This May, Ekaterina Zhegalina, our Marketing Manager, has spent a month in sunny and warm Agios Nikolaos, a  quiet village in West Mani Municipality, is located 50 kilometres southeast of Kalamata. We asked her to share some tips with anyone who is planning a similar experience. 

How easy is was to organize the trip?

We’ve been discussing this idea to use remote working opportunities with my boyfriend some time ago and decided to finally make it real about a half a year before the trip so we had a plenty of time to plan it. First point was to find a time period that works for both of us, meaning there are no work trips, client events or meetings that require offline presence and so on. May 2022 happened to be the month. Then I confirmed it with my team at QOCO to make sure everyone is aware and it won’t be a problem in terms of communication. We have an international team located worldwide and often we work remotely so everyone was quite excited for me. 

Then we selected a location, the main requirement was the same or close time zone as in Helsinki, two-rooms as we both need offices, good weather, fast wi-fi connection. Agios Nikolaos happened to be the right location. We rented a nice 2-floor villa with good view after all.

So in general, organizing the trip and making all arrangements was relatively easy. 

Was teamwork as efficient as if you were in Helsinki with the team? Any struggles in communication?

As we are used to working remotely, there were no struggles in our teamwork or communication. However, when my colleagues from Dublin visited Helsinki to meet clients when I were in Greece and I wish I could catch-up with them in person, not online. Obviously, nothing can substitute f2f meetings when you want to build relationships with a team. 

Also, in general, I try to be at the office 2-3 times a week so I started missing the rest of the QOCO crew that I used to see regularly. Probably one month away is my absolute maximum. 

 Anything that worked better than when you are home in Helsinki?

Weather in May in Helsinki was not the best, especially comparing to the sunny and warm Agios Nikolaos. Sunshine, sea view from the balcony truly makes wonders with your motivation to work and energy levels. I was able to do much more work and be 2000% more productive there. 

We were also able to go for a swim or run during the lunch time, spend evenings and weekends hiking in the mountains. Agios Nikolaos is a small village, and we both with my boyfriend enjoyed a slow life after busy year.

Any good-to-know that you would appreciate knowing before leaving for a trip?

There will be surprises, be prepared. Wi-fi might not work well so have a back up for that (e.g., buying Prepaid card in Greece was not as easy as we thought). If you go to the remote location, try to research this in advance. Also, some other small thing may happen, such as getting lunch during typical Finnish lunch time was not possible for us there as all restaurants are closed or it takes a long time to get food. We ended up cooking more than during the entire year in Helsinki. I would recommend arriving on the weekends to set all up before work week. 

Also, remember to spare some time to have fun and enjoy your life. Explore new location as much as possible. It could be small things, like taking a longer lunch time and going for a walk, working in a beach bar or actually taking a week off. 

QOCO fully supports remote work and temporary relocation to another country or city. Many of our employees are often traveling abroad, whether visiting families or just exploring new cities. Sounds like a perfect job for you? We are rapidly growing and looking for new talents. Check out our Career opportunities.

Local swimming place
Agios Nikolaos port
More Posts

You Might Also Like

News
Revolutionizing Engineering Technology: Etihad Airways & QOCO systems signs MoU to further explore QOCO’s applications
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, and QOCO Systems Ltd have signed an MoU to further enhance and explore QOCO SaaS solutions of MROTools.io and Aviadex.io.
Nov 16, 2023
Blog
Maintenance 4.0: Revolutionizing Aircraft Maintenance
Maintenance 4.0 is not just a trendy term but a revolutionary way of handling aircraft maintenance that aims to make the entire process more intelligent, efficient, and safer. At its core, Maintenance 4.0 seeks to leverage digital technologies to streamline maintenance processes and revolutionize the aviation industry.
Nov 1, 2023
Blog
Ilari Neitola sets out the commitment to high quality aviation IT solutions and successful collaboration that have made QOCO a trusted partner and IT solution provider
Meet Ilari Neitola, the CEO and Founder of QOCO Systems. In 2009, he started QOCO, driven by his love for aviation and software engineering. Ilari's unwavering commitment to enhancing efficiency in aviation's technical operations drives him to constantly explore innovative solutions, all with the goal of delivering a positive impact to QOCO's present and future clients.
Oct 13, 2023
Case Studies
Case Study: Getting the best from new engines at Condor
When Condor ordered the A330neos with the latest Trent 7000 engine from Rolls-Royce, the OEM introduced QOCO to Condor as Rolls-Royce’s software partner in facilitating the data transfer necessary to support the engine with the standard duty cycle method of managing engine life.
Oct 12, 2023
Blog
Getting the best value from data
The growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the aviation industry is an opportunity that organizations can’t afford to miss. From predictive maintenance to optimizing flight paths, AI’s potential applications in this space are immense.
Oct 12, 2023
Blog
Navigating Your Customer Journey with QOCO: From Commercial to Engagement Team
Every customer should feel valued and heard. And as a business, our job is to provide an exceptional customer experience from beginning to end. At QOCO, we believe that it's not just about the sale, but what comes after.
Oct 11, 2023
Explore ALl Posts