort.

If, however, you’re feeling the onset of such as strained neck or back, pinched nerves and other musculo-skeletal ailments, you may find that exercising specific muscle groups really help. When I mentioned to my doctor (Dr. Nick Walters of Mission Hospital, Bangkok) that my right arm—all the way up to my shoulder—was experiencing shooting pain, he provided me with a pamphlet on this common ailment. By strengthening the neck muscles you just may find that it will off-set many of the problems related to a pinched nerve and muscle strain. And getting rid of tension through exercise will simply do wonders to your body in general.

Of course, these are only a few solutions to non-short stay environments. Should you have solutions of your own, I’d like to hear about them.

On occasion we post important content from our book, The NuNomad. This post is one such excerpt.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not one to simply follow conventional wisdom. Okay, aside from the obvious choice in my lifestyle design, I’m referring to inoculations and prophylactics that most travelers are recommended to take.

“Oh, you’re one of them!” you snigger.

Not so.  Am I one to not take aspirin even though I have a major headache? Hell no, I hate pain; and aspirin works for me. But, I am cognizant of the fact that taking any medication when not really necessary is generally considered not a smart thing to do. Aside from the negative side effects the accumulative use of any drug may have on a person’s body, extended use of a drug may make you resistant to the drug’s ability to heal you. That’s why, and my previous article on recommended immunizations notwithstanding, I often accept the risks of not taking certain prophylactic measures. The annual flu shot is one such preventative I shy away from. Another (which is the topic of this current discussion) is anti-Malarials.

Does this make me a risk taker? No, I don’t think so. I do take appropriate steps to avoid infection.

Most medical professionals agree that the best way to avoid getting diseases like Malaria, which are transmitted by mosquitoes, is to avoid being bitten by them. This is done by simply wearing protective clothing (long sleeves, pants and socks—as opposed to a beekeeper’s uniform). When you sleep, use a mosquito net and/or burn a mosquito coil or plug in your electric mosquito “pad” heater. Having a fan blowing directly on you also helps a great deal.

Now, let’s look at a few points.

The pharmaceutical option:
Aside from protecting yourself from mosquito bites, there are the prophylactic options, which I’d alluded to a moment ago, at your disposal: Chloroquine Phosphate or Mefloquine. These medications are widely available, but provide only partial protection and can have significant side effects.

Effectiveness:
In some parts of the world anti-malarials simply don’t work. Moreover, many medical professionals say that if you contact Malaria while taking the pills, it can be more difficult to treat.

If choose to take anti-malarials and you experience severe side-effects from the use of them, then you may need to discontinue their use. Do note that these medicines are not effective if taken intermittently. Also, the exact medicine recommended is different for different places due to resistant strains of the Malaria parasite.

If Malaria is contracted:
Treatment for the disease in areas where it is prevalent is often good because of local doctors’ experience with the disease. Luckily, Malaria tablets are far cheaper in countries where malaria is a problem. (They’re quite expensive in the U.S. and European countries.)

Conclusion:
My opinion (and it’s only an opinion) is that if you plan to be in a high-risk Malaria area for three months or less, then go ahead and take the pills. The short term use of them should be tolerable. If, however, you find yourself in a Malaria-prevalent area for more than three months, then don’t.

Resources:
You may wish to research this subject further, consult your immunologist (who will, no doubt, confuse you even more), the CDC, Internet, and books such as Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa & Latin America.

(Special thanks goes to Dr. Nick Walters, MD—tropical and preventive medicine specialist at Mission Hospital, Bangkok, for his help on this article.)