We're still alive! ;)

Here we are again. Yes, it's been a while, we wanted to reach out a long time ago. But our laptop got infected with a nasty Trojan and it took a while to defeat it. Thanks to antivirus software, system restore, the advice of an IT specialist, and reinstalling all apps, we're ready to write again. Oh, and there's a lot to write about!

So, last time we were in the Catalan Pyrenees for a week, staying in an Airbnb. We had cozy days with easy hikes, visiting the surrounding towns and villages, and (for our standards) a lot of sports. At the same time, we noticed that something was in the air. After traveling together in a small space for 3 months, we were starting to get on each other's nerves. What sounds like a romantic fairy tale to many - exploring the world together, romantic evenings on the beach with our own camper, having endless time for each other - sometimes becomes a real challenge. You're constantly in each other's space, the smallest things start to annoy you, and often it becomes a vicious cycle. We already had our first experience with a small relationship crisis in Slovenia at the end of August. So we knew what we needed: some time apart. And since Sarah was a bit homesick, we decided that she'll fly back to Switzerland for a few weeks while I go to Spain and help with the olive harvest. Two days after making this decision, Sarah got off the camper at Terminal 1 in Barcelona at 6:30 am and flew to Zurich, while Filou and I continued to Spain/Tortossa.

So, here we have two versions of the blog, one by Sarah and one by me, as we haven't spent the last few weeks together. I'll start with Spain.

Steffi's Version

It was quite strange to continue driving alone with the big camper from Barcelona (and no, we didn't know about the strike or any unrest). After three hours of driving, I turned off shortly after Tortossa in the Catalonia region onto an unpaved side road and 4 kilometers later reached Chris and Annette's Finca, the German expat couple where I'll be doing workaway for the next two weeks. It was 27 degrees warm and the sky was cloudless (early November!). Apart from the two of them, there was Mario, a 23-year-old German who is also just immigrating to Spain, and Joey, a 28-year-old Englishwoman who prefers to spend the winter months in the south rather than in cold and wet Wales.

I've been here for 10 days now. From the beginning, I felt very welcome and comfortable. Filou is also doing well, he can wander around the huge property with the extensive olive groves all day long. Chris and Annette are great hosts. Chris knows everything. From the history of the region, to gardening and handyman work, to politics and science, etc. You can have super interesting conversations with him. And he can cook really well! Annette is an enthusiastic yoga teacher and in the first week, she taught us yoga for 3 times 1.5 hours. There is another small finca here that has been converted into a yoga house. Unfortunately, Annette is going back to Germany tomorrow for a few weeks, so we'll have to see if we can do yoga without her. In addition to the olive groves with about 150 olive trees, there is a large garden, chickens, two cats (they don't like Filou, but they accept him), a secret forest with a huge trampoline and slacklines, a caravan here, a tent there, a tiny house... at the moment, a sauna is also being built. There are also two powerful e-mountain bikes that you can borrow. The nearby Natural Park Parc Natural del Ports invites you to wonderful nature experiences with its diverse mountain landscapes, valleys, and forests. So you see, this place is very diverse and there's never a dull moment here! 😊

The workaway routine here is relatively well-structured. We start work at 9 a.m. on weekdays until 2 p.m. Then we have lunch and the rest of the day is free. At 7 p.m., we meet for cooking together at the finca, and depending on the mood, we sit around for a while after dinner with a glass of wine. As a reward for the work, there's free accommodation and food (or in my case, a free pitch).

The work on the finca is quite varied. Currently, we're often harvesting olives. Chris and Annette make oil and table olives from them. But there are many other tasks as well. The house needs better insulation, the preparations for the sauna need to be done, the garden needs to be watered, the olive trees need care, the chickens need to be fed, the bathrooms need to be cleaned, etc.

On weekends, we often go on excursions. On my first Saturday here, we went to a mushroom festival nearby, where we could eat endless dishes with mushrooms (e.g. salty and sweet mushroom pies, mushroom risotto, mushroom toasts, etc.) and then we went to a mountain where we first looked for mushrooms and then had a picnic.

The following weekend, I visited Tortossa (a city about the same size as Lucerne) and in the evening, Chris took me to a birthday party of his friend Stefan. Together with Annette and Filou, we drove on unpaved country roads for 30 minutes in the darkness up a mountain. Our destination was a secluded, beautiful finca with a lot of space, where Stefan and his girlfriend Sarah lived. Filou had his own party there with the around seven dogs they currently have - they run a small dog shelter. At the party, we met other German expats, locals, and punks - because Stefan is a punk 😊 It was a wonderful evening and I probably would never have experienced something like this without workaway 😊

People come and go here. Annette is leaving tomorrow, Mario moved into his new apartment in Tortossa a few days ago, but tonight a nice Italian couple arrived. They're 24 and 26 years old, have their car with them, and say they don't want to go back to Italy. They don't have a specific plan, they just started driving without a destination. I find it remarkable when someone has the courage to venture into the unknown like that 😊

I think workaway is great for getting to know different ways of life. I find it very inspiring, especially regarding my own desires and especially those for the future. How do I actually want to live? What is out there that I don't know yet? What options are there besides a 9 to 5 job and a 3-room apartment in Switzerland? Workaway offers the opportunity to gain "different" experiences and get to know your own preferences and dislikes better.

