MERAL - WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Nine is a community for coliving and coworking on the beautiful island of Tenerife, Spain. During their stay, we ask our Digital Nomads to share their stories.
About
Country: the Netherlands
Age: 36
Stayed at Nine: Nov 2019 & 2020
Insta: @meralsoydas
What’s your background?
After I finished highschool when I was 18, I did my first solo travel and went to Asia and Australia for 3 months. When I came back I started my studies in Psychology. Before my masters I decided to travel again, this time for 6 months. I came back, finished my studies and started working as a psychologist - but I found the whole routine of doing the same thing everyday pretty boring to be honest. About 6 years ago I rolled in photography and wedding photography. I realised I loved doing this but also enjoyed helping people during times they are struggling. I worked less hours as a psychologist and more and more as a photographer.
How long have you been working remote and what are you currently working on?
Last year I quit my job and started to work as a freelance psychologist.
Now I have so much more freedom! My fiancé and I spent the whole winter abroad and we planned to do this every year. So I am a part time digital nomad :)
Because weddings are mainly happening in summertime it's easy to pack up after the last one and finish all the editing/albums etc from abroad. My work as a psychologist is now partly online so I can also continue to do this from different places. Due to COVID this year has been crazy of course, so not much weddings but I started to do more personal branding photography and I really love this too! And the best part is that when we are traveling there are hight chances to run into other entrepreneurs who might need some pictures, and that allows me to do some shoots abroad too!
Why do you think Tenerife and the Canary Islands are a good destination for digital nomads?
For us this is the perfect place! It is still relatively close to our home, the weather is good all year round, the nature is amazing! It's so easy to take a brake from work and go to the beach, surf or hike or have a cortado!
And it is super safe here, going out for dinner is cheaper than back home, so yeah it's awesome! We really fell in love with this island from the beginning!
What is your favourite thing about Nine Coliving?
It's easier to ask what not, I love love love the people here. Anne and Silvia are the best hosts, they instantly feel like friends instead of hosts, they have arranged everything in such a good way! I love the people that stay at nine and what I really like is that many people return, so this year we met some friends from last year and of course made a bunch of new ones! Also I enjoy staying in the house because it's so beautiful and spacious. And the bathrooms are a lot bigger and nicer than my bathroom at home haha. And of course it's great that there are so many places that you can use to work. I sometimes sit in the working area but many times I move to the living room with my laptop or - if I can still see something on my screen - the rooftop terrace! Oh and did I mention the yoga, I love the restorative yoga and be able to roll into my bed right after. Like I said, what's not to love??
