Gloria Borisova was born and raised in Bulgaria and spent a few years living in Scotland. She is now sharing her time between Bulgaria and sunny locations. We talked with her in November when she was enjoying sunny weather in Gran Canaria. We talked with Gloria about living in the countryside, bureaucratic challenges and the reasons why she became a digital nomad.
Author: Elena Gascón
Where did I find you? Where are you living now?
I’m currently in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, enjoying some good weather before returning home.
Why did you decide to become a digital nomad?
Working remotely has allowed me to try travelling and working from different locations. Slowly the time and length of my travels increased, so not sure if I am a “real” digital nomad or a travelling remote worker. I enjoy this freedom as I can be in sunny locations, not just in the usual summer months.
Which colivings have you visited? In which countries?
Not many, actually just one official. I stayed in the “Banana House” coliving while I was in Madeira, Portugal. I have shared housing with other digital nomads also in Italy and Spain.
Is living in rural areas different from living in the city? If so, how? What are the main differences?
Both rural areas and cities have their charms (and burdens). The rural and smaller places allow you to connect better with the community of digital nomads and the locals. With digital nomads, you likely share most of your time together, breakfast, lunch, dinner, hiking or chilling on the weekend. Regarding the local people – you see them daily, in the coffee shop, supermarket, or simply as neighbours. In most cases, they enjoy having you around, as we are not tourists coming just for a day or two. We spend time with them, sharing stories and having a good time.
What are the most challenging situations you have dealt with as a digital nomad?
Luckily not many. Rural or small places usually have less developed transportation systems, so reaching from point A to point B could be challenging, but these are the sacrifices you need to make sometimes. The good thing is that there is always a solution. You just have to look for it.
Do you use any specific digital tools when looking for where to live next? How do you research interesting locations for digital nomads in rural areas?
Depending on the location, I would usually try to see if they have a dedicated website, social media, slack channels, and Facebook groups. I believe it gets easier once you build a reasonable network, as it can often happen that someone has already been to a certain location and can give you recommendations. Of course, everyone has their own experience, and it is not necessary that you will have the same experience, but most of the time, you can get an accurate understanding of the place.
Did you face any bureaucratic problems as a digital nomad? How did you solve them?
The majority of my travels are within Europe, which makes things a lot easier. In rural or smaller places, an important element is the internet connection which is essential for remote workers and could not always be great. A less important issue, if it could be called an issue at all, is usually the lack of diversity in terms of things to do, shops, places to visit, etc. Luckily there is usually an option that you can go to places or cities nearby to find those things.
Do you think young people can live a fulfilling life in the countryside?
Probably yes, but it is a very individual choice, it depends on everyone’s perspective on life. Personally, I enjoy being in small places for a certain amount of time, especially when there are other like-minded people, but I am also happy once I happen to be back to a more fast-paced city vibe.
What are your plans for the future?
In the near future, I’ll be spending the winter holidays with my family and I’m still on a hunt for next year’s travelling locations, most probably will be back to Italy and Portugal, but maybe some new places as well. The list of places I haven’t been to is still quite long!
