The Simple Life: Living in the countryside while working in tech?

Posted in:Lifestyle Personal Growth Society & Culture

Hey everyone!

Earlier this year, I moved back to my tiny hometown in France from Vancouver, Canada.I'm remote again after two years in a hybrid work mode that was all the contrary of what I enjoy in life 😊

I left the city for the countryside and haven't been happier for a long time.I'd love for more people to experience this if that's their jam.

I don't know exactly what that looks like, but I want to contribute to growing this "neo-rurality" movement. And my first step into action is to listen and learn.

So here's my ask: are you living in the countryside? Or strongly considering making the move?I want to talk to you! And I'd love to share my story with you, and help connect you with someone in my network.

Hit me up here or on Linkedin.

Pic: My best friend and I are together on a regular Thursday night.

(90s kids with access to MTV will have the ref)

Iynna·Jul 13

THE SIMPLE LIFE IYKYK!!!! hahahahaCoucou Pauline! je viens de t'envoyer une demande sur LinkedIn ;-) I had no idea there was a neo-rurality movement happening, as I hear mostly of people wanting to come back to the cities (and not even big cities like NYC or SF but even more 2nd 3rd market like Atlanta, Chicago, Philly, Nashville etc)! But this is amazing to hear. Where in France are you? And hopefully you're in a part that's somewhat progressive.Also fellow remote worker here :)

paulinesd·Jul 15

@iynna I'll preface by saying how great of a community lead you are. From what I learnt so far, neo-rurality a small movement, and it's still built around urban folks who move to the country to work in agriculture. For people in tech, it spiked during the pandemic, but slowed down with the back to the office trend. But it doesn't have to, and I'd personally love to see it grow, because living in the country has many social, ecological and health benefits!What I'm getting at is I want to grow this movement, so looking to learn from anyone who's living in it, or deeply wants to. As for me, I'm in Bourgogne. Sadly there is a lot of extreme right. My small town didn't vote in that direction, a small consolation, but it's something. And when I link this to my original topic: I believe more neo rurals would bring more diversity and open mindness to the countryside, and that's also why this topic lights me up🌈

Iynna·Jul 15

Aw thank you Pauline, that means a lot!Right, I can understand the movement and especially how the pandemic drove that! What kind of social and ecological benefits does the countryside have as opposed to the city? Genuinely curious to get your take on this! I will keep an eye out for you for folks who are either living this life like you OR planning to ! I am sure you will have some amazing discussions.Yeah... quite crazy to see the past elections but yeah happy to see you're in a place that's a bit more progressive.And I hear your point but I think it's a huge chicken and egg problem - most young people 20-30 or even 40 something) are interested in the big cities because it already brings that diversity and going to the countryside would be almost antithetical to that? On top of that some of the rural areas are NOT at all welcoming to foreigners or people of colour, so what's the appeal there?The other thing is from these locals perspective, do they really want to see a massive exodus of parisians or other big cities folks come to their countryside? that's actually one of the things that fuel their anger and why they vote for the parties they vote. All in all, I love how you're thinking about it and i'm so glad you're there to have those discussions and to encourage people to take that plunge, now on the feasibility, that's where i have my reservations

paulinesd·Jul 15

You're absolutely right, the city already has diversity, and folks can find a community where they feel safe and can be themselves! And that's really the magic of the city, I miss Vancouver for this so much. I personally have no barrier set in front of me here in a small town because I grew up here and I'm white. I don't "conform" in other ways, but they aren't visible. So I'm living the experience without fears, just with a longing for my previous, more open-minded urban community. I'm dreaming here, but I wish it were more accessible to whoever wants to make the move.That's why I'd love to meet more people to talk about this, especially people of colour, foreigners, and LGBTQ+ folks. So that I can understand their challenges, and know if there's a way to build something to help overcome these? On the benefits I found here versus the city: - Living surrounded by nature- a slower pace of life - access to locally-grown food- more physical space to live and create! Overall, I have more time alone, which makes me crave time with people. I'm a big introvert, so that's a big part of why it works for me.I loved your comment so, so much, I could see ourselves debating, exchanging on this for hours. You got my creative flow on ✨Merci Iyanna

Iynna·Jul 20

Hi Pauline! Thank you for this fantastic response.I totally hear you on living this experience "free of fears" even though I don't want to dismiss the difficulties you might have to live on a daily basis (not because they aren't visible doesn't mean they do not exist). And I'd love for more visibly diverse to make the jump if this can bring them joy too! Maybe start with a little visit? For instance you can host groups of 5-6 people from various walks of life to show them the life in the "countryside" - just as a way to promote this lifestyle but your village too!As for the benefits , totally hear you on the slower pace of life, better food :D more movements (on this last point, i wonder if driving is not more promoted since it's hard to get to places as easily as in big cities? not sure if it's always the case though so correct me if I'm wrong)you know what I am an extrovert and it'd be super fun to see how these two personality traits operate in the coutryside vs big cities! And I too did love the exchange and totally agree we'd be talking for hours - maybe i should come visit hehe.

jphosho·Jul 15

I live ~20 miles east of Portland, OR and work remotely in a rural area within the Columbia River Gorge. I hesitate to call it "the countryside" because in 30 min, I can be at our main airport, PDX, or most places around Portland 😆 I'm a covid-19 remote work convert and have been living in the region since Jan 2022.

