Spring Blossoms

This spring we are having quite an interesting bunch of interns and volunteers here at 8thLife, and before some of them leave, having finished their times here, we decided to gather everyone and collect some of their stories and experiences of being here so far, and share them with all of you who, from all over the world, follow our adventures in developing and nurturing this embryonic EcoVillage project for the next generations to have a better future.

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Phil

Phil is an intern from Germany who has been here for 6 weeks, and who has taken on coordinating the work in the gardens and some parts of the forest gardens as his practice for facilitation and design coordination.

I enjoyed being here with other people here – the group of other interns, guests, volunteers and residents.  
I’m thinking more pro-actively now, I developed the leadership and facilitation skills.   I really like that I got a good overview on important and helpful skills on communities and eco-projects.   I really like living in nature, being really part of it, giving more positive input to it.   I got some knowledge about how to live sustainable life, mainly with the course.   Developed Gardening skills, and learned a bunch of nice tools for designing.
It’s different living in a city than in a place like that and I really like it.

Giovanni & Eloise

Giovanni & Eloise are a Bazilian-Italian & English couple of interns who came here to learn more about how to set up their own sustainability project and clarify their vision for what to do, where, when, how, etc.

Giovanni

It was a great decision to come here, because I needed this experience to take with me to Italy.
How much I appreciate peace and nature. How much I appreciate the intellectual talks, how much I want to help and heal the planet. How much I want to create community. How many communities are there to be helped.
The whole experience, it came in the right moment for me.


Eloise

I really enjoyed the team work we were doing in the morning especially, like the group design challenges and being able to see what we can do when we put our minds together.
It’s been really valuable to have this quiet place in nature to gain perspective on life and to learn new tool to help with direction and how to self-manage.
It was difficult at first, this pro-activity element where the classes weren’t given in person, but I’ve understood gradually how those online resources can be used and it’s taught me to take more control over my learning.
The biggest thing that I walk away with is this ability to make the conscious design about my life and to know that there is a community of others also on the similar path.

Romana

Romana, from Slovakia, is doing the 1-year EVS program here since October last year, to develop her leadership, communication, and entrepreneurial capabilities, and learn many concrete practical skills, in order to be able to create in the future her own job that can be personally fulfilling, ethical and sustainable, and financially viable.

I am really glad for opportunity to be part of life on finca, studying permaculture and contribute to this project.
It gives me space for following my interests, showing my iniciative and learning new skills from people who decide to share their wisdom with me. I´ve met here so many interesting and inspiring people who enrich my life and make it meaningful.

And atmosphere of the place is magical, close to nature, calm and warm   :)   Perfect conditions for showing iniciative, for starting to do whatever you want, close to the nature.

Simon

Simon is a volunteer from Germany who came to help for a few months with domestic tasks and food preparation and preservation, and also learn about some other parts of life and work in a farm.

It’s cool here!
I’m just beginning to really appreciate what this place is and what it means and I like that you can fill it with so much meaning.
I have to say, I’m a city person and I have never in my life felt so close to nature and that is partly the result of staying here – being surrounded by people who inspire that kind of thinking and location that is totally intertwined with nature.

Allan

Allan is another volunteer, from Scotland, who came to help us with repairing and building stone walls, which is very important and much needed work around the farm, as all the land here is very inclined and terraced.

It’s just very rewarding being here. The possibility of being productive and relaxed is equal and I have so much enjoyed that compared to the contrast of my normal daily life and I thank you for what you’ve created.

Eleanor

Eleanor is an Anglo-Germanic guest who came here to take some time off, rest and recover from stress in her life.

I have really enjoyed and found it really calming to be around the nature and the abundance, the animals, the green. I think it helped me to realise more what I want and what I’m able to give and define that more clearly.

Binno & Marta

Binno & Marta are a Romanian-Italian couple of volunteers who came to help us with the animals, especially on the weekends, looking after them, feeding them and moving their compost around.

My experience here was so intense and peaceful at the same time. I discovered that when I’m working here I’m not only working but also growing bigger in my peace, because I’m growing happy. Especially with the animals. When in the morning I’m not happy and go to the sheep – the day is much better.
The contact with nature is so healthy that you have experience it to know what I’m talking about. In the city you are used to be stressed and have a lot of pressure on you, but here it’s quite another world and it’s so strange that this is the reality, this is the real world that we have to live.
I’m just so happy, I don’t want to do nothing else in my life than living like this, because this is the right way to live. Thank you - the World!