The most common question the WiFi Artists team gets in interviews, DMs, and from applicants is, “Do you have to be an artist to join the group?” In short, no. WiFi Artists are not all influencers, musicians, painters, or craftspeople.
The art referred to in our name invokes something abstract but essential. Participating in and learning from new experiences is the “art” referenced in the group’s name. WiFi artists share critical attributes before stepping off an international flight to meet in person. This blog post breaks down the three characteristics that make someone an excellent fit for WiFi Artists. If you exhibit the attributes below, we’d love to chat with you about your background to see if you can join us in some of these exotic locations. Click the application link at the bottom, and let’s chat!
1. Commitment to remote work
Digital nomads need steady remote work to sustain their lifestyles. An income generated solely from a WiFi connection, a laptop or two, and professional expertise are ideal. All WiFi Artists work during the week. Some own small businesses, others work full-time for traditional employers, and a few build brands for themselves. While some nomads run back to corporate offices for emergency onsite meetings, the added stress and lost time onboard international flights add up quickly. Traveling as a digital nomad doesn’t have to be expensive. Predictable work schedules and income takes away stress. When joining a collective like WiFi Artists, group members with consistent income have an easier time. Hiding your remote work location from an employer is not recommended. Deception can lead to sudden departures. Being transparent with employers and clients is always the best policy.
It’s possible to find new income streams, freelance work, and opportunities for collaboration while traveling. We network frequently and share coworking spaces with other nomads for precisely that reason. In addition, group members are great resources for accounting, marketing, public relations, and project management best practices. Essential to note- WiFi Artists is not a space for people who want to party every night of the week. The group goes out, has fun, and lets loose after a long workday or week. Sipping a pisco sour while watching a Peruvian sunset was a great pleasure just last week. Achieving a healthy, mindful work/life balance is one of the group’s goals. We work towards that balance as a group. Constant partying quickly becomes a distraction and impacts the group dynamic negatively. When done correctly, remote work reinvigorates our passion for work. Some professionals have been all-in on remote work for years. Many want to step into a new lifestyle and make great candidates for WiFi Artists.
2. Learning and growth mindset
A healthy routine can turn into an unhealthy rut quickly. Personal and professional habits need to be updated or sometimes abandoned altogether. Growing from our experiences is often a matter of our physical environment. Digital nomadism helps us strive to become our best selves by placing us in radically different physical surroundings. This shift in lifestyle (more perceived than actual risk) requires self-awareness and commitment. But, going beyond identifying discomfort and the need for change, digital nomads are unafraid of taking action to change their situation. It takes a growth mindset to seek out a program like WiFi Artists, leading to more positive spaces and experiences. Employers do not always nurture the desire to learn. Good things happen when we take ownership of our path and our journey. Thought-leadership on how to start a business, learn a foreign language, and develop new hobbies is available for free online. The passion needed to create new habits can be hard to develop early on, but those who thrive as digital nomads embrace the tools available to them.
There’s never been an easier time to travel the world, given the technology and infrastructure available. Last-minute flights, a global network of friends, and engaging in authentic cultural exchange are more accessible than ever. WiFi Artists love to learn, challenge themselves, and grow in new settings.
3. Respect for each other and different cultures
Traveling the world with a group of professionals is an incredible opportunity, but first and foremost, it is a privilege. Every city WiFi Artists visits, we are inherently guests. Respecting one another and being grateful to locals for sharing their culture are non-negotiables. Obvious culture markers greet travelers at the airport, but interactions between locals teach so much. Speaking distance varies. Tolerance jay-walking across a bustling city street in Lima, Peru, is different than in Belgrade, Serbia. Street art, advertising, and public transportation demonstrate cultural trends if travelers choose to notice. WiFi Artists choose to appreciate the subtle and not-so-subtle differences in how life unfolds in a city. Observing as much as we participate helps us understand. WiFi Artists enjoy the eye-opening experiences, local cuisines, and cultural exchange. However, if we view the countries we visit as being in service to us and our experience, we miss the point. Traveling the world as if it exists solely for us takes from a city instead of giving back to it.
Anyone can occupy space, but appreciating and exploring diverse spaces is an art.
WiFi Artists come from all over the world, with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. The three attributes shared amongst the group help travels go smoothly. The attributes described develop more fully during our travels as planned and unplanned experiences shape us.
The life of a digital nomad isn’t for everyone. The moments of uncertainty deter many people. Being unable to speak the local language can be intimidating (we highly recommend learning some key phrases before arrival on-site).
For those who love to try new things and connect with passionate people, WiFi Artists just might be for you.
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