Another great thing about workaway is the sense of family. You meet as strangers, and a few hours or days later, you feel like part of a family. Other advantages are gaining new experiences, expanding knowledge (in this case, about the process of olive oil production, about yoga, about the Catalonia region, etc.), and of course, it also has a financial aspect; you hardly spend money. Accommodation and food are provided, you work and don't have much time or desire to spend money. In the 10 days that I've been here so far, I haven't even spent 50 euros.

And now a short story about Pepito:

Last Sunday, three days after my arrival, a little dog was sitting in front of my camper at 7 a.m. It was a black-and-white male. At first, I thought he was a stray dog, as there are many of them here. But upon closer inspection, his behavior didn't fit that of a stray dog. His fur was very well groomed, his teeth were sparkling white, and his behavior was too good. This dog must belong to someone. We ignored him on the first day in the hope that he would go back on his own. But when he was still there the next day, we started looking for his owner. Chris placed an ad online and made some phone calls. In the meantime, the little one moved into the camper with me and Filou. Filou and Pepito - that's what I temporarily named him - got along really well. They watched us all day during the olive harvest and sometimes they chased each other with wagging tails across the entire plantation. Because the weather changed and it was windy, rainy, and cold at night, Pepito was even allowed to sleep in the camper with me. I was in the middle, Filou on the left, and Pepito on the right. At first, I thought Filou might react jealously, but he seemed to enjoy having a pajama party with his little buddy.

After four days, we finally found the owners, a nice Frenchman who had five more big dogs. He didn't even live a kilometer away. Pepito was the only small dog and sometimes he dug a hole under the fence and explored the area for a few days - at least that's what his owner explained to us. And by the way, his name is Simba. I was very happy that Simba was back in his place. He wagged his tail happily when he greeted his owner and the other dogs, he seemed to be really happy there. And yet, it was a bit difficult for me - a tiny part of me secretly hoped that he didn't have an owner anymore. Because then I would have definitely taken him with me. Pepito was simply adorable; very social and calm with many other great qualities, he was just the perfect dog (Filou, if you're reading this: of course, not as perfect as you ;))

And what's it like without Sarah? Honestly, at the moment, I'm enjoying being alone for a few weeks. It's a completely new experience because in the three years that we've been together, we've never been apart for longer than a week. Just the fact that I have the camper all to myself and we're not constantly getting in each other's way in it, I think it's great. But the more time passes, the more I miss my little one. I'm really looking forward to meeting her again in Malaga in 1-2 weeks 😊

And now to Sarah's part:

Home sweet home!

Last Thursday, I traveled relatively spontaneously to Switzerland. It was time for a vacation from the vacation, to see family and friends again. Arriving at Zurich Airport, I treated myself to traditional Swiss food, a sandwich from Brezelkönig. And then I made my way home. Swiss life without a GA or Half-Fare Card is an expensive life. Well, at least I could stay with my sister for free. Yay Sister-Roomies!

My parents didn't know that I was in Switzerland yet. So Miriam called my parents and said she was coming over for dinner. My mother had the flu and explained that she could come, but she would have to cook herself. Of course, my sister didn't come up the stairs in the evening (she had to work), it was me. After looking two or three times, my parents realized that I must be the other daughter. Surprise! After many hugs, we ate the pre-made Flammkuchen that I brought for dinner. Bought with love!

The following days, I spent time meeting friends, enjoying delicious food at my mom and dad's, and savoring the autumn Swiss climate. It's really great to be home again. It's especially nice because it's really a vacation and I don't have to stress about work, an apartment, or anything else.

On Wednesday, I'll fly to Alicante and from there, I'll travel along the Spanish coast alone for a week. On November 21st, I'll meet my dearest Steffi, my sweetheart Filou, and my favorite sister Miriam in Malaga. But for now, I'm very excited to travel alone, it's a new experience for me. Dios mio, ay caramba, vamos mujeres! I'm very confident that my good Spanish skills will be helpful. Ha, I just had to laugh a bit nervously myself.

In this sense, hasta la vista and tschau tschau tschüss byebye ciao take care bye see you later byebye...

Until next time! :-)

Author: Stephanie Köllinger