Article written by Carlos Jonay Suárez Suárez , co-founder and head of digital strategy at Pueblos Remotos

Throughout these months we have been generating a lot of content about Pueblos Remotos: our experiences, our objectives, our impact or the importance of our challenges.

We've told you about ourselves, the people who come to work remotely, the local actors, and the phenomenal environments in which we lived for twenty-one days. 

We have also given a voice to them, teleworkers and local actors, so that they can tell us from their perspective 'what it's like' to experience one of our editions. 

But we still have a lot to tell you, such as what it means to live one of our experiences in terms of personal and professional learning. 

Connected Rurality is also a learning process

Learning is one of the most important aspects of our lives. We do it innately from birth and we improve the process as we develop. 

Inside our 'backpack' we put experiences, anecdotes, scares, mistakes and successes, and the sum of it all helps us to grow and improve as people. 

One of the goals we seek with Connected Rurality is precisely that: to grow and improve, surrounded by people who have similar concerns to ours. 

During the twenty-one days of a Pueblos Remotos experience, you share a lot: professional advice, how to use tools, posture, books you love, or even your favorite tea (well, we'll leave that one to Gonzalo, Elsa, and Alejandro). 

Joking aside, there are several essential components that allow learning to occur and be shared naturally during our experiences:  

• The environment: the tranquility, calm, and rhythm of rural settings help us find spaces for dialogue, reflection, cooperation, and listening. It's a unique atmosphere where we can connect much better than in more 'saturated' environments, such as urban ones.

• Living together : spending time with others provides an opportunity for interesting conversations, whether during a coffee break , while preparing dinner, or taking a walk along a nearby trail. Having the chance to talk and share with others is one of the best learning experiences there is.

• Stepping outside your comfort zone : getting to know other people (both personally and professionally) is also something that helps us learn. Their stories, their knowledge of the environment, or their surroundings, hearing perspectives different from our own; or acquiring new knowledge outside our field, simply for the sake of doing so, is very healthy and highly recommended.

Learning, far beyond the personal and the professional 

It seems that we are always determined to put up barriers, or to segment different parts of our lives, as if it were not possible for both to coexist without problems, and we will have no choice but to label them. 

Looking back and analyzing in detail the lessons learned during a Pueblos Remotos experience, I can say it's the perfect blend of personal and professional growth. In fact, I can say this because I've been there and witnessed it firsthand. It's a testament to how people help each other, perhaps without even realizing it. People share their knowledge, and people listen; people take action, and people follow along—ultimately, small chains of learning are created daily. 

What you might be wondering is, "Okay, but what kind of learning is generated?" To which I could answer with an ambiguous, "And what kind isn't?" But don't worry, I'm not going to stop there. 

The list of things that are shared, and learned from, is almost as long as the experiences and lessons passed on by the people who are part of our 'little family', but to give a few examples: 

• In all editions of Pueblos Remotos we have learned a lot about recipes and everything related to food: traditional recipes from Icod and Antigua (or Tenerife, or Fuerteventura, in general), recipes, or dishes, from different parts of the world; vegan (and organic) recipes or even 'geeky' Japanese desserts. 

• If we continue with gastronomy, we know much more than before about the world of wine, oil, honey, or cheese, from how they are made, to how to taste them. 

• We know much more about the agricultural world, about seedbeds, types of plantations, times of year to plant, or how important it is to do it in a certain way. 

• We learned why it is important to give abandoned animals a second life and why it is important to continue caring for them and keeping them healthy. 

• We have worked with our hands, from digging them in the ground, to sewing a one hundred percent handmade coin purse, and learning, in the process, their true value. 

• We share tools, tips, and recommendations on marketing, social media, productivity, development, writing, and a thousand other things.

• There are people who already know 'who' the group 'Parchís' are (yes, the ones from Happy Birthday) 

• We have given each other live, direct feedback

• We laughed out loud at a thousand anecdotes, stories and 'client jokes'. 

• We've talked while running, walking, swimming at the beach, or sharing a table at dusk.

• We enjoyed the silence while watching a sunset. 

• We know more about constellations, the life cycle of bees, or the uses of aloe.  

In short, we have shared many moments that have helped us improve and grow, while also giving us the opportunity to open up more, to learn about other perspectives and to learn from the people around us. 

I'm leaving with a strong desire to return, my batteries recharged, and a lot of motivation. I'm leaving wanting to integrate into my daily life being as generous as you, my colleagues, and the local entrepreneurs have been with me. I'm leaving wanting to meet more entrepreneurs from other places and to be able to absorb and contribute energy, enthusiasm, and ideas from them. Beatriz Segura, participant in Icod Remoto.