Paul Koch was forced to change his life considerably and decided to leave for the Greek island of Syros. He is happy to share his impressive story with you. From a great resistance to working remotely, to working and living completely remote on a Greek island. Καλημέρα! It’s a good morning every day here in Greece! Not only in summer, but all seasons are good here. If you asked me 5 years ago about my opinion on workations or remote working I would probably not be very positive.
Stuck in Dutch working life
With at least 15 years of work experience at various companies in the sign and graphics industry, being close to the client and your colleagues was a must. At least 8 hours a day in the office, 3 to 4 hours in the car, and then an hour or two at home. Too busy to see that this doesn’t make much sense, but everyone does it, so better not think too much right? Travel was always a big part of my job, but the typical plane, hotel, client, and back story. Only when I later (initially to save travel costs) started using b&b’s more, and occasionally staying an extra day to be able to work quietly without phones, a light bulb slowly went on. Such a day away from it all and working with complete concentration with the “reward” of discovering your new place in a foreign country is phenomenal.
By necessity, the helm had to be changed
When covid came around the corner, I (of necessity) had to step back. No more work, income gone and expenses remained. The logical solution was to go temporarily to family in Greece. Now this temporary plan has become permanent and I live on the Greek island of Syros. Because remote work is fully accepted and my Greek lifestyle has only advantages.
As a self-employed person, I have never seen any problems in working with foreign customers and colleagues, where sometimes very intensive contact is needed. With today’s communication tools, this goes just fine. Perhaps it even works more efficiently because it is easier to focus on certain tasks.
Syros is worth a visit
Last year we moved to the unique island called Syros. 3.5 hours from Athens with the center being the bustling town of Ermoupoli. A very creative island and a town with a real city-vibe. 5 minutes away you will find nice villages with nice tavernas and of course the beach. Not only in summer, but all year round it is good to be here. There is no period when life stops like on most other islands. Besides the good accessibility via ferries, which sail year-round, there is also a small airport with a flight to Athens. But a good alternative is the neighboring island of Mykonos just 1 hour by ferry. That one has a direct flight with Schiphol, London and Paris. If you are traveling from the Netherlands and don’t necessarily need to see the rest of Greece, this is the fastest and cheapest way.
Living and working on a Greek island
Here I have my own design studio called Studio Koch where I create websites and internet solutions for small and medium-sized businesses and here for a large part in the music industry. With the latter I have a special project called Jazz Events Live. If you are a jazz lover working remote for a period of time in Greece, a visit to our jazz platform is definitely worthwhile to find a nice jazz gig anywhere in the country with a few clicks. The energy of the island of Syros is enhanced by the fact that Ermoupoli is also the capital of the Cyclades archipelago. With its central port, hospital, central administration of the Cyclades and also a university with some 600 students, it is active all year round. There is also a Greek language school where, with regularity, digital nomads and remote workers who stay for longer periods of time join in. Especially outside the summer season, prices are low and there is plenty of capacity in hotels and b&b’s.
Impressive living and working space
I myself live 100 meters from a nice beach, have a spectacular view of the sea and nothing that can distract me from my work at all. I can easily work fully concentrated for 8 hours a day, but spread out over the whole day. I notice that I can come up with much more creative solutions than “before” in my gray offices in the Netherlands. And yes, sometimes people are sometimes jealous, like now, when I dive into the sea for half an hour after writing this blog. It is December 13 and the sea is still fine.
Interesting facts about Syros
Origin of the first electric car produced in large quantity: The Enfield 8000. (in the 1970s) A model is on display at the Industrial Museum.
- Birthplace of Markos Vamvakaris. One of the greatest Rebetico musicians and, of course, with its own museum.
- Greece’s very first high school was started in 1829 and is still in operation.
- Home of the nearly 160-year-old Apollon Theater.
- Loukoumia. A local but globally known delicacy (looks a lot like Turkish Fruit).
The new life in Greece
Do I miss the Netherlands? Yes definitely. For the bitterballen and a nice Belgian trappist. And the Dutch language. More Dutch clients would be nice to speak the language a bit more. A win-win situation for them too, because Dutch work with a Greek price tag is quite interesting. Curious about more blogs about nice Greek destinations? Then check out my workation experiences when I first went to Greece here.
