This blog has grown from the seedling desire to leave England and live and work abroad. BUT, one ingredient of the compost which has contributed to its growth, is the need to escape the rat race and search for a simpler way of life.
There are, however, many steps you can take to work less, spend less and establish a better balance of work and life, without making the more dramatic move of leaving England. Over the last few years we have seen the increasing trend among the “upper-working” class to “downshift” their lives, reduce the stress, spend more time with friends and family, work less, and spend less.
Whilst I’m not sure I like the term “downshift”, I do like many of the principles it encompasses, and I love the fact that it indicates a large movement within our society to boycott the consumerist lifestyle which for many, has led to an emotionally unfulfilling dead end.
This month sees the first ever “International Downshifting Week” between 19th and 25th April.
Tracey Smith, creator of National Downshifting Week, received so much support on her campaign over the last three years, that this year it has gone global.
The week long campaign seeks to provide the public with information, and encourage everyone to participate in a couple of downshifting techniques throughout the week. The idea being, if you like the impact it has on your life, you may consider adopting the lifestyle on a more permanent basis.
For more information visit her website: www.downshiftingweek.com
Tracey has also submitted a petition to 10 Downing Street to “Introduce 'Sustainable Living & Environmental Awareness' lessons to our national curriculum for all pre-school, primary and secondary schools in the UK” – an excellent idea. Click here for a link to the petition.
For people who are considering leaving England in order to adopt a simpler lifestyle, it is well worth considering what alternative steps you can take within your own country first, and Tracey’s website is a great place to start.
www.downshiftingweek.com provides a description of downshifting – as follows:
“Downshifting is about slowing down your pace, finding a better work/life balance, consequently embracing living with less and leading a simpler, greener and happier life!
Downshifting isn't about moving to new counties or countries, in fact, if you are looking to start a 'completely' new life, you'll arm yourself with the best chance of success by 'dipping your toes' into a few of our ideas and making changes within your own four walls, long before you reach for a map!”
When considering the prospect of downshifting as oppose to leaving England – it is worth reviewing your own top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England, and see how many of those issues you could eliminate by downshifting... Click here for a reminder of my top 10 reasons.
Given Tracey's description of the term, it is quite clear that downshifting would eliminate one of my reasons for wanting to leave England: 2. Pace of life
AND I can also see how it could have a knock on effect of increasing community spirit – which is the main point of one of my other top 10 reasons: 3. Lack of people contact
Naturally the movement is also anti materialism – so would provide some armour in your defences against advertising – and help cross another reason for wanting to escape off the list: 5. Materialism...
So... for me – that’s three reasons "kind of" dealt with... hmmm – that still leaves seven!
Showing posts with label England - The Good Bits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England - The Good Bits. Show all posts
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Weather - Thailand versus England
Almost a year ago now, while sitting in the living room of the flat I was renting in Suffolk, England – I came up with my top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England to live and work abroad. Now, I’m sitting in Thailand, living the next episode of my journey to lead a simpler life.
I’m from the school of thought “you never know until you try” and firmly believe that events and situations are very rarely as you imagined they would be. With that in mind, I didn’t leave England in January under the banner of “never to return again”, but more in an attempt to explore and discover the realities of living in other countries. Only then did I feel I could possibly be in a position to make an informed choice on “where to lay my hat”.
Having now spent 3 months away from England, and having gained a good insight into life in Thailand I felt it was time I started to revisit my top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England – to see if anything has changed.
The number one reason for wanting to leave England to live and work abroad, I previously attributed to - The Weather. Click here to read my thoughts on English weather.
So – now that I’ve been in South East Asia for longer than a 2 week holiday, how do I feel about the weather here – in comparison to the UK.
Even if you can’t stand the British weather, there are positive aspects to the seasons we experience in England. Whilst it has been great to be here in Thailand, beside beautiful beaches, with beaming sunshine radiating heat of 30 or 40 degrees, we have often craved a cold wintery night so we could snuggle up on the sofa with a duvet, and enter into a kind of hibernation. Winter in England, although it’s cold, meek and for many depressing, it is also a great time to rest, stay at home, rejuvenate, and consider new ventures. Then, only after the sleepiness of winter, can you experience the waking up in spring.
