November 9th, 2024 – How to Work and Travel

One of the incredible benefits of working remotely is that you can work from anywhere you want in the world. It was one of the reasons I got into proofreading specifically. I found scopistry as I was looking through this field of work and it fit my passions more entirely, but work where I can travel and be location independent has always been incredibly important to me.

I know I’m not alone in these feelings. Working remotely is a much more common desire, and there is no lack of people taking advantage of this by working in environments that are much more suitable for them. I have learned a few tips and tricks in my many years of traveling throughout the world, and I’d like to share some of the things that I do to make working and traveling a much more seamless endeavor whenever possible.

Get A Local Phone Plan or E-Sim

The biggest concern when you travel abroad if you’re working is that you absolutely need to guarantee you have reliable and quality internet. I know I don’t need to tell you all of the problems you can encounter without it. However, I can tell you that you might find poor internet even in places where you didn’t expect it, so you need to come prepared.

I lived in Korea for four years, and what I learned there is that they’re doing internet better than any other country I’ve ever seen. It’s cheaper, it’s faster, it’s more reliable, and it is available everywhere (even on the subway, which has been true since the very early 2000s.) For Korea and a lot of other Asian countries, it is often cheaper and much more reliable to get a SIM card in the country. This allows you access to a data platform, which you can hotspot in case of emergencies.

E-SIMs work in the same way. It’s a SIM you access electronically, which you can configure to allow you access to data. Same system, if you cannot get reliable Wi-Fi, you are able to hotspot.

International Travel Plans

My phone carrier in Canada before I left was (and remains) a very reliable network. I received an overseas travel plan, which allowed me access to my home service while I was abroad. This was actually quite inexpensive at the time (think $16 per day), and it allowed me access to the same number of calls, data, and messages that I would have if I were still in Canada. Sixteen dollars per day is not ideal, but it worked in a pinch when I didn’t know about the local phone plans.

I used this method backward as well. When I lived in Korea, I traveled through Japan and Thailand. So, I got an international travel plan from my Korean carrier, which offered the exact same service: pay a certain amount per day, and you can access your home country’s phone plan while abroad. This was incredibly useful when I traveled to rural areas where Wi-Fi was spotty.

I would not recommend this method for long-term travel plans. I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in paying my regular monthly rate on top of $16 per day for weeks or months at a time. However, not only is this an important step to take for any kind of internet use abroad, it is especially important if your livelihood depends on you having access to reliable internet. At least in the short term.

Backup Devices

Technology is amazing. When it works. You cannot guarantee that your primary device is going to work one hundred percent of the time. You need to be prepared to access your work from backup sources and devices. Personally, I have three devices on rotation that I use regularly to keep them updated and ensure their usefulness if I need them spontaneously.

There are any number of problems that can arise and deem your device useless for any length of time. Technology can malfunction, it can be deemed unfit, and it can happen at any time for any reason. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your devices will always work. Have a backup plan. Have a backup plan for your backup plan. Spend the time it takes to get to know your equipment, understand the potential issues you may face, and learn what to do if you need to fix those issues in a hurry.

On this same note, as you travel, ensure you have the proper adapters and power sources for your primary and all secondary devices. Do the research it takes to find the types of plugs you’ll need, and ensure you have access to it when you arrive at your destination. As a backup plan, go online and find places in this new country where you can buy power adapters. The airport will always have a few options, and you can find box stores in most countries that sell these items. In some Asian countries, you may even find them at convenience stores.

Connect All Of Your Devices

This tip has saved me more times than I can count. Having access to anything you’re working on from any of your devices is a powerful tool at your disposal. For my three devices, I can access anything I may be working on. I use OneDrive, which allows me to save and access from any of my devices. This allows me to sync the devices together. The apps I have downloaded on one device will transfer to any new device. I took the time necessary to test this and make sure I would never be left without access to what I needed.

Also, I have access from my phone. I don’t use my phone for work, obviously, since I need access to Case CATalyst and a full keyboard.  But my phone allows me access to view my files if I ever need to. If I need to open and review anything, my phone is still a screen with access to my devices that I can pull from to view anything I need.

Have backup plans for your backup plans.

Planners and Schedules

I will always advocate for planners and schedules. However, when you are traveling between time zones, it is even more important to be vigilant. Deadlines still need to be met, and people still need to be contacted within their regular working hours. There are multiple digital calendars that allow for shifting time zones and scheduling across a variety of countries. Google Calendar allows for this, as does the Zoom Calendar, and World Timezone Calendar. Whichever way you choose to do this, ensure that you’re aware of the difference in time zones and how it will affect your schedule.

I like using both digital and physical calendars. I like the digital format so I can ensure the time zone is always accurate, but I like the physical one because I enjoy having something I can access at any time, any place.

In Conclusion

Traveling is one of the great benefits of working remotely. I will always advocate for seeing the world and experiencing as many cultures as possible. However, your work is what pays for those experiences, and you should always make sure you can still be a valuable asset to your clients no matter where you choose to do this work.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! If you liked this post or want to share your own experiences and tips, make sure to leave a comment down below. If you want to see more, check out the last post below or the previous posts on the blog. And if you’re interested in learning more scopist, proofreading, or transcription information, make sure to check back for a new post on the Next Step Scopist blog!

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