In the 19 years that I have been working, I never imagined that my life would take a turn like this so early. Let me paint the picture for you. Typically, I thought I would need to work and live in the city until I reached the ripe retirement age of 65. I always envied the people who wake up to the sight of the waves breathing on the shore, the seagulls singing their "good morning" song and falling asleep to the beautiful, melodic sound of the waves crashing. This was my dream of retirement, but then fully remote working happened, and I joined the company of a lifetime.
Six months into working at Strapi and watching colleagues travel the world while still working, it came to me - why do I need to wait? My family (sister, mother and nieces) live on the coast, where my heart wants me to be. So, I made the decision, and we packed up - a teenager, three dogs and a car loaded to the roof. We hit the road and made the 1000km drive to the coast. While moving and settling in came with its challenges initially, I have no regrets. Well, maybe one, I should have taken some time off to manage the settling in and adjustments for all of us, but because of the fantastic working lifestyle I have with Strapi, I was able to get through this.
Part of our remote working policy is that you have flexibility in your working day. Your hours may adjust slightly to accommodate your responsibilities or needs outside work. However, I still managed to attend every compulsory meeting, have my one-on-ones with each Strapier that I usually do, and have the odd walk on the beach during the day (with my dogs, of course).
Being city dogs, they also needed to adjust. Their paws had never touched sea sand, and don't even get me started about the hysterics of them discovering moving water. Seagulls and cows are also a new experience for them and part of their daily lives. My son is attending school online for the rest of the year, so I am balancing work, home, and supporting him, but I would not go back to the city for anything.
My gratitude is owed to Strapi for the fully-remote work that they provide. This experience has been life-changing for us. My manager supported me way beyond my expectations and with absolute care - one of our values. Remote working makes more things possible. Strapi Life is great.
If you would like to be part of a remote company, Strapi is hiring. Visit strapi.io/careers to learn more.