🌏 i tried being a 'digital nomad' for 3 months

i spent 3 months working remotely across asia — about a month in taiwan, a week in hong kong, and a month and a half in japan. i went to concerts, visited family, and somehow ran a marathon in the middle of it all. here’s what i learned.

the trip

taiwan was first. i based myself in taipei and honestly it might be one of the most underrated cities in the world. the food is incredible, the transit system is clean and efficient, and you can get basically anything delivered to your door for next to nothing. i spent most of my time working from cafes and exploring night markets after hours.

hong kong was a quick stop to see family. it’s wild how dense that city is — you can walk for 5 minutes and pass more people than you’d see in a week in some american suburbs. the energy there is unmatched.

japan was the longest stretch. split between tokyo and osaka with some side trips. everything just works in japan. trains are on time down to the second, the food is world-class at every price point, and i felt safer walking around at 3am than i do in most american cities at noon. i also ran the marathon here, which was an experience on its own.

asia vs. la

i live in los angeles, so i couldn’t help but compare.

what asia does better:

  • public transit (it’s not even close)
  • safety — you can leave your laptop at a cafe table and go to the bathroom
  • healthcare costs
  • food quality and variety at low price points
  • delivery services (cheap and fast)

what la does better:

  • weather (hard to beat socal sunshine)
  • beaches
  • tech and startup ecosystem
  • entrepreneurial culture
  • diversity of people and ideas

neither is better overall. they’re just different, and spending time in both made me appreciate what each has to offer.

5 lessons from 3 months abroad

1. shared experiences are better than solo ones

traveling alone is fine and all, but the best moments from this trip were the ones i shared with other people. a meal tastes better when you’re laughing with someone. a new city is more fun when you have someone to get lost with. i used to romanticize solo travel but honestly, i’d rather share it.

2. you need very little to be happy

i lived out of a carry-on bag for 3 months and never once felt like i was missing something. a laptop, some clothes, and a decent pair of shoes — that’s about it. we accumulate so much stuff back home that we think we need, but you really don’t.

3. where you live shapes how you live

this one sounds obvious but it hit different when i experienced it. in japan, i walked everywhere, ate healthier, and slept better because the environment encouraged it. in la, i drive everywhere and default to convenience. your environment designs your habits more than your willpower does.

4. talk to locals

tourist attractions are fine but the best experiences came from talking to locals. a bartender in tokyo recommended a tiny ramen spot that wasn’t on any list. a guy at a cafe in taipei told me about a hiking trail i never would’ve found. the best travel advice comes from people who actually live there.

5. create on the internet

the one thing that made this whole trip possible was having work that i could do from anywhere. if you’re thinking about doing something like this, start building something online now — a youtube channel, a blog, freelance work, whatever. location independence is a skill you build, not a switch you flip.

would i do it again? absolutely. but next time, i’d bring someone with me.