Clarese Partis, a 39-year-old software program designer from Los Angeles, has at all times wished to work from an offbeat spot removed from the crowds.
So when she was supplied such a chance, she immediately grabbed it.
Final week, Partis landed within the Sardinian village of Ollolai in Italy for a free keep paid by the native municipality. It is a part of a program aimed toward digital nomads who need to briefly relocate to work within the heart of the island, amid farmers and grazing sheep.
She’s the primary digital nomad to reach — and already she mentioned it appears like a life-changer.
“I’ve been touring as a digital nomad because the previous two years, final in Zanzibar,” mentioned Partis, however “when the chance for Ollolai got here alongside I used to be excited to provide it a strive.”
“I felt I wanted a change of place,” she mentioned, although “not a touristy one, however [instead] surrounded by nature, recent air, mountains, lovely seashores, the place I may discover extra solace, peace and a slower-paced way of life.”
The small village of Ollolai
Ollolai is situated within the wild Barbagia space removed from the Sardinia’s VIP-packed coastlines — a spot the place outdated traditions survive and bandits as soon as lived in caves.
By time, locals left searching for a brighter future elsewhere, emptying the traditional district, now lined in road artwork depicting rural life.
Clarese Partis working from her dwelling in Ollolai, Sardinia.
Supply: Antonio Meloni
Prior to now century, Ollolai’s inhabitants shrank from 2,250 to 1,300, with solely a handful of infants born annually.
The village adopted a highly publicized measure in 2018 to revive the outdated district: promoting crumbling houses for 1 euro.
Partis and Francesco Columbu, the most important of Ollolai.
Supply: Veronica Matta
“That was a serious success — many foreigners purchased and restyled dozens of forsaken dwellings,” mentioned Mayor Francesco Columbu instructed CNBC. “Now, after investing in high-speed web, with this new venture ‘Work from Ollolai’ we need to make our village a digital nomad hub.”
Free stays for distant employees
Ollolai’s city corridor has earmarked 20,000 euros ($21,460) to host 30 distant employees from all around the world, who can keep within the village, one by one, over the following two years.
On-line functions are open by means of December. Those that are chosen can keep at no cost for as much as three months at a time, which is the utmost interval non-Europeans can stay in Italy with no visa.
For now, Partis plans to remain only one month, although she mentioned she would possibly take into account prolonging her Sardinian expertise at a later stage.
Partis overlooks the view from her balcony, with Veronica Matta, who’s overseeing the “Work from Ollolai” program.
Supply: Antonio Meloni
The following teleworker is arriving from Singapore, mentioned Veronica Matta, head of native cultural affiliation Sa Mata, which handles the “Work from Ollolai” program with the mayor’s workplace.
“We anticipate a whole lot of People,” she mentioned. “Our purpose is to revive Ollolai with new folks of various cultures and languages which will share their expertise [as] digital nomads with the residents.”
The price range, from the city corridor’s coffers, will go towards renting houses from native households for the digital nomads, at a price of roughly 350 euros a month for a furnished two-bedroom dwelling. Utilities, payments and city corridor service taxes will even be lined, mentioned Matta, however transportation and airplane tickets are usually not.
The houses, which used to belong to shepherd and farmer households, who up to now used to sleep on the bottom ground with their animals, include an workplace and high-speed web connection.
Employees shall be invited to locals gala’s and festivals, based on Matta. Partis mentioned she was invited to a celebration in town’s piazza the night time earlier than.
Partis provides her landlord 1 euro as a symbolic gesture.
Supply: Veronica Matta
“I simply needed to give my landowner a symbolic one euro for the home rental,” mentioned Partis. “Locals are so heat and welcoming, and it isn’t as a result of they need to promote you one thing, like in touristy locations.”
“I like to mingle with the folks right here,” she mentioned.
A reciprocal association
Winners can keep at no cost in Sardinia — if, that’s, they comply with give one thing again to the local people earlier than they go away, mentioned Matta.
“This isn’t a free vacation,” mentioned Matta. “They should have a confirmed background as a digital nomad and go away a concrete piece of labor on the finish of their keep — be it a convention, an essay, analysis paper or documentary.”
Partis and Matta be a part of a welcoming celebration in Ollolai, Sardinia.
Supply: Veronica Matta
Partis plans to provide a lecture on what it means to be a digital nomad, usually and particularly in Ollolai, she mentioned.
Matta harassed that “skilled distant employees from all fields are inspired to use: know-how, media, finance, actual property, structure — additionally artists, writers, musicians, scientists and lecturers.”
However that is offered they go away behind a “data jolt” that enriches the village tradition, she mentioned.
Extra lovely than anticipated
Partis already loves her new dwelling within the village’s historic district. It has two bedrooms and a beautiful panoramic balcony with views of a pristine valley and woods, the place she finds inspiration whereas working, she mentioned.
Clarese Partis with Veronica Matta, looking from Partis’ balcony.
Supply: Antonio Meloni
For now, she mentioned she’s balancing her work and want to sightsee throughout Sardinia.
“I am nonetheless settling in. There are days I spend touring to discover the attractive locations round, and others I shut myself at dwelling catching up on my work,” she mentioned.
She mentioned a typical day in Ollolai is much like her life elsewhere: yoga meditation within the morning, adopted by work, then a stroll exterior and a drive to the coast or the mountains to benefit from the silence and views.
“I do not drink so the bar shouldn’t be my prime place to hang around,” she mentioned. “As a substitute, I like going to the farmers’ market to choose recent elements similar to truffles, making pasta and gnocchi with pesto. The meals is wonderful.”
She mentioned that Ollolai is extra lovely than she ever anticipated, and the friendliness of its folks shocked her.
“There may be a lot to discover in Sardinia. I am glad I’m right here with sufficient time to immerse myself within the island and its tradition.”
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