So before I left the States my mantra was, “I’m interested in living in community and want to  understand how people are living peacefully around the world.” I had no idea what kind of volunteer work I would be doing, though I jokingly said I would be ok if I had to clean toilets, teach yoga…. LOL. I’m a 58 year old woman who has quit her job and volunteering around the world for a year to figure out what’s next…

Be careful what you put out there for it has all come true!

But it’s the people, my fellow volunteers… they are what has amazed me the most. I had been told about this community of people living this free life all over the world. These people truly roam the earth and talk about you out there reading this as the “other world.” They get up every day and do whatever work they are assigned with a smile on their face and thoughts of where they will go next. The Aussie Visa is good for 12 months, but you have to leave every 90 days so it forces one to move on!

Patrycia and Eric will be leaving for New Zealand in two weeks. They are an interesting couple. Patrycia is a beautiful willowy woman with piercing blue eyes that I’ve never seen with makeup. She is from a small part of Poland that has its own unique Slavic dialect and had been educated to be an English teacher, so her English is impeccable. Eric is handsome tall Italian with a quick smile and keen wit. He too is yoga teacher, masseuser, and was educated in several other things I can’t quite remember at this exact moment. They met two years ago while walking the Camino in Spain, moved to Italy for a year where they formulated their plan and sold their “stuff’ in anticipation of their journey. They set off over a year ago and have traveled ever since.

I hear Samantha (name changed) talking behind me in the kitchen probably with a cup of tea in hand. She is from the UK and has hopes of opening a spiritual rehab center in Southern Spain as she’s suffered from her own demons and mindfulness has helped her regain good head space. She shared with me that she grew up in a caravan (trailer) and moved into a rehabbed chicken coop that was on their family farm when she was 11.  She was just offered a job with a mindfulness organization that was hosting a retreat for teens here at Swamis. She’s been traveling for 3 months.

Christiana is sitting next to me at the community table; she is a 67 year old retired artist and has been traveling for over 8 years teaching yoga. I’ve helped edit her English writing as she was applying for her next volunteer gig and her written English needed some minor editing. 

The languages and accents around me make me smile….

Anke is a smiley energetic 30 year old from Germany that sets out for 3-4 months at a time and then returns home to a social work job to collect some money so that she can travel again. She’s been living this cadence for over 3 years. She is outside with legs pumping swinging on a swing – with a huge smile on her face!

Nancy (name is changed) is one of the “official” full time volunteer managers of Swami’s. She shared with me a heart wrenching story of a pedophile ring in London that pulled in her mom during her mom’s youth… The perpetrator was caught, but released with a 50 Euro fine. It’s too surreal not to become a movie.

 The stories are endless…

I’ve just learned that while the “real” volunteer managers leave for several days, I will be acting manager. I’m getting a kick out that one. I’ve been here a little over two weeks…….. LOL!