I’ve been living on island called Motutapu Island, just off the coast of Auckland in New Zealand for the last 9 months. It is a remote area, with access to the mainland via ferry one a week. Living remotely can come with both positive and negative aspects, and remote work is not for everyone. In this blog entry, I’ll be going over some pros and cons to living somewhere remote, so you can decide if it is for you!
PROS
Peacefulness
Living somewhere with not many people around can mean that life may be so much more peaceful. There will be none of the hustle and bustle that you would find in big cities, no Monday morning rush, no traffic jams or noisy neighbours. You would have space to think and relax, and unwind. The only noise you’ll hopefully be complaining about is the wake up call from the tweeting of birds at early hours in the morning, or the sound of the river and sea if you desperately need the toilet!
Stargazing
Another positive which applies to a lot of remote locations, is the ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ classification. This means that it may be an area which restricts artificial light pollution, and is generally there to promote astrology and stargazing. If the area isn’t classified as a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’, its more than likely that there won’t be much light pollution there anyway as it is a remote location. So if you love your stargazing and astrology, then working in a remote location would be super cool!
Scenery
Depending on which end of the spectrum your remote location is – from sunny, sandy beaches to icy glaciers, there will most likely be insane scenery and views. As I’m living on an island with sun and beaches, I have amazing views of the city in the distance, other islands, the sea, and the rolling green hills. Oh, and also the volcano adjacent to the island I’m on! Each remote location will have its own quirks and different landscape. Just something to look forward to exploring!
Safety
As a young female, it’s hard to feel safe when travelling, especially in big cities. However, since being on the island with a select number of people, I’m the safest I’ve ever felt. Not once have I stressed about going out after dark, about leaving the doors open, about being paranoid that somethings going to happen. Just one less thing that’s on my mind when going to sleep.
Introvert
If you are an introvert, then working in a remote location is the place for you! As you will most likely be in a location away from any sort of civilisation, it will make it a lot more difficult to socialise with large range of people. Saying this, it will allow you to get close to a small group, and you can make friends for life! It’s what I’ve done since working on Motutapu! If you enjoy spending some time on your own, or with a small, steady bunch of people then this is an ideal situation for you to find yourself in.
Money saver
Finally, living in a remote place saves you a hell of a lot of money! Just because there is not many places for you to spend it (unless you are an online shopping fiend!) The island that I live on has nothing on it, other than the camp which I work at, and some other baches (holiday homes) dotted throughout. No high streets, shops, cinemas or pubs to spend all my money, which makes it a great place to start saving for upcoming trips.
CONS
Accessibility to amenities
However, with there being no shops, it does mean you have to find a way of getting food and other things you need over to the island/remote location. This can be a challenge. Luckily for us, there is a regular ferry, and easily accessible water taxis to and from mainland. Just do some research before you choose to accept a remote position, for accessibility to amenities and the frequency of being able to get things.
Lack of things to do
There is also not a lot to do, which goes along with the lack of facilities/amenities. You have to make do with nature, the scenery, hanging out with your mates who also live/work remotely, and entertaining yourself. If you are unable to do that, then remote location work is definitely not for you! It requires an ability to be productive and find activities out of minimal things, rather than staying inside.
Lack of ability to socialise
As mentioned in the pros, there is a lack of ability to socialise with a lot of different people when living and working in a remote location. You will be limited to the people you are able to talk to, and will need to have a personality that many will get along with – its going to be a long, difficult time if people don’t get along with you, or you don’t get along with others! You must be adaptable, and be able to be civil and friendly, even with those who you don’t quite see eye-to-eye with.
Lack of freedom
The final con, which is a biggie for me, is the lack of freedom living in a remote location gives you. You aren’t able to just pop out to the shop, or head out for dinner and drinks with friends. You are very limited as to what you can do, and if you are only planning on staying remote for a short amount of time, then it could be feasible. Long, extended amounts of time staying on an island (my longest stint is 8 weeks) is very challenging, and can take a toll on your mental health. You start to become stir crazy, being stuck in the same location, with the same scenery, and the same people. You can’t find somewhere to decompress, somewhere to get away from everything happening at work/home life. It can become very difficult.
In no way do these apply to every single job and remote area, but these are my experiences in the area I worked. I hope this may help some of you out in deciding whether living in a remote area is for you!