Digital Nomads
on Madeira, Portugal, 1
Vocabulary
| employ | employee | self-employed |
| setup | scheme | unemployed |
| project | establish | remote worker |
| island | authority | draw/drew/drawn (2) |
| invest | nomad (2) | digital nomad |
| lobby | area (3) | come/came/come |
| local | lockdown | attractive (2) |
| place | authorities | make/made/made |
| speed | arrivals (2) | workshop (2) |
| pend | seminar | workspace (2) |
| expand | share (3) | think/thought/thought (2) |
| pilot | too many | pilot project |
| free (2) | integrate | disintegrate |
| remote | in return | government |
| dine out | grocery | bring/brought/brought |
| region | destination | do/did/done |
| hope | market (3) | ambassador (2) |
| impact | cement (2) | take part in |
| application (2) |
Video: Digital Nomads in Madeira
Transcript
This is the view Alexandro de Pablo has from his office. Since February, the self-employed web-developer has been living in Madeira.
His set-up is part of a scheme authorities have established to draw remote-workers to the island.
After a year of lockdown, it’s good to be outside: better living, being in the sun and eating outside.
He’s one of a hundred digital nomads in the town of Ponta do Sol.
The idea for the project came from this man: Gonzalo Hall, who lobbied local authorities to invest twenty-six thousand euros (€26,000) to make Madeira and attractive place for remote work.
High-speed internet is free for new arrivals, as is a workspace.
Goncalo Hall, “Digital Nomad Madeira”: “We have six-thousand four-hundred (6,400) applications pending. It’s a really big success. We’ll have to expand faster than we thought. This was only the pilot project.
Now, too many people want to come.
The arrivals integrate with locals by taking part in yoga seminars and walks.
In return, they bring money to the area by dining out or by simply doing their grocery shopping.
Rui Barreto, Regional Government of Madeira: “It’s a very important market, because they become ambassadors for Madeira by sharing their experience. It’s a small investment with a huge impact.”
The hope is that the scheme will help cement Madeira as an attractive destination, both for work and for play.
Questions
Smartphone. When Alexandro de Pablo, the web-developer, looks out his window, he see skyscrapers and tall office buildings. True or false?
Tablet. Are he and his companions introverts who prefer to stay indoors and surf the internet 24-7?
Phablet. Only a few dozen locals do remote, online work in the town of Ponta do Sol. Is this right or wrong?
Laptop. Are the digital nomads completely independent and autonomous, or are they part of an organization or program?
Notebook. Did government officials come up with the idea? Who started it?
Desktop Computer, PC. The visitors must pay for a workspace and internet access. Is this correct or incorrect?
Monitor. Nobody or very few outsiders want to come, live and work in Madeira. Yes or no?
Keyboard. For recreation, do the expats regularly engage in swimming, surfing and scuba diving?
Mouse. Are the foreign remote workers “parasites” on the island?
Webcam. “They become ambassadors for Madeira.” What did the government official mean by this?
Ethereal Cable. Many people in my town, city and country do remote work. True or false? Do you know anyone who is a remote worker?
External Speakers. Are there digital nomads or expats in your town or city? Who are they? Where do they come from? What do they do? Why are they there?
Power Supply Cord. Do you know anyone who is a digital nomad or expat? Are some or many people from your country digital nomads? What do they say?
Microphone. My friends and I would like to become a digital nomad. Yes or no?
Router. What are the advantages or benefits or being a digital nomad? What are the drawbacks or disadvantages?
Headphones. What should governments, companies, businesses and people do?
UBS Port. What might happen in the future?
