My Remote Year experience as a Local
From good morning’s to goodbye’s!
When I decided to start working from ‘7AY’ Coworking, I didn’t think for one second that I would be introduced to a new lifestyle: Working while traveling. Most importantly, I didn’t expect to see that it actually works seamlessly. I have enjoyed being with people I don’t know much about and I had the opportunity to enter their new world that they themselves just got into.
I work in the business of brand value, and what we do is help people concentrate on their core business by giving them the position they deserve. That is something I did badly when I think about how I experienced my workspace. Being with strangers under one roof for lunch, you are naturally driven to say ‘Hello’. But one thing also we do in our field is to tell people that growth is a question of brand territories. This time, I did good.
Three months ago, I met ‘Remote Year’ and although Moroccans could be curious about new concepts and ideas, I wasn’t. I was going through personal grief and was not interested to meet people AT ALL. ‘Hello, Good Morning and Good bye’, That’s all they heard from me. Until one day, when ‘7AY’s’ manager asked me if I could make a formal presentation on what I do and introduce my business and my experience as an entrepreneur.
I’m usually a nice person and always say ‘YES’, but my mind just wasn’t into this. I decided to think about it first. My answer to her was to do so because it was the rule to connect with other coworkers. So I did! I presented my field to about twenty remotes. Lots of questions and exchanges. Lots of people were interested in what I was doing and asked for my services, which was great. But most importantly, I had the pleasure to meet beautiful people.
My focus somehow was deviated with RY but I’m strong believer that anything that comes your way is of positive value and just makes your ‘Next’ better. So I started participating in crazy events of RY and 7AY, and as a result it bettered my outlook on things. And finally I decided to share this experience the day I was invited by Ankur, a remote digital consultant, to be part of his training session on time management. I knew I needed this.
From Industry expert’s presentations, trainings, dinners out, lunches everyday, to a day at the beach with few remotes, I was experimenting something not new to me, yet all at once was spectacular. I wanted to share these small encounters.
The first remote I met up with was Saritha, a software developer who wanted to experience new food. I took her out to a Syrian restaurant. She had enough of Moroccan and was vegetarian. I knew that she enjoyed it because she took other remotes to it. She is an intelligent & friendly soul. It was a wonderful experience. I especially enjoyed hearing why she was in this journey, motivated by a change in her life. Not everyone has the courage to do so. But I know she can.
The second one was Josh, a Crossfit trainer. Who would have thought to train people on Crossfit from abroad & on the net? And it works!! A month after he left Morocco, I’m still enjoying his great training observations and orientations. With him, you spend amazing laughable moments. Through this we are actually creating and experimenting the first remote Crossfit community in the world.
What is also nice about Remote Year is when you meet people in the same industry. Mike is not only in brand consultancy, but a great soccer player. Great in a sense that he grouped people with soccer interest and with other remotes, we had a discussion to build of a new community who travels and play with locals. Mike is the best at organizing projects and a team player whether at soccer or doing just ‘Good for nothing’. Yes, doing good for nothing. That’s what we do sometimes. A hackaton in share our time to help a local company get fast new ideas to its market and reposition their company. Needless to say that with Mike, we are discussing a future collaboration.
My fourth remote I would want to talk about is Meredith; she is also remote & works for the company. An amazing heart with limitless ambition. Don’t tell her I said this, but her smile makes everyone comfortable to tell her just about anything. We went horseback riding (she is a champion from where she comes from), dinner out and a sunny day at the beach. I apologize to her for the sunburn though. We also discussed business as we have a common interest in Well-being. I also gave her my insights as a brand specialist on what Remote Year should be all about.
At last, friends are good to make. But sometimes we meet people we may have a crush on. At a dinner with more than 10 remotes, we played a game introduced by Hilary. This was another great Remote Year encounter. To play, you had to share three truths and one lie in a random order while others guessed the lie. My submission: (1) I’m single, (2) I have a crush on someone in RY, and as of today, (3) she is not aware that I do, (4) I will not tell her.
My friends, I wasn’t here to do all of the above, but things happen for a reason, and here I’m telling a lie that I actually won’t tell the person that I actually like her. And for that story, follow me in this social madness to know if I ever told her.
One last thing for remotes: Open up to the local culture. You would be amazed of what you will be taking with you back home. If in Morocco, we are known to be extremely hospitable, I would have liked to see in the next group that they would be keen to know more about the locals and to hear their story. Lots today are expecting the next group experience and what wealth they would be bringing towards them.
That was my final thought. I probably wont see you next year but for sure, I’m part of your remote year local lovers.
God bless.
Hicham Lamrani, The Traveler’s Spirit
