A woman has described how she became “homeless” in Thailand after moving to Southeast Asia from the US to become a “digital nomad” with no financial safety net.
Kiawanna Moore booked a one-way flight from her native Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Japan in August 2023.
At the time, she left “with no plans and I knew nothing about Japan,” she admitted in a TikTok summarizing her experiences.
‘I SOLD EVERYTHING I OWN AND MOVED ACROSS SEA…’ she stated in the title from a YouTube video documenting her flight to Tokyo.
Kiawanna Moore booked a one-way flight from her native Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Tokyo in August 2023, chasing the lifestyle of a ‘digital nomad’
Not long after arriving in Tokyo, she realized the city was too expensive and promptly left for Thailand
But a few weeks later, a new video appeared on her channel: ‘TOKYO IS THE WORST PLACE TO STAY!! I had no choice but to move.”
This montage captured her flying from Tokyo to Thailand in search of a more affordable yet exotic environment.
“I realized that Japan was extremely expensive and that I wouldn’t last long with the amount of money I came with,” she explained in TikTok.
So she decided to move to Thailand, where she again went “with no plans” and “knew nothing about the country.”
Elsewhere on her social media, she confessed that she only had $7 in her bank account when she arrived in the Thai city of Pattaya, where she has been trying to settle ever since.
While saving her money for five months, she confessed in the TikTok, “I still didn’t know how to earn income. I am broke.’
“And that’s how I ended up homeless in Thailand,” she concluded.
It is also unclear whether Kiawanna has applied for or received a work permit that would allow her to work legally on Thai soil.
Thousands of viewers responded to the comments, some with harsh judgment about Kiawanna’s situation, while others offered encouragement and advice.
She looked for work in Thailand while living off her limited savings
But after five months, Kiawanna found herself homeless after running out of money and being unable to establish a stable income stream
Thousands took to the comments, offering a mix of praise, judgment and advice
‘It was very risky not to have a financial plan. I’m a digital nomad, so I understand the wanderlust, but I have to be smart about it. Good luck!’ wrote one person.
‘Running away from your problems sometimes only creates more. Hopefully you find yourself and reunite with your family,” a second added.
“This is what ‘digital nomad’ culture has done to people,” said a third.
Another took a more positive stance and cheered: ‘I love this!! Life is about taking risks.’
Someone else offered suggestions for revenue streams: “Straight to the point lmao. This footage is beautiful. You will definitely have work soon. You should be filming content for tourists and doing birthday shoots. Join tour groups on FB and post your shifts.”