Today, I’m super excited to introduce you to Roksana, a fellow nomad mom, and her Digital Nomad Family. She and her husband, both 36, have four awesome kids aged 5, 6, 8, and 9. With a rich history of service and dedication—her husband is a retired Navy veteran, and Roksana recently retired as a travel X-ray technician in March 2024—they started their digital nomad journey.
Their financial transformation began in 2018 when they discovered Dave Ramsey’s principles. Later, in 2019, they transitioned to the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. Through disciplined financial planning, they achieved some pretty impressive milestones, like paying off their mortgage in just 18 months and converting their home into a rental property managed by a professional company.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Roksana to get an inside look at her digital nomad family lifestyle. Enjoy the interview!
From Dreams to Reality: Starting the Digital Nomad Family Journey
Hi Roksana, thank you for sharing your story today. Let’s start with some basics. What made you decide to become a digital nomad?
As a child, I was fortunate enough to have parents who valued exploring the world, and our family embarked on numerous international vacations. This instilled in me a deep desire to provide my own children with similar enriching experiences. When we discovered the concepts of geoarbitrage and worldschooling, we saw an opportunity to combine our love of travel, education, and cultural immersion. We made the deliberate choice to adopt a digital nomad lifestyle, allowing us to explore the world while providing our children with a unique and holistic education that transcends traditional classroom boundaries.
How long do you usually stay in one place? Were you able to find a sweet spot?
In terms of location, we strategically select destinations that offer visa-free stays of at least three months, allowing us to truly immerse ourselves in each place. As we’re still in the early stages of our digital nomad journey, we haven’t yet identified specific ‘sweet spots’ that meet all our criteria. However, we’re excited to continue exploring and discovering new locations that offer the ideal blend of culture, community, and quality of life. Our adventures have just begun, and we’re eager to see where the world takes us!
A Day in the Life of a Digital Nomad Family: Routine on the Road
What’s a typical day like for your family on the road?
Our daily routine begins with a nourishing breakfast, followed by a focused session of homeschooling for the kids. Once they’ve completed their assignments, we take a break for lunch. Afternoons are often spent engaging in indoor activities if the weather isn’t favorable, but when the sun shines, we head out to explore nearby parks or beaches. These outdoor excursions provide valuable opportunities for socialization, allowing the kids to connect with other children and form meaningful friendships. One of the benefits of our extended stays – typically three months or more – is that the kids have time to develop and nurture these relationships, creating a sense of community and belonging in each new location.
Smart Schooling on the Go: Roksanas Approach to Education
How do you handle your kids’ education? Do you have any favorite educational resources or methods?
Our children’s education is facilitated through a blend of digital resources. For their core curriculum, we rely on Acellus, a comprehensive online learning platform. To foster a love of reading, our younger children utilize Epic!, a digital library offering a vast collection of books. Our older kids, on the other hand, prefer Libby or Kindle for their reading needs. Additionally, Prodigy is their go-to platform for math exercises, making learning engaging and fun. This combination of digital tools provides a well-rounded education, catering to their individual learning styles and needs.
Overcoming Obstacles and Building Bonds
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a digital nomad family, and how did you tackle them?
One of the most significant challenges we’ve encountered as digital nomads is navigating remote property management, particularly when repairs are needed for our home base, which is located in a different country from our current location. However, we’ve also learned to appreciate the smaller victories, such as carefully selecting destinations where amenities and attractions are within walking distance. By doing so, we’ve been able to minimize transportation costs and enjoy a more sustainable, pedestrian-friendly lifestyle. This deliberate approach has not only saved us money but also enhanced our overall experience, allowing us to truly immerse ourselves in each new location.
What have been some of the most rewarding experiences for your digital nomad family on this journey?
The most rewarding aspect of our journey so far has been the opportunity to form meaningful connections with locals and fellow travelers at each destination, as well as immerse ourselves in the unique cultural heritage of each place. Building friendships and learning about the customs, traditions, and ways of life in different parts of the world has enriched our experience and broadened our perspectives. This aspect of our journey has been truly invaluable, allowing us to create lasting memories, gain a deeper understanding of the world, and cultivate a sense of global citizenship.
The Art of Choosing the Next Digital Nomad Family Adventure
How do you pick your next destination and figure out where to stay?
When selecting a destination, we consider a combination of factors to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey. Our decision-making process typically revolves around three key considerations: the favorable currency exchange rate, the duration of our permitted stay, and the season. As minimalist travelers, we restrict ourselves to backpacks, which means we have limited space for bulky items like winter clothing. Consequently, we opt for destinations with temperate climates, allowing us to capitalize on pleasant weather while avoiding the need for heavy winter gear.
What are some of your favorite places you’ve lived as a digital nomad family?
So far, Ecuador has stood out as our favorite destination. The country’s stunning oceanfront settings and affordable cost of living made it an ideal location for our family. The combination of breathtaking Pacific coast scenery and economical prices for accommodations, food, and activities created a perfect blend of relaxation and exploration. Ecuador offered us a unique balance of quality of life and financial sustainability, making it a memorable and enjoyable experience for our family.
Tips and Tricks: Advice for Aspiring Digital Nomad Families
What advice would you give to families thinking about becoming a digital nomad family?
My advice to fellow travelers and digital nomads would be to carefully select locations that align with your individual needs and priorities. Consider factors such as cost of living, language, culture, and access to amenities, and choose places that harmonize with your lifestyle and goals. By doing so, you’ll be able to create a seamless and enriching experience, free from unnecessary stress and challenges. Remember, the key to a successful nomadic adventure lies in finding the perfect balance between exploration and comfort.
Additionally, I would recommend always having a contingency plan in place, particularly when it comes to internet access and power supply. Be prepared for unexpected outages and have a backup plan to ensure minimal disruption to your work and daily life.
Looking Ahead: Future Nomadic Plans
What are your family’s future plans when it comes to your nomadic lifestyle? Is there an end in sight?
Our future plans are to continue embracing the unknown and exploring the world’s diverse wonders. Driven by a sense of curiosity and adventure, we aim to visit as many new destinations as possible, without a fixed endpoint in mind. The thrill of discovery and the freedom to roam are addictive, and we’re excited to see where our journey takes us next. With each new location, we’ll continue to learn, grow, and create lasting memories, perpetuating a lifestyle that’s become an integral part of our being. The world is our playground, and we’re eager to explore every inch of it!
The world is our playground, and we’re eager to explore every inch of it!
Connect with Roksana and her Digital Nomad Family
Where can readers follow your digital nomad family journey and connect with you online?
If you’re interested in following our adventures and gaining a glimpse into the realities of digital nomadism, we invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, @nomadicrootsjourney. There, you’ll find a collection of videos showcasing our experiences, challenges, and triumphs as we navigate the world as a family.
Thank you so much for this Interview and for sharing all these inspiring insights about your life as a FIRE digital nomad family, Roksana!
Did you like this Interview? Do you have any questions? Please let me know in the comments and we try to answer them!
Thank you for reading. Yours, Lulu