As we sweated our way through a very hot March over here in Thailand, we occasionally drifted off to fond thoughts of daffodils carpeting our local country park in Suffolk, spring born lambs playing in the fields, and walking the dog in the woods while witnessing the first signs of life in what seems like Nature’s New Year.
Here in Thailand, the changes in weather during March were less apparent. We were well into the hot season on Koh Lanta (South West Thailand), and at that point, no seasonal changes in nature had really been obvious – even the diving conditions were fairly constant. But as it got nearer the end of March, it got hotter and hotter, to a point we could barely move. While I enjoyed the laziness the heat inspired, Paul got frustrated and dreamt of cool, fresh, pine woodlands...
Then just as it got too hot to bear.... the weather cracked!!!
Lightening from our balcony a couple of days ago.
Then yesterday morning we sipped hot cups of tea, huddled under the cover of the Aqua Bar, outside the dive shop, while watching the treacherous rain carve rivers into the beach.
Suddenly the frogs started their loud choruses which more resemble the sound you would expect to hear from a gigantic herd of mooing cows, than a mass of frogs. And last night, riding home on the moped was more like racing around an obstacle course, as Paul swerved again and again, in attempt to dodge the frogs which seem to have appeared everywhere – from nowhere. Every now and again throughout the day, the insects in the trees and bushes started up their high pitch singing for a few minutes, and then miraculously, like a conducted orchestra, they all stop at the same time.
Thailand has two prominent seasons - dry season, and rainy season - high season and low season. The timing of each season varies considerably depending upon where in Thailand you are, and in some areas is actually the complete opposite to here on Koh Lanta. During low season (April/May – October/November) Koh Lanta pretty much closes down apart from Kan Tiang Bay in the South. The conditions of the sea make it difficult to dive, and the rain, although by no means continuous, is frequent enough to deter tourists.
Over the last couple of years the rain has arrived on Koh Lanta in May – and locals are unsure at the moment as to whether this last couple of stormy outbreaks - is the low season arriving a month early, or just a freak outbreak.
Whatever – the storms are amazing to watch for now – and provided a pleasant, but temporary break from the humid heat of the last few weeks..
I’m from the school of thought “you never know until you try” and firmly believe that events and situations are very rarely as you imagined they would be. With that in mind, I didn’t leave England in January under the banner of “never to return again”, but more in an attempt to explore and discover the realities of living in other countries. Only then did I feel I could possibly be in a position to make an informed choice on “where to lay my hat”.
Having now spent 3 months away from England, and having gained a good insight into life in Thailand I felt it was time I started to revisit my top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England – to see if anything has changed.
The number one reason for wanting to leave England to live and work abroad, I previously attributed to - The Weather. Click here to read my thoughts on English weather.
So – now that I’ve been in South East Asia for longer than a 2 week holiday, how do I feel about the weather here – in comparison to the UK.
Even if you can’t stand the British weather, there are positive aspects to the seasons we experience in England. Whilst it has been great to be here in Thailand, beside beautiful beaches, with beaming sunshine radiating heat of 30 or 40 degrees, we have often craved a cold wintery night so we could snuggle up on the sofa with a duvet, and enter into a kind of hibernation. Winter in England, although it’s cold, meek and for many depressing, it is also a great time to rest, stay at home, rejuvenate, and consider new ventures. Then, only after the sleepiness of winter, can you experience the waking up in spring.
As we sweated our way through a very hot March over here in Thailand, we occasionally drifted off to fond thoughts of daffodils carpeting our local country park in Suffolk, spring born lambs playing in the fields, and walking the dog in the woods while witnessing the first signs of life in what seems like Nature’s New Year.
Here in Thailand, the changes in weather during March were less apparent. We were well into the hot season on Koh Lanta (South West Thailand), and at that point, no seasonal changes in nature had really been obvious – even the diving conditions were fairly constant. But as it got nearer the end of March, it got hotter and hotter, to a point we could barely move. While I enjoyed the laziness the heat inspired, Paul got frustrated and dreamt of cool, fresh, pine woodlands...
