---
title: "A Working Vacation to Central America | Rayobyte"
description: "On this trip I set out to accomplish one thing: to prove, or disprove, whether or not I could be productive in such beautiful."
url: "https://rayobyte.com/blog/a-working-vacation-to-central-america/"
author: "Neil Emeigh"
categories: "People"
published: "2022-01-19T04:40:55.000Z"
updated: "2024-10-08T13:00:44.000Z"
---

# A Working Vacation to Central America

On this trip I set out to accomplish one thing: to prove, or disprove, whether or not I could be productive in such beautiful (and warm) lands such as Costa Rica and Panama. Last year, I went to Costa Rica with a similar intent, but failed by a large degree: I arrived, and immediately was drawn

![seen in vacation](https://rayobyte-website.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/wp/2024/08/A-Working-Vacation-to-Central-America-1.jpg)

On this trip I set out to accomplish one thing: to prove, or disprove, whether or not I could be productive in such beautiful (and warm) lands such as Costa Rica and Panama. [Last year, I went to Costa Rica](/blog/discovering-happiness-in-costa-rica-2021/ "https://rayobyte.com/blog/discovering-happiness-in-costa-rica-2021/") with a similar intent, but failed by a large degree: I arrived, and immediately was drawn to the beauty and spent more time surfing and being outdoors, than on my computer working:)

Why do I want to prove this? Well, I don’t prefer the cold (to say it kindly)… but a large majority of people don’t, either. I think, in a deeper sense, I’ve come to realize: _I love being in nature_. Humans were born in nature, not concrete jungles, and I think my evolutionary bells are singing: “Neil, be in your natural habitat!” And, unfortunately, Nebraska’s extreme hots, and frigid colds, disallow this on many days

And being 18 days into the trip I can say: **it looks optimistic!**

I mindfully worked while in Panama a normal work week and can report the following:

1. QUANTITATIVE: I accomplished either the same amount of work that I would have accomplished back home, and perhaps slightly even more

2. QUALITATIVE: Maybe more importantly: I _felt_ better, and more productive because I was working in “my” environment

![hedonic lifestyle](https://rayobyte-website.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/wp/2024/08/A-Working-Vacation-to-Central-America-2.jpg)

The experiment still persists until February 6th, where I’ll retro once again, but I’m quite satisfied with the current results. The biggest caveat for me to explore in my journaling: **does seeking these external sources for happiness lead me into a hedonic lifestyle?**

Whew… plenty to process there for another day, but for now, off I go for a mid-day surf before logging back on later!

![great working vacation to america](https://rayobyte-website.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/wp/2024/08/A-Working-Vacation-to-Central-America-3.jpg)