I saw the situation, and I went for it. 2014 was going to be a decisive year. It was to be the year I got laid off from my well paid corporate job and the year I decided to study Permaculture and reunite with nature again! Along this journey, the desire and need arose to earn money again.
I saw the situation, and I went for it. 2014 was going to be a decisive year. It was to be the year I got laid off from my well paid corporate job and the year I decided to study Permaculture and reunite with nature again! Along this journey, the desire and need arose to earn money again.
One thing was clear. I was not going to leave the mountain, nor the woods to race out into the urban jungle, to come back depleted and enjoy my nature only on the weekends. There had to be another way.
Equipped with my second love for technology and my track record of technical consultancy, the best solution was: 5CA. With a minimal internet connection (yes, ladies and gentlemen I work with an ADSL connection that fits just about the requirements) I managed to tick all the boxes and become a support agent for 5CA. Eventually becoming a senior agent as well.
Nowadays, I work 6 hours a day, Monday to Friday and that from our glass and stone house out in the woods. I take calls, run technical tests, all without leaving our house, without leaving nature or without using up resources to go to work. It all works, but it works in my own rhythm. With what I love surrounding me every day. Eating my own meals in peace, often made from our own produce, I sit under the trees smiling at the sun, breathing in clean air and I know: this is my own personal heaven. My own personal heaven on earth, and I am proud to say I created it and I get to live and work in it every day.
I lost my fears. I lost my fear of “I won’t find a way out here”. I lost my fear of “it won’t work”. I lost my fear of “I will have to go back to a city job”. I trusted, believed, and I made it happen. So can you.
Fun fact: My mum said, “You’ll never find a guy in the woods!”, well, I knew the only place where I find a fitting partner is here in the woods. We found each other and we bought our paradise together.
Because, if you are in a position where you simply do not want to leave the surrounding rural area where you are because you are simply not a city type, there is a way. There are local solutions. And if there aren’t you can create them. It is your choice.
Be clear about your WHY and you will find the HOW.
Because, each time I look out of my window, I am sitting in my glass and stone house in the middle of the forest near the holy mountain of Montserrat. a place that is only 65 km away from the city of Barcelona but surrounded by sounds of nature, our cats (6 of those), our dog Olé and our many chickens. The chickens provide us with organic and delicious eggs each day.
When I look out of the window of our paradise, I also see our incipient wine yard taking shape and when I am on my breaks, I am outside with Phil (one of our cats) always by my side. Together we overlook our vegetable patch and natural swimming pool. I know it was the right choice.
Now, I am the proud owner of this paradise and can enjoy it to the fullest. That is greatly due to having found this stable project working with 5CA. So, if you are thinking about it or think it might not work from wherever you are in the world, think again. If I did it, you can too.
