🐝 Worst pain I've felt in a while

Welcome to the Freaking Nomads Newsletter, your weekly dose of stories, insights, tools, and opportunities for digital nomads and remote workers building a life without borders.

Hey Freaking Nomads,

I got stung by a wasp while I was on my motorbike.

A tropical one, which I did not know could be as big as my hand. It hit me at speed and got me before I understood what was happening.

It was the most intense pain I've ever felt from anything with wings.

I told myself to stay calm. I iced it. I waited.

Two days later, the swelling got so bad, and my arm was so tingling that I scratched myself until I was properly bleeding.

I literally had a full-on panic attack, sitting on the floor of my room, convinced this was just my arm now.

I finally pulled myself together and went to a clinic, which is honestly the thing I should have done on day one.

They were so kind about it. Took my blood pressure, checked my oxygen, gave me medicine, and told me plainly that this happens and it passes. That was it. That was the whole terrifying thing I'd been avoiding.

Before I'd even left, the clinic sent the medical report and the invoice, already in English. I forwarded it to Genki (my worldwide health insurance), the claim was approved almost immediately, and the money is already on its way back to me.

Even with insurance, I still get this guilt about going in. Like I'm making a fuss. Like I'm signing myself up for a week of uploading documents and emailing someone about a wasp ??

When in fact, filing my claim took me way less time than writing this newsletter LOL

The reality of digital nomadism is that, most of the time, it's not the dengue or the scooter crash that gets you. It's a wasp, on a road you've ridden fifty times, on a Tuesday. And then it's you, deciding to wait it out.

So, arm elevated, antibiotics started, typing slowly. Very glad I had travel health insurance. Mostly feeling silly for waiting two days to use it.

Now I'm curious about you. What's the least glamorous thing that's ever taken you out on the road? Hit reply, I could use the company.

Irene

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When I finally finished getting my arm looked at by the doctor, my phone was at 2%. Obviously.

All I wanted was to go home, and instead I was standing outside the clinic doing maths on whether Google Maps would last the ride…

I had a power bank in my bag. It was one of those small ones that gives your phone about half a charge and takes all afternoon to do it.

So now I've replaced it with the Anker Prime Power Bank.

🔋 Get the Anker Prime on Amazon

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We'll see you there, Freaking Nomads 👋