Then just as it got too hot to bear.... the weather cracked!!!
Lightening from our balcony a couple of days ago.
Then yesterday morning we sipped hot cups of tea, huddled under the cover of the Aqua Bar, outside the dive shop, while watching the treacherous rain carve rivers into the beach.
Suddenly the frogs started their loud choruses which more resemble the sound you would expect to hear from a gigantic herd of mooing cows, than a mass of frogs. And last night, riding home on the moped was more like racing around an obstacle course, as Paul swerved again and again, in attempt to dodge the frogs which seem to have appeared everywhere – from nowhere. Every now and again throughout the day, the insects in the trees and bushes started up their high pitch singing for a few minutes, and then miraculously, like a conducted orchestra, they all stop at the same time.
Thailand has two prominent seasons - dry season, and rainy season - high season and low season. The timing of each season varies considerably depending upon where in Thailand you are, and in some areas is actually the complete opposite to here on Koh Lanta. During low season (April/May – October/November) Koh Lanta pretty much closes down apart from Kan Tiang Bay in the South. The conditions of the sea make it difficult to dive, and the rain, although by no means continuous, is frequent enough to deter tourists.
Over the last couple of years the rain has arrived on Koh Lanta in May – and locals are unsure at the moment as to whether this last couple of stormy outbreaks - is the low season arriving a month early, or just a freak outbreak.
Whatever – the storms are amazing to watch for now – and provided a pleasant, but temporary break from the humid heat of the last few weeks..
Monday, 10 March 2008
Can you quit the rat race without leaving the country?
On my quest to find a better way of life for ourselves, and any possible future offspring, Paul and I have chosen to first explore the possibility of finding a better quality of life in another country.
However I’m quite aware that there are perhaps other ways of living life differently, without perhaps the drastic measures of leaving your country. You only need to look at the trend of downshifting in the UK to notice that there is a growing movement of people within England who are all seeking ways to find more balance and more community within their own country.
I’ve found, or rather – I was found by, a group of people who have set up a forum on the internet for like-minded people who are free thinkers, and want to live a different kind of life within the UK.
Introducing: The Idle Foundation
Extracts from the site:
“This group is open to: eccentrics, thinkers, creatives, musicians, collaborators, dreamers everywhere.”
"supporting a rejection of traditional 'job' and 'career' aspirations and a tendency to eschew capitalism, supporting and nurturing the desire to think and create in a free and unconventional way".
“Join in and help build a happier society and planet together!"
Please note: Although the word "idle" conjures up images of laziness, this website attempts to introduce a different concept of "idle". Rather than adopting an attitude that you have to work hard in order to succeed, members of the site suggest that perhaps life should be more about finding ways to live your life, while loving what you do. In that sense the word "work" can easily be swapped for "fun" - and as a result - not seem like work at all...
Exciting news for me: Many members of the group have come together to write a book – and I am really flattered and excited to have been asked to contribute... Naturally I can’t say much about the book itself at this stage – it’s a SECRET! But I wish the book had been around for me to read earlier on in my life!!
Okay – I’d better quit writing a post for the blog now – and go write my chapter for the book.....
However I’m quite aware that there are perhaps other ways of living life differently, without perhaps the drastic measures of leaving your country. You only need to look at the trend of downshifting in the UK to notice that there is a growing movement of people within England who are all seeking ways to find more balance and more community within their own country.
I’ve found, or rather – I was found by, a group of people who have set up a forum on the internet for like-minded people who are free thinkers, and want to live a different kind of life within the UK.
Introducing: The Idle Foundation
Extracts from the site:
“This group is open to: eccentrics, thinkers, creatives, musicians, collaborators, dreamers everywhere.”
"supporting a rejection of traditional 'job' and 'career' aspirations and a tendency to eschew capitalism, supporting and nurturing the desire to think and create in a free and unconventional way".
“Join in and help build a happier society and planet together!"
