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My Story:
So, I’m 20 yrs old and live in the US; a beautiful country with terrible goverening. I can no longer stay here, I need a more tropic area in which I feel as if I could thrive. My land is being ran down and tricked out. As of right now, it is all hitting the fan.
My goal has been to work as hard as possible for the next year or so and pull in a whole lot of money. With that money, I would like to travel until I find my destination. At my destination I will decide to unpack my bags, and live.
The problem is, my plan might fail since my currency just seems to be getting weeker and weeker by the day. I can no longer sit around and watch my dreams dwindle, I need another plan! And I need it quick!
I have debated moving to europe, where the money is much stronger, and doing the same there. I see that being on the tougher side. I’m not to sure how well I could live off of the land while doing that. The money I have won’t get me far, so that means I will have to live off of the land while working so I don’t have to throw it down the drains on housing. Which lead me to my next thought, Australia. Australia seems to have the same currency rate as us, but the pay rate and cost of living is a lot higher (if I understand correctly)
So my question is: To all of those people out there who do live in either area, is there a way I can make this happen? Is it easy to get jobs in those area’s (contracting, farming, etc)? Is it possible to live off of the land succesfully until I make it to my goal? Any other suggestions of what I can do?
I’ve been gravitating to eating what can grow locally or could potentially be shipped without burning fossil fuels (i.e. when people used to take months to cross the ocean by boat – these would be things that last several months or more, like nuts, oils, quinoa, cacao…). I love it! I grow my own vegetables in the back yard & garden, and it makes me happy. Berries, grapes, squash, apples, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, etc. – I feel amazing eating what comes from my backyard & knowing I’m working toward a better life for everyone! I haven’t given up my young coconuts or mangoes yet, though – I’m just working on eating as much as I can that fits these guidelines, although I’ve realized that raw DRIED fruit could last for months in transit…
As for living off the land, I would love to have land, a yurt & a really big greenhouse – all together it would still be cheaper than most of the houses people are buying all around me.
I agree angie. As I mentioned my goal is to find a place, then settle down. All I would need is a little hut (maybe bigger to raise a small, loving, positive family) and a little bit of land, preferbly with an old small orchard of some sort with great soil. I’ve been researching prices in a few tropical countries and realized how relatively inexpensive everything is. I’m just worried that one day, my hard earned money will be worthless.
Naturally, I second what angie said – her and I have been talking a lot about this subject. I understand that you’re tired of this country – me too, I’m so frusterated I can’t begin to put it into words. I understand your challenges. I’ll throw some ideas out here to let you know what I’m going to do, perhaps it will help you.
If you’re happy where you live, then you’re good. If you want to move, try finding a job FIRST in the new location, so you’re not stranded. I love my town so i’m going to get land here. I will keep working for 5 to 10 years in order to finance the following. 1) buy 2-3 acres of land locally $20,000 2) plant fruit trees $1,000 3) buy wood and build a deck $8,000 4) buy a yurt $16,000 5) dig a well 6) garden on the land 7) use my bike to create electricity, temporarily 8) get solar power 9) get a hybrid?
I have no vehicle, just my legs. I’ve decided to save and buy all the things above. A car is the last of my priorities, if it’s on there at all.
I select yurt living so if i move in the future to a larger spot of land, i can take most everything with me. How long with it take between achieving each goal? Well, it could very well take me 4 years of saving $ to reach goal 1, then another year for goal 3, 2 years for goal 4, a year for goal 5, and 2 years for goal 8. So it’s really a 10 year plan. Anthony Anderson of Rawmodel.com said it cost him $80,000 for all the things listed above – i suspect he got a larger spot of land, and he bought a huge wood-heated dome greenhouse for growing tropical fruit trees.
What will be beautiful is that in 10 years, i will be self sufficient. I might work part time occasionally, or sell veggies for a little income, but other than that I should have little to no expenses. What a wonderful day that will be! When I get antsy about my goal, I remember that because I’m planning to do it, I will make it happen – no matter how far off it seems, no matter that I don’t have a penny of savings yet.
