I came to Colombia on a whim, as unprepared as I’ve ever been for a trip. My Mexico visa was expiring soon, and a $120 flight to Medellin was calling my name. I settled into my hostel in El Poblado, and after bouncing around a few different hostels, started to wonder if Medellin was right for me. Colombia, and especially Medellin, captivated me on my first trip here over five years ago. This time around, I was struggling to find my footing in this big, chaotic city.
A friend and fellow travel influencer that I had met in Bali happened to be in town. We met up for lunch and he told me about this program that he was currently a part of. It was called WiFi Artists. They were a digital nomad community traveling to a different city every month, settling in, immersing themselves in the local culture, and working remotely. He introduced me to the CEO of WiFi Artists, and after a grand total of 30 minutes, I was packing my bags and ditching the hostel life for a few weeks.
With a hugely busy schedule to kick off this year, I figured that despite not immediately re-falling in love with Medellin, it was what I needed at the moment. I have no struggles with making friends on the road, but if I was staying at hostels, I would end up at a bar instead of a co-working space 9 times out of 10. Thankfully, it appears I’ve made the right choice.
I moved into my apartment in El Poblado, just a ten minute walk from the trendy hub of nightlife, restaurants, and cafes known as Provenza. My roommates were two travel YouTubers and another girl working remotely. The remainder of the group was spread out in two other nearby apartments, with our group totaling about 15 people. Having my own private space would already provide a huge boost in productivity. However, surrounding myself with people who I could bounce ideas off of and could keep accountable was even more immense. To me, traveling is all about finding community. This community fell into my lap when I needed it most, and completely transformed my experience in Medellin.
There are a few key things that sets WiFi Artists apart from other similar companies.
The Locations
Bali, Mexico City, and Medellin are all tried-and-true digital nomad hotspots. But Osaka, Japan? Tbilisi, Georgia? I love being solo and traveling off-the-beaten-path, but I admit, there are quite a few places I’ve never considered visiting as a remote work destination. WiFi Artists upcoming itinerary for this year includes dream destinations like Lisbon and Cape Town. For the more adventurous souls, there are hidden gems like Tbilisi and Belgrade. Hot spots like Bali and Barcelona are also on the list. With WiFi Artists, there is a destination for everyone.
The Community
Traveling can get lonely, especially in a country where you don’t speak the language and don’t know anyone else. Having a community readily available to take on a new, foreign country with is one of the most valuable things to have. I love meeting people. I love learning from people. There’s always something to learn from everyone you meet. When you immerse yourself in a country and live with like-minded strangers, those friendships and connections truly become lifelong.
It’s easy for a company like this to just put everyone up in their apartments and leave them to fend for themselves. WiFi Artists has an on-site event coordinator that plans everything from group dinners to weekend getaways. All of these were optional, but almost everyone in the group would participate in everything that was organized. Whether it was meeting for two hours to play a game of tejo or an escape to the beach town of Santa Marta, pretty much everyone was on board.
A community doesn’t just happen by putting a group of people together. WiFi Artists did an excellent job of fostering community by organizing events and encouraging everyone to socialize. They also vet each participant and interview them before the program to make sure everyone is a good fit for the community.
The Convenience
WiFi Artists takes care of all the boring and frustrating aspects of planning a trip. They lay the framework down, providing you with excellent accommodation, a reliable office space, and a community of like-minded digital nomads. Planning is time-consuming. Finding an apartment online can be unreliable and expensive. Making friends can be difficult. Finding your footing in a big city can often be intimidating. WiFi Artists takes the hassle out of all of that. You simply show up and do your thing, with an apartment, an office, and a dozen friends to take on the world with.
The Pricing
I’ve worked with other digital nomad communities before, and WiFi Artists offers the most competitive pricing I’ve seen yet. I spent a month in Bali with a company that charged $2000 for the accommodation, co-working space, and a few activities here and there. WiFi Artists charges half the price. I was shocked. A month in Tbilisi, Georgia for $700? Osaka, Japan for $800? I don’t think I’ve seen any other company like this offer such great value for such an affordable price. And best of all, you can get an extra $100 off if you mention me or my travel blog (ThePartyingTraveler100) when submitting your application.
WiFi Artists is the new digital nomad company on the scene, and it is coming in hot with how much value it provides for such a competitive price. I don’t endorse companies often, but I truly believe that WiFi Artists will be a program that I travel with time and time again.
