From the Office to the Farm: A Year of Change Pt. I

Originally published in September 2018

About a year and a half ago, I left the stable job I had because I wanted more, I wanted to be “in the field”, and I wanted to do work where I could “get my hands dirty”. I wanted a job where I could work more with people and not just with a computer. I wanted to be closer to my sociology/research/rights background and passion. I wanted the space I worked in to be bigger than four walls. Although I learned a lot where I was, I wanted to take a chance and learn even more, I wanted to expand my horizons, my knowledge and my environment. Above it all, I knew that that cycle in my life was over and it was time to move on to another one.

So, I took a big leap, told my boss I felt it was time to move on to the next cycle in my life, and I left. It was a great feeling knowing something new was coming even without knowing exactly what it was. The thing is, when I left I wasn’t 100% certain where my next move would be, but it was part of the thrill. It was an adventure in itself to look for that next move, to get to choose where my life was heading. And it seemed like things were falling into place, everything was working out and eventually, I would find the next job. I planned what I thought was a quick 2-week vacation to visit my parents in Colombia. The idea was to rest and prepare for the next step.

Or that’s what I thought.

At some point, the 2 weeks became a month and, for whatever reason, the job that I thought was waiting for me didn’t actually work out. I have to admit I wasn’t absolutely upset. Mostly because at that point, I was open to what life had in store for me. Although it changed my plans completely, I accepted the fact as something that was just meant to be.

Flash forward and the month became a year and a half. Instead of going back to D.C, I now live on a farm on a rural part of Colombia. Not exactly what I had planned. In fact, I never really imagined myself living on a farm and much less enjoying it. The most I could “stand” was about a week and that was pushing it. I loved the city, in fact, I still do. But the farm? Well, not exactly what I had envisioned as the next chapter in my life.

That’s how life works. You may have plan A, plan B, plan C, and the whole alphabet planned out, but that’s not how things always turn out.

Here I am, on a farm and, most surprising of all, enjoying every single second of it. My routine, my habits and, most importantly, my being changed completely. I am definitely not the same person I was a year ago. As it turns out, I got my wishes just not how I imagined. I literally work in the field and get my hands dirty. I work less with a computer, although more with animals than with people. And my office is now larger than the four walls I didn’t want.

Honestly, during the first few months I was here, I felt it was more of a vacation than an actual life change. But, as the weeks passed, the very real fact that my savings were running out made me face the reality. At that point, however, I had already fallen in love with the farm life, so I didn’t really feel like moving.

So, without going into the details, I am now fortunate enough to be part of the millennials who no longer have an office and who literally, can work from wherever. I literally can work next to my cows, as long as there is good internet signal:) I became part of the “freelance” workforce. My “real” job is working as a freelance translator and consultant, mostly with a bilingual public charter school in D.C, but I get occasional contracts with the organization I previously worked at. It really is the best of both worlds. I get to enjoy my farm life and also keep my academic, professional and personal interests alive.

But really, more than anything, I get to work from “the farm”. And that means my office looks on to mountains, farm animals, flowers, birds, nature, and a very occasional car. And really, the list of positives goes on.

So, when life hands you lemons, what do you do? In my case, you add it to the aguapanela 🙂