I live in the UK with my American husband. He has been here 4 years now. He had left the USA for pretty much the same kind of thing you’re talking about. And now we are headed back to the USA because we believe we can have a freer lifestyle over there. By freer I mean that we can live rurally, and as I get paid in pounds and we’d be spending it in dollars we’ll be able to do more than we can here.
I also have Australian citizenship, so Australia is always like a carrot dangling in front of my nose, but for me right now it is just too isolated, but we plan to move there later on, after we are through with the USA. I think that in Australia that it could be easy to live off the land especially if you’re raw vegan. If you live in the tropical part you could grow anything you wanted abundantly and quickly. I haven’t been there for a while but I think it is cheaper to live there than it is in the UK, I believed the cost of living was the same as USA. Australia is brilliant, the people, the land, the sun!!
You could always join an Eco protest camp, where people are live with nature to protect Her. You could tree sit, or protect rainforest, or guard a river. Earthfirst might have a list or some links. http://www.earthfirst.org/
australia (and esp. new zealand) are much cheaper to live in than the US. not even funny. SO MUCH cheaper. more lush, great place to live off the land and be raw vegan.
and you don’t need a job first AT ALL. almost everyone traveling in australia and new zealand look for work when they get there. there is a whole network of “recycling” going on, esp. with cars, places to live… travelers coming and going… a lot of camping… and if you’re interested, a whole community of people to get together with who are interested in doing the same thing.
go!
oh, one downside of australia though: the gvt is pretty much like the US
New Zealand sounds LOVELY!
I will consider checking it out…
My dream is to move to Peru – I feel like my plans might be pushed forward because of the current world-economic situation.
Zoe- Thanks for the link, i’ve been looking to doing something along those lines to get me started on my journey.
Pianissima- I didn’t realize that about the Australia. My friend is there right now and she said everything is so expensive. She said something along the lines of the minimum pay rate is $16/hour since everything is so expensive. I don’t know if she was over excaggerating, must have been.
I can deal with the crappy government, I’ve been doing it for 20 years now. I’m more worried about working 60-70hrs/week to only have my funds mean nothing when I try to leave the states.
deuce that moth. My girlfriend is slowly turning the page to the chapter I’m on. She’s coming to realization that school isn’t a necessety to survive. She just doesn’t know if she can take the leap.
Moth, go to Peru! You have nothing holding you back.Make life out there. Go now. Why must you wait? Get involved in a program that will help you transition. I’ve been doing a lot of research on Peru, and it has everything you love. The best part is it’s so easy to get around, and so beautiful. I have to go back, I didn’t spend enough time there. Maybe you can have a place for me to stay when I get out there…!
TREE OF LIFE – I too would like to get out of the US, I am inclined toward New Zealand. Unfortunately, I am much older than you and my job skills will not support me outside the state I live in and never outside the US. I am unsure if I could ever get there and if so how I would survive.
Keeping that in mind I mention this: There is a world-wide shortage of most health care professionals, especially RNs. If you have skills in any health profession, you can get a visa to go anywhere. I understand many countries will even offer you citizenship. This is a good way to get into any country and have a valued skill you can always use to your benefit, if you are just living off the land or otherwise.
I have thought about going back to school and becoming a mid-wife just for that reason.
treeoflife—that’s very odd. everything was cheaper in my experience… this was 3 years ago. although, i was with people who were mostly “living off the land” (day to day) rather than piling up cash to put in their savings. there was more than enough to live on… and if you don’t blow it all on booze, you should do great.
new zealand is the less expensive of the two, and the north island is more tropical, so the produce is MUCH better, more local and thus much cheaper. also people take care of each other over there. hitch-hiking, inviting strangers to stay or come over for dinner… these are not rare occurrences over there.
true, anything you make while you’re over there won’t turn into much US currency… but you’re 20! i did this when i was 23 and if i couldn’t be frivolous then, then when?
Here is an opportunity where you can live and work on an organic farm:
http://www.wwoofinternational.org/
This looks like a good opportunity to see the country a bit before making a final decision. Good luck! (maybe see you there one day)
Newbie – you may have just CHANGED MY LIFE. THANK YOU for that link!
