I love Portland so much!
As fun as WWOOFing was, coming home to PDX was the BEST DECISION EVER.
I've got two part time jobs right now -- couple days a week doing childcare at an urban ecovillage, and working the vegetable stand on market days for a local organic farmer. I was working in the fields for a while, but it wasn't that great a fit so I'm just doing markets now.
Church, art group, and my vast network of awesome friends are keeping me pretty emotionally satisfied. My phone not working hasn't been much of a problem, since this is a magical town where you can just wander around and run into whoever you wanted to see.
I even have a VOCATION! I have decided to stop trying to force myself into a shoe that doesn't fit with the whole farming bit. I still believe that local, sustainable food networks are practically the most important political issue stand we can take, and that everybody has a responsiblity to be involved with the origin of the things we consume. HOWEVER, part of having sustainable communities, is, y'know, community. So I can still be a part of the changes I believe are important while doing what I love and am gifted at, which is working at the human side of things.
The great thing about living in times where there are such problems in the world is that any talent you can bring to the table is needed for something. I want to become a life coach so I can help people take control of the way they affect the world, and figure out how to direct their passion in ways that will be really fullfilling. It was humbling for a minute to accept that I'm better suited to a supporter role than being on the front lines of building physical change (not to mention being embarrassed to admit to wanting to be something as cheesy sounding as a "Life Coach"). But I've realized that spiritual change is not only just as important, but actually necessary for physical change to occur, so it is noble work.
Some of my friends and I are plotting getting access to some land for a CSA (community supported agriculture), permaculture experimentation, and ornamental plants to generate income for the other projects. I'm hoping to incorporate and education/outreach element that would let me mix what I do in with it. We're also talking about using whatever profits we generate in our businesses to pay it forward, and invest in local people's start up costs to go into business for themselves (life coaches can make decent money depending on how they do it). Of course, raising the capital for our own start up costs is the issue right now, but everyone involved is so driven and competent, that I have faith we'll figure it out.
I've got two part time jobs right now -- couple days a week doing childcare at an urban ecovillage, and working the vegetable stand on market days for a local organic farmer. I was working in the fields for a while, but it wasn't that great a fit so I'm just doing markets now.
Church, art group, and my vast network of awesome friends are keeping me pretty emotionally satisfied. My phone not working hasn't been much of a problem, since this is a magical town where you can just wander around and run into whoever you wanted to see.
I even have a VOCATION! I have decided to stop trying to force myself into a shoe that doesn't fit with the whole farming bit. I still believe that local, sustainable food networks are practically the most important political issue stand we can take, and that everybody has a responsiblity to be involved with the origin of the things we consume. HOWEVER, part of having sustainable communities, is, y'know, community. So I can still be a part of the changes I believe are important while doing what I love and am gifted at, which is working at the human side of things.
The great thing about living in times where there are such problems in the world is that any talent you can bring to the table is needed for something. I want to become a life coach so I can help people take control of the way they affect the world, and figure out how to direct their passion in ways that will be really fullfilling. It was humbling for a minute to accept that I'm better suited to a supporter role than being on the front lines of building physical change (not to mention being embarrassed to admit to wanting to be something as cheesy sounding as a "Life Coach"). But I've realized that spiritual change is not only just as important, but actually necessary for physical change to occur, so it is noble work.
Some of my friends and I are plotting getting access to some land for a CSA (community supported agriculture), permaculture experimentation, and ornamental plants to generate income for the other projects. I'm hoping to incorporate and education/outreach element that would let me mix what I do in with it. We're also talking about using whatever profits we generate in our businesses to pay it forward, and invest in local people's start up costs to go into business for themselves (life coaches can make decent money depending on how they do it). Of course, raising the capital for our own start up costs is the issue right now, but everyone involved is so driven and competent, that I have faith we'll figure it out.