Recharge for new energy
Sometimes you need to reflect, of course we do this, at least I do, everyday for the small things. Many years ago I wrote on a daily basis in my diary. It started when my beloved father died and I needed to express my emotions in a discretionary way. The next day you can read what you wrote the day earlier and this can help you with your insights. So I started to reflect officially with this diary as my witness, at an early age. But you can start of course at any age. My dancing was an important second expression of my feelings, it helped and still helps a lot. Nowadays I still dance, play the piano and sometimes I also organize thoughts and ideas on paper. Preferably on paper, this is completely different from the digital version. Writing with a pen or pencil helps at the same time to maintain my writing skills:).
A different life
My husband and I are now, even more than during the last months, reflecting on all things. We are happy, we did it together. Though we used to be a very good team for the last decades, the last years appeared to be tough ones. The challenges we met were quite overwhelming and needed all our energy. We sowed a lot. Sowing as in putting seeds in the ground, yes we did that. But also putting energy in things where you miss the knowledge, the experience and you almost step in the abstract. What will happen, will it succeed? We now know that this brought us a lot of development in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of inner happiness or fulfillment. Please note this is not me telling you that everything went well. Hell no, a lot went wrong. But the important things went well. And, the good thing is that we also learned from our mistakes.
Needing energy for our emigration
Perhaps I made you curious about the goods and the bads. I will tell you the summarized story now. With our decision to move to Spain rose a huge amount of steps to be taken. In many ways. Such a big chapter, better call it a book, needs a lot of preparation and the knowledge that a lot of things have to be taken into account you couldn’t prepare. Mind that, that is the part where struggle, endurance and a lot of courage will take part of the plan. Before we even crossed the border to live in Spain we chose the shortcut in preparation, which meant we needed to have a tremendous speed in organization. Apart from the governmental stuff involved in an international move, you have to prepare also for a lot of disappointments you need to overcome. Things often don’t work the way you planned. And you need to take a very, very large breath regularly to clarify your mind and body. It is survival, the right word. Imagine also people trying to take advantage of you, especially when tiredness has come to you. You need to be focused every minute, only sleep gives you peace.
The pitfalls and struggles
- irrigation water, a leak in our big balsa/bassin;
- electricity, frequent fall out, we inherited a lot of bad installation practices and our initial solar system not working;
- wastewater treatment insufficient with clogged up pipes
- the orchard, many defective water tubes (imagine a total 5 km length of tubes!!)
- deliveries of materials, where to buy and how to get delivered just in time;
- working days of 16 hours;
- a new rhythm of life;
- building a reliable Spanish and Dutch network, both in business and personal way;
- errors in the making of some of our ecological products.
Today, 2 years later we have a secure dual water system for the finca, we generate our own electricity, we upgraded wastewater treatment, the orchard is flourishing, our ecological products like marmalades, olive oil and wines are of excellent quality and we have a warm local network of people who share similar passions in life. We are very happy with these results. And obviously there is more to do for the next few years. But the base is now solid. We can build our ‘palace’ on this solid ground.
Petrol vs electricity
Time also brings development of our thinking and new ideas. We are still laughing about our car charging station. Only two years ago we thought driving an electric car was the right thing to do. Today we know these cars are an ecological disaster. Therefore: no electric car for us and thus the car charger …. For sale.
Giving you a warm hug on colder days.
Love, Mónica