TreeOfLife: My biggest excuse for not taking off to the tropics right now, are #1: money – I would only have about a grand or so to my name – and #2: my dog, Icarus…I don’t want to abandon or leave him behind.
I don’t want to have these two excuses limit me any further. I realized through Newbie’s link that I can make my dream happen without extravagent amounts of money, and also I might be able to find a place that will allow my fluffy brown dog!
Yeah, I bet Icarus would love it if you split town! I thought you knew about wwoof? I was sure that we discussed it before, maybe we didn’t. I’m glad newbie opened your mind further. I had joined wwoof before, never actually making it anywhere though due to complications. Make sure you let the farms know about Ic, sometimes they don’t like dogs due to livestock. BUT, I’m sure you could find a super dank tree fruit farm that would welcome Icarus like the royal he is!
Now all you need to do is get ic from kevin!
I see you excelling on your journey. You can do it moth!
Hey newbie, great link, I had it already posted for MOTH at a different post (you might have overlooked it). WWOOF is a great way to see the world. Some people jump this way from country to country and maybe you get stuck somewhere??
My advice, DO IT! I would if I’d be independent and maybe only a holiday there would be great.
In regards of Europe, yes, the currency is stronger, but the expenses are higher… since the Euro came into place… So think about it… But there is a lovely place on Ibiza, an island belonging to Spain you might want to check out TreeofLife. There is one of the Wwoof places and it looks awesome!
Go guys, go, and enjoy :)))
MOTH – so glad the link has helped. Yay! I wish I could do something similar, but given my situation, I’m thinking more along the lines of local organic farms. I envy where you are in life – so exciting. Go for it!!
TreeOfLife – I have no advice on living off the land, BUT I wanted to chime in and comment on something you mentioned in another thread.
I AM SO JEALOUS that you have a significant other who is vegan and cares about their health. My boyfriend is an extreme SAD eater who doesn’t understand or bother to try to understand my way of eating. He thinks it’s ridiculous and is NOT supportive at all.
SO you’re lucky :-P that’s all.
Thanks KAIT :) I’m sorry to hear that your boyfriend is not supportive. I understand how that is. I was SAD for the first 1 1/2 years of our relationship, while she was vegetarian. I supported her 100%. When I went from SAD, to Vegi, to vegan, to raw in 2 months, she was not too supportive. That was great of her though, she didn’t understand and I sure as heck didn’t understand raw. I wasn’t eating right and she watched me sort’ve dwindle into a beautiful stick! As I gained more knowledge, she become more supportive. Same with my family. Once I knew what I was doing, and could answer their questions, they backed off and became more supportive.
I hope your boyfriend will soon understand why you are the way you are. You should be the one not supportive of his diet. I mean, always support him, but feed him tid bits of information to see if he bites. But honestly, I do really hope that you can feel the support you deserve from the one who means most!
Now, back to the main topic :)
I am not sure if this is anything that you would be interested in al all, (Meditating might want to chime in on this as she has first-hand experience) but I would do an internet search on Camphill Communities. They are intentional communities for people with developmental disabilities that are located all over the world and people can work and live there to help support these communities and the people who live there. Note: it isn’t a vegan community though (although still a very loving and important cause!)
Edit: Now I’m thinking that maybe it was Greenghost who lived in a Camphill Community before and not Meditating. I’m sorry for getting mixed up! :)
Thanks jellibi! Any information that will help me get out there is greatly appreciated! I do not discriminate against non-vegan communities :)
Well I have to say I am so blessed to be here in Puerto Rico at the Ann Wigmore Institute. I wake up each morning and have fresh grown trays of Wheatgrass waiting for me to juice. Then I cut a variety of our own sprouts, fresh greens from our garden, and Organic fruits from our Farm. It truely is heaven on earth here. I am just finishing a bowl of some Energy Soup. I think it is so important, especially now, to learn to be self sufficient with your food supply, Where ever you Live!
I wouldn’t choose to live anywhere but the U.S. I am not aware of tropical societies with uncorrupt governments. As far as I know, U.S. citizens have the most freedom, the most choices.
