Not just a beach paradise but Goa can be a fun workplace too!

Sravya Bandaru spent her last 6 months in Goa with her in-laws and did WFH in this beachy place with nothing but fun, while exploring the whole place! Goa as a workplace is something we could have never imagined, but here it is! Scroll down to know more.

Lockdown was a learning experience for all of us, and while most of us were trapped inside our homes, Sravya Bandaru was lucky to get stuck in Goa, It's her husband's hometown, and so due to the last minute lockdown restrictions, she stayed there for almost half of the lockdown. " I'm from Hyderabad, I met my husband at my first company HP in Bangalore, but I still think the best part about him is that he hails from Goa, haha.", She laughed. Well, we can relate, because who doesn't love Goa, but seeing Goa as a workplace is something new for us too!

Though in the past few years, Sravya did visit her in-laws and stayed with them, but the lockdown gave her ample time to explore their 75-year-old ancestral Portuguese-styled house in Margao. " It's been a delight to explore every corner of such a heritage. My mother-in-law is an excellent cook and taking over the kitchen herself and she gave me ample time to focus on my work.", she said.

Sravya is a Software Engineer at Amadeus Labs, and just like others her work also doubled during the lockdown, but she thinks, the cool beachy surrounding made it a lot of fun. " I am always highly motivated at work in the first half as I know after that I would be relaxing at the beach!! This one feeling keeps me in good spirits(pun intended) and contributes to a good work-life balance.", she added.

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A post shared by Sravya Bandaru (@sravya_bandaru89)

Talking about how did she spend these 6 months Sravya mentioned, " I enjoyed Monsoons, unlike anything. Monsoons are the best time to be in Goa as one can dive into lush green pastures, & thick vegetation around. The rain never stops in monsoons. The beaches are almost empty. The ocean is fierce, the shore is quite small, and the beach Shacks are also not open, It's peaceful.", she said.

''These six months were all about long drives into places like Netrvali, and trekking to discover hidden waterfalls. I enjoyed the traditional Goan delicacies during the Ganesh Chaturthi which falls during the second half of Monsoons. December to Feb is usually the Season time in Goa. I got to see Goan houses well lit for Christmas, shacks opened up, Goan music playing everywhere, wild live music scenes of every genre, the acoustic rock being quite popular. I found South Goa quite peaceful around this time compared to North Goa which is thronged by tourists. South Goa I think is underrated.", she mentioned.

These 6 months were completely about exploring goa while working at the same time. Sravya discovered many hidden spots too. " Cola (khol) beach goa, Kurtorim village, chandor village ( Braganza’s heritage bungalow ) , villages surrounding ponda having beautiful temples like Kavlem , Mangueshi . Tamde surla waterfalls Selaulim Dam, Rachol Village, ferry ride, Chorao bird sanctuary, and Divar island are beautiful, and not a lot of people know about these hidden gems.", she added.

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A post shared by Sravya Bandaru (@sravya_bandaru89)

One of the reels on her Instagram says '90s Goa', and it is a reflection of old goa in a breathtaking way. Talking about that she said, " Goa is still a mix of the old and the new times. Most houses have wells behind and pulleys that serve as drinking water. We have the old methods of extracting coconut oil on farms. We use clay pots for cooking. "

The very first thing that comes to our head when we hear Goa, it's the alcohol! But Sravya feels there's a lot more. " Don't just drink alcohol because it is cheap and waste your trip. Explore the greenery of goa. Enjoy the heritage houses of goa. Visit spice farm plantations in goa like the Sahakari and Savai plantation that also serves authentic lunch. Take a ferry ride on the rivers. We all can do so many things here, it's more than the beaches!!", she said.

Sravya has explored Goa like a boss and made sure every day was an exploration. We couldn't leave her without asking for her recommendations in Goa. So, here we are with our 'Quick Three'.

1. Places to get great pictures: Fountainhas (Latin Quarter), Jacinto Island, Cab de ram fort, Dudh Sagar waterfalls, Agonda and cola beach
2. Five must-buys in Goa: Local Port wines, Cahswenuts from local markets, Goan masalas and spices, Goa’s very own red kidney beans called Alsande. Cashew feni, nice summer wear, and beads from the beach shops. If you are here during summer, then you should definitely try “ Mankurad” mangoes.
3. Best budge-hotels in Goa: The whole stretch of Palolem, agenda, and Patnem beach has really good budget beach huts and cottages.

Follow Sravya for more such Goa related content on Instagram here.

Also Read: Hey Beach Baby! Check out these 10 beach resorts in Goa you need to visit at least once in your lifetime!

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