Please note: Although the word "idle" conjures up images of laziness, this website attempts to introduce a different concept of "idle". Rather than adopting an attitude that you have to work hard in order to succeed, members of the site suggest that perhaps life should be more about finding ways to live your life, while loving what you do. In that sense the word "work" can easily be swapped for "fun" - and as a result - not seem like work at all...
Exciting news for me: Many members of the group have come together to write a book – and I am really flattered and excited to have been asked to contribute... Naturally I can’t say much about the book itself at this stage – it’s a SECRET! But I wish the book had been around for me to read earlier on in my life!!
Okay – I’d better quit writing a post for the blog now – and go write my chapter for the book.....
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
It's all about balance
Writing this blog is a very strange experience for me... why? Well usually I am an extremely positive person. Normally one of the things I dislike most is a constant moan about something.. Usually I always seek out the positive aspects of a situation, place or person.. I guess that's what has inspired so much passion inside me to blog about Escaping England.. I keep searching and seeking for the good bits - but the negative always manages to get a stronger foot hold in my mind when it comes to life in England...
So - in an attempt to gain some balance, and embrace the positive aspects of England - I've tracked down another blog which focuses on just that... AND in order to bring balance to this blog - AND provide me with regular reading which I hope will help to regenerate warm feelings for my home country - I've put a feed to this positive English Blog at the top of the column to the right..
Happy reading :-)
So - in an attempt to gain some balance, and embrace the positive aspects of England - I've tracked down another blog which focuses on just that... AND in order to bring balance to this blog - AND provide me with regular reading which I hope will help to regenerate warm feelings for my home country - I've put a feed to this positive English Blog at the top of the column to the right..
Happy reading :-)
Thursday, 20 December 2007
Paying homage to the power shower!!
We leave in 12 days - our home for the majority of January at least will be a bamboo hut on an island in Thailand!
Back to basics! We will have a bedroom, a balcony and hammock, and a bathroom which will contain a manual flush loo (manual in that you have to throw a bucket of water down it for it to flush), and a shower which trickles out cold water (apart from perhaps the first few trickles which, if we're lucky, will be slightly heated from the Sun).
We're currently camping out at the parents - and they have the most amazing power shower... We are spoilt! I think I will miss the power shower...
Amazing - the things we take for granted!!!
Back to basics! We will have a bedroom, a balcony and hammock, and a bathroom which will contain a manual flush loo (manual in that you have to throw a bucket of water down it for it to flush), and a shower which trickles out cold water (apart from perhaps the first few trickles which, if we're lucky, will be slightly heated from the Sun).
We're currently camping out at the parents - and they have the most amazing power shower... We are spoilt! I think I will miss the power shower...
Amazing - the things we take for granted!!!
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Would you miss Jack Frost?
This morning I awoke to blue skies and the glistening sparkle left by Jack Frost. My - he must have been busy last night. Judging by the layers of white, twinkling frost on the roof tops, trees, gardens and cars, he enjoyed a fine ceremonious dance around the nation last night while we all slept peacefully in the warm.
One step outside, and you feel the fresh air hit your face forcing you to take a sharp intake of cold fresh air. And provided you're wrapped up in warm clothes; the freshness on your face, combined with the pretty twinkle left by Jack, is something to celebrate - ha - until you realise you've run out of deicer, you're late for work, there's been an accident on the roads, and you've lost your gloves.. That's the wicked twinkle of Jack!
After spending a year in South East Asia 4 years ago, I returned to England in December. All of the way home I was looking forward to stepping off the plane and feeling the freshness and coldness of the winter air. Spending long periods of time in warmer climates is definitely relaxing and calming for the soul - but it can be surprising just how good, cold, fresh, frosty air can feel, when you don't experience it for a while!!
I'll miss Jack Frost and his wicked ways... would you?
England - The Good Bits
To date, the majority of this blog has focussed specifically on reasons to Escape England. It was never my intention to be so one-sided in my writing, and is in fact completely against my principles. I always aim to write a balanced view, which looks at both the positive and negative aspects of a subject. We have so much negativity in the media already. It has always been my vision to maintain a positive or rather a balanced approach to all of my publishing.