I am in 3 garden clubs, but you can bet that I wouldn’t want to farm all day and eat only what came off my land. I don’t find national Geographic tribes too glamorous.
Someone had to say these things.
I go to Brazil almost every year and it is wonderful. The fruit tastes so much better and is so cheap! The avocados are literally three times the size of one here. Living is inexpensive, as is a raw diet. However, while fruits and veggies are abundant, items like almond butter, nut milk, etc…may be harder to find. If you go there with some money you earned here it should be fun! The natives are so friendly and you can always teach English.
tree of life, Im 40 and hear the call like you bt i like moth have pets that cant be abandoned…..Since i grew up over seas and there are so many great places to live, might i suggest a cruise ship or freighter job to get from a to b? i had friends that saw alot of the world that way….joined up on a ship food and lodgeing and salary got to the other country hopped off and worked /lived all over the place…. good luck send pics!!!!;0)
MOTH – You might want to check out PanGaia www.pangaia.cc
It is a raw tropical fruit place in Hawaii and you can bring your dog. It is not out of the US but you can stay and work there. They do have some people who eat raw eggs and goat milk though. They have chickens and goats.
The guy that owns it was planning on selling it but he had to change his plans just recently- some friends of ours were going to buy it but came short of funds. If they had were were going to move there. I so wanted to move there – I have three cats so I know how you feel. Our friend just went there to check it out and he said it was really nice – It rustic but still nice.
Cherie, I realize it is not cheap or easy. That is why I’m not playing and instead working 75 hours a week to get money to do this. I’m quite young, 20, but I know what I have to do in which I can live somewhere off of little money and be content. As far as costa rica, I don’t plan on living in a reitrement home, I plan on living on my own land. I’ve been researching that area in particular and have found 2.5 acres of land for $65,000 with fruit trees, I’ve also seen the same piece of land for 450,000.
I can speak enough spanish to get around. I learn it quickly, stick me in the country and I will pick it up. Besides for asia, I don’t think I can learn those native languages quite easy :)
Durianrider- I understand it is not cheap to live in those countries, but I believe the pay is better. If I’m not mistaken the AUD is not worth as high as the USD, currently? But, I was wondering if it was possible for one to work out there, while just living off of the land. As in, work a full time job and return to the land afterwards. Would there be food in abundance? Or would I have to resort paying $5 a pound of bananas?
Also, I am not unhappy. I love my life! I would just like to live in an area in which my money was what fueled me. In case some people forgot, we can’t eat money :)
i think it would be cool if you travelled around the world a bit having adventures and collecting buddies to join you on your land. I backpacked around the world when I was 19, it totally changed my life. It was an amazing experience. And if at the end of my travels I went and bought some land and set up home there with some mates, well that would have been heaven. Instead, when I got back I went to university – duh!
I went to Israel, Thailand, Jamaica, Hawaii, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Australia and Los Angeles. When you travel in non Western areas you learn a lot about how to mend and make do, how to build houses with very little, make clothes etc. I think you’d learn a lot for when you are living self sufficiently.
durianrider—that’s funny. that is what i was going to say after i wrote my post. one of my big discoveries about traveling was that all i was seeking was RIGHT there when i closed my eyes and payed attention enough to see it. but i’d been told that before and needed the experience to figure it out.
i’m still really surprised that people think the US is the cheapest. i was constantly astounded by how cheap it was in oz and nz. maybe i was delirious from the time change… i don’t think so though… =)
Hi Tree of Life! I am 19 years old and have similar aspirations. The only thing is that I am in college. My partner is quite a bit older than I am and will be graduating college this summer. I often have dreams of taking off and backpacking across the world, or wwoofing in different countries. I find college to be at times very restricting. I am lucky enough that I have a scholarship, which lets me attend, but this also kind of ties me into the experience because if I take a term off I lose the money. I admire people like you who are brave enough to not follow the prescribed path for us middle-class kids. My partner and I also talk about traveling to Central America to start a farm. Land here is so expensive I don’t know that we could ever buy any, so we will have to move eventually or hook up with some other people and share costs. I think I would miss my family too much to move to the other side of the world anyway.