A Different 9 To 5: Malaysian Couple Travels The World While Working As Digital Nomads
They're living the millennial dream!
By May Vin Ang — 19 Dec 2023, 05:43 PM
Meet Sharifah Hani Yasmin, and her husband, Fauzan Azmi
They're a Malaysian couple who are travelling the world while working as digital nomads.
In a world where the daily grind can feel like an endless loop of monotony, Yasmin and Fauzan chose to explore a non-traditional career path
The 28-year-olds, who met at a university in the UK and married soon after returning to Malaysia, said the idea of becoming digital nomads took root when they both felt "stuck" during the pandemic.
"We stayed in a one-bedroom apartment during the entire pandemic, and after restrictions were lifted and we had to return to the office, we felt like life was too short to be stuck in traffic," Yasmin told SAYS in an interview.
"Fauzan has always been a thrill seeker and a traveller, while I have always been invested in community work and youth initiatives," she added, realising that they do not adhere to traditional perceptions of career success.
Currently, Yasmin works as a university admissions consultant for a UK startup, while Fauzan serves as a corporate governance professional for a Hong Kong company. Both of them hold fully remote roles.
Before setting off on their globetrotting journey, Yasmin shared that she was a Human Capital staff at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Kuala Lumpur, while her husband was a consultant at KPMG in Selangor
"Thankfully, soon after the pandemic, Fauzan was approached for his current role, and he learnt that his company would be fully remote.
"He found out that all of his colleagues were digital nomads and became interested in the lifestyle, as he had always wanted to travel the world," Yasmin recounted.
Yasmin said she was hitting the three-year mark at her previous job and was interested to consider remote work as well.
"My remote job search took three months and I had to look outside of Malaysia for job opportunities because most roles in Malaysia were hybrid at best. I also had to look through several job sites and make sure the interviews and offers were legitimate," said the part-time CV reviewer, who is now helping other Malaysians find remote jobs as well.
"I share tips and insights on how to secure remote roles through my TikTok, as well as my CV review service. And I also recently found out about Kerja-Remote.com, a site curated by a fellow Malaysian that compiles remote job opportunities," she shared.
Now, they are working while travelling around the US, and have just arrived in Alaska after visiting Los Angeles
Yasmin recently shared on TikTok that they enjoy exploring new places, such as the Santa Monica pier in LA, and trying out activities like aurora hunting and skiing in Alaska.
"We spent months saving up, planning, and executing to make sure we could set down this path without any issues," she shared, adding that they had to rent out their property in Malaysia, sell their car, and settle various administrative documents before making the move.
"We faced several challenges and it was a lot of work but we wanted to give it a try. And now that we're living our best lives, we're really glad we did!" she added.
Yasmin also hopes to inspire other Malaysians to consider global remote working opportunities for a different nine-to-five.
Follow Yasmin and Fauzan on TikTok as they continue navigating their lives as digital nomads.