Iynna·Jul 17

In the American context (given the sheer size of the country), i think it is fair to call it the countryside (maybe we can add " " haha), the point being you're somewhat removed from the big city (Portland and surrounding)

erincummins·Jul 15

Hi there - Just sent you a connect request on LinkedIn. I moved from NYC up 2 hours north to the Hudson Valley 8 months ago and am also loving it a lot! I've been thinking a lot about how to make it easier--from housing and job creation to just helping remote workers occasionally connect in person. I'd love to chat!

paulinesd·Jul 17

Oui let's talk! I'll DM you on Linkedin

annakiefer·Jul 17

Love the Hudson Valley area!

SashaTailor·Jul 15

I'm curious how did you negotiate this move with your workplace? I am in NYC and have been thinking about going back to my hometown in Canada.

paulinesd·Jul 17

I started to work for myself! I wanted to do it for years, so here we go. It's a lot of changes simultaneously, but I feel inspired again after years of corporate numbness. If you ever want to make that move, I'm happy to chat - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinesd/

samanthalafferty·Jul 26

I'm starting to research how to make that change myself. Corporate culture is getting so exhausting and repetitive.

maggieblackburn·Jul 26

Just sent you a LinkedIn request. Would love to chat about your experience!

jessicakulwik·Jul 15

As someone from a relatively small town in the mid-west USA who moved to the city for a job, I know a lot of people who moved back home when they started having kids. Much easier to manage around family. But then I think a lot of the people I know moved to the city for the adventure of doing something different and for the practical reason of getting a good paying job. So once adventure was less interesting and moving home more practical, they went back. Definitely something a part of me has always wanted to do, but we've built such a community out here that I don't know how we would move away. But move an hour away from the city to a more inviting area? Count me in :)

paulinesd·Jul 17

I do miss my city community, but I gained the daily support of my family - my parents, grandparents and uncles live here! With a two-year-old, it is such a game-changer. You're right, for me at least, having a child was a catalyst.

paulinesd·Jul 17

Lolah·Jul 15

This is an obsession of mine. Just before the pandemic I bought land in rural Maine as a "someday this will be my vacation spot" plan. The pandemic accelerated and pivoted that plan to "suddenly I live in the middle of nowhere." I've gone through a lot of phases of it: From a major depressive episode that lasted almost two years, clawing my way back to the city only to find myself still unfulfilled there to then moving back to Maine and trying to work remote, but finding the dissonance too much to finally just finding my happy here and having my first child and coming to terms with real small town life. I'm only just now beginning to find my footing again. My professional background is real estate development and tech (most recently I worked for a zoning tech startup) and my passion is urban planning. So books like "On the Move" by Abrahm Lustgarten have been huge for me lately and I've been starting to dip my toes back in to working on some funds to support urban-to-rural climate migration development. That means micropolitan urban infill to create more density as well as maybe some master-planned sustainable communities. I have ...A LOT of research going into this though I'm still organizing it. There's obviously so so much I miss about the city - I truly am a New Yorker - but now I'm committed to creating as much of those tangibles and intangibles here as I can.

paulinesd·Jul 17

Oh yeah, I'm from here (tiny town I came back to), and I had a big depressive episode coming back. Lots of guilt leaving the corporate race and the "easy money", because I've been formatted to be a good "girl boss" for years, and to bring "financial stability" to my family. Now, it's ups and downs. Some days the anxiety shows up, and other days - growingly the majority - I'm happy and proud of my choices and so incredibly inspired again! Hit me up on Linkedin if you ever want to chat - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinesd/(Added "On the Move" to my reading list!)

katiecoulter·Jul 15

I can't speak from experience because nearly all of my jobs have been heavily on-site or lightly hybrid (I work in biotech and used to work in the lab). HOWEVER, I follow several people on different social media platforms who are in the same boat as you.Top of mind is founder Milly Tamati (https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-tamati/) of Generalist World. She lives on a small island in Scotland and is very transparent about what bridging that rural life/tech worker gap looks like! Maria Bell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariabell-mesomorphic/) has a similar situation and was linked in one of Milly's LinkedIn posts.

paulinesd·Jul 17

Thank you, Katie, I gave them a follow; they're both very inspiring! That's a good point, it's not always a possibility depending on your line of work. I'm curious, do you know any examples of biotech firms in smaller towns/countryside? I'm guessing R&D would be closer to cities... Here in my town, there's a chemical plant from a big international group, but they're production lines, not research

katiecoulter·Jul 17

I don't know of many biotech firms far outside of big cities (I'm based near Boston, MA, which flip-flops with San Fransisco, CA for the #1 biotech hub in the US). I'm aware of a few that are pre-seed or very early stage startups, fully remote, and use contract research organizations (CROs) to outsource all of their research. But for a biotech company that requires in-house R&D, I believe you'll only find them in or around cities. It's often a matter of:1) How far away are the VC companies to maintain those positive financial relationships?2) How much $ would we have to pay competitive talent to relocate to our site?3) How much cost would we incur establishing new shipping pathways for occasional large equipment and regular lab consumables?

