Planning a life in Barcelona (On Friday’s I write)

new family member

Unbeknownst to us, mum’s coil fell out some time before xmas. We are pregnant with a healthy baby due 10 sept 2021. 

In which way is this most shocking? a) Mum will be 44 when she gives birth b) We will have a teenager at 60 c) This totally blows off plans to build up permaculture teaching on residential courses (which was starting to look possible with one lovely 7 year old). 

I guess we just need to make sure we bring up another awesome eco-activist human into the world. 

This will be tough for us, we are still dealing with the life plan changes, and we will certainly appreciate all the support people can possibly offer! My focus for permaculture teaching has doubled back from residential courses, to work here in the Poble Sec neighbourhood where I will be spending more time than expected. 

In the long term we are exploring ideas to figure out a positive future for a family of four.. maybe getting out of Barcelona in a few years. 

It’s all incredibly complicated (as life generally is) and I had having many sleepless nights this month!

THE BEST SOIL IS SOIL FILLED WITH PLANTS AND LIFE

This was the main take-away from the workshop I ran at my daughter’s school last week. Working with 7 year olds was surprisingly different to older kids – mainly because it seemed totally normal for them to give the answer they had, regardless of whether it was the same answer the previous 10 people had given! The soil experiment worked very well, and a week later the kids in the park still show me examples of good soil and bad soil. From a managing 7 year olds point of view – I will split them in groups and give them time to talk to each other about answers in future! And the experience of teaching with deaf children in the class was great. 

THIS WEEKS CRAZY IDEAS AND NEW STUFF

I’ve said yes to a few things – planning to offer the soil workshop again to adults in Raval and 8 year olds at a private school in Sant Cugat. 

I’m in touch with some young people in the neighbourhood and finally have news that in one more week they should announce the deadlines for European Solidarity Corps projects this year – but we still are interested to hear from more young locals who want to get involved. 

And the big one is the “Eco-point” campsite idea. Next year with a baby and an 8 year-old I would love to live on a campsite.. in a bungalow…. As we all know the “normal” campsite is not a very eco place. But with the introduction of and Eco point, run by the company we could set up before next summer we could offer three services during the season 1) consultancy on reducing water and waste looking at the site design 2) Raising awareness of waste reduction targets and offering alternatives to guests 3) Running ecological workshops as a complement to the yoga and kids clubs. Obviously in return as part of the payment I need two bungalows, one for us, and one for friends. Sounds great right? Who wants to set up a company?