>>> THREE YEARS IN THE COVID-19 IN THE WORLD IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE. THE MANY OF MY WORK WAS A FANTASY TO DAYDREAM ABOUT WHILE SITTING IN A CUBICLE. THE PANDEMIC LOCKDOWNS CHANGE ALL OF THAT. THE OFFICE CAN NOW BE LITERALLY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. BEGIN OUR SHIFTING WORKPLACE HERE SERIES WITH THE SO-CALLED DIGITAL NOMADS. THEY WORK ONLINE FROM WHEREVER THEY CHOOSE AND RARELY STAY IN ONE FIXED LOCATION. LAST YEAR NEARLY 17 MILLION AMERICANS CALL THEMSELVES DIGITAL NOMADS, WHICH IS UP 131% FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. THE SHIFT COMES AS TRADITIONAL JOB HOLDERS WHO ARE NOT FREELANCERS AND DO NOT OWN THEIR OWN COMPANIES HAVE SWITCHED TO FULLY REMOTE EMPLOYMENT. TWO THIRDS OF DIGITAL NOMADS ARE TRADITIONAL JOB HOLDERS. THEY WORK IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO FINANCE. THE KEY IS THAT THEIR JOB COULD BE DONE WITH DIGITAL TOOLS, NAMELY A COMPUTER AND ACCESS TO RELIABLE INTERNET. DOZENS OF NATIONS ARE MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME DIGITAL NOMADS BY OFFERING SPECIAL VISAS ALLOWING THEM TO LIVE AND WORK IN THESE COUNTRIES FOR ANYWHERE FROM SIX MONTHS TO FIVE YEARS IN SOME PLACES. SO, WHERE ARE THE DIGITAL NOMADS? THE THIRD MOST POPULAR LOCATION IS BANGKOK THAILAND WHICH GAINS MAJOR POINTS FOR INTERNET ACCESS, THE WEATHER, AND COST OF LIVING. THAT IS FOLLOWED BY EUROPE'S LARGEST BUSINESS CITY LONDON AND IN 2022 THE MOST POPULAR DESTINATION WAS LISBON PORTUGAL. THAT'S WHERE WE FIND CBS NEWS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT RAMY INOCENCIO WE SPENT A NAME IN THE LICE OF THE DIGITAL NOMADS. >> PORTRAIT WAS KNOWN FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL BEACHES. THIS IS THE LIGHT IN CENTURIES OLD ARCHITECTURE. BUT IT ALSO HAS FAST MODERN WI- FI. LOW COST OF LIVING AND EASY ACCESS TO THE REST OF EUROPE. >> IT MADE IT ATOP HOTSPOT FOR DIGITAL NOMADS LIKE KENDALL LOBO. SHE WAS WORKING FROM HOME FOR A SAN DIEGO-BASED FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY FIRM AND THEN REALIZED THAT HE COULD DO THE EXACT SAME JOB FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COUNTRY. >> SHE BROUGHT US ALONG FOR SOME OF THE DAILY RITUALS AND LOOTING WARNINGS AT THE BEACH. >> HOW OFTEN YOU GO SURFING? >> 3-4 TIMES PER WEEK. >> KENDALL WORKS WEST COAST HOURS WHICH IS 332 11 P.M. HRE IN LISBON. >> I HAVE A WHOLE DAY TO EXPLORE THE WHATEVER AND IF I'M TRAVELING THAT I'LL TAKE A MORNING FLIGHT SO THAT BY 3:00 I CAN BE WORKING. >> SHE ENCOUNTERED TWO REASONS TO STICK WITH AN AMERICAN ONE. >> THE FIRST ONE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO HIRE AN AMERICAN BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, THE SECOND WAS THE PORTUGUESE SALARIES WERE A LOT LOWER THAN WHAT I CAN MAKE WITH THE U.S. JOB. >> THE PROCESS OF SECURING A VISA TOOK A FEW MONTHS BUT ONCE SHE GOT TO THAT POINT IT WAS A QUICK MOVE INTO AIRBNB. ALL SHE BROUGHT WAS A COUPLE OF SUITCASES ENTERPRISE POSSESSION. >> THE BIGGEST THING I OWN IS THAT SURFBOARD AND I BROUGHT THAT BLANKET ALSO. >> I LOVE HOW YOU SAY YOU BROUGHT THE BLANKET. BUT NOTHING ELSE HERE IS YOURS. >> HER APARTMENT FREELY FURNISHED IS A QUARTER OF THE PRICE OF A SIMILAR UNIT IN SAN DIEGO WHICH FREES UP HER BUDGET. >> HIM ABLE TO SPEND A LOT MORE MONEY ON TRAVEL THAN LIKE WHEREAS IN CALIFORNIA I WOULD HAVE TO PUT THAT MONEY TOWARDS