Since I've been living at the Arctic Coworking Lodge for nearly 6 weeks, it's a great chance to share an inside look into what co-living, coworking has been for me. Especially, as this is my first time to Lofoten Islands and Norway. I embraced the chance to visit this quiet area of Tangstad, leading me to discover so much depth in untouched areas to explore, coming across all walks of life, and finding out first-hand what co-living is like here.
Read: Chasing the Norway Northern Lights
Co-Living Communal Spaces
In many ways it felt like a home - the vintage furnishings, warm ambient lighting, retro ornaments, hanging canvas and pictures taken by photographers staying at the Arctic Coworking Lodge. Polaroid shots of people stuck onto the wall which will no doubt grow into a collection of past-time visitors, including myself.
The living room transforms from being a quick afternoon yoga space, laptop haven, chilled relaxed reading / drawing space, to a lively chatty area in the evening. This, and the kitchen (just the other-side of the entrance staircase leading here) are the main socialising space since they're so inviting. You can hang out anywhere you feel - pretty much like home - with added respect and consideration for others co-living here.
Cooking for our community dinner Stian, Torstein and co.
From time to time, everyone comes together for a communal dinner: prepared, cooked, eaten, washed and cleaned after. We put down our laptops, headphones, smartphones, enjoying each other's company, conversing, laughing and eating delicious food together.
This was the Arctic Coworking Lodge family I had become a part of. I felt a unique connection to this place and the people... and I'm humbly thankful.
In other places I've been to, it's easy to bring people together, but to foster a greater bond is something that is difficult to accomplish. It all starts with people and moments like these. Then there's the family meeting which is a round-table of sharing and discussing any challenges, successes and road-maps we want to share. Sometimes it's hard to open up about our own work or difficulties, but it's a nice honest and open forum to share those with people that care in the community.
The Lofoten Islands draws a special kind of people to the area - people who enjoy the outdoors, have a love for adventure, and simply being surrounded by the fresh mountain and ocean landscapes. I'm amazed to find such scenery in the backyard of the Arctic Coworking Lodge. If you enjoy walks and hikes, there are plenty to love in Tangstad and nearby Bostad, Unstad areas. Definitely recommend a car to explore beauty seen in further places, but even if you don't, there are still many things to do. As long as you have the right gear and equipment to trawl through the rain, mud and snow, the Lofoten Islands is your playground.
People are especially drawn here for the beach and waters too. Many people here love to surf, waking up in the early hours to catch awesome swells. I've been a few times to see the guys and ladies surf, trying my hand at surf photography for the first time. The waves were slick and the guys pulled off some nice cuts on their longboards, enjoyable to watch but for sure, even more so to actually surf. So if surfing is your thing, you'll be in awesome company :).
It's the like-minded people the Arctic Coworking Lodge attracts as a community that makes it - meeting people that appreciate the kind of location-independent, flexible routine and independent accountability this lifestyle affords. It's really been refreshing to meet others living like this when it has been difficult to comeby - a space that is productive, inclusive, but respective of each others space.
It brings together a network of opportunities and build closer ties to people, so that once you leave, you feel it's something more substantial then the passiveness of people travelling for a few days.
Terri working on bringing a logo design to life
I joined Christina on a road trip that led us south to the village of Å, the end of the Lofoten Islands. A scenic drive along the coast, over bridges, stopping at locations to do some shooting and recording. She needed someone to take photos and Terri passed my name along, which I happily accepted. A community that helps each other's success and opens a journey to see wider parts of Lofoten I wouldn't have either.
I've met people who live different from my own. It opens my mind to the way others in the world like to live, how they spend their time, and what life means to them. And when you're in a community that draws people like that, it brings a whole new level of perspective which I love. It's also nice to share time to chat with others as we are usually busy with our own schedule, in chances like these.
I love working in this very small room when I need to get things done. Just me, my laptop and my microphone. Different parts of the Arctic Coworking Lodge open up those choices to be productive in the way we enjoy working. Like they say, keep it simple.
So for me, Arctic Coworking Lodge isn't just about the roof over my head, the suite of communal facilities, the living comforts and stellar Lofoten landscapes... it's about the community that creates unforgettable moments and experiences you get to share. And I'm glad I could be here to experience all of that in a gorgeous place right here.
Read the rest of my Northern Lights story on my website at One Tech Traveller : https://onetechtraveller.com/norway-northern-lights-lofoten-islands/
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It must be wonderful to be able to enjoy such tasty climates and beautiful landscapes.
The beauty of coliving in a place for a while. You get to slow down the pace see the landscapes across different seasons and more importantly refresh the body and mind that love is now than just being busy in our schedules. For sure!
Keep Being Awesome,
One Tech Traveller
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What a wonderful experience! In first place, the coworking experience with different kind of people, it helps to open the mind. In second place, but not less important, the spectacular Norway. I guess you will repeat the experience in the future!
Thanks for the kind feedback! Yes my first coworking co-living experience and first in Norway. Bring them together and it made for a memorable experience that was refreshing and opened my mind to the lifestyle out there. For sure and will continue to share those stories!
It's nice to know a place like that exist where you can go and work and still have fun as well, meet like minds and people who are not like minds, generally relating to people and still working, networking as well, people that can add to your life in an amazing way. Happy travel!
For sure! it's sometimes a big challenge to find a community that is like-minded in the openness of how we are able to live and work in this day of age, but still have our differences we can appreciate. One of many times I'll experience co-living and be back in Norway :0 enjoy your travels too!
Yeah!
Amazing right?
Thanks
Thank you for taking out to the North, I could not imagine that it is so modern and that so many young people traveling too. Of course for many young people adventure is something that driving their interest, to have such great accommodation with kitchen it is already a half thing. Surfing in ice cold weather that makes me shiver, not for me. But looks spectacular. The offices and working spaces are quite spacious. The last picture is really awesome, how it was possible to embrace both so much of such beautiful sky with beautiful sunset and that lonely figure at the coast of calm sea. That is really top!
My pleasure, I'm glad you found it refreshing to read! I tried to capture my way of living in this space and observing the ways others like to live and it has really continued to open my mind about it all. Surfing in the cold weather, heavy rain definitely puts that into perspective of seeing an oportunity in what may not look like it :)
Thank you - I took that when I arrived in Norway no the first day and after 3 days of transiting! A rewarding view that still captures the blissful moment I felt there :)
Keep Being Awesome,
One Tech Traveller