I Became a Digital Nomad When I Turned 50—Here’s Why You Should, Too

The pandemic made remote work more accessible, spawning widespread digital nomad travel . I am a baby boomer who jumped on the trend.

In midlife, I am acutely aware that I have far fewer years ahead of me than behind me. That realization has made me determined to make the most of my time. For me, that includes seeing as much of the world as possible.

At age 50, I hit some bumps. I went through a divorce, and I got sober. My children were launched, and I was living alone for the first time. I felt rudderless and yearned to explore more of the world and what it might teach me in my new chapter.

I strove to immerse myself in other cultures, but I also needed to support myself financially while taking extended trips. I was not keen on traveling alone, at least not initially. I researched travel groups, keeping in mind that I had to build work time into my days. I found a dozen digital nomad organizations that facilitate travel for people who need workspaces while away from home.

I have done five digital nomad trips so far. I either had my own apartment or my own room in a multibedroom home or condo. The accommodations were vetted, clean, and comfortable. The monthly cost for each trip was comparable to a month's rent in a major American city. The housing provided was within walking distance of a designated co-working site with good Wi-Fi.

I am hooked now. I have used digital nomad companies to stay in Turkey, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia. I did the South America trips back to back, with a Galapagos Islands adventure in between two programs. And in November, I will join a nomad trip to Egypt.

Digital nomad groups do the legwork to ensure a rich cultural experience, provide local support and side trips, introduce you to like-minded travelers, and are more affordable than many tours . I also feel safer when I do things in a group or with another cohort member. I always had someone to dine with if I wanted company. Conversely, there's no pressure to join group activities.

I have met fascinating people on these trips and continued to travel to other countries with them. We stay in touch online and often meet up in our home countries or abroad.

Although digital nomad groups typically skew younger, an increasing number of people in midlife and retirees are joining. I have made deep friendships in my groups, and learned a great deal from the "remotes," including those many years younger than myself.

We also continue to travel together. A millennial nomad friend accompanied me to Antarctica after our Buenos Aires program. Another, Chrystan Carlton, explored Croatia and Montenegro with me after our month as digital nomads in Istanbul.

Carlton, a 54-year-old attorney, appreciates how joining a digital nomad travel group relieved her of working out housing and infrastructure details. 

"I just bring my laptop," Carlton says. "Plus, you've got an instant group of people who are already interested in what you are interested in. You have a basis for establishing adult friendships, which are difficult to make."

Pennsylvania resident and remote biotech consultant, Michelle McGibbon, 52, agrees. 

"For me, [joining a digital nomad group] is not just about the destination; it's about the friendships, fresh perspectives, and memories you take home," she explains.

Slovenian investor and mentor Tatjana Grahek, 65, likens her digital nomad friends to a "well-traveled extended family who already know which neighborhoods are lovely," handing her "safety and street smarts [she] didn't know [she] needed, and friendships forged over shared coworking desks and wandering around the country." 

Grahek embraced the digital nomad lifestyle after leaving an intense career and gaining the freedom to work remotely. 

"I wanted to linger long enough to know the local bakery that sells out by 9 a.m., long enough to feel a place's actual pulse, instead of just its postcard version," Grahek adds.

Many digital nomads get a taste of life abroad and choose to stay there. After completing his health care consulting career, David Friedersdorf, 61, from Denver, Colorado, "sought new ways to find and build community, and to engage with purpose in the next season of life." 

Joining a digital nomad group was "an easy way to meet people from all over and do fun events without a lot of effort and planning," Friedersdorf explains. It also helped him impact local communities while learning about local cultures and building a network. He mostly lives abroad now.

Siobhan Farr, 69, became a digital nomad after her daughter graduated. She enjoys her lifestyle so much that she started the Facebook group, Digital Nomads Beyond 50 Network (DNB50) , the first created specifically for midlife nomads. DNB50 facilitates co-living/co-working experiences for midlife travelers and holds retreats for those planning a nomad lifestyle. 

Farr considers digital nomad groups important sources of social interaction for people like her who are typically solo. 

"It's an environment where you don't have to explain that, unlike a tourist, you're balancing sightseeing with work," Farr says.

If you can work remotely or are retired and want someone to handle the details while you explore this beautiful planet, consider joining a digital nomad group. It's your invitation to a community of like-minded wanderers who want to balance traveling and getting some work done abroad.

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