26 | The Scholarship That Started It All: An Aspiring Nomad's Story

What if a five-minute video could change the direction of your life?
For Serbian creator Lazar Dimitrijevic, that’s exactly what happened.

In this episode of the Nomad Summit Podcast, Christoph checks in from Kyiv during his humanitarian mission to Ukraine, while Palle joins from Spain. Together, they sit down with Lazar – one of the Nomad Summit Scholarship winners – to hear how a simple Instagram post and a spontaneous application set him on a completely new path.

Lazar wasn’t a nomad when he applied. He was an aspiring one, someone with a passion for storytelling, content creation, and online business, but without the resources or structure to take the next step. The scholarship gave him exactly that: a ticket, accommodation support, mentorship, and seven days in Chiang Mai surrounded by digital nomads, founders, creators, and people living the lifestyle he dreamed of.

What started as “why not give it a try?” quickly became a turning point. From mentorship with Nomad Magazine to meeting collaborators who later helped him land clients, Lazar discovered firsthand how one week in the right environment can spark years of momentum.

What We Talk About in This Episode

The conversation begins with Christoph sharing his ongoing humanitarian work in Ukraine before shifting into why the Nomad Summit created the scholarship program in the first place. The aim is simple: to support people at the earliest stage of their nomad journey – especially young talent with potential, drive, and limited financial resources.

Lazar explains how he applied almost on a whim. A friend sent him the Instagram post. He filmed a quick video, filled out a short form, and sent it in. Days later, a message arrived saying he had won. That single moment set everything in motion.

During the Nomad Summit week in Chiang Mai:

• He spent time with hundreds of remote workers, creators, and founders.
• He got hands-on mentorship from Lera at Nomad Magazine, including interview training and a full day filming content for their YouTube channel.
• He made connections that later turned into real business relationships.
• He gained the confidence to pursue content creation and social media storytelling as a serious career path.

He describes the experience as “coming home” – finally finding a community where he didn’t have to explain why he wanted a different life.

The episode also covers the deeper impact of being on stage as a scholarship winner. Once people recognized his face from the main event, the side events, pool parties, and meetups became natural opportunities to connect. Christoph explains that Nomad Summit Chiang Mai attracts around 350 attendees at the main conference and hundreds more throughout the 50+ side events – a powerful mix for anyone wanting to launch a location-independent career.

By the end of the week, Lazar had not only gained mentors and collaborators but a clear direction. His next goal: return to Vietnam, continue building his creative business, and fully commit to the nomad lifestyle.

Key Takeaways

• The Nomad Summit Scholarship helps aspiring nomads take the first concrete step toward location independence.
• Lazar’s story shows how opportunities at the Summit – mentorship, exposure, and community – can accelerate personal and professional growth.
• Christoph explains how the scholarship combines free access, mentorship, and even accommodation support for selected winners.
• Nomad Summit events attract hundreds of like-minded people and dozens of side-events that keep the inspiration going long after the main conference.
• Applications for the next Chiang Mai Scholarship are now open – it only takes a short video and a few lines about yourself.

Apply for the scholarship yourself! The deadline is November 23, 2025.