pm58·Jul 15

Love this thread! In COVID I moved from San Francisco to a small ski town in Montana. I was able to keep my SF tech job in that move (but I then started my own consulting company). This move has changed my life for the better. I enjoy visiting the big cities every couple of months but there's nothing like coming home to a peaceful place.Pros:- Living in nature (always hiking/skiing/swimming)- Fresh mountain air, clean water, very quiet- Bigger house, can afford to have an office that's not in my bedroom- Slower pace of life- Mental health 100x's better than city living- Healthier physically-- eating locally farmed food, active lifestyle- I know all my neighbors and we help each other out- Lots of fun community events, always running into people I know- People are kind- you say hello when you walk by strangers, you know all the grocery cashiers, etc.Cons:- Very little diversity / some racist comments- Limited clothing shops, good restaurant food- I usually have to have a layover in Denver

paulinesd·Jul 17

We have a very similar Pro / Cons list - except for the clothes, I use a second-hand app online and find treasures there! And I hope that with more diversity, we tamper those cons - except for the airport thing, same here, I'm 3 hours away from Paris. If you ever want to connect, hit me up on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinesd/I don't know yet what it looks like, but I'd like to bring folks together to exchange on our country lives, get inspired from each other...

annakiefer·Jul 15

I live in San Luis Obispo, CA, on CA's Central Coast! While it isn't super rural, it has a small town feel and is wayyy smaller than other places I have lived (right outside Washington DC, New York, and San Francisco). I love it :D I was nervous I would maybe miss out on career opportunities but with remote work I haven't felt this at all. In fact I almost think I take advantage of more because I'm not burnt out / stressed with city life, commuting, etc.

paulinesd·Jul 17

I'm all about the small-town feel, I grew up in it, and I'm an obsessive Gilmore Girls watcher haha. Can't wait to chat - I saw your Linkedin invite

brisa·Jul 16

Aloha! In 2019 I went back to an IC role that allow me to work remote and moved from a beach town in SoCal (Oceanside, San Diego County) to a rural community in Hawai'i, HI. I'm glad that you started this thread and are willing to connect. Where I live there's no pavement or street lights, the water comes from the rain (we use a catchment, others use wells), and we are surrounded by beauty. I still work remotely, for a different company. Nice to meet you!

paulinesd·Jul 17

I got goosebumps reading this. I can picture it! Please send me an invite on Linkedin if you haven't yet, and I'd love to meet you. My place is hills and valleys, fields & forest. We're in very different environments, yet connected. Talk soon!

mikaelasanchez·Jul 19

That sounds lovely!My partner and I recently moved to a small village around the Cotswolds in England, and it's close enough to my workplace that I can work hybrid.I would to love to eventually work remotely (or mostly remotely, anyway) but I develop firmware and I need a good enough home set up for that to work. This is my first job out of university 😊

samanthalafferty·Jul 26

I made this move two years ago as soon as I found a job that would let me. And it's really very remote. I'm 1.5 hours away from a small regional airport (most American grocery stores have the same size parking lot.) Anyway, I love it. One of the best decisions for my mental health. I'm finding and pursuing purpose and peace while IT funds me. I would love to connect!

sam95·Aug 01

Following this! As someone who is a city girl at heart but loves nature, any tips for starting that mental shift?

marieofvenus·Aug 07

Okay, LOVE this! And.....I have plans to eventually move somewhere in the Caribbean, because I CRAVE a different quality of life. Give me slow. Give me presence. Give me connection and community. Give me nature. I grew up in the country, specifically running all over our property, wading in the creek by our home, and in the trees as much as possible. And I realize now that when I was most discontent and disconnected from myself was when I was most removed from nature. Not only do I immerse myself in nature and slowing down as much as possible, I also incorporate this approach in my coaching sessions (by conducting walk-n-talk session on a nearby wooded trail). And..... my friends joke (kind of) about living in a commune together, in the countryside, amidst the trees, close to water, with a community garden, swings and hammocks, and a community building/area for congregating, while also having our own tiny homes to go back to when we need time to ourselves. I'd love to talk more about how YOU are doing this, and share whatever feels helpful from my end as well.

isabellekerdranvat·Oct 07

Hey Pauline!I just read your post and had a déjà-vu total! A few years ago, after hopping between big cities, I made the move to a small town in Germany (not too far from Alsace!). 😊 I’ve fallen in love with the countryside—hiking, biking, zero pollution, and the calm. But I won’t lie, I miss the international vibe and diversity the city gave me. Being a Frenchie in Germany can sometimes feel a bit "outsider-ish"— not always easy!I’m still working on figuring out how to balance the peaceful country life with my international tech career. The challenge is real. I love your idea of growing the "neo-rurality" movement and would be thrilled to swap stories. Maybe we could share a few tips on how to juggle both.I'd love to connect on LinkedIn so we can keep the conversation going! 🌿Isabelle

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