In this video I talk about the reality of remote work as a software engineer—because a lot of people still think “remote” automatically means I can work from Thailand on a U.S. salary forever. I’m fully remote and I’ll be honest: it’s been amazing for my lifestyle and work-life balance, but there’s a big caveat. More companies are cracking down on location requirements, and “remote” often means remote within the U.S. (or at least within a specific region). Some companies might allow a short window abroad (like ~20 days), but that doesn’t mean they handle taxes or compliance for you. I also explain why true global remote roles are getting rarer: taxes, regulations, and the practical issue of time zones. If you’re too far from your team, overlap gets messy—meetings can push into late nights/early mornings, collaboration slows down, and it can even affect how you’re perceived in peer review systems. If your goal is working abroad, I share where to look for legit remote roles (LinkedIn, Google Jobs, We Work Remotely, FlexJobs), and why contracting/freelancing can be a better path when companies don’t want the full-time compliance burden. My main takeaway: global remote isn’t “gone,” but it’s way more limited—so be strategic and consider freelancing as your entry point.