Making the Planet Small
Our developer Teju Prasad reflects on his 4-month remote work program.
After all the travel, group interaction, and mixing with locals all while maintaining work obligations, my largest takeaway is that (as cliche as it sounds), the world now genuinely feels smaller.
When I think of the countries we visited, I don’t regard them as far-off, exotic vacation destinations. Rather, I think of them as extensions of my day-to-day life.
Living there in somewhat of a bubble doesn’t equate to actually settling and living in the city, but my memory of Chile is as much remembering to weigh fruit at the grocery store before checking out as it is the breathtaking Patagonia mountain landscapes.
Early in the itinerary, someone in our travel group called her previous vacationing “fake life.” I like to think of it more as “compressed life” where depending on how much you’ve planned, you’ve packed a ton of experiences that supercharge your adrenaline for that short period of time.
In an extended program, that euphoria only lasts so long, and it forces you to balance thoughts of “back home” vs. “this new cool place you’re in” in a more substantive way. I think the net effect is that the changes or learnings you may feel in yourself could potentially have a more significant, if not permanent impact.
The experience could only flow so seamlessly (or even be possible at all) in a large part due to the technological advancements made globally, as well as in the various cities we lived in. Santiago had one of the most vibrant startup cultures I’ve seen, which the country is actively pursuing.
Medellin was also a prime example of a city transformed at least in part through technological innovation and growth. Mobile Applications like Uber or Rappi (a general delivery service app for groceries, food, or any other random supply need) made the mundane parts of getting around and settling into a new city tremendously easier.
After going through this “re-settling” process four times, I had a greater appreciation for those like my parents who emigrated to a new country for the long term, without any of these technological boosts. Although this was something I already knew, my experience clarified it in a unique and undeniable way.
Another surprising and unexpected technical observation occurred when traveling to Machu Picchu, where I noticed some gold colored plates buried into the ground. It turns out they are “geodesic” points, monitorable by satellite! They’re used for data collection and servicing of “natural protection” zones.
It was things like this, the many other surprises along the way, and connecting with the travel group and locals both professionally and personally, that all contributed to this feeling of seeing the planet as smaller. Ultimately, it was all part of my Small Planet experience.
