Long story short: I went on vacation… and didn’t come back.
Well, it was certainly not my plan to become a Digital Nomad in Italy … Not at all! But somehow … eccomi! 🙂 Last year at the end of June I decided to take a long vacation. I planned to go by car to Sicily and back. I had some savings, packed the car solidly, planned to sleep in campsites and promised to return in September. I warned my clients that I would be working remotely for them for the next few weeks, and without a concrete plan I set off from Poland to Germany….. Ahoy, adventure!
What went “wrong”? It may be hard to believe, but the very first week of my trip I encountered car problems and was stuck in Germany for 7 loooong weeks. However, when the car was ready, that is, in mid-August, I decided that I would not let go! Back in July, worried about the cost as well as the prolonged trip, I terminated my apartment rental in Warsaw. All my belongings were packed into a storage unit by my brother <3 You could say that this was the first step to living on the road and becoming a true Digital Nomad!
After arriving in Italy, I ended up in a place forgotten by tourists – the hills of Val Tidone near Piacenza. Should I mention, I still did not reach Sicily?! (hahaha) I had a lot of adventures here, and it is undoubtedly material for an “Eat, Pray and Love!” style book. I stayed in an ancient stone bnb until the end of the year, and then moved on – to Trentino and the Lessini mountains – each time choosing very, very cheap rooms in unusual bnb (€350-450 per month). As I wanted to spend my days in nature, move more and learn new skills (but at the same time have some time to run my own – digital marketing – business) I’ve decided to become a wwoofer!
So far, I’ve done four volunteer trips of several weeks. What did I do? I’ve harvested lavender, fed goats, planted lettuce, lignified tomatoes, planted a new vineyard, washed dishes in a restaurant, weeded beds, watered flowers, made body creams, cherry liqueurs and currant jams, but I’ve also cleaned, cooked and where I can – baked “Polish bread” and made dumplings! I gave the farm the mornings and worked “on my own” most afternoons and evenings. I will admit that it is not idyllic, especially in the long run – as it was in my case. I also treat it as a bumpy and sometimes difficult, but the best and fastest way to self-discovery. Working basically part-time, you also earn less, so you have to cut expenses. This year I have undoubtedly taken a step towards my dream lifestyle, but I still have a long way to go – I’m still looking for the perfect work model, harmony and ideas for the next few months. I would like to join some community building project on a co-living and co-working basis. Keep your fingers crossed!
And follow my adventures on IG: glinda.molinda 😉