RENT. >> IT'S CHEAPER FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING ELSE INCLUDING KENDALL'S FAVORITE FOOD. >> THIS ONE IS B,4.50. IN CALIFORNIA, THE ONE I USUALLY GET, COSTS $17. >> THAT IS FOUR TIMES THE PRICE OF THIS. >> EXACTLY. THIS ONE IS HONESTLY BIGGER. >> IT'S NOT ALL UP SIDE THOUGH. KENDALL IS A FIRST-TIME DIGITAL NOMAD. SHE'S IS LANDING IN A NEW CITY CAN BE ISOLATING, ALL THE MORE REASON TO BEFRIEND BOTH FELLOW NOMADS AND LOCALS. >> WHEN YOU CONNECT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THERE IS MORE STABILITY WHEREAS IF YOU LOOK FOR A FRIEND FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE THE NAVY THE NOMAD COMMUNITY IS BETTER. >> ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND BANGKOK, DAVID TAN HAS LIVED A DIGITAL NOMAD LIFE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. >> FOR NOMADS, THE SWEET SPOT IS ANYWHERE FROM 1-3 MONTHS. >> HIS LIFESTYLE HAS TAKEN HIM AROUND THE WORLD , LIVING IN 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ON FIVE CONTINENTS. IS A FORMER SOFTWARE ENGINEER WHO NOT FREELANCERS. HE BUILT A PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL NETWORK EVERYWHERE HE'S BEEN. >> IF YOU TOLD ME ANY CITY I CAN TELL YOU SOMEONE THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW. >> HE SEEN THE NOMAD COMMUNITY COME INTO THE MAINSTREAM. >> I THINK BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS A FRENCH THING. WITH COVID ACCELERATED EVERYTHING. IT'S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO BE A NOMAD BECAUSE THERE IS SO MANY SERVICES CATER TO THEM. >> THAT INCLUDES CO-WORKING SPACES WHICH PROVIDE DIGITAL NOMADS PLACES THE MINGLE WITH UNIQUE CREATIVE OR INSPIRING OFFERINGS. >> YOU CAN MEET THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. IN A REPURPOSED SHIPPING CONTAINER WITH A FREE BEER. IN A SOOTHING SEA OF VEGETATION. >> LIKE KENDALL DAVID SAYS IS RIGHT IS MUCH CHEAPER ABROAD. >> MY RENT IS UNDER $500. >> WHAT SAY YOU WENT BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY. >> MY APARTMENT TO BE $4000. >> THAT MIGHT SOUND A STEEL BUT FOR LOCALS THEY CAN AND OFTEN ARE PRICED OUT. >> A PHYSICIAN EVEN WORKING IN PRIVATE SECTOR 14 HOURS A DAY CANNOT AFFORD A DECENT HOUSE IN LISBON. >> PORTUGUESE LABOR HISTORIAN SAYS THAT SHE IS NOT OPPOSED TO PEOPLE MOVING TO HER COUNTRY. >> YOU WANT TO GO TO OTHER COUNTRIES, THIS IS INCREDIBLY POSITIVE. >> THE SOCIAL ACTIVIST DOES TAKE ISSUE WITH THE HOUSING AND THE QUALITY CREATED BY FOREIGNERS WITH U.S. DOLLARS AND MORE BUYING POWER. >> EVERYTHING ENTERS IN THE HUGE GAME OF COMPETITION. YOU SMASH THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION. >> GOVERNMENTS NEED TO DO MORE TO HELP THEIR OWN CITIZENS AND STORAGE DIGITAL NOMADS DUES SHOW RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY LEGALLY TEMPORARY HOME BY ADVOCATING HELP THEM. IT'S A SHORT-TERM LIFESTYLE FOR MANY. >> THERE IS A SURF COMING RIGHT UP. >> KENDALL RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO AFTER YEAR AND A HALF WILL RECEIVE BUT SHE IS NOT SURE HOW LONG SHE WILL STAY PUT. >> YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. AND THAT'S THE THING WITH PLANTS. THEY ALWAYS CHANGE. I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT I AM HERE. >> REMY CTO , LISBON. >> DIGITAL NOMAD VISAS USUALLY REQUIRE APPLICANTS TO BE SELF- EMPLOYED OR EMPLOYED WITH A COMPANY NOT BASED IN THE
