to the mountains

ever since lockdown, i knew i needed a change.

after living in england for five-ish years and moving back to my home country, i was always in limbo as to what my next steps were. after enjoying a lovely summer with friends that i hadn't seen in a while, i found a day job that was filled with wonderful people but i knew deep down that the corporate life just wasn't going to be for me in the long run.

after going inside my head too many times to count and researching ways i could move to the northern hemisphere in the midst of a terrible pandemic, i knew that i was going to have to wait. i told myself it was the universe telling me that it is not the right time and there are opportunities to learn and grow in the country that i thought didn't much left for me. i jumped on the workaway website and found an incredible opportunity in rural canterbury as a seasonal worker/make-shift artist residence.

living and working in central auckland was just not for me. sitting in hours of traffic, commuting everyday, spending copious amounts of underpaid wages on overpriced lunches and working for the man. the bureaucracy and the anticipation for a pay rise is not something that i want to be involved in and it is not something that i want to define my success.

it may seem incredibly naive to be resigning from full time employment in the midst of a pandemic but my sanity matters more at this point in my life. i definitely have the personality type to long for something better, something more. but what i do know is that my purpose in life is to not sit in an office for nine hours watching the clock and fussing after people who don't even know me. money is helpful bit is doesn't drive me. what is the point of having a decent salary but not actually living?

after being down south for just over two weeks i have felt the biggest weight lifted off my shoulders. i have planted trees, maintained land, learnt how to drive a quad bike and met some amazing people. creating is in full swing (along with a lot of afternoon naps and drinking far too many cups of tea) and i have never felt more at peace with where i am at.

hope you are all keeping safe and well,

b x