Let’s hear from Barbara Aichinger, a Graphic and Communication Design professional from Austria, who traveled to Beirut, Lebanon and Worlk’ed from Polar Stork’s office for 3 weeks this past March. 

Why did you choose to try Worlk?

A friend of mine told me about Worlk, and it sounded like a really nice concept to me. I wanted to try it. I was very curious about new cultures, so I wanted to travel and get to know new places. Wolk sounded like a really nice and convenient way to travel without disrupting my work.

What were your expectations from the experience in comparison to previous remote work?

This was the first time working abroad for me, so I did not have much prior experience or expectations. I came with an open mind, and everything I experienced there was quite new and adventurous! It was way more fun and enjoyable than other remote work experiences.

Now that you’ve tried Worlk, how do you think companies can benefit from worlking?

After trying Worlk, I see many benefits for companies that offer desks for people from all over the world to come, use their office space for a while, and experience the way they are working there. It brings diversity to the host company, as visitors tend to make friends with locals and share some knowledge. I also think that if a company offers Worlk’s services to their employees, it makes the company much more attractive for new talent to join their team. They get the chance to travel and to get to know new people and new cultures.

What were the benefits for you as an employee?

I was really interested in seeing how other teams within companies work and what tools and technologies they use. It was really nice to share my knowledge and learn new things. I even tried to learn and to love WordPress while here. It’s a really nice thing to get to know new people, to learn new languages, and to be integrated in their culture!

What would be the added value that Worlk brings in contrast to working from offices or remotely from home?

Working from home can be quite boring, because you already know the setup well and you see the same surroundings every day. But when you work remotely, abroad, you can experience new adventures, explore new places, and learn about new cultures. At the same time, you’re working and you’re having some kind of a vacation. I think it’s a really cool concept.

Would you Worlk again? And why?

Of course I would! Definitely. I’m looking forward to doing it again. I would really like to travel and explore new places and new cultures. It’s really great to combine it with work and enjoy some sort of a vacation at the same time.

What were the highlights of your experience?

What I really liked about Beirut, Lebanon and about the host company, Polar Stork, was the community, and the fact that people were open-minded. I felt integrated from the get go. We went on many spontaneous trips together with the team. I even met their friends! It really started feeling like home very quickly.

What advice would you give to employees regarding remote working?

Worlk is a great opportunity for both companies and employees to work and travel at the same time. You can meet new cultures, encounter new ways of working, and benefit from exchanging knowledge. You get to experience their kind of living and working at the same time.

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After 3 weeks in Lebanon, Barbara is going back to Austria with new friends and a different understanding of Lebanon, its culture and its people.