Moving to Georgia

[arctic splash]

I've been accepted. In February I'm moving to northern Georgia (about half-way between Atlanta and Ashville NC) to work at an intentional community, an eco-spiritual village, a mile off the Appalachian Trail, with four waterfalls on ancient Cherokee land. I'll get training in organic farming, permaculture, healing arts, alternative energy. Hopefully I'll get to work as a healer, taking care of animals, farming. There are sweat lodges twice a month. It really sounds like a nice place. It sounds beautiful.

I was excited, and then after getting accepted, I started feeling depressed. Homesick, already. I'd really love to be totally enthusiastic, totally motivated, but I'm not. I'm happy, I'm hopeful, but it's a little bit daunting. I'm motivated enough at least to give it a shot, which is a good start, but I want to really be involved, totally present and happy to be there. I don't want to wish I'm somewhere else when I get there. I wish I didn't need to be convinced that it's a better use of my time than sitting around watching movies all day... Any suggestions on staying motivated?

I'm not a really great worker, and I admit, 42 hours a week of potentially exhausting work doesn't seem like something I can keep up with forever. It's a little bit scary. Hopefully I'll be doing more of the healing and less of the wood chopping. Outside of work hours, hopefully I'll make some friends. But I really thrive on time alone, time to read and ponder and just enjoy life... I hope I'll get enough of that.

I'm afraid that after working I'll be too tired to even make friends. That's something that (at least for me) requires some energy. I mean, I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I *really* don't like eating breakfast with other people and being expected to talk. I really have nothing to say in the morning. I'm basically dead in the morning. When I wake up in the morning with people I don't know too well... I don't know, it sort of makes me feel bad. (For some reason I feel bad about myself in the morning... I feel vulnerable...) In the afternoon, fine... but in the morning, argh. And when I'm tired from a long day's work, argh.

Anyway, maybe I'll spend a few days in Altanta beforehand, a sort of prep mini-vacation... anywhere in particular I should go? Any great restaurants or specialised bookstores? Is Little Five Points any good?

Oh... maybe if anyone would like a pen pal, that would be fun... might relieve the homesickness a little, too, looking forward to letters!

[trippingdaisy]

that sounds amazing!

I'm doing something similar next month, but its only a trial thing, so I'm only going for a week.
I think it will feel alot less like 'work' if you are doing something you really enjoy, so doing 42 hour probably wont feel too strenuous. any big change, especially if it involves moving, is going to feel a bit daunting, but you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain- if you dont like it, you can always come back!
I was so scared when I first moved away, but it was the best thing I could have done. I''ve no regrets.
and if you'd like a penfriend who's stuck on the (freezing!) north east coast of england, I would be happy to oblige!

hope it all goes smoothly,

Trip

[TornadoAli]

Yay that sounds so exciting! I'm in Atlanta, PM me or yahoo IM if you wanna chat :-)

[Teresa]

If You enjoy nature's beauty at her best,You are going to fall in love with this area.That stretch up to Ashville is breathtaking! The work will be hard if You are not accustomed to it,but You can adapt in as little as a week.Keep an open mind and You will do fine.