In the meantime I needed to start making some plans for a patchwork lifestyle when I arrive in Austria. I have worked all of my adult life and I really cant see myself enjoying life without some kind of work but, at the same time, I feel the need to change down a gear or two. After all I need to learn to work to live not live to work as they say. Hard I know but I am trying to get there.
At the moment my days are filled with travel, meetings, presentations, planning, developing projects, but most of all daydreaming of the next year.
As part of my plans I have managed to secure myself a few weeks work with a ski company who bring schools to the Alps for skiing holidays. It isnt well paid, nor is it long term work but it is a start. When I left school I had big plans to go into the travel industry and work all over Europe doing exactly what I will be doing next year.
My work will bring me to Zell am See in February and then Bad Kleinkircheim at Easter. I will be heading to Birmingham in January for the training so that should be good.
I am really looking forward to the New Year and the chance to start planning for the big move. I am now following a blog of a man who lives in Lofer and blogs about all of the hikes that he goes on around the area and each time one of his posts land in my inbox I get a little flutter of butterflies in the tummy.
Hopefully I can start posting more on here as I have more news.
I was going to post some photos of my new home village Unken but blogger is playing up and I just spent an hour attempting to do it so maybe next time.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI came here in 2009 with the same aim of working to live and not the other way round after several years of horrendous stress teaching. I love my "patchwork" lifestyle, earning enough to survive and having time to do all the things I love. Still, my new life is extremely hectic - nearly every day is packed with something or other but as I am now mainly doing musical things I am finally really happy. When I first came I took a cleaning job for 20 hours a week - it wasn't the greatest job in the world but it meant I had money coming in and health insurance contributions paid until I got sorted out and became self-employed. It also meant I had plenty of time to do other things.
I also joined a couple of choirs and an orchestra. This gave me fixed times in the week when I knew I would be going out and meeting people. The weeks are quite long if you have nothing particular planned!
My advice to you would be to find some kind of club or group to join (maybe even 2 groups) as soon as you arrive so that within the first month you have a weekly routine and once you start getting to know people all sorts of possibilities will be open to you.
I have done things since I came here that I never imagined I would do and have met all kinds of lovely people.
I don't know what sort of things you are interested in - whether you like singing or art or crafts or whatever. Maybe if you write a couple of things you are interested in, I could point you in the direction of some local groups so that you have some idea before you come of things you could become involved in. For me, the scariest thing about moving was thinking that I wouldn't know anyone and not knowing how I would get to meet people.
I think it might be my blog you have been following - in which case, I am very definitely female!
Enjoy your time dreaming and planning your move. It is a very exciting time.
It is indeed your blog that I follow and I am so embarrassed because I assumed you were male and I have no idea why :) I hadnt had one of your blog posts emailed recently and so I couldnt find the links. I was trying to find you to ask if you would like to do a little guest post here.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your advice. i hope to be there by Mid year. We both have very different interests. David loves skiing and music, I like crafting, cooking, reading, but mostly I love to meet people and learn new things so I will have a go at most things. We will be living in Unken which you have blogged about recently. I do look forward to youre emails dropping into my inbox. Thanks for taking the time to read mine.