How working remotely in Guatemala shifted our mindset
How working remotely in Guatemala shifted our mindset https://northstrategic.com/wp-content/uploads/232323.jpg 766 495 Jonathan Forani https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0224c5ae9357da0ca0dcbe96be87c430?s=96&d=mm&r=gBy Marley Burnes, Account Coordinator, and Steph Grand, Account Manager with North Strategic
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In the Guatemalan highlands taking calls and answering emails lakeside with volcanic mountain ranges as our Teams backdrop. This was the scene from our temporary office in March as Toronto drudged through the final days of winter. Not to brag.
Like true digital nomads working remotely, we were lucky to spend a month in Guatemala, a country rich in culture and natural beauty, thanks to a program we couldn’t have dreamed about when we both started working at North. In 2021, Publicis Groupe launched the Work Your World program, which allows network colleagues to work from anywhere in the world the company has an office for up to six weeks.
Our experience was challenging, exhilarating, and most of all, unforgettable. Working remotely from another country was a great mindset shift and provided us with new perspectives. Learning about a new culture and experiencing a different way of life sparked newfound curiosity. It was a reminder to continue being curious and continue learning, because that is where we will find all the great ideas that serve us and serve our work.
We spent two weeks at the beautiful Lake Atitlan. Surrounded by volcanoes, it offered epic views as we worked from various cafes in the town. Every morning we woke up to breathtaking scenery, treated ourselves to some delicious coffee and looked forward to our evening activity (read: thought about where we were going to have for dinner that night). On weekends, we hiked up mountains to watch the sunrise, met locals who taught us about the Mayan culture around the lake, toured around on ATVs, and even found time for weaving class from some very cheeky local women, who we could only communicate with through hand gestures and a knowing look.
These interactions were some of the most inspiring moments on our trip, when we learned that one of the most important aspects of communication is hearing what isn’t said, as the saying goes. In our day-to-day work, understanding social cues, reading the room and picking up on client needs is a similar practice.
After working at the lake for two weeks, we felt rejuvenated both personally and professionally. After the lake, we headed to Antigua Guatemala, a beautiful city with cobblestone streets surrounded by volcanoes on every side, where we would spend the last two weeks of our trip. Antigua was all about the food. This city had a restaurant for any craving we threw at it. From the beer flights and fries that reminded us of home to the most decadent Vegan-Italian-Asian-Mexican fusion you could dream of – it was amazing.
Marley Burnes and Steph Grand at Acatenango in Guatemala
Most memorable was spending one weekend completing an eight-hour and 5,300-foot incline hike to watch Volcan De Fuego, an active volcano, erupt. The thunderous eruption and bright red lava pouring down the sides took our breath away, and was well worth battling through rain, wind, hail and wet socks.
We couldn’t recommend Work Your World enough. Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to find newfound motivation or to spark creativity. To learn is to grow, and that’s how we continue to bring new thinking and ideas to the table at all times. Being able to connect with our teams in Toronto, while only being a closed computer screen away from immersing ourselves into various experiences, foods and activities was an experience like nothing before. From here, we’ll be planning our next Work Your World adventure and hope we’ve inspired you to do the same.
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