11 October 2011

I ' V E   B E E N   M E A N I N G   T O   T E L L   Y O U




In my mind I have a completely romanticized idea of what it would be like to someday live on the outskirts, surrounded only by nature. I imagine a quiet home, with a garden full of vegetables and fruit trees. Perhaps a few animals, too. A cow and goat for milk, cream and cheese, a few sheep for wool, chickens for eggs, and a dog for snuggles and playing catch. I would bake fresh pies and make bread almost daily. I would make art and take photos, maybe even have my own dark room. My home would still be close enough to the city that I wouldn't fall out of touch with reality, and could still enjoy the hustle and bustle when I wanted to. Of course this all sounds perfectly dreamy, but I also know that I can't really say that this is something I want when I've never tried it before. Which brings me to the big news that I've kept secret for a little while now.

Last week, I bought a one-way ticket to Spain. My sister and I will be leaving New York City together on March 1st, arriving in Madrid the next day. We are going to travel for five to six months through Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Austria - possibly a few other countries as well. In each place we will be working on farms (have you heard of WWOOF?) in exchange for food and shelter, helping with whatever needs tending to. In most places we will help in the gardens, but at one place in particular we will assist the owner of a bed & breakfast in the French Pyrenees with preparing baked goods for the local markets (!). In the South of France, a friend of ours has a cousin who is a chef and runs her own farm, so we will help with farming and hopefully lend our hands in the kitchen, too. In Italy, we may help friends of a friend start up a montessori school. One major highlight of the trip will be our good friend's wedding, which will be at the beginning of July, probably in Austria. Viki, the bride, is from Germany. Her family lives near Munich, so we plan to stay with her mother for a while before to help with wedding preparations and such.

Those are just a few examples of the many opportunities that have popped up for us. There's much more to be be decided still, and many details need to be sorted out - but we definitely have a plan and the will to make it all happen. I couldn't be more excited. Although, I'm having a hard time believing that this is going to be my reality in a few months, only because it all seems too good to be true. I am really looking forward to what will be a completely enriching and educational adventure!


All imagess from the LIFE Photo Archive.



12 comments:

  1. How exciting! Best wishes as you plan and prepare for your trip!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Amber! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good for you Aly, sooo goooood : - )

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is SO amazing!  And so good that you're going to be working on farms, I would like to have the chance to do so some day (also training for country living, you know...)

    If you happen to need anything from around Valencia when you get to Spain, I'm here to help!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those images alone are enough to convince me to do something similar. We too, have been contemplating the idea of moving somewhere more remote, but I am such a city girl it makes it so difficult. I liked your idea of still being close to a city to keep your sanity!

    Congratulations on your decision :) I am excited to see your journey on your blog and hope to follow in your footsteps someday! So inspiring

    ReplyDelete
  6. oh how exciting! i'm sure you'll have the most amazing time. and you'll be traveling with your sister, which i think it pretty great.  my sisters are my absolute favorite travel companions and i can only imagine how great it would be to go on a trip like that with them.
    I hope you'll be able to keep blogging from time to time while you're away - it would be fun to follow your adventures.
    Let me know if you decide to swing by copenhagen, which i totally think you should btw ;)

    Are you still working? your sleep-over-with Kai-post was really sweet!
     just asking so i can be sure to send some happy thoughts your way when it's time for you to say goodbye to your little boys. been there done that, and my heart breaks a little for you knowing that you'll have to go through that soon.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Laia, thank you! I would love any tips or advice you can share about Spain. Ashley and I definitely want to visit the coast, and Valencia looks beautiful. 

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are so sweet, Charlotte. It's so helpful to know that you understand how hard this will be. I'm not completely finished yet. Kai is in school full time now, so I only see him for a short time each day. Now I am merely waiting on Asher to take his first steps, as the school will not admit him until he is walking. Once he is up on his own two feet, I am getting the boot! Could be any day now. 

    I would love to visit Copenhagen! I really hope we have enough money left over to visit there, too. We should definitely be in touch about that when the time gets nearer. 

    I really, really want to be able to blog while I am away, but I'm not sure how that is going to work out. I will try to find a way!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ashley, you have already done so much that I am envious of and inspired by! 

    ReplyDelete
  10. That sounds fantastic!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations on this exciting prospect! You are going to have such an amazing time... and I'm excited to see what you get up to after all this - that's when we notice the biggest changes sometimes. I'm in Berlin, so if you happen up to the city, let me know!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have also romanticized those thoughts in my head. I can't do those things right now but in a few years, I hope I can. Good for you and have fun on your adventure, it sounds like an amazing life experience. 

    ReplyDelete