Your Remote Job Gives You Freedom. Are You Using It?

I’m writing this from Hanoi, Vietnam, where I work remotely as a software developer. Outside working hours, I’m exploring Southeast Asia, figuring out where to go next, and trying to build a few things of my own.

It’s a pretty good setup, even though I’m not making a developer’s fortune.

I earn around $1,800 a month. I also pay fees to move and spend my own money internationally because my banking options aren’t exactly ideal. I’m not going to pretend I can live anywhere I want without thinking about the cost.

But I can live here. I can explore new places, eat well enough, get around, and have experiences I wouldn’t get by staying home. I just have to be a little more deliberate about how I spend my money.

That’s one of the things I want to write about here. Not how to live a luxury lifestyle in Southeast Asia, or how to become a digital nomad in five easy steps. I’m interested in what you can actually do with an ordinary remote salary, what things cost in real life, and how much freedom you can get without earning a fortune.

Because sometimes I think we underestimate what’s possible with what we already have.

Why Southeast Asia?

This isn’t my first time living abroad. I studied in Hungary and worked remotely there. Later, after returning to Azerbaijan, I found myself wanting to travel again.

My brother helped me get to Thailand during a difficult period in my life. We explored Phuket and Bangkok together, and when he went home, I continued to Da Nang on my own. I spent around two months there before returning to Azerbaijan.

On August 16, I came back to Southeast Asia to start this stretch of the journey.

I didn’t have everything figured out. I still don’t. But there are so many places I want to see, and having a remote job gives me a way to explore them without putting my career on hold.

I want to see how far I can take that opportunity, both geographically and financially.

What you’ll find here

I’ll write about travelling around Southeast Asia, the real cost of living in different places, motorcycles, remote work, and the projects I’m building along the way.

Some posts will be practical. I’ll share spending breakdowns, compare places, and look at ways to travel on a limited budget. Others will be about the experience itself: discovering somewhere new, trying something I’ve never done before, or finding out that an idea sounded considerably better before I actually tried it.

I’m also interested in building things. I’d like to create a second source of income rather than depend entirely on my salary. I’ll share that process, too, including the experiments that don’t work out.

I don’t want this to be another travel blog where every place looks incredible, every decision works out, and apparently nobody ever has to deal with boring financial problems.

I want to show the useful parts, the enjoyable parts, and the occasional ridiculous parts of trying to make this lifestyle work.

And you don’t need to be a software engineer to follow along. You might be planning your first trip to Southeast Asia, working remotely yourself, looking for ways to travel more cheaply, or simply curious about what life looks like outside your usual surroundings.

Making the most of the freedom you have

I know that not everyone can work remotely, and I’m aware that having this opportunity is a privilege. But if you already have a remote job, you might have more options than you think.

You don’t necessarily need a huge income, a perfect plan, or enough savings to disappear for a year. Your circumstances will determine what’s realistic, of course. But there may be ways to travel more, try something new, or change your surroundings without completely changing your life.

I’m starting from Hanoi, with a job to do, places to explore, and plenty of things I haven’t figured out yet. I’ll share what I learn as I go.

If any of that sounds interesting, you’re in the right place.

Your remote job gives you freedom. Are you using it?