Introduction
Since this has turned into a “Digial Nomad Journal”, it is only appropriate to mention the places I’ve been to and how that relates to the work environment. As I write this, I am one stop away from the final destination, but there is a lot to cover, anyway.
San Diego
This was my first destination in the US. A friend invited me over at a time when I needed to move to somewhere new. Arriving during mid September meant I could enjoy the best weather during the whole year. The first month there was perfect, considering it was new, lots to explore, and the weather of course.
SD has a great location, being near LA and Irvine. This city lies in south California, just above the Mexican border. You must have access to a car over there, since it’s a very sparse city. With car access, you can also consider a 3 hour drive to LA for attending special events or the likes.
Once I got over the SD hype, I realized there isn’t much to it beside that. It was hard to find working places. The downtown was nice, but not extensive. Almost everything was over-priced, but that’s all of California, really. I do have to say, they had some great food options. Sushi, Gourmets, fast food, and Indian options were plentiful.
One really painful realization was the lack of a real tech scene or tech presence. Being software developers we usually thrive in communities and collaborative environments. That was non-existent.
To wrap up here, I’d give this place a stay of 1 - 2 months max. If possible, try staying near the downtown, since that’s where all the stuff is happening. It is a very fun place to be for tourists, no one can deny that, but not so much for digital nomads.
Conclusion
With San Diego out of the picture, it was time to aim for something new. The next destination was Boston, MA. We will hopefully be covering that in the next part.