The year is 2043. It’s such a delightful day and the sun’s warmth made me open the door that leads to my back garden. My Spaniel’s level of energy intensifies at the hearing of this and she shoves the door out of her way. There is nothing more that makes me happier in life than seeing her bursting with joy.
Thanks to technology and accurate monitoring of the environment conditions, climate change is now a thing of the past. Not only do we have everything under control — literally, we can regionally control the planet’s warmth, humidity, etc. through environmental plants - but we care for the planet more than anything else; it has become the number one priority since the Critical Climate Change period from almost 20 years ago.
Manchester is now one of the almost 50 SCTs — what we call the mega cities or Smart Cities nowadays. The world is now urbanised, the percentage of population living in cities has now reached 65%, with 60% of the global GDP being generated by SCTs.
Each country now has its own digital currency. Moreover, the world is poised to launch the first international digital currency, in total agreement with all the world’s governments. This could be a game changer for most of the remote workers or freelancers and honestly something I have always been looking forward to.
Today I decided to cook aebleflæsk, an old traditional food recipe my neighbour cooked for dinner with friends few months back. It translates to 'apple-pork' and it consists of pork belly, which I have to admit has always been my guilty pleasure. First thing I have when I land anywhere in Japan is a good, homemade pork belly ramen.
For someone working remotely, last year was the best time to visit the Nippon country, as their government - in partnership with the country’s local airlines - has put in place a scheme where foreigners can travel domestically for free. Their goal is to liberate SCTs like Tokyo and Osaka, directing tourists towards smaller towns and villages, this way supporting the local communities. During my 2 week stay there, I visited 3 cities and 4 small towns, thanks to the scheme. And believe me, there is nothing more enjoyable than doing your job surrounded by the green panorama of a Japanese village.
I have learned many things from my neighbors with Danish backgrounds. Aleksander has been a Medium freelance writer for over 25 years as I can recall, writing articles for few of the new media publications. Last time we spoke, he was saying how excited he was for getting a very well-paid contract, writing and recording corporate audio books. Freja, on the other side, is a graphic designer. She is more about hand drawings - which is also better paid - but takes digital design in consideration, especially if it involves traveling and covering its costs.
Aleksander and Freja work together on different projects from time to time, they love it and they think there is nothing more enjoyable than that. The last time they worked together, it was on writing and illustrating a children’s book with short stories they used to make up while trying to put their kids to sleep few years back. I still think this is one of the cutest ideas ever!
This is their last week in the UK, as Freja’s gig is coming to an end. Aleksander is planning to take Lilith and Jasper to Madagascar for 2 weeks before heading to Denmark. Jasper loves animals and this would also be a good opportunity for a bit of relaxation for Freja. We have already made plans to see each other again, in Norway, what we believe to be the halfway.
Last week, at the Foundation Coffee House, which is the main freelancing workspace in Manchester, I met this young couple who came from London, but they reside in Beirut, Lebanon. They’re freelancing, like many of the people there at the coffee shop. He is an architect and she is a good practices trainer. She came to meet a few of the people she will be working with for the next 3 months. They will be here in Manchester for another 2 days and after this, will be heading to York and Edinburgh, as they want to take advantage of this voyage to visit few of the UK’s largest workspaces.
They’ve been here before and they loved it. You can find here an amalgam of creatives: from writers, journalists and bloggers, to software developers and designers.
Spaces like the Foundation Coffee House are the most popular workspaces in the world at the moment, designed and developed as hubs for remote workers or workspaces for digital nomads. Most of these workspaces are sponsored by companies, each visitor getting a free coffee and a small sweet treat upon arrival.
Everyone is a nomad worker these days. Across countries and continents. From carpenters and plumbers to landscapers and general managers, we all work together, across the globe, where there is a need and where we feel like visiting.
In the past 12 months, I have traveled the world more than previously. I have visited 11 countries, discovered wonderful places, met lovely people and ate some of the best dishes. Speaking to locals and meeting new people from other countries is everything I could ask for when visiting a new country. This kind of lifestyle is now something that comes with the job description when starting a new role nowadays.
Nomad work is not about work that much, for me. It’s about learning from new cultures, cooking with locals and sharing experiences with new people. Most of all, it is about making the most of life, not getting stuck in offices or in the same place for too long. This makes you feel younger on the inside and, scientifically proven, it increases the average life expectancy by 3 years and reduces suicide rate by 10%.
Globalisation is key and we are all now, after millions of years, one big nation and I am proud to call myself a citizen of the world. Everyone is welcome everywhere and even though maybe it sounds cheesy, the world is our oyster.
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