ruralization

Easier said than done: My experience living in the countryside.

In recent months, we have heard desperate stories about the lockdown in large cities like Madrid and Barcelona. As a consequence, some people talk about seeking a better quality of life in less populated areas. Telecommuting has taken hold and is here to stay. There is talk of "ruralization."

Landscapes of the Segovian countryside. Milestone on the current SGP-2322 road

Many people tell me they would love to live in the country. "Would love," a simple conditional word that expresses a hypothetical action in the present or future. This suggests to me that the chances of them actually doing it are slim. I hope I am wrong, but I am no longer a young girl, and experience has taught me that those who do things, do them and then talk about them. I understand that it doesn't seem like an easy choice if one has their life established in the city, but if you truly want it, it is possible. It is never too late to pursue and achieve your dreams. In the meantime, you live on the excitement that their preparation generates.

The little vegetables from the garden are a delicacy.

Easier said than done

Our own personal story began with enjoying a small weekend house. We would arrive on Friday afternoon and return to Madrid on Sunday afternoon. Sunday would arrive and we would think, "what a drag to go back to Madrid, when we are so comfortable here." Long traffic jams during rush hour forced us to reconsider our schedules. To avoid traffic when leaving and to enjoy Friday afternoon, we started leaving on Friday morning. We soon decided to return first thing on Monday. In this way, we avoided breaking the calm rhythm of Sunday and stretched out as much as possible the enjoyment of what was clearly becoming our true home. It was decided.

Summer walks. View of a mown meadow and dovecote

It wasn't just about packing suitcases and moving house, but about restructuring everything that was our life at that moment. It was a thoughtful change made consciously. Less consumption, less unwanted information, less processed food, fewer medications. A change of habits made calmly... little by little, towards a healthy diet, a healthy life, and personal transformation.

We abandoned many daily habits we had in the city and realized they were totally dispensable. I learned to listen to my body, to dedicate myself more to the little things that make me happy, and to define myself as a person.

Some throw their hands up in horror when I tell them there are no drawbacks in terms of schools, doctors, or shopping... "Everything is so far away for you," they comment. We might have a bit more distance to a medical center, but you can get there without a single traffic light on the way. Throughout the province, we have an excellent healthcare system with a health center that visits once a week and 24-hour emergency services in a nearby town.

My gardens allow me to enjoy preparing flower bouquets to place at home and in the shop.

Shopping in the nearby villages is wonderful, both for the views during the walk and for the quiet chat with local producers and sellers, without rushing and without traffic jams. For me, it is priceless.

Public schools are in nearby towns where it doesn't take long to arrive, without traffic jams and without parking problems when dropping off your children. There is also a school bus service. If you opt for private education, you can find it in the nearest capital city.

In the winter months, the wood-fired oven never stops running.

Checklist

For those who are considering a life change, here is a list of essential things to keep in mind, all based on our experience:

• Have a partner or companion with similar desires or interests. As in any project, the support of one's partners is key. Both Pablo and I are lucky to complement each other and adapt to country life without problems. The countryside gives us the creativity and perspective to develop our work and discover hidden passions together. Developing them together has given us the opportunity to continue enriching ourselves with a country life that never stops teaching you.
  
  
• Keep in mind what you are leaving behind. The truth is that it didn't take us much to leave the city to come and live in the country. When you've only been there for a few hours, you begin to realize and perceive the longed-for silence, the pure air you breathe, and finally, zero light pollution. I find true luxury in the sensations they provide, and all three together are a dream.
  
  
• Imagine every aspect of the future that awaits you: finances, children's education, social life...
  
  
• Changes entail adjustments in behavior, times, and customs. We are human beings and, just like any natural process, you have to get used to the new environment that surrounds us.
  
  
• Carry out a measured transition. Try it out first with a vacation, a few months, etc. For us, weekends gradually turned into three days, then four, and soon we were spending more time at our second residence.
  
  
• "Keep your options open." Have the capacity to celebrate a success or rectify a mistake.
  
  
• Respect the customs and functioning of the place. Inform yourself about the "mechanics" of the place to facilitate integration. We have to get used to the place and not have the place get used to us, so we must take into account that some customs have no place in our new environment. This way, the experience is more enjoyable.
  
  
• Essential to have your own vehicle.
  
  
• Essential to have a fast internet connection.
  
  
• Unplug. Nowadays it is very difficult, but it is possible. In our country house, a television or a microwave has never entered. I consider modern television an invasive trap that, without us realizing it, contaminates us.

Old Puente Misa path

You have to enjoy this

Those of us who live in the countryside love it, and we reap the benefits. Today, my life revolves around a decision I made with my husband 20 years ago. A decision that also spurred this project. If I had to define a perfect moment in the countryside, it might be planting bulbs in my garden with my husband, accompanied by my cats, enjoying the silence and the aromas of freshly baked bread and the fireplace. In summer, I love getting home and having an ice-cold beer while I prepare a salad with the vegetables from my garden. For now, there is quality of life and room for everyone. I encourage those of you who are considering it.