I guess I've unintentionally been focussing on the negatives to help convince myself that I am indeed doing the right thing, by attempting to Escape!
That said, BEFORE you take your life savings and try to start a new life in another country, it is important to realise that there are many things England has to offer. I did consider writing a top 10 list as I have for the top 10 reasons to leave England. But I found it very difficult to focus on 10 specific things, and it seemed too organised and contrived.
This post is therefore the introduction to random postings which will occur as and when something happens to remind me of the wonders of England!!!
Feel free to add your contributions and thoughts as to what makes England so special!
I guess I've unintentionally been focussing on the negatives to help convince myself that I am indeed doing the right thing, by attempting to Escape!
That said, BEFORE you take your life savings and try to start a new life in another country, it is important to realise that there are many things England has to offer. I did consider writing a top 10 list as I have for the top 10 reasons to leave England. But I found it very difficult to focus on 10 specific things, and it seemed too organised and contrived.
This post is therefore the introduction to random postings which will occur as and when something happens to remind me of the wonders of England!!!
Feel free to add your contributions and thoughts as to what makes England so special!
Saturday, 14 April 2007
England Activists on the Web
Starting this blog has prompted me to explore and search the internet for other bloggers ranting about “Good Old England”. I felt sure that there must be an enormous number of ranters and activists out there, all revelling in the freedom of speech provided by the blogasphere.
As I was searching Brit Blog I started to discover blog after blog after blog of armchair activists, ranters and escapees… I got completely distracted and lost in virtual space for hours as I soaked up the unrest of the Nation in the wealth of posts focussing on the problems within England and the English Parliament.
I was feeling the need to try to bring all these people together in a community so that it would be easy to refer back to them all – when I discovered “The Witanagemot Club”
Quote from their home page.
“The Witanagemot club is a collection of bloggers that believe that the current constitutional settlement is disadvantageous to England. The word 'Witanagemot' is an old anglo-saxon word used to describe an Anglo Saxon gathering of eminent people. It would include bishops, ealdormen, thegn's and the like. They would be summoned by the king and would advise him on various issues that were important to the kingdom. They would act as witnesses and be responsible for new taxes, charters and running the country in between monarchs. The witan had a regulatory effect on the king so that his decisions were discussed fully before implementation. The witan could also responsible for choosing the king. This particular Witanagemot club, however, is open to all, regardless of ethnicity, just so long as you believe that England too is a nation that deserves political recognition.”
Click on the flag to link through to their site, and be connected to masses of bloggers campaigning to make England a better place - or simply ranting about its political failures!! You are sure to find some motivation to either:
1. Join the campaigners and ranters to have your voice heard.
2. Leave England to live and work abroad
3. Both of the above!!
As I was searching Brit Blog I started to discover blog after blog after blog of armchair activists, ranters and escapees… I got completely distracted and lost in virtual space for hours as I soaked up the unrest of the Nation in the wealth of posts focussing on the problems within England and the English Parliament.
I was feeling the need to try to bring all these people together in a community so that it would be easy to refer back to them all – when I discovered “The Witanagemot Club”
Quote from their home page.
“The Witanagemot club is a collection of bloggers that believe that the current constitutional settlement is disadvantageous to England. The word 'Witanagemot' is an old anglo-saxon word used to describe an Anglo Saxon gathering of eminent people. It would include bishops, ealdormen, thegn's and the like. They would be summoned by the king and would advise him on various issues that were important to the kingdom. They would act as witnesses and be responsible for new taxes, charters and running the country in between monarchs. The witan had a regulatory effect on the king so that his decisions were discussed fully before implementation. The witan could also responsible for choosing the king. This particular Witanagemot club, however, is open to all, regardless of ethnicity, just so long as you believe that England too is a nation that deserves political recognition.”
Click on the flag to link through to their site, and be connected to masses of bloggers campaigning to make England a better place - or simply ranting about its political failures!! You are sure to find some motivation to either:
1. Join the campaigners and ranters to have your voice heard.
2. Leave England to live and work abroad
3. Both of the above!!
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